Assassinating Nasubi Hui Guo Rou—that would require far more planning.
The immediate priority was keeping Marayam alive. That was Kurapika's burden.
"Then let's draw the enemy to the Twelfth Prince's room."
A simple, sharp suggestion from Kurapika.
It made sense. If they couldn't leave, the next best solution to the assassin in the Thirteenth Prince's room was to lure them in.
"Are you sure about this?"
Joey asked quietly, though his mind had already chased the same idea.
The deaths by blood-drain hadn't started in the Thirteenth Prince's quarters—the Fourteenth Prince's room had been first.
Joey and Kurapika had known this since Hanzo's previous report.
If the killer had now shifted focus to Thirteen, then Twelve would surely be next.
In other words, they couldn't avoid this confrontation.
So why not take control of the timing?
The simplest way to draw the enemy in:
Increase the number of people in the Twelfth Prince's room.
And the simplest way to do that?
Publicly reveal Nen.
But here lay the catch:
If the Twelfth Prince's camp was the one to expose Nen, the First Prince would immediately become suspicious.
Joey's careful strategy would unravel.
Kurapika's silence was telling—he was preparing to take responsibility.
To expose Nen on the public channel himself.
"I'll do it," Joey sighed.
If exposure was inevitable, then it had to be done on his terms.
But before going further, he had something to say.
"Kurapika, have you really steeled yourself?"
"Not just to face the Fourth Prince—but to save the lower princes?"
His tone was steady, but his gaze pierced.
"If I wasn't here, could you protect Woble alone?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"Marayam's not the only one in danger. From the moment this war began, Woble has been a target too.
She's just a baby, and the Eighth Queen's only a civilian. No matter what schemes she might plot, she doesn't have the strength to act on them."
"But Hanzo hasn't sent a request for help.
And because of me, the Thirteenth Prince's Guardian Beast was destroyed, so Bisky sent a request.
That wasn't just a cry for help. It was a test, too."
"She's questioning me—wondering how far I'll go to complete my mission, what I'm willing to sacrifice."
Joey didn't blame her.
"Her doubt is justified. I don't care about these princes' lives.
Getting to the Dark Continent is what matters. My life is on the line."
"And Melody? She's started wanting to save Prince Kacho.
Bajio's become a friend to the Seventh Prince, even wanting to help him win."
"Only Izunavi hasn't grown attached to the Sixth Prince—but he's walking a razor's edge too.
One slip, and he'll be brainwashed into Tyson's cult."
Then came the real question:
"If this war's end is guaranteed to be blood-soaked... who would you choose?"
Joey gave him no time to answer.
"I'm hoping to form an alliance with the First Prince.
That's the surest path to reach the Fourth.
He's too dangerous. Every move from now on needs surgical precision."
"I'm going on the offensive. Nen will be exposed during that operation.
And when it is—that's your chance."
Kurapika listened quietly.
"The First Prince... he's a strong choice. But the intel paints him as ruthless, unyielding. Once he makes a decision, he doesn't waver."
He didn't answer Joey's question about resolve.
But his comment made it clear—he'd already decided on his path.
Joey nodded.
"That's why I gave him something he can't ignore—'we're useful.'
If I'm right, then Benjamin now believes the three of us—me, Kurapika, and 'Juan'—each have unique skills:
A Conjurer who controls explosive tanks,
A specialist who can analyze and even influence Guardian Beasts,
And someone who uses animals to gather intel."
Kurapika's eyes narrowed—he recognized the implications immediately.
"You're admitting it, then.
That the attack on Benjamin's soldier—Lihan—was your doing."
Joey didn't deny it.
Kurapika replied sharply:
"You revealed your ability.
Juan's got the tanks.
And I supposedly have the power to decode Guardian Beasts and trigger their attacks."
It wasn't a bad cover.
In fact—it worked extremely well with Kurapika's chain abilities.
A role that required knowledge, intelligence, and a hint of divine retribution.
And Joey had already laid the foundation.
He handed Kurapika a sheet of paper.
A list of the Nen abilities possessed by several princes' Guardian Beasts.
"Third Prince's beast spits out coins. Touch them, and the target vanishes. (Fake, of course.)"
Kurapika raised an eyebrow.
"Fake?"
"Yeah," Joey said bluntly.
"I only saw the beast. Guessed the rest from its design."
Kurapika wasn't fooled.
"So... your ability can make people vanish?"
"Yeah." Joey didn't hide it. Kurapika was a trusted comrade.
No point playing coy.
They went over the list:
Sixth Prince: Her beast uses the "Tyson Holy Book" to indoctrinate followers.
Eighth Prince: The longer someone stays with him, the more their affection increases.
Ninth Prince: A group-type Guardian Beast.
Tenth and Eleventh: Support-type beasts that help each other.
Kurapika looked up.
"The most critical are the top five. Those are the real power players."
"I don't have full data," Joey admitted.
"Can't get near the Fourth. Second is a total unknown.
Fifth might have a poison-based ability—but that's just a guess based on appearance."
"Treat it all as speculation. How you spin it is your problem.
I'm just giving you the blueprint."
Kurapika smiled slightly.
"Your plan... is pretty damn solid."
"Use this intel to win Benjamin's trust.
Promise that all the Twelfth Prince wants is a royal pardon if Benjamin becomes king.
That's your best shot at establishing a working relationship."
"Most of our contact will be with his soldiers—not Benjamin himself.
But it's enough. He's already shown intent to eliminate the Fourth Prince.
We can pretend to share that grudge."
Joey nodded.
"We volunteer to be the vanguard.
Offer Woble as a 'hostage'—a token of goodwill."
"Benjamin sees Tserriednich as a rival. They're from the same mother.
And Tserriednich's got support from Prince Sale-Sale and likely Prince Tubeppa too."
"Working through Benjamin's power base is the best way to reach the Fourth."
Third Prince?
Too connected to the Kakin underworld.
Harder to exploit.
"If we can sway the Fifth or Ninth Prince, that'd be ideal," Joey added.
Kurapika nodded again.
"They don't have Nen. Teaching them offers us direct access."
Throughout the exchange, Joey had led the strategy.
Understandable—he had the most intel.
Kurapika merely offered feedback and refined the details.
As they prepared to part ways, Kurapika spoke sincerely.
"I'm glad you accepted my request."
Joey paused.
"I'm glad I met you."
Ten minutes later—First Prince's soldier Shurilikov found Kurapika.
"The First Prince invites you to his room."
"It would be my honor."
Kurapika had been waiting for this.
So had Joey.
Everything was falling into place.
Meanwhile—the Thirteenth Prince's room was plunging into despair.
Neither Joey nor Kurapika had brought up Marayam again.
Because they both knew the truth:
They couldn't protect everyone.
Not all the princes.
Not even the most vulnerable.
Not unless they were all in one room.
And even that?
Impossible.
Forget the rules—the queens themselves wouldn't allow it.
Even Queen Sevanti had pulled guards from Woble to protect Marayam.
Each queen had her own ambitions.
The Succession War wasn't just a contest between princes.
It was a war between queens.
Though Sevanti had been taken to the Association for treatment, Joey doubted it'd last.
She'd be back soon enough.
And she'd reclaim control over the Thirteenth Prince's situation.
Her two private soldiers had never left.
So everything was on pause.
Bisky wouldn't complain—she knew the stakes.
If Marayam died, she'd blame herself, not Joey or Kurapika.
As for the First Prince's invitation—it wouldn't be tonight.
The formal meeting would happen the next morning.
A clear political signal.
Just like the Third Prince, the First Prince would now be publicly "at peace" with the Twelfth.
But this one came with malice.
It would paint the Twelfth Prince as a target.
Exactly what Joey and Kurapika wanted.
When Nen was exposed, all eyes would turn to their room.
Which meant:
Kurapika could propose a Nen education initiative.
More princes would send guards.
More allies would gather.
It also served Benjamin's purposes.
After all, Joey and Kurapika had cost him soldiers.
He wanted to see if they were worth keeping alive—or if they were better as tools.
A test.
A trial.
Joey understood.
When power was unbalanced, the weaker party had no claim to equality.
So he turned his focus to what mattered:
Reconnaissance on the Fourth Prince.
He remembered: in the manga, Tserriednich's Guardian Beast devoured a Nen cockroach that Kurapika had used to spy.
So Joey began sending insects into Tserriednich's room.
To feed him.
If the beast consumed without caution—then Joey would send one of his own:
A living First Bomb.
The plan was simple.
The execution, simpler still.
The ventilation system was a bug's paradise, and Joey had already mapped it.
First up:
A biscuit, transfigured into a cockroach.
It skittered toward the Fourth Prince's chamber.
Joey watched through his phone screen, tracking the bug's POV.
As it neared the room, the cockroach vanished.
Joey focused his Nen-enhanced eyes—
A horrific face stared out from the vent.
And it was moving—toward the beetle-cam.
Joey smirked.
He was ready.
The beetle was rigged with Killer Queen's First Bomb.
If the beast touched it—
Boom.
But just thirty centimeters away, the face stopped.
Its mouth split wide, revealing a stitched second face.
A tongue—whip-like—shot forward.
Killer Queen triggered.
The bomb went off.
But the camera still streamed.
The tongue had vanished—but the beast remained.
"It can detach parts of itself?" Joey muttered.
Then—blackout.
The mouth devoured the cam.
He frowned.
Was that an instinctual reaction?
Or...
Precognition?
No way to tell.
Joey grabbed another biscuit.
This time—it became a swallow.
He imbued it with First Bomb, then sent it down the vent.
Killer Queen's toy tank followed behind.
He attached a faster cam to a hummingbird form, trailing the tank.