Chapter 140: Chrollo's Watchful Eye
During the day, Haze had only given Kurapika a brief description of the various abilities possessed by the members of the Phantom Troupe.
But for Kurapika ... who hadn't yet mastered Nen ... it was almost unbelievable.
Since there were others aboard the ship, he couldn't press for more details.
He understood… this was a question Haze had deliberately left unanswered ... a secret among Hunters.
Besides, his mind was in turmoil, constantly flashing back to the slaughter of his clan, so he didn't insist on demanding answers in public.
Haze simply left ... his words hanging, sending a signal.
He would come to see him that night.
Had it been the other three ... Gon, Killua, or Leorio ... they likely wouldn't have grasped Haze's intentions.
But Kurapika did.
Kurapika stayed in Haze's cabin all night, not leaving until dawn.
No one knew what they discussed ... only that when he emerged, his expression was cold, his usual calm replaced by a silent intensity.
Haze was a Three-Star Hunter. Based on what Kurapika already knew about the Hunter Association, even if incomplete, he understood what "Three-Star" meant.
Haze had the power to help him fulfill his long-cherished wish.
A game.
The game of hunting spiders.
He needed the qualifications to join that game.
And now, as a new member of the Field mafia family, Kurapika realized… he held no leverage over Haze.
Haze's willingness to help him ... beyond the supposed "book debt" ... was nothing more than a form of entertainment.
Kurapika himself was part of that entertainment.
"Kurapika, where were you?"
Kurapika had barely left Haze's quarters when the trio ... Gon, Killua, and Leorio ... spotted him, fully packed and ready. Gon immediately ran up to greet him.
"What are you doing here?" Killua frowned.
Kurapika's room wasn't nearby… and Killua noticed where he'd come from.
His sharp eyes darted past Kurapika's shoulder ... toward Haze's quarters.
"You don't look so good… We're almost at the third phase of the exam," Gon said, concerned.
"I know." Kurapika forced a small smile, said nothing, and brushed past them.
"What's with him?" Gon asked, puzzled.
Killua smirked slyly, pointing at Haze's room. "Heh, probably your beloved Mr. Haze again… Why don't you go ask him yourself?"
"Oh, really? You think I should?"
And before Killua could stop him, Gon was already knocking on Haze's door.
The door opened Haze appeared.
"Mr. Haze, what's going on with Kurapika? Didn't you two clear up the misunderstanding already? I told him everything…" Gon tilted his head with his usual innocent curiosity ... but in truth, he was probing for information.
Haze chuckled faintly. "I just told him a few Hunter secrets."
"Secrets?" Gon's eyes widened.
"Don't worry. Once you become Hunters yourselves, you'll run into them soon enough," Haze said, stepping aside.
"The spaceship will land shortly ... get ready."
Killua leaned toward Gon, whispering nervously, "Whatever his goal is, it's bad news. I told you ... he's one of the Ten Dons of the underworld! Not only is he insanely strong, but his past is terrifying. A guy like him wouldn't even glance at rookies like us… Unless Kurapika's hiding something."
He rubbed his chin and grinned mischievously. "Still, Kurapika is kinda good-looking… Maybe…"
"Killua…"
Gon blinked, not understanding ... until he caught on and scratched his head, speechless.
"Haha, kidding!" Killua coughed. "Anyway, judging by Kurapika's face, he won't tell you what happened."
"Maybe he will!" Leorio suddenly clapped his hands.
"Idiot!" Killua snapped. "What did you just say? Say it again, I dare you!"
Leorio ... stunned that the much younger white-haired kid was talking back ... blew up in anger, hopping with rage.
"Hurry up!" Haze called from up ahead.
"Coming!" Gon slung his backpack and followed after him, ignoring Killua and Leorio's bickering.
Twelve minutes later, twelve examinees stood atop the towering structure known as the Trick Tower, the site of the third phase of the Hunter Exam.
After landing, most of the participants began surveying their surroundings.
From this height, they could clearly see the forests and mountains stretching far below ... the scenery breathtaking.
Haze, like Satotzki, said a few brief words before his craft slowly took off again.
The rest was left to the examiner of the third phase ... Riber.
Beep, beep, beep…
Just as Haze's ship ascended toward the final testing grounds, his phone rang.
It was Netero.
"Heh heh… So? Any promising ones this time?" the old man chuckled.
"Two brats with exceptional potential," Haze replied. "One's from the most gifted lineage in Zoldyck history… and the other ... " he paused, " ... is Ging Freecss's son."
"Oh?" The old man's tone instantly sharpened with interest.
"How do they compare to you?"
"In terms of potential… he far surpasses me."
"A rare compliment, coming from you," Netero said, amused.
"Potential isn't everything."
"Want me to take a look myself?"
"The son of Ging…" Netero murmured, intrigued.
Haze narrowed his eyes slightly.
From the tone of the chairman's voice, it was clear ... the name "Freecss" carried more weight than "Zoldyck."
Meanwhile, far away in the Republic of Padokia, inside the presidential suite of a luxury hotel, members of the Phantom Troupe gathered once more after several years apart.
Only some had arrived; others were still en route or handling separate missions.
"Hisoka just called," said Chrollo Lucilfer, dressed in a fur-trimmed purple coat, the distinctive cross tattoo on his forehead gleaming faintly beneath slicked-back hair. "He claims to have seen Haze. Apparently, Haze is now a Three-Star Hunter and one of this year's Hunter Exam examiners."
Standing beside him were Pakunoda and Machi.
Also present were Feitan, Shizuku, and Pegasus.
Holding his phone loosely, Chrollo emerged from an adjoining room.
"The fact that Hisoka wasn't attacked confirms your theory," he said calmly. "For years, Haze has ignored us ... and doesn't even recognize Hisoka's identity. Perhaps, to him, we're nothing but broken toys."
Feitan scowled, silent.
The deaths of Phinks and Franklin still burned in their memories.
The humiliation Haze had inflicted on them was carved into their bones.
Even after years of relentless training and self-improvement, none of them could forget the sight ...
Franklin's dismembered body wrapped in cloth at the hospital, blood seeping through the sheets…
There was only one way to break those chains ...
to kill Haze.
Otherwise, as long as he lived, that sense of crisis would never fade.
"Hisoka also said… Haze is terrifying now ... his true strength completely unfathomable. But if we join forces… our chances of victory remain decent. After all, we're not the same as before."
Chrollo rested a hand on his hip. "In fact, his arrogance works in our favor."
"A Three-Star Hunter?"
Chrollo glanced at the static-filled TV screen before him and said quietly, "Don't get too excited yet. It's possible Hisoka's already been discovered. The cunning of that man is beyond ordinary understanding."
"You mean Hisoka took the Hunter Exam not to get the license… but because you sent him ... to test Haze?" Machi opened one eye, skeptical.
She had always believed Hisoka joined out of personal interest ... or to complete the unfinished mission of Chrollo and Phinks: to obtain a Hunter License.
But now, it seemed the captain had deceived her.
"I wasn't sure if Haze would be an examiner," Chrollo said. "But ever since what happened years ago, I've had to stay cautious. If Hisoka takes the exam and Haze appears, it means their connection isn't coincidental."
"Did Haze make Hisoka join the Phantom Troupe?" Machi asked sharply.
"Impossible," Pakunoda interrupted.
"I tested him myself. I asked his reason for joining the Troupe ... he said it was for fun. And… there were no images of Haze in his memories."
Ever since Franklin's death, every new member had to undergo Pakunoda's verification ... by Chrollo's direct order.
That was how much fear Haze had instilled in them.
"This is only a hypothesis," Chrollo said coldly. "But we all know our enemy's level. He once manipulated us all. We can't afford to drop our guard."
The room fell silent.
"Why Hisoka?" Chrollo suddenly asked, turning to Shizuku.
"The previous Number Eight was a Zoldyck mercenary hired by another group ... no ties to the Field family," she said.
Chrollo paused, then clapped once. "Right… You contacted the Zoldycks. What was their reply?"
They had tried hiring the Zoldycks to assassinate Haze.
Three times, in fact.
The first two times, the prices were astronomical.
"Still not enough?" Chrollo asked grimly.
Each time the fee rose, it meant the Zoldycks' threat assessment of Haze had also risen.
"And now he's a Three-Star Hunter… but if that's all he was, the price wouldn't be so outrageous," Chrollo muttered.
"The Field family is far more powerful than we imagined," he continued. "The Zoldycks don't just assess combat strength ... they also weigh background, influence, identity, and status."
He exhaled slowly. "So I adjusted our objective."
The others watched him closely.
"This time, our goal isn't to kill him outright ... but to severely weaken the Field family. Total elimination is unrealistic… I've already arranged for two Zoldyck members to engage the target, buying us time to strike."
"So we'll be wearing him down little by little," Shalnark said, eyes gleaming.
"That person… must be extremely strong," Shizuku murmured.
Feitan nodded solemnly. "In the past, two of ours died by his hand. Even united, we couldn't guarantee victory. His greatest threat isn't just power ... it's intellect. When Number Seven died, Haze was already gravely injured, yet he still dismantled us through strategy and psychological warfare. And worst of all ... information leaks. We knew nothing about him, but he knew everything about us."
He paused, then added coldly, "But things are different now. We've been gathering intel on the Field family for years. The power gap has narrowed."
"Three stars don't always mean strength," Shizuku said softly.
"Oh…"
She nodded slightly, still somewhat clueless ... but she understood the gist.
"Pakunoda," Chrollo called.
"When Hisoka returns, use your ability again. Ask him differently this time ... ask directly when he met Haze."
"…Understood," Pakunoda replied.
Was it during this year's Hunter Exam ... or long before that?
If it was this year, fine.
But the last time she probed Hisoka, his memories had been odd ... unclear, yet not suspicious enough to condemn him.
Now, with Haze resurfacing as Hisoka's examiner, Chrollo had no choice but to dig deeper.
(End of Chapter)