Machi's mind spun rapidly: "His true target is Luke!!"
"He wants to fight Luke!!"
With only an extremely brief interaction, Machi had already inferred Hisoka's true purpose based on what he said and the actions and behavior he displayed.
At the same time, this man called Hisoka also left Machi with a first impression that allowed her to make a correct judgment: Fickle, deceitful, battle-loving, judging from the way he presses the corner of his lips, he should be especially fond of bloody combat.
And... An undisputed pervert.
After quickly reaching these conclusions, Machi immediately gave her response: "Very regrettable, but I can't provide you with any help here."
Machi spread her hands and directly issued an order to leave: "If you want stitching medical treatment, I might still be able to help you."
"But if you're here for other matters..."
"Then I won't be able to help you. Go find someone else."
She had no desire whatsoever to associate with such a madman and pervert.
People like this were the most troublesome and the hardest to deal with.
Especially since… he was also blocking the business she was about to do next.
"Heh heh heh, go find someone else?"
Hisoka smiled meaningfully. "Then it seems I should make more trips to Meteor City. Hmm, at the current stage, Franklin is also over in Meteor City. Planning to recruit rare talents with special abilities for the Phantom Troupe."
"As you wish."
Machi was noncommittal. "If there's nothing else, then please leave."
"So cold-hearted. Can't you let me stay here and watch properly as well?"
Hisoka dragged out his tone slightly. "I'm very curious about your place here, especially your stitching techniques."
"The business I'm about to do involves a demonstration of my personal abilities."
Machi looked at him calmly.
"So I'm not allowed to watch, is that it?"
Hisoka played with the cards in his hands, showing no intention of leaving at all.
He didn't even want to argue further with Machi.
However, what surprised him greatly was that Machi did not forcibly demand that he leave.
Instead, under Hisoka's rare look of slight surprise, Machi said seriously: "If you want to observe from the side, that's fine too."
Hisoka: "..."
Machi extended her palm toward Hisoka. "You'll need to put up an observation fee that satisfies me."
"My techniques aren't something I just casually show to others, unless..."
Machi looked at him with a straight face. "You pay extra."
Hisoka: "..."
Once again, he could not help but look Machi up and down, and discovered that she had no intention of joking at all.
Within those calm eyes was written nothing but seriousness.
Involuntarily, this also made him realize once more that the members of this organization, known as the Phantom Troupe, seemed to possess rather unique personalities.
And moreover…
"That's actually quite interesting."
In Hisoka's eyes, a hint of interest gradually surfaced.
Aside from Machi, the other members were probably all quite interesting as well, right?
"Give me an account."
Hisoka took out his custom-made phone, yes, one with a playing-card design.
After Machi gave him a number, he casually operated it a few times, then leisurely sat down to the side.
"Doctor?! Is there a doctor here?!!"
At this moment, outside the door, panicked voices rang out as well.
"There's a patient here who's about to collapse!!!"
"Hey, aren't you yourself a doctor?!!"
"Huh? So I'm a doctor... No, that's different!!"
The noisy clamor at the doorway grew louder and louder, as if they were performing some kind of slapstick routine.
"I'm internal medicine, this is surgery, his arm is about to be severed!!"
"I heard there's a miraculous doctor here who can stitch a severed arm back together, come save him!!"
Another piece of business had arrived. Under Hisoka's amazed gaze, Machi began her trade once more.
From this point on, Hisoka, who bore the title of Magician, also set his sights on the Phantom Troupe.
And at the same time, over in Meteor City.
The Phantom Troupe's true director of human resources, Franklin, was seriously searching for suitable members for the troupe.
Through his diligent exploration and constant visits, investigations, and inquiries, he finally found someone who, in his view, was very good and could become a member of their troupe.
"Eh? You're sure you're looking for me?"
In a certain remote corner of Meteor City, at the entrance of a house that looked relatively clean, a short-haired girl who appeared to be eighteen years old, with a pure and innocent appearance, asked Franklin somewhat blankly.
Although Franklin looked like Frankenstein's monster and was tall and burly, appearing quite intimidating, this cute girl showed no such sense of fear at all.
She blinked her indigo-blue eyes in a slightly airheaded way, and the clothes she wore revealed a natural sense of sexiness.
On her face and neck, she wore black-framed glasses and an inverted cross necklace.
Loose black hair draped over a black high-collared sweater, paired with jeans, the casual outfit accentuated her figure very well.
However, while her appearance looked very cute, there was no warmth whatsoever in those lively, large eyes.
Seen this way, her actual personality seemed unexpectedly calm and ruthless.
As for this point, Franklin had known for a long time what kind of personality this girl named Shizuku actually had.
It was precisely because he knew what kind of person she was and what kind of ability she possessed that Franklin came to seek her out.
Even in the original storyline, Shizuku's past was not very clear.
She seemed, like several other Phantom Troupe members, to come from Meteor City.
Originally, Shizuku joined the troupe to replace the no. 8 member, who had been assassinated by Silva Zoldyck.
Within the troupe, Shizuku was mainly responsible for cleanup and transport work because her primary Nen ability was the conjured vacuum cleaner, Blinky.
Blinky, a vacuum cleaner with eyes, teeth, and a tongue, could suck in anything at Shizuku's command.
Before using her Nen ability, Shizuku first explains the target to Blinky.
Blinky can be freely summoned or dismissed, and it can suck away anything that Shizuku deems to have no life and spit it out at will.
There are no limits on volume or quantity, but it seems unable to absorb things imbued with aura, such as the webs of the Chimera Ant spider.
It belongs to the same type as the Shadow Beasts' leader, Owl's Fun Fun Cloth.