Chapter 63: Invitation x Invitation

August 28, 1996.

The Phantom Troupe suffered the loss of two members.

Fortunately in the midst of this misfortune, at Chrollo’s invitation, a top-tier student stepped in to fill the vacancy left by Omokage, becoming member number four of the group.

For the Troupe, this was equivalent to cutting their losses in time.

As such, there was no longer any need to pursue the matter of Omokage’s death.

If one insisted on finding something unsettling about the affair, it would have to be the personality and conduct displayed by this new top-tier student.

Even though the Troupe members present had witnessed all sorts of grand storms and trials, they still inevitably felt a sense of discomfort.

Therefore, when the top-tier student massacred a group of bounty hunters with a single playing card, the Troupe members on the scene didn't even know how to describe what they had just seen and heard.

If forced to slap a label on the top-tier student, it would undoubtedly be a distortion that reached the absolute pinnacle of pathology.

However, they cared little about the origins of the top-tier student's reactions.

Once the killing came to an end and the top-tier student agreed to join the Troupe with a reluctant attitude of compliance, the hostility in their hearts faded considerably.

It was just that the strong personal style exhibited in the newcomer's words and deeds—such as the hip-swaying and pelvis-thrusting motions—only served to increase the disgust in their hearts rather than diminish it.

All in all, the Troupe was currently short of a leg.

And what the Troupe did not know was—

The addition of this top-tier student would only bring more unstable factors to the group.

At this moment.

Moro had no idea what had happened after Hisoka fell from the sky; he was already aboard an airship bound for a border city.

Originally, he had planned to take a direct airship to Heavens Arena, but a phone call and invitation from Kanzai made Moro temporarily change his itinerary.

Time advanced to September 1st.

This day marked the beginning of Yorknew City's annual grand auction event.

For collectors fond of rare treasures and exotic curiosities, this was an event that had to be attended.

Yet for Moro now, the existence of the Yorknew auction was no longer merely a place to achieve massive profits in a short period of time, but also a location to improve the charging efficiency of his Year Rings.

Only, Moro was no longer able to go.

On this day, the airship he rode landed in a town named Polit, located very close to the Kouto border.

Polit's geographical location was somewhat peculiar.

To its west and south lay wetland forests and mountain ranges respectively, while its east featured a port within the jurisdiction of the border.

Because the expansion of land routes was restricted by forests and mountains, Polit—merely town-sized—boasted an airport that served the functions of a transit station and tourist reception.

Moreover, owing to its proximity to the border, Polit's law and order were in utter disarray compared to cities in the interior, making criminal acts like smuggling an everyday occurrence.

Yet the truth was, smuggling was Polit's very lifeblood.

It brought chaos and sin to Polit, but it also delivered incomparable, massive profits.

Consequently, the principal figures responsible for administering this region tacitly permitted certain phenomena to exist to a certain extent.

Moro stepped out of Polit's airport and hailed an unlicensed cab, heading for a noodle shop called Crimson Dan.

That was the place where Kanzai had arranged to meet him.

Sitting in the car, Moro turned his head to look at the buildings on both sides of the road.

The structures in this town were at most three or four stories high, mostly built using a primary material of timber marked with deep red grain.

The red-grained wood interlocked with grayish-white bricks...

It actually gave off the visual impression of white walls stained with blood.

Moro's detour to this place wasn't entirely due to Kanzai's invitation.

In this town that practically advertised chaos and disorder, there were properties belonging to Nolan Gambino.

Based on the intelligence provided by Argo, it was not yet certain whether the "Menu" controlled by Nolan was connected to the properties here.

Regardless of whether there was a connection or not...

Since Moro had come, it was impossible for him to do nothing.

Previously, when he died and was reborn, constrained by limited capabilities, he could only passively accept the other party sending their head right to his doorstep.

Now that his level had risen to Lv.31, the tables had turned, and naturally, it was time to actively seek them out.

"Ordinary person, ordinary person..."

As the cab drove along, Moro habitually observed the pedestrians on the street.

Along the way, as expected, practically all of them were ordinary people.

"Ordinary person, hmm, keep this one tentative..."

Occasionally spotting someone with slightly unnatural flow phenomena of Nen, Moro would usually default to assuming that the person was a Nen user hiding their identity.

"Ordinary person, ordinary person... Oh, a Nen user."

Moro's gaze instantly locked onto a person wrapped tightly in front of a medicinal herb stall, with only a pair of eyes exposed.

The individual wore loose white clothing and a white hat that concealed most of their head, while a medical mask covered what should have been their face, leaving only a pair of dark, bright eyes visible.

Moro barely had time to size up the person for a few seconds before his cab made a turn at an intersection.

"Female? The flow of Nen is very steady; her strength should be pretty decent."

Carefully recalling the *Ten* emanating from that Nen user just now, Moro tentatively drew a conclusion.

Yet compared to that solid foundation of *Ten*, what left a deeper impression on Moro was the other person's eyes.

Bright, clear...

If he were in a relatively normal environment, Moro wouldn't specifically pay attention to a woman's eyes.

It was just that in a place like Polit, as he observed all the way through, what he felt most intensely was the hostility laid bare on the surface.

In contrast, that female Nen user's eyes were like a white orchid blooming in barren land, possessing a remarkably strong presence.

Moro memorized her appearance and then continued to observe the pedestrians along the road.

Twenty minutes later.

Moro arrived at the noodle shop named Crimson Dan.

Much like the style of most buildings in the town, the noodle shop before him was also constructed from red-grained timber and grayish-white bricks.

Even the signboard hanging over the noodle shop was made of redwood.

The splash-ink-like grain on the wooden surface truly gave the visual sensation of fresh blood spattered across it.

Moro withdrew his gaze and walked straight inside.

The noodle shop was quite spacious, with over twenty tables set up.

It was noon, and almost every table was occupied by guests.

Moro swept his gaze quickly, noticing bulges beneath the clothes of quite a few patrons, clearly indicating they carried firearms or blades—a testament to how weak the local security and legal constraints had deteriorated.

Not paying too much heed to these minor details, Moro soon spotted Kanzai sitting at a table against the wall.

And Kanzai also saw Moro walking into the noodle shop, immediately raising a hand to wave.

Seeing this, Moro walked straight over to Kanzai and sat down.

As Kanzai pushed the menu across the table, he said with a smile, "Figuring you might still be in Kouto, I tried calling to check, and I didn't expect you to actually still be there."

"That's what I should be asking you, isn't it?"

Moro picked up the menu for a glance and asked curiously, "Weren't your jobs finished? Why would you come to Kouto?"

"Here."

Kanzai raised his chin and pointed at the television hanging on the wall of the noodle shop's main hall.

The TV was broadcasting footage of a silver-haired woman accepting an interview.

Moro looked at the television screen, then cast an inquiring look at Kanzai.

Kanzai stated matter-of-factly, "That's the client I failed to protect earlier."

"Huh?"