IDKjust
patreon
Chapter 689
🕑 Added 2025-07-24 15:36:17 +0000 UTCChapter 689
“How far is Processing Valley from here?” Ron asked, turning to Chrollo.
“If we drive fast, we can get there in half a day,” Chrollo replied.
Phinks studied the group. He’d met Ron before and was very aware of the strength Ron had displayed—completely above his own. There was no way he could beat him in a fight. For that reason, Phinks had a certain wariness toward Ron.
He’d also seen Misty before. During their encounter with Gon, Phinks had struck too hard, misjudging his own strength—and Misty had been the one to block the attack.
“She doesn’t look that old,” Phinks thought, “but she had the power to block my punch without trouble. That level of strength is no joke.”
The other two, whose presence made even Franklin uneasy, couldn’t be weak either.
Phinks shifted his gaze to Machi and Ponzu.
“And with Machi joining them…”
“This one,” he thought, referring to Ponzu, “doesn’t seem that imposing—maybe hasn’t been training in nen for long. But if Ron accepted her into his team, she must have some special ability.”
“Probably a support-type, like Shalnark or Kortopi.”
“Ron’s team may not be as large as the Troupe, but it’s equivalent to more than half the Troupe’s strength.”
Machi finished her quiet moment of mourning and approached Chrollo.
“Boss, where’s Nobunaga?”
“He had something to take care of,” Chrollo said. “Shuji’s body went missing. I sent Nobunaga to investigate. As for the others—when the Chain User captured Hooker, he contacted us asking for a trade. I sent Franklin and a few others to handle it.”
Machi frowned. “The body’s missing?”
Her eyes instinctively shifted toward Sarasa’s grave.
“Sarasa’s is untouched.”
That confirmed it. Whoever was behind this wasn’t targeting the Phantom Troupe. If someone wanted to provoke them, desecrating Sarasa’s grave would’ve been the obvious choice. The fact that only Shuji’s body was taken meant it probably held value to the thief.
What made Shuji’s body special? The only thing was that he had been a nen user in life. The person who took him was likely a nen user as well.
Hearing that, Ron suddenly remembered someone—Omokage.
Phantom Troupe’s former number four. The one “killed” by Hisoka, who took his place in the group.
But in truth, Omokage hadn’t died. Ron remembered clearly—his ability allowed him to make puppets. After stealing someone’s eyes, he could create a puppet that replicated their full strength.
In the movie version of the story, Omokage had dug up Uvogin’s grave to create a puppet of him.
In this world, it wasn’t impossible that he’d now dug up Shuji’s.
“Captain, I’m ready,” Machi said, turning to Ron.
Ron nodded. “Chrollo, lead the way. Let’s move—I want to get the Dark Sonata as soon as possible.”
“Got it.”
Phinks drove over from the other side, and with the roar of the engine, the vehicle started. Ron and the others climbed back into their cars.
Three vehicles in total, spaced roughly ten meters apart—not a safe distance for normal drivers, given how fast they were going, but for nen users, it was easily manageable.
............................................
....................
.
Meanwhile, Franklin and the others arrived in Yorknew—the meeting point Kurapika had arranged.
At first, the three Troupe members were on high alert. But the moment they saw Hooker, sitting across from Kurapika, untied, casually eating, their tension wavered.
“Hooker?”
Hooker looked back, saw them, and quickly put down his lunch box. “You’re finally here.”
Pakonoda frowned. “Hooker, what’s going on? You were captured by Chain User, weren’t you?”
“I was,” Hooker replied. “But Kurapika thought I’d been tied up for too long, so he untied me and let me move around a bit. I was just eating.”
Pakonoda’s expression was full of doubt.
“This is what you call being captured? The ropes are off and you didn’t escape? What is this—are you two working together?”
“Is this a trap?” she wondered.
Her gaze shifted to Kurapika. Things had changed significantly from the original events.
In the original timeline, Pakonoda would die because of Kurapika.
Shalnark and Kortopi also wouldn’t die during the Yorknew arc—they would live until after the Hisoka vs. Chrollo battle.
Feitan subtly shifted his position, clearly looking for a chance to act.
“Feitan, don’t,” Hooker warned, having noticed the movement. “Kurapika doesn’t intend to truly harm us. And honestly, it’s true the Phantom Troupe wronged him. All he wants now is the truth about what happened back then.”
Franklin sat across from Kurapika and Hooker. “What do you mean?”
Hooker motioned toward Kurapika.
Kurapika removed the contact lenses concealing his eyes, revealing a pair of deep crimson pupils.
“These eyes—you haven’t forgotten them, have you?”
“Six years ago, the Kurta Clan!” Kurapika’s voice was sharp. “Plenty of Kurta fell at your hands, didn’t they?”
Pakonoda’s pupils shrank.
Feitan’s gaze flickered but showed no real concern.
Franklin was silent for a while before speaking. “So that’s it. No wonder you weren’t part of the Underworld Mafia’s core—yet you targeted us. At first, you must have believed the Phantom Troupe was solely responsible for the Kurta Clan’s massacre. You hated us, wanted revenge, wanted to kill us for your people.”
Kurapika nodded. “But now I know. The Phantom Troupe wasn’t the only one. You were just one part of it. I need to know everyone who was involved. I need to know why the Kurta Clan was targeted. Don’t tell me it was just for the Scarlet Eyes. I want to know who orchestrated everything. As long as you tell me that, I’ll stop pursuing vengeance against the Troupe.”
Feitan responded coldly. “And why should we agree to your terms? What gives you the right?”
“You’re alone. We’re four.”
“No matter what secret weapons you’re hiding, you’re no match for us. Wouldn’t it be easier if I just killed you now? You only have yourself to blame for being careless.”
He didn’t finish his sentence—Feitan suddenly flickered, vanishing in a blur.
