The ringtone echoes only a handful of times before the call is answered.
<<...Kai?>>
The familiar, deep voice on the other end brings a faint smile to my face.
"That's right, Bodoro, it's me. It's been quite a while since we last spoke, so I thought it was time to catch up." Clarifying my intentions, I notice his ragged breathing. "Judging by your breathing, you're still training?"
<
"I think the same as you."
With that, we spend the next several minutes catching up on everything that's happened since our last meeting.
Bodoro tells me about the jobs he's taken, the Hunters he's met, and the experience he's gained while traveling across the Caltia continent .
However, as he speaks, I can tell that his voice and manner of speaking are different from what I remember. He no longer sounds like the confident and arrogant martial artist I fought in the Hunter Exam.
"If you've been traveling and gaining experience as a professional Hunter... Have you fought another Nen user yet?" I ask, trying to prove my hypothesis.
Bodoro then takes a moment of silence before answering in a much drier tone.
<
"And?"
Another short, heavy silence precedes the answer.
<>
That answer tells me more than any long explanation could. Experience has a way of changing people.
Better yet, Bodoro reveals that he has finally developed a Hatsu of his own, and is now traveling from job to job, gaining experience as he figures out what kind of Hunter he truly wants to become.
"So you finally did it..." I can't help but smile. "That's great! Congratulations, Bodoro!"
"And tell me... what have you chosen? I'm guessing it'll be something for combat, right?"
Bodoro, however, remains reserved. <
At his statement, I can't help but sigh with a little disappointment. "Fair enough. I guess I can't complain when I'm just as secretive. It makes perfect sense."
In return, I bring him up to speed on everything that's happened on my end—the appointment as Floor Master at Heaven's Arena, the duel against Hisoka, and the beginnings of the mercenary agency I'd been building.
<>
"You watched it?" I ask, quite surprised.
<
<>
With that, we spend the next few minutes discussing the fight, with Bodoro praising it from a martial artist perspective.
<
I can't help but smile at his words. Coming from a martial artist as devoted as Bodoro, the compliment carries far more weight than most.
<
<
"It's not that big of a deal. The spectators at the fight hadn't done anything wrong, so I didn't want them to die because of me." I reply, rubbing the back of my neck with an awkward smile.
Moving on from the topic of the fight with Hisoka, I also tell Bodoro about the mercenary agency Nicholas and I founded, The Tsukimichi Organization, and how we have begun to deal with the crimes and threats hidden in the shadows of society.
'This should leave a good impression on him.'
With this in mind, I also tell him how the agency recently solved a kidnapping case that the police had been stuck on, and that we would soon have to take an important and very dangerous bodyguard assignment in the near future.
"And that's why I'm contacting you now. Before our next operation begins, and knowing that you've finally finished your Nen training, I want us to have a rematch of our fight on Zevil Island and see with my own eyes just how strong you've become."
Bodoro remains silent for a moment before responding with a question.
<
'Sharp. Just the kind of conclusion I'd expect from a Conjurer.' I think before I answer. "Maybe... Or maybe I simply want to see how much you've grown. Does it really matter in the end? Either way, the invitation stands."
"What matters is that I know you're just as eager for a rematch as I am. Whether I ask you to help me with this assignment or not, the decision is ultimately yours. So, what's your answer?"
Another moment of silence falls, but this time, Bodoro does give an answer.
<
Hearing Bodoro accept immediately fills me with excitement, and we quickly agree to meet at 3:00 p.m. on August 29th at the Hunter Association hotel where we first received our licenses before saying our goodbyes..
After ending the call with the promise of a reunion that will test the path we have traveled as Hunters, I slip my phone in my pocket and spread several sheets of paper across it.
"Now..." I murmur while picking up a pen. "It's time to refine the plan for what awaits us in September before I head back to Greed Island."
I spend the next couple of hours reviewing everything I remember and have written about the original Yorknew City incident. Rather than simply recalling the events themselves, I focus on understanding why they unfolded the way they did. Every decision, every confrontation, every variable, every unexpected turn...
After laying everything out on paper, I begin asking myself the same question over and over.
How do I change the outcome without creating something even worse?
The whole point is to apply this question to every stage of the incident until the best possible outcome begins to take shape. Several possibilities immediately come to mind for this purpose:
When Owl brings the treasures out of the auction, I could intercept him to steal them before he faces the Phantom Troupe. That alone would deny them the auction's loot.
But then what?
Would Chrollo abandon the operation altogether? Or would the Troupe simply devise an even more dangerous alternative? And who would stop them once Kurapika escaped with Uvogin?
I quickly write down several possibilities before moving on to the next problem.
Saving Kurapika's comrades to prevent him from getting the Spider attention?
I tap the tip of my pen against the desk.
No... Saving his friends alone won't be enough.
Whether they're rescued or not, his hatred for the Phantom Troupe runs far deeper than simple personal revenge, so Uvogin's actions would almost certainly provoke him eventually and he'd lose control anyway.
Then...
What if I prevented his confrontation with them altogether?
Another scenario takes shape.
It would be best if he didn't seek out the Phantom Troupe and focused only on recovering the Scarlet Eyes.
Impossible.
All the Mafia families, including the Nostrade, are ordered to hunt them down when they attack the Underground Auction. And upon discovering their identity, Kurapika would never abandon his pursuit willingly.
Maybe...
Kidnapping one of the Spiders and negotiating with the rest?
I immediately frown.
Too risky.Unless I captured Chrollo himself, negotiating with the Troupe would be far too unpredictable.
Some members would probably be willing to talk... and others would come after me without a second thought. Building an entire strategy around which side prevailed would be gambling with everyone's lives.
'Damn... this is turning into a nightmare to plan.' I think, rubbing my temple before jotting down another idea.
One by one, I discard proposal after proposal. Each solution solves one problem... only to create two more.
Between those planning sessions, Nicholas pays me a visit to deliver several documents regarding the agency's upcoming assignments. And a little later, the Heaven's Arena trio arrives to get more guidance after finishing their physical training.
At their request, I put the papers aside and shift my attention to Riven and Tetsu first.
"Today, both of you will focus on Transmutation."
"Riven, keep training your Nen ability until you can maintain two different animal body parts simultaneously for 10 seconds."
"Tetsu, do 50 laps around the neighborhood while shaping the numbers one through ten with your aura. I want you to finish the entire sequence in under a minute."
"Once you're done, both of you will perform 300 dumbbell repetitions while maintaining Zetsu. That way you'll be killing two birds with one stone—you'll keep improving your physical conditioning while your aura gradually recovers."
"Yes, Master." Tetsu answers immediately.
Riven, however, looks far less enthusiastic.
"Hmm... Sounds a bit repetitive." A grin slowly spreads across his face. "Hey, Tetsu."
"What?"
"How about making things more interesting?"
Tetsu tilts his head. "What do you have in mind?"
"Since neither of us has reached our respective target times yet, whoever gets there first has the other person handle tomorrow's cleaning duties." Riven proposes.
Faced with the challenge, a competitive smile immediately appears on Tetsu's face. "Deal."
"Now we're talking." Riven laughs.
'Looking for ways to make things more interesting. Typical of a Transmuter.' I think with a faint smile.
"If it helps keep both of you motivated, I have no objections." With that, I turn toward Natasha. "As for you, Natasha, you're still a little behind the other two in your training. For now, focus on strengthening your Ren and building up your physical conditioning with the new training equipment that just arrived."
"Understood."
With those few final pointers, the three leave to resume their training and the room falls silent once again. The only sounds that remain are the scratching of my pen against the paper as I try to devise several strategies and the faint traffic drifting in through the hotel window.
Alone in the office again, I turn my attention back to the growing pile of notes covering my desk and continue refining every possibility I can think of. But rather than writing out several detailed sequences of events again, this time I provide a list of names:
- Kurapika
- Chrollo
- The Phantom Troupe
- The Ten Dons
- The Nostrade Family
Each one represents a variable I have no direct control over, and each one can divert the entire development in a new, unforeseen direction.
"...The more I look at it, the worse it gets." I lean back in my chair and let out a slow sigh as I tap the pen lightly against the desk. "And now, I'm another variable too."
'Every decision I've made since arriving in this world has pushed events further away from the future I remember.'
'And once Yorknew begins, every move made by Kurapika, Chrollo, the Mafia... or myself... could send everything in a completely different and unpredictable direction.'
I stare at the list for several seconds before a faint sigh escapes my lips.
"Well, at least there's one variable I'll no longer have to worry about: Hisoka."
Trying to predict Hisoka had always been impossible. He followed no one, cared for no one, and acted only according to whatever amused him at the time.
If there was one piece on the board I could never account for... it was him.
'But luckily, I won't have to worry about dealing with Hisoka meddling ever again.'
Unfortunately, the relief doesn't last long, because his absence also has its own drawbacks. Killing killing Hisoka may have removed one of my greatest uncertainties... but it also removed one of Chrollo's.
Originally, Hisoka's selfish ambitions constantly disrupted the Phantom Troupe's plans and, without intending to, often worked in Kurapika's favor.
Without him... Chrollo may have one less internal problem to deal with, and Kurapika loses the advantage of having an unpredictable infiltrator within the group. That alone makes it even harder to predict how the conflict will unfold.
Despite that, I don't regret killing him. Allowing Hisoka to live would have created just as many problems—perhaps even more if he decided to interfere with my own plans. More importantly, he would have remained a constant threat to the people I care about. Chrollo's fate in the original timeline is proof enough of that.
All that's left now is to live with my decisions and move forward.
'Looks like I still have a few things to prepare before heading back.'
By the time I finish organizing my thoughts, evening has already arrived. So I gather the documents, store the notes safely away, pick up a few provisions from the storeroom, and make my way to Nicholas's office to say goodbye before leaving.
"Once I'm back in a few days, we'll resume our journey to Glam Gas Land to investigate the case of the mysterious deaths. After that, we'll sit down here and prepare to discuss every detail of the Yorknew assignment." I say while summoning a portal to Greed Island.
"Until then, the agency is yours. Take care of managing any issues that may arise and keep an eye on Riven's group."
"I'll review both operations and make sure everything is ready so we can get started by the time you return." Nicholas nods without hesitation.
With Nicholas's affirmation, I give him one final wave before stepping through the portal. The familiar forest near the entrance to Masadora greets me on the other side, and as the portal quietly disappears behind me, I summon my binder to confirm my current status.
'Okay. First things first. Since I left the game, my free slots are now empty, so I need to spend some money to buy spell card packs and get a "Contact" to talk with Biscuit and make her out of the Hideout.' I think as I head towards the city's Trade Shop.
Once there, I withdraw ten 10,000-jenny cards from my account before heading to the Spell Card Shop. Moments later, I'm standing in front of the counter with ten unopened packs in my hands.
One by one, I tear them open and quickly sort the cards:
- 9 List
- 5 Analysis
- 4 Peek
- 3 Fluoroscopy
- 3 Rock Toss
- 1 Return
- 2 Contact
- 1 Accompany
- 2 Defensive Wall
A satisfied smile spreads across my face as I finish sorting the cards.
'Not bad at all! Two "Contact", one "Return"... and even one "Accompany" card. That'll save me a lot of time.' Without wasting any time, I step outside the shop and use one of the newly acquired "Contact" cards, choosing Biscuit's name from the list on the selection screen.
<<...Hello?>> Biscuit answers on the other end.
"Hi Biscuit. It's me, Kai. I'm already back."
<
There isn't the slightest hint of anger in her voice. If anything, she sounds as though she's deliberately exaggerating her loneliness.
"I know, I know." I chuckle apologetically. "Things on my end took longer than I initially expected. As an apology, I brought you a few souvenirs from the real world, so can you please forgive me?"
<
"Since I knew I'd kept you waiting for a long time, I thought this might help make up for it."
<
"Before that, though, I need you to leave the Hideout and head to the meeting place we agreed on. Think you can do me that favor?"
<
"Perfect. Then I'm going there. Accompany on, Biscuit!" As I activate the spell, a pillar of light envelops me, and the familiar sensation of instant transportation washes over my body.
Seconds later, the Badlands stretch out before me once again, and Biscuit is already waiting atop a weathered rock, arms crossed and watching me with an amused smile.
"Welcome back." She greets me.
"Hi Bisky." I walk over with a sheepish smile. "Sorry for taking longer than expected and making you wait. I hope the notes I left behind kept you entertained in the meantime."
"They did." Biscuit hops down from the rock. "Studying all those spell and restricted cards was surprisingly interesting... even though I memorized most of them within the first hour."
Her curiosity immediately gets the better of her.
"But enough about that." She leans forward slightly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Where are those souvenirs you promised me? I want to know what you brought back!"
I let out an awkward laugh before opening my bag and taking out the items one after another: several well-marbled steaks, a selection of frozen desserts, the latest fashion and lifestyle magazines, and a variety of toiletries and personal-care products.
In short...
Everything that simply couldn't be obtained on an isolated island like Greed Island.
I notice the faint smile on Biscuit's face growing ever so slightly with each item I take out of the bag. It seems the souvenirs are already achieving their purpose.
"If you've stayed hidden like I asked, I'm guessing you haven't had lunch yet." I glance at my watch before smiling at her. "Since it's about lunchtime, how about I cook some of this meat and we go over our next steps in the game over lunch?"