Back in the waiting room, Joey looked at Hisoka.
"Can you play?"
He gestured to the harp nearby—the instrument for the Tenth and Eleventh Princes' upcoming performance.
"The harp? A bit. You?"
Hisoka's doppelgänger, shaped like Kacho, grinned with mischief.
"Then it's all on you. I can't play for shit."
Joey shrugged, resigned.
He could impersonate Fugetsu's appearance, but not her musical skills.
He could strum a guitar, blow on a recorder—one for style, the other thanks to elementary school music class.
After Melody's act ended, they were up next.
While Melody's performance would cause temporary disorientation among the attendees, it wouldn't trigger major fallout—probably just some routine questioning.
Then again, now that her ability had been revealed, the other princes would surely take interest.
A skill that could plunge an entire hall into a trance for three minutes? That was no joke.
But then Joey frowned.
How had Nasubi Hui Guo Rou stayed conscious?
Did his guardian beast shield him?
Was it his own ability?
The manga never covered Nasubi's behavior under Melody's music. That missing intel had caused their plan to unravel.
And yet… Nasubi had shown no interest in stopping them.
He didn't care whether princes lived or died during the song-induced trance.
He sat above the game.
Beyond the bloodshed.
If he turned hostile—Joey couldn't see anyone on the ship who could stop him.
He was the architect of the rules.
Even if he told the Ninth Prince the war had escaped his control, Joey didn't believe him for a second.
He knew more.
Was hiding more.
What king doesn't want immortality? Eternal rule?
If the Kakin ancestors created the brutal succession war to forge a king worthy of ruling chaos…
Then what was Nasubi's real goal?
His old ties to Beyond.
His secret dealings with "Weapons."
He knew full well they weren't headed to the real Dark Continent—only a simulated land before it.
So maybe… all this was never about the expedition.
Maybe it was all about the succession war itself.
"Until the war ends, I won't die."
That's what Nasubi told the Ninth Prince.
What did that mean?
Joey sighed.
Everything had deviated from the manga.
Originally, the Fourth Prince was supposed to just make an appearance at the banquet and leave.
Joey's plan had been to storm Area 4 while the music played.
But the Fourth Prince had lingered.
Joey had to improvise, and that put him in the crosshairs of the Fourth Prince's guardian beast—and Nasubi himself.
Still, the operation to relocate the Tenth and Eleventh Princes had gone flawlessly.
Maybe their abilities could now help infiltrate Area 4…
But that would carry risk too.
First, he'd wait.
Wait and see what the First Prince's next move would be.
If it stalled, he'd leak the video.
If that failed—force would be next.
—
Time passed quickly.
As Melody's song ended, the trance wore off.
Applause erupted in the hall.
Voices of praise followed.
Inside the banquet room, the Fourth Prince turned to his guard.
"Her name is Melody, right?
Invite her to Area 4 as a guest."
"A guest, not a summon? She can decline, then."
"Yes. I just want to ask her a few things.
And if I'm not the only one interested… we'll see how she responds."
The Fourth Prince nodded toward Nasubi… then left the hall.
—
Elsewhere...
"You felt it too?"
Benjamin looked at Barosamilko.
"Yeah. Like time fast-forwarded."
Barosamilko spoke quietly.
"I was receiving intel from Wu Xiaohai…
and suddenly, it was like I was inside a dreamscape."
"Couldn't move. Didn't want to."
Benjamin agreed.
"Must've been the music.
That slot was supposed to be the Eighth Prince's rap show.
Instead, it was that hunter... Melody."
"Melody. A Music Hunter from the Association.
She serves the Tenth Prince."
"Bring her to Area 1."
Benjamin's tone brooked no argument.
"Yes, sir."
Barosamilko added:
"Shulricov reported that Dio and Juan both raised their earpiece volume before the performance.
He suspects they're her allies."
"Every damn Association Hunter ties back to the Twelfth Prince."
Benjamin scowled.
Barosamilko hesitated, then added:
"We got intel from a spy embedded in the Association.
Kurapika is one of the Twelve Zodiacs.
He replaced Pariston as the new 'Rat.'"
Benjamin nodded slowly.
"Then Shulricov's observation is spot-on.
They likely moved during the 'fast-forward' window.
Fourth Prince… was he present?"
"Yes. He stayed for most of the banquet."
"Hmm… So Morena's condition wasn't as dire as we thought."
"Still," Barosamilko offered,
"We can use this chance to fulfill our promise to Kurapika—
Have one of our agents contact the Fourth Prince.
Give him Morena's location."
"Imply Dio's linked to her.
That he once served under her."
"Exactly. Tie Kurapika to her.
That'll pull him into the Fourth Prince's sights."
"Make it fast.
Morena will relocate again soon.
We can't waste our assets below deck."
Even the First Prince had secret soldiers stashed across the lower decks—just like Tserriednich.
Morena, head of the Ei Ei Family, had defected and gone into hiding somewhere on Deck 5.
If a gang war broke out, the First Prince would prefer it be contained quickly.
Handing over her location to the Fourth Prince was convenient.
And also… strategic.
—
Back in the hall…
Joey couldn't play harp.
But he could pretend.
It was Hisoka who surprised him—playing surprisingly well.
From the stage, Joey spotted the Fourth Prince leaving with his retinue.
He also saw Theta waiting outside.
But the real Joey and Hisoka were still stationed outside the banquet hall, waiting for the Twelfth Prince.
Both of them tensed as the guardian beast passed nearby.
If it attacked—Joey would strike the Prince directly.
Hisoka would back him up.
He even had his phone ready, to alert Piyon and trigger the rescue route via Fugetsu's door.
Could they kill the Fourth Prince here and now?
Maybe.
It would ruin Kurapika's plan, but a dead prince was a safe one.
But the guardian beast didn't act.
It simply followed.
Two flies buzzed overhead toward the prince—but were swatted mid-air by the beast.
Theta's eyes narrowed.
She'd seen where one of the flies came from.
Joey's direction.
Then she noticed—
a coin had silently turned into a fly beside Joey's hand.
It fluttered in a pattern.
Theta memorized the flight path.
Didn't react.
Didn't blink.
Only she and Sarvok could see aura here.
Both noted the beast had been injured.
Both kept silent.
—
"They're your allies too, aren't they?
Seems your operation in the hall failed."
Shulricov appeared beside Joey.
Joey said nothing.
Shulricov didn't mind.
"Deck 5, Room 5310.
Morena's base.
That's the key to making contact.
And it'll be handed over tomorrow."
Joey's eyes narrowed.
So it had begun.
Morena Prudo—leader of the Ei Ei mafia family.
Shulricov's message was clear.
Events in the lower decks were moving, just like the manga—albeit with subtle differences.
How far had Theta gotten in training the Fourth Prince?
Had he awakened his Specialist nen?
Had his personal guardian beast manifested?
Shulricov returned to his post.
Joey knew—the First Prince wouldn't strike yet.
Not until they finished their business with the Fourth Prince.
It didn't matter who won.
Either result benefitted the First Prince.
If the Twelfth Prince died, their mission ended.
No more reason to stand in the First Prince's way.
They'd be exiled from Deck 1—perhaps even escorted away as heroes.
And in return, they'd need to offer something of value—
Intelligence.
Details on the princes' guardian beasts.
—
The performance ended.
Joey and Hisoka's doppelgängers left the stage.
The banquet drew to a close.
The emcee returned.
The King was first to depart.
Joey reunited with the Twelfth Prince, escorted her back to Room 1012—
And relayed everything Shulricov had said to Kurapika.
Kurapika's response?
"Shulricov's figured out who really matters here."
That stunned Joey.
He hadn't considered it.
If Shulricov still saw Kurapika as the center—
he wouldn't have told Joey first.
It was a test.
And a confirmation.
To gauge Joey's role.
To measure their intel.
After all—he only gave a name.
Kurapika continued:
"He's tough.
Ever since arriving, he's resisted the Twelfth Prince's guardian beast.
Never cracked.
Never slipped up.
No aura leaks.
No missteps."
Joey rubbed his brow.
Shulricov had exceeded expectations.
"But his aura's thinning. He won't last much longer.
Soon he'll have to choose—
Retreat to Area 1…
Or lash out in desperation."
"He picked the perfect time.
If we go to the Fourth Prince's chamber, the Twelfth can't join.
You and I will go.
Bisky won't return until noon tomorrow.
And Juan… he may already have a counter prepared."
"But how will he avoid implicating the First Prince?"
"That's where his unknown ability comes in."
Kurapika's eyes darkened.
And Joey's narrowed.
Whatever was coming next—
It wouldn't be easy.