"Viktor's death wasn't entirely meaningless," said Barusamirko, fully aware of the First Prince's frustrations.
Although many of the lower-ranking princes had already been eliminated, the First Prince's private soldiers had also taken heavy losses—something that was far from their original plan.
The crux of the issue lay with Area 12.
Whether it was the early deaths of private soldiers in Areas 12 and 14, or the loss of their strategic advantage after the public display of Nen, it all traced back to Kurapika and Dio.
Now with Viktor dead, even though there was no concrete evidence implicating the two, Barusamirko's instincts screamed their involvement.
"First, Phinks's appearance is riddled with inconsistencies." With the First Prince now focused, Barusamirko launched into his usual routine: analysis.
"When Viktor chased Phinks, I immediately contacted Gangidor, who was closest. After the fog rolled in, Gangidor used En to sweep the corridor and found nothing unusual.
The King's Guard also confirmed: no unauthorized personnel entered from lower decks into the VVIP zone.
To be precise, no one was seen in the sealed passage between Decks 2 and 3.
To confirm further, I ordered our agents below deck to investigate the Phantom Troupe. It'll take time to receive detailed feedback, but regardless, Phinks's sudden appearance—and disappearance—makes no sense.
Especially his fight with Hisoka—it looked more like a staged performance!
Even though we've known for a while that the Troupe's members were investigating someone named Hisoka in the lower decks, barging into the Royal Zone and then vanishing can't simply be called a duel to the death.
Rather, this feels like an operation long premeditated by Kurapika and his faction."
Benjamin nodded. "Also, intel from the King's Guard reported that three individuals invaded the Royal Zone."
"Hisoka, Phinks, and an unidentified helper," Barusamirko replied instantly, and continued his theory: "If Hisoka is allied with them, everything becomes simpler."
"Explain."
"Juan wasn't replaced. He's been in hiding all along." Barusamirko turned to the whiteboard, sketching diagrams. "From what happened in Area 4, we know Juan's ability likely involves creating clones.
Especially ones that can disguise themselves. Otherwise, the disappearance of the Fourth Prince would have been exposed far sooner."
"That's plausible." Benjamin's eyes sharpened. "You're suggesting Phinks was actually a disguised clone?"
"Exactly. Their clone capabilities are absurdly strong—even the doppelgangers can fight." Barusamirko confirmed both the Prince's hypothesis and Juan's frightening potential.
"But what about the fog in the corridor?" Benjamin pointed out the flaw in Barusamirko's logic.
The hidden accomplice must've been skilled enough to generate it.
"My guess: the real Phinks was present, but he and Hisoka struck a deal. They were tempted by treasures in the Royal Zone, and plotted the intrusion together.
The fog was released by an accomplice—possibly another Troupe member.
As for their method of escape from Deck 1? Likely Phinks's doing. He may be a spatial-type Nen user."
Benjamin's theory sounded more grounded than Barusamirko's.
"What role did Kurapika and Dio play in all this?" Barusamirko asked, a bit conflicted, as he couldn't deny that the Prince's theory had stronger internal logic.
"They stirred the pot. Their goal was to muddy the waters." Benjamin explained.
He meant that Juan was swapped by Hisoka without Kurapika and Dio's knowledge.
Barusamirko opened his mouth to object—but couldn't find any valid counterargument.
Benjamin's reasoning even explained why Viktor had wounded Phinks with bullets.
If Phinks specialized in teleporting others, he'd naturally be more vulnerable to direct projectile attacks.
"But why would Hisoka go to Area 12?" Barusamirko protested. "Wouldn't Areas 10 or 11 be more ideal?"
If Benjamin's timeline held, Hisoka entered Deck 1 later. A little digging would've revealed Area 12 was heavily watched—hardly suitable for hiding.
"Hisoka's also a Hunter," Benjamin answered simply.
But that implied something deeper—Kurapika had lied.
"You're suggesting Kurapika knows Hisoka and helped him?" Barusamirko's eyes lit up. "The Phantom Troupe!"
"What about them?" the First Prince asked, startled.
"Kurapika is a Kurta. The Phantom Troupe massacred the Kurta and stole their Scarlet Eyes!
He didn't even spare the Fourth Prince who possessed Scarlet Eyes. There's no way he'd cut a deal with the Troupe, let alone remain calm in front of them!"
Barusamirko's thoughts raced. "The Eleventh Prince has a space-related ability—she can open doors to other locations!
Now she and the Tenth Prince are both missing—just like the intruders!"
"You mean the Eleventh Prince was an accomplice? She and Kurapika were working together?" Benjamin immediately saw where Barusamirko was going.
Reports from their private agents had noted that the Eleventh Prince vanished for a period before returning.
And in Kurapika's own intel, he'd said the Eleventh Prince's ability was to open doors to wherever she wished.
"If she was the key to their escape, then Juan could've been hiding in Area 11 all along. Hisoka and the fog-maker were likely brought up by the Eleventh Prince." Benjamin said quickly.
"In other words, the Tenth and Eleventh Princes are now in the lower decks." Barusamirko concluded.
"Alert our men below. Find and eliminate the Tenth and Eleventh Princes at any cost," Benjamin said coldly. "In Deck 1, we have to act in secret. Below? Access is easier."
Barusamirko started issuing orders while continuing his deductions.
He relished the thrill of deduction, inching closer to the truth.
"But why infiltrate the Royal Zone? What were they after?" he mused aloud.
"Good point," Benjamin agreed. "Kurapika's group is purpose-driven. This wasn't for nothing."
"And now the Ninth Prince situation is complicated too." Barusamirko added. "Our original plan was to provoke an attack on Viktor, blame the Ninth Prince, and get him separated from his private guard.
That would weaken his cooperative-type Guardian Beast.
But now everything's tied to Area 12. Worse, we're no longer in a position to send anyone else there to spy."
Benjamin, after losing several guards in Area 12, was reluctant to sacrifice more.
But with a solid understanding of Kurapika and Dio's abilities, letting Area 12 go untouched felt unacceptable.
"Leak Dio's ability in Area 12 to the Second Prince," Barusamirko suggested. "Make them wary. Then spread info about Kurapika's Nen to the Third, Fifth, and Seventh Princes to sow suspicion."
"Do it." Benjamin approved.
…
While the upper decks schemed, someone with fiery red hair, a magician's outfit patterned with playing cards, and a strikingly handsome face casually entered the central cafeteria on Deck 5.
All eyes in the room immediately turned to him.
They'd all heard descriptions—over 190cm tall, red hair.
Those affiliated with Kakin's mafia confirmed his identity at once: Hisoka!
They'd searched the fourth and fifth decks thoroughly, and yet here he was, strolling into the cafeteria like he owned the place.
It was a direct slap in the face to the mafia's competence.
But before the mafia could move, a suffocating pressure flooded the room.
Its source? A hulking figure already seated with a tray—Phantom Troupe member Franklin.
There were no pleasantries. No warnings.
Franklin stood, raising his hand—his thick fingers snapped open, revealing pitch-black barrel-like holes at each fingertip.
Hisoka's eyes narrowed, lips curling into an eerie upward grin as Franklin aimed.
In that instant, both men attacked.
Gunfire echoed—bang bang bang!
And from Franklin's fingers erupted lethal Nen bullets.
They didn't care about range. Everything between the two was torn to shreds—furniture, walls, even bystanders.
Yet Hisoka, standing in the storm of bullets, seemed untouched. His arms waved like dancers, and any approaching projectile vanished on contact.
Panic exploded in the cafeteria. Screams, chaos—blood and bodies everywhere.
Some of the mafia were Nen users and immediately fell back, calling upper management.
But before they could finish speaking, stray Nen bullets scattered wildly from around Hisoka's position.
Because Hisoka had been preparing a counterstrike the whole time.
His Bungee Gum had ensnared the bullets mid-air—just like when he'd deflected coins against Goto.
Now, with a flick of his hands, the bullets rebounded even faster than they'd come.
And Hisoka had closed the distance with Franklin in the process.
Franklin, being an Emission-type, was vulnerable up close—something Hisoka knew well.
But Franklin wasn't naive. Before Hisoka got within striking range, he switched tactics.
His left wrist dropped—revealing a massive cannon-barrel.
0.3 seconds later, a massive Nen shell blasted through Hisoka's Bungee Gum defense and detonated.
Hisoka's body flew, chairs, tables, limbs flying with him.
Franklin didn't relax. His En-confirmed vision had spotted Hisoka yanked backward by a line of Nen at the moment of impact.
In other words—he wasn't injured. The entire explosion had been staged.
Franklin squinted, focused, and fired a pair of laser-like Nen blasts straight from his eyes—Double Eye Lasers.
They were too fast. Hisoka took them full in the face.
Franklin wasn't just using his Double-Hand Machine Gun. His body had been fully modified—practically a real-life cyborg.
He could also launch even more powerful blasts from dismantled wrists—Double-Barrel Cannons.
But Double Eye Lasers were his hidden ace.
As the beams pierced Hisoka's head, Franklin frowned.
The lasers had gone straight through. Right into the brain.
Normally—instant death.
He respected Hisoka's power. He'd prepared for a desperate battle.
But this? Too easy.
He didn't trust it.
Raising his arms, Franklin sealed his wrists, then pointed his dark finger-barrels at the body.
Bang bang bang!
No resistance. Hisoka's body was torn apart, shredded into meat.
"How could it be this easy?" Franklin muttered, stepping closer.
But just then—another body surged toward him, leaping over corpses.
Franklin was ready. He turned, unleashed fire and smoke, obliterating the attacker.
It wasn't Hisoka. Just a civilian.
Hisoka was alive.
The first body had been fake.
But when did the switch happen?
Franklin was sure he'd kept eyes on Hisoka the entire time.
Then how?
A twitch from a nearby corpse.
It slid along the floor, aiming for Franklin's legs.
Before it got close, Franklin shredded it—instinctively.
But he saw the faint glisten of Nen—stretching from its body like gum.
"Shit."
Hisoka's trap had triggered.
Corpses, chairs, splinters—all launched toward Franklin in an instant.
He grinned viciously.
He could handle a mountain of junk.
His arms spun, Nen bullets flying, tearing everything apart—
And then he saw them.
Two Hisokas, both holding stretched strands of Bungee Gum, closing in from opposite sides.
Their movements mirrored each other.
Their aura was pink, sticky—gum-like.
Both were Hisoka.
But how?