"Has everyone arrived?" From the shadow cast by the askew doorframe of the abandoned building, a humanoid shadow emerged. A cheerful, youthful male voice crossed the darkness, followed by shoes, an ankle, and then, a head of striking blonde hair peeked out from the shadow.
There was no need to confirm with his eyes; looking at the entire Troupe, there was only one member with such a sunny disposition, and that was Shalnark.
"You're late," Phinks, also one of the rare cheerful characters in the Troupe, unfortunately, embodied the general villainous impression the Troupe left on the world with his appearance. His eyes were unfriendly, and his slicked-back hair made him look like someone not to be trifled with. "If Uvogin were here, you'd be in big trouble."
"The meeting time hasn't even arrived yet, has it?" Shalnark scanned the surroundings. "Eh, looks like I really am the last one."
"That's right. Feitan, who said he wasn't coming, is already here, and only you were missing," Phinks complained. "Can't you come a little earlier?"
Shalnark glanced at Feitan, whose face was mostly hidden by his cloak and mask, his expression unclear.
Using the excuse that the game he was playing was not yet completed, Feitan had told Phinks he wouldn't participate in this Troupe activity. Phinks's reply sounded uninterested, as if he had made the same decision to be absent. Unexpectedly, Phinks had predicted Feitan's prediction. They had both said they wouldn't participate, yet they turned out to be the first two members to arrive.
"Yo, Feitan, didn't you say you weren't coming?" Phinks asked, stroking his chin with interest. "Could it be that you..."
The boat of friendship capsizes at the slightest touch.
Having Phinks around was really bothersome. Normally, this guy wasn't this enthusiastic about Troupe activities; clearly, he was here to watch the show and stir up trouble. Feitan thought that his plastic brotherhood with Phinks could end today.
"Could it be that you're stuck in your game and want to vent your frustration on real people, hahahaha."
"..." It was the usual Phinks, all right.
The boat of friendship was as stable as a giant vessel.
After them came Machi, then Pakunoda, and then Kalluto. When Kalluto stuck out his tongue, displaying the spider tattoo on it, Feitan's right eyelid twitched. He shifted his gaze from Kalluto's throat to Phinks, and their eyes met as if by unspoken agreement.
Based on their long-standing tacit understanding, Feitan knew Phinks was about to... make a dry joke.
Damn it, why was Kalluto mute, but Phinks wasn't.
"Playing it cool," Phinks commented on Kalluto's tattoo. "Ah, Feitan, you like this type, don't you?"
The boat of friendship... whatever.
Feitan's golden eyes were devoid of warmth. As he moved his gaze, it was like a snake flicking its bright red tongue, its cold, fine scales slowly crawling over one's shoulders.
"Yes." He curled his knuckles, forming a loose fist, and as he spoke his next words, Feitan felt a slight tingling on his tongue. "I like it very much."
I like it very much, I've wanted it since before...
Seven years ago, the closest he had been, he saw the seated doll through a street window. He hadn't directly smashed the glass to snatch her because he wanted to confirm if it was really her first. Now, she seemed to have changed a lot, yet also not at all.
Recalling the humiliation of defeat that day, the vast difference in their strength made charging forward suicidal. He could only stand there, watching her back—his doll was being taken away.
His damaged body, which he had forcibly held together, let out a mournful cry. His mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood, and the bitten tip of his tongue acquired an even more distinct salty-腥味.
The doll sensed his intense gaze and turned her head from afar. For some reason, she put on a smiling expression. The word "put on" was used because that smile contained no emotion, like a mask painted by a craftsman with only skill, exquisite but lacking spirit.
What had those who took the doll filled her stomach with, to make her like her younger brother?
Feitan disliked her brother's soulless, pitch-black eyes, which lacked vitality. However, the doll today had ultimately become what those people wanted, with the same soulless eyes.
Fortunately...
Feitan remembered Kalluto's pink tongue sticking out, the black spider with twelve legs clinging firmly to it, and then Kalluto swallowed the somewhat grotesque spider.
It seemed that his doll's insides were still scorching hot.
Just like him now, the air he exhaled was hot, and his body was also slightly warm.
He really wanted to taste what the spider in her mouth was like, to confirm the temperature of her body, and...
A new presence intruded upon the Troupe's meeting place. Feitan immediately recognized it as Shalnark, not only due to their years of familiarity but also because Shalnark was deliberately making his presence known.
It's Shalnark. Kalluto's taste, Kalluto's body temperature, every inch of Kalluto's body—Shalnark probably knew it all. Spiders were generally possessive, and Shalnark would never miss any corner that could be explored.
If it were someone outside the Troupe, he could just kill them, even torment them at will. But it was a Troupe member—the Troupe prohibited infighting.
Similarly, he couldn't lay a hand on Kalluto, a member of the Troupe.
Close enough to share a room, yet so far away that he couldn't touch.
When Kalluto swallowed the spider, he was looking at Chrollo.
Things you want, you can go and snatch. So, what about things you want but can't snatch?
...It's annoying.
Phinks was complaining to Shalnark, "Can't you come a little earlier?"
Shalnark replied, "The Boss asked me to look up some information, which delayed me a bit."
Since all the members participating in the activity had arrived, the Boss began to explain the mission details. It was a follow-up to the previous mission, and the badge obtained in that mission was an important item for unlocking the next one.
The specific mission content, in short, was an ruins-themed dungeon, written about countless times in fanfiction. According to the authors' imaginations, dungeon ruins were all-encompassing and incredibly diverse.
[Daily Mission]
[Mission Name: A Gentleman's Daytime Raid]
[Mission Objective: Clear the Ruins Dungeon]
Under the guidance of the spider boss Chrollo and the spider brain Shalnark, collectively known as "Spider Head Spider Brain," the Troupe successfully found the entrance to the ruins. Not long after entering, they encountered a fork in the road, which was a standard feature of ruin dungeons.
"The team composition this time is the same as last time," Shalnark said. "But the circumstances are different, so we should regroup, Boss?"
There were three paths. If they followed the previous grouping, it would be Phinks and Feitan in one group, Kalluto and Machi in another, and Shalnark and Chrollo together, with Pakunoda joining one of the groups. While such a grouping wouldn't cause any problems, the crucial point was...
Boss, the real reason, you should understand it! Shalnark beamed at Chrollo with exceptional brilliance at this moment.
"..." As an intelligent, heroic, and excellent Boss, Chrollo did not fail Shalnark's expectations. He nodded and said, "Feitan and I will be in one group, Kalluto and..."
Earlier on the road, Kalluto and Shalnark were in the same row, and also in the row behind Machi, so they were currently standing near Machi.
Kalluto moved closer to Machi, and Machi lowered her gaze. As if understanding something, she picked up Chrollo's words, "Can I be in a group with you, Boss?"
When grouping, Chrollo's gaze would shift to the member whose name was called. Kalluto's subtle movement was naturally noticed by him.
As soon as Machi finished speaking, Chrollo glanced at Shalnark. The latter knew how Chrollo would choose, closed his eyes in a gesture of relinquishment, supporting the minority obeying the majority and not causing trouble for the Boss.
Shalnark, a model member who always thought of the Boss and the Troupe, always putting the team first, with firm and unwavering principles, was undoubtedly the "Spider Brain."
"Alright, Kalluto, Machi, and Pakunoda will be in one group," Chrollo completed the grouping. "Shalnark and Phinks will be in another."
According to the information Shalnark and Chrollo had gathered, they couldn't determine what lay ahead in the three paths. Therefore, they relied on Machi's exceptional intuition. Feitan snatched the path that Machi felt was the most dangerous, and Phinks took the second most dangerous. The desire of these two to experience the most thrilling path was the same, and they almost fought over it, so they decided their order by flipping a coin.
Three figures fell on the stone wall. Machi, holding a torch, was in the lead, Pakunoda in the middle, and Kalluto bringing up the rear.
In a completely unfamiliar environment, one had to be vigilant against constant danger. None of the three spoke as they proceeded quietly.
In the passage, only the sound of the burning torch and footsteps could be heard, and...
Machi and Pakunoda stopped simultaneously and turned to look at Kalluto, who was opening a plastic bag and making a third sound.
Taking a cookie from the bag and placing it in her mouth, Kalluto cupped her hands around the bag and offered it to them.
"No, Kalluto, this is not the time for such things..." Machi said.
"..." With a cookie in her mouth, Kalluto freed one hand and pointed to a spot on the stone wall.
Machi and Pakunoda took a step closer and saw a partial footprint on that spot.
"Did someone get here before us?" Machi asked uncertainly if their trip would be in vain, as her intuition wasn't always active.
"But it also means this path might be the correct one," Pakunoda said. "Your intuition has always been very accurate."
Kalluto listened to their discussion, silently eating several cookies in the meantime.
The two who had finished their discussion looked at Kalluto together. She licked the cookie crumbs from her fingers and offered the bag of cookies to them again.
"..." x2
Then, Kalluto added a gesture of patting her chest with one hand, and reached out to take Machi's torch.
"Entrusting the scouting to me?" Machi asked.
"..." Kalluto nodded, pushing the cookie bag into Machi's arms.
Machi and Pakunoda exchanged glances. After their eyes met, Machi handed the torch to Kalluto.
"This... you really don't need the cookies..." Machi waved her hand.
"..." Kalluto persistently extended her arm.
"Take it," Pakunoda advised. "We all know Kalluto's strength; at times like this, we must trust our companions."
Machi sighed slightly and accepted the bag of cookies. "Thank you, Kalluto. But I hope next time you..."
A second bag of cookies appeared in Kalluto's hand, and she offered it to Pakunoda.
"Me... I get some too?" Pakunoda asked, surprised. Unlike Machi's helplessness, there seemed to be a hint of joy.
"..." Kalluto nodded.
"Thank you," Pakunoda accepted naturally. She raised her other hand, as if to pat Kalluto's head.
As Kalluto showed signs of dodging, Pakunoda's hand didn't fully lift. She changed direction mid-way and held the cookie bag.
"Paku..." This time, Machi's helplessness doubled.
She knew Pakunoda had always had a weakness for fluffy things since childhood. During the last Troupe activity, Pakunoda had been acting a little strange. After all, Kalluto's striking silvery-white, voluminous curly hair looked incredibly soft and pleasant to touch.
It's over. Pakunoda's fingers were trembling, as if enduring something with great difficulty, so she chose to eat cookies to distract herself.
"Mmm." Pakunoda's distraction method was very successful. She was a little surprised, "This... tastes really good."
Kalluto nodded repeatedly beside her.
"Machi, you try some too." Pakunoda genuinely recommended, just as Machi had recommended Arctic shrimp sashimi to her during the last Troupe activity.
Under the hopeful gaze of both of them, Machi had no choice but to uncharacteristically pick up a cookie and put it in her mouth. "Mmm..."
Holding the torch, Kalluto turned around with satisfaction and took a step forward. Machi, having just bitten into a cookie, didn't want to waste food, and thus became the first to walk and eat. The second was Pakunoda, whose appetite was whetted, and she continued to pick up cookies.
Ahead, Kalluto's steps were steady and firm. Her silvery-white curly hair, long enough to reach her waist, swayed gently with her pace. The light of the torch flowed over it like waves.
Some say hair is a woman's life. That silvery hair was truly full of vibrant vitality.
The sound of chewing cookies could no longer be heard. Kalluto turned her head, curved her lips towards them, and held a cup of juice in her hand.
"?!" x2
Has this child used Nen abilities for such things?! x2
"No, Kalluto, you really don't need this..."
"Forget it, Machi, you have to trust your companion."
Trusting your companion doesn't seem to be something to be used in this way!
"..."
Oh, it's mixed fruit juice, and it's chilled.
After a time slightly longer than an afternoon tea, Kalluto suddenly stopped. This time it was truly for business.
Finding the right angle, she took photos of the murals.
Machi and Pakunoda examined the stone wall where the murals were painted and found nothing noteworthy. They first recorded it with their cameras, which should be sufficient for now.
Continuing forward, in addition to the murals, there were some broken ancient bottles and jars along the wall. Due to the erosion of time, they were all dull gray, showing no color or pattern, as dark as dirt, seeming no different from garbage—this was from Machi and Pakunoda's perspective.
From Kalluto's "player" perspective, some of the bottles and jars had a special gleam. Upon approaching, a prompt for collectible items appeared. Kalluto, feeling her trip was not in vain, [collected] [Beginner's Ore], [Shining Cabbage], and other collectible items.
Meanwhile, discovering they had entered a dead end, Shalnark and Phinks returned to the fork in the road. There was no mobile signal in the ruins, so they left a mark at the fork and then proceeded towards the path Feitan and Chrollo had chosen.
The most obvious landmarks along the way were the traces of traps and animal corpses. Since the path had already been cleared by those ahead, Shalnark and Phinks sped up. When they met up with Chrollo, Chrollo was holding open "Stealth Piercer," and there was a deep pool at his feet.
"Boss, where's Feitan?" Phinks rushed forward and followed Chrollo's gaze towards the pool.
A bloody color spread from the surface of the water, and a figure broke through the water, smashing against the stone wall above.
The sound of flesh hitting rock did not occur; instead, there was the sound of metal grinding against rock.
Using his weapon to strike the stone wall to adjust direction, Feitan added the force of a high-altitude descent this time. The tip of his sword pointed straight down. The creature in the water opened its massive maw, its layered, interlocking teeth densely packed, a nightmare for those with trypophobia.
"Tsk." Feitan changed his target, using his sword to shatter several layers of teeth at the edge. He used his right foot to brace against the root of the teeth and leaped back onto the shore.
"What an incredible behemoth." Thanks to Feitan's activity, Phinks was able to see part of the monster. Its head alone was astonishingly large. "Even Uvogin might not be able to handle it. Boss, do you have a way?"
"No need." Chrollo closed "Stealth Piercer," and the book with bloody fingerprints on its cover disappeared from his hand. "This path was a dead end from the start."
Knowing it was a dead end, it meant... Feitan was itching for a fight again.
"Boss, I want to give it a try too." Phinks's desire to challenge was piqued.
Birds of a feather flock together; this referred to Phinks and Feitan.
With the Boss covering for them, they could be even more reckless and go all out.
"We've already come this far, and a lot of time has passed. It's not suitable to delay any further. We should go and meet up with Machi and the others," Shalnark said. "Business first."
"Let's go," Feitan put on the cloak he had left on the shore earlier.
Phinks glanced at the now-calm pool water and, without dwelling on it further, followed the others' footsteps.
Returning to the fork in the road, only Shalnark's mark was there. It seemed Machi and her group were still exploring the path, so the group picked up the pace and entered the fork.
"...What is this." Phinks, holding a torch, squatted down to examine suspicious traces on the ground.
The group studied it for a moment and found what appeared to be cookie crumbs.
"...So why are there cookie crumbs here?!" Phinks was very dissatisfied with this unremarkable research result.
Despite his dissatisfaction, they were cookie crumbs, and rushing was important.
"...So why are there tapioca pearls from bubble tea here?!" Phinks stopped in his tracks.
"I think I know what's going on," Shalnark suddenly said.
"I know too," Feitan added immediately.
"Then it's not a problem. Don't worry about these things, let's keep moving," Chrollo said finally.
"No, it's a big problem!" Phinks protested. "Why am I the only one who doesn't know?!"
The three who knew exchanged glances. Finally, Shalnark spoke, "It's probably Kalluto. Don't you know what her Nen ability is?"
"..." Phinks agreed with Shalnark's judgment, but he couldn't agree on other aspects. "So why are there cookies and bubble tea?!"
His reply was met with a uniformly indifferent attitude. Feitan even told him he was being too nosy.
"Tch, alright. Thinking about it, it's quite good. We don't have to worry about food problems anywhere," Phinks said as he ran. "When we go to some awful places in the future, I'll definitely partner with number 8..."
No one responded. They all knew he was joking again.
After running for a while, the two groups successfully reunited. Machi shook her head at Chrollo, indicating that they had not achieved much either, as someone had gotten there before them.
This situation was not the first time. As they couldn't find any other clues, Chrollo decided to retreat temporarily, study the matter again, and then make further plans.
As compensation for the members' wasted trip, Chrollo generously paid out of his own pocket. Amidst Phinks's loud declaration, "This time I'm going to eat the Boss broke!" he booked an entire hot spring inn. Other guests who had already checked in were immediately "invited" out of the inn by Chrollo in various "peaceful ways."
Compared to Chrollo's unfathomable wealth, his unfathomable methods were even more terrifying.
They could choose any room and order anything; it was all on Chrollo's tab. Chrollo was truly a good Boss.
The hot springs were divided into single and communal baths. The situation with the male members was unclear. In any case, the female members chose to bathe together and chat about girl talk.
Machi and Pakunoda both took drinks. The tray floating on the hot spring water was pushed to Kalluto, who shook her head, indicating she didn't like alcohol and chose to drink milk.
Being mute was really convenient. Kalluto quietly listened to them chat, and the content was unexpectedly ordinary girl talk.
However, just like in the "real world," Kalluto remained only a "mute."
It wasn't until the conversation turned to Kalluto, mentioning how meticulously Kalluto maintained herself, like a young lady.
"..." Kalluto dodged their outstretched hands and retreated to the edge of the hot spring.
"It can't be helped, she doesn't let us touch her," Machi smoothed things over. "You weren't this shy before, did something happen?"
"..." Kalluto submerged half her face in the water.
"If you have any troubles, just say them," Machi suggested. "Shalnark will listen too."
"Yes, Shalnark has a good temper," Pakunoda added. "Did you have a conflict?"
Pakunoda was also puzzled why Kalluto didn't partner with Shalnark before.
Kalluto was completely submerged in the water, only the bubbles rising to the surface visible.
"..." x2
After a while, Kalluto surfaced, dipped her hand in the water, and wrote on the tray: Shalnark used a whole box of props on me.
"!!!" x2
The steam from the hot spring gave Kalluto's pale face a rosy hue. Against the backdrop of her silvery-white hair, she looked even more radiant, even her ears were slightly red.
"Then let's break up." x2
Machi and Pakunoda looked at each other, surprised by their own and each other's exclamations.
"No..." Machi said, putting her hand to her forehead. "Um, Kalluto, if you're not happy with it, you can say so directly. There's no need to hide."
"Yes, you don't have to force yourself into these things," Pakunoda said with concern. "Shalnark isn't the only man in the world."
At this moment, Shalnark, who was changing his clothes, sneezed.
Could someone be thinking of me? Is it Kalluto? Shalnark picked up his phone. Finding no new messages, he regretfully put it down... no, he didn't put it down, Shalnark then lay down and continued playing with his phone.
A petite figure stopped at Shalnark's door. This hot spring inn was in Japanese style, with sliding doors that allowed light to pass through, revealing the blurry silhouette of the person outside. https:/
Kalluto? Shalnark looked up with some surprise. The moment he saw clearly, the corners of his mouth drooped.
It was Feitan and Phinks.
"It's so boring to be cooped up in the room. Let's go out for a stroll!" Phinks's loud voice echoed in Shalnark's room. "Let's go!"
It felt like Kalluto's presence just now. Was it an illusion? Shalnark hesitated, leaning on the doorframe, looking left and right down the corridor.
"The Boss said he has matters to attend to and isn't going out," Phinks reminded Shalnark. The next second, he realized who Shalnark was looking for. "Are you looking for your girlfriend? She just went into the Boss's room."
Chrollo's room and Shalnark's room were separated by just one empty room.
I see.
"!!!" Shalnark's face instantly changed.
"There's no need to be so agitated," Phinks said nonchalantly, patting Shalnark's shoulder. "Don't you know the Boss yet? The Boss won't do anything to her."
If he did something, wouldn't it be more interesting? Let them fight, Phinks thought.
Rather than Shalnark, I wish it were the Boss! Feitan thought.
So, after watching Kalluto enter Chrollo's room, they immediately came to Shalnark's room to block the door.
Thanks to Phinks's reminder, Shalnark fell into thought: The Boss... yes, the Boss probably wouldn't do anything, but that doesn't mean Kalluto wouldn't do anything... The Boss just finished bathing, and his hair is down. His appearance is extremely deceptive... Wait a minute, if the Boss has no such intentions, it's not like Kalluto can forcefully assault him... Yes, the key is still the Boss's own will... I must believe my companions... Besides, Kalluto didn't deliberately avoid others. She must be here for the ruins. The Boss asked her to take some items from the ruins, so she's going to give the items to the Boss... If one hand doesn't clap, it takes two. And even if neither hand has that intention... the possibility of an accident is infinitely close to zero.
"That's right," Shalnark regained his calm, and a smile returned to his face. "You're right. Then I'll go find the Boss and get his bank card first."
It would be more reassuring to confirm the situation on-site. Moreover, for such a reward, it should naturally be fully reimbursed.
"I already have it." Feitan held a bank card between his fingers.
"!" x2
Since when?! x2
Before Shalnark could ask, Phinks grabbed Shalnark's arm without any further ado. "Who cares, let's go, let's go. Don't be so indecisive."
Since someone was willing to pay, it didn't matter whose card it was!
The boat of friendship was as stable as a giant vessel!
As the three stepped out of the inn, Kalluto [took out] the ruins-related items from her "game backpack" one by one, spreading a large patch on the floor in front of Chrollo.
After bathing, Chrollo also changed into a dark striped yukata, in keeping with local customs. His black messy hair fell down, and his tender, outrageously cute baby face made him look like a high school student, but his demeanor was incredibly steady, far exceeding that of ordinary adult men. This coexistence of strong contradictions constituted his mystery.
People with fair skin looked particularly good in dark clothes. The snow-white collarbone faintly visible at the neckline was quite alluring and tempting—some things are attractive regardless of gender.
"It's a bit inconvenient that you can't take it all out at once," Chrollo confirmed that nothing was missing and nodded. "Good work."
Kalluto stood up. She lowered her gaze. She had soaked in the hot spring for a bit too long, and the blush on her cheeks had not yet faded. It wasn't bashfulness, but rather like she was drunk—for someone with a normally pale complexion, such rosy cheeks were an abnormal phenomenon.
She seemed very listless. She pulled open the door but didn't immediately go out, looking hesitant.
"The second room on the left is Shalnark's room," Chrollo said. "And across from it is Feitan's room."
"..." Kalluto turned her head, her eyes half-open.
"Further down is Phinks's room," Chrollo smiled. "This is my room. Be careful not to get lost."