Hello everyone. I'm Gon Freecss, and even though I knew about it from the original story, I'm reminded once again that Melody's hearing is absolutely unfair. I might be able to track traces better than her, but when it comes to wide-area surveillance without being detected, isn't she the strongest?
"So cute~!! What is this, it's not a puppy, right!? It's so fluffy and light—wait, it's not light! What the heck, it's heavy!!"
Two days after Gon's group formed a cooperative relationship with the Nostrade Family, Neon Nostrade and her bodyguard team arrived in Yorknew City with three days remaining until the auction.
Over those two days, they'd roughly mapped out Yorknew City's geography and blind spots. Since the Phantom Troupe still hadn't shown themselves, they decided to assist with Neon's protection as a way of earning goodwill with the Nostrade Family rather than waiting for the Troupe.
"This is Gin, but he doesn't really like being smothered, so sorry about that."
"Aww~ I wanted to hold him because he's so cute. Wait, is your neck okay with him sitting on your head like that?"
"I've been training."
"Also, miss, you're way too relaxed. You should be more aware of your surroundings."
"Why should I~? Protecting me is your job, isn't it? Stop running your mouth and do your work properly."
Gon and Killua, being close in age, were assigned as Neon's escorts during her shopping trip along with Gin, while Kurapika and Leorio split off to meet with Dalzollene for further coordination.
"I'm thirsty~ Hey, shorty in silver, go buy me a drink. Get me straight tea, not too cold, and buy it from a shop, not a vending machine."
"Sorry, but I'm a bodyguard, you know? Can't leave your side. Why don't you ask someone else?"
As the atmosphere between Neon and Killua grew tense, the maids and bodyguards broke into cold sweats. But Gon, who'd been observing their surroundings, spoke up cheerfully.
"Miss Neon, that café over there seems to have the same tea you always drink, so let's check it out. It's inside the mall we're heading to anyway, so it works out perfectly."
"Really? Wait, how do you know what tea I drink? And how can you tell that café has it?"
As Gon naturally took Neon's hand and started walking with everyone hurrying to follow, the scene resembled a little brother leading his older sister. The maids' expressions softened slightly.
"I can smell the same scent coming from the café as the one coming from that maid over there. I don't know the brand name, but I'm pretty sure I'm right."
"...Wait, you can distinguish it by smell?"
"Yep. Oh, and I'm Gon, and this is Killua. Nice to meet you—though it's only temporary until the auction's over."
"I have no intention of being nice, so don't get all familiar with me."
"You're being totally ridiculous right now. I'm telling Dalzollene to cut your pay."
"Feel free I'm not exactly hurting for money"
"You're so annoying~"
Though the two bickered loudly, the bodyguard team members nodded approvingly as Killua positioned himself on Neon's opposite side, sandwiching her with Gon.
Back at the hotel after Neon left for shopping, Dalzollene and part of the bodyguard team were discussing the details of their cooperation with Kurapika.
"The Big Boss has officially authorized us to cooperate with you. He also reported it discreetly to the Ten Dons, but as expected, they responded with a 'wait and see' approach."
"That's within expectations. We don't want the Mafia watching us too closely either. We'll only move once something happens."
They reconfirmed the arrangement: in exchange for Melody and Squala's cooperation, they would help protect Neon and, if they captured the Phantom Troupe, ensure the Nostrade Family received credit as well.
"The Nostrade Family doesn't need the bounty. But you must formally acknowledge our cooperation and express gratitude."
"I promise. However, I'll say this again—please don't think about fighting them. Their abilities are several levels above what you imagine."
"Heh, I'm not eager to die yet. After seeing such a clear display of the difference in our power, I have no desire to oppose them."
Unlike Dalzollene, who raised both hands with a wry smile, all the remaining bodyguards present had uniformly pale faces.
That morning, when Gon's group met with the bodyguard team, Gon had unleashed his aura quite seriously to establish the chain of command.
"The world is vast. Once the auction ends, the bodyguard team—myself included—needs retraining. Could we request instruction from you once this is over?"
"We're still training ourselves. If money's no object, you could also request training from the Shingen-ryu school."
After occasionally going off-topic, they agreed that the Nostrade Family would handle all menial tasks like checking surveillance cameras, while Kurapika's group would operate disguised as Mafia members.
"Now then, with most things settled, I have one final proposal."
After a fairly long meeting and both parties signing contracts, Kurapika narrowed his eyes at Dalzollene's words.
"Don't be alarmed. The Big Boss was concerned about the possibility that you knew about the Nostrade Family and approached us deliberately. There was a matter we couldn't present until that suspicion was completely cleared."
"That's insulting. As I've said repeatedly, you're the ones who approached us. It may be unavoidable given that you're Mafia, but excessive paranoia will destroy you."
Dalzollene smiled wryly at Kurapika's frowning warning and picked up what might have been his umpteenth cup of coffee to explain.
"I'd like to agree, but we have our circumstances. It's a matter that requires that level of caution."
He downed the lukewarm coffee in one gulp and lowered his voice significantly as he told Kurapika.
"The Boss—Lady Neon Nostrade—is a natural-born Specialist-type Nen user. As long as she knows the name, date of birth, and blood type of someone whose face she's seen, she can predict that person's future up to one month ahead."
"What!?"
As Kurapika's shock became evident and he understood why they'd been so paranoid, Dalzollene quietly explained the details of the prophecy.
"The predictions are written in somewhat cryptic poetry, but they boast a 100% accuracy rate. Moreover, if you take actions that deviate from the prediction's content, you can even change the future."
"...I see. No wonder she has fans among the Ten Dons. The 100% accuracy is terrifying, but even more unfair is being able to avoid the prophecy depending on your actions."
After contacting Melody and the others, Kurapika had done brief research on the Nostrade Family and knew they were a Mafia organization that had rapidly expanded their influence in recent years. But now, knowing Neon's ability, he was actually impressed they'd kept their power to just this level.
(If they wanted to, they could bring not just the underworld but even legitimate power figures under their control. Are they keeping it in check to avoid making unnecessary enemies, or do they just lack the brains for it?)
Either way, revealing this information at this timing meant they were seeking further compensation.
"So? What are the conditions for receiving this prophecy?"
"There aren't any. If I had to say, we'd like to earn a favor with promising young Hunters."
"That's not the kind of card you should play so lightly, but if there's nothing else, we'll gladly accept."
While this was within Kurapika's expectations and seemed surprisingly selfless, he'd been so influenced by Gon and Hisoka that he'd lost sight of his own group's market value.
Killua, secretly regarded as the next head of the assassin family Zoldyck.
Leorio, a medical-type ability user as rare as Nen exorcists.
Kurapika, who possessed abilities that worked on exploration, character assessment, and even memory, and who was sharp-minded to boot.
Even pulling just one of the three into their fold would undoubtedly bring tremendous profit. Including the notably strong Gon and Gin, if they could earn the favor of all of them, it would be worth offering up most of their assets and still coming out ahead.
(As expected, the Boss's prophecies are magnificent. To form connections with people like these without any initial investment...)
With all arrangements at this meeting concluded, Dalzollene sipped freshly brewed coffee and breathed a sigh of relief at what he'd gained.
"Dalzollene! I want Gon and Gin, so give me money!! Even if it means I can't go to the auction in the worst case, you absolutely have to buy them for me!!"
After spending the entire day shopping, Neon's first words upon returning shocked even Dalzollene, who'd served as her bodyguard for years.
"M-Miss, did you just say you wouldn't mind missing the auction?"
"Of course I'm going!! I said 'worst case,' didn't I!? More importantly, buy me Gon and Gin I don't need the shorty or the gorilla"
She threw a tantrum for a while, but perhaps due to accumulated fatigue from the long trip and shopping, her battery ran out before long and she fell asleep. Leaving only the maid Eliza behind, Dalzollene heard a detailed report: despite still being in his early teens, Gon had shown magnificent escort skills, making it the easiest shopping trip yet.
"His balance of carrot and stick was truly splendid—sometimes indulging her whims, sometimes cautioning and admonishing her. For instance, when she tried to buy out an entire store's inventory, he listened to Miss Neon's preferences, had her try on about three outfits, then made the purchases. Quite the skilled operator."
For Gon, he was used to dealing with female fishermen and such from the original story. But fundamentally, he read the atmosphere and people's feelings before speaking his mind straightforwardly, so those on the receiving end rarely found it unpleasant.
"Additionally, Killua served as an excellent outlet for stress. Despite what Miss Neon said, from an outside perspective, she'd clearly opened up to him considerably."
Killua, also unaccustomed to bodyguard work, had responded in an age-appropriate manner, which worked in his favor.
Despite being younger than her, Neon naturally opened her heart to Gon and Gin—whom her instincts told her were strong, who would both indulge and scold her—and Killua, whom she could banter with.
"...They were a better combination than expected. But I never imagined she'd take such a liking to them."
"As her maids, we'd very much like to have them added to the bodyguard team. However, even though we've only just met them today, we can somehow tell that Gon and his friends aren't the type to stay in one place."
Eliza's prediction matched what Dalzollene himself had sensed. People like them—including Kurapika and Leorio—couldn't be bound by money or honor. That was a given.
"I'll make the offer anyway, but our hopes are slim."
Though his head ached from the constant stream of difficult problems, Dalzollene at least felt relieved that getting Gon's group to accept prophecies would be no issue.
The next morning, when told it would serve as one card for recruiting Gon's group, Neon gladly activated her ability—Lovely Ghostwriter.
***
Gon
Do not let your guard down, stay prepared
For the reaper's single strike invites all into darkness
Because you are not yourself
The unreached summit shall remain unreached
Killua
Within the cage of twisted love that surrounds you
Bound tightly, permitted only to watch
Will you kill yourself or march toward death of your own will?
Breaking free from your shell is always a matter of life and death
Leorio
Eternal separation approaches and you are driven to suicide
All the protected can do is believe and choose
Having chosen wrongly, you will exist in the future
The goddess's kiss closely resembles both meeting and parting
Kurapika
Nothing reaches the bottom of the well
Everything stolen, in the darkness
Nothing is understood
Nothing ever will be understood
The same verse appears twice
Caught between past and present, stuck deep, unable to move
Someone other than you will make your choices
Dragging everything in, advancing into hellfire
Burning out completely, leaving only ugly self-love
***
With prophecies spanning only one week for everyone except Leorio, Dalzollene's face went deathly pale. He was just considering whether they could still break off the cooperation when Gon's group arrived with news:
The Phantom Troupe had arrived in Yorknew City.
***
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