Sleeper Drug

Since I couldn't kill Haisha until the meeting, I might as well take advantage of his drugs.

If one of his drugs could make one addicted in one whiff or use, I would be able to use them to my advantage eventually.

Some drugs could come in handy in a regular, non-assassin life, too, so I'll save them for when I finish my last assassination job.

I was in the big mansion clearly owned by Haisha, blending with the shadows near the entrance hall as I waited for Haisha.

While it felt idiotic to take such precautions for a guy like Haisha, my years of training and education kept my guard up and didn't let me underestimate him.

I double-checked the empty space in a section of my space pocket.

After lots of training and brainstorming, I had created a sort of space pocket, inspired by the numerous fictional stories I had read in my otaku phase.

While I had the idea a while ago, I wasn't sure if it was possible.

Eventually, I managed to combine my abilities shown in the water divination test, the space distortion and travel, as well as changing matter, to create a space pocket that could store items.

Since it was so useful, I'd put a lot of time into it to make it easily accessible and organized.

I had planned on seeing if the drug dealer had any useful drugs I could use, like sleeping pills, knock-out drugs, even newer, more modern poison.

In the empty section of the space pocket, I was planning on storing anything useful from this mission, even money if I couldn't find any drugs that would be of use to me.

Ever since I had created the space pocket, I had started collecting anything I could use from my missions.

While assassins didn't do missions to steal, and the Zoldycks certainly didn't, either, I had made the decision to take whatever could be useful to me and store it in my space pocket.

Everyone always had a time when they needed something desperately and didn't have it on them.

I planned on having a little of everything on me at all times, without weighing me down. Especially stuff that could come in handy for someone who constantly encountered danger, like Killua and Gon (in the far future) or me (simply being a Zoldyck seemed to draw trouble).

This mission, I was hoping to find a specific drug - the Sleeper Drug. It was a very effective drug, used for putting people to sleep - literally (not to kill, but sleep).

The drug could be given or taken in many ways. It could be drunk, dissolving in liquid or taken as a pill. It could also be crushed in a room and fill the air, putting everyone to sleep (more pills were needed for that, otherwise the effects would last shorter). It could even be made in a cake, and it's effects would not wear off.

It was desirable to me because if I understood how it was able to be so versatile, I could make more pills like that one for different purposes.

For example, a poisonous drug that could be turned to mist and inhaled.

Even I, someone very talented in chemistry, wasn't sure how to make it without the drug itself.

Plus, the drug's effects, sleeping, could be helpful in certain situations.

The door suddenly opened, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I carefully double-checked my position, ensuring I wouldn't make any noise by knocking something over or tripping.

I doubted anything would cause me to make a mistake like that, and I wasn't just being arrogant - I had never made any mistakes on any of my solo missions - but it was better to be safe than sorry if I wanted to keep my record clean.

Haisha began walking, and I followed, slinking behind in the shadows.

Futoi Haisha entered a room, and before it closed, I slipped in and jumped on the ceiling.

I quickly hid away in the corner of the ceiling, using my nen and muscles to grip the walls effortlessly as the people below began talking and drinking.

Before long, the men had started talking about their success and newly developed drugs.

"That chemist I picked up off the streets made that Sleeper Drug, and it's been selling so fast I practically don't have to do anything but provide them! Yeah, the chemist, what's his name - Sam or something - lives in the casino, one of the rooms we normally use for VIP guests who like to stay the night with their date.

"The guy was in a shabby workplace when I found him, practically homeless, I tell ya! It's a miracle he hadn't died yet. He asked me to test out his drug, and I took him home soon after.

"Must've been a blessing from the gods, I'm telling you! He was so desperate for money he's working for cheap and mass-producing the pills. Whenever I ask him how he makes 'em, though, he shuts up. Annoying brat... but since he's fine with making 'em, it's good enough."

One of Haisha's companions, a man who seemed around 40, started complaining.

"You've got it lucky, Futoi. You found yourself a genius, while I'm struggling to create something new to grab attention.

"Almost everything's already been created, and anything my people come up with is trash. Still, our business is doing good enough for now, making enough income.

"A new product isn't urgent now, but given how you've got yourself a drug that's become a hot topic, my business is bound to fall behind at this rate."

Another man, slimmer than Futoi but still relatively large, spoke up.

"Say, wasn't this supposed to be a celebration? Stop grumbling. And Futoi, weren't you supposed to show that drug of yours? The Sleeper; it's become so popular it's hard even for us to get too many. Where do you keep 'em, eh?"

I perked up, looking down carefully, careful not to let Haisha or the others notice my gaze.

"Fine, fine. I've got some on me. The Sleeper is so effective it chases away any bad dreams, too, so I take 'em to sleep every night. So don't even think of stealing any - they're all in my mansion."

One of Haisha's friends - or fellow criminal - suddenly cuts in, saying "Stop bragging and hurry on with it. Don't pretend you don't know that's not our real reason for coming here...."

Haisha chuckles, clearly enjoying the attention. "Alright, here they are...."

He slowly opens up his coat pocket and slowly takes a box out, filling the air with suspense.

After removing the box from his pocket, he takes it in his hand and slowly opens it.

In the box were five white pills.

The pills were small, circular shaped pills made from a sort of powder.

They looked similar to the pills from my modern world, but after using gyo on my eyes, I noticed a nen aura around them.

Either this mysterious chemist was a nen-user, or he worked so hard he unconsciously made each of them with nen.

The first option was more likely than the second option, since mass-producing pills with nen and not even realizing it was highly unlikely, but it was also unusual for someone on the streets to know nen.

If the pills were like this because of nen, I would have to find this chemist.

Below, the group of people started chatting excitedly, quickly taking one for themselves and storing it away in their pockets.

Rolling my eyes at their greediness, I wished I could read minds so I could find where Haisha was hiding the drugs.

In any case, I could simply follow him before he goes to bed. He only had enough for the people who came, so he would have to get more before bed from his "stash" if he didn't have more in his room.

Since I had seen how lazy and unconcerned his attitude was, he probably hid the drugs in his room or somewhere nearby so he wouldn't have to travel far to get a Sleeper before bed.

I patiently waited until the men started trickling out, satisfied with the white pill in their pockets and the booze in their stomaches.

Haisha sighed as the last man left, a content expression on his face. Even from the ceiling, I could tell he was drunk.

I was slightly annoyed that I wasn't meant to kill him until the meeting - today was the perfect opportunity, after all - but still, I got valuable information.

If need be, I could "interrogate" Haisha about the exact whereabouts of the mysterious chemist and see if I could find out the secret to the pill's versatility.

If I couldn't, it wasn't necessary, although it would be nice.

Several minutes after the last person left, Haisha slowly stood up, staggering slightly, and headed towards the door.

He walked through the doorway and turned left, and I quietly leaped down, following him.

My footsteps making no sound, Haisha leisurely continued in the same direction at a steady pace, completely oblivious to me following a mere meter away, hidden with the shadows.

I silently followed Haisha until he reached another hallway with three doors. He entered one room, presumably his bedroom, and soon came out again, with a suitcase this time.

He then entered a room next to his bedroom and came out with a visibly heavier and full suitcase, presumably filled with the drugs.

Before the door snapped shut, I caught a glimpse of boxes labeled "Sleeper Drugs - 100" to "Sleeper Drugs - 1000".

He had a large supply, some boxes holding hundreds of drugs, and others holding thousands.

Clearly his home also served as a storage for drugs, unless he was simply so greedy he wanted more than several lifetimes' worth.

I smirked as my eyes settled on a batch of pills in the front of the room. There were less than a hundred in each small box, but there were dozens of boxes.

I could take some of these boxes with me to make them easier accessible in my space pocket.

Satisfied that my motive for today was achieved, I watched in contentment as Haisha entered his own room again, leaving the door slightly ajar before sitting on the large king-sized bed.

Haisha laid the suitcase on the floor - he tried to put it on the bed, but it seemed to be too heavy - and opened it.

He had left the door slightly open, allowing me to see through the crack. Since no one else was on the floor, and using en I would detect anyone who might see me, I felt confident I could safely spy on Haisha from here.

Haisha crumbled the pill in his fist, inhaling the drug into his nose with a satisfied sigh. He quickly got under the covers, not even bothering to change or to close the suitcase, and started snoring.

My eyebrows slowly rose; I was appalled. My nose slightly wrinkled before I turned away.

The man was gross, but the drug's effects were almost instantaneous. Indeed, finding the chemist would be favorable to learning how to do it myself.

Making a mental note to find the chemist before I completely ended the mission, I silently faced the other door.

I slipped inside quietly, silently opening the door and leaving it slightly ajar.

My eyes landed on the pile of small boxes I'd seen earlier, and I took one in my hands.

Focusing on the dark space in front of me (there was no light inside the room), I distorted space, opening up my space pocket.

I put the box in, and the box disappeared, seemingly into thin air.

After putting in more boxes, I grabbed one with several thousand pills, and after widening the door to the space pocket, I slid the bigger box in, as well.

Satisfied with my haul, and feeling slightly like a thief, I quietly left the room, shutting the door behind me.

I dashed out of the house silently, leaving to my hotel room. I climbed in through the slightly open window after widening the gap, and locked the window behind me.

I had left no trace of myself in the mansion, and after using en whenever coming across a corner, I had managed to leave without coming across any employees.

It was a peaceful and successful break-in. I had taken enough Sleeper Pills - more than I would ever need, most likely. Even if I couldn't find the chemist, I was satisfied with what I currently had.

Tomorrow, I would pursue clues to find the chemist, and then ensure I knew where and when the meeting would take place.

After the meeting, if I don't managed to find the chemist by then, I'll get the information from Haisha.

I activated my en before going to bed. I wasn't planning on getting much rest tomorrow, so I'll sleep tonight.

A smile settled on my lips before fading away.

This mission was successful so far.

Author's Note:

Hey everyone!

I'm still on a (Thanksgiving) break, but I had some free time when I didn't have WiFi so I managed to write some chapters.

Originally, these two were meant to be one chapter, but I couldn't decide on the title so I split them up.

Thank you for your patience!

Sorry if these two chapters felt repetitive or rushed - I wasn't sure how to describe Futoi Haisha, or Mizuki's pre-assassination.

Honestly, I was just making this up as I go. I don't have many ideas for the mysterious chemist - I just came up with the idea on the spot.

If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to comment them; I might use them if I like them, or implement them somehow.

Thank you everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S.

I don't know if anyone noticed, but "Futoi Haisha," if translated separately, or on some sites, means "Fat Loser" in Japanese.

I just didn't think anyone noticed, so I'll put it out there now.

Thanks for reading!