Clone × Dispersal × Urgent Arrival

The moment the one responsible for blocking the room was obliterated by Wither Heart Strike, Joey watched the vine-like aura that had spread across the room slowly recede.

But just then, his En picked up new presences in the corridor—more Royal Army soldiers, clearly heading for the Fourth Tier.

They were too late.

Because Joey could now see a door gradually revealing itself on the banquet hall wall.

He didn't bother with the panicked regular Royal Army soldiers in the room. They couldn't even sense his presence, so why waste time eliminating them?

As the Heart Strike Tank returned to Killer Queen's left hand, Joey stepped into the banquet hall.

He knocked rhythmically on the wall. A hidden door quickly opened from the inside—Fugates and Kajo appeared before him.

"No time—move. The Royal Army's on the way. We talk later." Joey gave Kajo no time to question him. He yanked her through and motioned at the wall.

Kajo looked a little sour but acted fast. A Return Door to the lower tiers manifested on the wall.

As the three slipped into the passage, the door to the Fourth Tier was blasted open from outside.

...

Meanwhile, far from Joey's real body in Tier 4, in Tier 12, the Royal Army and the Bureau of Justice had arrived shortly after the chaos in Tier 2.

This time, Joey wasn't given a chance to explain.

As soon as they knocked on Tier 12's door, they issued a formal arrest warrant.

If he resisted, they had authorization to execute him on the spot.

But it was only one of Joey's clones—so he didn't hesitate.

He lunged at the man from the Bureau—the same one who'd once used a spinning top Nen ability.

The Royal Army had come prepared.

The moment Joey moved, two Nen users broke from the ranks and attacked simultaneously.

Everything happened fast.

Joey's fist smashed into the top-user's chest—just as one soldier stabbed a dagger into his back and another pressed a large-caliber pistol to his temple.

The dagger-wielder was likely an Enhancer, based on his burst speed and dangerous aura coating the blade.

The pistol-user felt different—more like an Emitter, given his control of space and position.

Strange, though—Emitters didn't usually fight in close range.

Still, Joey didn't care.

Despite the threats, his punch didn't stop.

In the shocked eyes of the attackers, his fist slammed into the top-user's heart.

That man was a Nen user—but clearly a weak one.

His reflexes, aura volume, and defense were subpar. A total amateur.

Joey's fist tore straight through his chest—

—but then he felt it.

This man was a clone, just like Joey.

His clone shuddered.

Pain burst from his back—then his temple.

Thud. Thud.

Two bodies collapsed—almost in sync with the gunshot.

Then, both corpses vanished.

The Royal Army and Justice Bureau soldiers froze.

Only the Nen users exchanged grim looks.

Kurapika had stayed silent throughout—he didn't interfere when they named Joey or attacked.

And now that Joey's clone was gone, they didn't blame him.

But later, they insisted on seeing the Twelfth Prince.

Kurapika realized—they suspected the prince was also a clone.

But no matter their methods, they couldn't find proof.

Because the Twelfth Prince wasn't a clone. He was a real person, just heavily modified by Joey.

The prince's quiet demeanor and weakened state were the perfect cover for this impersonation.

With nothing gained, the Royal Army left Tier 12.

But the Justice Bureau stayed behind—leaving two agents behind for 72-hour surveillance.

Kurapika didn't object.

In fact, with Joey gone, the Bureau's presence might even protect Tier 12.

He welcomed it.

...

Joey already had a rough idea of what had happened in Tier 12.

Even if the clone was destroyed, he had more than one monitoring device left in his former base.

Now, Joey had reached his new hideout in Tier 3.

It was a room specially arranged by Kite. So far, no one had discovered it.

Especially since the two princes it housed never used normal exits, the room remained perfectly hidden.

Melody was still unconscious. Joey checked her condition.

She'd been hit by a Nen attack.

Only an Exorcist could wake her.

He was beginning to realize that Exorcists were becoming essential in all his dealings with Tier 2.

"Where's the Twelfth Prince?" Joey asked—it was his first time here since sending her down.

"She's not here. She's with the Exorcist. Don't worry—she's safe," Bjorn answered, tapping away at her phone. Then she looked up. "She's complicated. We have to be sure she's not being tracked by Nen. Otherwise, we're compromised."

Joey blinked, then nodded.

It made sense.

But if Melody had been tagged with a tracking Nen, then Joey had to reconsider the real reason behind her abduction.

Maybe she was always meant as bait—to lure him out.

That would explain why the Royal Army arrived so quickly.

But Joey remembered the Second Prince's fury—it hadn't looked fake.

Wait.

He paused.

What if her rage wasn't aimed at the Royal Army—but at him?

His intrusion could've been what truly pissed her off.

That matched her personality perfectly.

Joey nodded to himself. It all made sense.

Otherwise, why knock Melody out and keep her locked up?

Why was the Royal Army so fast and so prepared?

She was bait. That explained everything.

"Move her to Tier 5," Joey said. "This place's burned. Let's move both princes to Tier 4—somewhere I've never used before."

He looked at Bjorn for input.

He couldn't get a vacant room in Tier 4 without her.

"Always cleaning up your messes… Tch," Bjorn huffed. "Go to Room 4111. Owner died two days ago. Fugates and Kajo can lie low there."

"But if we're moving to Tier 4, I can't guard them. Have Tita and Sargoff take over. That Mizaiston case was meaningless anyway."

Joey nodded. "Agreed."

Tita and Sargoff were perfect.

And the Mizaiston investigation had indeed led nowhere.

The real culprits behind the murders were from the Ei-Ei Family.

But hunting them all down was far from easy.

Besides, the Mafia war was heating up.

Getting involved now would be reckless.

The three families had deteriorated fast.

With Princes 3 and 4 gone, only the Kashya Family still had royal backing.

They'd once teamed with the Shu-Wu-Wu Family against the Ei-Ei, but with the Third Prince gone, Shu-Wu-Wu had fractured.

It was impossible to keep princely deaths secret from the underworld.

Meanwhile, remnants of the Fourth Prince's private soldiers had resurfaced—what they were planning was still unclear.

Revenge? Alliance with Ei-Ei?

Either way, it didn't seem feasible.

But Morena had likely targeted those soldiers.

If she gave them the kill-to-grow ability, they might become even more bloodthirsty than her own members.

This ship was spiraling into chaos.

Yet Joey also felt something else—

He was getting close to the truth.

The Royal Army's moves confirmed it.

He was on the right track.

The coffin room was the key to the Succession War.

After finalizing plans with Bjorn, Joey texted Mizaiston and had Fugates open a door to Tier 5.

He needed to stay there with Melody—to see if she was really bait.

He also had to wait for the Exorcist to finish treating the Twelfth Prince so they could work on Melody next.

Once inside Tier 5's safe room, Joey sent Bjorn, Fugates, and Kajo to Tier 4.

Just then, he got a reply from Mizaiston.

Though he was reluctant to part with Tita and Sargoff, he agreed for the princes' sake.

Joey stared at the message, then muttered,

"He's getting chatty…"

He replied with a single word: "Ok."

Putting the phone away, Joey laid Melody on the bed and left the room, hiding nearby.

Before he went, he created a new clone and altered its appearance.

While the real Joey watched from the shadows, the clone stayed inside to watch Melody.

This way, no matter what attack came, Joey would know immediately.

Time passed slowly in this waiting game.

Evening fell.

Upstairs, banquets began. Down below, dance and music echoed.

People headed toward Tier 5's grand hall.

The ship felt almost festive.

But Joey, watching, saw no real joy on any faces.

And then, his phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number:

"1024. Coffin. Come fast."

Short. Sharp.

But Joey knew exactly who sent it.

Hisoka.

He'd found something in the VVIP area—what Joey had been searching for.

Excitement surged in his chest.

But he pressed his lips together and replied:

"Two days. Busy."

He couldn't leave Melody yet.

Only after the Exorcist finished with the Twelfth Prince could he deliver Melody for her own treatment.

That done, he'd head to the VVIP zone.

Just then—Joey felt a shiver.

His surveillance bugs—multiple ones—had been simultaneously destroyed.

A targeted strike.

Someone had found them—and knew about his ability.

Joey's expression darkened.

Phone vibrating, he gritted his teeth and expanded his En toward the site of the attack.

Instantly, multiple auras lit up within it.

And among them—two familiar ones.

He blinked.

Then it hit him—

That aura. That shape.

They belonged to Franklin and Feitan of the Phantom Troupe.

(End of Chapter)