As Alex and Jewel walk to the location where Nobunaga and Machi want to initiate the plan, an open square with a lot of shops and a restaurant in the centre of Yorknew, Jewel is clearly excited.
What is Soulmate doing? Please inform Princess Jewel! It's always a bad idea when the protagonists do not share their plans.
I am not a damn protagonist. However, of course, you are right. Look, my plan is quite simple. We grab Gon and Killua and take them hostage, then use them to blackmail Kurapika not only into betraying fucking Hisoka, but also the damn Logia player and whoever else was on board.
Princess Jewel is so impressed. What an ingenious plan. But can she be honest?
Please... if you have something to say, just tell me.
Princess Jewel thinks this is rather... risky. Aren't protagonists a no-go?
First of all, I don't want to kill them, just use them for blackmail purposes. Second of all, I have yet to see proof of that. Certainly wasn't the case in any of my worlds. Aside from that... I don't see the risk... they are quite weak.
Princess Jewel agrees. It's time to take charge. Won't the Troupe be angry with Soulmate?
Screw them... It's also not an official mission. Also, Jewel... the goal is not to get caught. That's your speciality, isn't it? Let's go... show me your best Zetsu!
❤️
Alex and Jewel arrive at the crowded marketplace, a large plaza full of cafes, restaurants, and shops, with hundreds of people close by.
Standing far away, Alex can still see Nobunaga and Machi sitting there. He also looks around like a madman and finally detects Phinks and Pakunoda sitting on a bench further away.
There they fucking are... but where are the others? Where are Gon and Killua?
Princess Jewel doesn't see them yet. It is possible they'll arrive later, Soulmate. It's time to be patient.
You are right. Keep up the good work, Jewel.
Time passes, and after 20 minutes, Alex sees a suspicious pair next to Machi and Nobunaga, acting strangely and talking with someone on the phone.
That's it. That's the sign... they just received the call!
Shortly after, Nobunaga and Machi leave. Alex and Jewel stay very patient and only leave after Phinks and Pakunoda.
Making sure to follow them from a very long distance, at one point, they spot Gon and Killua, jumping from building to building in a shopping street quite a distance away from the centre.
I feel like a huge creep following after kids. I feel like someone's gonna arrest me... couldn't even blame them.
Soulmate doesn't want to kill them, only kidnap them; he shouldn't worry!
Jewel... you are not making it any better!
Following the group, Alex can't help but look around.
Soulmate! Are we being followed?
I don't know... but wouldn't it be silly if this turns out to be a quadruple tail and not a triple tail... this is exactly the kind of bullshit situation you have to expect when you fuck up the timeline and other players are involved. Since we all know how the game works, this is risky.
Alex and Jewel follow the long chain of people. Machi and Nobunaga, followed by Gon and Killua, followed by Phinks and Pakunoda.
From time to time, Alex turns around.
Soulmate... should Princess Jewel throw a few grenades after Soulmate and Jewel, just to be sure?
No... save yours. That would be the dumbest thing ever; it would ruin the entire scheme. I don't even sense someone nearby; I don't have that bullshit power. At least not if it's someone skilled. My SNS is good, but not that good. I just have... a feeling.
You know I'm the type of guy who checks his emails 10 times an hour if he's expecting an important email. If I am waiting for a game or an announcement, I have OCD and have to check every couple of hours... I am just that kind of guy.
Princess Jewel has a genius idea! While Princess Jewel does not want to separate... she'll hide herself in those bushes over there and fall behind. She'll follow after Soulmate. Princess Jewel calls it the sixtuple chase... at least if Soulmate is correct and there are people chasing after him.
Didn't she skip the quintuple chase? Whatever.
Be careful! Stay close by and scream if you spot someone. Don't engage whoever it is alone.
The chase continues, and Alex's nervousness slowly begins to fade. In the distance, the city becomes more and more shabby. He already sees the spot where Nobunaga and Machi stop in the series; it's a large abandoned ghetto, with only poor residents staying in a few buildings that are still habitable, while other parts of the district are outright abandoned.
Fuck... I need to act now, or else things will turn out exactly like I remember them. I need to grab Gon and Killua without Phinks and Pakunoda seeing me.
Jewel, come back. I need you to web them. Let's knock them out and then wrap them up. If we catch one, the other will probably run toward us in desperation, which should make things easy.
"..."
Jewel?!
Jewel!!!
Fuck....
Screw the Troupe mission, screw the mission, I need to find Jewel!
"Fuck!" Alex curses again, instantly giving up the chase and turning around, rushing back as fast as he can.
Because of their deep connection, while not fully aware of Jewel's exact position, he can still vaguely sense her.
Trusting his instincts, he quickly runs toward the location, leaving the route everyone else passed by.
So much for our plan... everything went wrong again.
In the distance, he sees a large cloud of smoke.
Fearless, Alex rushes toward it, desperately checking for enemies, but not hesitating for even a moment.
Jewel!
Using En, Alex rushes through the smoke. Finding himself in what appears to be a trailer park, though with the addition of small huts, old houses, and wooden sheds, it feels a little more diverse.
Soulmate!
Jewel, are you alright?
Yes! Princess Jewel was just surrounded by the smoke, but not attacked.
Alex soon arrives at Jewel, and the two join up, Jewel jumping back onto Alex's head, ready to fire her poison, webs, and Hidden Power at anyone approaching.
However, much to Alex's surprise, the smoke suddenly disappears, and three white-robed, hooded people appear, standing a short distance away from him.
"Alex Kerber," a female voice says. "You are much more fearless than I expected... all for a mere spider."
Alex immediately recognizes it as the same one who announced her attack during the fight after the auction.
That's the Logia user.
"You got that right," Alex replies. "Usually I'd ask for your names out of politeness, but I'm not too fond of getting to know a bunch of KKK members."
Another member, obviously female, yells, clearly enraged, "Asshole, what the fuck do you mean KKK?! You motherfucking... Does that face look like it belongs to a damn KKK member, you imbecile?"
The player then removes her hood, and Alex sees a young black woman.
"I'm also against blackface... one more and you've got the racist trifecta," Alex replies, looking disgusted.
What is Soulmate doing?
Jewel, against people like that, you should always taunt them. An angry enemy rarely makes a decision based on logic. Look, she already revealed her face to us. What a complete moron. I'll remember her... in case we can't kill her right now. We're at a disadvantage, but I don't want to flee quite yet... maybe we can take them after all. We need to stop them until the Troupe is finished with their business, at the very least.
"You piece of shit, I'm gonna kill—" She roars.
"Sister!" the third person, an elderly man judging by his voice, admonishes her. "Remain calm."
"Excuse me... brother," she mutters, looking embarrassed. "But this guy...."
"Is that the kind of roleplay you get your kicks from, old man?" Alex asks, shrugging exaggeratedly. "How kinky...."
"Sinner... choose your next words carefully. Your mask is not capable of hiding your sins from us..." the man says, and Alex isn't quite sure if his taunt was effective.
"So what do you want from us?" Alex asks. "After you helped Kurapika kill Uvogin, and you yourself assassinated Franklin? Sorry, but I'm not gay, if that's what you're after."
"... can't we just kill him?" The woman mutters, appearing to be in physical pain after Alex's last comment.
"The so-called Phantom Troupe are mass murderers deserving of death. They're not only sinners of the worst kind, but also blasphemists, especially their cult-like leader with his devilish symbols," the man states, ignoring Alex's comment.
"I think that's just his fashion style," Alex mutters silently, but then adds, "I like his better than yours, but how does that concern me?"
"We are Paladins of God's Children. We do not kill innocents... that includes not only players, but also every human, even in other worlds," the man states, before the Logia user continues.
So... someone like you, Jewel, or Benezia would not qualify? I think I already heard enough. She also insulted you at the start... for that alone, I want to punch her in the face.
Princess Jewel does not like speciesists! Soulmate is the best! ❤️
Interesting choice of words... but I agree. Let's deal with them...!
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