On the morning of the tenth day of the voyage, at 8 a.m., the Kakin Judicial Bureau's Investigation Department approached the First Prince.
After a round of negotiations, the First Prince was escorted to the V-VIP area for surveillance and investigation. The catalyst? A report implicating his private soldiers in the death of the Eighth Prince.
The report came with crystal-clear video footage. Not even the First Prince could deny it.
But he was ready. He handed the investigators a box containing the dismembered corpse of the man in the footage.
"This is the one you're looking for—Bridges. He was sent back by the Fourth Prince," the First Prince said, pointing at the remains.
"We will conduct a thorough investigation and comparison. In the meantime, Your Highness must remain in the V-VIP area," said a bespectacled, sharply dressed man named Shutaina.
He worked not only for the Kakin Judicial Bureau but also for the International Voyage Authorization Office.
He didn't believe a word the prince said, but with Kakin royalty, unless they were caught red-handed, all the Bureau could do was run a formality and release them.
Meanwhile, the Second Prince, Camilla, had just sat down for breakfast when she received the news—she felt it was a day of fulfilled wishes. She silently prayed that the First Prince would just die peacefully in the V-VIP zone.
She savored her meal, but a nagging thought lingered. That morning, she'd seen someone who shouldn't be near her—Wumanma.
Camilla knew her subordinates' abilities well. Wumanma being present meant she'd been cursed without knowing.
Because Wumanma's ability was Exorcism.
Was it Kurapika and Dio from yesterday? How bold.
What kind of ability had been placed on her? Another possession-type curse?
Lost in thought, Camilla barely noticed as Saheilta behind her gave Wumanma a signal.
Wumanma pulled out a dagger, slashed her wrist, and flung the blood at Camilla without hesitation.
The moment her blood touched the Second Prince, a small owl manifested behind her.
Saheilta immediately recognized the owl—it looked identical to the one tied to the now-dead private soldier Musse.
The blood, as if magnetized, surged toward the owl and ignited upon contact.
Back in the V-VIP zone, the First Prince had just met with Barusamirco when his left eye flared with abnormal sensation.
"The Second Prince discovered Musse's ability—she's got an Exorcist in her guard!" Benjamin clutched his eye and assessed the situation.
"Should I transfer the ability?"
"No time!" He released his hand. A few feathers emerged at his temple, burning away in an instant.
"How did she find out about Musse's power?" asked Barusamirco, then answered himself: "Dio."
Before dying, Musse had reported a dense insect presence in Tier Two—meaning intel was leaking to Dio all along.
It's possible even the footage of Musse being killed was leaked.
In short, Dio might know both Camilla's Nen ability and that Musse had planted one on her.
They'd just visited Tier Two yesterday, and already there was a major incident in Tier Eight by dawn.
Barusamirco originally assumed Dio had leaked the footage—but now realized he also leaked Musse's power.
"So Tier Twelve found another backer and sold us out." Benjamin's jaw clenched.
But Barusamirco shook his head. "No—we underestimated the Twelfth Prince and their guards."
"What do you mean?" Benjamin frowned.
He respected Kurapika and Dio's skills, but the Twelfth Prince? Completely average.
"Not the prince—their Guardian Beast. Babimaina never entered Tier Twelve. Even after picking up Kurapika and Dio, he didn't detect the Twelfth Prince's beast. Yet, he still got tagged by it."
It wasn't until Gangjidol got a hint from Babimaina that he finally noticed the beast perched invisibly on Kurapika's shoulder.
This suggested the beast had evolved.
Kurapika had said it before: Guardian Beast abilities aren't static.
But what caused the change? The prince's mental state? An event within Tier Twelve? Or was it something Kurapika or Dio triggered?
As of now, only the Twelfth Prince's Guardian Beast had changed.
And its ability directly targeted Nen users—irrationally so. If they didn't eliminate it early, every Nen user interacting with Kurapika could get infected.
Contact with Kurapika or Dio had become dangerous. If not Babimaina and Gangjidol, the beast could have latched onto Benjamin himself.
A terrifying thought.
Right now, only Kurapika and Dio had the "transmission" trait. But if more caught it, every Nen user on board could become a ticking time bomb.
"Like Satobi in Tier Seven?" Benjamin's tone turned grim.
They'd once discussed how Guardian Beasts couldn't directly attack one another.
Even though succession war meant kill or be killed, direct attacks between princes were punishable—possibly by death.
That's why they relied on their retainers: private soldiers, queen's guards, and recruited bodyguards.
Private soldiers were the most loyal—no traitors.
Queen's guards acted on her will alone, not the prince's.
The bodyguards—Hunters and licensed operatives—were wild cards. Many were aiming for the Dark Continent, but some were clearly spies or assassins from rival princes.
"And Slaka, Berrient from Tier Twelve," Barusamirco added, citing intel from Shurikov.
Even Mokunoshita was on the list, though he'd relocated to the V-VIP zone and no longer posed an immediate threat.
"If the Eighth Prince's beast used affection to mind-control civilians for dictatorship, then what's the Twelfth Prince's beast for?"
"Maybe… they never wanted to win. Maybe they wanted to drag everyone to the same starting line," Barusamirco speculated. "After all, since Marayam was born, Momose has never received fair treatment from the Seventh Queen."
"Someone like that doesn't deserve to be king," Benjamin snapped.
Barusamirco nodded. "But their power is one of the most dangerous on this ship. If enough Nen users are infected, the Royal Army will have to intervene.
And those accepted by the Twelfth Prince won't be attacked by the beast. They can even act as vessels for the ability, building a fiercely loyal team."
"Then we need to act on Tier Twelve—fast." Benjamin's expression sharpened.
"We know Satobi and the others are walking bombs. Kurapika and Dio surely know too. They've held off on dealing with Slaka and Berrient. Likely waiting for the right moment.
That makes their true intent harder to read." Barusamirco didn't rush—he dug deeper.
"Originally, Kurapika said their target was the Fourth Prince. After we set the stage, he executed that plan perfectly." He raised a finger to his lips. "When I heard that, I knew what was next.
They're Hunters. After completing one job, they're moving on to the next: reaching the New Continent safely.
To do that, the best move is to stall the succession war."
Benjamin nodded. "Which is why we staked out Tier Eight, waiting to ambush whoever came for the footage.
It worked. They handed the data to Camilla's private soldiers.
Her captain concealed the mission, dispatched two men, and despite losing one, they retrieved the footage."
"The Fifth Queen's men were also there—unexpected, but they helped expose the hidden camera. Unfortunately, they also triggered chaos.
Only one Fifth Queen guard and one Second Prince soldier made it out." Barusamirco added, "A discarded participant trying to re-enter the war? They'll be punished."
"Who'll do it?" Benjamin asked.
"The First Queen."
"She's losing patience too?"
"Back to Tier Twelve." Barusamirco steered the topic. "Kurapika and Dio's moves were expected, but their conduct raised red flags.
Like the Twelfth Prince's Guardian Beast—Babimaina and Gangjidol's warnings amplified its exposure. If they hadn't shouted and panicked, other princes wouldn't have noticed. Especially the Ninth Prince."
"Hikaku acted oddly before dying," Benjamin realized. "Was he being controlled?"
"Exactly. Hikaku was a Manipulator. He had countermeasures ready.
When two Manipulators face off, whoever acts first wins. Hikaku would've used self-control as a buffer.
Yet, just before being hit by the beast, he accused Babimaina of betrayal and tried to defend the Twelfth Prince. That's not normal—it was mind control.
Meaning the attacker bypassed his defenses."
"That's impossible," Benjamin retorted. "Also, his time of death doesn't match when his body was removed."
He opened his palm, revealing eight stars—each one representing a fallen private soldier.
Three of the ten who died weren't star-marked. Two were borrowed from the First Queen. One was mutilated and returned by the Fourth Prince. Another died in a clash with Camilla's troops in Tier Eight.
One was shot dead by Joey in Tier Four—Benjamin's biggest mistake.
He'd brought fifteen to Tier One. After losing seven, he was running thin.
Babimaina had been detained. Barusamirco couldn't leave his side.
The remaining six were scattered: Gobendeba watched the Third Prince. Butch watched the Fifth. Olaw monitored the Sixth. Gangjidol had returned to Tier Seven. Wu Xiaobei stayed in Tier One. Viktor had been reassigned to Tier Nine.
By now—9 a.m.—Viktor should've arrived.
This was the last test for Tier Nine. If nothing came of it, Benjamin would recall him and shrink the operation.
He wouldn't stop—just focus the assault.
He had enough intel now to act.
But if he couldn't contain Tiers Nine and Twelve, he wouldn't sleep easy.
Luckily, he was stuck in the V-VIP zone. The Ninth Prince would find it hard to reach him.
As for Tier Twelve—problematic, yes. But they seemed reactive, not aggressive. He could afford a short delay.
"Hikaku's body was taken by the Royal Army, but Hikaku himself didn't die. That means the corpse wasn't him," Barusamirco said cryptically.
Then clarified.
"If we're sure Hikaku wasn't controllable, but he acted like he was, then maybe the Ninth Prince's Guardian Beast can swap souls—replace the target with one of his own followers.
That fits. From the four booms we've tracked, the Ninth Prince's beast seems Emission-type.
Kurapika's info also says it's a coordinated ability.
Meaning it draws Nen from all his followers—classic Emission prep.
Gangjidol, who felt one of the booms up close, said the force was like a 5cm supersonic fireball. Deadly on contact, Nen user or not.
So if Hikaku was hit, he should've died instantly. But he didn't. He was controlled.
Meaning each attack comes with the Ninth Prince's intent to die with them."
"Then should Viktor still go to Tier Nine?" Benjamin fully trusted Barusamirco's judgment.
"Yes. Viktor's ability, 'Unity of Surface and Depth,' can't crush the Ninth Prince, but it can suppress him.
And if the Ninth Prince makes a move on Viktor, it gives us a reason to retaliate.
Coordination abilities are vulnerable if separated from allies. We can also make people vanish—not just Tier Twelve."
Barusamirco was a venomous serpent.
And now, that serpent was coiled, tongue flickering, venom ripening—waiting to strike.