As the sun dipped below the horizon, twilight descended.
Watching the sunset from the middle of the ocean offered a uniquely profound experience. The massive, orange fireball of the sun painted the entire sea in shades of tangerine. As the cruise ship sailed slowly toward the horizon, the sunset felt so close that one might reach out and touch it.
Hisoka and the other three hired security guards had little to do during the day. They mostly blended in with the tourists, keeping a watchful eye on suspicious characters to preempt any potential risks.
At night, however, they took turns patrolling the ship alongside the sailors. Since they were receiving high wagespaid daily, no lessit was only natural that they put in the effort when the time came. It was the principle of equivalent exchange.
Each man took a two-hour shift. On the first day, they drew lots to determine the order. Hisoka was lucky enough to draw the first shift, followed by Kurama, then Lisa, and finally the bald giant, Mundo.
Drawing the final shift was the worst luck of all, as it meant patrolling from 1:30 AM until 3:30 AM. Hisoka's shift began right after dinner at 7:30 PM and ended at 9:30 PM.
The S.S. Anne had six levels in total: four main decks and two lower levels of cargo holds. A full sweep from top to bottom took almost exactly two hours.
Hisoka walked at the head of the group, followed by two burly young sailors. Throughout the patrol, they didn't speak a single word to him. Their attitude was far from friendly; they didn't act like fellow patrolmen, but rather like wardens assigned to watch him.
It seems Captain Tekshin doesn't trust the bounty hunters he hired at all, Hisoka thought, seeing through the situation. From previous conversations with Kurama, he could infer that Captain Tekshin hadn't initially planned on hiring outside help. The idea likely came from Kurama's "boss"Hakusuke, the man who had announced the tournament in the main hall that afternoon.
Hisoka didn't possess a particularly noble sense of justice or a desire to save the world. He cooperated with the League Inspectors now simply because they offered more benefits. Moreover,
being on the side of the law provided a significant advantage; in any world, acting under a legitimate banner was more than just a matter of semantics. Of course, if Team Rocket could provide even greater interests, Hisoka wouldn't be opposed to a little "appropriate cooperation."
Bounty hunters were gray hyenas prowling between the worlds of light and shadow. They would eat the meals provided by the law, but they wouldn't turn their noses up at the meat offered by the underworld.
The two hours passed quickly in his boredom. By the time he returned to his room, the sky was blanketed in black velvet, with countless stars shimmering with an almost flirtatious radiance.
He released Lulu and Weavile from their Poké Balls, then turned the pure gold faucet to fill the bathtub. The water for the bath was quite hot, so Hisoka decided not to let Feebas out this time.
While helping Weavile remove the mechanical rings from her limbs, Hisoka smiled. "Everyone, get some good rest tonight. Build up your strength. We have matches to fight tomorrow."
"Weavile~"
Weavile nodded and began stretching her limbs. Since evolving, the number of Gravity Beads Hisoka had her wear had increased to five per ring. With four mechanical rings, that totaled twenty Gravity Beadsa weight of 200 kilograms. And that was just her daily load; the weight would be increased further during special training sessions.
Sneasel's evolution into Weavile had been a total biological ascension. Her agility, muscle density, and tendon resilience had all seen qualitative improvements.
Hisoka had run tests. Taking pure muscular strength as an example, this Weavile's power was roughly 1.5 times what it had been as a Sneasela terrifying increase. Her speed was about 0.77 times her previous self, which was less of a jump compared to her strength, mainly because Weavile was significantly larger than Sneasel.
Furthermore, this wasn't Weavile's limit. With continued training, her ceiling for power and speed remained high. Hisoka estimated that at her current rate of progress, it would take about two years of high-intensity training to reach her natural peak. To break through beyond that point, she would either need to evolve again or rely on external factors, such as a mystic item or extremely rare herbs.
Hisoka leaned back against the edge of the tub, letting the pleasant temperature of the water soothe his skin. After a long day, a hot soak was one of life's greatest pleasures.
Because of her Ice attribute, Weavile disliked hot water and had already crawled into her own little nest to rest.
A pair of fair, small hands reached out and touched Hisoka's shoulders. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know who was behind him.
"Not going to sleep yet?" Hisoka asked softly.
Hisoka has been tired all day. I should help him relax with a massage! Lulu's ethereal, girlish voice echoed in his mind.
"Then thank you, little girl."
The massage Lulu spoke of was her own unique creation: the Psychic Massage. She used her powerful mental energy to stimulate the body's cells, muscles, and skin, achieving a total massage from the inside out.
Years of training allowed Lulu to control her psychic energy to a degree finer than a human pore. She could crush and flush out oil, dirt, and even parasites beneath Hisoka's skin, keeping his body in an eternally healthy state.
Most people wouldn't be able to stand a Psychic Massage, as the sensation of tingling, numbness, and sharp stabs was often more than one could bear. It had taken Hisoka years of conditioning to reach the point where he could treat it as an enjoyment.
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