"There's one crucial thing," Kurapika said calmly. "Supporting me is a private commission between you and me—it's not directly related to the Hunter Association. I want you to understand that."
He glanced at Mizai. The Zodiacs' "Cow" nodded and took over.
"We'll arrange your official Association status. Cheadle's already been informed—you don't need to worry about that."
"So let me get this straight," Joey leaned back slightly. "I'm doing the job for Kurapika, but the Association pays me?"
"You could say that." Mizai nodded. "At least until we reach the Dark Continent."
"And afterward?" Joey narrowed his eyes. "You still plan on keeping me on the leash?"
"Exactly. With your abilities paired with Cluck's, your potential on the Dark Continent is extraordinary. That's the consensus among the Zodiacs."
That caught Joey off guard.
He lowered his eyes in thought, then looked back up. "If my intel is right, Beyond's route goes through the Maze City, doesn't it?"
Mizai's pupils trembled. "That's top-secret information. Only the Navigational Bureau and the Zodiacs have access to that!"
Joey shook his head. "It's not as secret as you think."
But he didn't reveal his source.
Instead, he pressed forward, "So, what do I get out of this?"
"Security, wealth, influence, reputation—we can offer all of that," Mizai offered the standard package.
None of it moved Joey.
He waved his hand. "Let's wait until we reach the continent."
That was enough for Mizai to understand—Joey's target lay somewhere on Beyond's route. Most likely, something connected to '鸣' (Ming).
Kurapika then stepped in.
"This commission is paid fifty-fifty—half by the Association, half by me. That was my term for joining the mission. My target is Prince Tserriednich Hui Guo Rou—not to kill him, but to get close enough to touch him."
That got Joey's attention.
"If I can meet him before departure—even shake his hand—that'll count as mission accomplished."
"Same pay?" Joey asked.
"Of course." Kurapika nodded.
"But we may need to pull strings," Mizai warned.
Joey waved him off. "I'm not chasing coin. Just give me a reason."
"What kind of proximity are you looking for?" Joey leaned forward, calculating.
"If remote contact is enough, I may have ways. But if you want a face-to-face before launch... that's tricky."
"A handshake," Kurapika said. "That's enough."
Joey sighed. "Impossible. He's constantly guarded by professional Hunters and backed by underground organizations. Unless you're a beautiful woman with a fully-vetted identity, there's no getting close. It's easier to kill him than meet him."
Kurapika remained silent as Joey laid out the brutal details.
Tserriednich lived in a gold-encrusted five-star hotel, protected by mafia clans like the Ai Yi Yi family. They supplied him with women—most of whom were tortured and butchered.
Those few who survived became twisted "trophies."
All the abductions were managed by one man—Mark, a Nen user deeply trusted by the prince.
In Kakin's corruption-ridden system, this level of abuse raised no alarm.
"Then we'll approach from inside the guard corps," Kurapika muttered. "Only six princes issued public recruitment. We'll have to deduce which one is most likely to contact the Fourth Prince."
"The timing of those commissions is suspicious," Mizai noted. "Clearly something changed just before departure. But none of those commissions came from the Fourth Prince."
"No need," Joey added. "He has all the soldiers, bodyguards, and mafia support he needs. He wouldn't rely on outsiders."
"Kakin caps each prince at fifteen guards," Joey then said, spreading out a detailed blueprint of the B.W. on the table.
Kurapika and Mizai were visibly impressed.
Even the Association had only received partial layouts, and most were outdated or redacted.
"Is this reliable?" Mizai asked.
Joey didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out a camera, then activated Golden Experience—morphing it into a bird with a lens in its chest.
"This intel came from surveillance. High-risk, but high value. I've verified its accuracy."
The blueprint came from spying on Second Queen Doyatzil, mother to multiple princes.
She had nine personal soldiers—but none were Nen users. Joey had no trouble penetrating their defenses.
"The lower decks only have five infirmaries?" Mizai was visibly disturbed.
"Exactly. And with nearly 200,000 passengers crammed into the lower three floors, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Kakin never intended to stock those infirmaries. Once we set sail, chaos is guaranteed."
That meant Cheadle's coordination would shift from medical planning to full-blown crisis management.
Mizai foresaw it: just one outbreak or missing medicine could trigger a riot.
Kakin's army wouldn't step in quickly enough. The ship would descend into anarchy.
"If things spiral out of control," Mizai murmured, "V5 could cancel the expedition entirely... and we'd never even reach the Conjectural Continent."
And the fallout would cripple the Association.
After all, most of its members came from V5 nations. If they lost political support, it'd be a disaster.
But Kakin's king didn't care.
Nasubi Hui Guo Rou had already declared the B.W. a battleground for selecting the next ruler.
20,000 lives. A sealed urn. Nen beasts. All of it was part of his twisted "Genius King" ritual.
And the Phantom Troupe wouldn't wait either. If they spotted Hisoka on the ship, they'd turn it into a warzone.
As for Beyond Netero, his team would likely behave during the voyage—but once ashore, no promises.
And then there were the dozens of hidden agents aboard, each with secret missions.
Joey's point was simple:
If you don't adapt now, the ship will be chaos before the continent is even in sight.
He handed Mizai surveillance photos.
They showed Prince 8, Sale-Sale, surrounded by dancers, seated on a bed. A gnome-like court official held out a jar.
From it flew a tiny fairy, invisible without Nen, who deposited an egg into the prince's mouth.
Then she vanished.
"What... is this?" Kurapika asked.
"The Succession War Ritual—specifically, the 'Urn of the Womb Egg.' It's a Nen ability rooted in ancient poison-brewing traditions."
Kurapika's eyes narrowed. "He wants them to kill each other. Survival of the fittest?"
Joey nodded. "Classic gu ritual. Only the strongest survives."
"And the egg?" Kurapika pressed.
"It becomes a Guardian Beast, fueled by the prince's aura. Once the ritual's complete, each prince gains a Nen entity to protect them."
"Then every prince's guard corps will vary drastically in power," Kurapika muttered.
The rules had changed.
"Joining a guard unit now means stepping into open war."
Even Tserriednich wasn't guaranteed survival.
"The phrase 'eliminating threats' suddenly has a whole new meaning," Kurapika added.
"And you're not even a licensed Hunter," Mizai sighed. "Each prince only has 15 slots. The bidding war's intense, and you're a civilian."
He rubbed his temples.
More chaos. More paperwork.
Joey watched him text Cheadle, sending copies of the blueprints and surveillance images.
She replied in seconds:
?!?
Then called immediately.
Mizai excused himself and stepped out.
Joey and Kurapika sat alone in the study, continuing to dissect the disaster that was about to unfold on the B.W.
When Mizai returned, his face was darker.
Eventually, they left.
Joey stood by the window, turning the black credit card Kurapika had given him over in his fingers.
Everything was in his favor—except how the hell he'd actually become a royal guard.
Or how he'd survive the firestorm to come.