August 1st.
Joey and the others arrived in Kakin in staggered groups.
He himself reached the Huehue Hotel a little after 6 PM. The scheduled start time for the selection was 7 PM, but security personnel were already stationed at the entrance to receive them.
From subtle exchanges and cues, Joey could tell—some of these were probably Royal Bodyguards of various Princes.
But to Joey's observation, they were all ordinary humans—at least they didn't seem to emit aura or maintain Zetsu.
Of course, it wasn't impossible that a few were hiding their presence with In, but such concealment would be unnecessary for this kind of open recruitment.
In fact, someone passively maintaining Ten might stand out more and be easier to identify from among the pool of applicants.
Still, it wasn't that simple.
In Kakin, Upper Queens can plant their own men into the guard details of Lower Princes.
Which meant: even if some bodyguards could use Nen, they might not be loyal to the Prince they were assigned to. They could be spies, saboteurs, or something worse.
Such is the tangled mess of the Kakin Royal Succession War—layers upon layers of deception and infiltration.
For Lower Princes—especially those born of the Lower Queens—the Succession War was a death sentence.
Without outside interference, most of them wouldn't even know what killed them.
Joey was escorted into a luxurious suite. Three other candidates were already inside—seemingly average civilians.
They all appeared around their thirties. Two walked like seasoned fighters. The third had thick calluses on his fingers and a dominant right arm—likely experienced with firearms.
Joey, dressed in a refined, intellectual fashion, looked more like a butler than a bodyguard.
Yet despite appearances, the other three instinctively kept their distance from him.
Not out of arrogance—but caution.
All three could sense it: Joey was the most dangerous person in the room.
And that was exactly the effect Joey was aiming for.
By subtly adding hostility to the aura he was leaking, he could induce a primal fear—like being hunted by a wild beast in the dark.
It was a technique he'd developed after constant usage of En, learning firsthand how aura affects normal people.
Unlike many other Nen users, Joey had no qualms placing civilians inside his En—he knew exactly how to manipulate their fear.
To secure the guard position, a small show of strength wasn't just helpful—it was necessary.
Still, he never revealed himself as a Nen user. That would bring too much attention, and the guard detail was bound to be crawling with all kinds—spies, loyalists, assassins.
He didn't want to attract interest until he understood the internal power structure.
He aimed to be like Yoshikage Kira—low-profile, competent, invisible in a crowd. Not the strongest, not the weakest—just right.
Upon entering the room, he saw the Seventh Queen, Seivanti Hui Guo Rou, and her son, Twelfth Prince Momozet Hui Guo Rou, seated and waiting.
"The Seventh Queen, Seivanti... and the Twelfth Prince, Momozet..."
Joey instantly recognized the delicate girl seated calmly. And the Queen—her sharp brows and thin lips gave her a commanding, cold aura.
Momozet was one of Seivanti's two children, and—if memory served—the first Prince to die in the Succession War.
Her presence here was unexpected.
According to his intel, Queen Seivanti was openly biased toward her other child, the Thirteenth Prince Marayam.
Could she be here to merge Momozet's guard with Marayam's?
If so, Joey would need to adjust his strategy.
Momozet was important—he and Kurapika planned to use her as a pawn, and she couldn't be discarded too early.
"This is your last chance. If you're disappointed with the conditions, you may leave now," said Momozet, voice flat.
No one left.
Joey studied the others' expressions.
Seeing this, Momozet proceeded with one-on-one interviews. Joey and the remaining two were escorted out to wait.
He was the second called back in.
The room's atmosphere had changed—more people were present. Several men stood nearby—clearly security officers.
"Greetings. I'm Dio—Dio Brando," Joey introduced himself calmly.
"According to your profile, you're a businessman from the Bartochean Republic. Why apply as a bodyguard?"
It was the Seventh Queen speaking—Momozet sat silently, knitting from a basket of yarn at her feet, completely ignoring the interview.
Joey had chosen to keep his "Dio" identity—he'd spent months cultivating this persona in Kakin's high society.
He gave a plausible excuse: "Foreigners rarely receive embarkation permits. Without sponsorship or backing, a businessman like myself couldn't hope to secure passage."
A lie, of course. He already had a Second-Class ticket.
But it was a real problem in Kakin. Public fervor over the voyage had sent ticket prices skyrocketing.
Thanks to public propaganda from King Nasubi Hui Guo Rou and Beyond Netero, citizens saw the expedition as the new age of humanity—a historic opportunity.
Desperate for upward mobility, most of the lower class viewed this as their only shot.
"Mr. Dio, how familiar are you with the Kakin business elite? What connections do you possess?"
Queen Seivanti's eyes bore into him.
Joey nodded. "I've made acquaintances. Both those boarding and those staying behind."
He listed several names—merchants he'd purposefully befriended during his time in Kakin.
She nodded with satisfaction.
"Do you possess combat abilities, Mr. Dio? Are you capable of defending a Prince?"
"Naturally," Joey answered, producing forged credentials arranged by Mizai Storm.
"I won't claim to be the strongest, but I've faced my share of assassins. In the Bartochean Republic, that's part of daily life for businessmen of standing."
Queen Seivanti was clearly impressed.
"Then I have one final request:
I'll pay your full salary in advance. But once we board, I want your focus to be on Prince Marayam.
Momozet will manage on her own—won't you, dear?"
"Yes, mother," Momozet nodded, dutiful and soft-spoken.
Joey's brow twitched slightly—but he accepted.
Rejecting the Queen's request would've gotten him dropped immediately, no matter how impressed she was.
Still, this favoritism rubbed Joey the wrong way.
Marayam's life mattered—Momozet's didn't? How short-sighted.
Yet in terms of strategy—it was a blessing.
With Seivanti pushing focus to Marayam, Joey and Kurapika would gain more freedom of movement—freeing them to investigate, maneuver, and monitor other activities onboard.
In fact, Momozet would now be easier to manipulate or control. Seivanti had unknowingly given them leverage.
Joey returned to the lounge.
The other two applicants who'd entered before and after him exited the suite and left quickly afterward.
That meant one thing: they weren't dismissed—they left by choice.
Joey surmised they'd been spies, realizing Seivanti's offer was too convenient.
If they weren't from trustworthy factions, she wouldn't keep them.
Just then, Kurapika entered the lobby, escorted by staff.
The two shared a glance—nothing more.
Kurapika's interview went far quicker. As a Licensed Hunter, he had more authority and skills on record.
By the time the guards were assigned, both Joey and Kurapika were housed in the hotel. According to the recruitment conditions, guards couldn't leave until departure day.
Communication devices were confiscated—but Joey had long since used Gold Experience to prepare.
He even outfitted Kurapika with discreet transmitters and communicators.
Within days, Joey deployed a network of bug-like surveillance drones, silently monitoring the other thirteen guards.
His goal was to profile them before boarding the Black Whale No. 1 (B.W.1).
He knew that Upper Queens had the authority to insert their own men into Lower Princes' guard units.
Seivanti herself likely embedded six guards loyal to her. The remaining seven? Unknown. Could be mercenaries, spies, or worse.
Seven days passed quickly.
August 7th.
The night of the Eve of Departure Festival.
Kakin planned to livestream the entire event to the nation.
200,000 citizens would board in waves—via ferry and airship—to the B.W.1.
As Royal Bodyguards, Joey and the others would take airships.
But first—they attended the national ceremony.
Joey stood by the transport dock, watching from afar as the spectacle unfolded.
The festival stage loomed over the ocean, massive LED screens broadcasting footage of the Dark Continent, historical lectures, and expert speculation.
At 5 PM, the hosts arrived.
Joey didn't understand Kakin's taste—a man with twin braids and a woman in a dress full of fuzzy balls—but they riled up the crowd instantly.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The day has arrived!"
"The eve of mankind's greatest journey! A new age begins—tonight!"
"Bear witness, people of history!"
"You! All of you! Are the ones who will be remembered!"
"Now... let him take the stage!"
"The modern Noah! Our king—Nasubi Hui Guo Rou!"
In golden regalia, King Nasubi raised his fists as the nation erupted in cheers. Then raised one hand skyward:
"I have but one thing to say.
I—am the Great King of Kakin.
Glory... to the New Continent.
Glory... to me!"
The roars thundered across the shore.
Joey, watching from afar, felt... nothing.
No pride. No thrill.
Only a distant question:
"How many of these people will actually return?"
He stared out at the sea. The expedition was a farce, built on blind idealism.
The Dark Continent was not a game.
Even the Fake Continent—the "Mock Continent" V5 had sanctioned as a decoy—was likely riddled with unknown dangers.
Nasubi had no intentions of peace.
This journey—would not be smooth.
As the ocean shimmered in the distance, Joey thought:
"What's my dream...?"
He didn't know.
But he knew he was still moving forward.
Thunderous cheers snapped him out of it.
Beyond Netero and the Fourteen Princes were now stepping onto the stage.
Moments later, Nasubi boarded his custom airship, heading for the Black Whale No. 1.
Joey and the other bodyguards followed, boarding their own airship.
From the sky, they saw the massive B.W.1—a giant, whale-shaped vessel with sharp teeth.
Atop the whale's back, a massive luxury cruise ship was embedded—the First Level, where the Royal Family resided.
Smoke billowed from the cruise funnels.
Launch preparations were complete.
After boarding, a banquet would be held.
Only Kakin's elite—political, financial, military—would attend.
The Princes would be the stars.
The guards, including Joey, would wait outside, ready to escort their assigned Royals to their quarters after the feast.
Security inside was a joint effort by Kakin's Royal Army and the Hunter Association.
Every guest had been screened—interviewed, tested, even polygraphed.
Joey's "Dio" identity likely wouldn't survive that scrutiny—he planned to avoid drawing attention at all costs.
Killing a Prince now, even successfully, would cost him everything.
And he had no intention of dying for Kakin royalty.
So he quietly kept to himself.
At 4 AM, the Eve of Departure finally ended.
The Princes began returning to their rooms in order.
Joey and Kurapika escorted Momozet and Queen Seivanti to their quarters.
But both men knew—
The Succession War had already begun.
Because within Momozet's room, floating behind her—
Was a massive Guardian Spirit Beast.