Disappointment (2)

In a bustling city street outside the arena, emergency personnel rush to aid the wounded as smoke billows from the upper levels. A female reporter in a white suit and bucket hat holds a microphone and gestures while delivering a live update. Behind her, a man in a fedora stands with arms crossed, and a young girl with light hair looks on with concern. News captions flash across the screen: investigations are underway as emergency personnel provide aid, it is believed the contenders in the battle set off the bomb, and the explosion happened right in the middle of a floor master battle filled with spectators. The reporter continues, stating they will update as more information arrives, and reveals that the match has claimed countless victims, including one of its participants, Hisoka.

A severely mangled body lies on a stretcher, its face twisted in agony with wild hair and torn clothing. Several onlookers stand around the corpse, including a spiky-haired boy, a girl with long hair, and a short-haired boy with a serious expression. Speech bubbles explain that before the explosive puppets could reach him, two hundred other puppets swarmed the body on command to break, cushioning the blast somewhat. It is noted that the wall of flesh piled on top caused oxygen deprivation leading to death by suffocation. One observer remarks that he expected more damage than this.

Machi stands with her back to the group, looking down at the heavily injured Hisoka sprawled on the tiled floor. She speaks without turning. "...WELL, HE DID PAY ME IN ADVANCE, AFTER ALL..." A young boy in a hoodie watches her while another member replies, "I'M JUST GOING TO STITCH HIM UP A BIT, THEN I'LL BE COMING ALONG." In the background, two female Troupe members discuss the situation. One says, "WELL, YOU KNOW HOW MACHI IS... AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE, SHE'S A REAL SOFTY." The other adds, "I DON'T SEE WHY MACHI HAS TO GO TO ALL THAT TROUBLE FOR HIM...I MEAN, HE WAS FIGHTING THE BOSS..." Machi walks away from the fallen Hisoka as another member calls out, "WE'VE ALREADY MORE THAN ADEQUATELY CONFIRMED HIS DEATH." A voice asks, "YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK WITH US, MACHI?" In a dimly lit hallway, Machi answers, "OKAY..." while an unseen speaker says, "RIGHT THEN, WE'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU LATER..." The final panels show extreme close-ups of Hisoka's battered face, eyes closed, mouth open, hair wildly splayed, covered in wounds and sweat.

Machi crouches beside the unconscious Hisoka, needle in hand. She looks up and says, "THIS IS A THANK YOU... FOR HELPING WITH THE BOSS' NEN EXORCISM." In a smaller panel she threads the needle with focused eyes. She continues, "THE WOUNDS AROUND HIS NECK REALLY ARE SEVERE... AND I GUESS I SHOULD CLEAN UP HIS FACE, TOO..." Machi leans over Hisoka and begins stitching the deep gashes on his neck and chest. His body remains limp on the blood-stained cloth. A close-up shows the needle piercing skin. The final sequence depicts Machi's intense profile as she works, followed by a sharp "FWSHH..." sound effect as the thread pulls through.

A spiky-haired fighter lunges forward with a fierce expression, gripping the throat of a bearded muscular man sprawled on the ground. The bearded man's face twists in agony as impact lines and motion bursts erupt around them. Below, a close-up reveals the fighter's wide eyes and gritted teeth in disbelief. Narration declares: HISOKA IS AS DEAD AS A DOORNAIL!! IT CAN'T BE... AURA?! IMPOSSIBLE...!!! The fighter's shocked face fills the next panel as the narration continues: AFTER DEATH ...?!!! NEN THAT BECOMES STRONGER...

The bearded muscular man thrashes violently as multiple hands clamp around his neck and torso. Bold SFX spell out SQUEEZE and TWITCH repeatedly while his eyes roll back and mouth gapes. Close-up panels show fingers digging deep into flesh, veins bulging, and the spiky-haired fighter's face contorted in strain. Additional squeeze and twitch effects punctuate every panel as the chokehold tightens.

In the packed arena, a suited man stands amid the surging crowd while a spiky-haired fighter is hurled backward through the air. The massive audience reacts with panic and excitement as debris and motion lines fill the space. A close-up shows a hand reaching toward vertical bars amid sharp impact effects. The fighter, now shown in a powerful close-up with wild hair and a muscular build, clutches his chest tightly. With intense focus he declares, "WELL, IF I'M GOING TO DIE ANYWAYS... I MIGHT AS WELL TRY THIS OUT... ♥" His body strains as he shouts, "O, MY RUBBER NEN....!!" Energy radiates outward from his form.

Detailed panels reveal a pair of lungs and a damaged heart, each accompanied by bold text: "AND LUNGS !!!" "ALONG WITH MY HEART!!!" "COME BACK TO LIFE!!! AFTER I'M DEAD ..." The organs pulse with radiating lines. Below, the enormous crowd reacts as text reads "THEN EXPAND AND CONTRACT!!!" and "CRADLE THEM... CARESS THEM..." The sequence ends in a massive white explosion that engulfs the lower half of the page, with debris flying outward in all directions.

A pair of wide, shocked eyes fill the panel as intense speed lines radiate outward. Below, a young spiky-haired boy stares in horror. Nearby, the same boy stands beside a grotesque skeletal figure with exposed teeth and hollow sockets. In the foreground, a muscular man with wild spiky hair and a torn tank top marked by club symbols leans over a severely injured bearded man whose face is bloodied and battered. Speech bubbles reveal the bearded man's thoughts: he questions whether he was truly dead. The muscular man, Hisoka, reaches toward the injured figure while Machi’s voice calls out from off-panel. The bearded man reacts with surprise, recognizing the voice as Machi’s. Hisoka’s expression shifts as he processes the situation, the background filled with motion lines and impact effects emphasizing the chaotic aftermath.

Hisoka stands with flaming spiky hair and a bloodied chest marked by club symbols, speaking about being swarmed by opponents while fighting someone of Chrollo’s caliber. He notes that reality delivered a wake-up call. In smaller panels, Hisoka explains the lesson learned and advises choosing opponents and locations more carefully next time. He then focuses on using his gum, shown in close-up with the phrase 'USING MY GUM...'. Hisoka declares he is fine and offers to stitch up the injured man. A large panel reveals the destruction of 'TEXTURE SURPRISE' and 'NEEDLE WRAP' parts. Hisoka concentrates, stating he will stop the bleeding while applying pressure to his own wounds.

Hisoka's severed left hand twitches on the floor as he declares that even his left hand can be reproduced and molded out of rubber. With a confident smirk and a star marking under his eye, he pinches the air and applies a layer of Texture Surprise to complete the illusion. Below, his right foot is shown fully restored and functional. Hisoka stands shirtless with the ace of spades and clubs cards visible on his chest, arms outstretched as he proclaims that even his right foot appears as good as new. Machi, ponytail swaying, stands facing him and simply replies, "I SEE."

Machi stands in profile and corrects Hisoka that he has it backwards. Hisoka, reclining on a bed with bandages, replies that he cannot decide who or where his next opponents will be and that this time he will make sure it is his opponents who come to him. Machi turns and walks away toward a tiled hallway, stating she will be heading back since he does not need her. Hisoka answers from behind that whatever makes her happy is fine. In a tight close-up, Machi leans in and tells Hisoka she is talking about the Spiders.

Hisoka stands tall with a spade emblem on his chest, gripping the spiky-haired boy tightly as the youth struggles in his grasp. The boy glares upward with fierce determination while Hisoka maintains a calm, confident expression. In a close-up, Hisoka's face fills the panel, a black star marking his cheek and a teardrop tattoo visible as he speaks with a slight smile. He declares his intent without hesitation. The spiky-haired boy reacts with explosive rage, his eyes wide and mouth open in a furious shout. Hisoka asks the boy to relay a message while the boy vows immediate retaliation.

In an indoor setting with lockers and a counter, Hisoka leaps dynamically with one leg raised high, still holding the spiky-haired boy who continues to thrash and yell. The boy demands to be released while threatening murder. Hisoka responds playfully, asking if the boy's outburst counts as agreement. A close-up shows Hisoka's smirking face as he challenges the boy to free himself and stop him. The boy glares back with intense fury, his eye detail prominent. Hisoka questions the boy's perception of his identity. The sequence ends on the boy's gritted teeth and furious expression as he falls silent with ellipses.

On a bustling city street lined with shops and pedestrians, two men in coats discuss the scene. "RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE ACCEPTING PASSENGERS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC." "IT'S THE KAKIN ROYAL FAMILY." "YEAH." A tall figure in a bold geometric-patterned coat stands in the foreground, adjusting his glasses while listening. Nearby dialogue continues: "WHICH THEY SHOULD BE KEEPING ON THE SHIP." "THE KING AND THE PRINCES ARE HEADING FOR THE NEW CONTINENT..." "BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S IMMENSELY VALUABLE TREASURE INVOLVED..." In a lower panel, a short-haired boy checks his phone and says, "IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THE WHOLE TROUPE'S GOTTEN TOGETHER." The tall figure replies, "OKAY." "I SEE... THEN I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU ON THE SHIP." "I'LL SLIPPOSE SO." "WE'LL ALSO GET TO TRAVEL, SO IT'LL BE KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE!" The boy adds, "IT'S OKAY, IT DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY PLANS TO LIE IT RIGHT NOW." The tall figure asks, "I DON'T HAVE THE ANTENNAS ANYMORE, BUT DO YOU NEED YOUR CELLPHONE BACK?" and concludes, "WE'LL BE TAKING IT."

At night, a short-haired girl stares in surprise at her phone while a torn poster of a spiky-haired man hangs on a wall. She wonders, "MAYBE HE'S TAKING A CRAP?" and notes, "KORTOPI SURE IS TAKING A WHILE..." Close-ups show her shocked expression and the damaged wall. She leans in to inspect the torn posters, then reaches inside the hole. A figure with wild hair emerges from a dark doorway holding something. The girl pulls out a rectangular object from the wall. Suddenly, a massive impact strikes her from behind with explosive force, shown in radiating speed lines and onomatopoeia: "HSUISH", "SQUISH", "SQUIRCH" as her body is crushed against the ground.

A fierce impact erupts as a figure with wild, spiky hair reels backward, eyes wide and mouth agape amid radiating motion lines. In the distance across a rain-slicked plaza, another fighter charges forward, body wreathed in crackling aura that flares like flames, heading straight toward vending machines and a low fence. The spiky-haired fighter’s face fills the next panel, pupils dilated in shock, hands clutching their head as a jagged speech balloon bursts beside them. The ground explodes in the bottom panel; the fighter is hurled violently through the air, hair whipping wildly while heavy black impact lines and debris streak across the scene.

Crows swarm a lone figure standing on a swing set in the dark park, wings beating furiously as the birds claw and peck. The figure grips the chains tightly, body tense while several crows land on their shoulders and head. A close-up reveals the side of a pale face streaked with dark fluid. The final panel displays a large stylized spider emblem with a skull-like face; text beside it reads “TO GO… 10 MORE” accompanied by a musical note. The chapter title and end notice appear below.

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