Based on Baise's actions in the original story, where she readily accepted employment with the Nostrade family without hesitation, Loki shouldn't have been concerned. However, the unusual smoothness of the situation prevented Loki from implementing his original plan to subtly demonstrate his power and issue a veiled threat before formally offering her employment.
Removing his white cloak, Loki entered the bathroom. The steamy bathroom air hung heavy and humid. Standing before the mirror, Loki pondered another crucial aspect of his plan: Neon Nostrade, the young heiress of the Nostrade family.
He mused to himself, "Protecting her is far more complicated than simply eliminating her. Without Neon, Chrollo would never obtain her divination ability." He recognized the significance of Neon's divination ability in the original storyline, understanding that it played a pivotal role in enabling the Phantom Troupe to avoid significant losses during the Yorknew City arc.
However, after giving the matter some thought, Loki realized that eliminating Neon would have unforeseen consequences. "Without Neon, the underworld bosses would likely all attend the auction, and the auction items would probably be successfully taken. Chrollo would simply order the Troupe to withdraw," he reasoned. This outcome was unacceptable, as it would allow the Phantom Troupe to escape unscathed.
Loki formulated a revised strategy: "I'll let Neon perform her divination for the underworld bosses, then eliminate her afterward. The Troupe won't successfully obtain the auction items, and without achieving their objective, they won't leave Yorknew City easily. This will give me the opportunity to complete the mission of eliminating the Troupe."
However, another critical factor emerged: Chrollo Lucilfer rarely acted alone, typically accompanied by at least three other members of the Phantom Troupe. The only instance in the original storyline where Chrollo acted independently was when Neon's ability piqued his interest, prompting him to act alone in order to steal her power.
"This was Chrollo's only solo operation," Loki realized. "If I kill Neon, Chrollo is unlikely to act alone, making it difficult to complete Hisoka's mission."
Loki acknowledged the formidable strength of the Phantom Troupe members. "Instant kills are only possible if they're off guard. I'm confident I can defeat them in a direct confrontation, but with multiple members coordinating their attacks, their combined strength is unpredictable. One person's Nen is manageable, but the combined Nen of multiple individuals working in coordination is a completely different matter."
Loki considered his available allies: "Even with Kurapika and Hisoka, we're only three against twelve." He needed to leverage the power of the underworld to distract some of the Troupe members.
"The most critical aspect is not just eliminating them, but also investigating the Troupe. This is far more complex than simply killing everyone," Loki realized. "I need to capture them, have Baise control them, and extract the Troupe's secrets."
Wrapping a towel around his waist and drying his damp hair, Loki left the bathroom and lay down on his bed, letting out a soft sigh.
'Neon cannot be killed; she will serve as bait to lure Chrollo, the biggest fish. Once I capture Chrollo, the other Troupe members can be dealt with one by one,' Loki mused to himself. 'Another key is protecting Baise. If Baise survives in this timeline, capturing Welf will be much easier, and we can easily obtain information about the Troupe.'
Suddenly, Loki felt a slight movement behind him. Instinctively, he spun around, his hand swiftly drawing his Zanpakutō, flames erupting along his arm as the blade gleamed menacingly. His gaze, cold and calculating, locked onto the figure who had unexpectedly appeared in his room.
Loki's initial reaction was one of extreme caution and suspicion, but upon realizing that the intruder was Baise, his movements ceased abruptly. The tip of his blade rested inches from Baise's neck, the cold steel radiating a palpable aura of lethal intent. A chill ran down Baise's spine as Loki's killing intent surged forth, causing a bead of sweat to trickle down her forehead.
Loki's brow furrowed in a mixture of annoyance and suspicion. "When did you enter?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. He hadn't even noticed her approach! The fact that Baise had managed to infiltrate his room undetected was a testament to her exceptional skills and stealth.
Baise met Loki's gaze, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I knocked, you know," she replied calmly, her voice laced with a hint of playful challenge.
"I didn't," Loki admitted, a moment of realization dawning upon him. He had likely been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had inadvertently lowered his guard.
"Leave. Don't enter without permission again, or you might die," Loki warned, his tone unwavering.
Baise, her attempt at a surprise attack thwarted, quickly regained her composure, her expression unreadable. "Such a ruthless young man," she murmured, her gaze lingering on Loki's physique. Despite his youthful appearance, his body was surprisingly well-developed, a fact that had been completely obscured by his loose-fitting white cloak.
Having dismissed Baise, Loki sheathed his Zanpakutō, his mind reflecting on his lapse in vigilance. He had become too absorbed in his thoughts, allowing his guard to drop to a dangerously low level, failing to even register the sound of a knock at his door. However, a nagging doubt lingered in his mind: had Baise truly knocked, or was that merely a fabricated excuse to justify her intrusion?
Regardless, Loki recognized that his lapse in vigilance was a serious error that could not be repeated. Baise's clear intention had been to gain control of him using her unique ability, and he was determined to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.
After meeting in the lobby, Baise posed a question to Loki.
"Why hire me and become a Nostrade family bodyguard?" she inquired, her tone curious and slightly suggestive.
Loki chose to ignore Baise's direct question, instead opting for a more indirect approach. "The Nostrade family's most alluring asset is undoubtedly Miss Neon's divination ability. That's not a good idea, you know; your big sister might get quite upset," he remarked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Loki offered a subtle smile. "It seems you were quite busy last night. I'm very curious to see if Miss Neon's divination abilities are truly as exceptional as they claim."
Baise exclaimed, "Unexpectedly, our employer is a cute young lady!"
Outside Yorknew City, on a wide road, a convoy of five or six vehicles moved steadily forward. Inside one of the rear vehicles, Basho stretched languidly in the back seat, her expression a mixture of surprise and amusement.
"It's quite unexpected," Basho remarked, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "I had envisioned the boss to be a rather intimidating and fearsome individual."
Inside the vehicle, Baise, Loki, and Basho sat in comfortable silence. Baise expertly navigated the vehicle, Loki occupied the passenger seat, and Basho relaxed in the back seat.
"Loki, aren't you at all surprised?" Basho inquired, her voice laced with curiosity, his gaze fixed upon Loki's remarkably calm demeanor.
Since their formal employment by the Nostrade family, the three individuals had become somewhat acquainted. However, Loki's composure and behavior struck Basho as exceptionally unusual for a twelve-year-old boy. His demeanor was remarkably calm and collected, devoid of any youthful exuberance or impulsiveness. His actions and responses were remarkably mature and composed, like those of a seasoned veteran rather than a young boy.
Loki, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the vehicle's windows, remained silent, his thoughts preoccupied with the impending arrival of Hisoka. "Hisoka should be arriving soon," he mused to himself. Upon hearing Basho's question, Loki responded with a subtle smile.
"Surprised? That our employer is a cute young lady? Is that what you find so surprising?" Loki inquired, his tone calm and measured.
"For a kid your age, such a cute young lady should be quite appealing, wouldn't you agree?" Basho commented, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Basho, glancing at Baise, quickly understood why Baise had shown no interest in Loki. "This peculiar kid has no concept of women," he mused to himself. "Didn't you investigate the employer before you came?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Loki responded with a faint smile, his expression unchanged.
Basho's interest was immediately piqued by Loki's enigmatic response. "Loki," he began, his voice laced with curiosity, "you'd already investigated the Nostrade family before accepting this assignment, hadn't you?" he asked, his tone inquisitive.
"Naturally," Loki replied, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "For a Hunter, gathering information is an indispensable step before embarking on any mission."
"Tch! You little brat," Basho muttered under his breath, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance at Loki's somewhat condescending tone. Despite his irritation, however, he remained eager to learn more about the details surrounding their employer. "So, tell me," she pressed, "what's the situation with our employer?"
"Miss Neon's fortune-telling appears to be remarkably accurate, which explains why the underworld bosses are such devoted clients," Loki explained, his voice calm and measured.
Upon hearing this information, Basho was taken aback, his expression a mixture of surprise and admiration. "I see," he murmured, his voice laced with a hint of respect. "Loki, I never would have expected this little brat to be such a capable Hunter."
Having concluded his conversation with Basho, Loki fixed his gaze on the road ahead, his expression intent and focused. 'Byakugan!' he thought, activating his newly acquired Byakugan, causing the veins around his eyes to bulge prominently. His long sideburns partially obscured his face, preventing Basho and Baise from noticing this subtle yet significant change.
The vehicle continued its slow, steady progress. Loki's gaze remained fixed on the vehicles ahead, his Byakugan piercing through the line of cars until his vision settled upon the vehicle in which Neon Nostrade was traveling.
'Angel's Automatic Notebook!' Loki mused, recalling the unique nature of Neon's fortune-telling ability, which had been inadvertently developed through her childhood fascination with divination and her extensive exposure to numerous fortune-telling programs. Loki's gaze fell upon the imp-like creature clutched in Neon's hand, the very entity responsible for automatically inscribing prophecies onto the notebook.
After a brief moment of observation, Loki withdrew his gaze. "Truly remarkable," he murmured to himself, acknowledging the exceptional nature of Neon's Nen ability. "To have developed such a unique Nen ability is indeed quite impressive," he added, his voice laced with a hint of respect.
Simultaneously, Kurapika, who was traveling in a vehicle ahead of Loki's, abruptly turned his head, his expression a mixture of alertness and suspicion.
Melody, seated beside Kurapika, noticed his sudden movement. "What is it, Kurapika?" she inquired, her voice laced with concern.
"Nothing of significance," Kurapika replied, his tone calm and reassuring. "I merely had the fleeting sensation that a gaze had passed over me," he explained, his words laced with a hint of uncertainty.
"A gaze?" Melody questioned, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings. The road was completely deserted, devoid of any obstructions or potential threats. Even if someone were attempting to attack them, they would be at a considerable distance, making a surprise attack highly improbable.
Melody turned her attention back to Kurapika, who was still scanning the surroundings with a cautious gaze. "That… your companion, Loki," Melody began, her voice hesitant. "How did you two meet?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"Why are you suddenly asking about Loki?" Kurapika responded, his brow furrowed in a mixture of surprise and suspicion.
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