Phantom Troupe's Web

Chapter 12.

A hum of pleasure escaped from the woman's rose-tinted lips, pivoting on her heel with a smirk to return to where the other participants stood, noticing the way Leorio and Tonpa take two steps back from her; fear in their eyes. "So, that's 4 wins. We get to leave don't we?" she asked out loud, crossing her arms.

To the left of the monitor on the wall, a new door opened up and the sound of the Third Phase examiner's voice echoed through the room. "Across the bridge, you'll find a small room. You must spend the 50 hours you gambled away there," he explained before another door opposed to the first one opened up. "Across from it, applicant #101, take this path and continue your way down to the tower's base," he informs the woman who hummed, walking towards it.

"Hey! Why isn't she doing the penalty with us?!" Tonpa questions loudly, flinching at the way Iris swiftly turns to glare at him.

"Are you aware that we are not a part of the same group?" she growls, the frown on her face reverting to a kind smile as she faced Gon and Killua. "I'll see you both at the bottom. Good luck," she waved at the pair, venturing out the doorway and down the provided pathway the examiner had given her. Her shoulder deflates as she walks alone, her hands habitually intertwining together behind her.

She continues the path, feeling eyes watching her as she treads through the tower, calmly with her eyes closed and small hums of melodies fleeing from her mouth. 'Let's see how long they'll last' she silently chuckles, smirking. The further she walks, she begins to feel the shift of the atmosphere, sidestepping to dodge a thrown hatchet. Pivoting on her heel, the disguised woman blankly stares at the shadows of the tunnel she came from, a hand resting on her waist while waiting for the culprit to reveal themselves.

"So you knew..," they called out, a man with a built frame and covered in markings stepped out from the darkness with a delighted smirk, pleased with the abilities the woman had shown.

Iris shrugs her shoulders. "You're not exactly the best at hiding your presence," she commented off-handedly.

The man chuckles in a low tone, nearing her with another hatchet in his hand. "I feel bad for hurting a little girl like you. Do forgive me for my sins," he ridicules, raising the weapon high to strike at the unarmed female, eyes filled with insanity.

"People like you disgust me," her cold voice and sudden orange irises freeze him. He peeks down at the glowing orange markings appearing underneath her boots, swallowing a lump in his throat, he stumbles back with a hand raising to rub against his neck, struggling to breathe. "You've wasted my time," the man screams, his skin boiling and insides churning until they exploded; splattering the tunnel walls and staining the ground. His hatchet falls to the ground, the steel blade clinking against the brick floor and echoing along with the steps of the woman who snarled. After a few more minutes of walking and no more surprise interruptions, Illuki reaches the base of Trick Tower, the hidden door sliding open to reveal the empty room that was occupied by Hisoka and Gittaracukur.

"Applicant #101, Iris is third to pass. Total time, 12 hours and 2 minutes."

"Alright! I'm the first to finish!" just as the female entered the room, another applicant ran in, loudly cheering for himself. He turns and makes eye contact with Hisoka, Gittarackur and Iris standing there staring at him. "Huh?! No! I came in fourth..."

Silently chuckling at the male participant, the magenta-haired female walks over to where her acquaintance is seated and leans against the wall beside him, letting out a soft sigh as her eyes shut themselves while listening to the examiner's voice that spoke whenever someone reached the tower's base. 'Hm...At least I had some fun during that' she thoughts, tilting her head back to rest against the brick wall, crossing her feet to stabilise herself. Another door opens to reveal another applicant who crouched by their entrance, the room filling with tension and silence.

The next day rolls around and staff from the Hunter Committee entered the tower's base to provide meals to the passing applicants while waiting for the phase to end. Iris merrily accepted the given breakfast as she was beginning to feel famished after her time in Trick Tower, the former assassin sitting criss-cross beside the redhead magician, disregarding the way the pervert was staring at her while she ate.

"How was your time in the tower, Darling~?" Hisoka hummed the question, a smirk appearing on his face as he shuffled his cards before rebuilding a tower.

Iris shrugged her shoulders, swallowing the last of her food before turning to face his direction. "Wasn't much of a challenge," she said casually, pushing the food tray forward slightly to indicate that she finished the meal, propping her knees up and into her chest, resting her chin against them. "I'm sure you were the first one to cross the line. Did you have any fun?" she returned the question, earning a smirk in response.

Time in the tower goes on and applicant after applicant arrives at the base of Trick Tower, dishevelled, traumatized and or cocky by their experience in the building, but Gon and his group were yet to arrive at the finish line. In the final few minutes of the Third Phase stands with a leg propped against the wall, leaning back with her arms crossed as she stared at the door across from her opens, the examinee tumbling to his death resulting in a failed attempt to pass the Third Phase. Scoffing at the person, she picks at her nails, waiting for the arrival of her younger brother, his friend and their little group.

Within the remaining 2 minutes of the phase, the group she was with days prior arrived with stains all over them, the brightest one of the bunch standing in front with a large grin. Smiling at the trio that arrived, the emerald-eyed beauty approached them, raising a hand and waving at them. "You guys made it. I was starting to doubt you'd make it out in time," she chuckled, ruffling Gon's hair who beamed up at her.

"Iris-san! You should've seen it! We went on an adventure!" the smiling boy enthusiastically says to her, gripping the straps of his yellow backpack. Illuki hums, nodding along to his words, resting her hands on her waist and shifting her weight to one foot.

"You'll have to tell me all about it when the exam finishes. Let's do our best, 'kay?" she encourages the boy with a wink, waving goodbye to him before walking away. A chime fills the air, and the voice of the Third Phase examiner speaks from the intercoms, concluding the end of the phase.