Itsy Bitsy Spider

64. Glimpse of the Future

Her words had been bold for a dying soul. She wondered if it had been too bold for her purposes.

Rein balanced the apple core between her teeth, pulling out the map and marking it with the road she had on her phone so the others could follow along in her explanations. She started to print out another sheet of paper, of a rough estimate of the area where Lucky was. She hoped this one time would be enough for them to understand her plan. During her dozens of retries, one thing had made itself clear, and that key was essential in ending her time loop once and for all.

The only reason they'd been brought into the fight at all was because they'd tried to save Lucky, and they'd continued to fight even after his death because the organization was trying to kill them to do away with anybody who could become a threat later. Chrollo often proposed similar strategies, to leave no one behind who could interfere with their purposes. If that was also the mentality of the enemy, withdrawal wasn't an option.

Lucky died because he was the organization's sole target. Zushi died because the enemy was too many and he was inexperienced. Zepile died by arriving at the battlefield despite having no fighting skills or plan in mind. Phinks had been impaled with something she saw as a Conjurer item, which meant that he must have been up against someone who could seal Nen. Machi had been alive and fighting, but her task would be difficult with injured hands. Rein herself had pulled through out of desperation and being brought into the same circumstances repeatedly. Gon, Killua, and Kalluto had disappeared to the other side of the battlefield, so she didn't know how they fared during all of this. She pleaded that they be alright.

Yes, most of this scenario had a line of sense running through it. There was only one factor that didn't add up, and that factor was Feitan Portor.

A few times, she'd seen him with blood trickling down a gash on his chest. Impressive, considering it took a lot to break his skin. He had the most fluid and controlled aura out of all of them. It didn't matter how skilled his opponent was, or even if they managed to hurt him. Because somehow, throughout all of this, Rein had always believed him to be stronger.

Feitan's ability—Rising Sun—was a Hatsu that rode on his emotions, such as rage or excitement. If he received injuries, it would only make his ability stronger. With Rising Sun, they could win easily, burning to a crisp all who stood against them. So why was it not being used?

One could argue it was because he'd lost Phinks, or motivation because Lucky was dead. But that logic was weak. Nothing could hold him back, and she knew he wasn't one to dwell on past events or to let it affect his fighting ability. Even if such a thing leaked into his state of mind, it would only fuel his rage and empower his flames.

He'd been far from defeated, and he would never let any low thing such as past emotional matters trifle him in the glory of fighting. So why were his Transmuter abilities left sealed? The question had run itself through her head multiple times before she'd come to a conclusion: Unless it was for pure gain, Feitan never attacked his own allies, not directly.

They were standing in his way, which meant there was only one path they could possibly take. In the moments after rescuing Lucky, they needed to clear the area while leaving all the organization in Feitan's hands, and bring themselves to safety as he brought down the full heat of his wrath upon them. This was their only option, and after dozens of tries at other methods, she didn't think there would be any other way to break free. They had to do this. She had to do this. Otherwise Lucky would die and Phinks would die and others would too and she would be left all alone and they would all be dead-

That word. It ghosted through her thoughts unheeded, and flowed off the tip of her tongue just as smoothly. She tested it aloud.

"Dead."