By all logic, Joey should've stopped using Killer Queen for environmental surveillance over an hour ago.
His mental strength was holding out well—probably because his soul had devoured both Yoshikage Kira and the body's original owner, fusing their strength into his own. Psychically, he was solid.
But physically? This body was starting to crack.
Not that it was weak—in fact, it was powerful. Far stronger than the one he had in his original life. Defined abs. Stamina. Reflexes.
If it weren't for this physique, Joey would've collapsed hours ago.
Compared to his old self, he was practically superhuman.
If he took part in Gon's Hunter Exam, he could probably keep pace through the whole four-hour marathon run without breaking a sweat.
But even so, the cost of Stand ability usage was enormous.
Even after just an hour of sprinting with Killer Queen active, he was drenched in sweat, lungs heaving.
He hadn't hit his limit yet—but every extra step in these woods carried compounded danger.
Joey couldn't help feeling discouraged.
If only he'd awakened earlier from that long slumber… if he'd realized sooner he was in the Hunter × Hunter world, he would've trained, pushed himself harder, gotten stronger.
Then again… if he had known earlier, he wouldn't have stayed in NGL pretending to be some low-tier "employee" for a drug operation.
He would've run. Far, fast, and forever.
Just as he was about to collapse and take a break, the strange, glowing white wallet he'd been carrying did something… unexpected.
Warmth.
He felt it. Faint at first—almost like the brush of sunlight through his skin.
A subtle warmth flowed from the wallet, seeping into his chest.
"A cheat? A Gold Finger?"
The thought came unbidden, absurd—but… maybe not.
Was this his gift?
Then again, maybe it wasn't a boon.
What if it was a trap? A Trojan horse Kira left behind? A curse in disguise?
Cautiously, Joey ripped the wallet from his chest and hurled it to the ground.
The warmth cut off instantly.
But the wallet kept glowing softly in the dirt.
Joey stared at it.
Despite everything, he felt no fear.
In fact… he felt drawn to it. Something about it was familiar. Not just visually, but emotionally. Like recognition. Like kinship.
And not a metaphorical one. A literal presence.
Qi. Aura. Life force.
"…Is it Nen?"
Joey's brow furrowed, shaped sharply into his usual 八-shaped crease.
Then, a memory resurfaced.
Back when he'd first arrived—right after defeating Kira's soul—he'd briefly glimpsed a vision before blacking out.
Killer Queen.
A starving wolf.
And between them… a bizarre creature, glowing faintly, its head like a grotesque pupal sac, limp against the earth. Rows of fangs. Slack jaw. Corpses strewn around it—both human and animal.
He'd forgotten it.
Probably suppressed it—too grotesque to process at the time.
Now it returned in chilling clarity.
And the glow from that creature's body? The same glow now emanating from the wallet.
Had Kira… skinned it?
Turned it into this object?
Why?
And what was that creature?
Joey's mind spun.
Could the piercing shriek he'd heard during transmigration… have come from its mouth?
Had Kira figured it out?
Had he stored some vital essence inside the wallet?
What was it doing in the drawer?
What the hell was this wallet?
His thoughts spun in a storm, biting at his nails before stopping short—
The wallet was helping him.
Triage.
The forest was far more dangerous.
Whatever the risk of the wallet, Joey made his choice:
He picked it up.
Instantly, the qi reconnected, flooding his veins.
Warm. Rejuvenating.
It wasn't just helping. It was keeping him alive.
His mind sharpened. His fatigue ebbed slightly.
It was like being fed raw, pulsing life energy.
And it matched him. Deeply. Profoundly. Like it was tuned to his soul.
But that only made Joey more uneasy.
Something that perfect wasn't natural. Wasn't right.
He'd use it—for now.
But he'd separate from it the moment he escaped this death trap. He'd seen too many anime. Too many "gifts" that came with blood prices.
For now, thanks to the wallet, his stamina and drain had reached equilibrium.
As long as he didn't use too many bombs, he could keep moving.
Even so—he was near his limit.
The wallet's glow was also fading, slowly but surely. Its qi wasn't infinite.
What would happen when it ran out?
He didn't want to find out mid-chase.
He'd sever the link before then. If he had the chance.
Despite all this, Joey was exhausted.
The hours of tension, the forced march, the sense of being hunted—every second carved into his spirit.
He exhaled deeply and, suppressing nausea, examined the nearby corpses.
They were still warm.
That meant the attackers weren't far.
He kept Killer Queen summoned, eyes scanning the gloom.
Crouching down, he grabbed a still-intact submachine gun, then a pistol.
He ducked under nearby tree cover, vanishing into shadow.
Whoever did this might still be close.
His nerves screamed, but he forced himself to stay sharp.
He loaded and checked both weapons.
The rifle looked functional. Plenty of rounds.
Judging from the Chimera Ant bodies nearby, it had done damage.
He stole a glance at Killer Queen.
Reached for his pistol—paused—then swapped in a magazine from the other body, double-checking the fit.
Then, finally, he pulled out his map again.
He needed options. Alternate routes. A safehouse. Anything.
But no.
Nothing.
Just more forest.
He sighed and tucked the map away.
Decision time.
Keep moving.
Even if it meant traveling by night.
This forest was too exposed.
Too vulnerable.
Killer Queen's abilities worked best indoors.
Here, in open terrain, if he got surrounded—he was dead.
Stamina or no stamina, he'd wring out every drop left.
That was the decision.
He stepped from the shadow of the tree.
Just as he did—
Swipe!
A bloodstained beast claw came down from the branches above—
aimed at his skull.