Since Joey arrived at Heaven's Arena, he had been using the alias Fox—an identity Kite prepared for him back in Yorknew.
His true name, Joey Joestar, had yet to be exposed within the arena.
But before he could officially register as a fighter, there was still something he had to handle.
Healing Hisoka.
For this private meeting, Joey had come prepared—research, strategy, countermeasures, all neatly laid out.
But the moment he entered the hotel room and saw Hisoka, casually lounging in a bathrobe with his long hair loose—
All those plans were rendered completely useless.
Because there was someone else present in the room.
Illumi Zoldyck.
Joey had one immediate thought:
Get the hell out of here—fast.
One psychopath was already pushing his limits. Two in the same room?
That was a death flag.
Especially since he had no intention of exposing his abilities in front of Illumi.
But, strangely, it seemed he'd worried for nothing.
The moment Joey entered, Illumi got up and calmly excused himself, as if his business with Hisoka had concluded.
Yet as he passed Joey, he suddenly stopped.
"I remember you. Not bad."
He left that cryptic comment hanging in the air.
And as he walked past, a business card fluttered toward Joey.
It slowed as it entered the range of Joey's En, its speed decreasing drastically before stopping altogether.
Joey examined it carefully for traps before picking it up.
A single name printed in bold:
Zoldyck
Illumi was expanding his clientele.
Joey carefully tucked the card away.
The Zoldyck family's reputation alone was worth it.
"He's pretty good," Hisoka chimed, sipping a glass of wine.
"And with me as a reference, you can even get a discount~"
His face was oddly flushed—an effect of enduring serious injuries despite his Nen illusions.
Joey knew: while Texture Surprise and Bungee Gum could fake normalcy, the internal trauma couldn't be masked forever.
The man was holding together with sheer will.
Joey stepped forward.
"Let's start. Show me the parts you want fixed."
"Sure… but I'd rather you didn't touch me with your right hand."
At Hisoka's words, the Texture Surprise veil dropped.
And Joey's expression darkened.
The sight was grotesque.
Hisoka's face had been torn apart—the lower lip completely gone, burned and charred.
He hadn't even tried to treat it. Just plugged it with Bungee Gum like some sick cork.
Even worse, his left arm and half his leg were gone. Countless smaller injuries riddled his body.
He'd taken the full brunt of the arena explosion.
Only Hisoka's immense Nen had kept him in one piece.
And Joey realized—Chrollo had pulled his punches.
If he'd gone all-out, Hisoka wouldn't have walked away from that stage.
As for Hisoka's refusal to let Joey touch him with his right hand—that was smart.
Joey had already shown the ability to make anything his right hand touched into a bomb.
"No problem."
Joey raised his left hand.
His aura shifted into Wallet Aura mode—ideal for healing and body restoration.
"You want me to do it, or will you reopen the wounds yourself?"
He summoned a scalpel into his hand.
"To heal you properly, I'll need the wounds fresh."
"I'll do it."
Hisoka flicked his wrist.
A few playing cards snapped into his fingers.
They must've been hidden under his skin using Texture Surprise—perfectly folded to stay out of sight.
Infused with Shu, they became sharp as blades. Not as clean as Joey's scalpel, but sufficient for the task.
Joey watched, impressed.
That kind of pain would've broken most men.
But Hisoka just sliced into himself, calm as a surgeon.
Joey followed up—his left hand already forming a new limb out of reshaped coins and golden aura.
As the artificial arm connected to Hisoka's wound, the two began to merge—flesh accepting the construct, Nen pathways aligning.
Hisoka's gaze never wavered.
Even as the pain hit, he didn't blink.
In fact, he looked at Joey with growing fascination… even hunger.
"Such a lovely ability~"
"And if I'm not mistaken… this isn't even your only one."
"You blur the lines of Nen talent.
I used to think potential had limits, but with you…
Perhaps fate itself made an exception."
Joey gave a vague smile.
"Maybe. Or maybe it is fate."
Brought from another world.
Gifted with Killer Queen.
Everything pointed toward something much bigger.
And when things involved Dark Continent, nothing ever made sense… until it did.
Joey looked up.
"Are you going to the Dark Continent?"
Hisoka blinked.
He hadn't expected that question.
Most assumed Joey would avoid him at all costs.
But now—
Here was this young man… asking if he could go with him.
Hisoka looked into Joey's eyes.
They were dark. Focused.
Resolved.
"You want to tag along?"
Hisoka narrowed his eyes.
Other than Illumi, Joey was the first person to approach him like this.
And with sincerity.
"You're powerful.
If we were staying within Mobius Lake, I'd stay far away from you.
But out there, in the unknown?
You might be just the partner I need."
Hisoka's expression shifted.
He understood now.
Joey knew his place.
Hisoka had underestimated him.
"Calling me a pervert is rude, though~"
"But a partnership, hmm? What's the exchange this time?"
He peeled off the last charred bit of face.
Joey immediately produced a new faceplate formed from Golden Experience.
"Need a new face?"
"No thanks, I'm fond of my own looks."
Hisoka replied through a partially lipless mouth.
Joey, disgusted, slapped the new skin onto him anyway.
"Agh~!"
"Don't make weird noises!"
"Don't be shy. That's just how I react to pleasure~"
Hisoka gently molded the new face to his skull.
"We'll see about that ship," he said.
"But your power is handy.
I might need your help again soon."
"Five billion Jenny per session," Joey quipped.
"I take cash, no refunds."
He clapped his hands.
"You can handle your smaller wounds, right?
Unless you want me to—"
Hisoka sliced off a chunk of burned skin.
"Never mind."
"I just wanted to watch you work again~"
Hisoka didn't even flinch, as if the skin wasn't his own.