Chapter 94: Your Favorite Number
In another city, a mansion guarded by armed troops had turned into a scene of carnage...
It was the residence of the Sandy family.
Now, it had become a battlefield.
The squad of assassins led by Mondel wiped out the Sandy family's mafia members with astonishing speed.
Against powerful Nen users, ordinary weapons were useless.
The Sandy family seemed to have anticipated the Ten Dons' plans to exterminate them. They had deployed many men even hiring Nen users.
Given Chrollo's cunning, the Firth family's intent to eliminate the Sandy family was genuine... not a setup.
Otherwise, Chrollo would have sensed it.
Chrollo moved with precision.
He slit the throat of a Nen user with a dagger and, together with Mondel, stormed into the luxurious villa. Facing a swarm of armed men inside, the second wave of slaughter began.
Mondel and Chrollo worked seamlessly, dividing their roles with surgical precision.
They cleared out the enemies in the first-floor lobby in moments.
It wasn't just instinctive teamwork Chrollo had synchronized his movements to Mondel's thoughts, making the combat flow smoother and deadlier.
The credit belonged entirely to Chrollo.
Mondel's body seemed boneless; wielding a katana, he crawled along the ground like an eel. In a blur of speed, he attacked from an impossible angle, his blade flashing as he cleaved a Nen user clean in half.
"Go find your target!"
He shouted, standing upright.
Chrollo's eyes flickered at his words he paused, then dashed down the stairs.
Mondel watched him blankly, still fending off the enemies that closed in.
Upon reaching the second floor, Chrollo found even more opponents but all of them were ordinary men. He dispatched them effortlessly. Most of the Nen users in the mansion were already dead. The Sandy family's struggle was futile before the judgment of the Ten Dons.
However… the roar of battle on the first floor soon faded.
The villa grew eerily quiet.
Mondel and several of his men had not followed Chrollo deeper into the mansion.
Standing at the top of the stairs leading to the third floor, Chrollo closed his eyes, lowered his head, and chuckled softly.
"How clever… it wasn't planned from the start it unfolded slowly, piece by piece. Otherwise, he would have realized it himself."
"When did it start to unravel?"
"It seems… he's very suspicious of me."
"So… Feitan and Franklin are in danger too…"
At that moment, the villa fell into complete silence.
Chrollo was sure no one remained beyond the third floor.
If Mondel had known the entire plan beforehand, he surely would have sensed something was wrong…
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Suddenly, a series of footsteps echoed.
Chrollo opened his eyes with a smile and looked toward the staircase.
Several figures descended eight in total.
"Eh, the leader of the Spiders... the head of the Phantom Troupe, Chrollo."
A middle-aged man wearing an officer's cap raised his hand in greeting.
"Hello to everyone from the Association…"
Chrollo twirled his dagger playfully, his gentle smile unshaken.
"Oh? So you guessed it… well, that makes this interesting."
The man arched a brow.
"Are we fighting here? How about finding somewhere bigger? That way, we can show our skills properly," Chrollo said with a calm grin.
Seeing his composure, the Association hunters were momentarily moved.
It was the first time they'd seen a criminal so serene at such a critical moment.
And it didn't look like an act.
"This place will do… There's plenty of space I'd hate for you to run," said the middle-aged man coolly.
Chrollo shrugged and slowly removed his black coat, standing there in a white shirt. Then, gripping his dagger with both hands, he took a firm stance.
"Before we begin, may I ask one question?"
"I just want to know the answer. That way, even if I lose, I'll accept it."
"Ask."
"Did the Association gather this intel on us… or did that person tell you?"
That person undoubtedly was Haze.
"He told us."
"The Association doesn't have the resources to handle nobodies like you. The real top hunters wouldn't take this kind of mission only we… are willing to bother."
"Thank you."
Chrollo looked at him sincerely.
"When I kill you, I'll try to make it painless."
The man chuckled. "How considerate… Hard to believe someone like you could be such a ruthless criminal."
The moment he finished speaking, the capture squad of the Association moved.
A massive Nen-conjured net materialized out of thin air, dropping over Chrollo.
The battle began.
Elsewhere… inside a dimly lit room.
The five Shadow Beasts were present.
Haze was reading as usual.
Franklin sensed something was off. Some of the Shadow Beasts were looking at him with mocking eyes.
That put him on alert.
The room was silent.
Only the sound of pages turning.
Beep beep beep…
Búho's phone rang. He answered in front of everyone.
"All right, understood."
After a brief exchange, he hung up, turned to Haze, and said:
"My lord, as predicted the first team failed. All Association members are dead."
"Mmm."
Haze replied calmly without looking up from his book.
After a moment, he spoke again.
"Kumbo."
"Yes," said one of the men, rising from his stool.
"Do you like numbers?"
"…Numbers?"
"Pick one from one to twelve. Which would you choose?"
The temperature in the room plummeted instantly.
Franklin's pupils widened.
He froze.
A whirlwind of thoughts flooded his mind. That eerie, gnawing sense of unease returned stronger than ever.
"What's wrong? Don't go quiet… Let me guess you like seven, right?"
Haze closed his book with a smile, turning slightly.
A shiver ran up Franklin's spine.
In a flash, he raised his arms, removed his rings, and aimed both hands at Haze.
Bang!
But he was one second too late.
A dark figure had already lunged at him its limbs and face twisted like those of a beast. Its claws tore across his chest, drawing blood instantly.
At the same moment, the white-haired Shadow Beast leapt, pressing both feet onto Franklin's arms, pinning them like a hydraulic press and deflecting his aim.
Búho immediately moved between Haze and Franklin.
A nearby bat-like creature scooped Haze up in its arms, smashed through the window, and took off into the sky.
After circling briefly, it landed outside, setting Haze safely on the ground then immediately shot back toward the battle.
Inside the room, Xiao glared at Franklin, who had thrown one of the beasts aside and scratched his head.
"You put a lot into your disguise these last few days… If the boss hadn't told us to entertain you, you'd already be dead."
The white-haired Shadow Beast crawled from the rubble, spitting blood, its eyes blazing.
"You're really something!"
"Move!" Xiao barked suddenly.
Several Shadow Beasts reacted at once.
Franklin swung his arms his ten fingers firing Nen bullets like machine guns.
The sheer power and volume of fire made it impossible to approach him. A single hit could be fatal.
The entire hall was shredded even the metal walls were torn apart under the storm of bullets.
Franklin pointed upward the psychic bullets tore through the ceiling, raining debris and dust.
Then he bolted, leaping through the shattered window from dozens of meters up.
He couldn't stay trapped inside; only outside was there hope.
But just as he rose into the air, a piercing sonic wave hit him his vision blackened, hearing vanished, and control over his body slipped.
It was the bat.
Franklin fought to stay conscious, but his aim faltered the bats' agility made them impossible to hit.
Bang!
He crashed hard into the ground.
Nearby stood Haze now surrounded by dozens of Nen users.
Xiao and the others leapt down from above, sliding along the building's outer walls to soften their fall.
Ta-da-da!
Despite his injuries, Franklin turned and unleashed another telekinetic barrage toward Haze's men.
Though some defended with Nen, they couldn't fully block the assault.
The psychic bullets were dense and brutally penetrative in seconds, the front line was torn apart.
Then came the Shadow Beast counterattack.
The sickly dog pounced from behind.
Sensing danger, Franklin tried to turn his aim, but the beast sank its teeth into his back.
A bat swooped overhead, releasing another sonic blast.
Franklin's body twitched, his movements slowing.
Búho slipped to his side and kicked him hard in the temple.
The massive Franklin toppled backward.
As he fell, a Nen bullet grazed Búho's face, shattering his sunglasses and nearly taking his head off.
Cold sweat trickled down his temple.
What terrifying endurance… and reflexes.
Five against one.
Not far away, Haze calmly said to his subordinates:
"No need to surround me. Attack."
"Yes."
At his command, a group of Nen users activated their abilities and charged at Franklin.
Haze knew the Phantom Troupe's power better than anyone.
If it were Feitan or Uvogin, even five Shadow Beasts would be useless. But Franklin's Nen ability wasn't on their level.
His strength lay in destructive area attacks which required time and positioning. As long as that rhythm was broken, he could be overwhelmed.
That's why five Shadow Beasts were enough.
Still, in physical strength, Nen power, and combat experience the Beasts were inferior. Even if they killed Franklin, they'd pay a price.
If they stood idle, more would die.
Though Haze despised the Shadow Beasts, they were still his property tools of the organization.
It was a pity they'd die like this.
The outcome was already decided.
Haze looked away from the fight and up at the blue sky.
Today… was another beautiful day.
(End of Chapter)