Luke continued reading and then smiled: "So in the end... He did use the inventions I left him after all."
By coincidence, earlier, Luke had left Mizaistom Nana with the Animal Type Tablet.
Based on the information recorded, Mizaistom Nana used extremely bizarre survival methods to escape.
Reportedly, his escape methods resembled how wild animals react when they encounter predators.
Including, but not limited to, octopus-like ink spray, lizard-like tail-shedding escape (clothes tearing off, skunk-like toxic gas release, in short, nothing a normal human should be able to do.
Of course, after using such techniques, Mizaistom Nana successfully fled.
Although reportedly... His face turned bright red while escaping.
Even in the dark night, it was visible.
Well, understandable.
After all, anyone spraying toxic gas and ink everywhere, tearing their clothes off and running naked in the wilderness… it would be hard not to want to disappear entirely.
"After the chaos, the Kute Gang of Thieves ran away as well."
"It seems they went to Sebrona Country near Ironwood Mountain."
"And Sebrona Country..."
Luke squeezed the document, finding it increasingly interesting: "It's the territory of one of the Ten Dons?"
"And it's even their main headquarters... How interesting."
Thinking of something, Luke took out his phone and dialed a number.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
After two rings, the call connected.
"It's me."
Luke spoke simply: "Notify the members. One week from now, we will meet in Sebrona Country."
"It's time for us to make the Phantom Troupe's name known."
"Understood, captain..."
Chrollo, on the other end of the line, responded: "Is it in the capital of Sebrona country, the headquarters of one of the Ten Mafia Dons, Ambrossa?"
As expected of Chrollo, he only mentioned a country, but Chrollo immediately understood the significance.
It seemed he had been studying the outside world very well lately.
"That's right."
Luke nodded.
"As for the exact location, I'll find a suitable place once I arrive and send it to you."
"Very well, captain..."
Chrollo chuckled: "So we'll be using a very famous big shot as a stepping stone to officially announce our Phantom Troupe.. Click."
Chrollo hung up and went to inform the others.
The Phantom Troupe would now carve their reputation into this world.
And undeniably, the best way to rise… is to stand on the corpse of someone powerful, to amplify your own notoriety with theirs.
And who better than the notorious S-class Kute Gang of Thieves to serve as that stepping stone?
"By crushing the Kute Gang of Thieves, the Phantom Troupe gains fame, and I earn huge credit for taking them down. A perfect win-win situation."
A so-called win-win situation… meant Luke wins twice and everyone else loses.
As for the one Don located in that region…
"The Ten Dons, huh? Ten people... Isn't that a bit too many?"
Walking along the road toward Ambrossa, Luke spoke leisurely with a hint of complaint: "In this world, there are only six continents total, yet the Ten Dons have ten members."
"Sometimes, it really makes me curious how their territories are supposed to be divided."
"And it seems the Kakin Empire's continent, the Azian Continent, isn't much influenced or infiltrated by the Ten Dons..."
The Kakin Empire has its own mafia organizations.
Each mafia is backed by a prince with the potential to contend for the throne.
The leaders of those mafia families are either illegitimate children from the previous king, or siblings of the current king who are not recognized…
In short, from the Kakin Royal Family to the mafia groups, their influence spreads throughout the whole nation and even extends across the entire Azian Continent.
"If we think about it like that, then it makes sense."
"The Kakin Empire dominates the Azian Continent alone, while the V5 spreads its influence across the remaining five continents."
"And the Ten Dons are the same; their influence only reaches the other five continents and cannot extend into the Azian Continent."
"So each of the five continents has two elders balancing one another, a perfect power balance..."
"The Kakin Empire stands alone on the Azian Continent, like an independent feudal lord outside the main game."
"No wonder they could secretly develop that massive Black Whale transport vessel to reach the Dark Continent."
"And V5 even brought the Kakin Empire in to form V6..."
As his thoughts drifted, Luke's steps never slowed, drawing closer and closer to Ambrossa.
Meanwhile, in various corners of the world…
"Oh? Finally going to make a big move?!"
When the other Phantom Troupe members received news from Chrollo, reactions varied.
"So we're finally going all out!"
In a mafia base somewhere, Uvogin, who had just wiped out an entire mafia family that pissed him off.
After hearing the message, he cheered excitedly and punched the air.
"Shut up!"
Beside him, Nobunaga rubbed his ears, looking annoyed.
"Your voice has gotten ridiculously loud… I'm starting to suspect you can literally yell at someone to death."
"If yelling could kill enemies..."
Uvogin grinned widely.
"That would be awesome!"
Then he rushed out of the base in a hurry: "The troupe's first mission! I'm not gonna miss it!!"
"Hey! Uvogin! Do you even know where to go?!"
"Ahahahaha! Even if I don't, I'll find it! And I definitely won't be the last one to arrive!"
Under the blood-red moonlight, Uvogin's booming laughter echoed through the silent mafia stronghold.
…
Elsewhere, in the largest library of the city: "Have you found it or not?!"
In the grand hall, Phinks stood with crossed arms, clearly uncomfortable in such a sophisticated environment.
He didn't fit in at all, but since his partner was still searching through books, he could only endure and wait.
"Where is it..."
Feitan narrowed his eyes as he moved through the shelves.
He had once found a book in a library by accident: "The taste of candy and pain."
He loved it, but the copy he got had only a small portion remaining.
Being cut off right when it gets good is torture.
So he kept visiting libraries and searching for it.
This city was prosperous, with the largest library around; if it wasn't here, then nowhere else would have it.
Fortunately… he eventually found it.
"Finally!"
As soon as he saw that familiar title, his fox-like eyes lit up.
He carefully stowed the book away.
Phinks, already impatient beyond belief, immediately spoke up: "The captain gave the order to gather; this will be our first team mission!"
The excitement in his voice was clear.
"Let's go..."
Feitan said little, already planning to read on the road, or perhaps… during interrogations after the mission begins?
With minds full of anticipation and excitement, Feitan and Phinks set off toward Ambrossa, leaving behind a chaotic library now blaring its alarm…