Sorry guys for the wait! It's not dropped I just really am busy with no other way to put it. Between school and work I have to balance my free time.
I'll also be honest though, I was using my small free time to play the new POE 2 League :)
I know it might be frustrating for you guys to have such bad updates but I can only say I will keep trying. (Shrug)
I also went back and changed the name of one of the moves in the last chapter. (Endless Scream to Endless Pain because I think I will end up having Loki create the real Endless Scream)
Anyway please enjoy guys.
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Machi was currently standing beside Pakunoda with her arms folded, looking out in the distance from time to time.
"The sun had almost set, why aren't Loki and the other two back yet?" Feitan's dull tone rang out.
"Maybe they met someone strong?" Franklin said while rubbing his head curiously.
"It must be Uvogin and Nobunaga messing around… Loki is one of the strongest among us right now." Pakunoda said faintly.
Hearing this no one responded but all nodded in agreement.
"I don't know why we let them drag Loki to go destroy another gang in the outer ring anyway." Phinks spoke.
Chrollo was currently looking towards the gang's hideout set on fire in the distance with an intriguing smile on his face, ignoring the present conversation. Unlike the others, he was confident that Loki would bring the two back safely.
Suddenly in the distance everyone heard a loud noise.
"Hahahaha!"
Hearing this everyone's eyes lit up slightly and looked in the direction of the laughter.
Walking in the sunset was Loki, Uvogin, and Nobunaga. Loki was walking in the middle with Uvogin waving his arms and laughing on his left, while on his right was Nobunaga also chuckling and laughing.
"Hahaha… To think that we could take out so many so easily! Did you know that one guy thought I was a ghost! He was so scared he didn't even know what happened until I killed him! Hahaha!" Uvogin's loud voice sounded out.
"Heh… I killed more people than you while you were acting like a ghost." Nobunaga said with a smirk.
"What! I killed eleven of them! You only got nine! How could you say you killed more?!" Uvogin said while pointing at Nobunaga.
Soon the two of them were bickering again while Loki shook his head with a helpless smile. Seeing the others, Loki decided to walk up.
"Yo Machi," Loki said, staring at her, before turning his head to the others.
"Chrollo, Feitan, Franklin, Pakunoda, Phinks, Shalnark." Loki said with a nod of his head.
"Hehehehe… Are you guys all here to greet us?" Uvogin said with a laugh.
Hearing this caused the others to roll their eyes a bit.
"Well, it would seem that the three of you came back without any accidents." Chrollo said with a smile before glancing at Loki who was standing off to the side.
"Can I ask what took so long?" Feitan asked while squinting his eyes a bit.
"Well… Uvogin insisted that they must have had their valuables stored somewhere and spent some time looking for it." Loki said with a smile.
Hearing this, everyone let out a bit of a chuckle.
"Is he telling the truth?" Machi asked calmly, while looking at Uvogin and Nobunaga.
"Of course it's true! I'm telling you Machi! How could a gang show up without taking all of their stuff with them." Uvogin got up and shouted looking worked up.
"So did you find anything?" Chrollo asked curiously.
"Hahaha… He wishes!" Nobunagai said with a smirk.
"Hey! Maybe if you helped me look we could have found something!" Uvogin shouted pointing at him.
"You idiot! Why would that group of rag-tag gangsters have anything valuable enough to transport that they would take with them!"
Seeing the two started arguing again everyone smiled a bit.
It had been about 3 years since Sarasa's and Sheila's death and the group was finally ready to start moving closer to their goal.
"It's good that you guys all got back. While you guys were gone we decided that it would be best if we left Meteor City tomorrow." Chrollo said while looking at the three.
Loki raised an eyebrow underneath his mask but wasn't too surprised.
"That's fine with me my friend. I was just hoping to get out of this place and get a new coat…" Loki said, gesturing to his beat up red suit jacket.
"Haha… It just so happens that I wanted to go to the outside world and have some fun!" Uvogin said with a laugh.
It was obvious that his face was eager and that he wanted to fight against the masters outside of Meteor City and improve his strength.
"I also have no objection." Nobunaga said seriously.
"Okay, since we all agree and we're all here, I want to briefly talk about some of my thoughts." Chrollo said with a smile.
"I have never been to the outside world, but judging from the knowledge I have received from books, the outside world is much more complicated than Meteor City…" Chrollo started.
"There are the kingdoms, the army, the Hunter Association, and various organizations that form a complex network of relationships. We currently don't have any identity in the outside world as we are people from Meteor City. In such a situation, if we act according to our normal rules and style…" Chrollo spoke, his eyes gradually becoming profound.
"It is inevitable that we will become an enemy of the whole world." Chrollo said seriously.
"I see… In the face of the whole world, I suppose a single person would be much destroyed, right?" Loki suddenly said thoughtfully.
Of course Loki knew what was happening, but he had no plans to interject. After all, this was something he was looking forward to. What could be more interesting than joining the number one crime group in the world?
"That's correct." Chrollo looked at him and nodded.
"Individual strength is limited. Although I know we have long been friends and are determined to avenge Sheila and Sarasa, I feel that even after we should stay together as a group. I was even thinking of inviting a few more people of similar strength and values as us." Chrollo spoke in a voice full of magnetic charm.
"A group of people is indeed better than one so I agree." Franklin said his thoughts after a while.
"Me too." Pakunoda spoke following closely behind.
"I suppose if we gather a team, it would be much easier for me to kill the people I don't like…" Feitan said in a soft tone.
"Sure! Sounds like fun!" Shalnark said with a smile.
"Haha…. Sounds good to me!" Phinks said, punching his palm.
"It sounds interesting so I'll join… But I am curious, what will be the purpose of our team going forward?" Loki said with a smile towards Chrollo.
Loki had long thought of everyone as friends but there was a difference between public and private matters. He didn't want to waste his time in the future when he had things he wanted to do.
Chrollo, hearing this nodded slightly before starting to explain.
"We are all from Meteor City meaning that we have no official record to prove our existence. This is also our label and the source of all of our actions." Chrollo explained as he gently supported his chin with one hand.
"We do whatever we want, take whatever we want to take. If you really want to define us… I suppose thieves would suit us best." Chrollo said with a smile as a small breeze flew by him.
Loki who heard this slightly smiled. He had to admit that this term really suited them best. Robbers only focused on robbing while thieves could do whatever they want.
The others listened, while Machi even nodded slightly.
Obviously, the concept that Chrollo brought up was indeed in line with the residents of Meteor City.
"What about the specific rules and characteristics of the team?" Loki said in a calm and inquiring tone.
Although the others were getting slightly excited, this instead caused him to forcefully calm himself more. This was no longer a game that he could enjoy, but a serious decision that he was participating in.
"As I said earlier, I plan to find a few more people besides the few of us… Since we will be facing a complex network of relationships, we must be able to weave our own net. In Meteor City, there are no better animals at weaving webs than the mutated spiders we have." Chrollo said with a smile.
The idea of setting up a team had obviously been set up in Chrollo's mind for quite a long time.
"The spiders we are used to seeing have twelve legs and a head, so I plan to find enough people to fill thirteen people for our team. Everyone is a part of the spider, and a spider must have all of its legs…" Chrollo said before turning to look at Loki calmly.
"And I want to be the mind of the spider." Chrollo said with no ripple on his calm face.
For a while the scene seemed extremely quiet. When it comes to the position of the leader of a team, everyone knew this was between Loki and Chrollo.
"Does the body need to obey the commands of the mind without exception?" Loki said calmly, as he had been mentally prepared for a long time.
Chrollo was truly suited for a leadership position and it didn't bother him too much. He didn't feel the need to stroke his ego and claim leadership for himself.
"In principle, the limbs must faithfully obey the commands of the mind, but this is about performing the task and has nothing to do with life and death." Chrollo said while shaking his head lightly.
"For example, if I die, someone will take my place from the remaining legs. This can be interpreted as: The survival of the team is more important than the life of the leader." Chrollo said as he met Loki's eyes.
"In other words, if the leader dies, a leg of the spider will inherit the status of leader?" Loki asked curiously.
"Yes." Chrollo nodded without hesitation.
This was indeed what Loki imagined in his heart when he thought of Chrollo Lucilfer. This was a character that was calm to the extreme and attaches great importance to his team. Perhaps he attached more importance to his team than he himself.
"I have no objection with you being the leader then…" Loki said with a smile.
Loki had actually anticipated this for a while and had already decided he hadn't wanted to be the leader.
Chrollo was someone who had put his everything into its creation which allowed the Phantom Troupe to become more than it should have been originally. The Phantom Troupe with Chrollo as its leader was the real Phantom Troupe and he would never be able to change that.
He could take this moment and create his own Phantom Troupe but this would be contrary to his ideas. Although the leader of the Phantom Troupe seemed like a fun idea, it would severely limit his projects in the future.
Joining the Phantom Troupe was also good because although it sounded as if Chrollo would control their lives from now on, the result was actually an extremely loose organization.
Loki had already agreed on the notion of Chrollo becoming the leader in his heart, but Chrollo suddenly looked at him and smiled lightly.
"If you don't mind Loki, I think you can also become the vice captain of our team…" Chrollo said with a smile.
"Vice Captain? There was no such position in the original…" Loki thought to himself curiously.
"Vice Captain? That's a good idea Chrollo! I may not be convinced by others, but if it's Loki I will raise my hand to support him!" Uvogin said with a grin.
Loki glanced at both Uvogin and Nobunaga who turned to nod at him.
"I have no opinion." Machi said, adding in as she played around with her pink hair.
The others also chimed in seemingly not minding the idea. Loki after all was the one had taught all of them Nen.
Hearing this Chrollo didn't say anything but waited for Loki to ask his question.
"I don't mind taking the position of Vice Captain. I am curious however, what will be the name of our group?" Loki said with a curious but knowing tone.
Chrollo smiled slightly with a look of reminiscence.
"I think we came up with the name a long time ago. Didn't we already call our group the Phantom Troupe?"