The early morning after the Yorknew Auction concluded.
Nolan received news of Worm and Mosquito's deaths.
The moment he heard the report, the composure that had been ingrained in his bones for decades shattered in an instant.
The muscles in Nolan's face twitched violently, his eyes narrowing into a twisted, ferocious glare.
The rapid contortions of his features clearly revealed both fury and bewilderment.
Why had it been Worm and Mosquito who died?
His innate confidence in the Shadow Beast Squad made it impossible for him to accept this reality at first.
Long ago, Nolan had witnessed the Shadow Beasts in action firsthand.
Ruthless, brutal, swift.
These were the traits he had observed in them, so mesmerizingly beautiful that they intoxicated him.
It was then that he became obsessed with the so-called power of co, and the idea of creating his own Shadow Beast Squad took root in his mind.
But such a thing was far easier said than done.
The Shadow Beasts were the ten strongest gang members selected from across the territories under the Ten Dons' control.
Despite pouring over a decade of effort and resources into the endeavor, Nolan still fell far short of matching the Shadow Beasts in terms of core strength.
Moreover, whenever the Shadow Beasts lost members, they could simply recruit new ones from the six continents and ten districts. If no suitable candidates were found, they could even select from the Nen users who served as personal guards to the Ten Dons.
But for Nolan, every Nen user under his command was irreplaceable, once lost, they were gone for good.
Replenishing their ranks wasn't something money alone could solve; it required time above all else.
Because beyond strength, there was an even more critical requirement: loyalty.
In the dim, spacious room,
it took an unknown length of time before the ferocity finally faded from Nolan's face.
Yet his index finger continued tapping rapidly against the armrest of the sofa, producing a sharp, urgent rhythm.
This alone betrayed the turbulence beneath his seemingly calm exterior.
The only sound left in the room was the relentless tapping of wood.
Much later, the crisp noise gradually slowed before finally ceasing altogether.
Expressionless, Nolan rose from the sofa, snatched his buzzing phone from the nearby coffee table, and strode toward the closed door.
Creak.
As the door swung open, bright light flooded in, dispelling the darkness.
Nolan left the room and descended to the first-floor hall.
Beneath the grand chandelier, seated on a white leather sofa, was an old man with a sinister, cruel demeanor.
His hair was slicked back meticulously, and he gripped a cylindrical cane planted firmly before him.
Noticing Nolan's approach down the stairs, the old man turned his head slightly, casting an icy glance his way.
Nolan immediately quickened his pace, stopping before the old man with his head bowed and eyes lowered.
This old man represented one of the pinnacles of the global underworld in status, and in relation, he was also Nolan's own father.
Thus, no matter the circumstances, Nolan had never dared to show even the slightest disrespect in his demeanor.
The old man was none other than Gambino, one of the Ten Dons.
His cold gaze fixed on Nolan, who had deliberately adopted a submissive posture, as he spoke slowly:
"Your audacity knows no bounds. I turned a blind eye when you researched viruses for the Kakin royal family, that matter was settled. But now, you've even dared to use my name to mobilize the Shadow Beasts." "Father, I know I was wrong."
Nolan lowered his head further, offering no excuses and admitting his mistake outright.
Gambino clicked his tongue, his expression hardening with a trace of severity.
"Remember, there won't be a next time."
His voice dropped abruptly, carrying an undeniable finality.
With that, Gambino slowly rose to his feet.
As he moved, a stern-faced bodyguard beside the sofa stepped forward, reaching out to assist him.
But Nolan was faster, he extended his hand to support Gambino's arm, lifting slightly to help him stand with ease.
Gambino didn't reject Nolan's assistance.
This small gesture reassured Nolan somewhat, easing the tension in his chest.
Yet he also understood that his father's warning just now had been the gravest he'd ever given.
After seeing his father off, Nolan returned to the hall and sat on the sofa, clasping his hands beneath his chin, his gaze icy.
The incident involving the two Shadow Beasts members had been mitigated by his father stepping in, so the immediate consequences were no longer a concern.
But the most pressing matter now was eliminating the threat once and for all.
"Come here."
Nolan suddenly lifted his head.
At his call, a subordinate emerged from the side room and stopped before him.
After a moment of contemplation, Nolan spoke coldly, "Send word to the Fingers, tell them to return."
"Understood."
The subordinate acknowledged the order and left.
Nolan lowered his eyes, murderous intent swirling within them.
The Fingers were the five strongest Nen users in his organization: Thumb, Index Finger, Middle Finger, Ring Finger, and Little Finger.
This team had been created specifically to rival the Shadow Beasts.
Given that the Menu Organization's operations spanned multiple continents, Nolan typically stationed the Fingers to oversee major regional enterprises.
Among them, Thumb Retona had been responsible for the Virus Research Lab near the Kukan'yu Kingdom border, leveraging the area's most lucrative smuggling trade to funnel immense profits back to the Menu Organization.
But the Virus Research Lab had been destroyed, and even Thumb Retona hadn't survived.
In the aftermath, Nolan lost the trust of a major client and forfeited vast territorial profits from the Kukan'yu border region.
And the one responsible for all this had now killed two Shadow Beasts, nearly exposing Nolan to the wrath of the Ten Dons.
On top of that, an assassination contract targeting another culprit had also ended in failure.
This made Nolan realize that if he wanted to resolve things decisively, he couldn't rely solely on others.
After careful consideration, he decided to recall the remaining Fingers and settle this matter once and for all.
This decision, however, would likely destabilize business operations across various regions and might even invite opportunistic attacks from competitors.
But there was no other choice.
Back then, his ambition had been too great, before fully consolidating his power, he had eagerly stretched his reach beyond his father's jurisdiction.
Though he had successfully planted roots elsewhere, the rapid expansion had forced him to disperse his core forces across different territories.
Now, recalling the Fingers meant facing certain risks.
But compared to those risks, removing the obstacles in his path remained the priority.
Nolan's killing intent was absolute.
—--
September 15th, five days after the Yorknew Auction concluded. Morrow and Kalluto boarded the returning airship, heading back to the United States of Saherta on the Yorbian continent.
Because Nolan Gambino was somewhere within the United States of Saherta.
And since Morrow had intercepted Kalluto mid-flight over the ocean, they naturally had to return to the United States of Saherta.
By the time they landed at the airport, Morrow had already completed his disguise.
Following Kalluto's suggestion, he wore a tracksuit from Illumi's favorite brand, put on a wig, and donned a pair of sunglasses that covered his eyes.
Originally, Morrow had considered wearing an outfit studded with bead-head needles, but after hearing Kalluto's advice, he realized that Illumi in 1996 hadn't yet adopted the fashion style he would have years later.
"Leave your forehead completely exposed, but let one strand of hair hang down."
Kalluto made sure to remind him of the finer details.
Morrow followed the advice obediently, adjusting himself according to Kalluto's suggestions.
"Well? Does it look convincing?"
With a single strand of hair falling over his pale forehead, Morrow turned to Kalluto.
Kalluto studied Morrow, now wearing sunglasses, and for a moment, he felt a strange sense of disorientation.
With the most distinctive feature, his eyes, hidden, dressed in the same tracksuit Kalluto often saw, and with memory playing tricks, Morrow now bore at least a sixty to seventy percent resemblance.
If not for the slight differences in height and build, the likeness might have been even stronger.
"It's enough."
Kalluto averted his gaze, no longer looking at Morrow's face.
With Kalluto's approval, Morrow felt confident that the disguise would suffice.
But before anything else, there was one more thing to take care of.
Finding a place to temporarily store the Poultry Scarlet Knife.
"Kalluto, are you sure this 'Tree Hollow' organization you mentioned is reliable?"
Standing by the roadside outside the airport, Morrow glanced sideways at Kalluto beside him.
Tree Hollow, according to Kalluto, was an unofficial organization that stored any item for a fee.
As long as the storage fee was paid, they could even preserve something like a pile of dog excrement for a hundred years, all while ensuring information security.
When Kalluto first mentioned this organization, Morrow had been quite surprised.
But the world of Hunters had many similar groups, like the Sengi Guild, Longstride…
If Tree Hollow specialized in storage, then Longstride handled deliveries.
And the Sengi Guild was a middleman organization, connecting Nen users with jobs or commissions.
These civilian organizations didn't have the same prestige as the Hunter Association, but they undeniably existed in every corner of the world.
Among them, whether operating openly or in the shadows, nearly all were closely tied to Nen users.
Hearing Morrow question Tree Hollow's reliability, Kalluto responded indifferently, "I've told you everything. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."
"Fair enough."
Without hesitation, Morrow shoved the Poultry Scarlet Knife, wrapped in black cloth, into Kalluto's arms.
The sudden action made Kalluto stiffen. Frowning, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"Help me store it at Tree Hollow. You know the ropes better than I do."
Morrow said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Kalluto nearly threw the knife back at him but restrained himself.
Ten minutes later.
A rental company employee delivered a car to Morrow and Kalluto.
Once the employee left, Morrow opened the passenger door and got in.
Kalluto stood beside the car, still holding the Poultry Scarlet Knife, staring blankly as Morrow comfortably settled into the passenger seat.
Inside the car.
Morrow rolled down the window and urged, "Get in."
"???" Kalluto's lips twitched as he freed one hand to point at the driver's seat inside the car.
He didn't speak, but his meaning was clear: You bastard, you want me to drive?
What nearly made Kalluto lose control of his expression was how Morrow seemed to understand his silent question and actually nodded at him in response.
Kalluto took a deep breath, his face impassive.
Seeing this, Morrow asked, "Can't drive?"
Kalluto remained silent, simply staring coldly at him.
Recognizing Kalluto's refusal to comply, Morrow had no choice but to abandon his plan to train in the car. He opened the door and moved to the driver's seat.
Only then did Kalluto open his own door and take the passenger seat.
"Why go through the trouble of renting a car? This isn't some backward rural town, taxis are available anytime," Kalluto asked icily as he rolled up the window.
Morrow started the car and replied softly, "Because it's convenient."
Over an hour later.
Following the location Kalluto had researched, Morrow drove to a pawnshop.
The three-story building was unremarkable compared to the rest of the street.
If not for the pawnshop sign hanging on the wall by the entrance, outsiders would likely mistake it for an ordinary residential building, unaware of the secrets hidden within.
After parking the car, Morrow didn't get out. He simply watched as Kalluto, carrying the Poultry Scarlet Knife, entered the building, a pawnshop on the surface but secretly a Tree Hollow outpost.
Kalluto pushed open the pawnshop door.
The interior resembled most pawnshops, with only two counters separated by a glass partition reinforced with security bars, leaving just a small window for transactions.
Kalluto walked straight to the counter and uttered a single word: "Tree Hollow."
The woman behind the window, hearing this, immediately opened a metal door beside the counter.
Kalluto pulled the door open and stepped inside.
Beyond it was a narrow, enclosed corridor about a meter wide.
At the end of the corridor stood another metal door.
As Kalluto approached, the door automatically swung open, revealing a staircase leading downward.
He descended the stairs into a candlelit basement.
The walls were lined with cabinets, and in the center stood a long table.
Behind the table sat an elderly man wearing reading glasses.
The old man was also a Nen user, his aura flickering faintly like the candlelight around him, appearing deceptively weak.
Kalluto, however, didn't dare underestimate him. He approached, placed the Poultry Scarlet Knife on the table, and added a special Tree Hollow storage coin beside it.
The old man pocketed the tree-engraved gold coin, then unwrapped the black cloth covering the knife and inspected the blade.
After verifying the item's condition, he set the knife down and pulled a numbered copper coin from a drawer, handing it to Kalluto.
Kalluto took the coin and turned to leave.
Not a single word was exchanged during the entire storage process.
Yet, as Kalluto began ascending the stairs, the old man gave him a lingering glance, seemingly surprised to see someone so young using their services for the first time.
As Kalluto stepped out of the basement and back into the enclosed corridor, the metal door ahead swung open.
A young woman with short pink hair, a curvaceous figure, and confident emerald-green eyes walked in. In the corridor, the two caught sight of each other and tacitly averted their gazes before passing by shoulder to shoulder.
The pink-haired girl hurried to the basement and pulled a copper coin from the pocket of her denim shorts. Just as she set it down, her eyes were drawn to the Poultry Scarlet Knife on the table.
"Huh?"
The girl let out a surprised sound and reached directly for the Poultry Scarlet Knife.
Yet in the next instant, a blur of motion flashed by, the candle flame on the table flickered violently, and the Poultry Scarlet Knife vanished without a trace.
The girl's eyelid twitched as she turned her gaze to the old man seated behind the table. The knife was already in his hand, safely sheathed in its leather scabbard.
"Old man, let me take a look."
Her eyes fixed on the exposed hilt of the Poultry Scarlet Knife, she shifted her outstretched right hand toward the old man.
The old man snorted through his nose. "Menchi, you know the rules. Don't be stupid."
The pink-haired girl narrowed her eyes.
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1 chapter today 3 tomorrow + bonus for the power stones. 100chapters milestone!!!!!