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Chapter 111: Assassination Mission
The exact same operation used to replace Raymond of the Ten Dons was perfectly replicated. The only difference this time was the addition of a butler. After witnessing Ryan being eliminated so effortlessly, the old butler proved to be a pragmatist. Choosing survival above all else, he disclosed everything he knew without hesitation.
As for the rules of Meteor City, the ultimate law was simply the survival of the fittest.
"You are outsiders, after all. There are quite a few extremists like Theodore still lurking around Meteor City, so the best course of action is to create the illusion that you've already left," the old butler advised, fully dedicated to his new role. "Among Ryan's subordinates, there is a specific group responsible for smuggling people out of the city—those seeking a way out through mafia channels."
"And which mafia family were you in contact with?" Kurapika asked, exchanging a pleasantly surprised glance with Ronin.
"It was Nico," the butler answered, rattling off the information with familiar ease.
"Could we swap that to Raymond?" Kurapika asked directly.
"As long as the channel is open, that shouldn't be an issue," the butler replied, slightly taken aback. He had expected them to press for more details upon hearing Nico's name, but they clearly already knew about the ten underground emperors of the mafia world. Just who exactly are these people? he wondered.
"Good. I'll give you a contact method later," Kurapika decided firmly.
Ronin agreed with the butler's earlier point; they needed to "leave" Meteor City, whether the departure was genuine or completely fabricated. Kurapika's subsequent arrangements aligned perfectly with Ronin's thoughts.
"Mr. Ronin, I'll have to ask you to disguise yourself as us and leave Meteor City in broad daylight," Kurapika requested.
While he didn't know every single detail of Ronin's abilities, he understood the general scope well enough to factor them into his overarching strategy. Having just taken care of Ryan, it wasn't the right time for them to actually leave. They needed to establish a firm foothold in Meteor City first. Furthermore, a high-profile departure utilizing his [Shadow Clone Jutsu] would draw the attention of any malicious eyes lurking in the shadows, accomplishing two strategic goals with a single move.
As for the risk of exposure, Ronin's skills were more than sufficient to ensure the disguise held up flawlessly until the clones successfully boarded the ship.
The butler immediately got to work executing Kurapika's orders. Ronin manifested four shadow clones, sending them off with the old man to depart from Ryan's villa.
Meanwhile, Shizuku proved to be an incredibly easygoing person. After Ronin and the others moved into the villa, she casually settled in with them. With Spence and Ryan dead, she hadn't given much thought to her future. Eating, sleeping, and following Ronin around essentially encompassed her entire routine for the next few days. Her passive compliance actually caught Ronin slightly off guard.
After some consideration, he simply decided to have Shizuku train alongside Kurapika and Neon. Shizuku's aura reserves were noticeably larger than the other two, but the gap wasn't insurmountable. By Ronin's calculations, her Potential Aura Power (PAP) was over ten thousand—roughly double that of Kurapika and Neon. She was the perfect sparring partner to help them push their limits.
Shizuku didn't mind her new assignment in the slightest. She was still getting acquainted with the trio and learning the rules of their little squad. Kurapika quickly noticed that while she was incredibly forgetful about mundane things, she perfectly memorized any explicit rules given to her. With that realization, he gradually figured out the best way to interact with her.
Initially, Kurapika worried that their fundamental ideals would clash. Shizuku's sheer apathy when taking a life was chilling, a trait Kurapika viewed as a profound lack of respect for human life. However, once he understood how her mind worked, he simply added a new rule to their operational guidelines: no killing on a whim.
That single command flawlessly restricted her lethal tendencies. The only downside was the ambiguity of the word "whim." It resulted in Shizuku constantly trailing after him, relentlessly asking hypothetical questions about what scenarios qualified as arbitrary killing. Fortunately, Kurapika was exceptionally patient, carefully evaluating and rendering a precise judgment for every single scenario she conjured up.
Her relationship with Neon was just as harmonious. Unlike Neon, who had a macabre fascination with collecting human body parts, Shizuku was a bit of a hoarder. She constantly sucked anything that caught her eye into [Blinky] for safekeeping.
The problem was, she almost always forgot what she had stored away. Consequently, her regular cleaning routine involved commanding [Blinky] to regurgitate massive piles of random objects so she could happily sort through them. It was a chore she genuinely enjoyed.
Neon, on the other hand, was deeply envious of Shizuku's ability. She wanted nothing more than to carry her precious treasures with her everywhere, rather than relying on Ronin's Fun Fun Cloth for storage. After mulling it over, Neon transferred her entire collection—except for the preserved specimens of Uvogin and Omokage—from Ronin's care straight into Shizuku's room.
The two girls then enthusiastically started planning a new layout for their makeshift clinic. Ronin, naturally, was more than happy to see them getting along so well.
On September 23rd, the butler finally established contact with the mafia members under Raymond's umbrella using the information Kurapika provided. With the groundwork laid, Ronin's highly conspicuous shadow clones boarded a garbage ship and openly departed from Meteor City.
Less than three hours into the voyage, a massive explosion tore through the vessel. The entire ship, along with every passenger and Ronin's clones, was completely engulfed in the blast, sinking into the ocean depths.
Fresh off his own transport and newly arrived in Meteor City, Illumi stared at the intelligence report in his hands, his dark, almond-shaped eyes filled with genuine confusion. The target had departed the exact moment he arrived, and then their ship had spontaneously exploded mid-journey. Where was he supposed to find them now?
Deciding not to waste any time, Illumi pulled out his phone and dialed Chrollo. "The target was lost at sea. The assassination is postponed. I'll be heading to Heaven's Arena next."
"Understood," Chrollo replied tersely. He didn't care where Ronin died, as long as he received confirmation of the kill. "Also, if it's convenient, take a trip to Ryan's villa. I'll pay you one billion Jenny to assassinate him." Chrollo smoothly offered up a brand-new contract.
"Thank you for your patronage. Please wire the funds," Illumi accepted without missing a beat.
"Be careful. Ryan likely struck some sort of deal with Ronin, otherwise, he wouldn't have survived the encounter," Chrollo warned.
Giving Illumi this task was a calculated probe on his part. He had been keeping a close eye on Ryan for quite some time now. The elder was a sadistic degenerate who took pleasure in torturing and killing Meteor City residents. Even without Ronin's involvement, Chrollo would have eventually found an excuse to excise the tumor from the city. But now that Ryan had made contact with Ronin and likely formed an alliance, it was imperative that he died.
Suddenly, Chrollo shifted the topic, extending an unexpected invitation. "By the way, any interest in joining the Phantom Troupe?"
"No," Illumi rejected the offer instantly and decisively.
"What a pity," Chrollo murmured in a perfectly calm tone, ending the call.
A few minutes later, watching the payment confirmation flash across his screen, Illumi began reviewing Ryan's profile. Assassinating an elder of Meteor City wasn't exactly an ideal job. It was best to ensure the Zoldyck name wasn't exposed during the hit. Otherwise, the sheer volume of chaotic retaliation those lunatics in Meteor City might orchestrate would be an absolute headache.
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