Inside of a room, three people sat down on the chairs; in the middle, there was a big circular table.
The room was large and pretty simple in decoration.
Maxwell Herivo sat at the head.
He was a middle-aged man with a tailored suit.
Across from him sat Cailo, his one man that was capable of using nen, and it is said that he can fight against Shadow Beasts and wanted to join, but because he was not cultivated by the dons, he was not chosen.
Long hair fell past Cailo's shoulders, tied loosely at the back.
His presence was… wrong, in a way that was difficult to articulate.
Not threatening in a loud way,
Even Maxwell, who wasn't a Nen user, could feel it faintly when he focused.
To Maxwell's right sat the younger man, sharp-eyed and restless.
Maxwell broke the silence.
"So, Cailo,"
"What do you think the Heavens Arena management and the City Council will do next?"
Cailo leaned back slightly, the chair creaking under his weight.
"They're getting reckless." Maxwell continued,
"I can see it."
Cailo finally nodded.
"That's normal."
Maxwell turned his head, studying him closely.
"When people realize they can't handle a problem with ordinary means,"
Cailo said calmly,
"They look for extraordinary ones," says Mouth.
Maxwell's brow furrowed.
"New users?"
Cailo nodded once. Firm. Certain.
"Yeah. That's what I'd do."
"Considering that, Heavens Arena is literally one of the places that cultivates and makes talented people encounter nen despite the sacrifices."
"It would be funny to think that they would not use Nen users to handle their enemies."
"Heavens Arena lacks conventional authority," Cailo went on.
"The City Council lacks experience dealing with organizations that think instead of react."
Maxwell swallowed.
"But they're not powerless, as you said."
"No," Cailo agreed. "There's one thing they don't lack."
Maxwell exhaled through his nose.
"Nen."
Cailo's eyes flicked to him.
"Exactly."
He leaned forward now, resting his forearms on the table.
"Most Nen users above the two-hundredth floor don't make their money through daily battles anymore. They get sponsorships. Private contracts."
"Lower floors aren't a threat. Armed men are easily capable of dealing with them, as just physical power and martial arts have no means to deal with conventional firearms. But higher up?"
He shook his head.
"It would be easy for the Arena to find three, maybe five, Nen users around the two-hundredth floor. Offer them enough money."
The room felt colder.
"They could wipe us out," Cailo continued. "Half a day. Less, if they don't care about collateral, especially if killing is on the table."
Maxwell felt something unpleasant twist in his chest.
"Are they really capable of that?" he asked quietly.
Cailo didn't hesitate.
"Of course."
He met Maxwell's gaze directly now.
"Three Nen users are more than enough. Five would be overkill."
"Believe me when I say, there are many Nen users who are pretty great at fighting."
"Those nen users also knew how to duel and win battles against other nen users."
"But one thing is certain."
"There are not many Nen users in the world capable of handling two or three Nen users at the same time."
"It is because of the fact that any Nen user that is capable enough has 'Hatsu,' their special abilities, and when a mastermind combines these abilities with a great plan, three weak Nen could create conditions and situations that they may be able to stop or kill a powerful Nen user."
Maxwell's fingers curled into the edge of the table.
He had ordered deaths before.
Ruined lives without blinking.
But this was different.
"So," Maxwell said slowly. "What do we do?"
Cailo exhaled and leaned back again.
"We prepare."
The younger man scoffed.
"Prepare how? We can't train Nen users overnight."
Cailo glanced at him.
"I know."
He tapped his chest lightly.
"I'm a combat-type Nen user. That also means I'm not good at this kind of planning."
"I can handle any Nen user from Heaven's Arena as long as they are not a Floor Master Level."
"But, I can only handle and fight against one of them, or two if they are just starting and not too strong of nen users."
Maxwell looked at him sharply.
"If NEN users come to you, which I assume they will, they will focus on me instead of the goons that you have around with guns or not."
That shut the room up.
Maxwell leaned back in his chair.
Bribery. Negotiation. Buying time.
"It would be great," Maxwell said slowly, "if I could pay them instead."
All eyes turned to him.
"Buy them out," he continued. "Offer more than the Council. Convince them not to attack us. Let me live and operate."
The silence that followed was sharp.
Cailo stared at Maxwell for a long moment.
Then he smiled not kindly.
"That's dangerous thinking."
"But possible," Maxwell pressed.
"Nen users want money. Extraordinary they are, but they are humans in the end."
Cailo tilted his head.
"Some of them, sure."
He leaned forward again.
"But others? They don't care. Some fight for experience. Some for principles. Some just want to see you scream as they cut you and take their time."
"Not to mention the fact that you are not the kindest mafia group."
"Most Nen users are people capable of understanding and selling drugs and guns."
"But you also deal in children; you know that."
"Other than some of the sickest people, most people would not like children to be profited off."
Maxwell's jaw tightened.
"Then what choice do I have?"
Cailo's expression hardened.
"Shut down noisy operations. Get the kids out of circulation. Drugs too."
The younger man protested immediately.
"That's half our income!"
"And it's half the reason they'll come after us."
Cailo snapped back.
He looked back at Maxwell.
"You need to understand something. Most Nen users don't think like us. If they accept a contract, they commit to it. Bribes after the fact don't always work, especially if someone's already decided you're better off gone."
Cailo then smiled as he added.
"The fact that they like to commit to the contracts also involves the fact that a new user needs to be certain of what he wants to do and have enough willpower to keep on training."
"So, if they want you, they will get to you."
"I can only protect you so much."
"If they were hunters, we would be in more danger."
Maxwell felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Then," he said quietly, "we assume they're already coming."
Cailo nodded.
"That's the safest assumption."
Maxwell closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them.
"Then prepare," he said. "Everything; I need to prepare for any kind of thing that might happen."
He looked at Cailo.
"And if they come?"
Cailo's aura stirred faintly, like a pressure change before a storm.
"Then we see how much blood they're willing to spill."