Night had fallen over the private waters of the Republic of Padokea. A ship cut through the darkness, escorted by Mafia ships, carrying its cargo of new reserve players to a hidden naval base. Over twenty people crowded the deck, a mix of eight Mafia members and a dozen eager participants who had qualified through the handheld game.
The new players were buzzing with excitement, peppering the Mafia escorts with questions about what awaited them on the real "Hero Island. Their leader, a Nen user himself, remained tight-lipped. "You'll understand when we get there. Everything you need to know will be in the player's manual." He'd seen countless groups like this, all asking the same questions.
"Did your gang create this game?" one player ventured, curious about the unexpected detour into private waters and the required "registration fee," a substantial but not overwhelming sum for Nen users.
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't," the leader warned coldly.
Nobunaga and Ugin exchanged glances, their true mission clear in their minds. They were here to destroy the teleportation bases of the Fells family, not just this one, but as many as they could reach. The Knight had warned them of the complications: multiple bases scattered across the sea, rapid response teams, and regular patrols by the Fells family. Most critically, they were forbidden to reach the island itself. Their lack of knowledge of the "gamification" system could prove fatal there. Their window for action was narrow, but they only needed to create enough chaos to disrupt the Fells family's big celebration tonight. Taking out just one or two bases would be enough.
The sea breeze carried salt spray across the deck as Ugin spotted distant lights flickering across the water. He turned to the Mafia leader with a predatory grin. "Your Fells family is really loaded."
"Hmm?" The leader's eyes narrowed at the murderous aura emanating from his passenger. "Another ignorant fool. Since you know who we are, just behave yourself. I don't care about your background, I've seen enough of you. No one who causes trouble here survives."
The atmosphere shifted as the nearby Nen users tensed, sensing the growing hostility.
"Such arrogance," Ugin sneered. In the next instant, the ship lurched violently as he lunged at the leader like an unleashed lion. The Mafia boss conjured up telekinetic blade fists that caught Ugin across the cheek only to screech against his skin like metal on steel, barely drawing blood.
Horror dawned in the leader's eyes as Ugin's massive hand clenched around his skull. "Your strength does not match your attitude," Ugin growled, twisting his face against the ineffective blades. "As of tonight, your Fells family is history. Consider this our thanks to this man." His fingers tightened. "Starting with you!"
The leader's head exploded like a burst melon.
Gunfire erupted as the rest of the Mafia opened fire, their bullets bouncing harmlessly off Ugin's body. He swept through them with casual brutality, either killing them outright or sending them plummeting into the dark waters below. Meanwhile, Nobunaga had already dispatched the ship's crew, leaving them dead in the water just outside the base.
The remaining passengers, Nen users unaffiliated with the Fells family, retreated in terror. "Whatever you're planning, we have nothing to do with it!" one shouted.
Nobunaga calmly tied back his long hair and exchanged glances with Ugin. In perfect synchronization, they struck, one from the bow, one from the stern. Steel flashed in the darkness as screams and blood painted the deck. When silence returned, only the two assassins stood amid the carnage.
Ugin shook the blood from his hands with wild satisfaction. "Once you board this ship, no one survives" As Nobunaga moved to take the helm, a shrill whistle pierced the night. Red warning lights came to life on the naval base ahead.
"As the knight warned us, the security systems of the Fells family are thoroughly interconnected." Nobunaga frowned at the gang leader's body. Even though they'd prevented him from actively sending a warning, his death alone had triggered the alarm. Either through a hidden vital-sign monitor or a Nen-based marking system, their presence was now known.
"Perfect! Let's not keep them waiting!" Ugin's fists clenched in anticipation.
"Indeed," Nobunaga replied, completely calm despite the base's growing reaction. He started the engines and headed straight for their target. Through the darkness, they could make out figures gathering along the perimeter of the base.
Nobunaga opened the throttle wide and aimed the ship like a battering ram at the corner of the base. A hail of gunfire met their approach, churning the water around them. Artillery shells screamed down from above, engulfing their ship in smoke and flame as explosions tore through the hull.
"Dead?" a Mafioso laughed in premature triumph.
"Careful!" Another Nen user snapped to attention, scanning frantically. "The enemy is..."
"Too slow," Ugin materialized behind him. A sharp crack ended the warning as the man's neck snapped.
Now standing together, drenched but unharmed, Ugin and Nobunaga surveyed the assembled defenders. "Quite the private army they've built," Nobunaga observed, his thumb loosening his sword. "Five Nen users per teleportation point? The Fells have grown bold."
"But not strong enough," Ugin added. "The real power must be on the island."
They moved forward as one, and the night erupted into chaos. Within thirty minutes, silence had returned to the burning base. Ugin disposed of the last body while Nobunaga made a call.
"We have destroyed a teleportation point. You may begin," he reported.
The knight's cheerful voice answered: "Perfect. But be careful, there are probably some very dangerous people on this island. If you get stuck, you're dead. Just make a mess, you don't have to destroy everything. The Fells family won't get the news right away. Their underworld operations and Hero Island are separate entities. They will only escalate to the family if the threat is beyond local control. Keep the damage manageable and retreat if things go south." He paused. "Oh, and don't tell Ugin. He'll insist on fighting the island's strongest Nen users, and that would be problematic."
"Understood." Nobunaga ended the call.
"Have they started?" Ugin asked.
"Soon," Nobunaga stood up slowly, his expression showing nothing of the warning he'd just received.
"They've taken out a base, but by my calculations, it'll be at least thirty minutes before the Fells get word." The knight smiled from the passenger seat of their vehicle as Pakunoda drove down the highway. Machi, Kuroro and Shalnark occupied the back seat.
"How much longer?" Machi asked.
"About ten minutes," Pakunoda replied.
"Something's wrong," the knight noticed Kuroro's expression.
"Oboro is not in Padokea," Kuroro said quietly.
"Isn't that better?" the knight laughed. Oboro might not have been directly involved in Chico's promotion, but enough time had passed since the hunter's exam for him to have been able to investigate such an important event. That was exactly why Kuroro had hired the Zoldycks, to prevent interference at the Fells' base and to buy time for Oboro's arrival.
"There was no fight," Kuroro added.
The moment Zeno and Silva appeared, Oboro would have realized that something was wrong. But he hadn't engaged the Zoldycks - too measured, too calm. Had the Fells abandoned him? Or had they simply accepted their powerlessness to change what was to come?
"It doesn't matter now, it's too late," the knight analyzed. "They've probably given up. Even at top speed he won't get there in time. It's a dead end. No one, no matter how strong, can escape these two. The Zoldycks never fail."
"Maybe it's better that way," Shalnark mused, tapping his chin. "Let him watch everything he has disappear while he is completely lucid, unable to stop it. But could he have warned David Fells?"
"Pointless. The mob is already assembled. It's too late to stop without losing face," the knight explained. "The banquet begins in thirty minutes. Even with David's skills, he couldn't vet every mobster in attendance in a few days, let alone half a day. This is a global operation involving countless people. If anyone's to blame, it's the overconfidence of the Fells family in hosting such a spectacle. They never saw us coming.
Kuroro remained silent, accepting the knight's assessment. The Phantom Troupe had to act, this opportunity was too perfect to waste. The Fells family was like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, awaiting the verdict of fate.
But Oboro was no trapped butterfly, he was the missing spider hunter. His non-response to the Zoldycks felt wrong and made Kuroro uneasy. Should they retreat while they still could?
Or was this Oboro's plan? To use the Zoldycks to send a message, hoping to intimidate them into retreating through the psychological scars he'd left on the troupe before?
Kuroro closed his eyes, wrestling with the possibilities. When they opened again, they held a steely determination. He had almost fallen into Oboros trap. The fact remained that Oboro couldn't appear tonight. Whatever came next, the Phantom Troupe would handle it.
You underestimated us, Oboro.