The events that followed were self-explanatory.
"So, the cable car serves a similar purpose to the small gate next to the Zoldyck family's main entrance?"
Ronnel scratched his cheek as he glanced at the three-headed gryphon perched nearby.
"Is it like the Zoldyck family's watchdog, the Mike? This gryphon seems more intimidating, but creatures like Mike can be mass-produced by the Zoldycks. Besides, Mike is just for casual security. Clearly, a gryphon is far from being the extent of their resources."
In the world of Hunters, peculiar creatures were nothing unusual. The Zoldyck family had their creatures, and the Matar family had this strange gryphon. It wasn't entirely unexpected.
"And these bottomless cliffs… convenient, aren't they? Makes disposing of intruders' remains quick and effortless," Ronnel mused, glancing at the abyss below.
After the gryphon finished its meal, tossing the bones into the valley eliminated cleanup duties. Unlike Mike, who required additional handling, this setup was hassle-free.
As Ronnel entertained such thoughts, one of the gryphon's three heads suddenly turned toward the group. The other two heads were otherwise occupied—one sleeping, the other observing the cable car.
Noticing the attention, Keynes gave the gryphon a wave. It stared for a moment before losing interest and looking away. Soon after, it let out a yawn, tilted its head upward, and appeared to zone out.
Sleeping, guarding, resting... The gryphon's workload was evidently divided among its three heads. Perhaps they rotated duties—allowing each head time to rest? Ronnel shrugged and set the thought aside.
The group pressed on, eventually reaching the bridge's far end. Here, a crowd had already gathered.
"All right. My job ends here," Keynes announced. "From here on, the housekeepers will guide you to your rooms. The meeting is scheduled for the afternoon, so feel free to rest until then."
With that, Keynes departed without sparing a glance at the other families.
"The Matar family sure knows how to flaunt their power," someone muttered, their tone dripping with sarcasm.
It was clear to anyone paying attention: the gryphon display and the carefully planned arrangements were deliberate. The Matar family wasn't shy about flexing their influence.
...
"Please, come this way."
The housekeepers lined up, their faces polite but impassive, stepping forward one by one to escort each family in turn.
"They're really following the order of arrival," someone remarked quietly as the system became apparent.
The first family to cross the bridge was assigned the highest-standard accommodations. The rest followed in descending order, with the last to arrive relegated to the most modest quarters.
But as the butlers made their rounds, one stepped forward and addressed the remaining guests.
"Pardon me, but where are the other guests?"
"If anything unexpected happened, they'd have been stopped at the entrance," said an elder of the Westin family, his voice muffled behind a strange green mask.
"I see," the butler responded with a slight nod before stepping back and pulling out a phone.
"Yes, I understand."
At the suspension bridge's entrance, near a stone monument, a woman stood with a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other. Her expression was stiff, her tone robotic. A closer inspection revealed the cause—a strange, round nail embedded in her neck.
Behind her, a young man with long, flowing hair approached. His handsome face bore a serene expression as he spoke into his phone.
"Well, Dad, I'm here now… Yes, the other families have already started entering."
The young man was Illumi Zoldyck, back after a long absence.
The Zoldyck family wasn't sitting idly in the face of this so-called alliance of assassins.
"For some reason, though, the entrance is blocked. Judging by the scene, it's the Westin family's handiwork—their technique, most likely." Illumi's tone was calm, his words carrying an eerie nonchalance.
"It's an effective tactic, I'll give them that. Some people are already losing patience and making moves. If left unchecked, the situation could escalate quickly."
"And what do you plan to do about it?" came Silva's cool, measured voice from the other end of the line.
"If they block my way, I'll just kill them all," Illumi replied without hesitation, his detached demeanor fitting his reputation as a cold-blooded assassin.
Even Kalluto, the youngest of the Zoldycks, could likely handle the so-called opposition on the bridge, let alone Illumi.
"Well, as long as you remember your ultimate goal," Silva reminded him.
"I know," Illumi said. "Our priorities are clear—protect the family's interests, dismantle the alliance, and teach the Matar family a lesson. If possible, we can also thin out the competition."
"Good. Just keep in mind the broader implications. The canceled order from the Ten Dons caused a significant loss in revenue. They usually only require one of us, but this time they needed me and your grandfather. Too many killers are saturating the market."
"I understand," Illumi said with a nod, his gaze fixed on the figures lingering on the bridge.
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