Silva stood nearly two meters tall, casting a massive shadow that exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure. This pressure didn't stem from his height, but rather from an inherent, predatory aura of danger radiating from his very being.
Luo Ning's Sharingan was hidden beneath colored contact lenses, allowing him to clearly perceive the staggering amount of Nen swirling around both Silva and Zeno. And that was while they were merely in a state of [TEN]!
As for Hisoka, the sensation he gave off wasn't quite as intense, especially since his gaze was primarily fixed on Silva. It seemed Silva's immense power had piqued the interest of Hisoka, the "fruit farmer."
The man responsible for organizing this hit on the Phantom Troupe was Zenji, who had narrowly escaped the massacre at the Cemeteri Building. The bald man wore a grim expression. The seven people in this room were the most powerful individuals they could gather on short notice.
Zenji had a very clear understanding of his own role: he just wanted to survive this conflict. The previous slaughter at the Cemeteri Building had left him with an indelible psychological scar. Over the past two days, whenever he closed his eyes, those murderous monsters would flicker through his mind.
"Everyone is here," Zenji said with a solemn expression. "The client wants us to eliminate the Phantom Troupe. In one hour, the auction will reopen in this building, and it is highly likely the Phantom Troupe will return. Upon spotting them, take action immediately. As for the details and methods of your operation, you can decide those yourselves. As long as the job gets done, we won't interfere. If you need anything, just say the word, and I will have it prepared for you."
Zenji had no intention of rushing to the front lines; he was strictly logistics. Even if they failed to stop the Phantom Troupe, the worst he would face was a reprimand. He wasn't stupid enough to gamble his life for a bit of money and reputation.
The delinquent among the trio was the first to make a request: he wanted a baseball bat. Zenji, naturally, agreed to fulfill it. Meanwhile, the middle-aged mechanic and the beautiful young woman began discussing contact methods and code names for the upcoming operation. It looked like they intended to group up.
However, their plans were destined to fall through. The two from the Zoldyck family had no interest in collaborating with others, and both Luo Ning and Hisoka were the types who preferred to work alone.
From Luo Ning's perspective, the trio's strategy was sound. If the Troupe dared to act today, it was impossible for any member to be caught wandering off alone. Given the trio's strength, facing a single Troupe member would be a death sentence; if they encountered two or more, they might only have a slim chance of escaping if they stuck together.
"This feels like playing house," Zeno remarked, clearly the first to grow impatient.
His gaze swept over Luo Ning and Hisoka. Out of the five other Nen users in the room, only those two sparked any interest in him.
"We will operate in our own way," Silva spoke up.
Zeno was even more direct, pulling out business cards and handing them to everyone in the room, including Zenji. Luo Ning reached out and took one. It didn't just have a phone number; it also listed the address of the Zoldyck estate. This family of assassins was certainly high-profile.
"If you want someone killed, contact me immediately. I can give you a thirty percent discount. This is a special offer, so don't miss out," Zeno said, promoting his assassination business like an ordinary salesman.
"Zoldyck? You're from the Zoldyck family?" The red-haired girl's mouth hung slightly open in disbelief. "I heard that no one has ever seen your true faces."
"We don't make a habit of using special disguises or sneaking in with sneak attacks," Zeno explained casually.
The trio, including the girl, fell silent as they stared at the business cards.
At that moment, Hisoka stepped forward. "I'm used to working alone, so you can handle the coordination yourselves." As he spoke, he was already walking out of the room.
Luo Ning tucked the business card away and followed. If there was going to be action, he was more interested in seeing what the Zoldycks would do. As for those other three, Luo Ning didn't care at all. Since they had accepted this mission, they should have been prepared to fail and be killed.
"Wait, I have a floor plan of the building here!" Zenji shouted as the door opened.
Neither Hisoka, Luo Ning, nor the two Zoldycks following behind had any intention of taking the map. After the four stepped out of the room, there was no communication between them; they quickly disappeared toward opposite ends of the hallway.
"That white-haired man... he's likely wearing a disguise," Silva said as they walked.
"Mm, it's noticeable. It's a very sophisticated technique, possibly related to his Nen. Also, there has been a Nen thread attached to his left hand leading into his pocket the whole time. It looks like a Transmutation ability," Zeno judged. "Furthermore, he seemed to recognize us long ago and looked rather eager to try something. That doesn't quite fit the typical personality of a Transmuter. On the other hand, that red-haired one... he was also interested in you, though he's better at restraining himself."
"Yes. For a moment there, I thought he was going to lunge at me regardless of the consequences," Silva recalled Hisoka's expression. The look in the man's eyes for a split second was like a hound that had discovered prey—it reminded him of their Mike.
"He's more human than Mike," Zeno remarked, seeing right through Silva's comparison.
"True," Silva nodded. "Mike has been a bit restless lately. I wonder if he's in heat."
"If it doesn't settle down, we'll just neuter him." Zeno thought of their giant hound. Compared to the previous generation, Mike was indeed a bit too aggressive.
While Silva and his father were discussing their dog, Luo Ning turned to look at Hisoka. "Are you planning to keep following me?"
Luo Ning had been standing by the stairs for a full minute. Hisoka had no intention of going downstairs and had simply stopped nearby.
"I was thinking... if I killed you, would that count as a worthy entrance fee for joining the Troupe?" A playing card appeared at Hisoka's fingertips, spinning rapidly like a nimble coin.
"Why me?" Luo Ning asked curiously. Had Hisoka recognized him?
"Hmm..." Hisoka narrowed his beautiful eyes. "Because I feel your strength should be decent. You might help me kill some time."
So he hadn't recognized him.
"The Troupe isn't a good place to be. Joining them won't necessarily help you achieve your dream," Luo Ning said, his tone carrying a hint of hidden meaning.
Luo Ning didn't particularly care about Hisoka's "interest." In a one-on-one fight, he didn't fear Hisoka; in fact, he was somewhat curious about who was stronger between his current self and the magician.
Hisoka was interested in him, but wasn't Luo Ning also feeling a surge of excitement upon seeing Hisoka? He had previously looked forward to meeting Hisoka at Heaven's Arena. After all, according to the timeline, the first battle between Hisoka and Kastro should be happening there soon. Meeting here in Yorknew was an unexpected surprise.
The only pity was that Hisoka hadn't chosen a very good time or place.
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