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Chapter 67: Speculation, Ten Dons
Not long after they disappeared, Chrollo and the other Troupe members appeared on the roof of a nearby building.
"We still have to start with the Scarlet Eyes." Shalnark looked down at the chaotic street, noting the spot on the ground that bulged like a small volcano.
That had to be Ronin's handiwork.
The guy seemed particularly adept at abilities involving Earth, Water, Fire, and Lightning.
For one person to master four elemental changes, Shalnark couldn't think of anything besides Specialization.
But even then, it was exaggerated.
Ronin, a Specialist, seemed to have dumped all his skill points into the upper three Nen categories (Enhancement, Transmutation, Emission).
While Specialists could master multiple categories, someone like Ronin was still a bit too extreme.
But the more extreme the power, the greater the Vow and Limitation required.
They hadn't discovered it yet simply because Ronin hid it well, not because the drawback didn't exist.
After all, Vows and Limitations were a double-edged sword.
While bringing benefits, they inevitably exacted an equivalent price.
"Life force!" Chrollo suddenly spoke.
His thought process aligned with Shalnark's. The only thing he could think of that was precious enough to trade for such immense power in the short term was life itself.
Combining Ronin's history and his desire for revenge, he definitely had the resolve to burn his own life to achieve his goal quickly.
Such desperate people were the hardest to deal with.
Especially as time went on, the more desperate they became, the more dangerous they were.
Excluding life force, Chrollo could think of one other possibility, based on clues he had recently obtained.
Did the Kurta Clan possess such a thing? Chrollo was skeptical.
Ronin had fled while being hunted; he hadn't even returned to his village during that time.
Chrollo synthesized various pieces of intelligence in his mind, and an idea formed.
"I remember you told Uvogin there was a way to heal his arm," Chrollo said suddenly.
"Yes, I saw it on a Hunter forum. It's said that in the game Greed Island, there are some magical items.
"Not only are there powerful abilities to cure diseases and injuries, but also things like rejuvenation, gender swapping, soul projection, and even male pregnancy."
Shalnark didn't quite get Chrollo's drift, but he recounted the intel he'd gathered.
"Rejuvenation?" Chrollo murmured the word. "Leak this information to Ronin. If his ability really is bought with his lifespan, he'll definitely try to enter the game to get that rejuvenation item.
"We can use Greed Island to our advantage. The Scarlet Eyes are his primary goal; he'll be fully prepared for bidding on them, but not for bidding on Greed Island."
Shalnark's eyes lit up.
"And even if he does enter the game, we can go in too. There are special items in the game that can help us corner him better," Shalnark had clearly done his homework.
Greed Island had been running officially for nearly a decade; it was normal for intel to leak.
As long as Shalnark was willing to pay the price, he could get the information.
A book appeared in Chrollo's hand—his ability, "Skill Hunter."
Pages flipped, stopping on an ability he had acquired from a Shadow Beast.
It was an unexpected harvest, but combined with another ability in his book, he saw the potential for a weapon targeted specifically at Ronin.
But how to use two stolen Nen abilities simultaneously?
Chrollo was a bit troubled.
...
In a secret building in Yorknew, ten people gathered around a round table.
Their expressions were grave. These ten represented the pinnacle of the Mafia across the six continents—the Ten Dons!
"Only two of the Shadow Beasts survived, and they're crippled."
After a long silence, someone finally broke the quiet.
The Ten Dons commanded thousands of mobsters, but only those ten individuals were truly capable talents.
The Shadow Beasts were the strongest drawn from their respective families.
Yet now, this elite force was reduced to two cripples.
The Ten Dons felt insecure.
"Let's hire real professionals," another suggested.
This proposal met with majority approval.
"Were the Shadow Beasts too weak? Although they were the strongest we could find, eyewitness reports say they were killed not just by the Phantom Troupe, but also by another unknown group."
The speaker was a relatively young Don with a long scar running from his left cheek to his chin. His name was Raymond, a recent addition to the Ten Dons. His strongest subordinate was Owl.
Before today, he too believed Owl and the Shadow Beasts were the world's strongest, a super-unit capable of protecting the Mafia.
But now it seemed the Shadow Beasts weren't as powerful as they appeared. Against true experts, they were incredibly weak.
He learned from surviving mobsters that six Shadow Beasts against three Troupe members were wiped out in under five minutes, along with nearby armed guards.
To the Phantom Troupe, the Shadow Beasts were no different from ordinary mobsters with guns.
"They aren't unknown." An older Don with white hair and a commanding presence suddenly spoke.
He was an old-guard Don named Nico. He had also received the news. Bat was his subordinate, but if one Bat died, he had others.
"His name is Ronin," Nico said, drawing everyone's attention. "A challenger on the 200th floor of Heaven's Arena. Currently four matches, undefeated.
"His second-to-last match was against Phantom Troupe member #11. One of the Troupe members responsible for the massacre at the Cemetery Building tonight."
Photos finally appeared on the conference room's big screen—some of Uvogin, some of Ronin.
Most were from Heaven's Arena. There were few photos from tonight, and those that existed were blurry.
But it was enough to give the Ten Dons some ideas.
"Recruit again. And I suggest expanding the Shadow Beasts," another Don proposed.
"Let the previous Shadow Beast reserves—Rabid Dog, Leech, Porcupine, and Hedgehog—form a temporary team first. Then train new members. Expand the Shadow Beasts to 30, three from each of us, making a full squad," Raymond laid out his pre-prepared plan.
He added a temporary modification: "Send the reserve members to Heaven's Arena. Only those who reach the 200th floor and win a match are eligible to become Shadow Beasts.
"If they become a Floor Master, they qualify to lead the Shadow Beast unit!"
"Agreed."
The Ten Dons unanimously approved Raymond's decision.
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