Chapter 147: Rapid Distribution
The "others" Nickes referred to weren't Ronin's group, but a third faction of
angry players.
Feitan, Phinks, and Bonolenov's methodology had officially crossed a line. In
the real world, a weak player could run or hide, but within the finite
boundaries of Greed Island, they were forced to confront the threat.
By occupying the only spell shop in Masadora, the Spiders hadn't just bullied
individuals—they had threatened the entire player base's survival. This
desperation was driving the survivors toward a singular, extreme solution: the
total eradication of the "Demon Trio."
Nickes had been invited to join this "Troupe Subjugation Squad," and after some
careful calculation, he had decided to accept.
With Nickes's endorsement of the alliance, Genthru felt his hand grow even
stronger.
The alliance members quickly voted in favor of Genthru's "safe-keeping"
strategy. The only question remained: who was the most trustworthy recipient for
the cards?
Given that Nickes was going to the front lines to "observe" the raid on the
Spiders, Genthru emerged as the most reliable choice to stay behind and guard
the hoard.
Genthru accepted the burden without complaint. It was, after all, his entire
plan.
However, as he scanned his Binder, his eyes narrowed. Only forty-odd Restricted
Slot cards?
Two years of work and this was all they had? It was a pathetic haul compared to
the hundreds of cards he knew were in circulation. Still, it contained several
rare "S-Rank" items. It was a start.
Nickes and Jezzpa, the alliance's primary combatant, escorted Genthru to a
hidden location. After a few final instructions—specifically, that Genthru
should use a [Leave] card to exit the game if his position was compromised—they
departed.
Nickes promised to check in daily via the [Communication] spell.
If Genthru ever failed to pick up, the alliance would assume he was forced out
and would begin stockpiling [Leave] cards to prepare for his return. Currently,
the group held four copies of Leave. In Nickes's mind, that was a sufficient
safety net.
He had no idea that Genthru was already planning his own "purge." If the
alliance took too many losses against the Spiders, Genthru would step in to
"finish off" the survivors and claim every card for himself.
With the Spiders acting as the perfect scapegoats, Genthru could build a new
empire on the corpses of his "friends."
While Genthru was hunkering down, Ronin's team arrived in Masadora.
There was no risk of a chance encounter yet. His scouts had confirmed that the
Spiders were still entrenched inside the spell shop.
Tracking the Troupe was almost too easy. They had caused so much outrage that
their movements were practically broadcasted by the local player gossip network.
To the Spiders, being "exposed" didn't matter. They didn't care about the rules
of the game; they just needed forty unique Spell Cards to trigger the exchange
for [Breath of Archangel]. Once Bonolenov was healed, they planned to leave.
Brutality was simply the most efficient path to their exit.
Ronin watched them through his crystal ball. He saw the three of them inside the
shop, looking bored but lethal.
In their hotel suite, Kurapika stood before a small chalkboard, sketching out
the tactical landscape.
"The maximum number of Free Slots is 45," Kurapika said, drawing a circle. "That
means when Bonolenov completes the collection to trade for the Archangel, his
Binder will be almost entirely empty. He'll have, at most, five Spell Cards left
for defense. That is our window to isolate him."
Abaki listened intently. She hadn't expected to be thrust into a high-level
assassination mission so soon after joining, but she stayed focused, determined
to pull her weight.
"We need to ensure he doesn't have a [Leave] card," Ronin noted. "And once we
snatch him, we have to prevent the other two from tracking us."
"Exactly," Kurapika nodded. "Our primary objective is to stockpile [Gate] cards.
They can nullify a single spell cast at close range. If we chain them, we can
prevent them from using [Accompany] or [Magnetic Force] to follow us once we
retreat with the target."
"We also need [Transfer]. It's the key to splitting Phinks and Feitan."
"Our advantage is numbers. We have more Binders, which means we can carry a
larger arsenal of Spells than they can."
"But the shop is a no-go zone," Shizuku added. "How do we get the cards if they
control the source?"
"We don't buy them," Kurapika smiled. "We leverage the 'Subjugation Squad.' The
Spiders have ignited a communal rage. We step forward as the leaders of the
resistance. If we show enough sincerity and strength, every player who hates the
Troupe becomes our ally."
"If one person casts a spell at a Spider, they can block it. But if twenty
people cast at once? They'll burn through their entire defensive stock in
seconds. We turn the Phantom Troupe into a Raid Boss. Everyone contributes, and
we claim the loot."
Ronin understood the play.
The alliance would act as the "Spell-Sink," forcing the Spiders to exhaust their
utility cards. Once their "mana" was dry, the real battle—the test of raw Nen
and physical stats—would begin.
"Bonolenov is the weakest link due to his injuries," Kurapika continued. "We can
exile him temporarily. As long as he doesn't have movement spells, he's out of
the fight."
"That leaves Phinks and Feitan. We split them and take them down individually."
"Feitan is mine," Ronin claimed.
He knew Feitan was the most dangerous of the two. A Transmutter whose power
spiked when he took damage was a nightmare for a group. Ronin's high-defense
Susanoo was the only reliable shield against Feitan's "Rising Sun."
"Fine," Kurapika agreed. "Phinks is an Enhancer. He's the perfect test for
Shizuku, Abaki, and me."
☆☆☆
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