Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

The venue was utterly silent, with only the faint sound of dew dripping in the dark, humid space.

As an Enhancer, Phinks didn't fully understand the situation, but he sensed the possibility of a trap behind this news, which was enough for him.

He cracked his knuckles loudly in the empty building.

"So what if it's a trap? If those gangsters dare to ambush us, I'll take a few of them down!"

"I agree," another Enhancer, Nobunaga, muttered as he scratched his head. "Uvogin needs saving. A bunch of Bodyguards? I'll cut them down, no matter how many show up!"

Their eyes darkened as they spoke, an unspoken confidence growing between them.

It wasn't arrogance. The Shadow Beasts—the strongest armed force of the mafia—had been wiped out by the Phantom Troupe. Nobunaga and the others had every reason to feel confident.

Chrollo, having listened, stayed silent, mulling over the situation before glancing at Machi, who seemed troubled.

"Machi, what does your sixth sense say?"

Chrollo barely acknowledged the gangsters. But, given Machi's sense for danger, her opinion was worth noting.

Despite the Shadow Beasts' defeat, the Ten Dons still had deep pockets. They could easily hire the world's top assassins to challenge the Troupe. 

So as Chrollo consulted Machi, a thought crossed his mind. Should I hire someone to eliminate the Ten Dons? But the only ones who'd even consider taking that order are the Zoldycks...

"No, I don't sense anything unusual," Machi replied, frowning after a moment's consideration.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Nobunaga jumped up, his impatience showing.

"Can't let Uvogin keep bleeding out!"

Seeing Machi's silence as an agreement, Chrollo nodded.

"Go ahead—but be cautious."

"No problem!"

Nobunaga smirked, then turned his gaze to Ronnel, standing nearby.

"Ronnel, any thoughts on what we should do next?"

From prior experiences, Nobunaga had started to see both Ronnel and Shalnark as the brains of the Troupe. Among the members present, it was clear that Phinks wasn't a strategist, and Feitan didn't believe any plan was better than his blade. Pakunoda had some experience, but her strengths lay elsewhere. As for Machi, her focus was more on earning money.

So, aside from Chrollo, Ronnel stood out as the group's most insightful thinker.

"What's next?" Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Ronnel thought for a moment before smiling.

"Simple. Since the Nostrade family kidnapped Uvogin, he's likely stashed at one of their properties. We can find out by tracking their check-ins."

"Then, we just need to consider if they've received any intel that we're coming."

"If they have, they'll set a trap, and we'll deal with them on their own turf. It's likely someone from the Nostrade family will be around, so a quick interrogation should reveal their intentions."

"If they haven't... even better. We'll have Phinks, who's unknown to them, take the lead. We can pretend he's from the mafia HQ sent to retrieve Uvogin, gain their trust, and make our move when the time's right."

"So," Ronnel concluded, "my suggestion is to impersonate gangsters going to pick up Uvogin and wait for the right moment. Whether it's an ambush or a face-to-face with him, there's no downside."

Everyone considered Ronnel's plan, nodding in agreement after a moment, surprised by how reliable he seemed.

"Alright, then," Nobunaga grinned, "we'll go with Ronnel's plan!"

"Should I lead the way? Haha, no problem at all!" Phinks laughed, eager to get moving.

With the group's action plan set, Phinks prepared to step up. Joining him were Nobunaga, Ronnel (who might have to handle any ambush cleanup), Machi (in case Uvogin needed patching up), and Shalnark (who stayed outside as their backup). It was a solid lineup.

After Phinks and Shalnark wrapped up their call, the group vanished into the early morning light, leaving the quiet building behind.

Before they knew it, dawn had come, marking the start of a new day on September 2nd. The chaos that would consume Yorknew City was just beginning.

Meanwhile, across town~

In a high-end hotel owned by the Nostrade family...

"The Salvatore brothers haven't returned?"

Leiert lounged on the top floor, watching the sunrise with a frown.

"That's correct," replied his elderly attendant, voice trembling with barely hidden panic. "None of the mafia members who went to handle the thieves at the underground auction survived. Even the guests who attended... none made it back."

"And the Shadow Beasts who pursued them? Completely wiped out as well!"

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