Compared to before, everyone's expressions had grown noticeably more solemn. If, earlier on, they had resembled fanatics driven by chaos, theft, and slaughter, now their faces were marked by gravity—and laced with a faint trace of grief.
Beside them was a massive pile of construction waste, with no one else around. Shalnark, Chrollo, and Pakunoda sat together, and a crushed soda can rolled down from the heap, stopping at Phink's feet. He lifted his leg and stomped it flat. Feitan leaned against the wall, eyes closed in rest. Nobunaga, Uvogin, and Machi were gathered on the other side, Machi crouched on a rock, idly playing with a stone. Bonolenov and Hooker sat in silence. Franklin sat apart from the rest.
Chrollo hesitated, then took out a videotape—"The Clean-Up Warrior Bobo", a heavily modified children's program themed around environmental protection and hygiene. It was the same tape they had once planned to dub alongside Sarasa. The moment Chrollo revealed it, everyone's eyes were drawn to it. Then came a long silence. Their expressions slowly filled with sorrow and fury.
"We've been investigating Sarasa's death for years," Chrollo finally said, his voice steady yet heavy, "but unfortunately, even now, we haven't found the person who killed her."
"Maybe the killer is still hiding."
"Maybe they're already dead."
"Maybe they know we're looking for them."
"But as long as I'm alive, I won't stop."
"As long as there's even a sliver of possibility to avenge Sarasa, I won't give up."
"Just like Sheila."
"The Kurta Clan massacre last time—most likely that was Sheila's design."
"Back then, when Sarasa's body was found, only the eyes were missing."
"Sheila probably thought the murderer would also be interested in the Kurta's eyes. The people of Kakin, the men from Mingbo, and us from Meteor City—we were all pieces in Sheila's plan."
"But that actually made me happy."
"At the very least, Sheila didn't forget Sarasa."
"She just chose a different path from ours."
"At least, during that incident, many who hunted the Kurta for their eyes died."
"Now Sheila is dead."
"All that's left is us."
Chrollo looked up at everyone.
"The attack on the auction house and the seizure of auction items—it's all for Meteor City."
"The more feared we are, the less likely tragedies like that one will happen again."
"I believe... that's something Sarasa would have wanted to see."
"But that was only the first thing I wanted to do."
"The second... is revenge."
"Even before Sarasa's death, children were already disappearing mysteriously in Meteor City."
"It was human trafficking—targeting us."
"The cruel irony is—everything in Meteor City was abandoned by them, considered trash. Yet they still want to extract value from that same trash."
"Those Elders—colluding with them."
"Through all our years of investigation, one thing became clear: the group most heavily involved in trafficking children from Meteor City was the Underworld Mafia."
"Almost eighty percent of child disappearances were linked to them."
"Some of them were turned into their enforcers."
"Some were sold again."
"Some... were used as experimental material."
"Hooker once mentioned it to me. The Underworld Mafia had a massive biological lab where all sorts of inhuman experiments were conducted. And the test subjects likely came from Meteor City."
"If there had been no trafficking, Sarasa might still be alive."
"We might not have become what we are now."
"If the Underworld Mafia didn't exist, there would be no trafficking. That's why, in this operation, I hope we can inflict as much damage as possible on the Underworld Mafia."
"This is revenge."
"I've also hired members of the Zoldyck family. I commissioned them to eliminate the Ten Dons of the Underworld Mafia. If everything goes smoothly, then I believe this operation will be truly meaningful."
"But this won't be easy."
"This is the first time we've declared war on such a massive external force."
"No one can say what might happen. There may be things hidden within the Underworld Mafia we don't yet know."
"But we have to act."
"I hope you can understand me—and support me."
"Please."
At this moment, Chrollo bore no resemblance to the public image he now projected. He seemed more like the boy he had been before the Phantom Troupe was ever formed.
No one spoke. Silence settled over them.
Chrollo lowered his head.
After a long time, footsteps rang out.
Uvogin stepped forward, one step at a time, until he stood before Chrollo. He placed a hand firmly on Chrollo's shoulder.
"Chrollo, I believe in you. Just like I did back then. You've done well. I'll always believe in you. Even if it costs me my life, I don't care."
"Your will is my will."
"For Meteor City."
"For Sarasa."
At this moment, Uvogin's faith in Chrollo was the same as it had been when they were young. Truthfully, without Uvogin's support back then, Chrollo might not have become the Troupe's leader—it could have been someone else.
On the surface, Uvogin was brash and impatient, but in reality, he was someone who thought deeply and was often sentimental. Once he made a decision, he would stand by it with unwavering resolve. Nobunaga's trust in Uvogin was not just because they had been childhood friends, but also because of his character.
The reason Nobunaga admired Gon so much was that some of Gon's qualities reminded him a great deal of Uvogin.
There were many Enhancement-type users—but even within the same category, differences existed. Nobunaga himself was an Enhancer, as were Wing, Netero, and Phinks, yet all had very different personalities.
Pakunoda stepped forward and placed a hand on Chrollo's other shoulder. "Chrollo, I trust you with my life."
"For Meteor City."
"For Sarasa."
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