While Kurapika was in high spirits, having avenged his fallen people, things were much darker elsewhere. The Phantom Troupe had gathered in an abandoned building, the air heavy with unease.
"So... Uvogin was captured." Chrollo sat in the dimly lit room, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across his face. He was deep in thought, his fingers gently tapping against the surface of the table.
The report had come in from Shalnark, Uvogin had been taken.m
But Chrollo wasn't panicking. In fact, he wasn't even particularly concerned.
Even if Uvogin had been captured, the idea that he would be killed so easily was unlikely.mHis analysis was logical.
First, Uvogin's raw physical toughness made him nearly impossible to kill under normal circumstances. In the past, even a high-level Enhancer like Franklin had failed to put a scratch on him. Even Uvogin's own recklessness couldn't have gotten him killed so soon.
Second, the Mafia wouldn't want to kill him immediately. As one of the main figures responsible for the massacre at the underground auction, it was far more beneficial to keep him alive and hand him over to the Ten Dons. Killing him outright would be a waste of valuable leverage.
And finally, there was the most important factor, his comrades. The Phantom Troupe never abandoned their own. No matter what situation Uvogin was in, the others would find a way to rescue him.
Chrollo's reasoning was sound. His analysis was flawless. And in the original timeline, he would have been right.
But this time…
This time, Larry had changed everything.
Time Passed, in a quiet room somewhere in Yorknew City, Shalnark was frantically typing away on the computer, his hands moving so fast they seemed to blur.
Meanwhile, Machi leaned against the wall, gazing down the street where neon lights flickered in the night. Even though it was late, the auction's chaos had brought mafia out in full force, patrolling the city in cars.
The moonlight cast a cool glow on Machi's face, revealing a deep sadness in her eyes.
Everyone trusted the leader's analysis, believing that Uvogin's life wasn't in danger. But Machi had a nagging feeling, a sixth sense telling her that something terrible had happened to Uvogin.
'Probably dead,' she thought silently.
They were struggling with a lack of tangible information. Since Dalzollene hadn't reported to the ten Don, leaving Shalnark with no clear leads on the chainman's identity.
All he could ascertain was that the chainman likely belonged to one of the numerous mafia families in Yorknew City. This was a daunting task, as mafia from all six continents had gathered there.
Despite these challenges, Shalnark meticulously investigated each possible lead. He focused on families who had sent members to the Desert around the time Uvogin was captured and during their hot air balloon trip.
There were over a dozen families on the list, big and small. The best Shalnark could do was narrow it down to this point, knowing the next step involved approaching each suspect family directly.
Among these was the Nostrade family.
As dawn broke, casting a gentle light over the horizon, Shalnark had compiled a complete list of suspects.
Chrollo, instructed the members to pair up and visit the families to track down Uvogin's whereabouts. The groups of two were as much for safety as efficiency, considering they might encounter hidden threats.
In reality, with other members like Kortopi and Pakunoda needed to guard Chrollo, the brigade split into just four groups. Every mafia family owned multiple properties, and their lower-ranking members often lacked useful information, requiring visits to several locations.
Meanwhile, at the hotel where Kurapika and others stayed, Dalzollene looked skeptical. "Are you saying the auction will still go on?" he asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
Larry didn't expect the old man to still go ahead with the auction amidst all the chaos.
"Yes, this is a decision from those at the top," Light Nostrade said, flicking his cigarette butt into the ashtray with calm resolve. "The auction is crucial for maintaining the mafia' reputation across the world. Having it disrupted would be a huge insult, so of course, it must go on."
But Dalzollene struggled to rationalize it, considering how notorious their adversaries, the "Phantom Troupe."
No one in the entire family could handle such threats, except for Larry sitting nonchalantly on the sofa beside him.
Light Nostrade appreciated Larry's presence, offering a sincere, "Thank you for deciding to stay with us, Mr. Larry. We're honored." But Larry, barely paying attention, brushed it off modestly, more interested in some Pokémon details.
Meanwhile, Light Nostrade noticed his daughter Neon's curious glances toward Larry. A plan sparked in his mind. Imagining Larry as a son-in-law, Light Nostrade dreamt of rising even beyond the rank of a mere Ten Dons, envisioning influence over the entire world.
Lost in his optimistic daydreams, Light Nostrade soon grounded himself, turning back to Dalzollene. "This time, we're leaving the heavy lifting to the professionals," he explained. "The Ten Don have invested heavily to ensure the 'Phantom Troupe' is handled."
Dalzollene seemed to have an epiphany, his eyes widening slightly as he pondered aloud, "Could it be..."
Light Nostrade, lighting another cigarette with a laid-back demeanor, casually confirmed, "Yes, the ten elders have called in the world's top assassins to deal with them. They even brought in two people, including the current head of the family."
The day slipped by, with progress only beginning in the twilight hours when the Phantom Troupe finally made their move.
Nobunaga cornered a hefty, bald man in one of the Nostrade family's properties in Yorknew. Pressing his long, gleaming knife to the man's throat, he demanded answers, his voice filled with an edge of menace.
The man, clearly petrified, stammered out, "I really don't know! Our family head is just trying to climb the ranks using his daughter's abilities. Why would we bother you?"
With cold sweat trickling down his face, he babbled on, his whole body shaking with fear.
Nobunaga pushed for information, pressing harder with his weapon. In a desperate bid to save himself, the man blurted out about a chain-wielding bodyguard he'd heard about recently.
Nobunaga's expression shifted to a pleased surprise, finally scenting the trail of their quarry after a long search.
The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically when the bald man mentioned that someone had been killed right after being caught.
He struggled to get the words out, like they were stuck in his throat, leaving Nobunaga standing there in shock, his expression freezing like he just got a glimpse of something terrible.
The room turned painfully silent, the knight behind Nobunaga no longer wore his usual relaxed smile.
Instead, his eyes only revealed dread. It was like Machi's forebodings had finally come to pass. The tension was thick, and the bald man, knowing he had shared everything he knew, pleaded for his life, hoping for mercy.
SWOSH!!
In a flash, the room was filled with the blinding glare of a slashing blade. A headless, bloodied corpse replacing the man who had been talking just a moment ago.
"Damn it!" Nobunaga's eyes, filled with rage, were bloodshot as he kept hacking at the lifeless body.
Meanwhile, Shalnark turned away from the gruesome sight, pulling out his phone to report this grim development to their leader.