Kuroro's usually calm and calculating expression turned grim. Just reading those few words, he could sense the urgency, the sheer terror behind them.
Shalnark hadn't even written a full sentence, just enough to sound the alarm. And the explosion just now... It couldn't be anything else.
Kuroro clenched his jaw. 'Had they just lost three more comrades?'
Clinging to the slightest hope, he quickly typed out a message, trying to reach them, any of them. But deep down, he already knew.
Then something crossed his mind. He looked up sharply and called out to Silva and Zeno, who were about to turn and leave. "Wait, please, one moment."
The two assassins paused, glancing at each other before turning back to him. Zeno said nothing. Silva raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?" Silva asked. "The client's dead. We're not coming after you anymore. You're free to go."
Kuroro nodded. It was true. The Zoldycks had been hired by the Ten Dons to kill him, and he, in turn, had hired them to kill the Dons. Now that the mission was complete, both sides had no reason to continue the fight.
But Kuroro's voice was unusually firm. "I have a new target," he said, each word deliberate, his calm exterior hiding boiling rage underneath.
"I'd like to know if the Zoldyck family is willing to accept a new commission."
The fire in his eyes said everything. This wasn't just another job. This was revenge.
How long had they been in Yorknew City?
Not long, and yet, four members of the Phantom Troupe had already died.
What Kuroro didn't know was that Feitan had been killed before they even regrouped. If one counted him too, that made five.
The situation had spiraled beyond control. The massacre of the Ten Dons had been efficient, and Kuroro had assumed that, like always, the Troupe would emerge unscathed. But now, staring at the cold truth, he realized they were being hunted. And he needed to act fast.
With grim resolve, Kuroro turned to the Zoldycks, the world's most infamous assassins. He didn't hesitate. "I want to hire you for another job. To kill someone," he said flatly.
Silva raised an eyebrow, his expression cautious but curious. "Who's the target? As long as you can pay, we'll consider it."
"He's in Yorknew right now. I'm sure you've heard of him. His name is Larry."
The moment the name left Kuroro's mouth, Silva's pupils narrowed sharply. That calm, confident demeanor darkened. "You mean that Larry?" he asked, voice low. "The one from the Sky Arena?"
Before Silva could say more, Zeno, with his white beard and hunched posture, glanced over and added slowly, "The very same."
"That's him," Kuroro confirmed. "Name your price. The sooner, the better."
He was fully prepared to offer everything they'd stolen during their stay in Yorknew, every jewel, every credit, every artifact. He didn't care about treasure anymore. All that mattered was revenge.
But Silva didn't answer right away. He just stared coldly at Kuroro, then replied in a tone that left no room for negotiation. "We don't take contracts on him."
Kuroro blinked. "What?"
Silva's jaw tightened. "We don't accept anything involving Larry. Not assassinations. Not surveillance. Not even a request for information. Nothing."
Kuroro was stunned. "But isn't the Zoldyck family known for accepting any job, as long as the price is right?"
"Normally, yes," Silva said. "But Larry is the one exception."
Zeno's voice was calm, but the weight behind his words was heavy. "Our ancestor, Maha, fought him once, and lost. Badly."
That silenced Kuroro completely. His thoughts spun.
Larry had managed to defeat Maha Zoldyck? That wasn't just frightening, it was insane. What kind of monster was this man?
And for the Zoldycks to outright refuse the job…
Now it was Kuroro's turn to feel fear.
Silva and Zeno turned to leave, but halfway through, Silva paused and threw one last warning over his shoulder.
"A word of advice. Don't provoke Larry. You can challenge anyone else, but not him."
And then they were gone.
Kuroro stood there, frozen, unable to respond. His lips parted slightly, and he muttered under his breath, "No matter who it is… it can't be him…"
In a daze, he glanced back at his phone, still hoping for a reply from Shalnark. But the message thread remained empty.
That's when the final sliver of hope left him.
Shalnark always replied instantly, no matter what. He was glued to his devices, just like Pyon. Both of them had built their Nen abilities around technology.
Pyon used her ability to search for information. Shalnark used his to control others. But now, Shalnark's phone was silent.
Kuroro understood what that meant. Minutes later, every remaining member of the Phantom Troupe received a message from their leader.
"Emergency retreat. Regroup at the abandoned building."
Kuroro's priority had shifted. There would be no more confrontation. No more risks. He needed to gather whoever was left and get them out of the city immediately.
Because now, after seeing even the Zoldycks back away… Kuroro understood. Larry's strength was far greater than anything they had imagined.
Even within the infamous Zoldyck family, renowned for accepting any commission, no matter how dangerous, there was one exception. Only one individual they refused to target. Larry.
As Kuroro hurried through the alleys of Yorknew, making his way to the abandoned building, Silva's words echoed in his mind over and over.
He analyzed every sentence, every subtle shift in Silva's expression. The tension in his voice. The way Zeno's tone dropped when he mentioned Larry. None of it was casual.
And the more Kuroro thought about it, the more disturbing the picture became.
Larry wasn't just strong, he was untouchable. For the Zoldycks to refuse a job, something catastrophic must have happened in the past.
Perhaps someone once tried to take Larry down and paid the price. A price so high that it became an unspoken rule among the Zoldycks: don't touch Larry, ever.
If what Silva said was true, if Larry was truly the only target their entire family unanimously rejected, it wasn't just about danger. It was about fear. Respect. Survival.
Kuroro's thoughts grew darker. 'Could Larry be stronger than Netero, the president of the Hunter Association?'
The idea sounded insane... but so did everything else about this man.
The deeper he analyzed, the more his unease grew. Larry's strength had to have exceeded the Zoldyck family's limits. And the only reason they would acknowledge that was if they had seen it themselves, if someone in their family had already crossed paths with him... and failed.
A chilling realization set in. 'Larry might already be the strongest.' And now, the Phantom Troupe was staring straight into the abyss.
They were facing an enemy beyond reason, and even the slightest misstep could lead to complete annihilation.