Note: I will Try to update everyday so I hope you support the story on Patreon.com/flokixy
"Follow me."
Envy once again glanced at Phrôde, then turned and led Illumi and Phrôde out of the church hall, along the corridor and deeper into the church.
Along the way, Envy pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Gather everyone immediately."
"Yes, Elder."
A serious voice came from the other end of the phone. It was Envy's subordinate.
Passing through a continuous corridor, and then through a complex of buildings, the three finally arrived at a mansion.
"This is my territory. Without my permission, no one will enter."
Envy, in Dusana's form, introduced the place to Illumi and Phrôde. As one of Meteor City's elders, Dusana owned considerable property and land.
"Open the door."
"Yes."
At the entrance, two guards saw it was Dusana and immediately opened the large door. The three Envy entered, passed through the living room and corridor, and arrived at a spacious courtyard.
As soon as the three Envy stepped into the courtyard, a burly man dressed in a black T-shirt and black straight trousers with combat boots came forward to greet them.
"Elder, all one hundred and twenty people have been gathered."
He first glanced at Illumi and Phrôde beside Envy, then nodded to Envy.
Envy nodded to him, then turned to Illumi. "There are a total of one hundred and twenty people here, none older than fifteen years old."
Illumi walked past the man in black and reached the center of the courtyard, where three formations stood. Each formation had forty youths of varying heights.
"The first batch, this number is roughly the limit."
Illumi observed the youths in these three formations. Some looked at Illumi with excited eyes, others with fear, and some with confusion.
Their stances were lax, and their formations were crooked. Presumably, these formations were only temporary, assembled just to make it easier for Illumi to inspect them.
Illumi stood before them. These youths instinctively felt a sense of oppression, and their breathing became faint.
"The people of Meteor City, their survival instincts are extraordinary."
Illumi watched the youths who were adjusting their breathing. They instinctively felt threatened, wanting to reduce their presence to a minimum, much like animals.
"One hundred and twenty people, that's already my limit."
"In fact, some people in the Elder Council are already suspicious of me."
Envy and Phrôde came to Illumi's side, looking at the people in front of them, and said.
"It doesn't matter. Meteor City is just the first step."
"After the first batch of training is over, we won't be limited to Meteor City."
"By then, orphans in slums worldwide can be our blood source."
After observing these youths, Illumi turned and walked back the way they came. After leaving the courtyard, he instructed Envy.
"Go call that nun and have her take me to the area where the girl Machi is."
"As for you, you need to appear in a different way."
Envy heard this and showed a sinister smile; he probably guessed Illumi's plan.
"Oh, right, get these people ready."
"Once Machi gets in the car, we can leave immediately."
Illumi instructed. Envy nodded, pulled out his phone, and ordered his subordinates to prepare the car and wait in it in advance.
Illumi's intention was that once they tricked Machi, they would immediately depart.
Giving the Troupe no time to react. By then, even if Machi discovered their true identities, it would be too late.
While Machi's bond with the Troupe members wasn't as deep as it would be in the future, and she hadn't experienced so much life-and-death struggle, Illumi still had a chance to turn her into one of his own.
"Thump, thump..."
Crisp footsteps echoed in the church corridor. The nun from before, led by a guard, approached Illumi and his two companions.
"Elder."
The nun slightly bowed to Envy, who was in Dusana's form. When she looked up, she subtly glanced at Illumi and Phrôde.
"Take us to the area where that girl is."
"Yes."
The nun nodded, then followed Envy and his two companions out of the church and into a car, sitting in the passenger seat to give Envy directions.
Ten minutes. This was the time it took to drive from the church to the town where Machi and her companions lived.
Though called a town, it was actually just a long street, and the trash around the street had mostly been cleared, with only a few trash piles remaining.
"It's here, Elder."
The nun turned to Dusana. She only knew that the girl lived on this street, but not her exact location.
"Wait here. They will definitely appear."
Illumi instructed. Since this was their residence, they only needed to wait patiently.
"You can go back."
Envy ordered the nun. The nun respectfully nodded, got out of the car, and slowly walked back towards the church. As she left, she looked back at the car, a bit puzzled.
The Elder directly told her to go back instead of having her stay here to identify the girl. Did the other two people in the car know the purple-haired girl?
"After we find her, what do we do?"
Envy looked at Illumi in the rearview mirror and asked.
"Next, you will take on this person's appearance."
In the rearview mirror, Envy saw a white light sweep across Illumi's body from bottom to top, transforming him into a blonde girl with shoulder-length hair, precisely the appearance of Pakunoda.
"Also, remember the appearance of these people."
White light continuously flickered around Illumi's body, transforming him one by one into the appearances of Franklin, Nobunaga, Uvogin, Feitan, and others.
"My favorite method."
Envy showed a sinister smile, and a flash of white light enveloped his body, also transforming him into Pakunoda's appearance. But it was only for an instant before he reverted to his original form.
Machi hadn't appeared yet, so it wasn't time to transform.
Time ticked by, minute by minute, and the sky over Meteor City gradually darkened.
"They're here."
Finally, after three hours of waiting, a purple-haired girl wearing a white long shirt, purple tights, and straw sandals walked down the street.
She held a book in her hand and carried a drawstring bag on her back, walking expressionlessly down the street.
"She's alone now. Let's lure her into the car first."
As Illumi spoke, he had already transformed into the image of young Kuroro, while Envy had taken on the appearance of Pakunoda.
"Click..."
Illumi pushed open the car door and stepped out. Machi, walking on the street, seemed to sense something, stopped, and turned her head.
"Kuroro."
Machi looked at the figure walking towards her, her eyelids lowered, and asked. "What's wrong? Is there something?"
"Just a small matter I need to discuss with you, Machi."
Illumi, in Kuroro's form, said softly to her.
"Just say what it is."
"It's not convenient to talk here. Come to the car."
Illumi turned and walked towards the black car. Machi followed without any suspicion. At this time, she had not yet encountered the concept of Nen abilities.
"Pakunoda is there too."
Machi followed Illumi to the car and immediately saw Pakunoda sitting in the driver's seat.
"Machi."
Envy, in Pakunoda's form, waved at her, greeting her with a smile.
Machi looked between the two of them with suspicion, then pulled the door open and got into the car.
"Vroom..."
After Machi got into the car, Envy immediately started the car and drove off into the distance.
At the end of the street, a small, black figure appeared. He looked at the departing black car, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Strange, didn't Kuroro go to investigate that elder?"
"Why did he suddenly appear here and take Machi away?"
At this moment, inside the black car.
"What, aren't you going to tell me what's going on?"
Machi's gaze swept back and forth between Kuroro and Pakunoda, glancing at Phrôde sitting to her right and Kuroro sitting to her left.
"There's clearly another seat in front, why do you have to sit beside me?"
Machi stared at Illumi suspiciously, her tone cold.
"Don't mind such small matters, Machi."
Illumi, in Kuroro's form, chuckled softly, looking at Machi and saying gently.
"I called you here to tell you."
"We are going to leave Meteor City."
Machi raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion in her eyes, and asked. "How do we leave Meteor City? Where can we go after leaving Meteor City?"
"And what about Feitan, Uvogin, Nobunaga, Franklin?"
"They have already prepared everything and are waiting for us ahead. Once you arrive, we can depart."
As he spoke, Illumi activated his ability. A wisp of red aura emerged from his fingertip, coiling like a snake and entering Machi's ear.
"Is... is that so?"
Machi had been skeptical, but under the influence of Illumi's ability, she frowned and accepted the explanation.
"Then who is he?"
Machi turned to look at Phrôde, who was sitting to her right, and asked in confusion.
"I am Phrôde, your future companion."
Phrôde introduced himself with a polite smile. A hint of suspicion once again arose in Machi's heart.
Because Phrôde's attire was nothing like that of someone from Meteor City, and his tone and behavior were like an elite raised by an aristocratic family in the outside world.
Furthermore, Kuroro spent every day with everyone else. When did he meet someone like this?
"Hiss..."
At this moment, another wisp of red aura entered her mind, causing the trace of suspicion that had just arisen in her to sink back into her heart.
"She felt suspicion just from Phrôde's attire and demeanor."
"The people of Meteor City are truly cautious."
Illumi narrowed his eyes, looking at Machi's fair face, his heart filled with emotion.
Illumi and his companions rode the car all the way to the outermost edge of Meteor City. There, a large bus was already waiting, its windows completely covered by curtains.
"I'll go inform them."
Envy, in Pakunoda's form, said to Machi and Illumi, then pushed open the door, got out, and boarded the bus.
"Machi..."
Machi heard someone call her name and looked towards the bus. Nobunaga was standing by the bus door, waving at her.
Suddenly, Nobunaga, who was waving, retreated into the bus. Uvogin appeared again, followed by Feitan and Franklin.
"Aren't we going over?"
Machi looked at Illumi and asked.
"No need, we'll just take this car."
Illumi chuckled softly, then got out of the car, went to the driver's seat, and started the car.
Seeing her companions, Machi's suspicion had vanished.
"That's good too; I'm too lazy to see them acting foolish."
After Illumi left, Machi stretched her body, then sat by the window, resting her elbows on the windowsill, lost in thought.
The car and the bus departed simultaneously, heading towards Blanka City, a southern border city in the Edimea Union.
Meteor City, in the town where Kuroro and his companions lived.
It was now 9:30 PM. Inside a room, a group of people sat, their expressions grave.
"You're saying, I was the one who took Machi away, and then even rode in a car with her?"
"Ah, absolutely true."
Feitan, dressed in black, stood in the center of the room, his narrow eyes squinted, his voice deep.
"I definitely didn't see wrong. Although the clothes he wore were different from yours today, that was definitely your appearance."
"Machi got into the car with him without any suspicion."
Feitan's words made everyone in the room, except Kuroro, look grim.
"Someone disguised themselves as Kuroro and tricked Machi away!"
Nobunaga's brows were tightly furrowed, his hands clenched into fists, clearly showing his extreme anger at the moment.
"No, Machi's vigilance is quite high."
"Just a disguise, it's impossible to fool Machi," Pakunoda retorted. She had spent the most time with Machi and understood her personality very well.
"Perhaps it was someone with exceptionally skillful disguise techniques?"
Franklin also rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
"Are you doubting my eyes?"
"I said it was Kuroro, so it must have been Kuroro," Feitan said, his gaze sweeping across the four, his tone displeased.
"Then explain, why would there be a fake Kuroro?"
Nobunaga's eyes were fixed on Feitan, and Feitan also glared back at him. The two looked as if they were about to start a fight.
"The main problem now is..."
Just as the two were about to start fighting, Kuroro spoke, his voice still calm.
"Why would someone target Machi, and how did he manage to take on my appearance?"
Kuroro's words made the six people in the room fall silent again, pondering these two questions.
"Could it be that someone has superpowers?"
Uvogin, who had been silent all this time, now spoke with a half-smile, half-joke.
"Superpowers!"
Kuroro, who had been deep in thought, heard Uvogin's words. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he instantly looked up, staring at Uvogin.
"Uh, what's wrong?"
Uvogin looked at Kuroro, who was staring intently at him with a serious face, and instinctively scratched the back of his head.
"Perhaps, someone really does possess special abilities?"
Feitan also looked at Uvogin. He was very confident in his eyesight, believing it must have been Kuroro.
However, Kuroro then said he hadn't done such a thing, which greatly annoyed him.
But if everything was attributed to legendary special abilities, then it would make sense.
The other three also turned their gaze to Uvogin, their faces extremely serious.
"I once heard from someone in the Elder Council about a special ability."
At this moment, Kuroro suddenly stood up, looking around at everyone, and said.
"A special ability that inherently exists within everyone's body, born from the heart."
"Nen!"
🚨 Note : Consider to Support this Story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access +200 advance Chapters and To Support The Daily Update