Two days later, in the Kureto region of the Bartochia Republic.
A remote border town was hidden among the mountains in the northeast corner of the continent. Its name could not be found on any map, and even the locals rarely knew of its existence.
The town was small, with only one main street. On both sides of the street stood low stone houses with moss-covered roofs.
A few kilometers outside the town, a manor stood alone in the valley. A grey wall enclosed a large expanse of land, isolating it from the rest of the world.
Since early morning, black sedans had been driving into the manor one after another.
The vehicles arrived from all directions, with license plates from different cities. Their windows were covered in dark tint, making it impossible to see who was sitting inside.
The cars pulled into the inner courtyard of the manor. As the doors opened, men in suits stepped out, their expressions grave and their steps hurried. Without any pleasantries or small talk, they headed straight for the main building.
On a cliff eight hundred meters away, Leo and Kalluto stood side by side.
The mountain wind blew up from the valley floor, carrying the scent of soil and pine resin.
Leo narrowed his eyes, his gaze piercing through the eight-hundred-meter distance to land on the vehicles parking in the manor's inner courtyard.
His "Gyo" (Nen Ability) was constantly active. He could clearly see the license plate of every car, the face of every person who stepped out, and even the bulges at their waists.
"There are over four hundred people inside the manor."
His voice was calm.
"Each of the Ten Dons has brought over sixty subordinates."
Kalluto held up binoculars, his eyes shifting slightly behind the lenses.
He watched for a moment, lowered the binoculars, and turned to look at Leo.
"That's quite a few people. Should we just slaughter our way in?"
Leo nodded.
"Yeah, let's just head over."
He didn't care even if there was an ambush inside.
He could now ignore most firearms; bullets hitting his body felt less significant than a scratch.
As for Nen Users—he didn't believe any powerful Nen User would be willing to risk their life for this group of mob bosses.
Those with real strength wouldn't be content acting as someone else's dog.
Having lost their greatest reliance, the Shadow Beasts, the Ten Dons were just toothless tigers that could only intimidate others.
He took a step and headed down the mountain.
Kalluto put away the binoculars and followed behind him.
The sound of their footsteps echoed softly against the rocks, quickly scattered by the wind.
On the second floor of the manor, in the conference hall.
The long table was custom-made from the Kakin Empire, its mahogany surface polished to a mirror finish.
Seven people sat around the table, with at least two bodyguards standing behind each of them.
The curtains were drawn tightly, and the crystal chandelier was lit, illuminating the entire room like daylight.
Yet the atmosphere was more stifling than the overcast weather outside.
The old man sitting at the head of the table had a head of white hair and many wrinkles on his face.
His name was William. He was the most senior among the Ten Dons, having sat in that position for thirty years.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. The sound wasn't loud, but it made everyone go quiet.
"Everyone."
The other six looked at him in unison.
William's gaze swept across each person's face.
He saw exhaustion, fear, and the despair of being backed into a corner with nowhere to run.
In their eyes, the sharp spirit of the past was gone.
"I know what you are all worried about."
His voice was hoarse but steady.
"You are worried that the Colton Family and Leo will retaliate against everyone."
The man sitting in the third seat to his right spoke up immediately, his voice rushed and shrill, as if he had been holding it in for a long time.
"Exactly! We have used many methods to prevent the Colton Family from taking a seat among the Ten Dons, but that bitch climbed up to a high-ranking official in the V5, causing all our overt official methods to become unusable."
"After Colton took a seat among the Ten Dons, we couldn't even assassinate her."
As fellow Ten Dons, they had to abide by the rules they had established initially: the supreme leaders of the underworld could not kill each other.
This was an iron law. No matter how fiercely their subordinates fought, they, as the Ten Dons, must remain harmonious.
"We failed to complete Lord Liam's orders, and the Shadow Beasts we sent out were wiped out. What should we do next?"
The others chimed in one after another, their voices rising and falling.
"Blake and the other three are all dead. We aren't much stronger than them."
"That madman Leo—even the Shadow Beasts couldn't stop him. What can we use to block him?"
"I haven't closed my eyes for days. Every time I shut them, I see Blake coming for me..."
William listened quietly, his expression unchanging.
They hadn't slept peacefully for days.
Ever since the news of the deaths of Blake, Nolan, and Gavin spread, these six people had been like ants on a hot pan, restless and anxious.
They sent people everywhere to gather information, paid exorbitant sums for bodyguards, and some even sent their wives and children to secret safe houses.
But none of these measures could make them feel safe.
When William sent word to discuss countermeasures in secret, they all came, not a single one missing.
No one dared not to come, and no one dared to be alone at this time.
William turned his gaze away from those anxious faces and landed on his own reflection on the table.
This group of people had sat in these positions for too long.
Long enough to forget how they got these positions, and long enough to forget what kind of courage and tactics were needed to sit in them.
They only knew how to collect money, split the loot, and issue orders from safe places.
Once real danger arrived, they were like a flock of sheep targeted by wolves, only knowing how to huddle together and tremble.
They had lost their grit.
William lowered his eyelids, his fingers tightening slightly under the table.
Two days ago, Lord Liam had informed him that the higher-ups were aware of the Colton Family issue and had hired professionals to solve it.
He was told to gather the remaining ones and use them as bait to lure Leo over.
As for the rest, they wouldn't be needed anymore.
When William learned of this, he understood.
The seven of them had become abandoned pawns.
But he couldn't refuse; the price of refusal was worse than death.
He looked up, and a calm, reassuring smile reappeared on his face.
"I have hired professionals to deal with Leo. Everyone just needs to wait here in peace for the news."
The conference hall went quiet for a moment.
Then, someone spoke, their voice filled with irrepressible urgency.
"Professionals? Who?"
William was silent for a moment.
He knew that if he said it, these people would be temporarily reassured; if he didn't, they would be driven mad by fear.
"The Zoldyck Family."
These four words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.
The conference hall erupted, but not with fear—with excitement.
"The Zoldyck Family!"
Someone slapped the table, and the gloom on their face was swept away.
"Right! How did I not think of that! Just hire the Zoldycks to kill that guy named Leo!"
"That's the world's number one assassin Family; there's no one they can't kill!"
"Big Brother William is so thoughtful! Now we can rest easy!"
The six of them instantly livened up; some pulled out cigarettes and lit them, some picked up wine glasses, and some leaned back in their chairs and let out a long sigh of relief.
They began to chat about their glory days, about the underground auction to be held next month, their tones relaxed and at ease.
The fear of Leo and the wariness of the Colton Family were all thrown to the back of their minds.
William watched them, a smile on his lips, but no warmth in his eyes.
This group of people was finished.
They sat in the positions of the Ten Dons, enjoying the wealth and status brought by the highest power in the underworld, yet they had long forgotten that the foundation of these positions was piled with bones.
They thought that hiring the Zoldycks meant everything would be fine, that hiding in the manor meant they were safe, and that the world would still operate according to the rules they were familiar with.
But the rules had changed.
William picked up the wine glass in front of him and took a sip. The liquid was bitter as it slid down his throat.
If it weren't for the Colton Family going too far, he would have also wanted to replace the Ten Dons with a new batch.
Replace them with a batch of people with grit, courage, and the ability to shoulder responsibility.
Because sitting among a group of trash, he would sooner or later be dragged down with them.
Unfortunately, he no longer had any choice.
The sky outside the window had darkened.
The mountain wind blew through the manor walls, making a wailing sound.
On the mountain road eight hundred meters away, two figures were walking toward the manor.
One in white, one in a dark purple kimono.
Their pace was neither fast nor slow, as if they were taking a stroll.
The mob thugs standing guard at the high vantage point saw them. Some raised their walkie-talkies, and others tightened their grips on their guns.
Leo did not stop, and neither did Kalluto.
The manor gate was getting closer and closer.