Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

After Ronnel finished assessing the room, he turned away, suppressing the urge to confront Silva again.

The only people present who truly interested him were the father and son from the Zoldyck family.

"Is everyone here?"

As the person in charge of the assassination mission and the direct representative of the Ten Dons, a short, bald, greasy middle-aged man with a thin mustache strode to the center of the room, casting a look around.

"Not quite. Only one representative from the Nostrade Family is here," said a secretary-like figure next to him, flipping through a dossier.

"Nostrade?" Hearing the name, the bald man's expression soured, clenching his jaw.

Evidently, there was no love lost between the two.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"Apologies for our delay." Light Nostrade, a dignified and imposing man, entered the room with Kurapika, a handsome young man of sixteen by his side. Kurapika had returned to his usual calm demeanor, either masking his emotions or stowing them away once more.

"Tch!" The bald man's face twisted in displeasure upon seeing Light, turning away with a scowl before muttering a snide remark under his breath.

After Kurapika entered, his gaze swept over the members of the assassination group, pausing briefly on Silva and Zeno before moving on.

"These two are the strongest among everyone here," he thought, before continuing his survey.

Finding nothing unusual about Ronnel, he mentally placed him on the same level as the man with the hat and the opera mask and moved on.

"Everyone present is a leader in the assassination world. If anyone has any strategies for this attack on the Phantom Troupe, now's the time to share," announced the bald man. Despite his clear disdain for Nostrade, he knew business was paramount and got straight to the point.

With a clap of his hands, he signaled the start of the meeting.

After his voice fell, discussions immediately started among the gathered killers.

Alongside Ronnel, and Kurapika, there were eleven assassins in total. Four of them, veterans of the field, suggested using color code names.

The other six members scoffed. The man in the hat and the opera mask sneered openly,

"This isn't some kids' game. I prefer working alone."

Silva and Zeno exchanged looks of indifference.

"Do what you want," Zeno said coolly. "Just don't think of giving us orders. We do things our way."

Despite their detachment, the two managed to convey their keen business sense as hired assassins.

"This is the contact information for the Zoldyck family. If you need anything, call us. As colleagues, we'll offer you a 30% discount." Zeno grinned, handing out cards with only a series of numbers.

"Thirty percent off…" Ronnel murmured, pocketing the card. It reminded him of his encounter with Illumi during the Hunter Exam at the bottom of the Trap Tower when he'd asked for a discount and had been offered a meager 9.19% off.

Just then, he heard Kurapika analyzing the situation: "Since we're unfamiliar with each other, working together may hinder our effectiveness. I also prefer to work alone."

Ronnel chuckled hoarsely, adding, "Same here. I work best alone."

As the head of the operation, the bald man wisely chose not to intervene, letting the assassins organize themselves. With two members of the Zoldyck family onboard, the success of the mission seemed all but guaranteed.

Meanwhile, across town in Yorknew City, a well-known restaurant stood on a busy street corner.

"Ah~," a man, standing at 182 centimeters tall, hiccupped as he exited the restaurant, looking content.

"Now, for the next place."

Consulting his map and the magazine in his hand, he set off on his next food adventure.

"Ding-dong~"

The notification sound of a text message broke his focus.

"Huh? A message from Pe?" he muttered. "What could he want? Last I heard, he was busy with some new game development. When I asked him about Greed Island, he ignored me."

Mizaistom—better known by his online screen name, Like Computers, Snacks, and Cute Girls—opened the message with curiosity.

"It's from a friend of Pe's who's also in Yorknew City," the message read. "He's a skilled gamer. Last time you mentioned Greed Island, I was busy, but now you can get in touch with him if you want. You might learn something useful."

"Ronnel… Why does that name sound so familiar?" Mizaistom wondered, feeling as if he'd heard it somewhere before.

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