The Strongest Assassin of the Zoldyck Family!

Ron offered Machi some guidance. He had always suspected that Machi had wasted part of her talent on the Phantom Troupe. Now he was sure of it. If not for the Troupe, Machi's strength would not be where it was now. Her potential was greater, but years spent in a healer and support role had caused her to develop all her Nen abilities in that direction. Yet this might not have been what suited her best.

Her core concept—thread—had already become fixed, and altering such a fundamental part of her Nen was no simple task. However, Ron remembered others who had used thread effectively. There was Doflamingo from the world of One Piece, and Lubbock from Akame ga Kill. These figures could serve as inspiration.

Still, Ron could only offer references. The rest would depend on Machi herself.

"Rebuilding my Nen from the ground up, huh," Machi murmured. She lowered her head and looked down at her hands. "I understand."

Ron nodded slightly. "No need to rush. Take your time. Restructure it in the direction that feels right for you."

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Meanwhile, Kurapika remained at Neon's side.

After Dalzollene's death, Kurapika had been made the temporary leader of their team. No one objected. After all, Uvogin's overwhelming strength had shocked everyone, and Kurapika had managed to restrain him with chains. That feat alone commanded respect. In the world of Nen users, things could be complex, but sometimes they were simple—whoever was stronger, made the rules.

Kurapika had no idea what was going on outside with the Phantom Troupe, the bio-experiment squad, or Ron. All he knew was that Uvogin, whom he had caught with great difficulty, had escaped. And still, there was no word from Hisoka.

Kurapika clenched his fists in frustration. "Did the Phantom Troupe already leave?" he muttered. "Damn it. I waited so long for this chance. If they're gone, it'll be even harder to find them next time. And now they might be on guard against me."

He pulled out his phone. Several text messages had been sent to Hisoka, but there had been no replies.

Suddenly, a notification popped up.

Kurapika's eyes widened. It was a message from Hisoka.

"The Phantom Troupe was attacked. Two members are dead. More attacks are likely. They're planning to cause chaos at the auction. You can strike then."

After sending the message to Kurapika, Hisoka messaged Ron as well.

"Ron, why did you save the Phantom Troupe?"

Ron glanced at Machi across from him. Without showing any reaction, he pulled out his phone and typed a reply. "It was part of my deal with Machi."

"Why didn't you wait?" Hisoka narrowed his eyes as he stared at the screen.

Even if Ron had made a deal, he could have waited before taking action. In Hisoka's mind, that would've benefited both of them. The Phantom Troupe would have been worn down by the bio-experiment squad, and Ron could have stepped in later with less risk and effort. And for Hisoka, fewer survivors meant a better chance to isolate Chrollo for a one-on-one.

Ron's response came quickly. "Because I need the Troupe to remain intact."

That answer gave Hisoka pause. He frowned, then asked, "Is that person really that strong?"

Ron replied, "Very strong."

Hisoka's fingers hovered over the screen. "If I go all out, do I have a chance of killing him?"

"There's a chance."

"How likely?"

"That depends on the circumstances," Ron typed. "If he underestimates you, maybe ten or twenty percent."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then there's no chance at all."

Hisoka stared at the screen silently. After a long pause, he typed again. "How does his strength compare to Netero's?"

"Netero is stronger. But not by much."

"When is he arriving?"

"He's already on the way. Shouldn't be long," Ron replied. Then, after a pause, he added, "Hisoka, because we've done business before, I'll give you a warning—don't go into battle thinking you can kill him."

"...I understand. Thanks."

On the other side of the room, Chrollo had been watching Hisoka's expression. "What is it, Hisoka?" he asked.

"The Underworld Mafia is sending more people."

"How many? How strong?"

Everyone's attention shifted to them. The bio-experiment squad had already caused serious casualties. If Ron hadn't shown up, their losses would have been much worse.

Now the Mafia was sending reinforcements. What would happen next?

"I don't know," Hisoka said, shaking his head. He didn't provide further details.

Chrollo narrowed his eyes. "So even your informant isn't sure. But if they're sending more after the last group was wiped out, the new arrivals are likely stronger."

Still, something about it didn't make sense. Why did the Underworld Mafia have so many powerful assets? That wasn't what their previous intel had suggested.

Chrollo had believed that, with the strength of the Phantom Troupe and Meteor Street, they were already more than capable of avenging themselves. But now, it was clear the Mafia had been hiding strength far beyond expectations. And if the Mafia was like this, what about the other forces outside the city? The major nations? The V5?

He took a breath and admitted to himself, "I thought the Troupe was already strong enough. But I was too confident. The outside world is far more vast and dangerous than I imagined. If I want to change Meteor Street's fate, I'll need much greater strength."

A sense of uncertainty and urgency settled in his heart.

Feitan stepped forward. "Boss, should we move into the city?"

His suggestion was simple. If the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, then they should shift the fight to an environment where that power could be limited—Yorknew's urban area. The Underworld Mafia would likely avoid large-scale destruction and civilian casualties, whereas the Phantom Troupe had no such reservations.

Chrollo nodded. "We'll head for the city. That's where we'll fight next."