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...
"W-What do you mean?" Kurapika asked, bewildered, staring at his phone after the abrupt disconnection.
"What's wrong?" His teammates, alerted by his phone conversation and his unusual expression, inquired with concern.
Recalling Mika's words, Kurapika replied calmly, "A friend of mine from another mafia family just contacted me. He warned me to stay away."
"It seems their boss is displeased with these people's actions and intends to deploy some heavy firepower."
"I see. We should proceed with caution," Dalzollene, the team leader, advised.
As the Nostrade Family's head of security, he was well aware of the arsenal the mafia families kept hidden.
These weapons were rarely brought out into the open.
After all, they were mafia families, not a standing army.
However, if provoked, their hidden arsenals were powerful enough to wage a small war.
Faced with such firepower, even the most skilled Nen users would be reduced to ashes in an instant.
"Take cover!"
Just as Dalzollene issued the warning, a piercing sound ripped through the air, drawing everyone's attention.
"That's…!"
"A fighter jet!"
Kurapika and his teammates stared in disbelief at the jet streaking across the sky.
Such a sight was exceedingly rare.
"They even deployed a fighter jet? I've never seen anything like this before!" Dalzollene exclaimed, stunned.
Kurapika was even more shocked.
In his mind, deploying a fighter jet was far too brazen for the mafia.
Which meant… the pilot was Mika?
He even had access to a fighter jet?
Just how powerful and mysterious was he? Kurapika wondered in awe.
Meanwhile, the Phantom Troupe was equally astonished by the jet's appearance.
"Damn it! How can the mafia have a fighter jet?!" Shalnark shouted. "Uvogin, we need to retreat!"
While there was only a single jet, Shalnark was more concerned about the mafia's resolve.
If they were willing to deploy such overwhelming force so quickly, without even resorting to the Shadow Beasts, then they couldn't afford to linger.
To combat the full might of the mafia, they needed to exploit their mobility as Nen users.
And their battleground couldn't be the open desert; they needed the cover of the city.
Only then could they stand a chance against the mafia's all-out assault.
Shalnark's warning was timely, but Mika's attack was even swifter.
The jet's mounted cannons opened fire first.
The sheer power of the aircraft cannons far surpassed that of ordinary heavy machine guns. Even Uvogin, an Enhancement-type Nen user, had to exert his full strength to defend against the barrage.
Trapped on the cliff face with nowhere to escape, Shalnark and the others reinforced their defenses with Ken.
They also activated their Nen abilities, hoping to block the incoming fire.
Machi spun her Nen threads into a protective net.
Shizuku pointed her vacuum cleaner skyward.
Franklin prepared to retaliate with his Nen bullets.
Lacking Uvogin's Enhancement abilities, they could only focus on defense.
"RAAAGH!"
Uvogin roared, his body enveloped in Ken, as he braced himself against the onslaught of bullets.
A look of horror spread across the faces of the others on the cliff.
"Their bullets are infused with aura! That's not a mafia jet. It's being piloted by a Nen user!" Machi exclaimed, her Nen threads vibrating with the impact of the aura-infused bullets.
"Nobunaga, Feitan, hurry up and dig!"
Shalnark, his eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching jet, anticipated a bombing run and urged Nobunaga and Feitan to complete the tunnel they were digging.
He hoped it would provide shelter from the impending attack.
Mika, now directly above the Phantom Troupe, pressed a button with a smirk.
A missile detached from the jet and plummeted towards the ground.
"I knew my preparations would come in handy."
After transforming the fighter jet into his Nen ability in the Type-Moon world, Mika had expended all of its ammunition during his battle with Gilgamesh.
He hadn't left a single round.
Therefore, during his subsequent travels, he infiltrated the base from which the jets had been launched and had Merlin use an illusion to control the personnel.
Then, using the base's resources, Mika replenished the ammunition for both jets and even took extra supplies.
This was why he had decided to use the fighter jet in this battle.
After all, it was his favorite toy.
Whoosh!
As the missile hurtled downwards, the Phantom Troupe members scrambled towards the tunnel.
Simultaneously, Machi quickly weaved another Nen net.
BOOM!
The missile detonated, a massive explosion rocking the desert landscape.
Sitting in the cockpit, Mika watched the fiery explosion with a satisfied grin.
"When you're not at your full strength, modern technology is truly a blessing."
"I should try to infiltrate the mafia and see if I can get my hands on some more advanced fighter jets or missiles. Or perhaps even a few Poor Man's Roses..."
With that thought, Mika pulled up the jet, not bothering with a follow-up attack.
He still had use for these individuals.
"But before that..."
Remembering something important, Mika dialed Kurapika's number again.
"Hello, Mika!"
"Kurapika, those guys are the Spiders!"
"Spiders" was the code name for the Phantom Troupe.
Kurapika's eyes glowed scarlet as he heard Mika's words. He stared at the rising smoke, his hands trembling slightly.
"That missile probably didn't kill them. If you plan to do something, do it quickly."
With that, Mika hung up.
He then piloted the jet away from the scene.
After a moment of silence, Kurapika dashed into the dissipating smoke. He quickly emerged, dragging a heavily injured Uvogin, bound by chains.
He then departed with the Nostrade Family bodyguards.
...
"Whoa, was this place hit by a missile?"
The Shadow Beasts, arriving after Kurapika's departure, surveyed the blast site with curiosity.
As they prepared to search the area, a calm yet furious voice echoed from the side.
"Did you do this?"
Looking up, the Shadow Beasts were met with the sight of six figures radiating murderous intent.
Leading the group was Chrollo Lucilfer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe.
---
Chrollo Lucilfer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, sat on a boulder, his eyes filled with a chilling emptiness as he surveyed the devastation wrought by the explosion.
Around him, the other Troupe members were digging through the debris, searching for any sign of Shalnark and the others.
The moment Shalnark saw the fighter jet, he had anticipated the impending danger and immediately contacted Chrollo for backup via text message.
Thanks to his foresight, Chrollo had arrived just in time.
"Those four know nothing. The place was already like this when they arrived," Pakunoda stated, her voice devoid of emotion.
Behind her lay four corpses: the Shadow Beasts, the elite assassination squad directly under the Ten Dons.
They had been no match for Chrollo and the others in their current state of fury. After Pakunoda extracted their memories, they were deemed useless and eliminated.
Pakunoda's Nen ability allowed her to read the memories of others.
As a Specialist, almost all her abilities revolved around memory manipulation.
"Is that so?" Chrollo responded indifferently.
"This operation was my responsibility. I underestimated the mafia's resolve."
"It wasn't your fault, Danchou," Pakunoda said quickly.
Chrollo remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Cough!
A cough emanated from beneath a pile of rubble, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
A moment later, an arm emerged from the debris.
"Machi!"
The Troupe members rushed towards the emerging figure, Chrollo included.
"Machi, are you alright?!" Pakunoda asked urgently.
"I'm fine. I wrapped myself in Nen threads at the last moment, so my injuries are less severe. The others are probably worse off," Machi replied weakly.
Although she had managed to intercept the missile with her Nen threads before it reached their position, they were still too close to the blast radius.
And unlike Uvogin, none of them were Enhancement-type Nen users.
Their defensive capabilities were significantly weaker.
"Are the others with you?"
"They should be nearby."
"Then start digging!"
Using Zetsu to enhance their senses and Ren to reinforce their arms, the Troupe members quickly excavated the buried members.
While everyone was injured, none had lost consciousness.
Nobunaga and Feitan had dug the tunnel quite deep to avoid the missile blast.
However, the force of the explosion had collapsed the tunnel, trapping them underground.
Fortunately, Shalnark's foresight in contacting Chrollo had ensured their timely rescue.
"That bastard in the fighter jet! I'll kill him!" Nobunaga roared in fury.
"I'll torture him before I kill him," Feitan added, his voice laced with venom as he clenched his fists.
"It seems you were able to escape even without our assistance," Chrollo said, a smile returning to his face as he observed his resilient subordinates.
"Danchou, Uvogin isn't here," Pakunoda whispered into Chrollo's ear after searching the area.
"What? You didn't find any trace of Uvogin?" Nobunaga exclaimed in disbelief.
Had he been blown to pieces and incinerated?
No, Nobunaga refused to believe it.
While tanking a missile with his bare hands seemed impossible, Nobunaga had unwavering faith in Uvogin's strength.
Even if he wasn't unscathed, there was no way he would have been completely obliterated without a trace.
"It seems Uvogin was taken by the mafia," Chrollo said calmly, sharing Nobunaga's belief. "Let's return to the base. We need to reassess the situation and gather more information."
"We know nothing about the enemy's movements. We can't afford to act rashly."
Despite his burning desire for revenge, Nobunaga couldn't argue with Chrollo's logic.
They were indeed lacking crucial information about their enemy.
Moreover, with several injured members, now wasn't the time for further action.
Seeing no objections, Chrollo turned to leave.
Just then, a mocking voice echoed through the air.
"Leaving so soon?"
"Are you afraid?"
"If you're willing to commit such atrocities, shouldn't you be prepared to face the consequences?"
Six figures emerged from the shadows, revealing the remaining six members of the Shadow Beasts.
"Capture them! We need information!"
"With pleasure!" Feitan replied with a sadistic grin, eager to indulge in his favorite pastime: torture.
The Phantom Troupe members lunged towards the Shadow Beasts without hesitation.
The outcome was inevitable.
The Shadow Beasts were completely annihilated.
Feitan approached Chrollo with a satisfied smirk.
"Danchou, we have information on Uvogin."
"These people encountered the mafia members transporting Uvogin on their way here."
"It was the Nostrade Family who took him."
"I see."
Chrollo turned to Shalnark. "How are you feeling, Shalnark? Are you in any condition to move?"
"I'm fine. The others protected me underground, so my injuries are the least severe."
Within the Phantom Troupe, Shalnark, Shizuku, and Pakunoda held a higher status due to the unique nature of their abilities.
The loss of any other member could be compensated for, but losing any of these three would be a devastating blow to the Troupe.
Therefore, in dangerous situations, the combat-oriented members prioritized their safety.
"In that case, choose your team and retrieve Uvogin. I'll escort the injured back to the base."
Shalnark, as a Manipulation-type Nen user, was the most suitable choice for a rescue mission where Uvogin's life was at stake.
"I'm going too! I'm going to rescue Uvogin!" Nobunaga insisted, despite his injuries.
He wanted to participate in the rescue mission personally.
Seeing Nobunaga's unwavering resolve, Chrollo relented.
"Very well. But avoid combat as much as possible, understand?"
"Understood!" Nobunaga replied firmly.
"Alright, Machi and Shizuku, tend to Shalnark and Nobunaga's injuries first. Make sure they're fit for battle."
"Okay." Machi and Shizuku nodded in agreement.
Soon, after receiving treatment and recovering somewhat, Shalnark, Nobunaga, and their chosen team members set off towards the city under the cover of night.
...
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