When it comes to money, not even the Phantom Troupe can compare to the endless streams of gangsters in this world. But no amount of cash can buy the services of Maha Zoldyck so easily.
This is simple math.
The Zoldyck family has the ability to eliminate anyone—be it the Ten Dons or the Phantom Troupe. In the original events, the Ten Dons were wiped out.
As for the Phantom Troupe? Chrollo Lucilfer stands no chance against Silva and Zeno. And the rest of the Spiders together? They couldn't hope to match the likes of Maha Zoldyck or Illumi.
All in all, the Zoldyck family is a bigger threat than the Troupe.
If both the Phantom Troupe and the Ten Dons offer contracts, the only thing left to decide the Zoldycks' next move is how much each side is willing to pay.
A sharp splurt of blood sprayed through the air as Cole flashed a twisted grin.
Another body hit the ground at his feet, lifeless.
Cole stood over the fresh corpse, smirking.
"Back in my day, when I was handling work like this, you brats didn't even know what blood smelled like," he muttered under his breath.
But his brief gloat was cut short as three more figures blocked the exit to the alley.
Cole's grin faded into a scowl.
"And what's my bounty worth to you lot, huh? Think you'll actually get paid enough to make this worth it?"
His question hung in the air, unanswered, as the three hunters raised their guns.
They had seen Cole in action before—and they knew they couldn't take him head-on in close combat. So they didn't waste time. They fired immediately.
But Cole was already gone. His figure blurred, vanishing from sight. In a blink, he darted forward, closing the distance between them.
With a sharp kick, Cole sent one flying, a hidden blade embedded in his shoe slicing through the man's throat with a clean, brutal cut. Blood gushed, splattering onto the ground in messy arcs.
Before the second could react, Cole's elbow slammed into his temple—a second hidden blade buried there with deadly precision. The man dropped instantly, eyes rolled back in death.
The last of the trio froze, terror plain on his face. He turned on his heel and ran.
Cole only chuckled, a sinister glint in his eye. With a flick of his tongue, he pulled the pin from a grenade concealed in his mouth and spat it after the fleeing man.
Boom!
The alley lit up with the explosion, the blast sending the man's body sprawling.
Cole didn't wait for the dust to settle. He was gone before the first sirens began to wail, slipping effortlessly into another shadowed alley.
As Cole rounded the corner, he spotted a young couple walking down the street, chatting quietly. They paid him no mind as he brushed past them.
Without breaking stride, Cole flicked his wrist. Two hidden blades shot from his sleeves, piercing the throats of both the man and woman.
They collapsed, wide-eyed, dead before they even knew what hit them.
Cole crouched, stripping the man of his clothes and slipping into them with practiced ease.
From the shadows, Kaizen frowned. He recognized the couple. They were the same pair he'd run into before—a random encounter he hadn't thought much of at the time. But now, here they were again... dead at Cole's hands.
Cole adjusted the brim of his hat, casting a sly glance back at Kaizen.
"Thanks for the assist," he said with a grin, tipping his hat before vanishing into the shadows once more.
Cole's path took him to an abandoned building on the outskirts of town. He climbed the stairs to the attic, where he sank into a creaky old chair by the window.
His body relaxed for the first time that night, as if shedding the weight of the blood on his hands.
"I wonder how the others are doing..." he mused to himself.
But before he could linger on the thought, something felt off.
His instincts screamed at him, and he bolted upright, scanning the room.
There, in the dim light of the corner, was a figure sitting silently in a chair—a boy, watching him.
"Who are you?" Cole snapped, his muscles tensing.
The boy didn't answer. It was Kaizen.
Cole's mind raced. How had Kaizen gotten here without him noticing? Either the boy was here the whole time and Cole missed him, or Kaizen had slipped in unnoticed.
Both possibilities were terrifying.
If it was the former, then Kaizen's abilities were leagues above Cole's. If it was the latter... then Kaizen's aura had masked his presence completely.
Either way, it was bad news.
Cole made his decision instantly. With a flick of his wrist, he launched a hidden blade toward Kaizen and dove for the window, hoping to escape.
But just as he moved, a force struck him like a cannon blast.
Boom!
There was no explosion—just an overwhelming impact that hurled Cole into the ceiling with a bone-crunching thud.
His body crumpled against the ceiling before gravity dragged him back down. Blood poured from his nose, ears, and mouth. His insides churned with pain as his organs ruptured from the blow.
Through blurred vision, Cole saw his thrown blade. It had stopped inches from Kaizen, suspended in mid-air as if blocked by an invisible wall.
Ding!
It dropped to the ground, harmlessly.
"What... what the hell?" Cole gasped, struggling to understand.
But it was too late to figure anything out.
His body hit the floor with a dull thud, blood seeping from his seven orifices. Cole's life slipped away before he could comprehend what had just happened.
Kaizen stepped forward, taking a quick photo of the corpse before dragging it away to complete his assignment.
Later, as he handed the body over, a government official arrived to confirm the hit.
With a quick tap on his phone, Kaizen checked his balance.
Ding!
100 million Jenny was deposited into his account.
Kaizen smirked, glancing down at the confirmation message.
"Next."
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