The entire city of Orion was in chaos.
Caught unprepared, the sudden outbreak of monsters dealt a massive blow. Ordinary citizens stood no chance against the creatures. Even armed with guns, they were quickly overwhelmed.
"What? A riot at Experimental Base No. 2?"
"Where's Dantins? Get him here immediately!"
A middle-aged man's face darkened as he received the report.
"Send out the order—mobilize all guards and patrol units. Kill the experimental subjects on sight. Have the Shadow Beasts and the others join the operation!"
Olean's response was swift, and the initial destruction caused by the monsters was gradually brought under control.
Gunfire echoed through the streets as squads of armed men assembled, raining bullets upon the rampaging creatures. While a monster's incredible durability allowed it to withstand a few shots, overwhelming firepower eventually wore them down. If the monsters bled enough, they would die.
It was difficult for a single person to suppress a monster with a firearm, but concentrated attacks from multiple squads turned the tide.
Then, Nen-users entered the fray.
A red-haired youth stepped forward, facing a monstrous creature shaped like a mantis. With a thought, he materialized a sleek, razor-sharp blade in his hand. In one fluid motion, he darted past the mantis.
Slash!
A massive wound appeared on the creature's body, blood gushing as it collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Nearby, a woman confronted a slug-like beast. Flames erupted from her outstretched hand, engulfing the monster entirely in a fiery inferno.
A middle-aged man stood back, wielding a gun unlike any conventional weapon—it was his conjured ability. He unleashed a hail of bullets at a beast, each projectile tearing through its flesh and detonating once inside, causing devastating internal damage.
The situation in Orion began to stabilize.
Elsewhere, a Nen-user wielding corrosive abilities spat a glob of green acid at a lizard-like monster, melting through its scales and leaving it defenseless. Another Nen-user, with a Manipulation ability, caused two monsters to turn on each other, their attacks ferocious and unrelenting.
A brutish man armed with a colossal axe smashed through one creature after another, his swings powerful enough to split both beasts and the ground beneath them in half.
One by one, the monsters were subdued or killed.
Yet not all were destroyed. Some creatures, showcasing remarkable adaptability, managed to escape—disguising themselves as humans, slipping underground into the sewers, or fleeing the city altogether.
From a vantage point high above the chaos, a middle-aged man surveyed the battlefield. A figure clad in black stood beside him.
"Have you determined the cause of this?" the man asked. "What about Dantins? What's the status of the monsters? I want Dantins brought before me immediately!"
"My lord," replied the man in black, "Dantins is missing."
"Missing?"
"Yes. We've searched everywhere—Experimental Base No. 2, other areas of Orion—but no one has seen him. Furthermore, all surveillance data near Base No. 2 has been erased."
The middle-aged man's expression grew colder.
"Are you suggesting Dantins orchestrated this? That he used the chaos to flee and betray us?"
"It is highly probable," the subordinate confirmed. "Given the damage inflicted and the destruction of the laboratory data, it's likely Dantins defected to another faction. He may have been working against us for some time."
The man's eyes narrowed in fury. "A traitor…" he muttered. "I will not tolerate betrayal—especially from someone as vital as Dantins. The Mafia Community entrusted him with exclusive authority over Base No. 2, and this is how he repays us? He must pay with his life!"
The subordinate nodded. "Orders?"
"Announce a bounty of 10 billion Jenny for Dantins—dead or alive. Anyone who captures him will be promoted to senior cadre. Spread the word to all branches of the Mafia Community and even to the public. Let no corner of the world be safe for him."
"Yes."
"As for the monsters, what's their status?"
"The majority have been eliminated," the subordinate reported. "A few are still in hiding, some have fled, but those engaged in battle won't last long—especially with the Shadow Beasts involved. Most of the creatures are equivalent to E-rank Nen-users, with a handful reaching D-rank and only a rare few approaching C-rank. Interestingly, their growth potential seems to have been suppressed in the laboratory. Now that they're free, their abilities are evolving rapidly."
The middle-aged man's eyes glinted with interest. "What about the lab data? Is it intact?"
"Unfortunately, it has been completely destroyed."
The man scowled. "Dantins…" he growled. "He will pay for this betrayal. No one takes resources, wealth, and knowledge from the Mafia Community and gets away with it."
He turned to his subordinate. "Capture as many of the monsters alive as possible. If they agree to join us, I'll grant them the rank of cadre and full benefits. Their strength will serve the Mafia Community."
"Yes."
As Orion reeled from the chaos, Kaizen had already slipped away unnoticed in the confusion, his steps quick and deliberate.
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