TL: Thanks for the support we already reached 169PS when I posted this :)
"The Elder mentioned that he originally planned to release Uvogin after teaching him a lesson," Chrollo said calmly, his gaze shifting toward Machi and then settling on Morin—though mostly on Morin.
"But Uvogin made a huge scene, shouting and smashing things. It's said he accidentally broke one of the Elder's prized possessions, which infuriated him and led to Uvogin's continued imprisonment."
"That guy…" Machi sighed, rubbing her temples. "Did getting his nen abilities make him this cocky already?"
At the mention of nen, Franklin, Pakunoda, and Feitan all turned their attention to Machi. Her casual remark clearly hinted that she was aware of the situation.
Over the past two days, after encountering Uvogin, the trio had noticed significant changes in him. His confidence, energy, and even his aura were entirely different, exuding self-assurance and vitality that hadn't been there before.
Uvogin would gleefully demonstrate his newfound strength, often by smashing one rock against another. While Franklin and the others found these antics puzzling, the transformation in Uvogin's demeanor left a strong impression. They had gleaned bits and pieces of information from him—about his newly acquired power and the man he held in high regard.
"You're referring to nen, aren't you?" Chrollo said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "When I first saw Uvogin and Nobunaga, I was surprised to find their aura nodes already opened and their nen awakened."
"Especially since someone else had opened their aura nodes for them."
Chrollo stepped closer, extending a hand to Morin. "I'm guessing you're the person Uvogin keeps talking about—Morin, correct?"
Morin met Chrollo's calm smile and shook his hand. "Morin," he replied simply, offering no surname.
"Just recently, I learned about nen from the Elder," Chrollo said as he released Morin's hand. "I didn't expect to encounter another nen user so soon."
As he spoke, a faint white aura began to envelop Chrollo, revealing his mastery of nen. Chrollo, too, had unlocked his aura nodes and become a nen user.
"Alright, save the pleasantries for later," Machi interrupted bluntly. "We need to focus on how to rescue Uvogin and Nobunaga."
She didn't seem particularly impressed by Chrollo's display. After witnessing Morin's nen abilities and his malicious aura, Chrollo's nen seemed less remarkable by comparison.
"Negotiating won't work," Chrollo said, dispersing his aura. "That leaves us with only one option."
"A jailbreak?" Morin asked.
"Exactly." Chrollo smiled faintly at Morin. "With the power we have now, we'll have to resort to force to free Uvogin."
"But if we take that route, we'll offend the Council of Elders and won't be able to stay in Meteor City."
"I don't mind," Machi said immediately. "Morin and I have already been discussing leaving Meteor City to explore the outside world."
"What about the rest of you?" she asked, looking at Franklin, Pakunoda, and Feitan.
"We can't just leave Uvogin and Nobunaga behind," Franklin said with a good-natured smile. "Those two are always causing trouble."
"It's been a while since I've killed anyone," Feitan murmured, flexing his fingers. His low voice carried a menacing edge.
Pakunoda brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear but remained silent. However, her unmoving stance made her position clear.
"Then it's settled," Chrollo said, clasping his hands together. "Coincidentally, I've been considering leaving Meteor City myself. It seems our plans align."
He smiled again, but his eyes gleamed with seriousness. "To pull off a jailbreak, we'll need to make some preparations. Once we free Uvogin and Nobunaga, I'd also like to discuss a few things about life outside Meteor City."
His gaze swept over the group, his voice steady. "First, let's plan the rescue mission."
"Leave Uvogin and Nobunaga to me," Morin suddenly said.
All eyes turned toward him.
"Uvogin's reckless behavior stems from me unlocking his aura nodes," Morin explained with a smile. "This is partly my responsibility, so I'll handle it."
"Are you sure?" Chrollo asked softly, sensing Morin's resolve. "You should know that Meteor City has no shortage of skilled nen users—especially within the Council of Elders."
Chrollo's words were a subtle reminder not to underestimate the city's hidden strength. Many powerful figures lived in Meteor City, keeping their abilities concealed.
Machi also turned a calm gaze toward Morin.
"Trust me," Morin said, addressing Machi with quiet confidence. Then, turning back to Chrollo, he added, "I understand."
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