The underground world erupted into chaos shortly after Brown's departure. Throughout his territory, smaller families suddenly erupted into armed conflict, their long-suppressed rivalries erupting into open warfare. Even more alarming, the four major families, Badim, Gabriel, Stan, and Jose, had lost all semblance of control.
Brown received the news with growing horror, but he couldn't turn back. The Dons' current business was too important to abandon, involving partners they couldn't afford to offend. He could only order his men to contain the situation, knowing that his absence severely undermined their authority. Small family bosses couldn't reach the Ten Dons directly, and even medium-sized forces like the Fells needed time to make contact. Brown's sudden departure had created a dangerous vacuum.
Lily's strategy for creating chaos proved to be elegantly simple. Small-family leaders desperately sought a connection to the Fells family, seeing it as their chance to rise. Gang warfare was their natural state; a few carefully placed words suggesting the Fells family's support were enough to ignite their ambitions. If the Fells family expressed displeasure with a particular group, dozens of opportunistic bosses would volunteer to eliminate them.
For the middle-tier families, the Fells family's recent favor with Brown provided the perfect cover. They only had to imply Brown's tacit approval of the violence, knowing that verification would be impossible in the short term. Among the seven major families besides the Fells, carefully placed bribes had created internal chaos. With Badim, Gabriel, Stan, and Jose consumed by internal strife, only three major families remained as variables to be quickly eliminated.
Oboro moved to deal with these family heads personally. Their presence complicated the plan, for as far as anyone knew, Brown remained in his territory. The Dons' apparent disappearance in the midst of such upheaval would raise questions. Some might believe the Fells' claims that they were acting on Brown's orders, while others would maintain strategic silence, hoping to profit from the chaos themselves.
"Badim is dead," began the reports. "Stan and Jose's leadership eliminated. The Fells family has moved in to 'stabilize' the situation, claiming to act on your authority."
Each hour brought more devastating news to Brown as he attended the Dons' meetings on another continent. The rapid deterioration of the situation exceeded his worst predictions. His recorded messages and official notices to the families had proven worthless against the tide of violence.
"Damn it!" Brown smashed his phone against the wall. He should have acted at the first sign of trouble. He had seriously underestimated the destructive potential of the Fells family. The gangs were fundamentally undisciplined, long resentful of the Dons' rigid control. With the Fells family providing cover, they seized their chance for advancement through bloodshed.
The Fells family had unleashed the repressed malice in every gangster's heart. Like a slowly spreading poison, it grew harder to contain with each passing hour. Without Brown's direct presence, even his private army lacked the authority to restore order. He had missed his chance to put out the spark before it became an inferno.
The next day, Oboro approached Brown's palace alone, walking instead of driving. David's voice came over his phone: "Master, the Dons have deployed their army. Our headquarters are under attack. They're systematically destroying our operations. When other gangs hear about this, they'll adjust their positions accordingly. Time is limited."
Oboro smiled as he ended the conversation. The palace's defenses were at their weakest, with most of its forces committed to fighting the Fells family and their allied rebels. While the Fells family controlled significant numbers, they couldn't match the Dons' well-equipped private armies in direct combat. However, they could effectively disperse and exhaust those forces.
"Who goes there?" The guards spotted him, training flashlights and weapons in his direction.
"Enemy," Oboro replied simply. His aura flared as he flicked his fingers, sending stones through their skulls with the precision of perfect Nen control. Alarms blared throughout the compound as he strode through the gate. Massive floodlights activated, turning night into artificial day.
Oboro walked calmly to the center of the courtyard as dark figures surrounded him. Eighteen Nen users formed a perfect circle, including Green, the baseball cap-wearing youth he'd encountered earlier. Their auras radiated killing intent.
"Boss of the Fells family," a grim-faced man crossed his arms. "What brings you here at this hour?" The scent of blood still clung to Oboro's clothes, detectable even from ten meters away.
"Isn't it obvious?" Oboro began to methodically remove his suit jacket and roll up his sleeves.
"Mr. Oboro, reconsider," Green smiled, his teeth gleaming. "You are strong, but we have numbers. Leave now, live a few more days until the boss returns. Stay, and you'll only hasten your death."
"You're all from Meteor City, aren't you?" Oboro folded his jacket carefully. "No wonder your telekinetic Nen is so refined. I'm very interested in visiting your home one day."
The eighteen watched as he put his clothes aside, their collective bloodlust intensifying. Oboro's own aura exploded outward as he straightened.
"Begin!"
Before he rose fully, a shadow flickered behind him, a blade aimed for his jugular. "You think we're going to wait for you to finish dressing? Idiot, the fight started ages ago!"
Oboro's hand shot out, catching the attacker's face and slamming him to the ground with devastating force. The man barely rolled away from Oboro's follow-up blow, which left a crater in the ground. Though he escaped, he immediately coughed up blood and tissue, his internal organs shattered despite his Nen defenses.
Green's eyes narrowed to pinpoints. Their opponent was far more dangerous than expected.
"You've seen my Heaven's Arena matches from six months ago?" Oboro smiled. "Did you think I hadn't improved?" He raised his palm and materialized a strange button with a human face.
"Turn it on!"
"Loading game..." the button announced.
"Attack together!" Green commanded, leading the charge as phantoms converged from all directions.
"First time summoning a hero," Oboro grinned as the game initialized. "This should be interesting."