"Then let's go!"
Rocky and Kite prepared to act.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the Phantom Troupe gathered, their eyes fixed on Chrollo.
"Captain, everyone is finally here. Shall we start?"
The voice belonged to Uvogin, his impatience apparent. But it was this kind of energy that often kept the troupe motivated.
Chrollo slowly closed the book in his hands, his calm gaze sweeping over the group.
Although there was no solid indication that anything would go wrong, an inexplicable sense of unease lingered in his mind.
"Machi!"
The sudden call of her name made Machi pause briefly before stepping forward. "What's wrong, Captain? Any instructions?"
Chrollo regarded her thoughtfully. "Your intuition is always accurate. Do you sense any problems this time?"
Machi raised an eyebrow, frowning slightly. "Captain, I'm not omnipotent. If I could sense everything, we wouldn't need to wait around. Wouldn't it be easier to just locate the Seven Beauties in the world through intuition alone?"
Chrollo chuckled at her response.
She was right. Why had he even asked such a question? Still, the uneasiness gnawed at him, like a faint whisper just beyond his grasp.
"Captain, are you scared?"
The question, blunt as ever, came from Uvogin. His wide grin and tone made Nobunaga laugh quietly beside him.
Uvogin really had no filter.
Chrollo stepped down from his elevated position and approached Uvogin directly.
"We are facing the army this time," Chrollo stated calmly.
"So what?" Uvogin's grin widened as though he found the idea thrilling.
"The intelligence suggests there are two battalions of soldiers involved in the escort," Chrollo continued, his gaze shifting to the rest of the group.
"While there are no weapons of mass destruction, there will be rockets, heavy machine guns, and other standard military equipment."
"There will also be armed helicopters in the sky and armored vehicles on the ground."
"Although it's only two battalions, they're still regular troops."
Bang!
Uvogin smashed his fist into a steel beam nearby, leaving a deep imprint. His laughter echoed through the room.
"Now this is getting interesting! Leave the two battalions to me! Hahaha!"
While Uvogin's strength was formidable, taking on two battalions of trained soldiers wouldn't be easy, especially in open terrain. However, under special circumstances, it wasn't entirely impossible.
For safety's sake, Chrollo turned to Nobunaga.
"Nobunaga, you'll go with Uvogin. As the diversion team, your job is to attract the army's attention."
Nobunaga smirked, nodding. "Got it. I'll make sure to clean up this guy's mess!"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Uvogin snapped, frowning as the two began to bicker.
Ignoring their antics, Chrollo continued outlining the plan.
"Our target is Water Glass, one of the Seven Beauties in the World. This artifact has been hidden underground for years, making it impossible to steal until now."
"This is likely our only chance. Once it reaches its destination, it will be surrounded by layers of security."
"If that happens, no one will ever see it again."
Chrollo crouched down and drew a line in the dirt.
"This is the transport route. Uvogin and Nobunaga, your primary task is to divert the army's attention. Create as much chaos as possible."
He turned to Franklin. "You'll assist them by suppressing the opposing forces. Make sure they don't get overwhelmed."
"The rest of you will support them when necessary, but don't let it interfere with your individual assignments. The mission comes first."
---
---
Feitan glanced over the route and asked, "Are there only troops?"
"Of course not!" Chrollo nodded. "There are also professional Hunters."
"Sure enough!" Phinks said, folding his arms. "How many?"
Pakunoda pulled out a piece of paper, reviewing the intelligence.
"There are seven professional Hunters responsible for the escort, including two Enhancers, one Conjurer, one Transmuter, one Emitter, and one Manipulator. The specific category of the remaining ones is unclear."
"The exact names and identities are unavailable. The only thing we know is that these seven are a complete team, specially hired by the consultant."
At this revelation, the atmosphere darkened.
A complete team meant the opponents would likely possess a diverse range of abilities—attack, support, ranged strikes, healing, and possibly even Nen removal.
The identity of the last mysterious figure—whose Nen category remained unknown—was particularly unsettling. They were likely a professional Nen remover, an ability that could be disastrous if encountered in battle.
"Captain, if they are a complete team, we should be cautious of the Conjurer," Machi advised.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Are you worried the opponent Conjurer could directly hide the Water Glass with his Nen ability and escape with it?"
"Yes, if that happens, it would be disastrous for us."
Machi looked at Chrollo, who stood up. "This is also my concern, which is why I will take action. I will join the operation myself."
Everyone was taken aback. While Chrollo sometimes joined the fray, he rarely took part in direct combat. This time, he intended to be involved personally.
"Seven professional Hunters. Aside from Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Franklin, who will likely be assisting, we still have ten members."
"We have the numerical advantage. I will handle the Conjurer, and the others will focus on delaying the Hunters."
"Don't take unnecessary risks without knowing their abilities. Just delay them, while the rest of you focus on grabbing Water Glass."
"I will provide further instructions when the time comes."
Given the limited intelligence, Chrollo knew not many concrete plans could be made in advance.
"Operation starts at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, and the target will likely arrive by 10."
"Why do we have to wait that long, wouldn't it be easier if we scouted the place early?" Franklin asked.
Chrollo smiled. "Just in case. If they change their route unexpectedly, it's better not to act too early. We must remain flexible."
"If they stick to the planned route, it suggests another issue—that they're very confident."
Confidence indicated strength. The army wasn't overly concerned, and even if they couldn't fully defeat them, delaying them with Uvogin and Nobunaga was manageable. The real problem lay with the seven professional Hunters.
In a dark corner, an unseen figure listened intently to the plan. Once he was sure no one was paying attention to him, he quietly pulled out his phone and sent a message from an angle that concealed his actions.
------
In a modest restaurant outside the city, a man with silver hair and a heavily built frame glanced at the message on his phone.
*The target is ready to take action.*
"I have a feeling this mission isn't worth it."
The man turned off his phone, picked up a backpack, opened the door, and walked out.
Meanwhile, Rocky and Kite, already stationed in the wild, were making their final preparations.
Rocky tapped on his information panel.
[Modification completed]
[Physical condition: excellent]
"Everything is ready... Now, we wait for tomorrow."
---