The Defiant Man

Hearing Ian's words, the others nodded in agreement.

Along the way, Uvogin and Nobunaga occasionally asked Ian questions about training their Nen Abilities.

Ian answered them as best he could.

If they wanted to advance their Nen Abilities in the future, they would ultimately need to find a teacher and study Nen systematically.

Of course.

That wasn't something they needed to consider at the moment.

Before long, the four of them had left the residential area and reached a garbage dump that had already been "cleaned out."

Uvogin led Ian to a set of ruins and stopped. Cupping a hand around his mouth, he shouted, "Hey, Chrollo, Feitan, come out and meet us!"

Ian watched curiously.

A short while later, a sound came from the ruins nearby.

"Uvogin, Nobunaga, you're late for our meeting..."

The speaker was a short boy with his face covered. His tone was icy as he studied Ian and the others with a somewhat sharp gaze.

Ian naturally recognized him: Feitan Portor, who would later belong to the Phantom Troupe's combat team.

Feitan was about the same height now as he would be in the future.

It seemed he probably wouldn't grow any taller after this.

His clothes were also very different from what he would wear later. He wore only a worn-out white short-sleeved shirt on his upper body, and clear muscle lines could be seen on the pale skin occasionally exposed.

"This guy is the extraordinary person you spoke so highly of? I'd like to see if he's really as ridiculously strong as you say!"

Standing atop the mountain of garbage, Feitan clenched his fists and looked down over the group. His gaze settled on Ian, and he spoke with a trace of coldness in his voice.

"Feitan, get this straight: we're the ones who want to carry you guys. If you don't understand the situation, I don't mind knocking some sense into you with my fists."

At Feitan's words, anger appeared in Uvogin's eyes, but a savage smile spread across his face as he sneered at him.

Beside him, Nobunaga's expression likewise turned serious, and his hand closed around his blade.

Ian frowned when he heard Feitan's words.

His first impression was terrible. This guy... really is as nasty as he was in the original story, he thought to himself.

Looks like I'm being looked down on...

That's certainly what Feitan's personality is like, but... showing such a nasty attitude right off the bat, I wonder if Chrollo told him to do it or if he wanted to do it himself...

Is it the original plot correcting itself?

Or is it because they don't trust me enough? Judging from this first encounter, could it be that these early Phantom Troupe members don't want to leave Meteor City...

Perhaps I should give up on the idea. It would be enough to change the fates of Uvogin, Machi, and the others...

While Ian was thinking this,

Feitan, who was not far away, noticed how little attention Ian was paying him. He frowned and said coldly,

"Are you ignoring me, you bastard?!"

Just as his words fell, several figures appeared one after another on the mountain of garbage behind him.

"Feitan, calm down." The speaker was a boy with a clear voice. He wore a clean black suit that was completely out of place in Meteor City's filthy, chaotic environment.

"Feitan, don't get angry yet. Uvogin and the others want to help us right now. We already agreed on that, didn't we?"

This time, a tall girl of mixed heritage spoke in a low voice.

Their successive attempts to calm Feitan down left him silent.

"Tch!"

Though somewhat resentful, he said nothing more.

Ian, meanwhile, sized up the newcomers, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

Now, at last, more of them were here.

"Chrollo Lucilfer, Pakunoda, Franklin..."

Though a few were missing, that was fine.