Psychological Warfare (Extended Chapter)

(At night, in a private area of Republic of Padokea.)

Escorted by gang ships, the new batch of reserve players paid their fees and headed to a sea base under the cover of night.

There were about twenty people on the ship.

Among them, seven or eight were Mafia, while the rest... had obtained the information and came here after completing the mobile game.

A dozen or so people, filled with anticipation, wondered what the real-world 'Hero Island' would be like... and began to discuss it, also asking a few Mafia. The leader of the Mafia was also Nen user.

"You'll understand when you get there. All the information and content you want to know will be in the player's manual."

The gang leader declined to comment further.

He had seen many new players like this; almost every batch that boarded the ship would ask the same question.

"Was this game created by your gang?" someone couldn't help but ask curiously.

After all, before coming here, no one expected to enter a private sea, and that they would have to pay a 'registration fee' before entering the game.

However, this amount of money is not much for Nen user.

Therefore, everyone can afford it.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

The leader said coldly.

Nobunaga and Uvogin exchanged a glance. Their mission was to destroy the Fills Family's sea bases used to teleport players to the island. These bases weren't a single location, but rather numerous, spaced some distance apart. If any base was destroyed, members from the others would rush to its aid and simultaneously send a message to the island. In addition, Fills Family naval squads frequently patrolled this sea...

These were all warnings the Shalnark had given them, and he had strictly forbidden them from going to the island.

Because once they land on the island where the game is set, the two might face fatal danger due to the unknown nature of 'gamification'.

Therefore, the two of them have very limited time to act, and they may not be able to destroy all the bases.

However, their mission was simply to distract the Fills Family during their grand celebration tonight... destroying one or two bases would be enough.

A moment later, the sea breeze, accompanied by splashes of water, lapped against his body, Uvogin could already see the lights shimmering on the sea surface under the night sky in the distance.

He grinned widely, turned around, and looked at the gang's underling. "Your Fills Family is really rich."

"Um?"

The latter sensed the man's menacing aura and unfriendly gaze, and said coldly, "Another arrogant fool. Since you know our background, behave yourself and don't have any crooked ideas. I don't care who you are or who you are, but I've seen plenty of guys like you. Anyone who dares to cause trouble here doesn't survive."

The Nen user around them sensed that the atmosphere had suddenly changed and became alert.

"That's quite a boast..."

Uvogin scoffed.

The next second, the entire ship began to shake violently, Uvogin, like a ferocious lion unleashed from its cage, pounced on the gang leader.

The latter instantly unleashed his Nen, conjuring a pair of fist blades in his hands, which accurately struck Uvogin's cheeks... However, the sharp spikes grazed the man's skin without leaving a trace of blood; instead, they seemed to rub against a steel plate, producing a piercing sound.

The gang leader's pupils contracted, and a chill ran through him.

With a snap, Uvogin's large hand had already grabbed the top of his head.

"What... Is this all the skill you have? It's not commensurate with your arrogant attitude just now!" Uvogin's face, with the sharp weapon pressed against it, slowly twisted as he stared at the visibly pale and frail Mafia, and gave a wicked smile. "From now on, your Fills Family will be a thing of the past. This is how our Phantom Troupe thanks that man."

"It starts with you!"

After saying that, Uvogin, and the Mafia's head exploded like a watermelon.

Da da da...

The other gang members around him suddenly raised their guns and fired wildly at Uvogin, and the metal shell casings clattered all over the ground.

But at such close range, the powerful bullets that hit the other party were deflected without causing any pain or discomfort.

Bang bang...

Uvogin waved his hand, slapping each gunman dead or sending them flying into the sea.

After doing all this, the ship lost power and stopped at sea not far from the base.

Because on the other side, Nobunaga had already taken down the Mafia who were sailing the ship.

Uvogin put one hand on his neck, moved it a few times, and then turned his head to look at a group of new players who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy. These were Nen user were unrelated to the Fills Family.

"Whatever you want to do is none of our business."

Someone shouted in a panic.

Everyone could see that these two guys were no pushovers, and their strength was terrifying.

Nobunaga, with his long hair flowing down his back, slowly tied it up and exchanged a glance with Uvogin.

The next second, one person stood at the bow of the ship and the other at the stern, and they simultaneously launched a violent attack.

In an instant, sharp blades and devastating figures, along with screams and blood, intertwined on the ship, creating a chaotic and bloody scene.

After a while, everything quieted down. Amidst the crimson stains and corpses scattered on the ground, only Uvogin and Nobunaga stood.

Uvogin shook the filth off his hands and chuckled, "Once we're on board, none of us will survive..."

Nobunaga slowly sheathed his sword, preparing to go to the bow of the ship to take the helm and sail towards the teleportation point.

But then, a loud horn sounded from the distant sea base, and a red light appeared.

"It seems the Shalnark said it was true... the Fills Family's plan was quite meticulous, with each step linked to the next." Nobunaga frowned, turning to look at the corpse of the yakuza boss killed by Uvogin. They were certain that the man hadn't sent any messages to the outside world before his death, but an alarm still went off shortly after.

The only possibility is that... the other person has some kind of device hidden on them that monitors vital signs, and it will be triggered once they die.

Or perhaps they've been 'marked' with some kind of Nen.

"Hurry up, I can't wait!"

Uvogin clenched his fists, urging on excitedly.

"Knew..."

Nobunaga replied.

Even though the alarm had sounded, indicating that the Fills Family had begun to take action, the two of them showed no sign of nervousness.

Nobunaga restarted the ship, carrying his companions, and headed towards the base.

Although they were far away and it was pitch black, the two could still see the rows of figures already standing around the base under the lights.

Nobunaga revved the small boat to its maximum speed and rammed it straight into a corner of the base.

As they drew near, a barrage of gunfire erupted, splashing water everywhere on the sea.

There were even cannonballs billowing smoke as they fell from the sky, hitting the boats speeding across the water and sending up plumes of smoke and flames.

The deafening explosion and the shattered hull made it seem as if the curtain had fallen on everything.

Is he dead?

On the Mafia's side, someone laughed heartily.

"Careful!"

A Nen user from the Fills Family suddenly tensed up, shouted, and assumed a defensive stance, quickly surveying the area around the base. "The enemy is coming!"

"The reaction time is too slow..."

No sooner had the man finished shouting than a figure radiating a chilling killing intent appeared eerily behind him.

Snap! With a sharp sound and a crisp crack, Uvogin slapped his hand, and the Nen user, without even seeing what the enemy looked like, had his neck snapped and was instantly killed.

Uvogin and Nobunaga stood side by side, both soaking wet, looking at the group of the Fills Family base guards in front of them.

"There are quite a few people... They're practically a well-equipped private army. Including the one who died, are there five Nen user guarding each teleportation point? The Fills Family... has expanded way too fast these past few years..."

Nobunaga scanned the area expressionlessly, his thumb prying open the scabbard, and he leaned slightly forward, assuming the stance to draw his sword.

Keep in mind, this is just a teleportation point.

"Their strength isn't that great. It seems the real powerhouses are all on the island."

Uvogin added in a voice.

Whoosh! Instantly, the two figures sped off, and the bloody battle resumed.

Soon, the sea base was engulfed in flames and roared to life...

Half an hour later... the noisy and turbulent sea returned to silence.

Uvogin tossed the last Mafia he had killed into the sea like trash.

Nobunaga sat on a corpse and took out his cell phone.

The call was connected.

"We've destroyed one of the teleportation points. You can begin your operation now," Nobunaga said in a deep voice.

"OK."

On the other end of the phone came the Shalnark's lighthearted laughter.

"You two be careful... They have a lot of people, and I believe there are some very powerful individuals on the island... If you get entangled, you'll die. Just create chaos... You don't necessarily have to destroy the base. The Fills Family won't receive any news for now... From my observation, the Fills Family's underworld business and Hero Island are separate entities. They only notify the family when the danger becomes unmanageable... So, you just need to control the threat you create... If things go wrong, retreat is still the priority."

The Shalnark gave his instructions.

After saying that, he seemed to remember something, "Oh right, whatever you do, don't tell Uvogin. That guy... if you tell him, he definitely won't leave... he'll keep saying he wants to meet the powerful Nen user on the island, and then things will get complicated."

"I know."

Nobunaga said calmly.

Then, the communication was disconnected.

"Have they started yet?"

Uvogin looked over.

"It should be on its way..."

Nobunaga slowly stood up.

"They've already destroyed a base, but according to my calculations, it'll probably be at least half an hour before the Fills Family receives the news." On a highway, several members of the Phantom Troupe were riding in a gangster car. Pakunoda was driving, and the Shalnark sat in the passenger seat, smiling.

How much longer until we arrive?

In the back row were Shizuku, Chrollo, and Machi.

Machi asked a question.

"Almost there, about ten more minutes..."

"Pakunoda answered."

"What's wrong?" The Shalnark noticed that Chrollo's expression was a little off.

"Oboro is not located within the territory of the Republic of Padokea."

Chrollo said calmly.

"Isn't that better?"

The Shalnark laughed.

Although Oboro may not have been involved in Chiko's rise to power, the Hunter Exam have been over for some time now, and with such a large-scale operation, even if Oboro didn't show up, she might have at least taken a look. This was precisely one of the reasons Chrollo hired the Zoldyck Family —to ensure that Oboro could arrive in time should they attack the Fills Family's headquarters...

No battle took place.

Chrollo added another comment.

Once Zeno and Silva appear, Oboro will surely realize that something has changed.

In other words, Oboro now knows what the Phantom Troupe is up to...

But the fact that they didn't Zoldyck Family is rather too peaceful.

Could it be that... the Fills Family has given up? Or do they know they are powerless to change anything?

"It's no use, it's too late... They've probably given up. Even if he gets there as fast as he can now, it will be over by the time he arrives. It's a dead end... No matter how strong he is, he can't possibly get rid of those two. The Zoldyck Family has never failed before," the Shalnark offered his analysis.

"Wouldn't it be better to let him, in a state of lucidity, 'witness' the complete disappearance of everything he owns, and be powerless to do anything about it?"

Even the usually somewhat naive and innocent-looking Shizuku stretched out her finger, tapped her lips, and pondered, "Could he have already notified the Fills Family, that old man named David?"

"It's no use. The entire gang is already here. It's too late to back down now, unless the Fills Family wants to lose face... The banquet starts in half an hour. Even with David's abilities, it would be impossible to gather all the details and information about the gangs and individuals attending in just a few days... let alone in only half a day. This is a global event, involving an enormous number of people, a real mixed bag."

The Shalnark leaned out of the front seat and explained to Shizuku, "If you want to blame someone, blame the Fills Family for being too confident and making such a big show of things... They didn't expect us to show up."

Chrollo remained silent, lost in thought.

What the Shalnark said and could think of was also his assessment of the current situation.

The Fills Family's actions were irreversible... Their Phantom Troupe's actions were also inevitable and had to be carried out.

No matter how you look at it, this is a rare opportunity!

This is also the best time for them to hide in the shadows and unleash their venomous fangs.

The Fills Family, like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, awaits the judgment of fate.

But Oboro is not this butterfly... but the spider-catcher that has disappeared.

Chrollo's thoughts raced... Judging from Oboro's reaction to the Zoldyck Family, things were far too discordant... This made him feel vaguely uneasy.

Should we order a retreat? It's not too late...

But... is it possible that Oboro was deliberately using Zoldyck to send him a mental signal, using this method to intimidate him?

Tell the Phantom Troupe to back down? They're just using someone else's power to intimidate them...

That man is very cunning... Knowing he can't change anything, he's avoiding conflict with Zeno and Silva ... Perhaps this pretense, like he is now, will work wonders. Using the psychological trauma he inflicted on the Phantom Troupe to achieve his goal, effortlessly scaring them away?

Chrollo couldn't help but wonder if this was a possibility.

He was tormented...

After a moment, Chrollo closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, they were calm and resolute.

He was acting a little off just now... He almost fell into Oboro's trap.

It is a given fact that Oboro cannot appear!

Based on this, no matter what changes occur, the Phantom Troupe is confident in its ability to cope...

Oboro, you've underestimated them!

I'll post another chapter later.