Natural Enemy X Shackles

Half an hour later, the battle ended.

Franklin stopped breathing and collapsed to the ground, covered in wounds.

Besides him, there were also many corpses of Mafia Nen user, fortunately most of whom were not from the Fills Family.

They were all under the command of the other Ten Dons.

A few meters away, the Rabid Dog clutched its bleeding abdomen, its face pale.

A person with healing abilities is helping him recover from his injuries...

The other Shadow Beasts Porcupine also injured.

Paying such a price to kill a member of the Spiders seems to have failed to make the Shadow Beasts repent or change its opinion of the Phantom Troupe. The white-haired Shadow Beasts spat on Franklin's corpse and grinned maliciously. "Letting him die so easily is too good for him."

There was no chance to torment Franklin.

Because we cannot give them any breathing time, we must kill them as quickly as possible; otherwise, the casualties will be even greater.

In the arena, Owl was still shaken. If it had just been the five of them... without the help of other Nen user, even if they had managed to kill Franklin, at least two, or even three, would have died!

This was the result he calculated based on his experience and keen eye.

And yet, Oboro could defeat such a powerful enemy on his own.

He looked at Long who was walking towards him, and his heart was touched.

As for the reactions of his companions... Xiao found it ironic.

Previously, he thought that each of the Shadow Beasts was very strong, and whether they acted separately or as a team, they could handle everything according to the Ten Dons' requirements! But now, he felt that... the others didn't have brains.

No wonder Oboro looked down on them...

"Do as I say, and handle it," Long instructed.

"Yes."

Xiao snapped out of his daze and nodded in agreement.

"Contact the Zoldyck Family and prepare to set off."

Then, Oboro gave an order to a high-ranking member of the Fills Family.

Then, with the help of others, she got into a black sedan and drove away quickly.

A few days later, the Hunter Association received the news and made corresponding adjustments.

The danger level of the mission to capture the Phantom Troupe has been increased, and those who wish to accept the mission must undergo strict screening and approval.

Furthermore, a professional arrest team is required.

In short, the message is... the involvement of the Specialist Division is prohibited.

Almost none of the Hunter x Hunter in the Specialist Division are star-level. Although there are some powerful characters among them, overall, their level is still beyond what they can handle.

More than a dozen people died this time, and the team had no shortage of well-known experts.

Meanwhile, Chrollo and Feitan also arrived in the city where the hospital was located, hiding right under the noses of the Association.

In an underground warehouse.

Chrollo, his body wrapped in bandages, sat quietly in a chair.

On either side are Machi and Pakunoda.

Feitan was also there, having taken off his suit and returned to his previous attire.

"Chrollo, is it necessary to be so cautious? Why don't we just grab someone and let Pakunoda use her abilities to sense them, then we'll know everything?" The fourth member of the Phantom Troupe, an Omokage with long gray hair, frowned.

He also hails from Meteor City.

"They know us well, so they can't possibly be unprepared... A hasty attack would only alert them. If we're really going to act, it's best to do it all at once... so they don't have time to react," Chrollo explained, glancing at the former.

"Why does he... know so much about us? He should have only met the Shalnark, and there was no interaction between them."

"Machi said coldly."

"The only explanation is some kind of ability... I just had Pakunoda test you, and there are no traitors among us," Chrollo said.

These words caused everyone's expressions to change slightly.

Although I felt a little uncomfortable... I can't deny that Chrollo's idea was right.

The first thing that comes to mind is that there must be spies of the other side within the Phantom Troupe... that would be more reasonable.

"He calculated everything... From the very beginning, we were exposed, choosing Franklin instead of me and Feitan... The methods used to deal with Feitan were rudimentary because we were acting separately, while the trap set for me was real. Throughout this process, even the members of the Fills Family were unaware until the very last moment... Now, there are only two possibilities. First, Franklin is still alive, and he wants to use Franklin to lure us out. This is his home turf, and the Association headquarters is not far away. He may have found the Association's experts and is preparing to ambush us. As soon as we step into the hospital... it is very likely that we will be completely wiped out."

The Phantom Troupe was unable to contact Franklin.

Chrollo's calm words sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"Cut."

Feitan turned his head away unhappily. Although the leader didn't say it directly, his words undoubtedly implied that Oboro hadn't put much effort into targeting him, and that he thought Oboro was a 'reckless fool'. On the contrary, the truly troublesome person was Chrollo.

"You mean... he already knows we're here?"

Uvogin, beaming with excitement, clashed his fists together. "Isn't that even better? Let's just charge straight there!"

"Didn't you understand? You'll all die..." Machi frowned and reminded him.

"What's there to be afraid of? It's not like we've really started fighting yet. We don't know who will die!" Uvogin's eyes widened, his pupils glowing red.

"..."

Machi was too lazy to explain any further.

"The second possibility is that Franklin is already dead... The second possibility is even more terrifying than the first one."

The only light bulb in the warehouse flickered, which, combined with his voice, sounded somewhat eerie and sinister.

"Why?" Nobunaga asked.

"The first possibility is that they want to eliminate us as quickly as possible, leaving no room for maneuver, indicating that Feitan and I were able to handle the Association's team beyond their expectations! The second possibility is that they don't take us seriously at all... they're playing with us, using us for amusement, toying with us. Although it's uncertain how much influence and power they have within the Association, judging from Netero and the hospital visits of some star-level Hunter x Hunter, they should have the ability to command stronger individuals to hunt down Feitan and me in this operation. They don't even need to find any top-tier hunters; simply increasing the number of people tasked with capturing us would suffice..."

A scene flashed through Chrollo's mind.

They are Spiders clinging to their webs, while the black curtain above them has a pair of bright, gleaming eyes that watch Spiders every move.

But he didn't do that...

Chrollo's words left Nobunaga and the others feeling somewhat incredulous.

If Chrollo's analysis is correct, then how was Oboro able to do that? How was he able to control them?

"Aren't you afraid something might go wrong?" Chrollo's gaze swept over the members present. "He can see every step we take because he knows every leg of Spiders and knows the direction we're heading... He probably knows every one of you."

"..."

The warehouse fell silent instantly.

How is that possible?

They had never encountered Oboro directly...

What kind of ability is needed to do this? "Should we still go?"

Nobunaga asked.

Chrollo is the Spiders's brain; he is the key to deciding whether the Spiders moves forward or backward.

Based on their past practices, they would avoid danger if it was too great... They still need time to grow.

Franklin's death was an emotional blow to everyone, but they had no choice but to let it go.

"Go!"

Chrollo laughed. "The second possibility is most likely; perhaps he's already left..."

At that moment, the warehouse door was opened, and the two Shalnark returned from outside.

"There are still a lot of gang members guarding the hospital. It's uncertain whether the target and Franklin are still there, but the inpatient building has been damaged, so there must have been a battle," the Shalnark as he walked in.

"Where is the Shadow Beasts?"

Chrollo asked.

"From the outside, there don't seem to be any Nen user ... I don't know what's going on inside, and I don't dare get too close," the Shalnark replied.

Let's go.

Chrollo stood up and walked out the door first.

The other members of the Phantom Troupe remained silent, standing to the left and right, following closely behind.

Fifteen minutes later, the Phantom Troupe entered the hospital's accommodation.

His strange attire and aura drew sidelong glances from passersby and doctors.

They ignored everyone around them and headed straight into the hospital, to a specially designated restricted area.

Who is it?

After a while, several armed Mafia stopped Chrollo, who was walking at the front.

Chrollo's steps did not stop.

Because a sharp glint of light suddenly appeared, cutting several gang members into pieces.

Without Chrollo giving any orders, the people around him instantly turned into black shadows and disappeared from the spot.

He then led the Shalnark and Pakunoda to a building a few hundred meters away.

"There's no hidden aura..."

The Shalnark looked around.

"They're just ordinary Mafia," Pakunoda added.

"It seems I guessed right, it's the second one."

Chrollo said calmly.

The Shalnark and the woman fell silent.

Franklin is dead...

Bang! Bang! Bang! Soon, gunshots and screams rang out from all around.

The massacre began.

With the entire Phantom Troupe advancing, the Mafia outside the hospital were completely powerless to resist... and were swiftly wiped out.

There were hundreds of gang members outside the hospital, but the building was completely empty; there wasn't a single person inside.

Chrollo stepped over the corpses and walked through the gate.

Climb the stairs, floor by floor.

Finally, the three of them stopped on the thirteenth floor.

The entire floor was brightly lit with the lights on.

The number 13 holds significance for the Phantom Troupe.

The moment they stepped out of the stairwell, the scene that greeted them caused Pakunoda and the Shalnark to change color drastically, their pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

I even got goosebumps all over my body.

Given their composure, they wouldn't normally react this way... No matter how bloody or cruel the scene, it would be normal for them to react this way.

But... the scene before them awakened a long-buried memory in their hearts.

The emotional impact on the three was indescribable! In the center of the empty single-level room, there was a clean white hospital bed.

However, the snow-white sheets were now stained a glaring crimson with dripping blood.

Strangely, there was a small tree next to the bed, with a package hanging from its branches.

The blood had seeped from inside the package and splattered onto the bed...

All three knew that the contents of the cloth bag were Franklin.

But this scene is all too familiar...

Back then, it was Chrollo himself who opened 'another package'.

Just then, footsteps came from behind.

Nobunaga, Uvogin, and others also arrived one after another.

Upon seeing the tree and the package, they were both stunned...

Machi even covered her mouth.

Sarasa.

Their childhood playmate... the little girl in the church.

Suddenly, an inconspicuous tape recorder on the bed started playing automatically, emitting cheerful and melodious laughter.

It was a little girl's voice, and although it wasn't Sarasa, in this situation, some members of the Phantom Troupe instinctively put themselves in her shoes. "Franklin... let's find the videotape together. Chrollo said you found the first videotape..."

"Okay... let's do it together."

Then another voice, disguised as Franklin, came from the tape recorder.

"Let's go!"

"..."

All the members of the Phantom Troupe who had experienced that incident felt a chill run through their bodies in an instant.

He lost his voice...

Uvogin's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked ready to devour anyone who might harm him.

"Take it down." The calmest person on the scene was Chrollo.

After he finished speaking, the Shalnark leaped up and took the package containing Franklin's body off the ground.

Why... why did Oboro even know about something like this...?

Immediately afterwards, the tape recorder on the bed clicked, as if the audio track had been changed.

Do you also feel 'pain'?

"This is the second one, and there will be more and more in the future... I will come to you whenever I think of it or when I'm bored... You can try to struggle or resist, I'm looking forward to it."

"The more venomous the Spiders, the more I like it..."

"Grow up with all your might... Don't make me feel bored."

An unfamiliar voice came from the tape recorder.

A few simple words, yet the malice they carried, made a group of people turn pale at the mere mention of them.

They all knew that the one speaking was Oboro.

"Ah!"

Unable to contain himself, Uvogin let out a furious roar that shattered all the windows on the entire floor.

He immediately jumped onto the hospital bed and One-Punch Man down.

The entire stone brick floor was broken through, and the rubble collapsed and fell to the 12th floor below.

"Go to the Fills Family and kill them all!"

Feitan's eyes were icy cold.

Chrollo closed his eyes and remained silent in thought.

He was thinking...

A word flashed through his mind: natural enemy! Oboro could have wiped them all out... but he didn't. That was true 'evil'.

From this day forward, everyone in the Phantom Troupe knows that there is a 'natural enemy' watching them all the time, and behind each of them is a Grim Bleach wielding a scythe.

There's always the risk of being killed...

This will be endless torment... because death alone does no harm to them.

It won't make them feel 'pain'.

Oboro understood this perfectly! From the moment they stepped out of Meteor City, they were prepared to 'sacrifice'.

Although unwilling to admit it, Chrollo understood that as a team, they still had some kind of 'partner' connection with each other... Some individuals, such as Pakunoda and Nobunaga, were not very aware of this.

Killing one's comrades is more painful than killing them oneself.

This is... the Phantom Troupe's only weakness.

They may not care about anything, but they are not machines.

"Leaving behind a recorder means he was seriously injured. Otherwise, given his personality, he would have confronted us directly... He must have other things to do right now and doesn't have time to care about us. He doesn't care about us at all," Chrollo said calmly, opening his eyes.

"Did you hear what I said? I said, go to the Fills Family and kill them all!" Feitan said, displeased that Feitan was still rationally assessing the situation.

It seems they intend to take action against Chrollo.

Pakunoda and Machi immediately stood in front of Chrollo.

"If you want to go, I won't stop you... I understand your anger, but it's the worst thing that the team was wiped out because of you! He knows us inside and out, while we know very little about him... The fact that you're standing here alive is a favor from him."

"From the day you joined the Phantom Troupe, I said... we are a whole, bound by the will of the team. The death of any individual is insignificant, including mine! No one can stop the Spiders from moving forward..."

Chrollo glanced indifferently at Feitan.

"This Oboro is beyond our current capabilities... My choice is to retreat."

Ignoring Feitan's anger, Chrollo continued.

"Listen to the commander!"

Nobunaga walked up and patted Feitan on the shoulder.

"In the food chain of nature, every creature has its natural enemies, including Spiders... However, the rules of the food chain are not absolute. Any species, as long as it is strong enough, can go from being prey to being the prey."

After Chrollo finished speaking, he turned around and went downstairs.

"From today onwards, all teams operating alone, in pairs, are prohibited from entering the Republic of Padokea. Even when engaging in gang activities, they must stay away from the Fills Family."

Spiders need to grow and break through their limitations.

In Chrollo's eyes, they, the Spiders... have been bound by an invisible shackle.

Whether they can open the lock is up to them.

Today is the darkest day for the Phantom Troupe.