Inside a run-down old building, Vega sat atop a pile of unconscious bounty hunters, a satisfied grin on his face.
Not long ago, after gathering intelligence on the Teiro family, Vega had wasted no time in hunting them down. He hadn't expected much retaliation—after all, he'd only used their hotel as the site to assassinate an enemy. But the Teiro family had overreacted more severely than even the Ten Elders. They issued a billion-ring bounty on him.
Naturally, that ticked Vega off.
He hadn't provoked the Teiro directly, yet they dared to place a bounty on him? That alone was reason enough for payback. Using the intel he'd acquired, Vega launched a brutal assault on their operations.
Over the past two days, he had systematically robbed every casino under the Teiro family's name in the city, leaving them reeling from heavy losses.
As for the Teiro family's outrage? Vega couldn't care less. They'd brought this on themselves. If they didn't retract the bounty, he'd make sure to pay each of them a personal visit.
While Vega basked in the aftermath of his one-man raid, three figures silently approached the outskirts of the ruined district.
Machi checked her phone and gave a nod to Uvogin and the thin, pale-faced man beside them. "According to Teiro intel, Vega's holed up somewhere in these buildings."
"Figures," she added. "That bounty really pissed him off. He's been targeting their casinos nonstop. They're bleeding badly."
"The Teiro family's pulled out all the stops trying to track him down, and now they think he's hiding here."
Uvogin grinned. "I like his style. Straightforward, brutal. My kinda guy. If the boss hadn't ordered us to kill him—and if he wasn't an outsider—I might've asked the boss to invite him into the Troupe."
The pale man, known only as Face, scanned the decaying structures ahead. "There are at least twenty or thirty buildings in this area. Searching one by one would take too long."
"Worse," he added, "we'd risk alerting Vega and walking right into an ambush."
Machi frowned, considering the risk. It really wasn't ideal—too big a place to search quietly.
But Uvogin only laughed. "What's the problem? Just leave it to me."
He strode forward, puffing up his chest, preparing to unleash his Nen-enhanced voice.
"Uvogin, don't you dare—!" Machi snapped, her eyes wide with alarm.
Face quickly plugged his ears, knowing what was coming.
But Uvogin only chuckled. "Relax, Machi. Even if the guy tries to run, your threads will track him. Trust me—this guy's not the type to run. He'll show."
Then Uvogin inhaled deeply.
And roared.
"VEGA PENGELLET! GET OUT HERE! COME ON, COME ON, COME ON!"
The bellow echoed across the entire district, rattling windows and scattering birds.
Inside, Vega looked up, momentarily stunned. "Already? That was fast. These bounty hunters must be better than I thought."
He chuckled. "Well, let's see who came knocking."
Kicking aside a groaning mercenary, Vega grabbed his sword—Phantom severance—and made his way out.
Not far from the building, he spotted three figures waiting in the clearing.
The moment he recognized them, his heart sank.
The Phantom Troupe.
Vega's hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword. He scanned the area, looking for Chrollo, Feitan, or other members. If the full Troupe was here, retreat might be the only option.
He was confident in his abilities—but taking on the entire Phantom Troupe alone? That would be suicide. Each of them was a deadly specialist. Even for a seasoned Nen user like him, that would be a losing battle.
But... no one else seemed to be around.
Just these three.
That was manageable.
Vega assessed them quickly:
Uvogin, an Enhancer with monstrous raw power and his infamous Big Bang Impact.
Machi, a Transmuter who used Nen threads to sew flesh and bind targets.
And Omokage —formerly Troupe No. 4 before Hisoka—now a Manipulator who controlled puppet constructs.
Individually, they were strong, but Vega believed he had the tools to counter each of them. His dragon-forged armor could likely withstand Uvogin's strikes. Machi's threads, while dangerous, had limitations. And omokage ? If his puppets weren't especially strong, he'd be a non-factor.
Quietly, Vega stepped out of the shadows.
Uvogin spotted him immediately and laughed. "See? Told ya he'd come out!"
Vega stopped about ten meters away, hand resting on his sword. "If I'm not mistaken, I've never crossed paths with the Phantom Troupe."
"And with the Teiro family's weak influence, I doubt they could move someone like you three."
His eyes narrowed. "So—did your boss send you to kill me? Are we really doing this?"
Machi's eyes lingered on Vega's sword. Is that the weapon the boss wanted? Looks impressive.
Vega noticed. She wasn't watching him—she was watching phantom severance. That confirmed it. This wasn't personal. They wanted his sword. That meant Chrollo was involved.
Typical of him to orchestrate a kill for profit and amusement.
"Hey! Stop standing around!" Uvogin yelled, his aura erupting in a violent blast. "Let's fight!"
He raised his massive fist, Nen surging into it, and punched the ground.
The earth cracked, sending chunks of stone flying straight at Vega.
"Tch. Guess we're doing this."
Vega drew his sword in a flash. "Awaken—phantom everance!"
A spectral dragon roared into existence behind him, then fused with his body. His aura flared, and obsidian-black armor enveloped him.
With one swift motion, he swatted away the flying debris like dust.
The pressure of his presence washed over the clearing.
Uvogin howled with joy. "Yes! This is the kind of fight I live for!"