Like Cipher, Akatake was forcibly removed from the combat circle by Law using violent means as soon as the fight started.
Cipher was sent flying out of the building, while Akatake smashed through the floor, falling straight down twenty floors. Even though he was an Enhancer, that fall was quite a shock.
Lying on the ground, it took him a good few minutes to catch his breath.
When he finally recovered and was about to go upstairs to deal with Law, he noticed movement coming from below and went to check it out. As a result, he encountered Salin and the others.
Initially thinking they were just a few women, and despite his injuries, Akatake still intended to kill these women first.
After all, the Boss's order was to kill everyone, so naturally, not a single one could be left.
However, after taking action, Akatake realized something was wrong.
These women were not to be trifled with, especially the woman with long black hair. Once she released her Aura, it actually gave him a sense of pressure.
Becoming wary, he toned down his aggression slightly and fought cautiously, wanting to figure out their Nen Abilities.
After several probes, he was nearly injured twice, deepening his wariness of these three women and that doll several times over.
It was at this moment that Law, who had just finished off Phinks, arrived on this floor and encountered them.
"Law!" Seeing Law appear, Ellie excitedly greeted him.
Akatake also saw Law, his face darkening, 'Was it possible that Feitan and Phinks had been taken down by this guy?'
Law looked at Ellie and the others, his eyebrow twitching slightly. He involuntarily looked at Salin, who returned a 'Don't look at me' look.
Salin was the elder, so Law couldn't really say much. He could only focus his attention on Akatake.
Stargie had been ready to fight, but upon seeing Law appear, for some reason, she simply put away her harp.
Seeing the opposing side's growing strength, Akatake began to contemplate retreat.
Although he was an Enhancer, he wasn't stupid. He knew staying would be like an egg hitting a rock… a sure way to die.
With this thought, he turned and ran without hesitation.
He wanted to regroup with Chrollo and the others first, then deal with this troublesome guy together.
"Do you think you can escape?"
Law's eyes turned cold. If it were a fight to the death, he would have to be somewhat careful. But if the opponent lost their nerve before even fighting, they were as good as dead.
He took out Nyoi-Bo, channeled Nen, and pursued.
Against an Enhancer Nen User, the rod was actually more useful than Shin.
Akatake was injured, had no will to fight, and wasn't as fast as Law. How could he escape?
In less than twenty seconds, he was forcibly dragged into combat by Law.
Without companion support, in less than five rounds, he was knocked unconscious from behind by a deceptive blow from Law's rod, which damaged his heart.
In front of Salin and the others who had rushed over, Law coldly delivered a finishing blow to the unconscious Akatake, then stored the corpse.
Thus, the Spider now had four legs remaining...
Salin looked at the bloodstains left on the ground and asked, "That man was a member of the Phantom Troupe?"
"Yes. One head is worth over four billion," Law replied.
Hearing this, Ellie said in surprise, "We met a disgusting man on the first floor earlier. I wonder if he was from the Troupe."
Law thought for a moment, "Slanted, triangular eyes?"
"Yes!" Ellie clapped her hands.
"He was one too. You all stay here, don't come down." After a pause, Law added, "I'm serious."
Having said that, he gave Ellie and the others no chance to refuse and headed downstairs.
He wasn't sure how many Troupe members remained from the other routes, or what the situation was with Kurapika's battle.
Seeing Law speak so seriously, Ellie and Salin looked at each other.
A moment later, Ellie asked weakly, "Should we follow him down?"
Salin looked towards the staircase and said, "Since Law specifically emphasized it, we'd better listen to him and stay here."
Hearing this, Ellie could only give up.
She had finally gotten out and wanted to let loose. It was a pity not to go see the excitement, and if Law was in trouble, she couldn't help him.
"This is the seventh floor."
Ellie suddenly thought of something and looked at Salin.
The seventh floor wasn't that high; they could at least see what was happening outside.
...
Law reached the first floor and saw Cipher's corpse, which had been cut into over a hundred pieces.
He approached the corpse, looked at the miserable remains, and sighed, "How can this be exchanged for money?"
He couldn't be bothered to piece Cipher's body parts back together, so he let it go. He wasn't that short on the bounty for one head.
Moreover, the Mafia's auction items were still in the Cemetery Building, including the Scarlet Eyes. He might as well take them when he had the chance.
After all, they were Mafia possessions, so he could take them without any pressure.
Law stepped over the corpses littering the first-floor lobby, went outside the main entrance, then took out his phone and checked it. He found Kurapika had already sent a message.
"So it's resolved over there."
Law muttered to himself, put away his phone, and stood right outside the entrance as if waiting for something.
If the remaining Troupe members came, he would kill them on the spot. If they didn't come, he wouldn't mind spending time and effort with Kurapika to hunt them down until the Spider was completely eliminated.
After waiting outside the entrance for over ten seconds, three people came sprinting from the road ahead. It was Chrollo and the other two.
'That meant the Ten Dons had probably been dealt with by Illumi.'
Law thought silently to himself.
Before the Yorknew City Auction began, he had considered forcing Illumi to abandon the commission to assassinate the Ten Dons, thereby using Zeno and Silva's help to jointly eliminate the Phantom Troupe.
However, doing that would have allowed the Ten Dons to escape their fate.
Law didn't want to indirectly save the Ten Dons' lives, nor did he think the absence of Zeno and Silva would affect the final outcome. So, he let the Ten Dons follow their predetermined path and die at Illumi's hands.
Chrollo and the other two saw Law standing at the main entrance and abruptly stopped.
When he saw Law, Chrollo suddenly understood something. His face remained calm, but the light in his eyes was terrifyingly cold.
A bad premonition sprouted in Pakunoda's heart, making her chest ache faintly.
It seemed... as if the path they were on had suddenly plunged into boundless darkness. All her companions were gone, all sounds had vanished. It was a complete and utter loss of everything.
Chrollo didn't notice Pakunoda's abnormality. He raised his right hand, summoned Bandit's Secret, stared intently at Law, and asked calmly, "Did you kill Shalnark and Franklin?"
Law remained silent, then entered a combat stance.
"Did you kill Feitan?"
Law remained silent again.
"What about the others?"
Law still said nothing.
Chrollo, his expression unchanged, posed a fourth question: "Did Machi betray us?"
Law lifted his eyelids. He didn't remain silent this time but shook his head. "Even if they left the Troupe, they would never betray you. You should know that very well."
"Yes."
Chrollo acknowledged noncommittally.
Listening to their conversation, Pakunoda instinctively covered her chest, her gaze shifting between Chrollo and Law.
In a daze, it was as if the light of a crossroads was shining at her feet, taking her back to a certain moment in the past.
'If we had made a different choice then, would it have changed our current situation?'
The temperature seemed to be draining away. A cold current was rapidly flowing through her body, and her heartbeat was becoming increasingly violent.
'This couldn't go on.'
For no apparent reason, Pakunoda seemed to possess an intuition similar to Machi's.
"Boss..." Pakunoda wanted to advise Chrollo to escape this place, but her words were cut off as Law spoke: "I didn't kill Franklin."
Among those first three questions, not only Franklin was involved, but all members of the Troupe.
However, Law specifically singled out Franklin's name.
And Franklin was the one Kurapika had killed.
In fact, when Chrollo suddenly posed the fourth question about Machi and the others, images of Machi and the others immediately surfaced in Law's mind.
Immediately after, the weight that had been hanging steadily in his heart began to sway back and forth.
The orange-yellow light of the street lamps looked quite gentle, giving a sense of warmth.
But the night wind, carrying broken leaves, carried an indescribable chill on this late summer night.
As his mood was inexplicably complicated, Law suddenly looked behind Chrollo and the other two, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
A chain, its presence concealed, shot out from the night without warning.
By the time Chrollo and Pakunoda noticed it, it was already too late.
The chain was aimed at Bonolenov. Bonolenov, who is severely injured, couldn't react in time and was wrapped up by the chain.
Then, Bonolenov's expression changed slightly as he found his Aura sealed. The thought had just occurred to him when his body was yanked away by the chain.
"Be careful, this chain can seal Aura."
While in the air, Bonolenov hurriedly warned Chrollo and Pakunoda.
Then, that warning became his last words in life.
Thud!
The chain suddenly constricted in mid-air, directly crushing Bonolenov to death.
Blood mixed with flesh fell from the air onto the ground.
A shadow passed through the eyes of both Chrollo and Pakunoda.
Watching this scene, Law said calmly, "He was the one who killed Franklin."
Law decided not to intervene, because the debt had a rightful owner.
From the shadows beyond the street light, a pair of crimson, glowing eyes were revealed.
Kurapika... had taken off his contact lenses.
Both Chrollo and Pakunoda saw those red eyes filled with endless killing intent, like the eyes of a demon clawing its way out of hell.
"Kurta Clan."
Chrollo murmured to himself.
The crossroads light at Pakunoda's feet suddenly went out.
'So, that's how it was?'
'If only we could have stopped it back then...'