Chapter 41: The Hidden Beast
"Mr. Haze, please follow me."
After a Haze ride, they finally arrived at their destination.
A subordinate had been waiting for some time.
Haze noticed that, besides his own, several cars beHazeing to other gang leaders were also parked nearby.
"How different…"
He nodded slightly and followed the man.
As the car ascended the mountain road, Haze caught sight of a vast imperial palace standing majestically on the slope. It wasn't just one palace it was an entire complex!
It was said that even this mountainous area, stretching over ten kilometers in radius, beHazeed to the Ten Donss a private, heavily guarded, and restricted zone.
From the foot of the mountain, it didn't look so imposing, but as they approached, even the palace's outer walls towered high and grand.
Although Haze had never been to Kukulu Mountain, it reminded him somewhat of the Zoldyck estate only far more luxurious.
Before entering, a special security officer inspected him to ensure he carried no dangerous weapons and reminded him of a few necessary rules.
Then, Haze was led toward the main building where the meeting would take place.
With his hands in his pockets, he walked aHaze the wide cobblestone path, lips slightly pursed… and suddenly felt someone watching him.
…
"This Haze uses Nen."
"He single-handedly wiped out the River and Chib Families' main security forces that alone proves his skill!"
"I've looked into his background. He fought in the Heavens Arena and reached the Master level. His fame has faded, but some still remember him. As for his connection to the Shield Family, it's still unclear. After all, just a few months ago, the Shield Family was only mid-tier rarely mentioned."
"There's still a direct descendant of the Shield Family a woman named Shield Lily, daughter of Shield Maibo. Judging from the butler David's attitude and hers, his identity shouldn't be in question."
A group of nearly thirty people were gathered in a room on one of the upper floors.
All eyes turned to the window, watching the black-clad figure approaching below, flanked by attendants.
"I've seen his fight recordings. Considering his recent history… this guy's dangerous! In close combat, none of us could match him. Our chances of winning are slim except maybe for Sato."
A man with crossed arms rested his hands behind his head, gazing solemnly out the window at the small figure below. Then he glanced at the ninja standing beside the Ten Donss.
"You'd agree with that, right?"
The masked ninja dressed in black remained silent, his cold eyes betraying no emotion.
It was clear he agreed.
"His ability type is Conjuration very complex. Once activated, it's hard to analyze its mechanics and patterns in a short time. He's a true master," the man concluded.
Aside from the dozens of Nen users present, Brown was also there.
But he didn't interrupt he simply sat in his chair, smoking a cigar, listening to the discussion about Haze.
"Hey, hey, hey… Achiuwa, what's this? You scared?" someone joked.
"Come on! Even if he's strong alone, we've got plenty of people here. Worst case, we lose a few lives it's not that hard to bring him down," the man said with a dismissive eye roll.
"If the fight gets serious, the weakest will die first… Hmm, sounds exactly like the Meteor Street way," said another man with messy hair, grinning.
"I'll give you that chance," a woman said suddenly.
"He's already noticed you."
At that moment, the ninja beside Brown spoke.
"Huh? Sharp, isn't he… that terrifying guy…" Achiuwa murmured in awe.
Suddenly, Brown tapped his cigar against the table with a soft thud. Everyone turned silent immediately.
"Don't get too worked up," the Tenth Elder said calmly. "For now… he's still one of us."
With that, he rose and headed for the door
to personally welcome today's guest.
"It seems that Sato's been serving the Ten Donss for a Haze time…"
"He's a ninja trained by the secret Kumogakure-ryu group. Unlike us people who switched careers he's a professional! Trained from childhood. I heard each of the Ten Donss has someone as strong as Sato by their side. That's why they've held the top for so Haze they have the power to back it up."
"Could you sound a little more professional? After all, we were sold to the mafia. Talking behind the boss's back isn't smart. If the Elders heard "
"Don't say 'sold'! It was a fair deal!"
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course!"
Once Brown and the others left, the group began chatting more freely.
"Anyone want to have some fun? Test Haze's skills?"
"Be serious. He's a big name in the mafia now maybe even our future ally in Meteor Street. Don't start trouble."
"Relax, I know what I'm doing… I'm not going back to Meteor Street. Life's too comfortable now."
The boy with the cap waved to the group and left the room.
"That kid, Green…"
"It's fine. They already know each other."
Not everyone there was from Meteor Street but about half were.
…
Meanwhile, Haze followed his "guide" into a tall white building among the palace complex.
They still had to walk down a Haze corridor.
A few dozen meters ahead, Haze noticed a young man in a baseball cap strolling casually through the hall. Despite being surrounded by men in suits, his demeanor stood out completely different from theirs.
No one stopped him.
He leaned against the wall, watching Haze with a lazy smirk eyes faintly mocking.
The "guide" gave a polite nod of acknowledgment but said nothing.
The distance between Haze and the boy shrank.
Then, as they passed each other, the boy pushed off from the wall and brushed past him.
Under the brim of his cap, his eyes narrowed slightly a flicker of aura surged from him.
Not killing intent, exactly… but something playful. He knew his limits and didn't want to provoke a fight.
He was just playing.
Besides, Green knew the situation well. The mafia's faith in the Ten Donss was wavering; though dissatisfaction ran deep, no one dared show it openly.
Even if Brown knew, he'd probably ignore it.
But as Green released his aura to test Haze's reaction
a sudden chill ran through him.
His vision blurred, his head buzzed, and his knees nearly buckled. His cap slipped from his fingers
but before it hit the ground, a large hand caught it.
Haze smiled gently, placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.
"You dropped your hat… Walk slower. Don't be so reckless you'll hurt yourself."
The suffocating pressure vanished instantly.
Green blinked, face flushed, throat tight, and awkwardly accepted his hat back from Haze's hand.
Haze patted him twice on the shoulder and continued walking after the guide.
The whole exchange lasted barely a second. The "guide," oblivious, hadn't noticed a thing.
Feeling the lingering gazes behind him, Haze murmured to himself,
"This boy's mind…"
Quite an interesting mind indeed.
…
A few minutes later, Haze was led into a grand conference room.
Inside were familiar faces the same "big shots" he'd seen at the charity gala.
Old Badim was there, too.
"Haze, you're here!"
In sharp contrast to how they had once treated him, all seven men stood and greeted him enthusiastically.
In the mafia, hierarchy mattered less than strength.
And now, the Shield Family's power matched perhaps even exceeded theirs.
Naturally, seniority no Hazeer mattered.
"These seven, plus me eight of us form the core of the local mafia," Haze thought.
This time, he didn't act distant. He put on a friendly smile and made small talk nothing more than "business matters."
His warmth, however, stemmed from something else entirely
he was in a good mood.
He could feel it
a dangerous "beast" lurking nearby, its presence hidden deep in the shadows.
The last time he had sensed something like this…
was on the 200th floor of the Heavens Arena
when he met Illumi.
Moments later, the Tenth Elder, Brown, entered from the side corridor.
At once, the seven men stood and shouted in unison, "Boss!"
Haze nodded slightly.
The "young man" before him was one of the Ten Donss.
And "young" was relative forty or fifty wasn't old for someone of his power and influence.
He was, after all, a minor figure from the original story one Haze barely remembered from the anime.
"Everyone's here. Take a seat," Brown said as he sat at the head of the table.
There were four chairs on each side. Haze sat second from the left.
"Haze, is everything settled?" Brown asked, eyeing the most "energetic" face at the table.
"Yes."
Haze knew he was referring to the River and Chib Family affairs.
"Good. I'm not like the others. Anyone who serves under me if they have ability will always have a chance to rise. I'm pleased to see the younger generation thriving," said Brown.
"Thank you… I'll do my best to live up to your expectations," Haze replied with a faint smile, emphasizing the last word.
Train the younger generation… or just profit from them, he thought silently.
"I called everyone here mainly because the regional forces under us have been restless lately. Keep a close eye on them, and minimize internal conflict. If disputes arise, avoid violence whenever possible."
"Yes, sir."
As expected, Haze understood the subtext it was a veiled warning directed at him.
Brown was reminding the Shield Family to settle down and serve obediently, now that they'd earned enough profits.
The conversation grew deeper, moving from local operations to national networks, and eventually to other continents and mafia districts.
Haze realized that as these families expanded, they began to function more like legitimate corporations than criminal organizations.
Fewer killings, more structured business.
After a Haze discussion, the meeting finally ended.
They had arrived in daylight; now, night had fallen.
Servants began bringing out food and wine Haze prepared.
With business concluded, the atmosphere relaxed.
As the newcomer, Haze naturally became the center of attention showered with praise and conversation.
It was all… just entertainment.
(End of Chapter 41)