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Chapter 127: The Glam Clan
Ronin left.
He had also made a promise with Kastro, though it wasn't about a fight. Instead, he had accepted Kastro's invitation.
Kastro would challenge Hisoka again once he was fully prepared.
And he hoped Ronin would be sitting ringside to witness the results of his training, and to watch him claim victory over Hisoka.
Ronin agreed.
Three days later, their airship touched down in the northern region of the Yorbian Continent, arriving at the Pleasure Capital: Glam Gas Land.
According to Milluki's intel, the person possessing the Scarlet Eyes was a member of the Glam Clan, the largest faction here.
In its early years, Glam Gas Land was nothing more than an impoverished range of red dirt mountains. But the nomadic Glam Clan discovered natural gas here.
And so, they halted their wandering, settled on this land, and built a city, which they named after themselves.
However, over-extraction quickly depleted the natural gas reserves. The Glam Clan, having already amassed billions of Jenny from selling the gas, pivoted to opening casinos and building hotels in Gas Land.
To attract tourists, the various hotels began putting on diverse performances and shows.
As a result, the entertainment industry gradually became Gas Land's signature trade. A massive influx of theater troupes, circuses, magicians, and other talents flocked to the city, infusing it with a unique, artistic charm.
It made perfect sense that something like the Scarlet Eyes—one of the Seven Great Beautiful Colors of the world—would be sought after and collected by a powerful noble living in a city like this.
"The Glam Clan has amassed an immense amount of wealth and controlled Gas Land for a very long time, so their family is definitely not to be underestimated," Kurapika said, analyzing the situation ever since they checked into their hotel. "The best-case scenario would be acquiring the Scarlet Eyes through normal, legitimate trade."
"But generally speaking, the best-case scenario never happens," Shizuku pointed out sharply.
"That's true," Kurapika nodded helplessly. "Contacting the collector hasn't gone smoothly."
Milluki was only able to track the buyer down because they left a trail during an underground transaction. That didn't mean the buyer had any intention of parting with the Scarlet Eyes.
Plus, from the moment they decided to come here, Ronin and the others knew the buyer wasn't exactly hurting for cash.
So, buying it back at a premium price was out of the question.
"As expected, a thief's methods are always the simplest, most efficient, and most convenient," Shizuku delivered another precise observation.
"But we aren't the Phantom Troupe," Neon argued.
"True, but if the target turns out to be an unforgivable scum, we could always play the part of righteous vigilantes." Ronin's approach was highly flexible.
He adapted his attitude depending on who he was dealing with.
And he was confident Kurapika would agree with this approach.
"Ronin is right. Although doing it that way complicates things, it's what separates us from the Troupe. I don't want us to become the very monsters we're trying to slay," Kurapika stated earnestly.
He was willing to get his hands bloody, but he refused to violate his morals and conscience.
That was the confidence Ronin had instilled in him.
"So, did Milluki uncover his identity and criminal record?" Neon asked the critical question.
"We have his identity, but as for criminal records... there's nothing. Milluki probably didn't care to look into that either," Kurapika shrugged. "Or it could be that his status grants him the power to ensure such records are never kept in the first place. Therefore, our next step is to find an opportunity to make contact with him, while secretly gathering our own intel."
"You assign the roles," Ronin said, stifling a yawn.
He was much better suited to playing the muscle, and he preferred it that way too.
Besides, a lot of cosplay enthusiasts had gathered in Gas Land, and Ronin was far more interested in checking out the conventions.
He was most likely going to deploy a [Shadow Clone Jutsu] to handle whatever task Kurapika assigned, while his real body went to the con.
Kurapika knew exactly what Ronin was planning, but Ronin's abilities were crucial for the investigation.
The team split was simple: Ronin would pair up with Neon, while Kurapika teamed up with Shizuku.
Shizuku might not have been much help when it came to analytical thinking, but in combat, she was the strongest in the squad after Ronin.
That had everything to do with Shizuku's immense Potential Aura Power. Kurapika and Neon would need a considerable amount of training to catch up to her level.
This reality only made Kurapika more eager to finish gathering the Scarlet Eyes here so they could head to Greed Island as soon as possible.
As for whether Ronin and Neon would slack off, Kurapika didn't really care.
.....
A few months ago, Petter Glam had purchased a pair of Scarlet Eyes at an underground auction for 700 million Jenny.
What he hadn't expected was that, just a few months later, the market price for a pair had skyrocketed to over two billion.
But more than the money, he valued the artistic worth of the Scarlet Eyes—a treasure renowned as one of the world's Seven Great Beautiful Colors.
Prior to acquiring the Scarlet Eyes, Petter had zero interest in collecting human organs. He even considered the hobby incredibly vulgar.
But after getting his hands on them, he began to study the various bizarre human organs that existed in the world, developing a deep obsession with the macabre collection.
He had even constructed a specialized exhibition hall in his own hotel just for this purpose.
Currently, the hall was closed off to the public, housing only a handful of exquisite human organs he had managed to track down.
Filling the hall through slow, methodical collecting would take an eternity. But during a circus performance a month ago, Petter discovered a shortcut to rapidly amassing unique human organs.
And that shortcut was the circuses themselves!
To draw crowds, many circuses employed bizarre, deformed humans—and even Demi-Humans!
If he could slaughter all of them, harvest their organs, and preserve them as art... how thrilling, how utterly exhilarating that would be!
Driven by this dark desire, Petter extended an invitation to the Freak Show Troupe under the guise of the Glam Clan.
In two days, they were scheduled to perform in the garden of the Glam family's hotel. The 'freaks' had already moved into the hotel and were currently diligently preparing for the show.
They probably never imagined that this freak show would be their final performance.
What awaited them was a breathtaking transformation—after sacrificing themselves for art, they would be reborn into glorious new forms, admired, revered, and praised by future generations!
Petter raised his glass and downed his red wine in a single gulp.
He could hardly wait!
As for the buyers desperately trying to contact him over the past two days? They could all drop dead for all he cared.
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