Upon approaching the vicinity of the power plant, I see the entrance in the distance guarded by two burly, armed men, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any threats. Not wanting to raise alarms just yet, I circle the perimeter to place a distraction in a alley away from the entrance.
After placing it, I approach the entrance hidden by the transformers, and tapping a few keys over my laptop, a loud noise suddenly echoes from the nearby alley.
The guards momentarily leave their position to check this unexpected noise, and taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I slip past them and into the building.
Once inside the industrial structure, the atmosphere is quite oppressive and dark, the dimly lit hallways full of moss, rust, and other deterioration that shows the long time this place has gone without maintenance.
Upon spotting a henchman roaming the area near me, I quickly hide behind a column, and when he passes near me, I drag him by the shoulder and knock him unconscious with an elbow and a punch to the face.
Hiding him in a secluded spot and taking his weapon, I continue crossing the network of rooms and corridors filled with more thugs discussing their latest missions and exchanging information about their illicit activities.
"I got a tip about a woman who targets wealthy men in clubs and then blackmails them to take everything. It will be an easy target to catch."
"It seems one of the cattle searchers tried to escape the operation and had to be eliminated. We need to review the list of potential candidates and prepare another publicity bait."
As I stealthily pass them, I make sure to listen carefully to the conversations and write down everything they say on my laptop. The Blacklist Hunter's job is not just about capturing criminals; it's about understanding their motives and gathering information that can prevent future crimes.
Moving with silent precision, I navigate the hallways, avoiding the occasional servant or guard, and after a few tense minutes, I hear more faint voices coming from a room at the end of the hallway.
Carefully, I approach the metal door, and peeking inside I see a larger interior area that seems to be filled with several serious and threatening looking thugs counting money spread out on a table.
Listening carefully, I notice they are also discussing operations and transactions. But unlike the loose-lipped henchmen I've encountered so far, their conversations are hushed, and they seem more tense and aware of the importance of their duty.
"The distribution of the middle school girls went well, and the inmates in Block D are now almost dependent enough to be sold at auction. Mr. Zenji and Mr. Rottfelli are very interested in purchasing them."
The one who looks like their leader lights and takes a drag of a cigarette before asking. "How are the deals with Kakin going?"
"Our agents at Kakin City Port confirmed the arrival of the contraband 2 weeks ago, and the receipt of the interested parties was confirmed 10 days ago. We received the transfer of 300,000 jenny in our tax haven accounts."
"The deal was for 500,000 jenny."
"Some of the women tried to resist and escape as they left the containers, and our officers on site had to finish them off to set an example for the others, that's why the buyers decided to pay less."
"Sigh. That means they weren't subdued enough." The leader declares while exhaling smoke. "Welstom, get rid of the imbecile in charge of administering the drugs and put someone more competent in his place. Those women must be completely hooked before and after the deliveries."
"Y-Yes, as you command."
"Okay. Now, On another note; after selling this last batch through the country, we'll have to stop our operations until the Yorknew City annual auctions are over."
The villain leader changes the discussion to a topic that seems important, so I quickly approach, hiding behind one of the boxes in the place to hear him better.
"During the first days of September, the world's most powerful mafia families will send their bosses and highest-ranking representatives to bid on the rarest contraband in the world and prove their strenght. The balance of power is about to shift dramatically."
"Exorbitant sums change hands in these clandestine auctions. A family's reputation and future can change completely within the criminal underworld in just a few days." One of the henchmen near the boss continues explaining.
"If things go well, you can strengthen your position and prestige in the eyes of the rest of the syndicate. But if you don't act properly and make bad investment moves, you can be seriously damaged by offering more than you can afford, and even collapse and disappear."
"And it's not just about the money. We're talking about arrogant, unscrupulous people all vying to prove their superiority. The mafia bosses and their underlings will surely look for ways to provoke a conflict that will end in one or more violent bloodbaths." The leader continues.
"Fights between families are a reality, and the power scales will change. I cannot assess the full extent of these clashes, but they will certainly have repercussions in the underworld's business dealings. The Ten Dons may remain at the top, but even they will be affected by the unfolding events."
"Doing business in such a volatile situation is careless. That's why we'll stay in the dark until things have calmed down, and then we'll contact whoever is in the best position to get the business up and running again."
"That sounds good, boss. And tell me, what do we do with the shipment we just received?" Another subordinate asks, sporting a conceited smile.
"Obviously, we'll keep them and gradually make them dependent on drugs so they become unable to escape. That way, we can test whether the new person in charge is capable of doing their assigned job before selling them." The leader responds, taking another drag.
"If we're not going to sell them after this shipment, then can we just have a bit of fun with them? It's been a long time since I've vented, and I really feel like letting it out. And I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling frustrated here." The same man asks, looking at the other four subordinates present.
"Treat yourself if you want." Despite giving his permission, the leader pulls a gun from his waistband and looks at him with sharp eyes.
"But remember not to get them pregnant before selling them like last time. Baby trafficking is a hassle to deal with, and I don't want to lose the merchandise that's so hard to acquire."
"And even if you want to have some fun with the group of virgins, don't even think about doing the deed. Those stupid billionaires and church organizations are willing to pay way more if they are pure. Other than that, do whatever you want. Understand?"
"Ok, ok boss, whatever you say. I'll go see what we have on hand in block B then and decide what to take. I can't wait to get my hands on some young bitches and mess them up until they're screaming their heads off and their faces get fill with tears and fear. It's going to be a lot of fun tonight." The henchman says, with a slobbering smile and eyes full of lust, just like some of the other men.
Watching them, I clench my teeth and fists as anger begins bubbling up inside me. 'Disgusting! It's so disgusting! Not only these bastards kidnap and sell people as illegal goods, but they talk about using them as toys for their sexual relief! And has the boss really been dealing with this kind of scum all by himself?!'
"Oh, and one more thing before you leave." At the same time he says this, a sharp pain suddenly shoots through my right arm as he suddenly fires through the box behind which I am hiding.
As his lackeys turn their heads in the direction he has fired, he finishes speaking; "Looks like we've got company. Get them."
As soon as he gives this order, the rest of the kidnappers begin firing in my direction with bullets so powerful they pierce electrical equipment and solid brick walls like if they were paper.
For my part, I am forced to run and jump around badly wounded to avoid being hit or caught, and hiding behind the abandoned things that fill the great room until I quickly reach an exit and leave the place.
'This situation wasn't in my predictions! I'm sure I didn't make a sound! How did he know I was there?! And how could he have hurt me with his gun?! The boss trained me to withstand point-blank shotgun blasts without taking damage using my aura!' I think agitated, running through the dimly lit corridor as blood runs down my aching arm.
Frustrated and confused as to how he was able to locate me while I was hiding and hurt me with a measly bullet, I pull out my laptop, and putting the command, I summon my doppelganger right at my side.
"I'll continue searching the area to get a detailed layout of this facility and find the victims being held captive. You need to get them as far away as possible and keep me informed of everything you find out." I tell my doppelganger as we both run.
"Ok, I'll make sure to do a good distraction. Leave this to me." My double responds, also conjuring his laptop and running in another direction.
As I separate from my double, I hide behind a wheelbarrow in the area, and as soon as some of the armed pursuers arrive, my doppelganger quickly attracts their attention, causing them to chase after him and leaving me a little freer to continue inspecting the this big place.
Point of View Switch: Reader
As the lackeys under his direct command ran off after the unnamed intruder who had approached to eavesdrop on their conversations, the leader immediately began calling someone on the phone.
"He's a Nen user, so it can be a rare adquisition. We could sell him for a good prize in the black market as a combat slave or a brainwashed henchman if we catch him alive. Chase after him and and don't let him escape the power plant." The boss says with the phone to his ear.
"Don't forget to keep me informed of what he's doing at every moment. I need to know his movements so I can understand his intentions and trap him." The leader gives the order, then hangs up the phone and starts calling someone else.
"An intruder has infiltrated our base and is currently on the run. He's a Nen user with unknown abilities, so it's your turn to act. Capture him alive if you can, please." He explains.
"I'm calling you because I think you'd find it worthwhile to try and stop him. The intruder is a Nen user, just like us. And a pretty skilled one, from what I could see." The leader says, trying to tempt the man on the phone, sporting a slasher smile.
While the leader is organizing everything to capture the intruder, the aforementioned continues to tour and map the thermal power plant while his doppelganger creates a ruckus in another direction away from him to attract and fight the facility's criminals.
Following his intuition, Nicholas runs his way down to the basement, where he suspects the captured women are being held for subsequent sale, and along the way through the corridors and alleys, Nicholas is confronted by several strayed lackeys who start firing bullets like crazy in his direction.
During these clashes, Nicholas notices that the henchmen's guns have the same penetrating power as the boss's group, so he jumps over the obstacles and railings of the place to dodge them and then slams them unconscious to the ground before continuing.
After about 10 minutes of searching the storage area, Nicholas reaches a reinforced giant door guarded by four individuals armed with machine guns. Upon seeing him, they begin firing their ammunition throughout the area.
As Nicholas runs around, stray bullets cutting through his skin, he manages to close the distance with the guards, easily knocking three unconscious and capturing one by pointing a gun summoned from his laptop at him.
"Beyond this door is the facility's basement, right? You're going to open it and lead me to where the kidnapped women are. If you don't, I'll blow your brains out. Do you understand?" Nicholas says, trying to sound threatening.
"Go to eat shit, you moron. They'll kill me if I help you." The guard responds.
"And if you don't, I'll kill you. You don't have many options." Nicholas replies, pressing the cannon against his jaw.
"If you really think like that, then why are you trembling so much?" The thug says, gesturing with his eyes at Nicholas' trembling hand holding the gun.
"I'm not going to talk, so come on, do it already! Have some balls and shoot! Killing me quickly is better than facing the boss and his high-ranking officials after colluding with the enemy."
Despite the thug's taunts, Nicholas remains still with the gun in his hand but his finger not pressing the trigger.
"You can't, right? Judging by how bad your acting as a ruthless boy is and how shaky your hand is, it's clear you've never killed anyone. And yet you've gone all the way into our base on your own to face us."
"Do you think you are a great and brave fairy tale hero, fighting against evil for justice? How naive. The truth is, you're just a kid with delusions of grandeur playing..." The henchman doesn't have time to finish his rant as Nicholas knocks him unconscious with a blow from the butt of his gun.
As the guy falls to the ground, Nicholas silently watches him lying unconscious while tormenting himself over what he's said. 'It's true, I still have my doubts about doing these despicable things. The boss wouldn't have hesitated and would have shown him how serious he was. It's becoming clearer to me that I still lack a lot of experience in fieldwork.'
'Well, it doesn't really matter that much right now. As the boss has repeatedly told me, even though it's something that has to be done eventually, there's no reason to rush it. I'll take that step when the time is right. For now, I'll do what I can to complete the mission. And the next step on that agenda is to open this gigantic door.'
With this thought, Nicholas stares at the large, sealed metal door in front of him, and gathering his aura into his fist, tries to punch it with all his might. Sadly, the thick door only dents slightly, while Nicholas's fist aches from the impact.
With this, he realizes that he won't be able to open it alone in time before they find him, and he also knows that retracing his steps to find someone who knows how to open the door is too risky. So, by inputting commands on his Nen laptop, he orders the copy he has distracting the central enemies to disappear and summons a new one next to him.
"If we do this, we won't have any more uses available, and there's no guarantee he can get through the door. Are you sure you want to do it?" The doppelganger asks Nicholas a very seriously.
"Since I've unsummoned the previous double, the enemies have already seen through the deception, so we need all the strength we have. Besides, I'm sure he'll be able to get through the door one way or another. And since you're me, you know it too." Nicholas answers, full determination.
In response, the doppelganger also summons Ultimate Programming, and by inputting the command, he creates one more copy. However...
"Somewhere behind this armored door are being held the victims of the disappearances in Kituso, and surely from other places as well. I'm so sorry to have to ask for your help after entrusting me with this task, but the situation is urgent, and you're the only one strong enough to open it."
"Don't sweat it so much. I'm a copy created with your Nen ability, not the original, so you don't have to speak to me so formally, and you're not really going against the orders he gave you. The real me is probably on Greed Island right now trying to expand his card collection and solidify his position in the game, so you're actually still doing the task he assigned you on your own." Kai's Nen double assures Nicholas with a lax attitude.
Nicholas smiles with moist eyes in gratitude at his comforting words, and then the three of them start throwing punches and kicks imbued with Ko against the thick metal door until they manage to break a hole through it.
"Hmm. A total of 36 blows. If I remember correctly, it would have only taken me 5 blows at full power to break the door to pieces. It's clear I'm an inferior to the real one." The doppelganger Kai says, observing his aching knuckles.
"Don't say that, boss! Your aura might not be at the level of the original, but your physical abilities are still the same! And having you here with me is most encouraging!" Nicholas states, trying to cheer him up.
"Thank you for your kind words, Nicholas, but I'm a double created with your ability, so it feels strange to be called boss. Just call me Kai." Kai's doppelganger says with displease.