Chapter 26: The Threat Letter
"He looks like he's enjoying it." Uvogin clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white.
"No, remove the 'looks like'." Nobunaga's eyes flashed with ruthlessness, but then, a thought crossed his mind, and the corner of his mouth curved up slightly.
Killing someone right at the peak of their triumph... that would be its own kind of enjoyment.
"You look like you're coveting my prey," Uvogin growled, staring down at Nobunaga with undisguised hostility.
"This isn't the place to fight," Shalnark interjected, playing the mediator. "Are you planning to kill him in the ring?"
"Didn't you say we don't need his Scarlet Eyes anymore?" Uvogin countered.
"Yeah, we don't need them," Shalnark nodded. "But meeting him in the ring through official channels might be troublesome. The waiting period alone is annoying."
Uvogin turned and started walking toward the arena exit. "Then let's give the prey a little pressure. If he tries to run, we can just kill him outside."
"Just don't overdo it," Shalnark shrugged and followed him. "His abilities are tricky."
"If Uvogin can't handle it, I'll step in," Nobunaga said, gripping his katana with a look of solemn duty.
But the moment the words left his mouth, Uvogin's killing intent exploded in front of him.
Bam!
Nobunaga was sent flying backward.
Chaos erupted in the spectator stands instantly. Security rushed in.
But by then, Ronin was long gone from the ring.
"The promotion for this match was excellent. However, after stomping Sydney like that, no one is going to challenge you for a while," Miria said, waiting for Ronin in the tunnel beneath the stage.
"It doesn't matter. I can challenge others," Ronin replied indifferently.
The 200th floor was teeming with fighters. There were the disgusting veterans who preyed on rookies, and there were the fearless strong who waited for worthy challengers.
Ronin's first two matches were defensive declarations—he was the one being challenged.
Now that no one dared pick a fight with him, he could freely choose his next victim.
"Good. I have a list here. They're all solid fighters, and beating them will generate significant hype," Miria handed him a pre-prepared dossier. "Of course, if you have someone specific in mind, we can go with your choice."
Ronin took the file, noticing the commotion coming from the stands outside the tunnel.
"Let's go to the restaurant first," Ronin said, ignoring the noise. It wasn't important.
However, just as they stepped out of the lounge, a staff member intercepted them with an envelope.
"Sir, a blonde teenager asked me to give this to you."
Ronin looked around but saw no familiar faces. The description "blonde teenager" immediately brought one person to mind.
Kurapika.
Did he find me already?
With that thought, he examined the envelope carefully before opening it under Miria's watchful eye.
The contents were simple.
"I'm going to throw you off Heavens Arena so you can experience the same freefall I did. I hope you don't die on impact!
—The man who crushed your father's skull."
Ronin's pupils contracted slightly.
Clearly, the author was Uvogin. But the "blonde teenager" who delivered it must have been Shalnark.
"It's finally happening," Ronin muttered. He felt a trace of pressure, but not much.
In fact, the excitement bubbling in his chest was stronger.
Perhaps he was born for battle. Just like when he first transmigrated and immediately challenged Uvogin after absorbing his predecessor's memories.
Now that he had some real strength, he was eager to test himself against a worthy opponent. Or even someone stronger.
And Uvogin was the perfect measuring stick.
However, fighting Uvogin meant he couldn't hold back like he did against Sydney. He would have to use Ninjutsu.
But he absolutely didn't want to expose his Ninja abilities to the public.
So, the best solution was...
Ronin looked seriously at Miria.
Miria didn't understand his look at first, but then she noticed the expectation in his eyes.
"What do you mean?" She instinctively went to push her glasses up, but remembering Ronin was watching, she quickly hid her beautiful hands behind her back.
"The Phantom Troupe is here," Ronin said as he put away the letter and walked toward the elevator. "I need power. So, it's time you told me what your ability actually is. You've been waiting for this too, haven't you?"
Watching Ronin's back, Miria pushed her glasses up properly this time. The corners of her mouth curled into a genuine smile.
The smile transformed her usually cold face, giving it a radiance that momentarily stunned Ronin when he glanced back.
"I'll explain everything over dinner," Miria said, not rushing things.
Hidden in the crowd, Shalnark watched the pair leave.
He saw no fear in Ronin. Instead, he saw composure.
Uvogin's evaluation of the kid was becoming more accurate by the second—this brat was truly arrogant.
"Well? Did you give it to him?" Uvogin appeared behind Shalnark just as Ronin and Miria entered the elevator.
"I did," Shalnark nodded.
"So? So? Did it scare him?" Uvogin asked eagerly.
He had spent a long time drafting that threat letter during the match, hoping to see fear or rage on Ronin's face.
Ideally, he wanted Ronin to turn red-eyed with fury, exposing his Kurta identity right there.
Shalnark shook his head. "You're going to be disappointed. He was very calm. In fact, right before the elevator closed, he lit the letter on fire and tossed it into the trash."
Shalnark pointed to a trash can near the elevators. Smoke was already billowing out, and security guards were rushing over with extinguishers.
"No common sense, that guy!" Uvogin punched the stone pillar next to him in frustration, leaving a deep fist imprint in the concrete.
"We should have just walked up to him and warned him. Or I could have just chopped him up," Nobunaga said, finally catching up after shaking off security. He glared at Uvogin unhappy. "You're like a powder keg. One spark and you explode."
"You want to fight again?" Uvogin turned his hostile gaze on his partner.
"You think I'm scared of you?"
Shalnark facepalmed.
At the same time, on the 1st Floor Arena.
"Kurapika. You advance directly to the 50th Floor."
After watching Kurapika defeat his opponent with a single move, the referee made his judgment.
Kurapika nodded silently. He turned and walked off the stage, leaving behind a burly man knocked unconscious in the center of the ring.