Half a day had passed.
Kaizen hadn’t fully gained control over Sumas yet.
Hunger crept in after going without food for too long.
Additionally, even though Kaizen hadn’t attacked the Kurta clan directly, he had fought, and where there’s battle, there’s exhaustion.
He opened the storage space within Killer Queen and pulled out some food.
Sheila couldn’t help but glance over.
Kaizen was eating and sipping on some juice.
"Want some?" he asked, catching Sheila’s gaze.
Sheila nodded honestly.
"But I can’t just give it to you for free. What do you have to trade?"
There was no friendship between Kaizen and Sheila. If anything, there should have been animosity.
It wasn’t Sheila’s fault that she ended up in the Kurta clan’s sanctuary—that had been Kaizen’s choice. However, when the old man attacked her and dragged her into Sumas’ inner space, Kaizen had only been caught in the crossfire because she had been next to him.
That was why he had been pulled in too.
Some might argue that this situation had given Kaizen the chance to take control of Sumas. But the truth was, he could have accomplished that outside as well.
So, there was no reason to offer Sheila food without something in return.
More than that, their values were fundamentally different.
It wasn’t about right or wrong—it was simply that they weren’t aligned.
Sheila was talented, no doubt. If not for her worldview, Kaizen might have invited her to join his team, just as he had with Nina and Sally. But that wasn’t the case.
Sheila would never put Kaizen’s team first.
Her loyalty would always lie with Meteor City.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"No, no. It’s not about what I want—it’s about what you can offer," Kaizen replied. "Give me some choices, and I’ll decide. If we come to an agreement, we’ll make a trade."
Sheila was silent for a moment.
"The only thing I have right now is my body."
Kaizen shook his head.
It wasn’t just about her appearance.
Not old enough for that kind of thing.
Besides, it could affect his body, maybe even hinder his potential.
That was something he couldn’t accept.
"Tell me about the Phantom Troupe. It sounds interesting. And any interesting locations in Meteor City."
"Also," he added, "if you’ve uncovered any hidden treasures, I’d like to hear about them."
"What do you need this information for? We can’t leave this place."
"I just like a good story."
Sheila sighed. "In the United States of Saherta, there’s a place called Death Town. It’s said to be the resting place of the Sonata of Darkness. Have you heard of it?"
In the original story, the Sonata of Darkness had been introduced through a character named Melody. It was a cursed piece of music divided into four parts—piano, violin, flute, and harp.
"For ordinary people, the Sonata of Darkness is terrifying," Sheila continued. "Anyone who plays or listens to it suffers severe consequences." Updates are released by novelFirｅ.net
"But for those who use Nen, at least those strong enough, the Sonata of Darkness can be turned into an ability—another weapon in their arsenal."
"Like a Nen tool?" Kaizen asked instinctively.
"Exactly," Sheila confirmed. "The Sonata of Darkness is a Nen artifact, just a unique one compared to ordinary tools."
"Good enough for a can of Coke."
Kaizen tossed a can of soda over.
Sheila caught it, popped it open, and took a long gulp.
She drained the whole thing in one go.
"As for Meteor City, there’s a place called Processing Valley. It’s extremely mysterious. Renzi, who reconstructed Sarasa’s body back then, came from there."
"The Phantom Troupe members learned Nen there too."
"There might be incredibly powerful Nen users hidden there."
"However, Processing Valley and Meteor City have a complicated relationship."
"It’s like a country within a country."
"Can I get a piece of bread?"
Kaizen nodded and tossed her a loaf.
"This is getting interesting," he said. "Now, tell me about the Phantom Troupe’s abilities and specialties. I get the feeling they aren’t just mindless fighters."
"They haven’t fully developed their potential," he added. "Why would they limit themselves?"
"They have teachers, don’t they? Their teachers must have told them about that."
Sheila smirked. "That’s because they believe in their comrades completely."
"No matter how much they bicker or how different their personalities are, they trust each other absolutely."
"So, their abilities are all designed for teamwork."
"Uvogin and Phinks are the Troupe’s shield."
"Nobunaga and Feitan are the finishers."
"Franklin is responsible for clearing out weaker enemies."
"Shalnark and Pakunoda handle intelligence."
"Omokage was added later—his main ability revolves around puppetry, but it doesn’t serve the team as much."
"Then there’s Kortopi. But Kortopi is purely a support member—not much use in battle."
"Machi’s abilities are focused on healing."
"She specializes in stitching wounds."
"However, Machi’s talent is undeniable. Even though her abilities are primarily medical, she can still hold her own in a fight."
"Besides Chrollo, she might be the most naturally gifted among us."
"No—if we’re talking strictly about Nen talent, Chrollo might not even be superior to Machi."
"Chrollo’s real strength is his mind—he’s smarter than all of us."
"If Sarasa were still alive, she’d be talented too."
Kaizen frowned slightly.
"So, Machi sacrificed a lot for the Phantom Troupe."
Sheila gave him a knowing look. "Kaizen, you weren’t interested in my body because I’m not your type?"
"Do you prefer someone like Machi?"
"That would make sense."
"She’s more fitting for a kid like you."
"But," Sheila teased, "older women have their own advantages."
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