Xiang Nan didn't go to see Omokage right away.
He first convened all the senior officers in the military district for a meeting to discuss carving out a separate military zone on the map of the Republic of Padokea for building out the Pandora's Box organization. In the end, they chose Zerta City, where the Zatobi family first rose to power.
Creating an independent military district also meant Pandora's Box was about to officially set sail. The construction of a military base and the "artificial-human project"—both were indispensable pieces in Xiang Nan's long-term plans.
Now that he served as the military's Chief of the Joint General Staff, once he made the call, nobody above would object. In terms of rank and authority, Xiang Nan already sat among the top ten commanders.
What's more, after the Yorknew incident—and with people from the Nameless Town drawing focused attention from every nation—Padokea fully grasped Xiang Nan's special significance and "value." They had no objections to his deployments and arrangements. A man coveted even by V5 was their national "treasure." No one dared question either his merits or his service to Padokea.
Not only the military—some political leaders, too, realized the country's ceiling now depended on how Xiang Nan chose to act. With the military and government aligned, his position was unshakable.
"Other countries are putting all kinds of incentives and resources on the table to recruit people from the Nameless Town… Are we really going to keep holding back?"
No sooner had the meeting ended than a call came in from another senior commander.
"Mm… The Nameless people aren't as valuable as you think—what you lack is intel on the Multiverse," Xiang Nan replied. "Compared to recruiting from Nameless, I'd rather cultivate the fighters we actually need."
"The Multiverse…" The commander hesitated.
"I can't tell you yet—it isn't the time. V5 has definitely planted moles in our military to pry loose whatever I share. And then there's the Kakin Empire—they've clocked this too. Compared to V5, they're the more immediate and stubborn problem. If I leak even a little, that dossier will hit their desks in no time. Information on the Multiverse is proprietary intelligence for Pandora's Box. When the time is right, I'll disseminate it," Xiang Nan said.
"Understood."
The commander didn't doubt his decision.
After hanging up, Xiang Nan, with Owl in tow, finally went to see Omokage.
Leaning on the military's favor, Omokage had built a grand private gallery right on base—a structure that looked, from the outside, like an elegant classical castle. Inside, it was lined with the dolls he crafted—his collection—reflecting a very particular artistic taste. The castle also had a church-like vibe: multicolored stained glass emblazoned with crosses.
Outside sprawled a lush field of flowers, making it feel like the open countryside rather than a hard-edged, tightly regulated military zone.
"Pretty, huh…" Owl quipped beside Xiang Nan. "Everyone's inside…"
Xiang Nan kept quiet; he had already sensed the many auras concealed within the church-castle.
Clad in a black trench coat, he stepped forward and pushed open the heavy door with a creak.
The moment he entered, he saw Omokage on the dais, hands clasped behind his back—"eyeless" as ever. Light refracted through the stained glass around the nave, and the surrounding shelves were packed with dolls.
Omokage looked every inch the godfather.
On the long pews below sat a crowd of unfamiliar Nen users—over a hundred in all. When Xiang Nan appeared, their gazes snapped to him; some curious, some sizing him up, some with a hint of hostility.
These people were all Pandora's Box members—Nen users trained under Omokage. Many had never laid eyes on Xiang Nan, the unit's leader, and naturally didn't recognize him. To them, Omokage looked like their commanding officer, and his strength was convincing.
The ones who went to greet Xiang Nan earlier were only a slice of Pandora's Box—mostly veterans and those from the underworld who'd been folded into the army, the Nen users Xiang Nan had previously overseen—Ten Don Edi's former subordinates. The ones before him now were the bulk of the organization.
By rights, with Xiang Nan a top military boss—and these people also having come up through the army—they should have stood up and saluted at once.
After all, soldiers have rules.
Yet when Xiang Nan appeared, they all stayed planted in their seats, not budging an inch.
Forget saluting—none of them even tried to stand.
Xiang Nan smiled, knowing exactly what that meant. Meeting their dense stares head-on, he walked toward Omokage on the dais.
"You're here," Omokage greeted him.
After stepping into the castle, Owl casually leaned against a corner wall, watching the "arrogant" Omokage with a mocking look, ready to enjoy the show.
"Not bad… During the clash with the Nation of Rabi, the unit took heavy losses, and you still managed to train this many Nen users in such a short time. No wonder a couple of senior officers keep singing your praises in my ear."
Xiang Nan stopped at the foot of the dais, looking up at Omokage above him.
The man didn't take even a single step down. Instead, he looked down from on high.
"Isn't this just our deal? I said I'd do it, so I did it right," Omokage said. "Well? Satisfied?"
At that, Xiang Nan glanced around at the faces staring back at him and smiled. "The quality's decent… but their character needs work. They don't look much like soldiers. If I didn't know better, I'd think I'd walked into a den of felons—what a bunch of mean-mugging thugs…"
He didn't bother to soften the jab.
Expressions shifted across the room at once—mostly anger and chilliness.
Omokage didn't get angry. He spread his arms and smiled. "Pandora's Box is in a primary growth phase. Strength and headcount are what matter most, aren't they?"
"Sure. I'm just your assistant here. You're the one who leads this outfit."
"Oh? You say that… but judging from their eyes, they don't seem to recognize my authority," Xiang Nan chuckled.
Omokage hadn't produced so many Nen users purely on his own prowess. The mechanisms Xiang Nan had set up for Pandora's Box were strong, and the Republic of Padokea had tilted its national resources to support Pandora's Box's growth—every major military district kept sending talent in a steady stream to Heaven's Arena for 'training,' where Nen users would guide them.
The key factor… was national power.
Of course, as a "mentor," Omokage did have some real skill.
Xiang Nan mounted the steps, walking up onto the platform one deliberate pace at a time.
At the same time, a terrifying aura surged out of him, sweeping across the entire castle in an instant.
Watching from afar, Owl broke into a grin.
Then his tone sharpened with surprise. "Tsk… this guy's gotten even scarier…"