"Boss, can I start picking my items now?"
It wasn't until this moment that the stall owner snapped back to reality.
The people nearby had been hinting at some sort of favouritism, but the stall owner knew better. He could clearly sense the immense power gap between himself and Ron—it wasn't a small difference. It was as if they were in entirely different leagues. Winning wasn't even a possibility.
Ron picked up the crystal feathered bone from the stall and walked away, weaving through the crowd.
He approached a young man nearby, who had been watching him. The man seemed oblivious at first but quickly noticed Ron heading directly toward him.
"Can we talk?" Ron asked.
The young man's pupils shrank slightly in surprise. He realized Ron had noticed him all along. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "Alright."
The two entered a nearby café and sat in a quiet corner.
"I don't know who you people are, and I'm not here for you. If you think I shouldn't be interacting with Morena, I'll agree to stop. But don't bother me again," Ron said flatly. "Otherwise, next time, I won't be so polite."
He stood, placed the coffee spoon in front of the young man, and walked out of the café.
The young man stared at the spoon—it was bent beyond recognition. Only moments ago, it had been perfectly intact when the server brought it.
"This guy… Who is he?" the young man muttered, looking toward the door. But Ron had already disappeared.
### Behind the Curtain
The young man returned to the middle-aged woman waiting nearby.
"That boy isn't ordinary. He noticed me and even warned me," the young man replied, showing her the bent spoon.
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. Leave him alone from now on."
"Let it be," the woman replied. "For someone like that boy to have such strength at his age, he's clearly from a distinguished background. Morena becoming friends with him might not be a bad thing."
She added, "We're no longer in the Kakin Empire. The world beyond is vast."
In the Kakin Empire, the royal family held absolute authority, ruling at the pinnacle of the pyramid. However, in the outside world, things were different. Powers like V5, the Hunter Association, the world mafia, and the Heaven's Arena were formidable forces, many of which could rival or even surpass the Kakin Empire.
### Gathering Power in Yorknew City
Ron wandered the streets of Yorknew, appearing to explore casually. In reality, his true purpose was to absorb the traits of the world mafia.
In this city, world mafia members were everywhere, though they disguised themselves as ordinary citizens. Outwardly, they seemed indistinguishable from the crowd, but when needed, they could draw their weapons without hesitation.
Faint glimmers of energy began to gravitate toward Ron, eventually being absorbed into his crystal orb.
"Seventy percent," Ron murmured.
Returning to his hotel, he noted the slowing progress of the crystal orb's absorption rate, much like what had happened in Aurean. Back then, progress only resumed when he ventured into forbidden areas.
Yorknew didn't have such forbidden zones, but it did have the upcoming auction.
"Based on past experience, the auction should provide a significant boost in progress," Ron thought. "Just like the tournaments in Heaven's Arena."
For now, Ron decided to take on a few assassination missions to fill his time. Logging onto the assassin commission website, he instructed Chii to filter the available tasks.
The criteria were clear: commissions between 10 billion and 100 billion Jenny, and all within Yorknew City. Leaving the city before the auction for an assassination would be counterproductive.
Ron stood atop a tall building, observing a nearby hotel. Through a drawn curtain, faint light spilt out, hinting at activity inside.
"Bertrand. A director of Elfa Industries," Ron muttered. "Commission amount: 12 billion Jenny."
He opened his laptop, accessing a surveillance feed. The footage wasn't from hidden hotel cameras but from Bertrand's own setup. The man had a peculiar hobby: broadcasting his escapades during private activities, which made him feel more exhilarated.
This quirk proved convenient for Ron. The live feed provided a clear view of the room, showing Bertrand surrounded by women of various skin tones—all with strikingly voluptuous figures. The floor was littered with scattered bills.
"The guards at the door are armed, and there's even a Nen user among them," Ron noted. "But just one—and he looks like one of those Heaven's Arena rookies who couldn't make it past the early rounds."
He smirked. "Not even capable of basic 'Gyo.'"
Ron didn't need to act personally. Hanma Baki's form scaled the hotel's exterior walls.
When Baki reached the window, Chii remotely cut the power to Bertrand's room. Darkness enveloped the space.
The sound of shattering glass broke the silence as Baki burst into the room, quickly snapping Bertrand's neck in one swift motion.
Ron willed Baki to vanish, and the room's lights came back on, triggering screams from within.
"Done," Ron muttered, closing his laptop and placing it into Killer Queen's body space.
He walked to the other side of the rooftop and leaped off.
Landing lightly, Ron approached a street vendor.
"Boss, one order of dango and one oden, to go."
"Sure, just a moment!"
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