For the Revolutionary Army, this was a perfect opportunity.
High above the city, a small aircraft hovered in place, carrying four figures. Each peered downward at the streets below.
"According to our intel, he's hiding somewhere in this city. A metropolis of this size is troublesome for us, though."
"It's still not a big issue. But let's be careful. The Three Hounds may have been weak compared to us, but the fact he killed them means he's not trivial."
"Hmph, the Three Hounds were nobodies. They can't compare to our Four Beasts."
"That's right. Even among A‑level Nen users, the gap can be huge. Have you locked down his precise location yet?"
All three turned toward the only woman in their group. She glanced at the Nen tool in her hand.
"Not yet. I need more time."
What she didn't know was that the moment this flying craft appeared, Ron—through Chii's hacking—had already accessed the city's entire surveillance network and locked onto them. As the four descended to the rooftops, Ron caught sight of the device in the woman's hand.
"So that's how they're honing in on my position, but there's probably some kind of limitation. Otherwise, they'd have found me by now. That tool must be valuable.
We've never met, so they only have public info: my name, photos, some recorded fights from Heaven's Arena. But they don't have my aura and yet are still able to track me. If possible, I'd like to acquire that device."
He studied them carefully.
"All four are A‑level. Even the weakest of them had a stronger aura than any of the Three Hounds. Taking on four at once—even for me—could be difficult."
He quietly began setting a trap, waiting for Zeno and the others to arrive, while making his own preparations.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Army and Nightfall went into action elsewhere.
In his study, Minister Oster sat, a young man standing nearby.
"How goes the Four Beast's operation?"
"They've identified the general area. They're narrowing it down further and should locate him soon."
"What about that other survivor?"
"Still unknown," the young man replied. "She vanished near him, then disappeared entirely."
Oster scowled. "Find her."
"And those rats? Any new moves?"
"After Karu's incident, Nightfall hasn't shown any activity. Their strength is minimal, but their constant meddling is irritating. Though… credit where it's due, they handled Karu's matter adequately."
Oster smiled, imagining Duke Geruna's reaction. Power in the Saheerta Federation hinged on two men: Oster and Geruna. They disliked each other intensely; if either got the chance, they'd gladly eliminate the other.
Unlike Oster—whose authority hinged on influencing the child king—Geruna had real territory and loyal nobles. A bigger, tighter power base.
Oster envied him. Karu's demise wasn't a massive blow to Geruna, but it certainly wouldn't improve his mood. A favored protégé gone, plus a young loyal fighter who turned traitor and joined the rebels… that would sting.
"Too bad I couldn't see Geruna's face when he learned the news," Oster muttered trying to restrain himself from laughing out loud.
Back in the city, Ron monitored the Four Beasts steadily closing in on his location through the surveillance feeds.
"They've almost pinpointed me. So, time to set the stage."
A voice rang out overhead:
Ron looked up to see two of the Four Beasts gazing down at him. He showed no surprise.
"Welcome," he said dryly. "Congratulations on finding me."
They hesitated at his calm demeanor.
"What a curious man," murmured one, narrowing his eyes. "You must be pretty cocky after killing those Three Hounds. Think you can treat us the same way?"
"Not really," Ron replied. "You four are obviously stronger than they were."
The man relaxed slightly… until Ron continued, "But the result will still be all the same."
"What was that?" he growled.
Another figure emerged beside him. "Enough talk. We have orders. Let's seize him already. The boss is getting impatient."
They rushed at Ron. In that moment—
Instantly, Ron and Natsu traded places.
"A special Hastue?" the two men exclaimed, startled. They exchanged glances and dashed upward to a higher vantage point.
"He can't have gone far."
Their other two teammates converged rapidly from different directions. Once again, they spotted Ron sprinting through the streets, and all four gave chase. Ron led them into a colossal shopping mall: a labyrinth of staircases, balconies, and crowds.
"Tsk. Using ordinary people as cover?" spat a young man from the Four Beasts. "That won't slow us down."
He dove into the throng, plowing forward with reckless abandon. Civilians were knocked aside, flung through the air, some hitting the pavement with sickening cracks. Screams and panic spread; blood trickled across the tile.
Chaos consumed the mall as people scattered like frightened sheep.
Ron slipped into the stampede of bodies. Though the Four Beasts moved swiftly, the panicked crowd still hindered them somewhat.
"Lampent, use Smog!" Ron ordered.
Thick, oily mist billowed out, covering a wide radius. It enveloped the entire area, deepening the chaos for everyone—except Ron. He used the confusion to prepare the next part of his plan.
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