Chapter 43 : Four Shadow Beasts!!

Germain took in the scene before him, deep in thought. Shizuku, however, had a more direct approach. She clenched her right fist and hit it against her left palm with a sudden realization.

"Ah, I see... Well, in that case, I'm here to help you," she said.

With those words, she knelt down to inspect the body and quickly slipped all the cash she could find into the pocket of her jeans.

Germain didn't contest her claim. She'd earned her share of the spoils. He had his own reward—two attribute points, which he promptly added to his "Physique (Vitality)," bringing it up to 28.

Together, they raided the bodies and the nearby cars. They found a set of keys, chose a vehicle, and sped off from the blood-stained square.

Germain took the driver's seat, one hand on the wheel, the other on the gear shift, keeping his eyes fixed on the dark road ahead. Shizuku sat in the passenger seat, counting a wad of bills, then neatly wrapping them with a rubber band.

To an outsider, they might look like a pair of bank robbers after a successful heist.

Shizuku tucked away the cash and glanced at Germain, who was concentrating on driving.

"So, where to next?" she asked.

Germain signaled a turn and overtook a slow-moving truck. "I was supposed to meet a friend the day after tomorrow, but now I need to change plans. If I stay in Yorknew City, there'll be too many people buzzing around and causing trouble."

Shizuku's eyes grew wide. "You have 'friends'? Those two guys threatened you, but that means nothing to me."

Germain frowned slightly. "You're one of those people who don't depend on society and aren't afraid of anything. You know, an 'invincible person.'"

"Ah," Shizuku replied, her eyes lighting up a bit, "that's kind of what I meant. I didn't even have the right words... 'Invincible person.' Yeah, that's me. I'm invincible."

The black car sped down the highway, weaving through the city streets. By one in the morning on the 17th, it had left Yorknew City and was on its way to another location. 

When they reached the outskirts, Germain pulled over and abandoned the car, deciding it was no longer safe to use.

They booked into a nondescript hotel, securing two separate rooms. They stayed there until about 9 a.m., catching up on some rest before continuing their journey. 

Germain had already arranged airship tickets, and at 11:30, he and Shizuku boarded their flight, departing the city.

Sitting in his seat, Germain was busy typing out a message to send to Biscuit Krueger, or Bisky as he called her. "My companion and I are on the airship," he wrote, "We'll reach our destination this afternoon."

He'd previously informed Bisky about changing their meeting place, and also that he'd be bringing a companion along. Within a few minutes, her reply came through.

"Got it. By the way, you sure made a mess last night," she texted back. "Rabid Dog and Porcupine didn't stand a chance against you (surprised face emoji)."

"But on the bright side, the 'Ten Dons' only put a bounty on you in the 'Dark Web.' So far, your companion's identity hasn't been compromised (smiley face emoji)."

"Since you're from Meteor City, they're probably having a tough time finding you. Everyone knows how good Meteor City is at keeping its people hidden (big smile emoji)."

"Still, if they don't catch you, it'll be a major blow to their reputation as the 'Ten Dons.'"

Shizuku was sitting next to Germain and noticed he was texting. She leaned over, curious about what he was writing, but Germain turned the phone away, continuing to type without letting her see the screen.

"I don't rely on other people's decisions, and I don't waste time waiting," he replied to Bisky. "When can we meet up?"

After a short pause, Bisky responded, "Yorknew City was pretty far from where I was, but this new place is a lot closer. I'm already on my way. I should be able to meet you tonight (drooling face emoji)."

"But be careful," she added, "the 'Shadow Beasts' might come after you hard. You've taken down two of them, but they still think they can catch you."

Germain replied with a simple "OK" and put away his phone. He knew they were still in danger, but for now, he had other things to focus on.

At this point, Shizuku had lost interest in checking his phone's messages and was now engrossed in a travel magazine.

The airship touched down in the coastal city of Saba as scheduled, right on time in the afternoon.

If all goes well, this city is expected to be the registration center for the new Hunter Exam next year.

Germain and Shizuku checked into the Port Dore Hotel, which offered a stunning view of the blue sea. Their rooms were adjacent to each other, separated only by a thin wall. They both planned to wait quietly until evening.

While enjoying some fluffy pastries with his afternoon tea, Germain sat in a chair, watching the news on TV.

"A suspected Mafia conflict broke out in Yorknew City last night, resulting in the deaths of seventy-five people and causing widespread panic. The case is currently under investigation. Here is a scene from the incident..."

Germain watched for a while, but then he sensed something unusual nearby. The aura that had approached him had been subtle at first, but it became more aggressive as it completely encircled him, its disguise eventually dropping.

Had they come as expected?

The balcony's floor-to-ceiling glass doors slid open, and a naked man walked in. His dark brown skin and bald head blocked the sunlight streaming in from outside.

"I'm Worm, one of the 'Shadow Beasts'."

With a loud "click," the door handle was twisted violently, and the door was flung open, revealing a slightly chubby man with a big smile, alongside another man with short hair and sunglasses.

"I'm Leech, also part of the 'Shadow Beasts'."

"And I'm Owl, one of the 'Shadow Beasts'."

Worm then spoke, "Germain, I didn't expect Rabid Dog and Porcupine to die by your hand before we even got a chance to see them. As soon as we received the order, we came to find you."

"It seems you've really underestimated our Mafia, showing up at this hotel with such an arrogant attitude."

Leech smirked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You must've figured out about Rabid Dog and Porcupine's abilities beforehand, huh? Seems like you've taken precautions against them," he said. "Maybe we've been too careless, and our abilities are now out in the open."

Owl adjusted his sunglasses and casually spread his hands. "Well, that's that. To take you two down this time, the 'Ten Dons' sent four of us 'Shadow Beasts' out here."

"The three of us will deal with you," he continued, raising his hand and pointing toward the room next door, where Shizuku was. "Bat will handle your other friends."

"Don't think you can just mess with the 'Ten Dons' and walk away scot-free," he warned. "Even if you're from Meteor City, there's no escaping our revenge. We'll make sure you pay."

Germain put down the TV remote and finished the last of his dessert. He took a napkin, wiped the corners of his mouth, and then calmly stood up.

He knew there was no point in reasoning with Mafia. The whole thing was pretty simple: Rabid Dog and Porcupine attacked him, so he took them out in self-defense. 

But from the way these guys were talking, it sounded like he was the one causing trouble and had offended the "Ten Dons."

Did they really expect him to surrender without a fight?

Germain thought back to what Bisky had told him earlier. She'd made a good point—just killing two "Shadow Beasts" wouldn't be enough to deter the Mafia's thirst for revenge.

But what if they took down four more "Shadow Beasts"? Would that be enough to make them back off?

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