As soon as the call connected, a burst of gunfire thundered through the speaker.
A tense voice came from the other end:"Sir, we're stationed at the Coro Street casino—we're under attack! Unknown hostiles, heavily armed. We need reinforcements immediately!"
Kevin didn't hesitate. That casino was one of the Pengellet family's core revenue streams—any disruption there would be a major blow. He immediately dispatched Delok, whose red hue in the Ten Rings signified wrath, along with a team to deal with the situation.
But it didn't stop there.
More calls followed in rapid succession, each more urgent than the last. Different outposts, different attacks. All begging for reinforcements.
Kevin's brow furrowed. Something was clearly wrong.
This wasn't random chaos—it was coordinated. Someone was forcing the Pengellet family to spread thin. Was this a distraction? If so, what was the real target?
His eyes turned toward Vega, still lying in his hospital bed.
His heart sank.
Were they aiming for a decapitation strike—taking out the leader while everyone else scrambled?
Vega, casually biting into an apple from the fruit basket, seemed entirely unconcerned."What's got you so deep in thought?" he asked with a smirk. "Don't just stand there—send backup already. Deploy the action teams."
He gestured lazily out the window toward the chaos unfolding beyond."If you don't scatter our forces, how will the rats ever feel brave enough to crawl out of their holes?"
Kevin's expression darkened."Master… your safety comes before everything. You are the foundation of our strength. Even if the Pengellet family suffers temporary losses, as long as you survive, we'll rise again."
Vega chuckled."If we leave the hospital fully guarded, these clowns won't take the bait. But if we strip it down…"
He pulled a familiar item from beneath his pillow—a sleek, ominous mask.
"The Shadow Mask," he said. "Don't forget—it can summon Shadow Warriors. We don't need to leave a whole army here."
Kevin nodded slowly. He agreed, but only under one condition: he and the remaining members of the Ten Rings would stay behind to personally guard Vega. No one would breach the ward while he still breathed.
Vega, amused by Kevin's unwavering loyalty, thought to himself: It's good to have people like him. Unless the Ten Elders sent someone on the level of the Shadow Beasts, few Nen users could match Kevin's flame-infused gloves and ability to weaponize resentment.
Soon after, Kevin began the redistribution of troops.
One by one, guards stationed around the hospital were dispatched to deal with the decoy attacks. In the end, only a small team remained to protect the hospital.
That's when it happened.
Twelve men, dressed in Pengellet family uniforms and led by a man with a scorpion tattoo, entered the building. Using a combination of forged credentials and subtle Nen-based misdirection, they infiltrated the inpatient wing with ease.
But instead of finding an unprotected Vega…
They walked straight into a trap.
Kevin and the remaining Ten Rings were already waiting.
The ambush was instant.
Kevin led the charge, his Nen boiling over with rage. Every suppressed failure, every helpless moment, every ounce of fury at the audacity of these assassins—it all erupted at once.
From that storm of emotion, a black fireball formed in his hand—a manifestation of raw resentment.
With a furious shout, he hurled it.
BOOM!
The explosion shattered every window on the floor. The enemy team, composed of elite Nen users sent by the Hegel family, was thrown into disarray.
But the Ten Rings weren't alone.
From the walls, the floor, even the shadows—dozens of Shadow Warriors emerged. Each summoned by Vega's mask, fighting to the death to support the Pengellet defenders.
More than half an hour later, Kevin reappeared.
His clothes were torn, his body covered in cuts and bruises, but he dragged behind him the man with the scorpion tattoo—his limbs crushed and useless.
He dropped the man unceremoniously onto the floor before Vega's bed.
With blood dripping from his lip, Kevin bowed and said coldly,"Master, I've extracted the truth. These men are members of a 'clean-up team' sent by the Monroe family. Their mission was to assassinate you—direct orders from Monroe Hegel himself."
"We captured several alive. I've broken their hands and legs. They're awaiting your judgment."
"As per your command, I ordered our people to try and capture rather than kill, so you could extract intel yourself."
His voice dropped, heavy with grief."However… three of the Ten Rings fell in battle."
Vega nodded solemnly."Take care of their families. Begin screening for replacements. When I've recovered, I'll personally appoint the new Ring-bearers."
Kevin saluted and left the room.
Vega exhaled slowly.
Then, with a mere thought, a Shadow Warrior emerged from the darkness.
The captive's eyes widened in horror as the figure stepped forward.
Its hands locked around the scorpion man's skull.CRACK!
With one twist, the neck spun 180 degrees.
Then, silent and precise, the Shadow Warrior moved on to execute the other surviving assassins.
The experience points surged: over 2,000 added in an instant.
Vega's total now surpassed 3,000.
He leaned back, the half-eaten apple still in his hand, lost in thought.
His Nen sword, Phantom Severance, was in its dragonized state. That gave it immense power—but also rendered it unusable for a time. This left him dangerously vulnerable in close quarters.
If he faced a fast opponent during this downtime, one he couldn't counter without the sword...
He'd be in trouble.
That meant it was time to diversify.
He'd spent most of his experience points enhancing Phantom Severance, but now he needed to broaden his options. He couldn't rely on one weapon forever.
As he stared at the apple, an idea struck him.
Devil Fruit.
A concept from another world—but one he could recreate through his system.
Fruits that grant strange and powerful abilities to those who consume them. There were three main types: Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia. And among them, one stood out.
A Mythical Zoan: the Vampire Fruit.
It would let him absorb blood to heal, greatly enhance his physique, and even drain the youth or vitality from opponents. Since the fruit would be conjured by his system, the typical drawbacks—like the inability to swim—could be overridden.
And more importantly, blood manipulation would synergize with Nen.
After all, Nen is life energy. Controlling blood meant potentially boosting both physical and mental resilience.
It was perfect.
He closed his eyes.
In his mind, he pictured the fruit—its form, its power, its aura. Slowly, his aura poured into his hands, shaping and solidifying that image.
As his Nen drained away…
A strange, shadowy fruit began to form in his palm.
It pulsed with power.
Vega opened his eyes, smiling faintly.
"Come to me," he whispered."My Vampire Fruit."