Smith Dole stared at his phone after ending the call, curling his lip in disdain.
He knew exactly what Winston was up to.
As for the Adjudicator that had arrived in New York—he couldn't care less.
Even if she had the guts for it, she wouldn't dare ignite a war between the Assassins' Guild and the Takadai Shou (High Table). Still, caution was never a bad idea.
However, his attention needed to be elsewhere.
He would lead a team to Monaco to deal with one of the High Table Elders there. Jūjika (Cross) and the Gunjin (Gunsmith) would take a team to Paris to eliminate the Elder Gramont, who happened to be the acting CEO of the High Table's operations.
Meanwhile, Komora would be handled by the Mechanic and the Butcher, while X-san remained at headquarters to guard against surprise attacks.
······
Elsewhere.
Winston, after hanging up the phone, made his way to Room 217 of the Continental Hotel.
The Adjudicator, seeing him enter, spoke up:
"Encountered a problem?"
Winston shook his head.
"Not a problem, just… I found out where John Wick finally went."
That piqued her interest. After all, her task was to punish anyone and everyone who had aided John Wick.
"Who?"
"Who dares defy the rules of the High Table?"
Facing the woman's arrogance, Winston slowly uttered a name:
"Smith Dole."
The Adjudicator frowned slightly. That wasn't a name she recognized among the usual factions.
"Which faction is he from?"
Winston paused briefly before answering:
"He's not part of the High Table, nor is he a registered guest of the Continental."
"But around here in New York… he's got a nickname that makes Black assassins tremble—the Hunter of Brothers."
"Based on intel I've received, he's likely a member of the Assassins' Guild."
The Adjudicator had initially shown little interest, but the mention of that name changed her demeanor.
She looked at Winston more seriously.
"Anything else?"
Seeing she wasn't going to press further, Winston said nothing more.
"No. That's it."
With that, he turned and left.
The Adjudicator, watching him go, began to recall everything she knew about the Assassins' Guild. She was young—too young to have fought them herself—but she'd studied enough to know what kind of power lay outside the High Table's grasp.
She pulled out her phone and called the High Table's intelligence branch.
"Identity code: 3C434A21."
"Authentication approved."
"Requesting full dossier on Smith Dole."
The department sprang into action. Upstairs, an agent retrieved a physical file, brought it to the front desk, and began scanning it to send directly to the Adjudicator.
She opened the email on her laptop and began to read the files carefully.
The report was thorough—everything from Smith's first visit to the New York Continental to the present. It confirmed that he had never become a registered assassin under the hotel's system. It also included identity analysis and details based on the intel Winston had submitted.
The data was split in two: one part gathered by the hotel's intelligence team, and the other provided directly by Winston as manager.
Winston's report made it very clear: Smith Dole was part of the Assassins' Guild.
After reading everything, the Adjudicator knew this wasn't a matter she could resolve alone. She immediately filed a report to High Table HQ, now that John Wick's situation involved the Guild.
Soon, she received a reply: the High Table would dispatch an envoy to the Assassins' Guild, and her task remained focused on punishing only those under High Table authority.
Winston, unaware, still believed she might directly confront the Guild. He had no idea she had escalated the matter to higher command.
······
That day, rain had poured nonstop in New York. The Adjudicator, receiving her orders, moved again.
By nightfall, she exited a cab and arrived at Heike Sushi.
The shop owner and head chef, Zero, greeted her at once.
"Welcome. How may I help you?"
She sat down and placed a gold coin in front of him—one that symbolized her role as Adjudicator.
Zero saw the coin and his expression turned serious.
"I didn't expect the High Table to act so quickly."
She stared him down and said,
"There's a mission. One man broke the rules. He now stands in direct opposition to the High Table."
Zero paused his cutting motions, looked up, and said:
"You mean John Wick."
"I don't have any free students."
The Adjudicator pressed on,
"John Wick—and everyone who aided him."
"You've heard his story. In just a week, he killed over a hundred people, all to…"
Zero interrupted:
"…avenge a dog and a car."
"I'm familiar. It's… interesting."
He picked up a piece of fugu (pufferfish).
"Fugu. Lethally poisonous."
Then he placed the slice in front of her.
"No soy sauce."
She calmly ate the fugu.
Watching her, Zero bowed slightly and said solemnly:
"I have served the High Table—and will continue to do so until death."
Then, with his two disciples behind him, they all bowed in unison.
Satisfied, the Adjudicator pocketed her coin and left the restaurant with Zero and his followers.
······
Headquarters of the Assassins' Guild
A black Mercedes parked in front of the textile mill.
A tall, muscular man in a suit stepped out, holding a large black umbrella. He walked to the door and rang the bell.
The window slit opened. The man handed over a sealed envelope bearing a special insignia.
Connolly took the letter and didn't think much of it—until he saw the mark. His expression turned serious. He shut the window and rushed inside.
"X-san! The High Table has sent an envoy!"
X-san was visibly surprised as he received the letter and confirmed its authenticity.
Did the High Table finally discover something?
Despite the questions forming in his mind, he gave the order.
"Connolly, bring the envoy to the conference room."
Soon after, the textile mill's main gates opened, and Connolly escorted the envoy into the headquarters.
The envoy walked behind him, expression stoic, steps steady.
Moments later, they arrived at the meeting room.
The envoy entered, faced the man before him, and removed his hat as he bowed.
"Honorable X-san."
······
(End of Chapter)
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