Chương 54: Machi's Training Game

They were not actually that strong. The driver was simply too weak. In Aren's eyes, the Troupe was still underdeveloped. With Nen, they could barely dodge bullets for now. Against ordinary mafia gunmen, however, that was already enough.

"Right side." As Aren moved through the forest, he spoke without slowing down. Machi, following behind him, understood immediately and circled toward the right. En. Aren had kept the technique active since stepping out of the van. With his current aura reserve of 150, 000 units, he could maintain a radius of roughly two hundred meters. Within that range, nothing could escape his perception. The movements of the Fanobi Family members were as clear to him as if he had turned on X-ray vision.

After entering the forest, Aren began turning the attack into training for Machi. Whenever he detected small guard teams of three to five people, he let Machi eliminate them alone. Protecting her too carefully would prevent her from growing. Even an immature Phantom Troupe was a level above ordinary mafia, but they were still discovered. This world had something called security cameras. A piercing alarm rang through the forest.

"Move!"

"Intruders!"

"Grab your guns and stop dragging your feet!" Sensing people converging from every direction, Aren spread his hands at Machi.

"Looks like our game ends here."

"Be careful." After saying that, Machi followed the plan they had discussed on the road and hid in the trees above. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Aren remained alone on the ground, watching the mafia members gradually surround him. Dozens, then nearly a hundred guns aimed at him. His expression did not change. He looked completely relaxed.

After a stir in the crowd, a man who seemed to be a squad leader squeezed forward and studied Aren with a fierce expression.

"Never seen your face before. You are not from Gambi Town. Which family sent you to make an enemy of the Fanobi Family?"

"Good eye." Aren clapped for him, then raised both thumbs.

"I am not from Gambi Town."

"As for family, I suppose I barely count as Nostrade right now. I do have a deal with them."

"Nostrade?" The man sneered.

"Those damn dogs. We only meant to teach them a lesson, and they dared to bring outsiders." Once Aren heard the answer, he stopped caring about him. The man was about to become a corpse.

"By the way," Aren said, "as a reward for answering so honestly, I won't torture you. I'll just kill you." The leader clearly took the last sentence as a signal.

"Yes, boss!" Gun muzzles aimed at Aren erupted with fire. Golden shell casings fell as trigger fingers tightened. The sound of bullets entering flesh filled the air.

"No one challenges the Fanobi Family and lives..." The leader stopped. The screams were coming from around him. He turned in confusion, wondering whether the guns had exploded. The moment he looked back, red covered his eyes. Blood and brain matter. He wiped the mess away in panic, and the scene in front of him made his mind freeze.

'Where are my men?'

'Where did all my men go?' The black-suited gunmen who had surrounded Aren were lying on the ground, riddled with bullet holes. Only a few lucky men who had avoided fatal hits were still moaning. Blood soaked the soil, dyeing the dark ground a deeper red. Aren remained where he had been, spotless and unmoving. Those toys could not even break his defense. Every bullet fired at him had been sent straight back along its original path. He had deliberately avoided the leader.

Aren waved his right hand, vanished, and appeared in front of the man before he could recover from the shock.

"Thank you for that," Aren said in the same flat tone the leader had used.

"Since you were so considerate, I won't torture you either. I'll just send you to die." Space rippled around his hand, and he slashed toward the man's head. The movement finally woke the leader from his daze.

"No-" That was the only word he managed before Aren made his head disappear. Once the fight ended, Machi jumped down from the tree and began finishing off the mafia members who were still alive. Finishing the job was a good habit she had developed while teaming with Uvogin and Nobunaga in Meteor City.

"Let's go, Machi."

"Mm." Under Aren's En, the main force in the western area had already been wiped out. What remained were small scattered teams like before. The Machi training game could begin again.

"Don't rush. Take it slowly. They are already inside my En. It is fine." Aren comforted her when he sensed her movements grow impatient. The large Fanobi force had made Machi worry about the others. Without Aren beside them, the rest of the Troupe could genuinely run into danger against that many machine guns. As they approached the summit, the mountain narrowed, and the other teams gradually entered Aren's perception. They looked a little ragged, but no one was in real danger.

They might simply need more time to finish. Hearing Aren's reassurance, Machi regained her calm and returned to her original rhythm. Looking at Aren smiling not far away, protecting her without interfering, a deep sense of safety settled in her chest. Her attacks became sharper. Only by growing stronger could she live up to Aren's expectations and effort.