Chapter 40: Expectations from the Heart

"One hundred million Jenny!"

"Three hundred million jenny!"

"Five hundred million jenny!"

"One billion jenny!"

The evening reached its decisive phase as the charity auction began. Crime lords vied to outbid each other, their placards rising in rapid succession as the prices climbed. Each winning bidder basked in the audience's attention and applause, their pride evident in their auras.

The Ten Dons hosted such events several times a year, though none quite matched the prestige of the Southernpiece Auction in Yorknew City. Some participants, driven by pride or poor judgment, would spend beyond their means to save face, only to face bankruptcy shortly thereafter.

"Five billion jenny!"

Oboro exchanged a glance with David, and the butler raised their placard.

"Oh! The Fells family, our own Mr. Oboro bids five billion jenny!" The auctioneer's voice carried theatrical excitement as a spotlight illuminated Oboro. The surrounding crime lords tensed at the outrageous sum, their auras flickering with surprise and hostility.

The auction had barely begun and the bidding had already reached five billion jenny. The room fell silent.

"Six billion Jenny!"

A cold voice cut through the silence. Oboro traced the voice back to the middle-aged man who had sat with Badim earlier, the same one who had watched him with obvious hostility in the lobby.

"Ten billion Jenny!"

Oboro remained silent as David raised the placard again. He maintained perfect control over his Ten, revealing nothing of his intentions to the Nen users present.

"Incredible!"

Even the auctioneer couldn't hide his shock. Although everyone knew about the Fells family's casino operations, such an extravagant expenditure still stunned the crowd. The tycoon next to Badim clenched his jaw before finally backing down.

Oboro secured the auction item, a pristine white porcelain vase perfect for ikebana. His ambition to replace the current Don made the cost irrelevant. Once he claimed that position, such sums would seem trivial.

The truly wealthy in their world reminded him of Battera, who would later spend a fortune on Greed Island. This billionaire would eventually hire Gon and Killua, spending tens of billions of jenny on a single copy of the game and offering an additional fifty billion jenny bonus for completion. He ended up collecting thirty-two copies, though only seven came from the Southernpiece auction. This venture consumed half of his entire fortune.

By this measure, the world's top billionaires commanded fortunes in excess of one trillion jenny. The Fells family had absorbed the wealth of both the Kenny and Mike families, but ten billion jenny was still a significant sum for their current size. And that was only their first offer.

Time passed relentlessly. The Fells family dominated the evening, with Oboro claiming a total of ten items and spending around one hundred billion jenny. The sum almost equaled the combined assets they'd acquired from the Kenny and Mike families, pushing them to their financial limits. They weren't bankrupt, but they were stretched thin.

The Fells family and Oboro became the central theme of the evening. After the gala, the crime lords filed out, watching Oboro and David's departure with calculating eyes. Among them were those who'd hoped to humiliate Oboro.

"He stole the spotlight completely," said one, crushing his cigarette with cold precision.

"Does he think such a display will sway the Dons?"

Badim remained silent, contemplating the expenditure of a hundred billion jenny. Everyone understood the true nature of the auction, a mechanism for the Dons to extract wealth. Even the powerful Dons would take notice of such astronomical sums.

However, some refused to acknowledge it. They could match such bids, but saw no reason to sacrifice their foundations. This was just one auction among many annual events.

"After such an expenditure, the Fells Family may have to amputate limbs."

"The Fells family will not survive."

"You're getting ahead of yourself."

Shortly thereafter, Oboro and David prepared to part ways outside the hotel.

"We'll split up here."

"Yes, sir." The older butler bowed, his aura calm and alert.

Both sensed what was approaching. Such prominence carried risks, especially at gatherings of criminal organizations.

"Everything is arranged as discussed?"

"All personnel have been notified."

"Good." Oboro approved his butler's efficiency.

People continued to approach with farewells as luxury cars drove away in streams. Oboro got into his car alone and disappeared into the stream of taillights with his family's convoy.

The vehicle carried only Oboro and the driver in silence. They maintained high speed, soon leaving the city for the main road to Yorknew City. Suddenly, the escort vehicles ahead of them screeched to a halt. Oboro's car slowed gradually before stopping.

"Are you planning to dump my body in the wilderness?"

Oboro remained calm, his Ten shifting seamlessly to Ken. His family's personnel had been eliminated. The opposition had acted swiftly and covered their tracks efficiently. Almost perfectly.

Armed figures emerged from the surrounding vehicles and wordlessly trained their weapons on Oboro's position.

"A gift from Lord River," the driver's cold voice came through the rearview mirror.

Gunfire erupted.

Moments later, Oboro stood alone on the deserted road, his ruined suit jacket discarded as he made a phone call. Behind him lay several corpses, their auras completely extinguished. The driver's head rested grotesquely on the steering wheel.

The phone rang several times before connecting.

"Did you find them?"

Oboro's tone remained casual.

"Yes, but they're moving at high speed, given their current position," David spoke from the other end.

"No matter. I can catch them."

Oboro noted their approximate location before ending the call. He stretched his limbs on the empty street.

"When was the last time I ran a marathon?" He raised an eyebrow and stretched his arms. During school, perhaps? The memory eluded him.

Rising to his toes, his form suddenly disappeared from the road. His speed created a small sonic boom, the displaced air reaching his starting position only seconds after his departure. His Nen-enhanced muscles carried him forward with the efficiency of a Reinforcement Master.

Meanwhile, Don Brown was receiving reports of the evening's events. The most generous donor of the evening was Oboro, head of the Fells family. Hundreds of billions of Jenny had piqued his interest in the young man.

Now he sat alone, coffee in hand, watching footage of the venue. The man's subtle presence and bearing caught his attention. Frankly, the young man's aura seemed ill-suited to the criminal world, incongruous with his surroundings. He lacked the typical gangster traits or bloodlust. His demeanor seemed casual, almost detached.

Of course, Oboro's actions were in stark contrast to his appearance.

Hours later, as Brown was getting ready for bed, his subordinate called.

"What is it?"

"Sir, River is dead."

"Who?"

"The Fells family. Oboro."

Brown considered this in measured silence. The River Family, like Badim's organization, represented one of the strongest criminal groups in his territory. Though not close allies, they served as trusted subordinates.

After much deliberation, Brown offered no instructions. He simply said, "Understood.

The caller understood his meaning.

The tight-knit nature of the underground meant that news traveled fast. The next day, shocking news rocked the Mafia world-the Fells and River families had gone to war. The River Family patriarch was dead.

More surprisingly, the Ten Dons remained silent, offering no response, as if tacitly agreeing. None of them were fools. A moment's reflection revealed the underlying currents.

The situation was escalating, sending shockwaves through regional society. The operations of both families in different cities erupted into gunfire, turning the streets red. The Qibu family entered the fray.

The rise of the newcomers proved challenging. It essentially challenged established authorities. Moreover, the rising powers represented potential upheaval - something the old guard resisted.

The River Family alone posed a minimal threat, but the Qibu Family's involvement changed the equation. Within a week, reports surfaced of Fells Family properties - factories and casinos - being destroyed, shut down, or bankrupted.

Many believed the Fells Family faced extinction without Don's intervention. But change often came unexpectedly.

The massive power struggle lasted barely a month before coming to an abrupt end. The River and Qibu families merged under the banner of the Fells Family. A new "monster" had emerged from the underground forces of the territory.

One day, Oboro received a personal summons from the Don. On his way to the meeting, he looked out the window and thought.

The three-way conflict had ended with the Fells' ascension. Brown's meeting was now likely to establish "ground rules" and issue warnings - to put the Fells Family in its proper place.

Oboro knew that the earlier gang war hadn't been driven solely by the River and Qibu families. Other forces besides Badim had wanted to move against him, but had received signals from the Dons to remain passive. Only the Qibu Family, through its alliance with the River Family, defied the Dons' wishes.

Even then, the Dons did not immediately punish such defiance. This served as a trial - whether the Fells or their opponents fell, the Dons cared little for the outcome. Still, the Qibu family's actions certainly displeased the Dons, who would later settle the score.

But Brown himself wasn't Oboro's primary concern. He was more worried about possible powerful Nen users in the Don's employ, such as the Shadow Beasts. After all, he'd eliminated over thirty Nen users in the past few months.

In addition to improving his combat experience and understanding of the various Nen abilities, his crisis management and tactical thinking had become sharper since his days in Heaven's Arena. Especially enlightening was his experience in leading smaller forces to victory against larger ones, and in dealing with multiple Nen users simultaneously.

The most notable difference was that the Mafia's Nen users possessed stronger resolve and conviction. Their skills had been honed in countless life-and-death battles. Such hard-earned power far surpassed the small fry of Heaven's Arena.

Moreover, Oboro had begun to understand what Bisky meant by "heart" being internal. It's about one's inner nature, not external factors. The Mafia's Nen users possessed superior aura quality. Not in raw power, but in refinement.

Stronger conviction seemed to increase aura quality. Aura quantity represented volume, raw life energy, while quality reflected the power of that energy when converted into techniques. This explained how Bisky could shatter his defenses with a single strike-the difference between dirt and diamonds.

Unfortunately, as Bisky noted, such understanding required experience. Though Oboro had gained insight, it remained limited because no Nen user had yet truly pushed him to his limits. Ideological power manifested itself most clearly in desperate situations. Otherwise, it developed gradually through accumulation and familiarity.

Thus, he eagerly anticipated meeting powerful individuals in Brown's employ. After all, he wanted to replace the Don.

Though he knew little about Brown's forces, he was certain that the Nen users protecting the Dons had far more combat experience than his recent months had provided.

Though he understood the likely nature of this meeting with the Don, Oboro felt genuine excitement building in his aura.

"Do not disappoint me," he said softly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.