HxH: Apex Predator-Chapter 43: Failure X Achieve

At this moment, Sosa was both nervous and excited. After all, if he succeeded, the rewards would be beyond imagination.

His heart was pounding so loudly that it felt like it was lodged in his throat. He could hear nothing else, his ears filtering out all external noise as he waited for the response.

'This isn't even an outrageous demand. Since we're up against John, who has the Shadow Beast Rabid Dog, we naturally need the power of another Shadow Beast—Owl.

As long as he agrees, half the prerequisite conditions for my ability will be fulfilled. Once he takes action, everything will fall into place!'

Yes, Sosa's Nen ability—Call of Duty—required two conditions to be met before it could take effect on a target.

The first was that he must say over the phone, "I require you to..." followed by a condition.

The second was that the target must carry out the condition with complete sincerity, without any hidden motives or unrelated actions. Only then would the ability successfully take hold.

Once activated, Sosa could enforce the agreed-upon ability and restrictions on the target.

His grip on the phone tightened involuntarily, sweat soaking the device in his palm.

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Then, the voice on the other end of the line sent a chill down his spine.

"Sosa, you're being dishonest~!

Did you really think you were one of the few lucky ones in this world? Don't forget, every member of the Ten Dons' Shadow Beast squad is a top-tier fighter."

"I've known about Nen long before I awakened my abilities, and once I did, I truly grasped its wonders.

To think you'd try to use such a weak aura to launch a sneak attack without even using In? You can't even break through my Ren."

"I'd wager you awakened your ability by chance and never actually trained it properly.

But let's not stray from the point. Since you're unwilling to cooperate, I'll have to rethink my plans. Best of luck to you."

"Wait! I was indeed reckless just now, but if we count your past schemes against me, we're even. Also, my request was a necessary condition. Without an opponent of equal strength, no one can counter Rabid Dog."

"Hello, Mr. Sosa. Given your recent reckless actions, I will be handling this call on behalf of my husband.

I will relay your intentions clearly to both parties. At the same time, I hope you will refrain from such antics, as they will only jeopardize these negotiations."

On the other end of the call, Andrea had already handed the phone to Jessica, entrusting her to handle the conversation while he gave instructions in the background. After all, caution was paramount.

After some discussion, they tentatively agreed to let the Gambino family attack the Genovese family first. Then, the Kolobo family would strike from behind.

By then, they would leverage the elite fighters sent by the Agnelli family to clash with the Gambino family's top forces. Owl's role would be to stall Mad Dog.

However, a disagreement arose due to Andrea's prior conditions.

"Andrea, you're asking for too much. Two provinces? I can only give you one. I'll offer 50 billion Jenny as compensation for the other.

And considering the minimal effort you're putting into this plan, claiming a whole province in return is hardly fair."

"I need you to provide more support. Right now, I'm a leader in name only.

Despite bearing the title of the Four Families, the heavy losses suffered by the Solomon family have severely weakened us. I need more manpower from you."

"Heh, you sly fox. Your ability likely falls under Manipulation, doesn't it?

Let me make a bold guess—if I hadn't intervened, you probably planned to use your ability to control one of the two family heads, then ally with Tony to attack the Gambino family, turning the numbers game in your favor."

"Don't rush to deny it. Your actions regarding the Solomon family already gave me an idea.

You must have taken control of Hawk, right? Otherwise, any rational leader would never have allowed a subordinate to amass such power."

"So your concern about a lack of manpower is unfounded. As for your cash-for-territory proposal—can you even come up with that much money in one go?

Your expenses must have been astronomical recently. Even the Gambino family might struggle to produce that amount in one transaction. So, your proposal is rejected."

"Andrea, don't get too greedy. Cross the line, and they'll wipe you out. If you end up with your entire family exterminated, it'll be too late for regrets."

On the other end of the call, Sosa spoke through gritted teeth.

"That's none of your concern. I always have a plan.

Besides, even if I agree to your demands and send a large force, aren't you worried it'll be hard to get rid of us afterward?"

"As for your high-tier combat concerns, I have a little strategy called using their own methods against them. I'll arrange for that little brat to join the fight.

But you'll need to cover the costs. That guy's minimum fee is 10 billion Jenny per job, so make sure you have the funds ready. I'll cover the deposit for now."

"That settles it. If there are no objections, we'll proceed as planned and adjust as necessary.

My dear Jessica has been waiting for me long enough. Farewell, my friend."

After abruptly hanging up on Sosa, Andrea turned to Jessica and said, "Get in touch with the Zoldyck family. Tell them I want to place a request and specifically ask for the assassin who handled the Solomon family.

If they respond that such a person doesn't exist or that they never took that job, then we'll know the previous assassin wasn't from their family."

"In that case, the only way to find him is through Tony. Only he knows the full details.

Hmm? Darling, what's wrong?

I told you to make the call, didn't I? You look like you have something to say. What is it?"

"Dear... I think Sosa made a valid point.

If this plan succeeds, our family's power will expand even further—perhaps even rivaling or surpassing the Gambino family. I fear that..."

"Oh? Are these your own thoughts?"

As Andrea spoke, he gazed into Jessica's eyes with a smile.

Yet, despite the apparent warmth, Jessica felt an overwhelming sense of cruelty and coldness radiating from him. It was as if she were stripped bare and left to freeze in an icy storm.

At that moment, she found herself utterly speechless, standing there like a lifeless statue in front of the man she had shared eight years of her life with.

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