Leo's light step caused Owl unbearable agony.
The sweat on his forehead dripped from the tip of his nose, mixing with the blood on his face and flowing into his mouth; the salty, metallic taste made him want to retch.
Leo released his foot.
Owl gasped for air and turned over to lie on his back, staring up at the sky stained gray by gunpowder smoke.
His chest heaved violently, and every breath tugged at his wounds, the pain causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
"Who sent you?"
Owl remained silent for a moment.
He was debating whether or not to speak.
If he spoke, the Ten Dons would never let him go; if he didn't, the man before him would kill him right now.
He chose to live, even if only for a second longer.
"Blake, Gavin, and Nolan from the Ten Dons."
His voice was hoarse, sounding as if it were squeezed from the depths of his throat.
Leo said nothing.
Knowing he was waiting for more, Owl took a deep breath and continued.
"Although each member of the Ten Dons can only command one of the Shadow Beasts, if three of them issue a summons and the others give their nod of approval, they can mobilize the entire Shadow Beast unit, sending all ten of them out at once."
He paused and coughed twice, spitting out bloody froth.
"Blake spearheaded this. Gavin and Nolan seconded it. The others... acquiesced."
Leo nodded.
It was much as he had guessed. Blake was Douglas's backer, Gavin was Colton's backer, and Nolan was likely the middleman responsible for coordination.
With those three in agreement, there was no reason for the other seven to object.
The survival of a mafia Family was nothing more than a bargaining chip on the negotiation table in their eyes.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Kastro and Goreinu walked over and stood behind Leo, looking at the blood-soaked Owl on the ground and then at the surrounding ruins without saying a word.
Leo turned to look at Kastro.
"I'll leave him to you. He's one of the Shadow Beasts, the Ten Dons' direct assassination unit. I've killed the others; he's the only one left. Get everything he knows out of him."
Goreinu took a step forward and looked down at Owl.
Owl's eyes were unfocused, his lips were trembling, and he looked like a pile of mud.
"Leave it to us."
Leo said nothing more and turned to walk toward the villa.
The villa's main doors were gone, the frame was crooked, and glass shards littered the ground.
He stepped over the threshold and entered the hall.
The hall was a mess—half the ceiling had collapsed, the chandelier had crashed to the floor, and crystal fragments were scattered everywhere.
The paintings on the walls hung askew, some having fallen to the floor with their frames cracked.
The sofas were overturned, the coffee table was smashed into pieces, and the carpet was covered in dust and rubble.
Leo didn't stop, heading straight to the third floor.
His "En" was constantly active, covering the entire villa.
From the moment he stepped through the front door, he knew there were still a few living people in the building.
Not many, and they were all concentrated on the third floor.
He walked to the end of the hallway and pushed open the door.
Behind the door was the villa's main living room.
The curtains were half-drawn, and sunlight squeezed through the gaps, painting a long, narrow strip of light on the dark red carpet.
The fire in the fireplace had died out, leaving only a pile of ashes.
One of the glass doors of the wine cabinet was shattered, and several bottles lay on the floor, the liquid soaking into the carpet and emitting a strong alcoholic scent.
A few people were huddled in the corner.
Two bodyguards, a butler, and a man sitting on the sofa.
Belloc Douglas.
He leaned against the sofa, holding a glass of wine that was mostly spilled. His suit jacket was nowhere to be seen, his shirt collar was open, and his tie was askew.
There was no fear or anger on his face, only a hollow emptiness from extreme exhaustion.
The bodyguards and the butler cowered in the corner, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Belloc watched Leo walk in, raised the glass to his lips, and then put it down.
"Are they all dead?"
His voice was very soft, as if he were asking about something that had nothing to do with him.
Leo did not answer.
He walked to the opposite side of the sofa and sat down in an intact chair, his hands in his pockets, looking at Belloc.
"You know what you should say."
Leo said.
Silence.
Belloc lowered his head, looking at the mostly spilled wine in his hand.
The liquid left dark red traces on the glass, like dried blood.
"I lost. I didn't expect that even ten Shadow Beasts couldn't handle you."
His voice was very soft.
"I've spent my whole life scheming, but this time, I've lost completely."
He looked up at Leo.
There was no plea for mercy or fear in those eyes, only a resigned calm.
"The Ten Dons ordered it. I know the current locations of Blake and Nolan."
He paused.
"I have only one request—don't let them die so easily."
The butler tremblingly stepped forward and handed Leo a document.
His hands were shaking, and the papers rustled between his fingers.
"Everything you want is in here. All the Douglas Family's assets, accounts, networks, and the Ten Dons' strongholds in various locations."
Belloc picked up the glass and took a gulp, the wine trickling from the corner of his mouth and dripping onto his shirt.
His movements were open and composed, without hesitation or struggle.
"Give me a quick end."
Leo took the document and flipped through it for a brief scan.
It was very detailed; every page bore the Douglas Family seal, with dates, amounts, and handlers clearly listed.
He closed the document and tucked it away.
"Fine."
Since Belloc was being so cooperative, Leo was willing to grant the man one last shred of dignity.
He reached out his hand.
Several Nen Bullets shot from his fingertips, accurately piercing the foreheads of Belloc, the butler, and the two bodyguards.
The four of them collapsed simultaneously, without a struggle or a scream.
Belloc's eyes remained open, a trace of wine still at the corner of his mouth, his expression as peaceful as if he were asleep.
The living room fell silent.
A warmth spread across the back of Leo's hand: [Life Energy +0.2%].
Leo stood up, took one last look at the man slumped on the sofa, and turned to walk out the door.
Downstairs, Goreinu and Kastro were interrogating Owl.
Owl lay on the ground, recounting information about the Ten Dons in full detail, his voice hoarse and intermittent.
Kastro crouched in front of him, listening expressionlessly.
Goreinu stood to the side, holding a phone and recording every word Owl said.
Seeing Leo come down the stairs, both of them looked up.
"Is it all settled?"
Goreinu asked.
Leo nodded and handed him the document.
"The Douglas Family's asset list and everything else he knew. Keep it safe."
Goreinu took it and glanced through; his pupils constricted slightly.
He said nothing, simply tucking the document carefully into his coat.
"Notify the Colton Family to come and clean up the mess,"
Leo said.
Goreinu nodded and pulled out his phone to inform Vivian.
"What about this guy?"
Kastro glanced at Owl.
Owl lay prone on the ground, covered in blood, his eyes vacant.
His lips were trembling, his teeth were chattering, and his whole body was curled into a ball.
Leo looked down at him.
"Take him back. I have a use for him."
Kastro crouched down and knocked Owl unconscious with a hand chop, then dragged him up from the ground.
Goreinu placed a teleportation medium on the ground and dialed Ashir's number.
Five seconds later, a light door appeared, and the four of them passed through it, vanishing from Douglas Manor.
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