Tuck, Nesli, and the others all turned to look at Ron.
Nancy didn't understand, but Tuck and Nesli did—they knew Ron's principles.
"Name your conditions," Ron said.
"Killing those few—I'll give you one billion Jenny!"
"One billion Jenny? That's it?"
Karu froze. "What do you mean, 'that's it'? A billion Jenny isn't enough? How much do you want?"
"This is your commission; there's no need to ask me. You just have to name the best reward you can offer, and then I'll decide if I'll take the job."
Karu eyed Ron warily. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ron's attitude grated on him. A mere killer acting so arrogant? Ordinarily, Karu would have lost his temper, but given the situation, he forced himself to stay calm.
"I can pay one billion Jenny, plus ten fully trained maids, a team of twelve well‑trained hunting dogs, and a small farm," Karu said. "Is that enough?"
Ron shook his head. "Sorry, not enough."
Those were substantial offers, but none held much value for Ron. Besides, Karu didn't seem to have anything Ron was genuinely interested in.
"Anyway," Ron continued, "it's about time I got started on the other commission I just accepted."
With that, Ron lifted a finger, pointing directly at Karu. Karu's pupils constricted.
"What are you—?"
A ball of aura gathered at Ron's fingertip.
"Nen Bullet."
A single shot flew toward Karu at extreme speed.
Thud!
It pierced Karu's chest in an instant, meeting no resistance at all. It struck his heart—
Boom!
A faint explosion sounded. Karu's eyes went wide in disbelief as his body collapsed. Only after hitting the ground did he grasp what had happened: Ron had attacked him, dealing a fatal blow to his heart.
He was about to die.
A surge of bitterness rose within him, but it was already too late to change anything. Rage and resentment flared up; Karu glared at Tuck with all the fury he could muster.
"Tuck, you think you're any different? You're just like them. The only difference is that right now, you're the dog they favor. I've never respected you. But after today, you'll be cast aside, just like all the others. There's no place for you in the Saheerta Federation anymore.
You'll die—die a miserable death! I swear it!"
Tuck hadn't expected Ron to attack Karu outright. Seeing Karu collapse, Tuck couldn't react immediately. Even if he had known in advance, he wouldn't have known how to respond. Karu's last words left Tuck looking pale. He understood that Karu was telling the truth. After seeing the kingdom's reality for what it was, Tuck realized that, in the eyes of the nobles, he was just another pawn.
Nesli and Nancy couldn't help smiling when they saw Karu's death. Their mission—killing Karu—was finally complete. No matter what happened next, at least they'd succeeded in their objective. And with Karu gone, there was no longer anyone forcing Tuck to fight them. Judging by Tuck's attitude so far, it was unlikely he would come after them now.
"I'll take you all to a hospital," Tuck said, glancing at Nesli. "Your companion needs medical care. I know someone who can help."
Nesli hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."
She hoisted Lannard onto her back. Tuck led the way, Nancy following behind.
"Captain, what about us?" Ponzu asked Ron.
"We'll leave," Ron replied.
Before long, the estate fell silent. All that remained was scattered rubble, corpses strewn about, and the stench of blood. The women Karu had kept were huddled in various corners. In their current state, running out into the streets would be even more dangerous; they needed clothing and some way to disguise themselves first. Nesli and Nancy were too focused on Lannard's critical condition to help them.
They arrived at a small, rundown clinic—so modest it barely qualified as one. An old man, a friend of Tuck's with no ties to the nobles, was treating Lannard. A man of integrity, he was someone Tuck trusted enough to bring them here. Large hospitals would never have accepted someone like Lannard and might have alerted the nobles instead.
Outside, Nancy and Nesli waited anxiously. Nesli herself was unhurt; Nancy's injuries were serious, but compared to Lannard's, they were minor. For now, she'd just received some basic first aid.
"I'm sorry," Tuck said, lowering his head in front of Nancy and Nesli. "I didn't know Karu's true nature. I had no idea who you all really were. I caused you so much harm. I'm truly sorry."
Nancy glanced at Tuck coldly. Nesli let out a sigh.
"Tuck, I used to hate you," Nesli admitted. "But when you saw those women, you stopped. You refused to keep helping Karu and even brought us here. My hatred disappeared at that moment. You weren't the one in the wrong—this country is.
You were deceived, too.
"Your goals, your principles, and your ideals… they're actually the same as ours."
Unlike Nancy, Nesli had been able to observe Tuck's behavior the whole time through the laptop feed. Tuck wasn't a bad person. Nesli realized she had used a double standard before when she blamed Ron. She didn't want to repeat that mistake. Tuck was also a victim—and he could become a valuable ally. Nightfall needed all the strength it could get.
"What about those women?" Nesli asked, recalling the ones Karu had enslaved. "Tuck, maybe you should go back and check on them?"
Nancy instantly opposed the idea. "No way."
Her concern was straightforward—if Tuck left now, would he betray them? Then Lannard's situation might be exposed, and he wouldn't be safe here. Tuck saw the worry in Nancy's eyes and shook his head.
"They'll be fine on their own, I'm sure," Tuck said. "Besides, Ron pointed them toward a safe place before he left. The nobles won't be able to react too quickly."