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Chapter 20: Quixote's Abode

It was already midnight, the surroundings were dark and quiet, and the moon was shining brightly in its place. The serenity and peacefulness of the environment didn't stop Niko and Zone from their own business. They were seated on the chairs in front of a desk, a man with black hair and red glaring eyes in front of them, sitting on a swivel chair on the other side of the desk. Despite the night being deep already, he still wore his formal suit and maintained an intimidating face. He is, without a doubt, Tiago Quixote, the richest man in town.

"State your business, gentlemen." Tiago said, clasping his hands and letting it rest above the table. Niko smirked, deciding to be straightforward.

"We might sound boastful, but we know all of the whereabouts of your children in the outside." Niko's smirk widened, noticing that Tiago tensed up a little.

"I see. I suppose that you are not here to provide information about them."

"You're easy to talk to, huh?" Zone commented, quite amused by that.

"We are here for a deal." Niko's eyes squinted, his face became serious. "We will bring all of your children back. But I have one condition."

Tiago, despite being skeptical, decided to listen to them. "State your condition."

"Zone here wants weapons, and I..." A smirk made its way to Niko's face. "I want Rei."

Tiago slammed his hands on the table and stood up,  his eyes throwing daggers at Zone and Niko.

"What did you say?" He asked, giving emphasis to every word. Niko smiled at him, his smug face showing.

"I want Rei. That's all." He clenched his fists, returning back to his seat.

"Then forget it. The deal is off."

"Oh, really? Alright, I'll just kill them all." Niko's smirk widened when he saw how much he angered Tiago. His children were his weapons, and without them, he would be powerless. That's why Niko used them against him.

"You can have them all for yourself without telling me. Why did you decide to even talk to me when you could do that in the first place?" Tiago was trying to stay calm, and Zone and Niko can sense that. They were getting into his nerves.

"I want to help a fellow in need." Niko answered, his voice somewhat mocking. "And besides, this is a win-win situation. You'll have your children back, and I'll have Rei all by myself."

"The organization is nothing with one of my children missing. How are you helping exactly?" Tiago doesn't want one of his children missing. If they are not complete, their foundation would break. And once his children were completely broken, all of his hardships will come to waste.

"One of your children missing is better than all five of them outside, right?" Tiago absolutely hates how Niko speaks. He knows him. Niko is a strong person. He already defeated many people at the age of 24, and now with Zone beside him, he was unstoppable. He hates to admit it, but Niko was quite stronger than him. He also knew that once Niko decides one thing, he makes sure to do it.

"Why not just sell information to me? Name your price." He offered, not willing to give Rei up. Rei is now the strongest among them. Giving her up means throwing the organization's objectives away. He thought, clenching his jaw.

"Our price, huh? Okay, then. Weapons and Rei. That's our price." What Niko wants, Niko gets. That is Niko's principle. Impossible isn't in his dictionary. It would take everything you have to make him give up.

"We have Hachi and Ni." Zone showed him a picture of Hachi and Ni, making him freeze.

"Refuse, and they die. Ichi is looking for Rei with Shi, and Rei is participating in a warfare. Their exact locations? I know it all. So, give me Rei and you'll have the other children, or refuse and you lose all. You choose." Niko crossed his arms. Tiago didn't have much choice. Thinking that a youngster like Niko would be able to corner him like that infuriates him.

"Think well, Tiago. How would Rei feel when you're willing to give up all of them just to have her? Oh, right, you wouldn't know, simply because you didn't become a proper father even once." Niko laughed, waving his hand. "Silly me. Pardon me for that."

"You don't even know what she can really do, can you?" Zone asked, raising his eyebrow. He, then, showed Tiago a picture of one of his men, Commander Troy, being enveloped in Flames.

"We thought she really set him on fire. But then, when he died, we found no burning marks on his skin, and the cause of his death was heart attack and not burning. So, what do you think is her ability?" Niko asked. "We don't know, that's why we are asking you."

Tiago fell into silence. Right, he doesn't even memorize what his children can really do, what type of Nen users are they, and what they really feel. Rei is no exception. All he knows is that she is the only Specialist among the siblings.

"Find that out yourself." He said, avoiding to say that he doesn't know.

"Oh, then the deal is on?" Niko asked, making him clench his jaw.

If he doesn't agree to his deal, he would lose his precious weapons. If he does, he will lose his strongest weapon but would still obtain the others. How can he be so sure that Niko really knows where they are? Niko wouldn't dare to meet him if he had no information. Niko wouldn't meddle with his business if he doesn't know anything. How can he be so sure that Niko wouldn't kill the others after taking Rei? Niko is a man of his words.

I hate to admit this, but I am left behind. If I would disagree to his deal, the weapons will be dead before I even put a hand on them. He has the upper hand.

"Deal, then."

At the other side of the Quixote Mansion, there were six boys in different rooms. The first room, with a number five written on the door, was silent and dark. Inside it was the body of San who had an oxygen mask on his mouth and nose. He has been in that state for seven years already, and inside those years, he hasn't opened his eyes even once. His body has been weak and fragile, and he couldn't even breathe by himself anymore. In shorter terms, he's on the verge of dying. Well, that's what they thought.

Next to the San's room was a room with number six written on the door. It was empty. The next room with number seven was also empty. The next room, number eight, was dim. The room was owned by Go, who was staring outside his window.

Next to his room, number 9 owned by Roku, was cold. Roku was sitting on the floor with his back leaning on the bed. He's staring at the wall blankly, his right hand playing with small rocks.

The room beside him which has number 10 on the door had a somewhat chaotic atmosphere inside. It was Shichi who was inside and there were two lion cubs running around his room while he stared at them with a smile.

The next room, number 11, was empty and beside it is number 12. The owner of that room was on his veranda with a bow and arrow in hand. He is Ku. He placed his arrow on the bow, pulled the string and aimed for the sky. He, then, let go of the string as the arrow surged into the sky but hit something, causing it to ricochet into the ground. He squinted his eyes, mumbling to himself. "Screw that barrier."

Beside his room, number 13, was in fire. It was enveloped in fire but it wasn't turning into ashes. His door was on fire, and inside, the corners of his room was burning. He was sitting quietly on his bed, playing with the fire in his hands. He is Juu, the youngest.

They are the children of Tiago Quixote who were left. The other five, Rei, Ichi, Ni, Shi, and Hachi escaped seven years ago. And now, with Niko arriving, those five will return. He will make sure of that. No one will be left outside.

He will make sure that he will get all of them back. And when he says all, he means it.

As he stared at Niko and Zone walking away in his window, his face contorted into irritation.

"It isn't just one that I will lose if you have Rei. It will be two of my strongest weapons, and worse, all of my weapons. So, Niko, you won't get a hold of my weapon. I lost one already, and it will be the first and last time that that will happen."

He is Tiago Quixote, a father–or more like, the owner of Rei, Ichi, Shi, Hachi, Ni, San, Go, Roku, Shichi, Ku, Juu, and maybe even more.

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