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Chapter 121
🕑 Added 2024-12-20 16:00:08 +0000 UTC"What do you think?"
Morin redirected the question back to him.
"I remember earlier, when you were interrogating that V5 maritime officer, you mentioned a particular place, didn't you?"
A glint of fervor and brilliance surfaced in Chrollo's eyes.
"The Dark Continent."
"You overheard?"
Morin took another drag on his cigarette, looking at him.
"So the Dark Continent is real?"
Chrollo's eyes brightened even more. "And those so-called disasters and hopes—are they real too?!"
Morin nodded. "Yes, they're real."
Since Chrollo had already pieced things together, denying it served no purpose.
Besides, with Chrollo's intelligence, Morin doubted he could be misled for long.
"I see," Chrollo said with a light nod.
On the surface, his expression remained calm, but his mind churned with surging thoughts.
"I had always set my sights on the treasures of this world, but it seems the 'world' itself isn't what I imagined it to be."
He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "All my efforts so far... I might as well have been rummaging around like a pig in mud."
"Pathetic, really."
Chrollo took a deep breath. "At least now I understand the true nature of the world and what kind of things are truly worth stealing."
It was as if he'd found a new purpose.
"The Dark Continent, with all its mysterious wonders... a place full of 'hope,' is it?"
A faint smile crossed his lips. "That place is a destination I'm fated to reach."
He paused before adding, "It's not too late to start preparing now. But first and foremost, I must strengthen myself."
"Without power, stepping into such a perilous place would only mean death."
Chrollo glanced at Morin, sensing both pressure and renewed determination.
"At the very least," he thought to himself, "I need to be as strong as Morin."
With that, he set his benchmark.
"So, you're aiming for the Dark Continent?" Morin stubbed out his cigarette. "What about the treasures here on the six continents? Still interested in those, boss?"
"If they're worth it, of course, we won't let them slip by," Chrollo said with a smile. "After all, we are thieves, aren't we?"
"Fair point."
Morin paused before continuing, "What about the world's other famed beauties? Do those still catch your interest?"
"The other famed beauties?"
Chrollo's eyelids twitched slightly, as if recalling the crown that was said to embody the essence of all seven great beauties.
"I think I'll pass," he said, shaking his head.
"One of those beauties must be the Scarlet Eyes," he remarked. "Supposedly, they're the eyes of the Kurta Clan, which glow a fiery red when they're enraged."
Morin took out his phone and searched for images of the Scarlet Eyes.
Thanks to Ishukube's technology, even in such a remote area, Morin's phone still had internet access.
"This is what they call the Scarlet Eyes?"
Chrollo looked at the image of fiery red eyes, burning like flames. A faint interest flickered in his gaze.
"I heard that when a Kurta dies with their eyes in this state, the color becomes permanent. If the eyes are extracted, they'll always maintain that hue."
A small trace of appreciation appeared in his eyes. "It's a fitting title for one of the seven great beauties."
"Too bad the Kurta Clan's whereabouts remain unknown," Chrollo lamented. "Their population shouldn't be small, which means there could be plenty of these stunning eyes in various shapes and forms."
"Are you particularly interested in the Scarlet Eyes?" Morin pressed.
"I'm intrigued, but not to the point of obsession."
With the Dark Continent and its "hopes" broadening his horizons, Chrollo's standards had evidently risen.
"The Scarlet Eyes are rare largely because the Kurta Clan is so reclusive," Morin explained, putting his phone away. "On top of that, they possess exceptional combat capabilities."
"Exceptional combat capabilities..."
Chrollo's brows twitched slightly.
After a moment of silence, he looked directly at Morin.
"You seem quite opposed to me seeking out the Kurta Clan, don't you?"
"I have no interest in dealing with human organs—honestly, I detest it," Morin shrugged.
"So if the troupe plans to target the Kurta Clan, I won’t be participating."
He stated this matter-of-factly.
"Seems like there's a difference of opinion within the troupe," Chrollo noted with a chuckle, producing a gold coin emblazoned with the Phantom Troupe’s spider emblem.
"According to our rules, when members disagree, we resolve it with this coin."
He tossed the coin into the air, letting it land on the back of his hand before covering it.
"Heads or tails?"
He smiled at Morin.
"Tails," Morin replied casually.
"Is that so?"
Chrollo's smirk deepened as he made a surprising statement.
"I'll choose tails as well."
Instead of revealing the coin, Chrollo flipped it into his pocket.
"Now, there's no disagreement."
He spread his hands. "I’d still like to know why you're opposed to targeting the Kurta Clan. Is there someone among them you care about?"
Chrollo had clearly seen through Morin’s earlier excuse about disliking organ trafficking as a cover. He needed a more convincing explanation.
"Why, you ask..." Morin pondered briefly.
If he had to provide a reason, it would be...
"Because I can, but I don't need to." he gave Chrollo an even more nonchalant response.
"Don’t need to?" The three words left Chrollo momentarily stunned.
He pressed his thumb to his chin, deep in thought.
After a long pause—
"You're right."
Chrollo's furrowed brows relaxed. "Scarlet Eyes are worth acquiring, but there’s no real need for them."
He had come to a realization.
"Something purely ornamental, with no other practical use, provides no benefit to our troupe."
"And considering the Kurta Clan's formidable combat strength, launching an operation for their eyes would be a massive undertaking—not worth it."
"After all..."
"With a new goal like the Dark Continent, I can’t afford to squander our troupe's resources on meaningless targets."
With his sights set on the Dark Continent, Chrollo's standards for treasure had become far more stringent. His interest in the Scarlet Eyes was fading rapidly.
Hearing Chrollo's decision, Morin nodded slightly.
"So, you’ve given up on the Scarlet Eyes?"
"Not entirely," Chrollo chuckled. "It’s still one of the seven great beauties—undeniably a rare treasure."
"I won't go out of my way to pursue it, but if I happen upon one—say, in the collection of a noble, at an auction, or in a treasure trove—I’ll take it without hesitation."
"Fine. As long as you leave the Kurta Clan alone."
Seeing that Chrollo truly had no intention of targeting the Kurta Clan, Morin was inwardly satisfied.
The two resumed discussing the Dark Continent.
This marked the first significant council between the two Phantom Troupe leaders.
During their conversation, Morin also brought up someone.
"Omokage, you mean?"
Chrollo thought for a moment. "When I invited him to join the troupe, it was purely for his puppet abilities. His personality wasn’t a concern. After all, how bad could the character of someone from Meteor City really be?"
"But I didn’t expect him to be even more extreme, fanatical, and more aggressive than I imagined."
Chrollo admitted that interacting with Omokage had revealed his flaws over time.
"Frankly, he doesn’t seem like a normal person," Morin shrugged. "Sure, none of us are exactly 'normal,' but at least we can hold a proper conversation."
"But Omokage... it’s honestly difficult to communicate with him."
"True enough," Chrollo nodded slightly, recalling Omokage’s intense behavior.
"As long as he doesn’t cause trouble within the troupe—like during this operation, where he didn’t show any major issues—there’s no harm in keeping him around."
