92 Chapter 87: Brewing Storm!

After Raymond left them, Watanabe's gaze lingered on the door silently, with his mind racing.

He then shifted his attention to Luke, who met his gaze with cautious wariness.

"...This blonde guy is not bad, and his crew," Watanabe mused quietly, sizing up Raymond's team, "Seems they've got some skills under their belt as well..."

Sharing a silent understanding with Watanabe, Sajin joined him at a nearby table.

Across from them, Sakujiro and Machi maintained their glare, their animosity palpable in the air.

After a while, Raymond emerged from the back room with trays of freshly prepared meat.

He glanced over at Watanabe and Sajin, acknowledging their presence.

"Two servings, right?"

"Yes, please," Watanabe replied with a nod.

"Alright, just give me a moment," Raymond said as he got to work.

The sizzling sounds of meat cooking filled the air, accompanied by the mouthwatering aroma that soon enveloped the room.

Watanabe raised an eyebrow in anticipation, while Sajin couldn't help but drool in response.

"Alright, enjoy your meal. Please take note that you can only have one serving per day..."

"Understood."

Before long, plates of succulent grilled pork were placed before them, accompanied by wooden chopsticks.

As they took their first bites, their eyes widened in surprise at the burst of flavor.

They glanced over at Raymond in astonishment, who had returned to the kitchen counter, seemingly didn't care much about their reaction.

Without hesitation, they dug into their meals, savoring every bite.

"Ah, I could eat that all day," Sajin sighed, eyeing his empty plate wistfully.

But Watanabe had other plans. He rose from his seat and motioned for Sajin to follow.

"Time to go," he said briskly.

Sajin scrambled to his feet, caught off guard by the sudden departure.

As they prepared to leave, Watanabe turned to Raymond with a smile. "That was an exceptional meal, young man. I hope to you stick around..."

Raymond nodded in response.

"I'll do my best," he said softly.

With that, Watanabe and Sajin exited the restaurant, leaving behind a tense atmosphere. Sakujiro clenched his fists in anger, his emotions simmering beneath the surface.

"Finally, that nuisance left," Machi grumbled, her irritation palpable as she shot a glare at Sakujiro.

"Like I said, old man, this time—"

But...

"I'm leaving," he announced, his tone heavy with resignation.

...before she could finish her sentence, Sakujiro abruptly stood up, cutting her off. 

"Hey, wait till I finish my words!" Machi protested, rising from her seat.

But Sakujiro was already gone, disappearing in a blur before anyone could react.

Machi cursed under her breath and attempted to chase after him, but she stumbled and fell to the floor.

The room fell silent, everyone staring at Machi in surprise.

"...You motherfucker!"

Flustered and embarrassed, Machi glanced down at her frozen shoes, cursing Sakujiro under her breath once more.

Meanwhile, as Watanabe and Sajin made their way back to their base, a heavy silence hung between them.

Watanabe's gaze was icy, his expression unreadable as he muttered, "Those guys..."

"They're outsiders."

Sajin was walking beside him as he responded solemnly. 

"..."

There was a heavy pause before Watanabe spoke again, his voice tinged with coldness, "I think it's only right for us to consider them our enemy."

"...That should be the case."

Sajin nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Although Watanabe harbored doubts about Sakujiro's involvement with outsiders, the presence of formidable individuals in such a desolate place was unsettling.

With their plans on the horizon, Watanabe couldn't shake off his apprehension.

"That young man's Nen is unstable, but he smells strong..."

Watanabe's thoughts were filled with the memory of the intense pressure he had sensed earlier.

Recalling Luke and his companions in the restaurant, Watanabe continued his musings, "...and beside the young man, those individuals are not to be underestimated, especially the blonde guy."

Confident in his ability to handle Sakujiro should he choose to align with the elders, Watanabe was nevertheless wary of Raymond and his cohorts.

Their collective strength posed a significant threat, and Watanabe knew he had to proceed with caution, devising a strategy to eliminate them one by one.

The consequences of facing them head-on could prove dire, even life-threatening.

Yet, launching a direct assault on Sakujiro would inevitably draw the attention of the elders, complicating matters further.

As these considerations swirled in his mind, a cold glint sparked in Watanabe's eyes, infused with a calculated cunning.

"If an offensive approach is too risky," he murmured to himself, "then perhaps a defensive strategy is warranted."

In a hidden corner of the Meteor City...

A small but lone figure, clad in tattered garments that barely shielded him from the biting cold, stood beneath the moon's luminous gaze.

His face obscured by a mouthpiece as he remained silent, lost in contemplation.

"The winds of change are upon us,"

Suddenly, a weary voice broke the silence, resonating through the stillness of the night.

The figure turned to behold a chubby elderly man, his round face marked by the wear of time, a jewel adorning his forehead.

Together, they gazed up at the moon, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Will you not step in this time?"

The weary voice of the elder broke the heavy silence, laden with concern.

In response, a solemn sigh escaped the lips of the other elder, "My time draws near. Whatever may come, must come."

"He is your blood, is he not?"

"He possesses strength," came the steadfast reply.

A faint smile graced the chubby elder's lips, his gaze returning to the moon. A glimmer of emotion softened his weary eyes.

"Do not fret."

"..."

Silent understanding passed between them, despite the lack of words.

The concern for his own blood's safety weighed heavily on his minds, even if the short elder didn't openly express it.

As the chubby elder's eyes flickered with a brief spark of light before it was quickly dimmed.

"This time..." he began, his voice tinged with sadness, "...it may offer him the opportunity to find solace. The burdens that child carries... they are heavy indeed."

The path ahead had been revealed by fate, but he who saw it couldn't intervene as he was bound by the dictates of destiny itself.

The road ahead wouldn't be easy, but it heralded the arrival of something better, a new beginning that promised prosperity in this forsaken place.

"...What may happen, should happen."

The words hung heavy in the air, accompanied by a weary sigh that seemed to echo through the night.

As clouds drifted to obscure the moon, darkness descended upon the city.