Throne of Shadows: The Conqueror (HxH)

"Grandpa! Grandpa!"

The echoing voice cut through the stillness of the dilapidated building, prompting a middle-aged man with grey hair and a matching beard to furrow his brow in annoyance.

"...Perfect timing," He shook his head in response, thinking the kid was coming for some bread like every other day.

He stood beside a handmade clay oven as smoke billowed from the fire burning within, casting a warm glow against the worn walls of the building.

"Grandpa! I need your help!"

"Shut up, kid! And don't call me grandpa. I'm not that old yet, you little brat!"

The middle-aged man grumbled, his rough voice carrying the weariness of years spent in the unforgiving city.

He reached for a shabby wooden board beside the clay oven, its surface worn and weathered from years of use.

Leaning closer to the oven, he retrieved several pieces of bread; their surfaces were dark.

"Hmm, this won't taste good," he muttered, examining the darkened bread with a frown.

He knew that the ingredients he had used were long past their prime, but in a place like this, they had little choice.

With a resigned shrug, he removed his apron and slowly made his way to the door.

The door burst open, and Taka stumbled in, breathing heavily as he collapsed onto the ground.

"Hah, damn it, why is it hard to open the door?"

He muttered to himself, struggling to catch his breath.

As Taka looked up, he found himself met with a stern expression on the face of the middle-aged man standing before him.

Taka's throat went dry with nervousness as he gulped.

"You better have a good explanation for this, or I'll cook you up for dinner," the man's voice was low and menacing.

Taka felt a shiver run down his spine as he hesitantly replied, "...I think I do."

Meanwhile...

"Shit!"

Luke grimaced as he surveyed the dilapidated building surrounded by a towering heap of garbage.

The stench was overpowering, assaulting his senses and causing him to cover his nose in disgust.

"Ugh, this place is unbearable. Let's keep looking," he exclaimed, his voice tinged with frustration.

The building was nothing more than a decrepit shell, offering no shelter or comfort to its potential occupants.

"..."

Raymond scanned the surroundings, taking note of the increasing activity deeper into the city.

The deeper he looked into the city, the denser the population seemed to become despite the dilapidated buildings.

"...We're not staying here, are we?" 

Luke's hopeful gaze fell on Raymond, silently pleading for an alternative plan. The rest of the group shared his unease, waiting anxiously for Raymond's decision.

"We're staying here..."

"Oh, hell no!" Luke exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Raymond raised a hand to silence him, prompting Luke to grimace in annoyance.

He leaned closer and whispered, "You can't be serious, right?"

"I'm dead serious," Raymond replied calmly, causing everyone's expression to pale.

His words left them momentarily speechless, and Raymond couldn't help but feel speechless by their reaction.

He quickly clarified, "But we're not settling for this. We'll build a decent place, mask the smell of the trash, and make it livable."

"...?"

Everyone looked at Raymond with puzzled expressions, while Luke scratched his head in confusion.

"What's your plan then?" Luke asked, breaking the silence.

Raymond paused, his mind racing as he considered their options. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind.

There was a forest a few kilometers away with a river, offering access to natural resources.

With a thoughtful gleam in his eyes, Raymond declared, "We're building a restaurant."

"Pardon?"

Luke exclaimed, unable to believe what he had just heard.

The others echoed Luke's disbelief, their expressions mirroring his incredulity.

"Could you please explain, or rather, could you please explain everything in one sitting?"

Luke facepalmed, urging Raymond to provide a comprehensive explanation.

Raymond nodded and posed a question, "What do you think of these people here in the city?"

"What do we think of them?"

Luke was taken aback, falling into a thoughtful silence.

One of their men, Adin, raised his hand, prompting Raymond to acknowledge him.

"Adin, you don't need to raise your hand. It's not a school, but tell me what you think..."

"Umm, I think they're homeless?"

"..."

Everyone fell silent, staring at Adin with incredulous expressions.

"...No shit bro, they're homeless," the person beside Adin remarked, smacking him lightly on the head.

Turning to Raymond, the same person continued, "I think they're sick."

"Jake, you don't need to raise your hand, but still shit answer..."

Raymond sighed as he turned to the last person, Logan, and asked, "How about you, Logan? You got anything in mind?"

"Umm, I think they're starving?" Logan tilted his head before answering.

This time, Raymond nodded in satisfaction, "That's right, they're starving and malnourished..."

"That means there's a shortage of food..."

Raymond recalled the people who had initially surrounded them during their entry to the city.

They appeared weak and desperate, lacking any semblance of strength.

Still, among some, someone raised his alertness as he felt somehow threatened.

The individual seemed devoid of emotion, akin to a puppet controlled by unseen hands.

This reminded Raymond of some individuals they needed to be careful of around the city, The Meteor City's elders.

"What would happen if we bring food to the city?"

"...They'll get food?"

Luke's eyes lit up with understanding.

He quickly pieced together Raymond's strategy, "So, you're planning to provide them with food at a low cost, earning their gratitude then integrating our group into their community? Is that the plan?"

"That's right..."

Raymond affirmed, nodding as he felt some sort of coins in the kid's pouch.

"I need to understand how the money works here first to make sure we can sell food at an affordable price..."

"But do you think they'll readily accept our help?"

Luke interjected, his brow furrowing with concern.

Raymond shook his head, "That's why we need a local to act as our spokesperson..."

"A local?"

Luke queried, puzzled by the notion.

Raymond smirked knowingly in response.

"There you are, you crazy motherfucker!"

A childlike outburst suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention to the other side.

"Taka?"

Luke exclaimed, eyes widening in disbelief. He glanced at Raymond, who nodded in confirmation.

"Did you foresee this?"

Raymond nodded, a smirk playing on his lips as he observed Taka's approach, "I knew he'd come looking for his pouch, but I wasn't planning on involving him like this."

"Still, isn't this better for us?"

He pondered aloud as Taka approached, accompanied by someone else.

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