Vega sat at the head of the long conference table, his presence dominant and composed. Before him stood ten men in dark suits, lined up in formation. Each bore the look of hardened enforcers—battle-worn, loyal, and ambitious.
He studied them for a moment, then spoke in a calm, detached tone."I hear from Kevin that you are the elite of the Pengellet family—loyal protectors, the sword and shield that guard our legacy."
Hearing these words, the men couldn't help but smile. For these captains and team leaders—men who had clawed their way up from the gutters of the underworld—praise from Vega meant everything. In their minds, this meeting was a golden ticket. Recognition from the new head of the family could catapult them to power and prestige. Some even began imagining themselves as high-ranking lieutenants.
But then, Vega's tone shifted.
"However..."
He sneered slightly, his voice laced with disdain.
"In my eyes, you're all trash. Useless. Out of the ten of you, only five are even remotely combat-capable."
A murmur rippled through the room as disbelief and indignation filled their faces. These were seasoned fighters—men who could take on ten opponents barehanded and had earned respect through blood and survival. And now, they were being dismissed as garbage?
Even knowing Vega's reputation—the man who had crushed the Shelby family in a single night—many of them still found his words intolerable.
Their hands clenched. Anger smoldered in their eyes.
Vega saw it. And he welcomed it.
"You're not convinced?" he said coolly.
A man stepped forward. He was young, probably early twenties, with a jagged scar running down the left side of his face. He spoke with restrained fury.
"Boss, my name's Kass. And I'm not buying it. Every man here has bled for the Pengellet family. We fight. We lead. We've risked our lives to get this far. You don't get to call us trash."
"That's right!" another shouted. "We're elite warriors!"
Vega shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips."Frogs at the bottom of the well."
He turned to Kevin."Show them what real strength looks like. Let them see what it means to serve under someone strong."
Kevin bowed slightly, then stepped forward. Without a word, he raised his right hand—adorned with his signature flame glove—and snapped his fingers.
A burst of fire erupted into the air, roaring toward Kass.
Kass yelped in alarm, diving back. The others scattered as well, narrowly avoiding the heat. Even from a distance, the fire singed their clothes and hair, and the sheer force of the blaze sent a message more effective than any speech.
"T-this is… that rumored fire ability Kevin possesses?" someone gasped.
They'd heard stories, of course. That Kevin had developed some kind of Nen-based flame weapon. But seeing it firsthand was something else. Kevin stood there, the flame crackling in his hand as if it weighed nothing. He wasn't even sweating.
Vega let the awe settle in before speaking again.
"Now, tell me. Compared to that—compared to me—do you still think you're strong?"
The ten men froze as a tremendous pressure swept over them.
Vega unleashed his aura—dark, powerful, suffocating. It crashed down on them like a tidal wave. The room seemed to contract under its force. Their limbs went heavy, their knees buckled, and sweat poured down their brows.
They couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
Then, just as suddenly, the pressure vanished.
They collapsed to their knees, panting and drenched in sweat.
Vega regarded them with a look of mild contempt."I didn't even touch you. That was just a taste of Nen. And you still think you're the elite?"
None of them dared respond. The shame was too heavy. Their pride had shattered like glass.
When Vega saw the submission in their eyes, he softened his tone."So. Do you understand now how little you truly know?"
The ten nodded wordlessly.
Satisfied, Vega stood and approached them."Now, it's time I give you something worthy of your loyalty. Weapons that represent the strength of the Pengellet family."
Kevin stepped forward once more, producing a box filled with rings—ten in total, each glowing with a different color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, silver, black, and white.
At the same time, Vega activated his system.
A radiant light enveloped him as phantasmal weapons formed around him: sabers, crossbows, gauntlets, mirrors, and shields—each imbued with unique abilities and Nen enhancements. As he channeled his aura and consumed nearly two thousand experience points, the weapons solidified and floated toward their chosen wielders.
Each of the ten received a weapon matched to their abilities. Their eyes lit up in awe as they held the tools of power in trembling hands.
Kevin's voice boomed:
"Kneel. Swear your loyalty. Prove yourselves worthy of the power you've received."
One by one, they lowered their heads and recited the oath:
"I swear, I will never betray you.I swear, I will always remain loyal.I swear, I will protect the family with my life.I swear, I will fight for my brothers and honor our name."
As their voices rose in unison, Vega looked upon them with a faint smile.
"From this day forward," he declared, "you are the Ten Commandments of the Pengellet family.You are our sword. You are our shield.And to the world—you are the storm they should fear."