Kaizen opened the email. Attached was a photo.
In the picture, a scruffy-looking man lurked in the shadows of an alley, his gaze fixed in one direction.
That direction? Killua.
"Already being watched?" Kaizen muttered to himself. "Though it doesn't seem like much of a threat."
It wasn't unusual for fighters in Heavens Arena to attract attention. Some stalkers were harmless, but others carried far more sinister intentions. Beneath the city's glittering facade lurked plenty of darkness.
"How many disappearances is this guy linked to?" Kaizen continued. "No solid evidence… just suspicions?"
His eyes narrowed as he studied the image.
"For someone this mediocre, Killua should be able to handle it himself… right?"
The next day, Killua left the hotel and headed for Heavens Arena. Along the way, several shadowy figures lay in wait, hidden along his path.
When Killua passed an alley, a sound caught his attention. He paused, turning toward it. The group sprang into action, blocking both ends of the narrow passage. Among them was a small girl from earlier; she smirked slyly at Killua before darting away.
"Hey, brat! Hand over all your money!" one of the thugs demanded, stepping forward and brandishing a knife.
Killua's expression remained unfazed. "I don't have any money."
The thug sneered. "No money? Then how are you staying at such a fancy hotel?"
"That's my dad's doing," Killua replied nonchalantly.
"Then call him to cough it up!"
"My dad's not in the city."
"Then get him on the phone!"
Killua shrugged. "I don't know his number."
The thug's face twisted in fury. "You little—are you messing with me?!"
Killua's indifferent attitude grated on the thug, who raised his weapon and lunged at him.
"You're asking for it!"
Before the blade could land, Killua's expression turned cold.
Swish!
Killua's hand struck like a knife, piercing the thug's chest in a single motion. At the same time, he sidestepped the man's attack with ease.
Thud!
The thug crumpled to the ground.
Killua turned his icy gaze to the rest of the group, his murderous intent seeping into the air. Despite being the youngest Zoldyck, Killua's killing intent was more than enough for these fools.
"W-what?!"
The remaining thugs froze in terror as their comrade fell, blood pooling beneath him.
But Killua didn't give them a chance to recover.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
In mere seconds, the alley was littered with their fallen bodies.
"Too weak," Killua muttered, brushing off his hands. "And too stupid to even check who they were targeting."
From his surveillance monitor, Kaizen watched the scene unfold and shook his head.
"If these guys were supposed to be assassins, they're the most unqualified I've ever seen. Not even basic reconnaissance? Pathetic."
On the screen, Killua glanced directly at the camera.
Crack!
The feed abruptly cut as Killua destroyed the camera.
Kaizen smirked. "Smart move, but you didn't get all of them." He leaned back in his chair. "Altan, clean up the mess."
...
Meanwhile, Killua continued toward Heavens Arena, while Kaizen refocused on his own training.
Over the next month, Kaizen's efforts in refining his Nen techniques paid off.
While the progress wasn't massive, it was steady. His physical strength increased by roughly 10%, and he achieved over 90% mastery in several core techniques: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu. His proficiency in In also reached an impressive level.
(T/N: In: By keeping some of your Aura Nodes partially closed, you can mask your true strength or hide your attack intentions)
However, his mastery of En lagged slightly behind. Although the range of his aura only extended to 16 meters, its sensitivity improved significantly.
(T/N: En: A fusion of Ten and Ren, En spreads your aura into a thin field to perceive your surroundings)
Other techniques, like Ken and Ko, proved the most challenging but also the most rewarding.
(T/N: Ko: By focusing all your aura into one part of your body, you can create powerful attacks or impenetrable defenses. Ken: Combine Ren with focused Ten to create a balanced state of offense and defense)
Kaizen reflected, "In the original timeline, Gon learned Ko from Bisky on Greed Island and even used it against Razor. His natural talent is undeniable. But back then, Gon's mastery of Ko wasn't as high as mine is now."
He stepped out of his room to find his team gathered in the living room. Nina and Sally stood watching Shizuku, who held a peculiar vacuum cleaner in her hands.
"Is this your new ability, Shizuku?" Kaizen asked, intrigued.
"Yes, Captain," Shizuku replied with a nod. "I call it Popeyed Fish. It can absorb almost anything non-living into its space. The capacity isn't huge, though—about the size of a kitchen."
Kaizen smiled. "It's a great start. Keep honing it."
Encouraged, Shizuku began demonstrating her ability, pulling various items from the room into her Blinky and releasing them again. Nina and Sally watched with fascination, treating it like a game.
Kaizen observed thoughtfully. "Shizuku's Blinky mirrors its development in the original story. It's not flashy, but for a team, this kind of ability is invaluable. Transporting supplies, collecting loot... the possibilities are endless."
Inwardly, he lamented the limited storage of his own Killer Queen. With Shizuku's ability, the team could now haul far more valuables from missions.
Ring!
Kaizen's phone buzzed. He picked it up. "Uncle Silva?"
"Kaizen," Silva's deep voice replied, "I'm near Heavens Arena. How is Killua holding up?"
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