The stronger Kaizen became, the more exhilarated Jack felt.
Jack was obsessed with strength. The tougher the opponent, the better the challenge. However, there was a limit—an opponent so overwhelmingly strong that a fight became meaningless.
This was evident when Jack faced the Floor Master of Heavens Arena. Jack couldn't last even a single move against them. Such a one-sided battle held no value for him.
Under the cover of night, the sounds of Kaizen and Jack's sparring echoed across the rooftop. Their clash stretched on for two hours before they finally stopped, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.
Kaizen retreated to his luxury suite, heading directly to his bedroom to reflect.
"Jack's strength is still above Juliana's," Kaizen mused. "But even so, he hasn't reached the level of a C-grade Nen user yet.
"In terms of raw combat skill and physical strength, though, Jack has the edge. This makes Juliana of little use to me now. Jack is a much better opponent.
"Besides, there are other TST members I can train with."
Kaizen immersed himself in his routine. His mornings were dedicated to physical training: strength, endurance, and a critical practice for any Nen user—reinforcing the body with aura.
Some Nen practitioners only passively strengthen their bodies when using their abilities, but Kaizen took a more deliberate approach, refining his aura control.
"This kind of training is a fundamental principle," he thought, recalling the teachings of Biscuit Krueger, the eccentric yet formidable mentor who had once guided him.
His thoughts wandered to Uvogin of the Phantom Troupe, whose reinforced body could withstand bullets and even rockets. Kaizen remembered how Kurapika had once faced Uvogin, using his Nen chains to push Uvogin into a state of absolute destruction. Despite Kurapika's calculated assault, Uvogin had mocked him, unfazed by attacks that would devastate most fighters.
Kurapika's employer at the time, Neon's bodyguard Dalzollene, had wielded a Nen-enhanced weapon during his encounter with Uvogin. Yet even with the aid of his weapon, Dalzollene's attacks barely left a scratch on Uvogin's reinforced body.
This level of physical resilience reminded Kaizen of the Chimera Ants.
Born from a grotesque cycle of consumption and reproduction, the offspring of the Chimera Ant Queen exhibited astounding physical strength. Even their lowest-tier soldiers could easily surpass ordinary humans in raw power.
Nen abilities from weaker practitioners often failed to penetrate the ants' natural defenses. This was evident during the Hunter Exam aftermath when a Nen user, was effortlessly killed by a low-ranking Chimera Ant captain.
Even Gon, with his formidable Rock-Paper-Scissors Nen technique, struggled against the Chimera Ants. His punch, while strong, failed to incapacitate a captain-level ant. Instead, it inadvertently activated the ant's aura nodes, effectively initiating it into Nen usage.
"If even Gon couldn't handle them at that stage, it's safe to say that a D-grade Nen user would struggle against Chimera Ant soldiers," Kaizen speculated. "Once the Chimera Ants master Nen themselves, they'll be terrifyingly powerful."
...
Afternoon Sparring
Kaizen spent his afternoons sparring with Jack. Sometimes they focused on pure hand-to-hand combat, while other times, they practiced basic Nen techniques. However, neither of them revealed their advanced abilities, keeping those techniques in reserve.
During these sessions, Kaizen also encountered other members of TST, such as Murray, a former professional boxer who had honed his Nen abilities. Like Jack, Murray was classified as a D-grade Nen user, but his movements carried a distinctive rhythm that reflected his boxing background.
...
Three months passed in this rigorous routine.
Juliana's Visit
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A knock echoed at the door. Nina, Kaizen's companion, opened it to find Juliana standing there.
"Juliana," Nina greeted politely, recognizing the Heavens Arena fighter who had once defeated Carlisle.
Nina had harbored resentment toward Juliana for that loss but later realized that Juliana had done nothing wrong. In a competition, giving your all was the only acceptable approach. Carlisle's failure was his own fault—a mismatch of ambition and ability.
"Is Kaizen here?" Juliana asked.
"He's not in right now," Nina replied. "What brings you here?"
Juliana hesitated. "We agreed to a match, and the time has come."
She handed Nina a small slip of paper with her number. "Let him know I stopped by, will you?"
"Of course," Nina said, taking the note.
As Juliana walked away, she glanced back at Nina, feeling a strange sense of familiarity she couldn't place.
"Odd," Juliana muttered to herself, furrowing her brow.
Progress
That evening, Nina relayed Juliana's message to Kaizen. He had almost forgotten about their match, as Juliana's value as a training partner had diminished in his eyes.
In the past three months, Kaizen had grown significantly. His mastery of basic Nen techniques—Ren, Ten, and Zetsu—had reached over 90% completion. His proficiency with advanced techniques like In and Shu still needed work but showed steady improvement.
Physically, Kaizen had grown stronger and faster. He had also integrated the fighting techniques he'd learned from Raiken, elevating them beyond mere imitation.
"Grandfather Zeno always said I needed to master the fundamentals before moving on to the more advanced Nen arts of the Taris Kingdom," Kaizen thought.
"That goal is finally within reach."
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