Could such a young child really be a fighter at Heavens Arena—and already make it to the 50th floor?
Impossible.
Ridiculous!
"Hey, kid, aren't you coming out?"
Sadaso finally couldn't help but ask.
Kaizen gave him a dismissive wave.
Before Sadaso could respond, the elevator doors slid shut.
The elderly attendant by the elevator cast a scrutinizing glance at Kaizen. At first, he had assumed that Kaizen and Sadaso were together. But now, it was clear—they weren't.
The realization hit him. This boy wasn't stopping on the 10th floor like Sadaso. No, Kaizen was going all the way to the 50th floor.
"At such a young age…" The old man's brow furrowed. "Have the evaluators at Heavens Arena lost their minds?"
Kaizen caught the old man's gaze and shook his head slightly. It didn't surprise him.
He knew that in the original story, Silva had sent Killua to Heavens Arena when he was just six years old. Killua had qualified for the 200th floor but left the arena once he met Silva's expectations. Silva hadn't wanted him to stay long—only to reach the 200th floor as proof of his growth.
Had Killua stayed on that floor, things would have been different. His abilities back then weren't enough to hold his ground against the more experienced fighters. But Killua's strength lay in potential—his ability to unlock aura nodes. Even without formal training, he would have surpassed those rookie fighters in no time.
"Silva must have known this," Kaizen mused. "That's why he only wanted Killua to qualify for the 200th floor. He wasn't trying to rush him into mastering Nen."
Kaizen's thoughts wandered to his own experience.
"I got to learn Nen because great-grandfather Maha allowed it," he reflected. "It was supposedly decided by a Go match, but let's be honest—I never stood a chance against him. Great-grandfather must have let me win on purpose, knowing I was ready to begin my training."
A small smile crossed Kaizen's face.
"Does that mean my talent surpasses Killua's?"
He couldn't help but compare. Killua had to wait until he was twelve to avoid stifling his potential. Kaizen, on the other hand, began at nine.
With a soft chime, the elevator came to a halt.
Ding!
The doors slid open onto the 50th floor.
Kaizen stepped out and headed straight for the front desk to register.
Once fighters reached this level, the rules relaxed a bit. Competitors weren't forced into immediate matches—they had a few days to prepare. But Kaizen wasn't one for delays.
"I'll apply for a match tomorrow," he informed the receptionist.
"Very well!"
After finishing the registration, Kaizen wandered around the 50th floor, eventually buying a ticket to observe the fights in the arena.
Inside the audience stands, he sat quietly, a crystal ball hovering before him.
"Just as I thought. The higher the floor, the faster the crystal absorbs properties," Kaizen muttered.
He nodded to himself, satisfied with his plan.
"Getting to the 200th floor as soon as possible is the right move. The rookie fighters down here aren't a real threat to me."
He knew that the so-called rookie killers—fighters skilled in Nen but with low-quality talent—roamed these floors. They were like the weaker members of the Phantom Troupe—dangerous in name, but lacking the raw power. Some of them even reminded Kaizen of the chimera ants, though without the ants' terrifying durability and physical strength.
"At least the ants knew how to develop Nen properly," Kaizen mused.
He continued, "Most of the fighters above the 200th floor are worth their salt, unlike the ones stuck below. There are fewer killers to deal with up there—unless, of course, someone holds a grudge... or Hisoka shows up."
Kaizen smirked. Even he couldn't deny that Hisoka's eccentric personality was oddly captivating. But being the target of Hisoka's twisted fascination? That was something Kaizen hoped to avoid.
He thought back to Hisoka's infamous conflict with Kastro. Kastro hadn't done anything wrong—his only mistake was developing Conjuration, Manipulation abilities despite being an Enhancer. That deviation had been enough for Hisoka to lose interest and kill him without a second thought.
"Fortunately, Hisoka hasn't arrived at Heavens Arena yet," Kaizen muttered under his breath.
As the evening wore on, Kaizen returned to his hotel.
Midnight
Click.
The faint sound of a lock being picked stirred Kaizen from his light sleep.
He opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening.
"Killer Queen," he whispered.
A dark figure slowly crept into the room, slipping through the door's narrow gap after quietly removing the security chain.
The intruder carried a short blade, its edge gleaming under the dim light.
He advanced cautiously, his movements silent enough to avoid waking most people. The masked man saw Kaizen lying still, his eyes closed, and allowed himself a small, malicious grin.
Raising the knife, he aimed it at Kaizen's throat, ready to strike.
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