"It's done."
Kaizen gave his precise location over the phone, then hung up.
Afterward, he returned to the room.
Lina looked up at him. "Kaizen…"
Kaizen nodded but said nothing.
Seeing his silence, Lina curled up quietly in the corner, much like a frightened animal.
Evening.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
There was a sharp rapping at the door. Kaizen approached, peeking through the peephole.
"Condense!" he whispered, activating Gyo to confirm the visitor's aura. Once satisfied, he opened the door.
"Grandpa Zeno."
The elderly assassin entered, scanning the room with a calm but sharp gaze.
"What's going on?" Zeno asked, his voice a low rumble.
Kaizen gestured toward Lina, who shrank beneath the old man's scrutiny.
Zeno's eyes narrowed. "What's this?"
"I've seen her before," he murmured, leaning in closer. "Thought she was just some beast."
Now, upon taking a closer look, his brow furrowed. Something was definitely off about the girl.
Kaizen explained, "Lina used to be my neighbor. Her father, Carlisle, is a Nen user from the 200th floor. I don't know what he did, but it looks like he… combined Lina with her dog."
Zeno's eyes gleamed with understanding. He activated Gyo to see beyond the surface.
Immediately, he detected a thick, ominous aura coiled around Lina's body—its energy black as ink, radiating a sinister intent.
"This is the work of a Specialist," Maha muttered. "The aura's too malicious to be anything else."
Kaizen nodded grimly. "I want to help her, Grandpa Zeno. Lina has potential, and I think she could become part of my team."
Zeno gave Kaizen a hard look. "You're forming a team?"
"Yes."
Though the Zoldycks weren't fond of the concept of "friends," forming a team was an accepted—and necessary—part of becoming an assassin. Even Killua had his team. And Kaizen, a Zoldyck by blood, had every reason to build his own.
Zeno thought for a moment, then said, "A skilled Exorcist could undo this, but Lina's condition is unique. An ordinary exorcist might not cut it—you'll need someone very powerful. And they won't come cheap."
Kaizen hesitated but asked, "How much are we talking?"
Zeno's expression didn't change. "At least one billion Jenny."
Kaizen's mind raced. A billion was a lot, but in the world of Nen users, fortunes could shift overnight. After all, rare cards on Greed Island sold for billions. And climbing to the 200th floor of Heavens Arena could net close to 200 million Jenny.
Maha nodded slowly. "If Lina's potential is as good as you think, she'll be worth the investment. A capable Nen user is invaluable."
Then he added, "What about her father, Carlisle? Any idea what his story is?"
Kaizen frowned. "Not really. He was injured badly during his last match and ended up in the hospital."
"And Lina? How does she feel about him?"
Kaizen paused. "She still cares about him… despite everything."
Maha folded his arms. "So, have you decided what to do?"
Kaizen took a deep breath. "Yes. I want to save her."
Maha gave him a long look. "But you don't have that kind of money, do you?"
Kaizen shook his head. "I only have about 100 million Jenny."
Maha laid out two options. "You can either borrow the money from me, but we Zoldycks keep things strictly business. Even Silva and I settle our accounts to the last Jenny. That applies to you, too."
Kaizen gave a small nod. "I understand."
"Or," Zeno continued, "you can earn the money yourself. It's time for you to start accepting assassination contracts. That's the most straightforward way for a Zoldyck to make money."
Kaizen didn't hesitate. "I'll take the second option."
Zeno smirked approvingly. He pulled out his phone and sent Kaizen a text.
"This is the platform where new assassins find jobs. Start here, and you'll build your own network in time."
He locked eyes with Kaizen. "I can't hand you my contacts. You'll have to earn your own."
Zeno glanced around the room before continuing, "Your team isn't established yet. You're still on your own, which means you're vulnerable when it comes to gathering intel. A proper assassin should never operate blind."
Kaizen tilted his head. "Do you have someone in mind who could help?"
Zeno gave a small nod. "Yes. Milluki is good with this kind of thing. I'll send you his contact information. You can work with him for now, but keep in mind—Milluki doesn't work for free. You'll need to share a portion of your commissions with him."
Kaizen considered this, then gave a firm nod. "Got it. Please send me his info, Grandpa Zeno."
Zeno tapped a few buttons on his phone and forwarded Milluki's email to Kaizen.
"Once you gather the billion Jenny, come see me. I'll put you in touch with the Exorcist."
"Understood."
Zeno turned to leave. "Anything else?"
Kaizen hesitated. "Would you like to stay for dinner? The food here isn't bad."
Zeno gave a rare chuckle. "No, thank you."
With that, Kaizen saw him to the door, watching as the old man disappeared into the night.
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