Zhengmei's eyes widened.
"What's going on?"
"Killian… exploded?!"
"Was that part of the assassin's ability?" he muttered, her gaze darting around. "Or… is someone else involved?"
His movements were sharp as he sprang to his feet, surveying the area with heightened vigilance.
By now, Killian had been obliterated—reduced to nothing more than powder. In the center of the battlefield, the ground was sunken, leaving a massive crater.
Kaizen approached Zhengmei without a trace of urgency, his steps calm and measured.
"Relax. It's just me. There's no one else."
Zhengmei's expression tightened with disbelief.
"Impossible…" he whispered, stunned.
He was sure that Kaizen was the only one who had arrived, yet the creature battling Keke earlier had been a Nen Beast.
Neither Keke nor Killian had been able to see the beast—but Zhengmei could.
What unnerved her even more was Kaizen's age. He couldn't be older than ten.
A child… yet somehow, this kid outmaneuvered the traps I set, avoided injury, climbed the mountain, and dealt with us effortlessly.
Killian, gone in an instant. Keke, held at bay.
How can someone this young have such overwhelming power? This... this doesn't make sense!
Her mind reeled at the absurdity of it all.
"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.
"An assassin," Kaizen answered without emotion, his voice even and cold. "I took on a job through the black market to hunt you down."
Zhengmei clenched his fists, trying to read between his words.
"There was a… mistake?" he asked cautiously.
Kaizen gave a small shrug.
"Yeah. I misjudged."
His brow furrowed.
"Misjudged what?"
"I thought you'd be more of a challenge," Kaizen replied flatly. "Didn't expect you to be this weak. Honestly, I overestimated how difficult a bounty of a hundred million Jenny would be."
Zhengmei gritted his teeth.
This brat! He wasn't just mocking him—he was speaking the truth.
"Don't think for a second you've won," he hissed. "I'm not like the others."
Kaizen tilted his head slightly, as if humoring him.
"I know. You've got Ten, at least."
His words were unsettling—calm, casual, and dripping with quiet confidence.
"Now, come at me. I want you to hit me with everything you've got."
Zhengmei's eyes narrowed as anger flared inside him.
Kaizen's arrogance was infuriating.
"Arrogant little brat… You really think you're invincible, huh?"
"If you were serious from the start, I wouldn't stand a chance," he muttered under her breath. "But since you gave me this opportunity, I'll take it—and when you die, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."
His lips curled into a sneer.
"What kind of assassin acts like this?"
Kaizen's expression remained unreadable, like a wall.
In truth, his goal had never been to become a legendary assassin. He wasn't in this for fame or status. Kaizen's real obsession lay elsewhere—pushing the limits of his power, creating stronger Nen beasts, and growing beyond any opponent.
He didn't care about titles or glory. He only wanted to improve.
With a sudden burst of speed, Zhengmei shot toward Kaizen. He summoned two sickles, each attached to long ropes. These were no ordinary weapons, they were bound by Nen, and the ropes followed her will like living extensions of herself.
With a sharp spin, the sickles whirled, slashing through the air at deadly speed.
The first sickle tore through a tree as thick as an adult's torso, cleaving it clean in two with a sickening crack.
Kaizen sidestepped effortlessly, his movements smooth and deliberate.
"You've got decent control," he commented calmly, as if grading his performance. "Better than Isaiah's attacks, at least. But still not enough."
Frustration bubbled inside Zhengmei as he swung again, this time with more ferocity. The sickles hissed through the air, aiming to trap Kaizen within a web of relentless strikes.
I just need to keep this up, he thought. No matter how strong he is, he's still just a kid. His stamina can't be endless.
But Kaizen was already one step ahead. He weaved through his attacks with almost supernatural ease, and in a flash, his hand shot out—
"Bang!"
A burst of aura exploded from his palm, striking the rope connecting her sickle. Despite being reinforced with Nen, the rope frayed under the impact and snapped.
The sickle, spinning wildly, broke free from its path and sailed through the air.
Zhengmei's heart dropped.
Kaizen didn't let up. In an instant, another shot of aura exploded beneath his feet, forcing him to retreat.
He abandoned the sickles, and with a flick of his wrist, they dissolved into thin air.
A bow materialized in his hands.
Kaizen raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"...Huh. Interesting."
Zhengmei nocked three arrows at once, his movements sharp and precise.
"Run!"
The arrows shot forward as he twisted her body and sprinted down the mountain without a second thought, leaving Keke behind in the chaos.
Kaizen watched his retreat with mild amusement.
"So he's giving up on the fight entirely, huh?" he murmured to himself.
He stood there, motionless, as if pondering whether or not to pursue.
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