"Trying to run?"
"No way in hell!"
Kaizen wouldn't give Zhengmei a chance to escape.
"Killer Queen!" Kaizen barked the command.
There was a deafening BOOM!
Keke's body flew through the air, eyes wide with disbelief.
A Moment Earlier...
After giving the Killer Queen orders to engage freely, Kaizen squared off against Zhengmei.
The Killer Queen had initially avoided using her explosive ability, relying solely on combat techniques to conserve aura. But the drawback was clear—it would take longer to take Keke down.
Keke, thinking he'd found a pattern in the Killer Queen's attacks, grew more confident. He began moving as if he'd figured out how to win.
That's when Kaizen's voice cut through the air.
"First Bomb!"
Killer Queen wasted no time. She slashed at Keke with her scissors.
SLASH!
A deep wound opened, and the Killer Queen quickly stuffed a stone into the gash. Then she jumped back and—
BOOM!
A silent explosion tore through Keke's body. Flesh and blood disintegrated into ash, obliterated by the blast. The searing pain forced a howl from Keke's throat, his life force rapidly draining.
Keke crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact, the tremor shaking the earth beneath him.
The Killer Queen stood over him, scissors poised at his throat.
SLASH!
With one clean cut, Keke was no more.
Once satisfied that Keke was dead, the Killer Queen dashed back toward Kaizen with blinding speed.
The Chase Down the Mountain
Zhengmei sprinted downhill, desperate to escape, but Kaizen was gaining on him fast. The only advantage Zhengmei had left were the traps he'd laid earlier.
"Kid, don't push your luck!" Zhengmei snarled, casting a furious glance over his shoulder.
Kaizen's expression was calm and unbothered, closing the distance with every step.
Suddenly—
CRACK!
A gunshot echoed. A bullet grazed Zhengmei, making him stumble for a brief moment. That was all the time Kaizen needed to catch up.
Zhengmei spun around, ready to bolt again, but Kaizen was already one step ahead.
"Rhythm Echo!"
(T/N: Rhythm Echo: An assassination art and an advanced application of the Silent Gaits technique, Rhythm Echo is a motion that creates multiple afterimages of the practitioner's body through a varying cadence of steps to confuse the opponent[20] or create decoys.)
Kaizen's figure multiplied in an instant. Dozens of Kaizens now surrounded Zhengmei, forming an impenetrable circle.
Zhengmei's pupils shrank. "What the—how...?"
It was no illusion. The speed at which Kaizen moved left afterimages, each one looking like a perfect copy. And since these weren't just illusions but real movements, every afterimage was effectively solid.
Kaizen thought back to Killua's demonstration of this technique during their time together. The Zoldyck family's speed techniques were on another level. Kaizen also recalled something similar from another world—a technique Uchiha Shisui used in Naruto.
Zhengmei's face twisted in frustration.
"Damn it! Are you seriously chasing me down over some lousy bounty?"
Kaizen's eyes remained cold and unwavering.
"Fine, kid. If that's how you want it..." Zhengmei growled, clenching his fists. "Then let me show you what I'm really made of!"
Unleashing Poison Hand
A dark energy flared around Zhengmei as his fists swelled unnaturally. His hands turned a deep, ominous purple, radiating an intense venomous aura.
"So, you thought I was a Manipulator, huh?" Zhengmei sneered. "Guess again."
"My real ability..." Zhengmei raised his fists. "...is this! Poison Hand!"
He flexed his fingers, and the poisonous aura crackled around his knuckles.
"Anything that touches these hands dies—quick. Even a beast weighing several tons wouldn't survive. What makes you think you can?"
Zhengmei grinned viciously. "Talent won't save you, kid. Strength won't save you. You're done for."
He lunged forward, fists aimed directly at Kaizen.
Kaizen's Counter
Kaizen didn't flinch. He met Zhengmei's poisoned fist head-on.
BOOM!
The two fists collided with bone-crushing force.
Zhengmei's grin widened as he watched his poisonous energy spread across Kaizen's hand. The purple hue began seeping into Kaizen's skin.
"You've got guts, kid. Too bad it's all for nothing," Zhengmei jeered. "That poison will kill you soon. You should've just walked away."
Kaizen stared at his hand, now tainted with dark purple venom. The poison was spreading, creeping toward his wrist.
Without a word, the Killer Queen handed Kaizen her scissors.
Kaizen calmly raised the scissors and cut into his hand where the poison had taken hold.
SNIP!
Blood spurted from the wound, black as ink. Kaizen squeezed his hand, forcing the poisoned blood out in a stream.
With a flick of his wrist, he shook off the remaining drops.
"Huh... That's some strong poison," Kaizen said, his voice steady. "Might need a few minutes to rest."
He stepped back, giving himself some space. "Killer Queen, finish him off."
The Killer Queen charged at Zhengmei, scissors gleaming.
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