Back at the Zoldyck estate, Silva's attitude was clear and resolute.
"From now on, don't take jobs related to the Phantom Troupe. It's not worth it."
At that time, Silva's strength clearly surpassed Chrollo's. Chrollo wanted to kill him but couldn't succeed. To Silva, Chrollo was... well, just not worth the trouble.
Years had passed since then, and undoubtedly, Chrollo had grown stronger. But even so, Kaizen believed Chrollo was still no match for Zeno and Silva.
"Hisoka's evaluation gives us a clue," Kaizen thought aloud. "He ranks himself at 100, with Chrollo at the same level. Illumi? 95. A close gap, but... not quite there."
Kaizen knew that among the Zoldyck family, those with gray hair—like Killua—were considered the heirs, carrying greater talent and potential. Illumi was strong, but he could never reach the heights Silva and Zeno had achieved. Only Killua had the potential to break that ceiling.
The supposed 5-point difference between Illumi and Silva? It wasn't that simple.
There was more to prove this point.
Silva had already killed one of the original members of the Phantom Troupe, and even then, Chrollo's hatred for him was palpable. With the Phantom Troupe's members growing stronger over time, they posed a more serious threat to the Zoldyck family.
But why hadn't the Zoldycks wiped them out by now? There were only two possible reasons.
They couldn't.
They didn't see the need.
With Maha Zoldyck—a legendary assassin—in their family, "can't" wasn't an option. The real reason? It just wasn't worth the effort.
The Zoldyck family, for all its darkness, had strong internal values. Kaizen could feel it.
Across from the enormous cockroach, Zeno Zoldyck stood motionless. Though Zeno was smaller in stature, his aura was just as overwhelming as the beast's—if not more so.
In fact, there was a subtle, unmistakable pressure emanating from Zeno, slowly smothering the cockroach's presence.
Zeno didn't engage the cockroach directly but maintained a strategic distance, gathering his aura into the shape of a coiling dragon.
The cockroach responded with a swift stab of its claw, aiming directly at Zeno.
BOOM!
The impact rattled the ground beneath them.
"Grandpa Zeno isn't serious yet—he's still testing it," Kaizen thought.
When it came to Nen, intelligence was everything. The sheer variety of abilities meant that underestimating an opponent—even a weaker one—could be fatal. And the Zoldyck family never fought without certainty.
The battle between Zeno and the cockroach was relentless. In an instant, dozens of exchanges occurred.
Kaizen compared the fight to what he had seen at Heavens Arena.
"Grandpa Zeno is stronger than any Floor Master," Kaizen muttered to himself.
Parker stood beside Kaizen, his eyes wide with fear as he watched the massive cockroach.
He had never encountered something so monstrous before. His first instinct had been to run—but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he realized that running might not be the safest option.
Staying near Zeno and Kaizen is the best bet, Parker decided. If I run now, Zeno won't come after me.
Kaizen noticed Parker's panic but quickly shifted his attention back to the fight. His eyes lingered on a crystal ball hovering nearby.
Ever since the cockroach had appeared, the crystal ball had started absorbing energy at a faster rate. The sight pleased Kaizen.
"It's almost time," Zeno murmured. He had studied the cockroach's attacks and movements, understanding its patterns and weaknesses.
With a shift in stance, Zeno stopped using his aura-dragon technique and instead closed the distance between them.
A signature Zoldyck technique. Kaizen had tried it before, but when Zeno executed it, it was on a different level entirely. His aura split into multiple mirages of himself, each attacking simultaneously from different angles.
The cockroach's eyes darted wildly, struggling to pinpoint Zeno's true location.
BOOM!
Zeno targeted the cockroach's leg joints, hammering them with precise blows.
CRACK!
The joint snapped, sending a spray of green liquid flying from the wound. Zeno retreated just in time, avoiding the corrosive splatter as it hissed against the debris-strewn ground.
The cockroach let out a shrill screech, the sound cutting through the air.
Without missing a beat, Zeno attacked another leg joint—
One. Two. Three.
The giant cockroach was unable to keep up with Zeno's speed and precision. Its large frame, though powerful, was clumsy in comparison.
Kaizen could feel the beast's rage mounting.
Suddenly—
PUFF!
The cockroach curled into a ball, its hard shell facing outward, while its swollen abdomen expanded like a balloon.
Zeno's sharp eyes caught the shift instantly.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, striking at the cockroach's compound eye.
BOOM!
The eye burst under the impact, sending green fluid splattering in every direction. The cockroach shrieked in agony.
Then, from the cockroach's abdomen, a stream of white liquid shot out.
Kaizen's eyes narrowed.
Though Parker couldn't see it, Kaizen could—countless tiny cockroaches swarmed within the liquid, ready to burst free.
The giant cockroach roared again as the smaller ones scurried out, moving at terrifying speed.
Unlike their massive counterpart, the smaller cockroaches were agile and fast—able to keep up with Zeno's movements.
Some darted toward the fallen bodies on the battlefield, feasting on the corpses. Others spotted Kaizen, Parker, and Zeno, surging toward them in a wave.
Parker's face twisted in terror.
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