"What... kind of ability is this?"
"Is it a Nen beast?"
"Or an illusion?"
The first thing Wendy thought of was some kind of illusion technique. After all, she had used light refraction before—something Kaizen had pointed out. But after taking a closer look, she realized that wasn't the case.
The stronger fighters among the Dojo of Beasts members also noticed it.
"This isn't an illusion, nor is it a Nen beast."
"It's just high-speed movement creating afterimages."
A middle-aged man's expression turned serious.
"That technique is well-refined."
"Even Ted couldn't accurately track his position."
"Ted's attack... it might not even land on Kaizen."
A younger man beside him hesitated for a moment.
"With Ted's size, wouldn't it be better to attack all the afterimages at once?"
The older man shook his head.
"It's not that simple."
"This technique is controlled by Kaizen. If Ted can't track him, how could Kaizen not control his own afterimages? He can change their position at any time."
"And more importantly, the fact that he can pull this off proves he's not like the others in the Star Dojo."
"People in the Star Dojo focus too much on their Nen beasts, often neglecting their own bodies."
"That's their weakness."
"But Kaizen being able to use this skill means his physical abilities—his strength, speed, and reflexes—are all top-notch."
"Kaizen's body isn't a weakness."
"Ted's strategy is doomed to fail."
Ted lunged at Kaizen.
But all he hit were afterimages.
Kaizen's real body instantly shifted to another location.
Raiken's blade slashed forward.
"Libra—Gravity's Game!"
The moment Raiken's attack connected, Ted suddenly felt an immense weight bearing down on him. With each strike, the force of gravity on him increased exponentially.
And since Ted's transformed state was that of an Ankylosaurus—already incredibly heavy—the pressure became unbearable.
The same triple gravity applied to an ant and an elephant would have vastly different effects.
An ant might not even notice.
But an elephant could be crushed.
Ted's movements became noticeably sluggish.
Raiken's stance lowered slightly.
A surge of powerful aura condensed around his fist.
Ted's pupils shrank.
Because at that moment, he saw something eerily familiar in Raiken's attack.
Raiken's punch shot forward.
The impact was like the deadliest horn of a charging Triceratops.
Boom!
His fist slammed into Ted's body.
A deafening sound echoed.
Like a war drum being struck.
Like a bronze bell ringing.
Snap!
Raiken clapped his hands together.
"Position Exchange."
In an instant, Raiken vanished from his spot on the battlefield, and Akutagawa Ryunosuke appeared in his place. Two dark red claws slashed toward Ted.
The sudden change in gravity threw Ted off balance.
Akutagawa's attack landed cleanly.
One claw wrapped around Ted's limbs.
The other, around his neck, its sharp edge hovering just over his skull.
"I surrender."
Kaizen raised his hand.
Both Raiken and Akutagawa disappeared.
Ted reverted to his human form.
His clothes were in tatters, his body covered in wounds, looking utterly beaten.
He looked at Kaizen.
For a moment, resentment flickered in his eyes.
But it vanished just as quickly.
The fighters of the Dojo of Beasts were like this—when defeated, they admitted their loss with honor.
"Kaizen, you're strong."
"You're not bad yourself."
Ted shook his head. "Not even close."
"But..."
He hesitated before adding, "Next time, things might not go the same way. When's our rematch?"
"We'll see."
Kaizen had accepted the challenge for two reasons.
First, he wanted to study the Dojo of Beasts, learn from them, and incorporate their techniques into his Nen beasts.
Second, he needed to test the synergy between Raiken and Akutagawa Ryunosuke again.
Scheduling another match with Ted also gave him an excuse to stay in the dojo longer.
He needed more time to observe and absorb their style.
"Then you'll have to wait. I'm not interested in fighting you again just yet."
Ted sighed. "Fair enough."
Kaizen smirked. "Aren't you going to show me around your dojo? You did invite me as a guest, after all."
"Alright, but let's wait until sunset."
When Kaizen defeated Ted, the Dojo of Beasts fell into stunned silence.
Clearly, most of them hadn't expected this outcome.
These were warriors confident in their strength.
Members of a dojo affiliated with V5 had every reason to be.
Questions ran through their minds.
"Ted... lost?"
"What just happened?"
"Why did Ted leave himself so open?"
"Did he really make such a huge mistake?"
The silence didn't last long.
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
Applause erupted.
"That was a great fight."
"That Zoldyck kid is something else."
"Unlike the Star Dojo fighters who rely too much on their Nen beasts, he kept up his physical training."
"Impressive."
A fighter felt the adrenaline rush through his veins.
"I really want to get in on this now."
"Kaizen, fight me!"
A young man rushed forward.
Kaizen glanced at Ted, then Wendy.
"You mind?"
Ted grinned. "That's just how it is here. If you don't want to fight, just say no. It's fine."
Kaizen turned to the challenger and shook his head.
"Not now. I just had a fight—I'm a bit drained."
It was a half-rejection.
Ted couldn't challenge him again immediately, but dueling other members of the dojo was another way to justify his prolonged stay.
It just didn't have to be today.
"Then when?"
"Tomorrow."
"Alright, it's settled."
The boy's eyes gleamed with excitement.
As soon as Kaizen agreed, more members of the Dojo of Beasts began to gather around him.
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