Killer Queen's attack landed.
A silent explosion erupted.
However, before it could take full effect, the middle-aged man had already turned into his elemental form.
"I am Frost!" he declared, glaring in Kaizen's direction with a cold sneer. "You've been planning this for so long—was it all just for this attack? Do you think you can kill me the same way you dealt with that trash?"
His voice dripped with contempt. "You're too naive, kid. But since you're the assassin, don't blame me for what comes next."
What Frost failed to notice was that he was moving—not by choice, but against his will.
The moment he turned into his elemental form, diverting all his attention to Killer Queen, Natsu made his move.
A surge of flames burst forth, forming a blazing sphere that encased Frost completely.
Even in his elemental state, he couldn't break free.
Encased in the fireball, Frost was forcibly propelled forward—dragged by Natsu, who maneuvered the sphere with precise control.
...
Outside.
A massive gate materialized in an instant.
With a sudden, powerful thrust, Natsu sent Frost hurtling toward the gate.
Sensing the imminent danger, Frost reverted to his physical form and attempted to shatter the fireball. But before he could escape, Natsu's dark claws latched onto him, restraining him completely.
And he wasn't alone.
Raiken, Killer Queen, and Lantern Ghost all charged forward, pressing the attack.
Kaizen raised his hand.
"Mind Bomb!"
A massive explosion engulfed the battlefield.
Raiken was pushed back.
Killer Queen was sent flying.
Lantern Ghost vanished into the chaos.
Frost, struggling to break free, was only inches away from escaping.
So close—
BOOM!
The explosion struck with devastating force, pushing Frost back just enough.
And at that moment, he completely crossed the threshold of the gate.
With a single thought, Kaizen leaped forward—clearing the anchor and sealing the trap.
All the summoned beasts vanished.
Kaizen had entered the inner realm of Sumus.
Frost found himself standing within a vast pyramid complex, his expression shifting between shock, panic, and rage.
"Where is this place?" he muttered, his voice low with unease. "What the hell did that brat do?"
Then, his eyes locked onto the colossal pyramid at the center.
"This... is it the spirit of the Kurta Clan?"
His mind raced.
"Could there still be survivors? Or did that kid somehow obtain their spirit?"
Kaizen had been told before—only those with Kurta blood could wield this power. But the Republic of Mimbo, Kakin, and even Meteor City had never uncovered this secret.
That ignorance had led them to launch their assault against the Kurta Clan in the first place.
Kaizen stepped into the blank zone of Sumus.
A shimmering screen formed before him, revealing Frost's bewildered figure.
Kaizen exhaled slowly.
"An A-rank Nen user... as expected, he's formidable," he mused. "But this also proves how much I've grown."
"Back when I trained with Uncle Silva, I couldn't so much as threaten him—even when he wasn't serious. But now, I managed to deal with an A-rank Nen user."
"I didn't even have to kill him."
"Even after throwing everything I had at him, his life was never in real danger."
"I only needed to trap him."
Kaizen smirked.
"Inside Sumus, as long as I will it, he can never escape."
Frost's body trembled as a new force wrapped around him.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished—only to reappear deep within the pyramid.
A sealed chamber.
A room with no exits.
"Damn it! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!"
Frost's furious roars echoed through the empty space.
Humiliation burned within him. How had he—one of the Republic of Mimbo's most powerful figures—been outplayed by someone so much weaker?
He had only wanted to test Kaizen, to gauge his abilities. Once the test was over, he had planned to take Kaizen back to Mimbo, place restrictions on him, and turn him into a loyal subordinate.
That was why he had held back.
He never saw Kaizen as a true threat.
But he never accounted for Sumus.
Now, he was its prisoner.
His teeth clenched with fury.
"Brat! If I had gone all out from the start, you wouldn't have survived! And now you dare do this to me?!"
Frost's eyes burned with malice.
"Fine. Very well. Don't ever let me out!"
"Because the moment I escape, I will tear you apart."
"Not just you."
"Your family, your friends, everyone you hold dear—I will crush them all!"
His rage boiled over because, deep down, he knew the truth.
He was never getting out.
A once-powerful leader of the Republic of Mimbo—
A man with limitless potential, wealth, and influence—
Now reduced to a prisoner in a space beyond his understanding.
Regret clawed at him.
He should have never turned back.
He should have never held back.
With an enraged snarl, he slammed his fist against the wall.
Ice spread instantly.
A deep crack formed.
But—
CRACK!
The wall repaired itself.
Frost struck again, summoning all his power.
But Sumus simply restored itself, faster than he could break it.
Kaizen observed quietly from the outside, his confidence growing.
"Sumus is truly incredible. Even an A-rank Nen user can't break free."
"He'll run out of strength eventually. No food, no water... he'll wither away."
Kaizen's eyes gleamed.
"That's the advantage of a mobile form. If it were fixed, this wouldn't be possible."
"Not to mention, Sumus holds entire ecosystems—forests, plains, deserts. If things ever get too dangerous outside, I can live inside for years."
His smirk deepened.
"This has completely changed my potential."
He turned back to the crystal ball before him.
99% progress.
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