"It's impossible right now.
"To reach the Dark Continent, you need to board the Black Whale from the Kakin Empire."
"However, this at least confirms one thing—there's still potential for Uchiha Sasuke to grow stronger."
Kaizen considered this thought as the Nen Beasts around him vanished.
Closing his eyes, he silently focused on the changes within himself. Sasuke's appearance had, in some way, sharpened his demeanor. At the same time, he could feel his physical and mental strength improving.
"Let's summarize."
"Natsu—you've stabilized at B-rank."
"Uchiha Sasuke is right on the threshold of B-rank."
"Raiken—C-rank."
"Killer Queen—C-rank."
"Lantern Ghost—C-rank."
"My own body—C-rank."
"However, I'm already at the high end of C-rank, just a step away from reaching B-rank."
"By fusing with my Nen Beasts, my overall power puts me among the strongest of B-rank users."
"In other words, most members of the Phantom Troupe are no longer my match."
Kaizen couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
When he first arrived in this world, a few things left a strong impression on him:
The Zoldyck family. The Hunter Association. The Phantom Troupe.
Each of these groups was powerful in its own way. Even though the Phantom Troupe was the weakest of the three, they were still a terrifying force. Ordinary Nen users were no match for them at all. The Mafia Community's elite enforcers, the Shadow Beasts, had been completely crushed when they faced the Troupe.
Back when Kaizen first learned Nen, his initial goal had been to reach a level comparable to Phantom Troupe members. He believed that attaining that level of strength would allow him to survive most of the dangers in this world. Otherwise, it was simply too risky.
Now, three years had passed since he began training.
Three years.
His overall power had finally reached this level. And compared to Phantom Troupe members, his abilities were more versatile.
Most Troupe members had Nen abilities designed to complement teamwork. When working together, they were incredibly strong. But alone, they had certain weaknesses.
Kaizen was different.
His abilities were developed purely for himself, not for working with others.
He had a team, but his definition of a team was different from the Phantom Troupe's. To him, he and his Nen Beasts were a complete unit. Nina, Sally, and Shizuku were supplementary members.
In this way, he resembled Ging Freecss. Ging's abilities were also crafted solely for himself rather than teamwork. The Greedy Island team was merely a group he assembled to bring his vision to life.
"Kortopi, Shalnark, Pakunoda, Franklin…"
"Against those members, my overall strength should be superior."
"Chrollo, Feitan… they're harder to gauge."
"Of course, in a real battle, raw strength isn't the only factor. Many other things come into play."
With these thoughts, Kaizen turned and began heading toward Heavens Arena.
...
Meanwhile, in Meteor City…
The Phantom Troupe had gathered. All thirteen members were present.
Regarding their recent operation against the Kurta Clan, they hadn't obtained everything they hoped for, but the haul was still considerable. The stolen Scarlet Eyes could be exchanged for a fortune.
Meteor City was always in need of money.
With the way the Troupe operated, they wouldn't simply distribute wealth as charity. Instead, they would hire others from Meteor City to perform tasks, indirectly increasing incomes across the city.
To the outside world, the Phantom Troupe presented their actions as Chrollo's personal interest in rare collections. That was the justification for their thefts and raids. But in truth, these stolen artifacts rarely remained in their possession for long—they were quickly sold and converted into funds.
All of this money flowed back into Meteor City, fueling its growth and transformation in the way the Troupe envisioned.
However, their attitude toward the outside world remained unchanged: hostility, rejection, and indifference.
They saw outsiders as enemies.
Nen users, ordinary civilians—it didn't matter. Men, women, the elderly, children—if they stood in the Troupe's way, they were eliminated without hesitation.
This was the path chosen by the Phantom Troupe.
Or rather, the path chosen by Chrollo.
The rest of the members simply followed his lead.
At that moment, a report was handed to Chrollo.
"Kaizen. A fighter in Heavens Arena. Ten consecutive victories. Twelve years old. Currently ranked C-rank."
Chrollo glanced at Shalnark.
"Shalnark, this is the one you recommended as a potential Troupe recruit last time?"
Shalnark nodded. "No doubt about it. His talent is exceptional for someone only twelve. Not to mention, he's developed his abilities remarkably well. If he joins the Troupe, he could be a valuable asset."
Chrollo then turned to Machi. "What do you think?"
Machi paused to consider. "During our last mission targeting the Kurta Clan, I encountered Kaizen briefly. We worked together for a short time. The Nen Beast he used then wasn't the same one Shalnark mentioned."
"It primarily used flames. Its destructive power was overwhelming."
"Officially, he's ranked as a C-rank Nen user…"
She hesitated.
"But if I were to fight him head-on… I'm not sure I'd win."
Her statement caught the attention of the entire Troupe.
Everyone knew Machi's strength. Although she had chosen to focus her Nen on healing and support, she wasn't weak.
In one-on-one combat, not many in the Troupe could confidently say they would beat her.
Chrollo, Feitan, Uvogin, and Phinks were the strongest.
Levin, Franklin, and Shizuku were evenly matched with Machi.
Shalnark, Kortopi, and Pakunoda were weaker.
Nobunaga was in a unique position—his Nen ability was highly specialized. If an opponent fell into his range, few in the Troupe could defeat him. But getting someone into that range was a challenge in itself.
The room fell silent as they processed this new information about Kaizen.
------------
+350 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub