When the challenger chose Kaizen, he had already communicated with them, explaining that he didn't have time and suggesting they pick another opponent. If they truly wanted to fight him, they could wait six months, at which point he could set the match date himself.
Kaizen's proposal was reasonable, but no matter how he tried to persuade them, the challenger refused to listen. Instead, they immediately submitted a formal request for battle.
Yoneda Doppo, a member of TST, also stepped in, but the opponent showed no respect for him either.
Nina, acting as Kaizen's representative, attempted to negotiate as well, yet the challenger remained indifferent.
"Whatever your excuse."
"Whatever your circumstances."
"That's not my concern."
"All that matters is that my challenge follows the rules."
"Since it's within the rules, why shouldn't I challenge you?"
"What's the problem? What are you afraid of?"
"Or are you deliberately stalling to hold onto your position as a Floor Master?"
"Do you expect me to challenge someone else? Dream on."
"I'm challenging you, Kaizen!"
"If you're scared of losing, you can always forfeit."
The challenger believed Kaizen wasn't as strong as his reputation suggested and thought they had a good chance of defeating him. Additionally, Kaizen's name still carried weight in Heavens Arena, despite his long absence. His reputation as a prodigy had never faded, and with no new talents rising to take his place, his name remained a constant presence on the Arena's forums, ranking among the most formidable Floor Masters.
Killua had once seemed like a rising star, but after reaching the 200th floor, he left. Nina, too, had stopped competing. While she could easily handle ordinary fighters above the 200th floor, going up against a Floor Master would risk exposing her abilities—a risk she wasn't willing to take. For Nina, keeping her power a secret was more valuable than proving her strength in open combat. Instead, she opted to train with Sally, Shizuku, and Tessia.
Shizuku remained an active competitor in Heavens Arena but avoided progressing beyond the 200th floor, preferring to hover around that threshold. She enjoyed the competition and the recognition. A fight with Kaizen would bring a lot of attention, and even if she lost, it would still be worthwhile.
The challenger, misinterpreting Kaizen's reluctance, became even more determined, convinced that Kaizen was afraid. They saw this as an opportunity to force him into battle.
And so, Kaizen stepped into the ring.
A killer.
Kaizen didn't enjoy killing. For an assassin, killing was a job—a way to make money. Anything beyond that was just unpaid overtime. And in his past life, he had hated overtime.
Yet this challenger had managed to push him past his limit.
Kaizen struck, and the opponent crumpled to the ground, terror written across their face. Their mouth moved in a silent plea for mercy, but no words came out.
Kaizen never gave them the chance to surrender.
Staring down at the trembling fighter, he spoke calmly.
"You insisted on following the rules. You claimed everything you did was justified. Well, now I'm simply following the rules too."
"In this arena, killing is allowed."
"You're right."
"And I'm not wrong either."
"Win-win."
"Everyone should be satisfied with the outcome, don't you think?"
Kaizen glanced up at his eighth aura beast. A single thought, and the creature vanished.
"Things in Saheerta took longer than expected," Kaizen mused. "But not all of that time was wasted."
"After creating Uchiha Sasuke, my main body had fallen far behind my aura beasts. Over the past three years, I've narrowed the gap."
"Constant training, enhancing my physique, refining my combat techniques, and improving my mastery over Nen."
"Now, my main body has reached B-rank strength."
"Among B-rank Nen users, I'm already on the stronger side."
"In other words, without relying on my Nen Beasts, I can fight a B-rank opponent using only Nen techniques, martial skills, and high-level Nen techniques."
"And as my own strength has grown, so have my aura beasts."
"Altan—B rank. Not particularly strong in combat, but her abilities in hacking and information warfare have advanced even further."
"Lantern Ghost—B rank. His mist-based abilities have seen significant improvements."
"Raiken—B rank. His raw strength has increased considerably."
"Natsu—B rank. Not only has his power improved, but he has unlocked a new ability: Heavenly Demon Wraps Kai."
"By converting all of Rashomon's power into armor, Natsu can encase himself in a nearly impenetrable defense."
"Akutagawa Ryunosuke was limited by his weak body, meaning he still took damage from powerful attacks. But Natsu is different."
"Natsu is a Dragon Slayer. His body is naturally resilient."
"Which means he can fully utilize the defensive power."
"While it burns through aura at a high rate, the boost it provides is unparalleled."
"With this, Natsu can stare down almost any opponent."
"His lethality has skyrocketed."
"Uchiha Sasuke—B rank."
"But his level is different from the others."
"The rest of my aura beasts are on the lower end of B rank. Sasuke, on the other hand, is at the top."
"Due to his unique skillset, his attack power can even reach A rank. His only real weakness is defense."
"However, even that isn't a major issue."
"Because of Natsu's presence, Sasuke rarely has to take hits directly."
"He can remain in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."
"Their synergy is flawless."
"But the biggest change of all?"
"Killer Queen."
"Not only has she been promoted to B rank, but she has also acquired a brand-new ability…"
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