"Just a brat."
"Just one examinee."
"How do you have such strength?"
It wasn't that the Hunter Association was oblivious, nor did it mean the Hunter Exam was flawed.
Most of the examinees in the Hunter Exam didn't even know how to use Nen. Only a rare few had the ability to wield it.
And those who did usually weren't suited to become core members of the Hunter Association.
Before they even considered joining, they had already established their own circles, their own allegiances.
At first, Old T didn't understand why the Hunter Association had called him in.
Even as a prisoner, he was still a genuine A-rank Nen user.
Which examinee could possibly be his opponent?
It wasn't a question of whether they were stronger than him. The real question was whether they could even last a few seconds against him.
So, Old T had two theories.
One: there was an exceptionally talented young man in this year's exam, and the Hunter Association wanted to use him as a whetstone to refine this gem.
Two: there was an examinee the Hunter Association wanted dead, and they were using Old T as the executioner.
However, after spotting the rusted blade on Kaizen's waist, Old T ruled out the latter.
That weapon—it had to be made from materials the Hunter Association had salvaged from some disaster.
That meant there was no way they wanted Kaizen dead.
A cold, familiar killing intent stirred within Old T.
He despised the Hunter Association.
If it hadn't been for them, the Zoldyck family alone wouldn't have been enough to wipe out the Kute Gang.
Losing a member could be remedied—there were plenty of young recruits eager to join.
But what truly erased the Kute Gang from history was Ging Freecss.
Ging Freecss, a member of the Hunter Association.
It was their directive that led to the destruction of the Kute Gang.
And so, Old T loathed everything about them.
He wanted to kill Kaizen.
But what he hadn't expected was just how far Kaizen's strength exceeded his predictions.
Not just by a little—but by an overwhelming amount.
On the surface, Kaizen's aura was only B-rank.
Even if he was at the peak of B-rank, it was still just that—B-rank.
And yet, this so-called B-rank opponent had an A-rank Nen Beast.
One A-rank Nen Beast alone was manageable.
Old T assumed Kaizen had simply chosen the wrong path, investing too much in his Nen Beast while neglecting his own development.
With that in mind, Old T ignored the beast and aimed straight for Kaizen himself.
But then—another Nen Beast appeared.
Another A-rank.
The first one controlled flames—destructive, resilient, with no apparent weaknesses.
A perfect all-rounder.
The second wielded lightning—fast, relentless.
There was no elemental advantage between trees and lightning, but it still severely restricted Old T's movements.
Against the fire-wielding beast, Old T could hold his ground.
But against the lightning-wielding one, his body recoiled instinctively.
A single clean hit, and he'd be in trouble.
"Keep going!" Kaizen commanded, eyes sharp.
His Nen Beasts obeyed without hesitation.
Natsu's flames roared, while the other, resembling Uchiha Sasuke, struck with lightning-fast attacks.
Old T staggered back, his clothes in tatters.
Saplings sprouted at his command, but the flames burned them to cinders before they could fully take shape.
Or they were sliced apart by Sasuke's attacks.
He fell to the ground, his body covered in wounds.
The faint scent of blood filled the air.
"Brat... don't get carried away!"
Old T's glare was venomous, his expression twisted in fury.
A savage aura erupted from him—
The same ferocity he had wielded back in the days of the Kute Gang.
"Refine!"
A surge of aura flared around him, waves of energy radiating outward.
In an instant, his power multiplied several times over.
"I'll show you what true strength is!"
"Back when the Kute Gang ruled these lands, you weren't even a speck on the map!"
"Respect your elders!"
With a deafening clap of his hands—
BOOM!
An immense force burst forth.
Pfft!Pfft!Pfft!
Saplings erupted all around the room, sprouting from the ground, the walls, even the ceiling.
Every surface that could sustain life was instantly overtaken.
Their growth was faster than before.
Their branches tougher than before.
"In this confined space, my ability reigns supreme!" Old T sneered. "Flames? Lightning? Sure, they're strong—but can you destroy my entire domain in an instant?"
"If you can't, then this is where you die."
"Hunter Association dog—go to hell!"
"I'll never forget this grudge."
"And given the chance, I will have my revenge."
"For now, I'll take your life as interest!"
The branches twisted and coiled, consuming the entire chamber.
There was no room left to move.
Kaizen, Altan, Natsu, Sasuke—they were all trapped within the writhing forest.
The scene reminded Kaizen of the battle Dominica had faced in town.
The difference was—back then, it was hair.
This time, it was branches.
Less disgusting, perhaps, but just as deadly.
Old T shut his eyes.
He didn't need them anymore.
Everything within this space was within his En—his aura field.
He could sense it all.
"Brat, you invested too much in your Nen Beasts."
"Your biggest weakness is your own body."
"And what's this? You even created a Nen Beast just for show?"
"What's the point of a beast that looks like a girl?"
"Are you really that desperate?"
"Don't tell me—you're using it to satisfy yourself?"
"Pathetic."
"Is this what the Hunter Association has become?"
"Do you even understand the kind of life we Kute Gang once led?"
"Power brings privilege."
"Nen users aren't ordinary people."
"We exist above them."
"And now—you die!"
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