Now was the perfect opportunity for the Revolutionary Army to make their move.
A small aircraft hovered silently above the city.
Four figures stood atop it, peering down.
"According to intel, that guy should be hiding somewhere in this city."
"Picking such a big place... he's really making things hard for us."
"Still, it's not a big deal."
"Stay alert. Even Dogs died at his hands."
"The Three Dogs? Just trash. They're nothing compared to us—the Four Beasts."
"Exactly. Even if all of us are A-level Nen users, there's a massive gap between skill levels."
"You haven't pinned down his exact location yet?"
The three turned to the lone woman in their group.
She studied a strange instrument clutched in her hands, some kind of meditational tool.
"Not yet. It'll take a bit more time."
What none of them realized... was that from the moment they appeared, Kaizen had already used Altan's ability to seize control of the city's entire surveillance system.
He had their aircraft locked in the sky the instant it showed up.
As they descended, Kaizen's gaze fell on the device the woman held.
"So that's what they're using to track me?"
"Judging by the way they're moving, there's gotta be some restriction on it… otherwise, they would've found me by now."
"Still, that thing's definitely worth looking into."
"I've never encountered these four before."
"The only data they could possibly get on me is what's publicly available—my name, photos, maybe a few fight clips from Heavens Arena."
"But that won't be enough to beat me."
Kaizen narrowed his eyes, analyzing the group.
"Four A-level Nen users. Judging by their aura, they're all stronger than the Three Dogs—by far. Even the weakest of them outclasses the strongest one I fought before."
"Taking on all four at once... not ideal."
"I'll need to separate them and pick them off one by one."
"Let's start setting the stage."
Kaizen was waiting for Zeno and the others to arrive.
...
While Kaizen began preparing, the Revolutionary Army and the Dark Night faction were also on the move.
Inside a dimly lit study, Oster sat in a high-backed chair.
A young man stood at attention beside him.
"Oster-sama."
"What's the situation with the Four Beasts?"
"We've narrowed down the location. They're closing in. It won't be long before they find him."
"And what about the survivor?"
"No update yet." The young man shook his head. "He was last seen near that guy, but then vanished without a trace."
Oster frowned. "Find him. No excuses."
"Yes, sir."
"And what about those rats? Any recent moves?"
"After what happened with Karoo, Dark Night hasn't made any major moves. They've gone quiet."
"Keep your eyes on them. They're not strong, but they're always meddling in annoying ways. Still, they did a decent job in the Karoo situation."
Oster chuckled, imagining the look on Gruner's face when he got the news.
The two most powerful men in the United States of Saherta were Oster and Gruner.
And their relationship was... far from friendly.
If either of them had the chance to eliminate the other, they wouldn't hesitate.
Oster's influence came mostly from manipulating the young king. But if the king ever matured—or worse, was replaced—Oster's power would crumble.
Gruner, on the other hand, ruled a fiefdom of his own, backed by loyal nobles and tightly bound interest groups.
That made Oster envious.
The Karoo incident didn't destroy Gruner, but it did hurt him. A young subordinate he'd trusted was dead. And another—a promising junior—had defected to the Revolutionary Army after stabbing him in the back.
"Pity I couldn't see Gruner's face when he got the news..."
...
Kaizen studied the surveillance footage. The four enemies were moving steadily toward his location.
"So they've locked in on me, huh?"
"Perfect timing. My setup's just about complete."
A voice echoed above him.
"Found you."
Kaizen looked up, meeting the eyes of one of the Four Beasts. He didn't even flinch.
"Welcome, welcome! Congratulations on finding me."
His casual tone threw the man off.
"...Funny guy."
The young man narrowed his eyes. "You seem pretty confident. Think killing those other weaklings means you can look down on us?"
Kaizen shrugged. "No. You're definitely stronger than them."
The man's expression softened, just a little.
"But that won't change the outcome."
"What?"
A second figure dropped down beside the first.
"Cut the crap. Let's take him down. The higher-ups are getting impatient."
The two rushed in at once.
...
Clap!
Kaizen slammed his palms together.
"Position Swap."
In an instant, his and Natsu's locations switched.
"A Nen beast?" one of the Four Beasts growled.
The two glanced at each other and leapt to higher ground.
"He won't get far."
The other two arrived quickly, racing across rooftops to intercept.
Kaizen's figure appeared again. They gave chase without hesitation.
He led them through narrow alleys, darting through the city, until he reached a massive shopping mall packed with people.
One of the Four Beasts sneered.
"You really think hiding among civilians will slow us down?"
"How naïve."
"You think we care about the lives of these civilians?"
With that, the man charged headlong into the crowd.
Panic erupted.
Screams echoed through the mall as people were knocked aside like rag dolls. Some flew into the air, slamming against railings or the hard floor. Blood pooled around motionless bodies. Chaos spread like wildfire.
Kaizen blended into the fleeing crowd.
The Four Beasts' pursuit slowed, but only slightly.
"Lantern Ghost. Use Mist."
Kaizen gave the order silently.
Moments later, a thick, murky fog blanketed the area, swallowing the mall in smoke and shadows.
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