Kaizen withdrew his thoughts and surveyed his surroundings.
Any trace of Sumas had completely vanished from the area. The bodies of the outsiders had been dealt with, leaving only the ruins of the Kurta settlent behind. And within those ruins lay the corpses of the Kurta people.
A grueso sight.
Bodies with their eyes gouged out. So missing their heads entirely. The air still carried the faint tallic scent of blood, though it had long begun to settle. The crimson stains on the ground had darkened.
Kaizen felt a wave of emotion.
"An entire people, wiped out just like that."
Even if Kurapika was the only one left, it wouldn’t change the outco.
He recalled that Yoshihiro Togashi himself had hinted at Kurapika’s likely demise aboard the Black Whale—along with mbers of the Phantom Troupe. If that ca to pass, the Kurta bloodline would end with him.
"But according to the old man, the Scarlet Eyes aren’t a bloodline trait—they’re a disease."
"If future expeditions to the Dark Continent result in others contracting this disease, a new group might erge, though they may not call themselves the Kurta."
"The na ’Kurta’ only exists because the first recorded case bore that na."
Kaizen turned his gaze to the crystal ball in front of him. The progress indicator was steadily advancing—already at ninety percent.
Then—
Whoosh!
A sudden sound tore through the air.
A figure appeared before Kaizen.
Clang!
Dark red claws intercepted a concealed weapon mid-air, producing a tallic clash as the projectile ricocheted away.
Kaizen looked toward the source of the attack. A young man erged from the shadows, his sharp gaze fixed on him.
"So, my senior sent here without much expectation of a payoff... yet, here you are. You appeared out of nowhere."
"I’ve never seen you use an ability like that before."
"Kaizen, right?"
"A fighter in Heavens Arena."
"Soone hired by Larkin from the Aiyi family."
"Back then, that old man took you and soone else."
"And then—vanished."
"Yet here you are now, alive."
"Care to explain?"
"Tell exactly what happened during that ti."
The young man’s hands remained in his pockets as he spoke. He didn’t even look at Kaizen, as if he wasn’t worth acknowledging—or perhaps, this was part of his Nen ability. Setting a restriction by keeping his hands in his pockets to amplify his power.
Kaizen had encountered people like this before while carrying out assassination contracts. But those n used their fists, not concealed weapons.
"Where have you been these past three days?"
"Three days?" Kaizen echoed.
His ti inside Sumas’ space had made him lose track of the outside world. He hadn’t paid attention to how much ti had passed.
"I wasn’t keeping count."
Still, it was surprising that the Kurta corpses had remained in such a state. They were clearly different from ordinary humans.
"A disease from the Dark Continent, huh?"
"If sothing as small as a disease can create an entire ethnic group with unique traits... what else exists in the Dark Continent?"
Kaizen felt his anticipation growing.
Before, he hadn’t given much thought to the Dark Continent. His focus had always been on the human world—gathering abilities, crafting stronger beasts, and honing his physical skills.
His goal was clear: reach A-rank as a Nen user as quickly as possible. After that, carve out his own path, an essential step toward becoming S-rank.
Only those who forged their own paths could reach the pinnacle of the human world.
But Red Eyes had shown him sothing new.
The Dark Continent was filled with far more possibilities than the known world—both in danger and in potential rewards.
"If I can reach the Dark Continent and absorb the unique traits of its lifeforms... how powerful could I beco?"
Kaizen’s thoughts raced with excitent.
The young man’s expression darkened.
"Ignoring , are you?"
"Acting like I don’t exist?"
"You think blocking one of my casual attacks ans you can brush off?"
"Brat, tell —what happened in those three days?"
"Where did that old man take you?"
"What did you gain?"
Kaizen shook his head.
"I don’t rember. I lost consciousness before and just ca to. If you hadn’t told , I wouldn’t have even known three days had passed."
"I thought it hadn’t been that long."
"I wasn’t ignoring you—I just hadn’t processed everything yet."
The young man narrowed his eyes.
"You think I’ll believe that?"
"It’s the truth."
"Impossible."
"I told you, but you refuse to believe . So what do you expect to do?"
The young man let out a cold snort.
"Your disappearance was bizarre. Your reappearance is just as suspicious. No matter what, Kaizen... I’m taking you with ."
"We’re going back to Mimbo. I’ll get my answers one way or another."
"If you co quietly, I can spare you so pain."
"If not—"
Before he could finish his sentence—
Naz lunged at him.
"Harden!"
Two dark red claws extended from Naz’s hands, slicing toward the young man at terrifying speed.
But the young man moved just as quickly, dodging the strike with ease.
"How dare you?!"
"A re C-rank brat dares to challenge ?"
"You think I’m weak just because I’m a B-rank Nen user?"
"The further you advance in Nen, the greater the gap between levels."
"And I’m no support-type fighter."
"Killing is what I do best!"
"Brat—I’m certain now. You’re hiding sothing."
"This ti, no matter what, I’m not letting you go!"
Kaizen didn’t acknowledge the outburst.
A presence appeared beside him.
"Lantern Ghost."
"Mist!"
In an instant, a thick fog engulfed the battlefield.
Raiken’s silhouette erged from the shadows, alongside the deadly figure of the Killer Queen.
Kaizen had made his decision.
If they were going to fight, he wouldn’t hold back.
His enemies would have no chance to escape.
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