The next moment, the figures of Eugene and Tracy vanished.
This disappearance was different from before. This time, Eugene and Tracy entered the body of the decadent middle-aged man.
A powerful aura erupted from his figure, shrouding him in a dense, black radiance.
Kaizen's eyes narrowed. The scene reminded him of Gon's reckless act in the original story—how Gon, consumed by rage and grief, sacrificed his vitality to achieve the "black hero" state and defeat Pitou. The aura emanating from the decadent middle-aged man now seemed similarly beyond his natural limits.
Boom!
The man's palm struck Ito Xius's chest with a thunderous impact, forcing him to stagger back.
"Come again!"
"Father, it's my turn this time!"
The middle-aged man's figure flickered and reappeared behind Ito Xius.
Boom!
Another strike landed.
"Father, it's my turn! My turn!" a female voice rang out.
Ito Xius's eyes widened. He tried to speak, but the middle-aged man gave him no chance. A relentless barrage of attacks followed, each blow heavier than the last.
One strike. Two strikes. Sunset…
Finally, the middle-aged man stopped.
"Father, we should go."
"Yes, today was very enjoyable."
"Let's leave together, Father."
BOOM!
A deafening sound echoed through the arena. The decadent middle-aged man's body disintegrated, but it wasn't flesh and blood that scattered—instead, his form dissolved into radiant powder and disappeared from the stage.
The battle was over. Ito Xius emerged victorious, but his face betrayed no satisfaction. Instead, his expression was dark.
Ito Xius returned to the player's area, his body battered and bloody. Wounds covered him, his breath came in ragged gasps, and his chest was grotesquely collapsed. Broken ribs and a fractured arm were evident. He was gravely injured.
While Nen users were extraordinary in every sense, including resilience, even they had their limits.
Kaizen thought back to Kurapika's fight with Uvogin. Despite suffering a direct punch that shattered his arm, Kurapika had used his Nen ability to recover almost instantly. Ito Xius, however, lacked such an ability. Despite his superior Nen level compared to Kurapika at that time, the fight against the middle-aged man had left Ito Xius far worse off.
Especially the final barrage—it had inflicted genuine, lasting damage. Recovery would not come easily.
"Dominica, if Ito Xius is still our opponent in the next round, I'll handle him," Kaizen said calmly.
Dominica's eyes widened in shock.
"Kaizen, are you sure?"
"Yes," Kaizen nodded.
"If Ito Xius were at full strength, I wouldn't stand a chance. But now, he's seriously injured. Additionally, he's exposed most of his abilities. With that knowledge, I'm confident."
Dominica's initial instinct was to doubt him, but she remembered Kaizen's recent victory over a formidable B-rank monster. That victory had earned her respect.
Kaizen's background also lent weight to his words. He was a Zoldyck—and if the Zoldyck family excelled at one thing, it was determining whether someone could be killed. And if they could, they would be.
Ito Xius's Nen ability, the Invisible Hand, was unique. It was similar to Sadaso's Aura Arm from the original storyline but far more advanced. While Sadaso's ability relied on misdirection and was visible to those who understood its mechanics, Ito Xius's Invisible Hand was imperceptible even with Gyo. In a way, it was akin to Kaizen's crystal ball ability—a technique that required immense mastery to counter.
Kaizen had already formulated a strategy.
His reasons for stepping forward were twofold. First, Dominica was not in peak condition. If she fought Ito Xius and lost, it would leave both Kaizen and Wendy in grave danger. Wendy's survival was almost impossible if things escalated. Kaizen, relying on his training and abilities, might escape temporarily, but even that was uncertain.
Second, Kaizen truly believed he could defeat Ito Xius.
Ito Xius's state was far from ideal. Kaizen, despite being classified as a C-rank Nen user, had skills far beyond that designation. He had mastered the four basic Nen principles: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu. His control over advanced techniques like Gyo, In, En, and Ken was refined. Added to this were his Zoldyck assassination skills, combat techniques from Raiken's lineage, and his mastery of various fighting styles—close-range, mid-range, and explosive power.
With all these at his disposal, Kaizen was confident.
The thirty-minute break ended.
Ito Xius rose from his seat, his injuries evident in his uneven stance. Kaizen followed suit, standing tall and composed.
When Ito Xius saw Kaizen's calm demeanor, rage flared in his eyes.
"You dare challenge me?" Ito Xius growled.
"Do you think a few scratches will give you a chance against me? What happened earlier was an accident. I am an A-rank Nen user. You're nothing but a C-rank brat!"
Ito Xius glared, his aura flaring dangerously.
"On the ring, Dominica can't protect you. Are you here to die for her? Are you throwing your life away just to weaken me? Is that what you've decided, little Zoldyck?"
Kaizen's expression remained impassive.
"No. I simply believe killing you won't be difficult."
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