NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Strength!
Kaizen stood still, taking in the scene before him, and a familiar image from the original story flashed through his mind.
This was almost identical to the moment when Zeno and Silva attacked Chrollo together.
The only difference? It wasn't Silva standing alongside Zeno—it was him.
Kaizen knew his abilities couldn't compare to Silva's. But still, Zeno's attack on the middle-aged man felt almost exactly like when he'd gone after Chrollo back then.
"It's now or never!"
"Attack with me!" Zeno's voice rang out, cold and commanding. "Even if it means killing me too—just do it!"
The middle-aged man's expression twisted in disbelief. What kind of maniac says that!?
Before the shock could settle, Raiken lunged toward them. His fists, brimming with aura, crackled with intent.
BOOM!
A powerful blast erupted as Raiken's strike landed. Zeno and the middle-aged man staggered backward, each struggling to withstand the force.
The middle-aged man exhaled sharply, feeling an odd mixture of relief and confusion. It wasn't as devastating as I expected... His aura-enhanced defense had only taken a light scratch.
Zeno, too, stood firm—his injuries even less severe than the other man's. With a calm smile, Zeno said,
"Looks like we've both cheated death this time."
But Raiken wasn't done. He rushed in again, fist cocked for another strike.
The middle-aged man snorted, a sneer curling his lips. "That weak attack couldn't touch me, and this one won't either."
The earlier assault had left him wary of Zeno, but Raiken's aura had thrown off his calculations. He'd expected something far worse, but the impact had been manageable. Now, the middle-aged man grew cocky, assuming Raiken's strength was nothing special.
WHAM!
Their fists collided with a thunderous impact.
However, this time, Raiken's punch carried something hidden—a subtle difference that went unnoticed by the overconfident middle-aged man.
Unbeknownst to him, Raiken had slipped on a pair of specialized gloves. These gloves were infused with the Killer Queen's ability—an explosive power triggered upon contact. Raiken had cleverly concealed the aura around his fists, making it impossible to detect.
The middle-aged man realized something was wrong the moment their fists connected. His eyes widened in alarm.
BOOM!
The explosive force rippled through his arm, leaving him no chance to evade. It detonated from the point of contact, spreading rapidly through his limb.
The middle-aged man's aura surged in an attempt to suppress the blast, but the explosion could not be fully contained. His arms began to crumble, disintegrating bit by bit under the overwhelming force. Flesh turned to ash, bone to dust.
By the time the explosion subsided, his lower arm was gone—blasted to nothing but blackened remnants.
Grimacing, the middle-aged man quickly contracted his muscles and controlled his aura to stop the bleeding—a survival trick every skilled Nen user knew.
Gritting his teeth, he glared at Raiken with pure hatred. Then his gaze shifted toward Kaizen.
"You little brat…"
Zeno's eyes flickered, sensing the man's next move.
FWOOOOSH!
The middle-aged man thrust out his remaining arm, launching a wave of molten magma toward Zeno.
Zeno twisted to avoid the searing flow. The magma hissed and splattered, creating a burning barrier that momentarily blocked their path.
"Kaizen, let's go!" Zeno barked.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kaizen followed.
On the other side of the battlefield, Parker and Peter were already sprinting toward the outskirts, disappearing into the distance.
The middle-aged man stood motionless, hesitant to pursue. He suspected Zeno might circle back for a surprise attack, and with his current injuries, he knew he couldn't take the risk.
Zeno and Kaizen sped through the streets, their movements fluid and fast. Kaizen, despite being classified as a C-rank Nen user, managed to keep pace with Zeno—a testament to the depth of his abilities.
After some time, they slowed down.
"Grandpa Zeno, do you know who that was?" Kaizen asked, still catching his breath.
Zeno gave a slow nod. "I believe that man is part of the Kuto Thieves Group."
Kaizen's eyes narrowed. He'd heard of them before—an infamous gang with a bounty ranking of S-level at the Hunter Association.
"There are four members in total," Zeno explained. "Not many people know their real names. They go by codenames—Old K, Old U, Old T, and Old O. They're all formidable Nen users, each specializing in different abilities."
"Old O—the one we fought— manipulate magma flames.
"Old T is capable of creating and controlling trees.
"Old U specialty is water.
"And Old K… His main ability is summoning a Nen Beast."
Zeno's tone grew more serious. "When the four of them fight together, they're lethal. Even experienced Nen users struggle to deal with them."
Kaizen pondered Zeno's words. "You said that in a one-on-one fight, you'd win nine times out of ten. But with two of them, you're not as confident?"
Zeno gave a grim nod. "That's right. Even when I fought Chrollo in the past, I couldn't guarantee victory with backup. These Kuto Thieves are just as dangerous—if not more so."
Kaizen thought back to what he knew from the original story.
"I remember reading about them… The Kute Gang of Thieves was mentioned in passing—Ging Freecss captured them once. But they never appeared on-screen."
Zeno gave a short laugh. "Ging did capture them, yes."
Kaizen frowned. "What do we do now?"
"We leave Meteor City," Zeno answered firmly. "We'll report this to the Hunter Association. After that, it's up to them whether they want to hire the Zoldyck family for the job."
Kaizen gave a silent nod. Kute Gang of Thieves weren't just any opponents. If they crossed paths again, things could get messy.
But for now, escaping with their lives was the priority.
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