When Kaizen made his remark, Dominica quickly deduced who might be on the other end of the line.
If there were no surprises, it had to be a Nen user from the Taris Kingdom.
But why would someone from Taris be calling Kaizen? And how would they even have his number?
Puzzled, Dominica held back from acting rashly and observed as Kaizen calmly picked up the call.
Though Kaizen was part of the Zoldyck family, he wouldn't typically accept commissions from a Nen user of Taris—it wouldn't be worth the trouble. It might even risk offending the royal family of Fiora, a family with a complicated relationship with the Zoldycks.
The Fiora royal family feared the Zoldycks, but fear didn't translate to outright avoidance. And the Zoldyck family? They had little reason to be concerned about the Fioras.
Dominica chose to stay silent, waiting to see how things would unfold.
On the other end of the line, a voice cut through:
"Your Nen beast is fascinating. To think it followed you this far without me noticing—it even made it onto the airship. Clever."
Kaizen's lips twitched into a subtle smirk.
"You've left the city by now, haven't you?" the voice continued.
Dominica's expression shifted slightly as she recalled the earlier events—the death of the massive fish-like creature and the sudden vanishing of the head-shaped balloon. No more than 17 minutes had passed since then.
Elsewhere, a red-haired young man lounged casually against the wall of a dimly lit room. He wore a simple white shirt and loose-fitting trousers, exuding a relaxed, almost lazy air. This was Raiken, a Nen user of no small skill.
His presence immediately grated on Ito Xius.
Despite his irritation, Ito Xius didn't attack Raiken. Instead, he snatched a phone from another individual and quickly dialed Kaizen's number.
Kaizen's plan was already in motion. He had anticipated this move.
A Nen user capable of creating B-grade monsters wasn't to be underestimated, and Raiken was part of the equation. However, Kaizen wasn't concerned.
Raiken's survival wasn't critical. If Ito Xius decided to kill him, it would be a minor setback at best. What mattered was extracting information about Taris' Nen users.
Kaizen's focus wasn't on the immediate confrontation but on the long game. As long as Raiken survived long enough to trail Ito Xius, Kaizen could track their movements and, potentially, intercept further communications.
When Kaizen answered the call, his tone was almost playful.
"Did you enjoy my little gift?" he asked. "It's not the strongest, but it's something, wouldn't you agree?"
Ito Xius' voice hardened. "You took your time dealing with them—are you sure you're in any position to gloat?"
"Every battle is a chance to gather intelligence," Kaizen replied smoothly.
"That's just an excuse for your lack of strength," Ito Xius shot back. "If you were truly capable, you wouldn't have been running in the first place."
Kaizen chuckled, ignoring the jab.
Ito Xius pressed on, his tone growing colder. "You're not from Fiora, are you? Do you really want to get involved in this? Taris' vendetta is against Fiora, not outsiders. If you interfere, you'll only bring misfortune to yourself, your family, and your friends."
Kaizen fell silent for a moment before responding, his voice low and measured.
"I have no intention of targeting anyone else in Taris. But you…" He paused. "You, I must deal with."
"Me?" Ito Xius' curiosity was piqued, but his expression remained guarded.
"That's right," Kaizen said, his tone sharp. "Because you killed someone I… respected."
As Kaizen spoke, he couldn't help but think of a middle-aged woman from a quiet little town—a woman who had treated him with kindness when no one else would.
She had reminded him of the elders in his past life: a little nagging, yes, but warm in her own way.
Even when others had doubted Kaizen, accusing him of crimes he hadn't committed, she had chosen to believe in him. She had even offered him a million Jenny—an enormous sum for her—out of trust.
Now, she was gone, killed by someone else's malice.
Kaizen didn't think of himself as a hero or a crusader for justice, but when someone who left a positive mark on him was taken away, he couldn't ignore it.
"I'm not seeking justice," Kaizen said calmly. "Justice isn't for me to decide. But you killed her, and that doesn't sit right with me. If I have the ability to take you down, then why wouldn't I?"
Ito Xius' voice grew colder.
"Beep… Beep…"
The sound of a phone ringing interrupted their conversation.
Kaizen's lips curved into a slight smile. His plan had worked.
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