"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes, Captain."
Suddenly, everyone was fired up.
Not everyone enjoys fighting, sure—but after training in Nen for so long and building up teamwork through coordination exercises, there's no denying the urge to finally put their progress to the test.
Besides, Nina genuinely wanted to support Kaizen.
Tessia had always shown a strong interest in combat.
And Ponzu simply followed Kaizen's lead without question.
The group of seven headed down to the underground parking garage.
A long, extended vehicle waited for them.
"Captain, let me drive," Siper volunteered.
She knew full well that, in terms of pure combat power, she was near the bottom of the team—about on par with Ponzu.
But Ponzu was an auxiliary-type Nen user, so even if her raw strength was lower, she was still vital.
Siper just wanted to contribute however she could.
"Sure," Kaizen nodded.
Siper slid into the driver's seat. Sally took the passenger side.
Kaizen, Tessia, Ponzu, Nina, and Shizuku filled the rows behind them.
With the engine's low rumble, the car pulled out of the garage.
Kaizen hadn't planned to take an airship for this mission.
The destination wasn't far, and traveling by car offered more privacy.
...
"Gon and Killua won't be in much danger," Kaizen said.
"Wing revealed his identity willingly—he'll definitely make sure they stay safe."
"An A-level Nen user stationed at Heavens Arena? They'll be fine."
"Not to mention TST's backing."
Kaizen's current standing with TST was complicated.
He didn't actively participate in TST operations and barely returned to Heavens Arena.
Still, his strength alone commanded respect.
TST wasn't about to pressure him.
Even if he did nothing, they would go out of their way to maintain the connection.
"And then there's Hisoka."
"Hisoka sees Gon as prey. As long as Gon hasn't matured into something 'fun,' Hisoka won't let anyone else hurt him."
"Otherwise, he'd lose out on his entertainment."
"And there's no way Gon would ever leave Killua behind."
"So if Hisoka's protecting Gon, he's also protecting Killua."
Kaizen leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
A face surfaced in his mind.
A woman with long violet hair.
Machi.
A founding member of the Phantom Troupe.
Kaizen had spotted her briefly when leaving Heavens Arena.
It was just a glimpse, but unforgettable.
He remembered her clearly—after all, they'd fought side-by-side during the Kurta massacre.
...
"At this point in time, the Troupe should be acting independently," Kaizen thought.
Over the years, they'd built their notoriety through a string of high-profile crimes.
They were now classified as an A-rank thief group.
To push Chrollo's vision forward, the Troupe was working hard to craft an image of utter ruthlessness.
Theft, arson, murder, pillaging—every kind of depravity imaginable.
To extend their reach, they'd split up.
More criminals, more chaos.
And generally, not many people could actually pose a threat to the Phantom Troupe.
By the end of the Yorknew arc, only No. 8 had died—at Silva's hands.
Most members operated solo.
Some paired up—like Uvogin and Nobunaga.
"I remember in the original timeline, after Hisoka fought Kastro, both of his arms were shattered. Machi repaired them."
"But in this world, Hisoka didn't suffer any injuries."
"And if he's not going to clash with Kastro, why is Machi here?"
"Is she here for me?"
Kaizen recalled something from the Hunter Exam.
Hisoka had mentioned the Troupe might be targeting him.
But Kaizen still hadn't figured out why.
"Maybe things will become clear later."
He hated the feeling of being someone's target without knowing the reason.
"Even if the Troupe really wants me dead... the actual threat they pose is minimal."
...
"Even Oster couldn't touch me."
Oster and his underlings were, in terms of overall combat ability, probably superior to the Phantom Troupe.
The Three Dogs, Four Beasts, and Six Friends types—pure fighting monsters.
Among the Troupe, Chrollo, Feitan, Phinks, Uvogin, Nobunaga, Franklin, and Bonolenov counted as fighters.
Pakunoda, Machi, Shalnark, and Kortopi were more support-oriented.
The unknown No. 8 was likely another support-type.
Hisoka didn't count—he was never truly part of the group.
And not every Troupe fighter was on A-rank level.
...
200th floor, Heavens Arena.
A quiet café.
Hisoka sat alone at a corner table.
Before long, Machi entered.
Hisoka raised his hand.
Machi approached and took the seat across from him.
"Hisoka. How's your contact with Kaizen going?"
The Phantom Troupe had marked Kaizen as a recruitment target.
Hisoka, having met Kaizen during the Hunter Exam, volunteered to keep an eye on him.
But Hisoka had kept plenty of things to himself.
Kaizen's real identity. His true power.
He hadn't shared any of it with the Troupe.
In fact, he might have fed them outright lies.
"No progress for now," Hisoka replied with a slight shake of his head. "Kaizen's not the kind of guy you just sidle up to."
"I've decided I'll win two more matches and earn the right to challenge a Floor Master."
"Then I'll pick Kaizen as my opponent."
"You should come watch the fight."
Machi nodded.
"That'd be a good way to gauge his current strength."
"But..." Hisoka added, tilting his head with a faint grin.
Machi raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
"What if..." Hisoka's grin widened, "...I accidentally kill him during the match?"
He knew the truth.
Even with everything he had, killing Kaizen wasn't going to be easy—if it was even possible.
Kaizen had too many hidden techniques.
Even Hisoka couldn't guarantee victory.
But still, it amused him to say it.
Especially in front of Machi.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)