"Dominica-sama, what is it?"
"Kaizen, do you remember the deal Zeno made with the Royal Family of Fiora?"
"I do."
"In truth, the Nirvana Conference consists of three stages."
Dominica continued, "The first stage is a group arena. That much, you've already figured out."
Kaizen had indeed done his research. However, all the information Altan found only detailed the group arena matches. Beyond that, nothing.
Clearly, the group arena wasn't the full picture.
No matter how much he searched, he couldn't find anything else about the process online.
That was why Kaizen had originally said that no real information about the Nirvana Conference was available—the publicly shared details were no different from a standard tournament in Heavens Arena.
But after the group stage, dozens of participants still remained.
Kaizen suspected that the group arena was just a means to generate revenue, while the true Nirvana Conference began afterward.
"The second stage is another group arena," Dominica continued. "But this one isn't public knowledge. Only a select few are allowed to watch."
"The venue for this round? Inside the Royal Palace of Fiora."
"The third stage is called Nirvana."
Dominica looked Kaizen in the eyes. "There are four spots for Nirvana. Only the top four competitors in the Nirvana Conference can enter. And the deal Zeno made with the royal family was to secure you a guaranteed spot in Nirvana."
"Nirvana? What's that?" Kaizen frowned.
Something about that name gave him a bad feeling.
"I can't tell you yet," Dominica replied. "When the time comes, you'll understand. But remember, Kaizen—once it's over, you cannot reveal anything about Nirvana. If you do, the entire Fiora royal family will treat you as an enemy."
With that, Dominica patted Kaizen on the shoulder.
"Take this opportunity. Outsiders rarely get a chance to participate in Nirvana. I don't know why His Majesty agreed to this deal, but since he has, he won't go back on his word. And you stand to gain a lot from this."
Hearing this, Kaizen felt both anticipation and unease.
His mind drifted to the pot cerimony of the Kakin Empire. If he benefited from the Nirvana Conference, would that mean he'd be bound to the royal family of Fiora?
Kaizen wasn't interested in being shackled to anyone.
He believed in his own potential and abilities. If he honed his mastery of Observer's Will, he was certain he could become one of the strongest Nen users in the world.
A top-tier Nen user—he wouldn't settle for anything less.
'Still… Zeno wouldn't put me in harm's way.'
'If he went through the trouble of making a deal with the royal family, this shouldn't be a bad thing.'
With that thought, Kaizen's anticipation grew.
...
The Nirvana Conference had begun.
The venue was massive.
The central arena was vast, surrounded by packed seating that accommodated hundreds of thousands of spectators.
Kaizen had been given a VIP ticket, granting him an excellent viewing spot.
A gift from Dominica.
As he took his seat, nearby attendees glanced his way.
VIP seating was reserved for the wealthy and influential—most of them were familiar with each other. But Kaizen was an unknown face.
The tournament didn't start immediately. Instead, the event opened with a grand performance. The stage was filled with famous entertainers—some from Fiora, others from beyond its borders.
As a V5 nation, the Fiora Kingdom had a clear class hierarchy, but it wasn't entirely isolationist. Many outsiders lived within its borders, and foreign entertainers were welcomed.
For performers, securing a spot in the Nirvana Conference's opening ceremony was a major achievement.
Some would even attend without pay, simply because of the immense exposure.
Kaizen ignored the spectacle and instead focused on the crystal ball in his hands.
It greedily absorbed energy, as though drawing in starlight, slowly accumulating power.
"Why are you glowing?"
A small voice pulled Kaizen from his thoughts.
He turned to find a young girl with long white hair and a tiny scorpion resting atop her head. She gazed at him with wide, curious eyes.
The woman beside her—likely her mother—was completely engrossed in the performance, unaware of her daughter's actions.
"Glowing?" Kaizen echoed.
Normally, only those with Nen abilities could see aura.
However, there were exceptions.
In the original story, Machi of the Phantom Troupe displayed an innate sensitivity to Nen before formally learning it. A rare talent.
This little girl likely possessed that same gift.
Kaizen smiled. "Watch closely."
He activated his aura.
"Now?"
"Nothing."
He deactivated it.
The girl's eyes lit up. "There it is again!"
"You're amazing! How do you do that? Can you teach me?"
Instead of answering, Kaizen asked, "What's your name?"
"Tessia."
"I'm Kaizen. Nice to meet you, Tessia. Do you want to learn how to glow?"
"Uh-huh!"
Her face lit up with excitement.
"But I can't teach you for free," Kaizen teased. "What can you offer me?"
Tessia tilted her head, deep in thought.
"I'll marry you when I grow up!"
Kaizen froze.
"Uh… what?"
Tessia continued, "My mom says I was born to be someone's wife. If I become someone's wife, my mom will get a lot of money. Then I belong to that person. That's my biggest value."
Kaizen's expression darkened. He cast a glance at the woman beside her.
"Tessia, your mother really said that?"
"Of course."
If that was true, then Kaizen was definitely interested.
A girl with such an innate talent for Nen, available for nothing but money?
Why not take advantage of that?
Of course, he had no interest in making her his wife.
But recruiting her?
That was a different story entirely.
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