Hisoka concealed himself behind a massive boulder, watching intently as Natsu charged forward.
"Dragon's Iron Fist!"
With a powerful swing, his fist shot forward. But just as the attack was about to land—
"Bungee Gum."
A thick, pinkish substance stretched from Hisoka's hand, latching onto Natsu's fist and sticking it to the stone. At the same time, Hisoka flickered behind him in a blur.
A cluster of dark red thorned spheres materialized, hurtling toward Hisoka. Forced to abandon his attack, he dodged backward.
Raiken seized the opportunity, dashing in from the side. Behind Natsu, a massive crimson jaw took shape, its maw gaping wide.
Crunch!
One bite. Two bites. The boulder shattered into dust under the crushing force of the jaws.
The battle between Kaizen's two Nen Beasts and Hisoka had escalated far beyond the scope of a normal Hunter Exam. Regular examinees wouldn't have stood a chance in this fight.
...
Illumi Zoldyck, sensing the disturbance, arrived swiftly. His gaze flicked between Hisoka and Kaizen's beasts before settling on Kaizen himself—completely unharmed. He let out a small breath.
"Kaizen?"
Illumi stepped closer.
Kaizen didn't hesitate. "Hisoka and I made a deal. I let two of my Nen Beasts fight him for ten minutes in a one-on-one match. In return, he gives me liquid ore."
He didn't bother hiding the truth—there was no point. Even if he tried, Hisoka would surely reveal it himself.
"A fight with a time limit?" Illumi's eyes shifted to Hisoka, then to Kaizen's two chanting Nen Beasts. His assessment of Kaizen's strength deepened.
Kaizen already had four Nen Beasts. Two were actively fighting Hisoka. The other two stood guard by his side, likely as a precaution in case Hisoka decided to break the deal.
Illumi nodded slightly, approving of Kaizen's caution.
The Zoldyck family always ensured a 100% success rate before making a move—whether it was assassination or any other task.
That was why Illumi had restrained Killua's impulsive tendencies with a needle. Killua needed to be conditioned, to develop the right instincts. That was the Zoldyck way.
Illumi's gaze returned to Kaizen's Nen Beasts.
The first, Raiken, wielded a blade. "An Enhancer-type fighter. Excellent combat ability, speed, and reaction time. Strong, but Hisoka can handle it."
His attention shifted to Natsu. "This one is more dangerous."
"Stronger, faster, and more reactive than the first. It has two abilities: fire manipulation and those dark red claws."
"Its aura level is already at A-rank."
Illumi's eyes flicked to the other two beasts—Chitong and Altan. "These two are weaker, but the one on the left is nearly as strong as Raiken. "
"What are their abilities?"
In combat, more abilities meant more tactical options. A Nen user with multiple abilities had a considerable advantage over one with just raw strength.
Kaizen's capabilities were already extensive.
Illumi recalled that Silva and Zeno had mentioned Kaizen's talent before. But now, seeing it firsthand, Illumi truly grasped its magnitude.
At just sixteen, Kaizen had reached this level?
Illumi thought back to himself at sixteen. At that age, he had barely reached B-rank. His abilities had been simple.
But Kaizen?
Kaizen was already far stronger than Illumi had been at the same age.
Illumi calculated the difference. With all his Nen Beasts accounted for, Kaizen had already surpassed him back then. By a significant margin.
"His growth rate is unbelievable..."
"No wonder great-grandfather raised him personally."
"If he continues like this, what heights will he reach?"
"Stronger than Father? Grandpa?"
"Could he even reach great-grandfather's level?"
It wasn't an exaggeration.
As the eldest Zoldyck heir, Illumi wasn't just focused on his own progress. He cared about the future of the entire Zoldyck family.
If Kaizen and Killua both had monstrous potential, that only strengthened the Zoldycks.
...
Meanwhile, watching from a distance, Satotz—one of the Hunter Exam proctors—observed the fight through his binoculars.
"Hisoka... Kaizen..."
He lowered the binoculars slightly, his expression tense.
"Both of them are stronger than me."
Satotz thought back to Hisoka's earlier attack on him. If Hisoka had gone all out, Satotz knew he wouldn't have survived.
And Kaizen...
"He's supposedly just a Floor Master in Heavens Arena, but..."
Many within the Hunter Association, including Netero, knew the truth about Kaizen. But Satotz didn't.
"No ordinary Floor Master could have this kind of power."
His confusion only deepened when he saw Illumi Zoldyck standing alongside Kaizen.
"Why is Gittarackur siding with him?"
Nearby, Menchi and Buhara—two other examiners—witnessed the battle as well. Watching Kaizen's Nen Beasts clash with Hisoka, they exchanged uneasy glances. Then, at the same time, they swallowed nervously.
Even as examiners, they weren't sure they could keep their composure in a situation like this.
Menchi muttered under her breath, "Why would someone this strong even take the Hunter Exam?"
Buhara nodded. "This is beyond anything we've seen before."
"He's not on the level of an applicant. He's at the level of an examiner."
"Honestly, this might be the most absurd Hunter Exam in history."
Menchi sighed. "Way too many monsters in one place."
She glanced back at Kaizen and Hisoka.
"What the hell is going on this year?"
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