Kaizen brought Ponzu a little food during the dinner party.
There was plenty of food stocked in the Sumas space, but most of it was just bread and rations—filling, but not exactly flavorful.
"Thanks, Captain," Ponzu said softly.
She had just finished her training.
Kaizen sat down across from her at a small folding table, two simple stools between them.
The blank area of the Sumas space had been converted into a storage room by Kaizen—nearly a third of it was now packed with supplies he'd prepared beforehand. Food and water alone were enough to keep someone alive here for a long time.
White light fell softly over them.
Ponzu ate in small bites, but steadily.
In the grassy zone, Parker had begun settling into a new life.
In the forest zone, Sheila was still waiting.
In the pyramid zone, only a handful of prisoners remained alive.
At the trial grounds, the bodies of those Kaizen had dealt with were decaying at a disturbing pace—flesh, skin, organs, heads.
The desert area was eerily quiet.
...
"Captain."
Kaizen looked over. Ponzu had finished eating and was packing up neatly.
"What is it?"
She met his gaze.
"Can I follow you forever?"
"I grew up in a small village," she began. "But it's gone now. My grandma... she passed away too."
"When I left, my only goal was to become stronger—to protect the village, to fix things."
"I trained hard. Traveled everywhere. Took the Hunter Exam."
"But in the end, there was no village left to protect."
"I wanted revenge. I made that my new goal."
"But Oster's dead now too…"
"I suddenly felt lost. Like... there's no direction anymore."
Before, everything was simple—save the village. But after returning and seeing the ruins, Ponzu realized there was no fixing anything. That grief turned into a drive for truth, for vengeance.
But with Oster gone, even that goal disappeared.
It was like—
Like playing a game where you've been building up power for ages. Hundreds of passive stacks, farming endlessly, ready to dominate the match. Then suddenly, the enemy crystal explodes—before you even make a move.
Even if you "win," it's hollow.
You start to lose interest in the game itself.
At that moment, Ponzu began searching—subconsciously—for something to hold onto.
And Kaizen… was perfect.
He was strong, talented, reliable.
He had helped her so much.
And more than that—he needed her too.
She looked at him, hopeful.
Kaizen nodded.
"Sure."
...
In the next second, Ponzu leapt forward, hugging him tightly.
Wham!
Kaizen frowned slightly, but didn't push her away. He simply placed his hand gently on her shoulder.
A soft fragrance rose into his senses—a blend of sweetness and youthful warmth.
Her body trembled slightly in his arms.
She clung to his clothes, refusing to let go, as if afraid he would vanish the moment she did.
Kaizen understood then.
To Ponzu, he had become a pillar—a person she could lean on after everything else had crumbled.
After a long moment, she finally released him, her face flushing when she noticed the wet spot on his shirt.
"Captain, I'm sorry..."
"It's fine," Kaizen replied, glancing at himself. "I haven't changed or showered anyway."
He noticed her clothes were dusty too.
The Sumas space was well-stocked, but luxuries like a proper bathroom or water heater weren't among its supplies. Everything was built for survival, not comfort.
"Ponzu, you should shower too. I'll take you outside."
"Okay."
...
He opened the door, and they stepped out of the Sumas space into Kaizen's personal room.
"You already know I'm from the Zoldyck family," Kaizen said calmly. "This is Zoldyck Manor. This yard's mine. I'll be staying here for a few days."
"After that, we're heading to Heavens Arena."
"You won't need to stay in the Sumas space anymore."
He gestured toward the bathroom.
"There's no bath set up, just a shower. But everything's in there—shampoo, body wash. I'll get you a fresh towel."
He pulled out a clean set of toiletries from the cabinet.
"Captain, where should I go?"
"Go on."
The sound of water echoed from the bathroom soon after.
A fresh scent of shampoo and body wash wafted through the room... with a hint of something else.
Kaizen turned his attention back to the Hexflare Bomb to continue his research.
"Killua and Gon haven't reached Heavens Arena yet," he mused. "But they will soon."
"Grandpa Maha said I should slow down and experience life a little. So I plan to bring everyone with me to the Gourmet Paradise."
"But what exactly am I supposed to 'experience'?"
Maha hadn't specified.
Kaizen had some guesses, but nothing solid.
"Hopefully, the Greed Island arc hasn't started by the time I fully absorb the Gourmet Paradise's traits."
"If I can sync with it completely, I'll be ready when Gon clears the game—and maybe I can unlock the observer will ability for Greed Island at 100%."
...
Ponzu stepped out of the bathroom, her green hair damp and clinging to her shoulders.
She had changed into soft pink pajamas, carefully holding her hat where the queen bee nested inside.
"Captain, I'm done."
Kaizen nodded and headed into the bathroom himself, now carrying his own sleepwear.
The bathroom still held the warmth from Ponzu's recent shower.
A light mist lingered in the air—evaporated by Ponzu's aura technique. She had used her Nen to dry her hair, condensing and dispersing the steam in a clean flow.
It was a small trick, but one that showed control—and gentleness.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)