NOVEL NEXT Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Collecting!
The reason Kaizen chose the Gangsters as his next target to absorb abilities was simple: time.
His one-year engagement with Maha Zoldyck was approaching fast, and he needed results. Kaizen had initially considered two other options.
The first was Greed Island.
The second, the Hunter Exam.
However, the former was far too unpredictable. Without the game being cleared, there was no way to fully utilize its features. Waiting for someone like Gon to complete it would take years Kaizen couldn't afford. Clearing it himself? Not an option.
Greed Island was created by Ging Freecss as a challenge for Gon, and Ging's current abilities were among the top five in the world. Kaizen knew he wasn't ready to confront someone of that caliber—not yet.
The Hunter Exam also seemed inefficient. Based on Kaizen's experience in Heavens Arena and Meteor City, even passing the exam wouldn't be enough to raise the observer's ability to its peak. Success would likely require taking it multiple times over several years.
Thus, Kaizen chose the Mafia.
While their overall strength was less than the Zoldyck Manor or the Heavens Arena's elite fighters, and they couldn't match the raw chaos of Meteor City, the gangsters had a unique advantage: versatility.
Not every Nen Beast created by the Observer's Will needed to be combat-oriented. For example, an auxiliary-type beast could sometimes hold greater value than a purely offensive one.
The Mafia presented an opportunity. Kaizen recalled how Maha Zoldyck had personally intervened to eliminate an old Mafia leader—proof of their worth.
"The best way to infiltrate the Mafia," Kaizen mused, "is to join one of their families, just as Kurapika did in the original story."
Through Hisoka, Kurapika had learned about the Phantom Troupe's plans to attack the Yorknew City Auction. That knowledge led him to join the Nostrade family as a bodyguard. Kaizen intended to follow a similar path.
...
Outside the Living Room
Nina finally stepped out of her room.
"Nina, Kaizen wanted you to see this," Shizuku said, gesturing to the laptop screen.
Nina nodded and sat down in front of the laptop, clicking play.
The video, intercepted by Kaizen and Altan, began. It showed Raiken engaging in combat.
Gluttony launched the first attack, only to be quickly countered. As Carlisle appeared, Gluttony issued orders, but the tide of battle shifted. Raiken's weapon crushed Gluttony with devastating force.
Carlisle, after briefly fleeing, returned with Lady Laziness. Together, they attacked Raiken. However, things took a darker turn when Carlisle's corpse merged with Gluttony's remains, forming a grotesque monster.
The video ended with the monster's defeat, the Killer Queen's decisive blows, and Carlisle's lifeless face as his intent faded into nothingness.
Nina stared at the screen, her face pale. "Thh… thank you," she whispered, looking in the direction of Kaizen's room.
Shizuku tilted her head, puzzled. She hadn't started her training to see Nen yet and couldn't comprehend what Nina had just witnessed.
...
Later That Evening
Kaizen paced his room, contemplating his next steps.
"All traces have been cleaned," he thought to himself. "The surveillance, videos, and phone records—all erased. But if the Mafia investigate, they might still suspect me. Carlisle came to Heavens Arena because of Nina, after all. She's part of my squad."
His expression hardened. "However, the strength I displayed at the Heavens Arena shouldn't raise too many alarms. It's not on the level of Gluttony or Laziness."
Kaizen stepped out into the hallway and called for Nina.
"Nina."
"Yes, big brother?"
"Things are over now. Don't dwell on them—look forward. Soon, people related to Carlisle might come to investigate us. When they do, you must act like you know nothing. Understand?"
Nina nodded seriously. "I understand."
...
Elsewhere
In the headquarters of the Wilhelm family, a tense meeting was underway.
A voluptuous woman with an alluring aura sat confidently beside a young man whose greedy eyes scanned the room. Across from them sat a visibly anxious middle-aged man—Nock Wilhelm, the family patriarch.
"Report the situation in detail," commanded the woman, her voice smooth yet chilling.
Nock lowered his head, breaking into a cold sweat. He prided himself on his authority, but in front of these two, he was powerless.
"Yes," he stammered.
The Wilhelm family had always been at odds with the Shen Dojo. Unable to compete, they had sought outside assistance. Gluttony and Laziness, passing by on another mission, had been assigned to eliminate the Shen as an afterthought.
No one expected both to end up missing, presumed dead.
Nock clenched his fists under the table. His family was small in the grand hierarchy of the Mafia. To lose such valuable assets was a failure he couldn't afford to explain.
Lady Greed smirked, her sharp eyes glinting. "Let's see if you're as useful as you claim, Nock. For your sake, you'd better be."
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