"Strong!"
"Strong!"
Both fighters activated their Ken simultaneously, and an overwhelming aura spread across the arena.
The spectators in the stands felt the pressure and couldn't help but exclaim.
"What incredible presence!"
"This is the level of a top contender on the 200th floor."
"They're on a completely different level from ordinary fighters."
"Both of them are master-class combatants."
Orleans hesitated for a moment.
Even while using Gyo to enhance his vision, he couldn't see any sign of Kaizen utilizing his Nen ability. This didn't match the intel Orleans had gathered.
"What's going on?"
"He's not using his Nen beast?"
"Is he underestimating me?"
Orleans' expression darkened.
He wasn't entirely wrong.
Kaizen simply didn't care about Orleans.
Despite being a member of the Zoldyck family and adhering to its principle of always giving one's all—whether against a lion or a rabbit—this was a competition, not a battle to the death.
Besides, the gap between Kaizen and Orleans was far wider than that between a lion and a rabbit.
Killua arrived at the audience stands just in time to witness the fight.
Kaizen was doing this for Killua's sake—hoping his younger cousin would learn something.
Silva and Zeno had both been exceptional teachers to Kaizen, and now it was his turn to pass something down.
"You're not using a Nen beast?" Orleans frowned.
"Come at me." Kaizen gestured lazily, offering no explanation.
"Hmph!" Orleans snorted before charging forward aggressively.
With no finesse or strategy, he simply swung a massive fist at Kaizen.
Kaizen shifted his foot slightly.
BOOM!
Orleans' punch hit nothing but air, creating a shockwave from the force.
Kaizen formed his hand into a knife-like shape.
Slash!
A thin, red line appeared on Orleans' torso, a shallow but precise cut.
Orleans' face twitched.
Then, his lips curled into a sneer. "Is that all you've got? Trying to tickle me?"
Kaizen ignored him. As Orleans lunged again, Kaizen sidestepped effortlessly.
Before Orleans could react, Kaizen appeared behind him and drove a precise punch into his waist.
The waist—a fragile spot. Even though Kaizen hadn't put much force into it, Orleans staggered involuntarily.
"Damn brat!" Orleans cursed.
To him, this was outright humiliation. He could accept being hit in vital areas, but the waist? That was something he couldn't tolerate.
This was about his future happiness as a man.
Roaring, Orleans raised his arms and attempted to trap Kaizen in a bear hug.
Kaizen casually kicked off the ground, leaping into the air.
Orleans chased after him, but Kaizen evaded his grasp again with ease.
BOOM!
Frustrated, Orleans slammed his fist into the floor, shattering the solid tiles instantly.
From the audience, Killua narrowed his eyes.
"Why does this feel familiar?"
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about Kaizen's fighting style struck a chord.
"As expected from top contenders on the 200th floor!"
"They're unbelievably strong!" Sadaso exclaimed.
He turned to Killua. "Who do you think will win, Kaizen or Orleans?"
Killua blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "...Is that even a question?"
Sadaso frowned. "What do you mean? Isn't this a close fight? Kaizen has speed and agility, but his attacks barely harm Orleans. He needs to wear him down over time."
"Meanwhile, Orleans' defense is nearly impenetrable, and his raw power means Kaizen can't afford to take a single hit. If he does, he'll be seriously injured."
"That seems pretty evenly matched to me."
Killua sighed. "You just don't get it."
To the average spectator, Sadaso's assessment was reasonable.
But Killua could see it clearly—Kaizen was toying with Orleans. His movements, his technique, his patience… it all clicked in Killua's mind.
"The key is anticipation and patience."
"If I'd had this level of judgment in my last fight, I wouldn't have lost."
"I could win without relying on assassination techniques."
Killua's eyes burned with renewed focus as he observed Kaizen more intently.
He wasn't the only one.
Among the spectators were the Floor Masters of Heavens Arena.
They had deliberately arranged this fight to gauge Kaizen's strength.
But what they saw made them uneasy.
"We still haven't seen him go all out."
"Instead of giving us answers, this fight is making us more afraid."
"Kaizen is undeniably at the Floor Master level."
"None of us can match him."
"There's no point in analyzing him anymore. When he decides to challenge, whoever he picks is simply out of luck."
Meanwhile, Orleans grew increasingly desperate.
But no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't land a hit.
"Too slow."
That was the only way Kaizen could describe Orleans—sluggish and predictable.
After months of grueling training, Kaizen had strengthened his body to the point where agility was no longer his weakness. He could now open the Sixth Gate of the Trial, combining his refined Nen control with the sheer speed and strength inherited from the Zoldyck family.
His mastery over his abilities was nearly complete.
"Alright, this has gone on long enough. Time to end it."
In an instant, Kaizen appeared beside Orleans.
WHIP!
His arm flowed like water, delivering a devastating strike.
CRACK!
A sharp burst of pain shot through Orleans' body.
His eyes widened in shock.
Then, panic set in.
Without thinking, he curled into a tight ball, instinctively turtling up in a defensive posture.
Kaizen: "...Huh?"
What was this supposed to be?
One hit. That's all it took. It wasn't even a fatal attack, just painful—so why was Orleans reacting like this?
Orleans himself seemed startled by his own reaction.
His face turned red with embarrassment, but he refused to budge from his curled-up position.
"This is my absolute defense!"
He glared at Kaizen defiantly. "Brat, let's see if you can break through it!"
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