A light breeze stirred the leaves scattered across the grass, lifting them gently into the air.
Silva stood still after seeing the enemy and halting at a distance of several dozen meters, his sharp eyes locked on Vega, who stood opposite him—clad in black and red armor, gripping the spear known as Phantom Severance.
Across the open field, the two sides stared each other down.
Vega observed as Silva and his elderly companion, Zeno, regrouped. Although he felt a tinge of pressure at the sheer presence of the two, he remained calm. After all, the demonic armor conjured by his Nen ability had granted him immense defense in his last battle. Even with Silva and Zeno working together, he was confident he could retreat if necessary.
"We meet again," Silva said coolly. "Remember me?"
"How could I forget?" Vega smirked. "I took your arm last time, didn't I?"
He then glanced down at Silva's restored limb and scoffed. "Had it reattached, huh? Must've dulled the memory of the pain."
His gaze shifted to the old man beside Silva—silver-haired, slightly hunched, hands behind his back, and with an air of quiet menace.
"You must be Zeno Zoldyck," Vega said. "Shouldn't an old man like you be spending his days at home, counting coins or telling stories? Why bother following your son into someone else's business?"
Zeno's eyes narrowed. "This concerns the reputation of the Zoldyck family. I had to come. And Silva didn't handle you well enough last time."
The father and son stepped forward, slowly advancing toward Vega.
"Be careful, Dad," Silva warned. "When he wears that armor, his power spikes dramatically. His defense is unreal. Normal strikes won't break through."
Zeno nodded. "Understood."
As the last of the floating leaves touched the ground—
They struck.
Two black shadows suddenly blurred forward with explosive speed.
Vega didn't hesitate. His voice rang out, cold and commanding:
"Awaken—Phantom Severance!"
A translucent dragon silhouette burst from the spear, letting out a resonant roar that echoed throughout the manor. A wave of dominating pressure surged outward.
The dragon fused into Vega's body. Black and crimson armor erupted around him, lined with jagged edges and gleaming with violent energy. In his hand, Phantom Severance—now burning with a red glow and adorned with dragon patterns—shuddered with power.
Swish!
Silva reached Vega first, his movement ghost-like, fist laced with deadly intent, aiming straight for Vega's abdomen.
Vega sneered. "Forgot how you lost your arm?"
He swung Phantom Severance in a tight arc, the blade flashing crimson as it sliced toward Silva's arm.
But Silva had feinted. He stomped down hard and evaded, slipping to the side.
Before Vega could respond, Zeno was already behind him.
His hands—shaped like blades and wrapped in fierce Nen—slashed down at lightning speed, striking with deadly rhythm, each blow like a venomous snake lunging for the kill.
Vega pivoted swiftly, sweeping Phantom Severance behind him while sidestepping to dodge.
Swish!
To Vega's surprise, Zeno held position just ten centimeters from the sword's edge—dancing on a razor's edge, unshaken by the deadly reach of Phantom Severance.
He kept attacking relentlessly, each strike accompanied by a sharp whistle of air, forcing Vega to dodge left and right to avoid fatal hits to his head.
No sooner had Vega sidestepped one of Zeno's strikes , Silva reappeared at his flank.
Boom!
A powerful punch laced with intense Nen energy slammed into Vega's ribs and sent him flying.
But just as Silva rushed forward to press the attack, Vega flicked his fingers. Phantom Severance twitched.
Silva's instincts kicked in—he abruptly halted and retreated.
Too late.
Slice—
A shallow gash split open on Silva's cheek. The air itself had nearly torn.
Crash!
Vega slammed into a wall, smashing through it. Rubble and dust swallowed him whole.
From the haze, his cold voice echoed:
"Dragon Fang Eruption."
Suddenly, raw lightning-like energy exploded from within the ruins, leveling the entire structure in an instant.
"He's not there!" Silva shouted, ignoring his injury. He focused not on the wreckage—but a nearby building.
Bang!
A wall glowed red before shattering into dozens of fragments.
Vega emerged from the collapsing structure, stepping out slowly. Dust clung to his armor as he brushed it off with one hand, glaring at the two assassins who now watched him warily.
"The coordination's impressive," he admitted. "The Zoldyck family's reputation isn't undeserved. Together, you're definitely a handful."
Zeno glanced at Silva's wounded face.
"That sword is dangerous," he said calmly. "Its edge hurts before it even touches you. And that armor… even our full-power strikes can't break through. But one hit from that sworrd, and we're in trouble."
He frowned. "No wonder Silva lost last time. Even the two of us together are struggling."
"In that case, we go close-combat," Zeno said decisively. "We shut down that sword. If we can disarm him, he'll lose his edge."
Silva nodded. "Understood, Father. I'll seize the opening when you make it."
The two shifted again, boxing Vega in from both flanks—one always positioned in his blind spot.
As Silva moved into place, Zeno's aura erupted like a storm. His eyes sharpened, and his palms lifted into a ready stance, facing Vega.
"Dragon Fang Eruption!"
Zeno released a massive surge of Nen, condensing into the form of a dragon before roaring toward Vega in a spiraling assault.