"I have a mission. Are you interested?" Silva asked.
Kaizen raised an eyebrow. "What kind of mission?"
"A hit. The reward is a colored egg. The target isn't particularly strong, but the environment is... unusual. I need someone to assist me."
Silva continued, "Whoever works with me must have enough energy to handle it. Originally, I was going to wait for Illumi or your great-grandfather Maha to be available. But after seeing the aura you demonstrated, Kaizen, I realized you're already at this level. If we succeed, I'll give you one-third of the egg."
Kaizen nodded firmly. "I'm in."
"Good. Go back and prepare tonight. We'll leave tomorrow night. Killua will be relying on your friends for security while we're gone."
"They can be trusted," Kaizen replied confidently.
Kaizen didn't ask for further details. He knew well enough how the Zoldyck family operated. Silva wouldn't have taken on the mission if he weren't confident of success.
The mention of the colored egg caught Kaizen's attention. He had encountered one before, a defective red egg obtained during a previous mission. Even so, its effects were remarkable, transforming his body and enhancing his life energy. And this time, he had the chance to claim a genuine one.
...
Back at Heavens Arena, Kaizen informed Nina of his plans.
"Tomorrow, I'll be gone for about ten days on a mission. During that time, Killua's safety will be your responsibility. Same as yesterday, but more intense—day and night coverage."
Nina exchanged a glance with Sally and nodded. "Understood."
"Thank you," Kaizen said. He packed light, taking only essentials, as most of his supplies were stored in the Killer Queen's body space.
That night, Kaizen fell into a deep sleep, preparing himself mentally and physically.
The next morning, Kaizen stepped out of Heavens Arena, where a car awaited him. Silva was at the wheel.
"The target isn't far," Silva said as Kaizen got in. "A three-hour drive. I'll fill you in on the way."
As they drove, Silva outlined the mission. "The target is located in Ganlu Temple. Specifically, it's the abbot's body. The mission was commissioned by someone from the Kakin Empire. Our job is to kill the abbot and retrieve his body."
Kaizen frowned slightly. "Ganlu Temple... the name sounds familiar."
"The temple itself is odd," Silva continued. "There are 101 monks in total. A hundred of them are just ordinary people—untrained and incapable of using Nen. But the abbot is special. He's a skilled Nen user, classified as a B-level threat.
"The temple also grants a powerful environmental bonus to the abbot during combat. My plan is simple: I'll confront the abbot while you use your aura to disrupt the temple's support system. The temple won't attack you—it'll just divide its focus, which should weaken its aid to the abbot."
Kaizen processed the information silently.
Suddenly, Kaizen summoned his Nen beast, Altan, who appeared in the backseat.
"Altan, investigate Ganlu Temple."
Altan quickly gathered data from the web and transmitted it to Kaizen's phone.
"An unremarkable temple," Kaizen muttered, scrolling through the information. "Dedicated to prayers for children? Strange."
He skimmed further. Many cases of disappearances had been reported near the temple. The number of monks was always fixed at 101, with new monks replacing those who left. The abbot, before becoming a monk, had been a butcher.
"This doesn't feel right," Kaizen said, his brow furrowing.
"You're correct to be wary," Silva said. "This temple isn't normal. It's what we call a spirit. A rare entity formed from intense desires and emotions, combined with a physical structure. It functions like a living thing."
Kaizen nodded, piecing everything together. This mission wasn't just about eliminating a Nen user; it was a battle against the mysterious power of the temple itself.
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