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222 HxH: The Strongest Assassin
🕑 Added 2025-01-04 06:00:04 +0000 UTCKaizen had witnessed many strange things before, especially in battles involving the Nen users of the Taris Kingdom.
Monster girls.
Giant fish.
Balloon-like creatures with human faces.
But what he faced now was different. People and monsters weren't the same.
Those monsters were terrifying, yes, but they had glaring weaknesses. If they ever faced someone like Dominica, they wouldn't stand a chance. Their attacks were too weak, and they lacked intelligence.
Kaizen believed there had to be more to the Nen of the Taris Kingdom—something far beyond those monsters. After all, it wouldn't command such fear and respect from the Fiora royal family otherwise.
The Taris Kingdom's strongest warriors were far more dangerous than those creations.
Suddenly, a strange aura began to emanate from Cook.
Kaizen's eyes narrowed. He noticed not only a shift in Cook's presence but also a physical transformation.
Cook's aura was reminiscent of the monsters Kaizen had encountered before, but there was something distinctly different about it.
With a sickening sound, a sharp bone spur tore through Cook's skin, soon followed by more. His body contorted, dropping to all fours like some grotesque spider. Blood dripped from the bone spurs as his aura surged.
Dominica, watching from across the ring, showed no sign of surprise. Instead, her expression was filled with revulsion.
"What a disgusting parasite," Dominica spat, her voice laced with contempt. "You people are an abomination. You don't belong in this world!"
Kaizen turned to Wendy, who stood by his side. "Wendy, has he fused with a monster?"
"You could put it that way," Wendy replied with a grim nod. "According to the records of the Fiora royal family, the Taris Kingdom uses two main methods to create monsters.
"The first method is slow and requires significant time and resources.
"The second method is instantaneous. The monsters we've seen before were created using this method."
She paused, then added, "The second type is devastating for ordinary people, but for Nen users, they're manageable because of their obvious weaknesses.
"However, the first type of monster is different. This type is fused directly into the user's body. It acts as both a shield and a weapon, eliminating many of the weaknesses found in the second type. This is what the Nen users of Taris truly desire—the ultimate fusion of monster and man.
"But there's a cost.
"Their bodies become increasingly alien as they create more monsters. The longer they live, the more monstrous they become. And when their alienation reaches a critical point, their minds descend into madness.
"Most of the top Nen users in the Taris Kingdom are already insane.
"When their alienation exceeds 80%, they lose their humanity entirely, transforming into pure monsters driven only by instinct. At that stage, they're no different from the creatures they create—mindless, destructive, and devoid of purpose."
Kaizen frowned. The idea that the Taris Kingdom's Nen users willingly pursued this path of monstrous transformation was disturbing.
"They're truly hopeless," he muttered. "Mass murder, selfishness, even sacrificing others for power—I can understand all that. But giving up their very sense of self? Turning into monsters? What's the point?"
He shook his head. "It's a complete failure of a Nen philosophy."
Cook, now resembling a grotesque Starscream-like creature, darted across the arena with predatory speed. He was relentless, striking at every opportunity. But Dominica, an A-rank Nen user, was clearly superior.
Using her aura to manipulate the earth, Dominica created walls and shields that kept Cook at bay. Each time Cook tried to close the distance, Dominica countered with precise attacks. The arena floor bristled with earth spikes, some of which pierced Cook's grotesque form when he couldn't dodge in time.
Dominica's defense was nearly impenetrable.
From the sidelines, Crawford scowled.
"He can't break through," Crawford muttered. "Cook's attacks are too limited. If he can't even injure Dominica, this battle is a waste of time."
Ito, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "Cook has to take more risks. Right now, all he's doing is exhausting himself."
Cook himself was growing increasingly desperate. At first, he'd believed the gap between him and Dominica wasn't insurmountable. But after dozens of exchanges, it became clear that Dominica was far stronger than he'd anticipated.
"Damn it!" Cook cursed under his breath. "Why is she so powerful? We're both A-rank Nen users!"
He clenched his fists, frustration boiling over. "Am I really just a pawn? A tool to wear her down? I can't accept that!"
Crawford's voice rang out from the stands.
"Cook! Don't forget our mission! Even if you die, make it count!"
Cook glanced back at Crawford, his expression grim. "Understood."
Taking a deep breath, he turned to face Dominica once more.
This time, his aura shifted again. A crimson energy erupted from his body, more intense than before. Blood oozed from his wounds as his eyes glowed red with unrestrained madness.
With a feral roar, Cook charged at Dominica, attacking recklessly. He no longer cared about the damage he sustained—his sole focus was on breaking through.
"Boom!"
Shockwaves rippled across the arena as Cook slammed into Dominica's defenses again and again. Blood splattered across the ring, but Cook didn't falter.
For the first time, Dominica's expression shifted. A faint hint of seriousness crept into her features.
"Boom!"
Under the relentless assault, one of Dominica's earth walls finally crumbled. Cook's eyes lit up with savage glee, and he lunged at the opening with everything he had.
But just as he closed the distance, Dominica's figure blurred. In an instant, she reappeared at another spot in the ring, clapping his hands together.
