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144 HxH: The Strongest Assassin
🕑 Added 2024-11-26 06:02:01 +0000 UTCThe fire was finally extinguished.
Kaizen had nearly finished absorbing the traits of the Shadow Beast's Manor.
When the remaining Shadow Beasts returned to the manor and saw Greed and Kaizen, their faces turned sour.
"Return to base," one of the Shadow Beasts ordered curtly.
"Yes," Greed replied.
Greed led Kaizen out of the manor, but instead of heading back to the Greed Manor, they made their way toward Lab No. 2.
In the car, Greed made a call.
"Dandins, I'm heading your way now," he said before hanging up. His face grew colder, more resolute.
Kaizen, seated beside him, furrowed his brows as they traveled a familiar route.
"Wasn't the experiment scheduled for ten days from now? Did the incident at the Shadow Beast Manor push him to act earlier?"
He smirked faintly, finding the situation oddly amusing. "Saves me some time."
When they arrived, the setting was eerily familiar. The descent, the hallways—they all mirrored his previous visit. But this time, the room they entered was different: a vast, empty hall devoid of any equipment.
The heavy entry door slammed shut behind them with a metallic clang.
"Dandins," Greed began impatiently, "I can't wait ten more days. Can't we start now?"
Dandins shook his head firmly. "No, the preparations aren't complete yet. After ten days, everything will be ready."
"You're certain?"
"Positive."
Greed clicked his tongue in frustration but ultimately conceded. "Fine. Kaizen will stay here with you until then."
Without even glancing at Kaizen, Greed turned on his heel to leave.
"Mr. Greed?" Kaizen called after him, his voice calm but cutting.
Greed ignored him and exited.
Dandins turned to Kaizen with a sinister smile.
"Kaizen, you'll stay here for the next ten days. Don't even think about escaping. Greed has left you in my care."
Kaizen's gaze hardened, but he stayed silent.
"You probably don't know what's in store for you," Dandins continued, relishing the moment. "Allow me to enlighten you.
"I've designed an experiment—using the human body as a base material to create additional Nen abilities. When these abilities are fused with a skilled user, their strength increases exponentially.
"You, Kaizen, are the material Greed has offered for this experiment.
"In ten days, your life will end. But in your death, you'll become power—a gift to Greed. This is an experiment I've been perfecting for years, and you should feel honored to play a role in it."
Kaizen's expression shifted. First disbelief, then anger, and finally fear.
Dandins watched with satisfaction, basking in the display of emotions. Without waiting for a response, he turned and left, activating the mechanism to lower the iron door behind him.
Kaizen rushed to the door, but it sealed shut before he could reach it. He stared at the impenetrable barrier for a moment. Then, his expression abruptly calmed.
Hidden from Dandins' sight, a small, crystalline sphere appeared before Kaizen, visible only to him. Glowing particles from the room slowly flowed into it, inching the absorption progress toward fifty percent.
Kaizen found a corner and sat down, feigning despair for the surveillance cameras. In reality, he was perfectly composed.
Through the monitors, Dandins observed what appeared to be a broken, defeated Kaizen.
"Hmph, dull," Dandins muttered, shaking his head. "At least struggle a little. It's not even worth using the toys I prepared for you."
Turning his attention elsewhere, Dandins began addressing issues caused by Altan's recent interference.
Meanwhile, Greed returned to his manor.
"Where's Kaizen?" The butler, asked cautiously.
"Not your concern," Greed snapped, silencing any further questions.
Waters dared not press further. As a low-ranking servant with no standing in Orion City's criminal hierarchy, his position was precarious. Greed could dispose of him without consequence.
...
Three days passed.
Kaizen opened his eyes. The crystalline sphere's absorption rate had slowed but had reached fifty percent completion.
The iron door suddenly slid open with a resounding clang. Light flooded the room, and Dandins stepped inside.
Kaizen, seated in his corner, sprang to his feet and lunged at Dandins without hesitation.
"Pathetic," Dandins sneered, effortlessly dodging Kaizen's attack. "Did you really think you could match me? You're nothing more than a pawn in my experiment!"
As Kaizen pursued, Dandins prepared for another assault. But to his surprise, Kaizen abruptly changed direction, sprinting toward the open door.
"So that's it," Dandins smirked. "Feigning an attack to escape. Clever, but futile."
Dandins moved to intercept, but Kaizen stopped short of the exit. Instead, he slammed the control panel, activating the door's closing mechanism.
Boom! The iron door sealed shut, trapping both Kaizen and Dandins inside.
"What?" Dandins froze, bewildered. "What are you doing?"
Kaizen turned to face him, his calm demeanor unsettling.
"You wanted me to die in this room, didn't you?" Kaizen said, his voice steady. "So let's make it happen—together."
