After disembarking from the airship and enduring a two-hour drive, Kaizen finally reached Kukuroo Mountain, a quaint town at the mountain's base.
A bus waited at the stop, and a young, cheerful female tour guide waved enthusiastically.
"Heading to the Zoldyck Manor? Hop on now!"
Kaizen hesitated for a moment before boarding.
Once the bus was full, its engine roared to life, and the vehicle began its slow, bumpy ascent up the winding mountain road. Kaizen leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, in the small town below, chaos had left its mark.
The boy's home had been reduced to ashes, his family shattered—his father killed by Kaizen and the boy himself beaten to death by enraged townsfolk. The house was raided repeatedly, stripped of anything of value, and eventually set ablaze.
Jiuna, clutching her mother's hand, had returned home physically intact but emotionally broken. Her bright demeanor had dimmed, leaving her a hollow shadow of the girl she once was.
Her mother, a middle-aged woman with tired eyes, watched her daughter with deep concern. Yet she knew they had escaped a far worse fate.
If not for Kaizen's intervention, her daughter would have been condemned to a monstrous existence—used, discarded, and eventually killed.
Far away, in a secluded corner of the human world, an elderly man sat by a window, a thick book in his hands. His expression darkened as he read.
"Who dared to ruin my plans?" he muttered, his voice low and menacing.
...
The bus finally arrived at the gates of the Zoldyck estate.
The passengers stared in awe at the massive, imposing structure before them.
"Is this really the Zoldyck estate?"
"It's enormous!"
"Where are the guards? Can we just go in?"
"That gate is huge! How would anyone even open it?"
Kaizen slipped away from the group, quietly making his way to the nearby guardhouse.
Zebro, the estate's gatekeeper, noticed Kaizen entering and immediately stood up.
"Master Kaizen!"
"Zebro, it's been a while," Kaizen replied with a faint smile.
"It's been a year, young master. You've changed so much I almost didn't recognize you."
Zebro's voice was tinged with emotion.
A year had passed, and while Zebro felt little had changed in his own life, Kaizen's transformation was striking. He was taller, his youthful features sharpening into something more mature.
But it wasn't just his appearance—it was his aura.
Kaizen now exuded a presence that demanded respect, one that made it impossible to see him as just a child.
"Has anything happened at home?" Kaizen asked.
"No, it's the same as always," Zebro replied.
"That's good."
Kaizen nodded. "I'll head in. Great-grandfather is expecting me."
"Understood. Take care, young master."
Zebro watched Kaizen's retreating figure for a long moment before turning back to his post.
Kaizen passed through the gates unnoticed by the tourists.
"Where did that boy go?" the tour guide asked, scanning the area.
"He's gone! Did he sneak into the Zoldyck estate?" someone whispered nervously.
As Kaizen approached the inner grounds, he encountered Mike, the massive guard dog of the Zoldyck family.
Mike's hulking form loomed over him, and Kaizen stood still, letting the creature assess him.
The beast sniffed the air, its keen senses working to match Kaizen's scent with its memory.
After a moment, Mike turned away, satisfied, and resumed its patrol.
Kaizen smiled faintly. "Still as sharp as ever, Mike."
Moments later, Kaizen arrived at the back mountain, where Maha Zoldyck's personal courtyard lay.
Gotoh stood guard at the entrance.
"Master Kaizen," Gotoh greeted him with a slight bow, his expression briefly betraying surprise at the changes in the young master.
"Gotoh, it's good to see you again," Kaizen said.
"Master Zeno and Master Maha are waiting for you inside."
Kaizen nodded and stepped into the courtyard.
In the quiet yard, two elderly figures sat opposite each other at a stone table. A pot of steaming tea rested between them.
As Kaizen approached, both men turned their gazes toward him.
"Grandpa Zeno, Great-grandfather Maha," Kaizen greeted them warmly, setting his bag down and sitting across from them.
Zeno studied him closely. "You've grown stronger," he remarked. "Your aura is more refined than the last time we met."
Kaizen smiled. "I've been training hard."
"And the fourth Nen Beast?" Zeno asked.
Kaizen nodded. "It's finally developed."
Zeno's expression shifted, a flicker of approval in his sharp eyes.
Maha, silent until now, sipped his tea before speaking.
"Good. Tell us everything that's happened since you left the manor."
Kaizen straightened, ready to recount his journey in full detail.
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