Silva remained silent, studying him.
"You could say I'm here to meet an elder," Larry continued. "But if you prefer to think of it as a transaction, that works too. I'm willing to pay for the meeting, if that's what it takes." He wasn't lying. His plan had never been to recklessly pick fights. He wasn't interested in provoking unnecessary trouble. The Zoldycks valued one thing above all else—money. And after raiding two ruins, Larry's wealth had grown to an absurd degree.
If money could solve a problem, it wasn't really a problem. Silva tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest of his chair. "I can't guarantee anything," he said after a moment. "I need to ask him first."
With that, Silva left the room alone, heading toward the inner chambers of the Zoldyck estate. When he finally stood before Maha and relayed Larry's request, the answer was short and unexpected. "Hehehe," Maha chuckled, his voice raspy with age. "Let him in. I'd like to meet this young man…"
What Maha didn't know at that moment was that this seemingly casual decision would be something he'd regret for a long time. When Larry finally laid eyes on Maha Zoldyck, he had to give credit to Togashi's imagination. Who would have guessed that one of the world's strongest assassins would look like an old man lounging around in casualwear, watching cartoons?
The figure before him was small—no taller than a child. He had a completely bald head, wore loose-fitting sportswear with shorts, and had a pair of flip-flops on his feet. If it weren't for the wrinkles lining his face, someone might have mistaken him for a kid. The entire aesthetic reminded Larry of the Fire Cloud Hermit from Kung Fu Hustle. Maybe all these reclusive masters just dressed the same way.
Maha didn't look away from the cartoon playing on the television. Even as Larry entered the room, his attention remained fixated on the screen. It wasn't until a few seconds later that he finally spoke. "Alright, kid," Maha said, his voice deep and gravelly. "What kind of deal are you here to make?" Despite his apparent disinterest, there was a sharpness in his tone that suggested he was paying more attention than he let on.
Larry didn't waste time. "I came to seek guidance from an elder," he said, his voice steady. "And to gather some information while I'm at it."
Maha lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Specifically," Larry continued, his gaze locking onto the old assassin's, "I want information about the Dark Continent."
For the first time since Larry arrived, Maha's expression changed. His narrow eyes, which had remained half-lidded with disinterest, suddenly sharpened. His head turned slightly, as if finally taking real notice of the person standing before him. The casual air from before had vanished. Larry had his reasons for coming here. First, he wanted to challenge Maha—a fight with a legend like him would provide invaluable experience. Second, he wanted to see if Pokémon could be bred in this environment. If the Zoldycks truly had ties to dragon-like creatures, then there was a high probability that something interesting could emerge here. And lastly, he needed information. His goal had been set for a long time—to go to the Dark Continent.
The unpredictable, dangerous landscape of that uncharted world held the highest likelihood of breeding powerful Pokémon. Perhaps even the legendary beasts themselves. To get there, he needed terrain data. A map. The Zoldycks might not have much, but they definitely knew more than the average person. This was merely his first stop in gathering intel.
Next, he'd ask Chairman Netero. And after that, he would make his way to the V5 Ferry Office—where the real classified information was hidden. The more he knew about the layout and conditions of the Dark Continent, the better he could plan where to set foot first. And that first step would mark the beginning of something far bigger than anything the world had ever seen.
Maha's gaze remained impassive as he spoke. "Information about the Dark Continent can be traded," he said slowly, "but I doubt you can afford the price."
Larry's expression didn't change.
"As for a challenge," Maha continued, his voice carrying an air of dismissal, "I don't think—" He stopped mid-sentence. For a brief moment, an instinctual alarm rang through his entire being. Something deeply ingrained in him—something that had been honed over decades of assassination experience—sent a sharp warning. His gaze sharpened as he studied Larry again. Just moments ago, he had been prepared to wave him off as another overconfident fool, but now, his body was reacting as if faced with a true threat. Maha Zoldyck was not the type to ignore such instincts. His initial evaluation of Larry shifted. 'This young man was far from ordinary.'
***
Name: Maha Zoldyck
Strength: Currently S- (declining due to age), Peak Strength: S
Nen Type: Enhancement
Abilities: Six-Form Serpent Strike
A deadly assassination technique refined over a lifetime. Maha specializes in perfect breath concealment, allowing him to strike like a serpent lurking in the dark. The ability consists of six distinct forms, each more lethal than the last, culminating in a final strike that guarantees death before the target even realizes they have been marked.
***
Maha's ability specialized in perfect breath concealment and assassination, allowing him to strike like a snake lurking in the dark. It consisted of six forms, with the final form being the deadliest. Once a target was marked, they would feel nothing—until the moment they died. By then, it would already be too late. This ability was the culmination of Maha's lifetime of assassination experience, refined into a single deadly technique.
Even now, in his old age, Maha retained S-rank strength. His prime had long passed, but even at this moment, there were only a handful of living warriors who could rival him. The debate over whether Maha or Netero was stronger had persisted for years. Two statements made by Zeno Zoldyck fueled the discussion. The first, Netero is the only one to have fought Maha and survived. This implied that Maha might have been superior, as Netero did not kill him. The second, Whenever we fought Netero, it was our side that lost. The ambiguity of our side made it unclear whether it included Maha or referred only to the Zoldycks in general. If Maha was at a disadvantage against Netero, it could simply be because he was an assassin, not a duelist. Direct combat would naturally put him at a slight disadvantage. Regardless, their battle records remained unknown, leaving the true outcome open to speculation.
To Larry, Maha's strength was well-balanced—not too exaggerated, yet undeniably formidable. There were even claims that Maha was purely a martial artist, lacking Nen abilities entirely. However, for this encounter, assuming he did wield Nen made the most sense. What stood out to Larry was how similar Maha's abilities were to Netero's.
Both men were Enhancers, and both had incorporated their martial arts mastery into their Nen abilities, creating highly specialized techniques.
Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva was born from his discipline and devotion to relentless training, shaped by thousands of punches delivered every day.
Maha's Six-Form Serpent Strike was the product of a lifetime spent mastering assassination. While Netero's technique was a barrage of relentless strikes, Maha's approach was different—his focus was precision. Speed, accuracy, lethality. Six distinct killing techniques, each designed to end a battle before the opponent even realized they were in danger.