Fewer moves, but each one deadlier than the last. A single exchange between them might show Guanyin Bodhisattva's superior volume, but if Maha landed a single decisive strike, it would end the fight instantly. It was no wonder his instincts screamed at him now. For the first time in years, Maha felt genuine curiosity toward an opponent.
"Heh." He exhaled, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Then I suppose I should stretch my old bones a little." With that, he stood up. His posture remained relaxed as he reached for the remote and casually turned off the cartoon playing in front of him. His hands slid into the pockets of his loose sportswear as he began walking forward, leading Larry out of the room. His gaze lingered briefly on Larry's composed expression, though he said nothing.
They left the estate behind, heading toward a secluded area within the Zoldyck family's vast territory. While the family had a dedicated training ground, Maha instinctively knew that a typical practice area wouldn't be enough for what was about to happen.
The Zoldycks owned an enormous portion of Kukuroo Mountain, far beyond what the average person realized. The majority of their land was covered in dense forests, home to domesticated magical beasts that acted as both guardians and executioners for unwanted trespassers.
Standing on a high vantage point, it was clear—everything in sight belonged to the Zoldycks. Their estate sat at the heart of it all, a fortress surrounded by wilderness. The deeper forests, untouched by buildings or infrastructure, were the only place safe enough for a real fight.
Even the Zoldycks weren't eager to rebuild their estate from scratch if the battle got too destructive. Larry and Maha finally stopped in an open clearing. The forest stretched around them in every direction, the shadows of ancient trees casting long silhouettes over the earth. The wind was still. A moment of silence hung between them.
Maha's stance remained casual—hands still resting in his pockets, body language deceptively loose. But Larry knew better. This was a their posture. Relaxed, yet capable of striking at any moment. Like a predator coiling before a deadly strike.
Seeing Maha standing motionless, Larry immediately understood what he meant. Without hesitation, he released Tyranitar—and Happiny. A thunderous roar shook the sky, followed by a cheerful, almost comically out-of-place cry.
"ROAR!!!" "Happi?" The sheer force of Tyranitar's presence sent shockwaves rippling through the area. Its aura spread outward in an overwhelming surge, brushing past Maha before extending far beyond the battlefield. The oppressive energy blanketed nearly the entire Zoldyck estate.
The response was immediate. Nearby subspecies of magical beasts, sensing the sheer dominance of the energy, fled in terror, stampeding in the opposite direction. The ground trembled under their panicked retreat, creating a chain reaction of chaos throughout the estate. Back at the Zoldyck main house, Silva, who had been calmly seated, suddenly tensed. His head snapped toward the direction of the energy, his sharp blue eyes widening ever so slightly. "He actually possesses this level of power…?"
For a moment, Silva remained still, processing the implications. Then, he made a quiet but decisive mental note—Larry was now on the family's forbidden list. From this moment on, no assassination request involving Larry would be accepted. Only a handful of people held that kind of privilege—individuals on the same level as Netero himself.
Meanwhile, deep within a dimly lit room in the estate, Killua suddenly lifted his head, his silver eyes widening with shock. A familiar yet terrifying aura had just erupted through the air. His heart pounded. 'Larry?!'
***
"Heh… Hehehehe…" A slow chuckle rumbled from Maha's throat as he observed the scene before him. His wrinkled face barely moved, but his dark, piercing eyes flickered with intrigue. "So powerful… It seems my instincts were right after all," he muttered under his breath.
"Now, I suppose I'll have to take this a bit more seriously." On the surface, he remained as calm as ever. But internally, Maha Zoldyck was reeling. 'The young man standing before him—how old was he? Twenty-something? And yet, his strength had already reached the level of monsters like them.'
Maha's decades of experience allowed him to instantly discern the truth. Unlike some individuals who manipulated their appearance, Larry wasn't using any tricks to conceal his actual age or strength. This meant that in his twenties, Larry had already reached, or perhaps even surpassed, the pinnacle of combat power.
Maha's expression remained neutral, but his hands quietly slipped out of his pockets. Even his highly trained body had unconsciously tensed in response to the overwhelming pressure filling the air. Every muscle was coiled, prepared for instant retaliation if necessary.
At the same time, his mind raced through every possible scenario. As an assassin, Maha was accustomed to analyzing a target's weaknesses in real-time, gathering crucial data even mid-battle. Unlike Netero, who had been able to observe and prepare in advance, Maha had to collect information on the fly—a skill every elite killer needed.
His sharp gaze swept across Tyranitar first. A monstrous, steel-clad behemoth. Its sheer physical strength was evident at a glance. Its body alone was a fortress, radiating unshakable dominance. This one was clearly a high-damage attacker that would require extreme caution.
Then, his eyes shifted to Happiny. His brows furrowed ever so slightly. The Tyranitar was easy enough to analyze, but the pink and white egg-shaped creature was something entirely different. 'A support-type Nen Beast, perhaps?' Maha couldn't yet determine Happiny's abilities just by looking at it, but its presence in the battle was enough to put him on guard.
Larry had released it for a reason. There were two reasons Larry had brought out Happiny. First, with Maha's strength at S-rank, even if the experience points were split between two Pokémon, it would still be enough for Tyranitar to break through to the next level. Second, he wanted to see how Maha handled the legendary "Pink Devil" tactics.
Fighting Netero had been different. As a martial artist who lived for combat, Netero had taken great pride in a proper duel. Larry had respected that and fought him in a direct, head-on battle. But Maha? Maha wasn't a warrior. He was a killer. He had no honor in combat, no interest in a fair fight. His philosophy was simple—eliminate the target in the most efficient way possible. Against someone like him, Larry had no intention of engaging in a traditional battle. Instead, he planned to have some fun.
A bright white light suddenly flashed across Tyranitar's body. Maha's eyes sharpened, readying himself for an attack But nothing happened. A moment later, another white light flashed. Then another. Maha's gaze flickered with unease. Something was changing. The steel plating on Tyranitar's body thickened visibly, its already-imposing frame becoming even more fortified. Move activated—Iron Defense.
Maha narrowed his eyes. The unease in his gut intensified. He had assassinated countless people in his lifetime. He trusted his instincts. And right now, his instincts were screaming at him. Waiting any longer was a mistake. Without hesitation, Maha moved. He stamped his foot against the ground, shattering the earth beneath him as his body launched forward like an arrow.