Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Kaizen's Sparring Results with Wendy!
A flurry of wind blades slashed through the air, attacking from all directions.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the arena.
Then—
Shhk!
A sharp slicing sound rang out.
A breach.
Immediately after—
Shhk!
Shhk!
Shhk!
Multiple wind blades cut through flesh before the girl could react. Her body, now marked with wounds, tumbled off the stage.
Wendy had won with ease.
With that, the first round of the second stage of the Nirvana Conference came to an end.
Kaizen observed the competitors with a critical eye.
"They're all young. None of them are older than twelve."
"This Nirvana Conference must have an age restriction."
"Everyone who made it to the second stage is hiding their true potential."
"And all of them belong to one of the three Dojo systems."
The Nen users from the Dragon Dojo and Beast Dojo reminded Kaizen of similar abilities he had encountered in other places. The Nen of the Star Dojo, on the other hand, seemed particularly unique.
They functioned like star magicians—wielders of celestial power who fused their aura with the essence of the stars to manifest Nen Beasts. Each star held different properties, allowing them to summon twenty types of beasts with distinct abilities.
In a way, it was similar to Kaizen's own ability.
Kaizen absorbed characteristics from his surroundings through the Observer's Will, blending them with his aura and memories to create his own Nen Beasts. The practitioners of the Star Dojo replaced this process with their reverence for celestial forces.
Kaizen turned his gaze toward the competitor Dominica feared most—the Star Child.
A towering creature stood in the arena, its form both monstrous and humanoid. It had the head and body of a bull but walked upright on two legs, wielding a massive axe. Its black-and-white spotted hide gave it the appearance of a colossal dairy cow.
Facing the Star Child was a boy who had also reached C-rank—a far stronger opponent than Wendy's previous challenger. Even so, the battle was one-sided.
Though both competitors were ranked at the same level, the power gap between them was immense.
Across the entire Nirvana Conference, only three contenders stood out: Wendy, the Son of the Beast, and the Son of the Star. They were in a league of their own.
"The royal family of Fiora does produce geniuses, but their numbers are limited," Kaizen mused. "In terms of raw talent, the Zoldyck family is still superior."
He made a quick comparison in his mind.
Maha Zoldyck was among the top five Nen users in the world, along with Netero and Ging Freecss. The identities of the remaining two were unknown, but Kaizen knew that even V5 lacked enough powerhouses to fill those spots—let alone the Kakin Empire.
Netero's son, Beyond, was a formidable Nen user with cold-based abilities.
Among the Twelve Zodiac, Botobai Gigante was widely regarded as second only to Netero in strength within the Hunter Association.
Then there was Don Freecss, a wanderer of the Dark Continent.
Fiora's Kingdom likely lacked any Nen users who ranked among the world's top five.
Next came Zeno and Silva.
Both were among the strongest A-rank Nen users.
Especially Zeno.
Kaizen once asked him who would win in a fight—him or the reigning Floor Master of Heavens Arena.
According to Maha, the Floor Master had already carved out their own path. But Zeno was confident that he had the ability to kill them.
"How many A-rank Nen users in Fiora can claim the same?"
Then there was youth.
"How many can surpass Illumi?"
And among teenagers? Even fewer.
Wendy was weaker than Kaizen.
Even if the Star Child surpassed Wendy in power, he would struggle to threaten Kaizen unless the latter held back significantly.
"I wonder how strong the previous generation's Sons of the Dragon, the Stars, and the Beasts have become."
By the end of the morning, the first round of the second stage had concluded.
Only about a dozen competitors remained.
But the outcome was already clear.
The second stage would determine four finalists who would advance to the third stage, where Nirvana awaited. Alongside Kaizen, that made five participants in total.
Three of those spots were already secured by Wendy, the Son of the Beast, and the Star Child.
It didn't matter who won between them; all three would make it to the top four.
The only open slot was fourth place.
...
Afternoon—The Battles Continue
Kaizen withdrew his gaze from the stage and focused on the crystal ball before him.
Its progress bar had reached 40%.
"The Beast Dojo and the Star Dojo can provide me with another 10%," he calculated.
"That brings me to 60%."
"The third stage of the Nirvana Conference should increase my Observer's Will further."
"Not much more to go."
A shift in the atmosphere drew his attention.
Kaizen looked up.
Two figures stood on the stage.
One was Wendy.
The other—the Son of the Beast.
A match between two of the top three competitors.
It was no surprise that the audience was holding its breath. Even the Son of the Star had stepped out of the selection area to watch.
The Son of the Beast transformed once more, taking on the form of a massive great ape.
Wendy wasn't as physically powerful as him, but she was faster.
She darted across the stage, moving fluidly as if she were weightless.
Winds coiled around her body, boosting her speed, while others encircled the Son of the Beast, restricting his movement.
This was the result of Kaizen's month-long sparring sessions with her.
The Nen of Fiora's royal family emphasized endurance, particularly within the Dragon Dojo.
However, Nen users from the Beast Dojo adapted based on the creatures they revered.
Wendy's current fighting style maximized her durability, making it difficult for the Son of the Beast to land a hit.
He had immense strength—but no opportunity to use it.
Some might complain in frustration.
"All you do is dodge!"
But the Son of the Beast understood.
This was a legitimate strategy.
The fault wasn't Wendy's.
It was his own.
Cursing wouldn't change the outcome. It would only make him look weak.
The Son of the Star narrowed his eyes. . .
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