The Strongest Assassin of the Zoldyck Family!

"The second type of monster is used against ordinary military or civilians."

"But for Nen users, they are not unbeatable. These creatures have clear weaknesses."

"The first type of monster is something they prepare for themselves."

"They can merge it into their bodies."

"This allows them to convert the monster's abilities into their own."

"At the same time, these integrated creatures lack many of the usual weaknesses of standalone monsters."

"This is what the Nen users of Taris truly desire."

"The second type of monster is merely a tool."

"The longer a Taris Nen user survives, the more monsters they create, and the stronger they become."

"But, in turn, they also pay a heavy price."

"Whether it's creating the first type of monster or the second, their bodies undergo mutation."

"When the degree of mutation reaches a certain threshold, their minds collapse, plunging them into madness."

"Most top-level Nen users from Taris are, in fact, mentally ill."

"And if their mutation surpasses 80%, they completely lose their human consciousness, transforming into pure monsters, ruled only by primal instincts and desires."

"The existence of such individuals holds no value for humanity."

Ron frowned slightly.

If the ultimate fate of Taris Nen users was to become monsters, then they were truly beyond redemption.

Killing people? Ron could understand.

Even mass murder? He could comprehend the selfish motives driving some individuals to pay any price for their desires.

Such people could simply be labelled as "evil."

But the endgame for Taris Nen users—becoming monsters? What were they seeking?

To lose their humanity? To become creatures devoid of self-awareness? What was the point?

"A completely flawed Nen system," Ron muttered. (t/n What if they could control it? Imagine becoming a chimaera ant)

---

On the arena stage, the spider-like Cook moved with incredible speed, resembling a predator hunting its prey, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. 

However, Dominica was clearly not a prey, he was far stronger than Cook. 

Although both were A-ranked Nen users, Dominica surpassed Cook in every aspect. 

Massive amounts of earth gathered around Dominica, forming walls and shields that left Cook no chance to get close. 

Meanwhile, Dominica's attacks continually restricted Cook's movements. 

The arena floor sprouted spike after spike of earth. 

Any failure to evade in time would result in those spikes piercing Cook's body. 

Dominica's defence was flawless. 

---

Crawford's face darkened as he observed the battle. 

Shusuke Ito shook his head. 

"Cook is no match for Dominica. He can't break through Dominica's defences and can only act as a drain on his stamina. But even in that regard, his effectiveness is minimal." 

"If Cook continues fighting like this, the battle's outcome is clear." 

Cook seemed to realize this as well. 

Initially, he had adopted a cautious, conservative approach, believing the gap between himself and Dominica wasn't too large. He thought he could exploit opportunities to threaten Dominica. 

But after several rounds of combat, Cook had come to a bitter realization: 

The gap between them was far greater than he had imagined. 

"Damn it!" 

"Why is this guy so strong?" 

"We're both A-ranked Nen users!" 

Cook's heart sank. 

"Am I really just here to drain his stamina?" 

"Can't I even force him to reveal his abilities?" 

"I won't accept this!" 

Crawford's voice echoed from outside the arena. 

"Cook!" 

"Don't forget our mission. Even if you die, make it worthwhile!" 

Cook turned to look at Crawford, his expression hardening. 

"I understand, Crawford." 

Turning back to Dominica, Cook took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. 

In the next moment, Cook's aura shifted dramatically. 

A crimson aura erupted from his body. 

More blood flowed from the spiked wounds across Cook's form. 

His eyes turned blood-red as he entered a frenzied state, recklessly charging toward Dominica. He launched attacks without regard for his own injuries. 

"Bang!" 

"Bang!" 

"Bang!" 

Repeated impacts shook the arena as blood sprayed and scattered across the stage. 

Dominica's expression grew more serious. 

"Boom!" 

One of Dominica's earthen walls finally shattered under Cook's relentless assaults. 

Cook's eyes lit up as he seized the opportunity to launch even fiercer attacks. 

But just as Cook lunged forward, Dominica's figure flickered, reappearing in another part of the arena. 

With a sharp clap of his hands... 

Massive amounts of earth surged upward, trapping Cook's body. 

More soil piled on, layer upon layer, until Cook was completely encased. 

The technique that the monstrous girl had used against Dominica earlier was now being returned to Cook. 

"Boom!" 

An explosion of sound rang out as Cook broke free from the soil. 

But before he could act, a massive earthen spike materialized above him. 

Under Dominica's control... 

"Bang!" 

The spike slammed down violently, striking Cook directly. 

Cook's body was crushed into the arena floor. 

However, Dominica's attack wasn't over. 

This was just the beginning. 

Nen users from Taris possessed extraordinarily strong vitality. After activating their abilities, they were no longer entirely human. They had become monsters. 

From the ground beneath Cook, another earthen spike shot upward. 

"Shk!" 

The spike pierced Cook's body. 

Cook, reacting quickly, tore at his wound with his own hands, ripping away chunks of his flesh and removing the spike. 

Then, with a roar, Cook leapt toward Dominica again. 

"Die!" 

---

Ron watched Cook intently, evaluating him. 

"He's certainly an A-ranked Nen user." 

"His aura, speed, strength, reflexes, and Nen techniques are all at A-rank." 

"But compared to Dominica, the gap is obvious." 

"In terms of individual strength, he's weaker than members of the KUTE Thieves." 

"At best, he's on par with some of the Floor Masters in Heaven's Arena." 

"But he's not someone I could handle right now." 

"Unless he was seriously injured before fighting me." 

Ron recalled something Zeno had once said: 

The gap between Nen users of the same rank could sometimes be greater than that between users of nen and normal people. 

---

"Bang!" 

Cook's body was sent flying once again. 

In the next moment, his aura shifted once more. 

It grew darker, more sinister, resembling that of a monster. 

In other words, his level of mutation had increased. 

Like a wild beast, Cook relentlessly attacked Dominica. 

"In terms of combat techniques, Cook isn't particularly skilled. I'm not sure if this is a limitation of Taris Nen users in general or just Cook's own weakness." 

"If Cook had the martial techniques of someone like Hanma Baki, he would've caused much more trouble for Dominica." 

The battle on the stage looked incredibly intense. 

But for most of the spectators, few had the presence of mind to watch. 

What had started as an ordinary airship journey had turned into a nightmare. 

Not only were they under the control of criminals, but these weren't ordinary hijackers. 

They were monsters in human form. 

(t/n totally forgot there were other people on board)