Chapter 133: Chapter 133: The Cannon Fodder Who Thinks He’s a Genius
"I still have a reading tool," Kaizen said as he pulled out a dull knife.
Even without infusing it with aura, the knife radiated a faintly ominous aura. To the greedy and lustful eyes of those around him, it was little more than a sharp blade, its true potential hidden.
To them, Kaizen couldn't possibly have a decent Nen tool at his disposal.
"Can we increase the commission?" Greed, chuckled darkly.
"Of course! I'll add another million Jenny for you," Greed replied, her tone dripping with mock generosity. He reveled in Kaizen's avaricious personality—it made the boy predictable. Greed didn't need to worry about paying that extra commission herself, the Wilhelm family would foot the bill.
"Thank you," Kaizen replied, keeping his tone even as he made his way to the tunnel leading deeper into the estate.
Behind him, Greed and Lust shared a hushed conversation.
"That's the guy we suspected earlier, right? The one connected to Carlisle?" Lust asked.
"Yeah, but look at him—he's too weak to pose a real threat. There's no way he could take on someone like Gluttony or Laziness."
"And his personality? Greedy, self-serving, with only a superficial connection to Carlisle's daughter. If not for the money, he wouldn't be here. Honestly, he's probably just showing all his cards to get a bigger payout."
"Exactly. We can dismiss him as a threat entirely—a wannabe genius at best."
As they whispered, Kaizen entered a large hall where several other figures were waiting. Some turned to glance at him with mild surprise, but Kaizen ignored them and quietly took a spot in the corner.
Before long, Greed and Lust strode in, trailed by a man named Nock.
"Everyone," Nock announced, scanning the room.
"Congratulations on passing the assessment. From now on, you are employed by the Wilhelm family. Outwardly, your status is that of bodyguards. But in reality, your job is to obey the orders of our esteemed masters."
Kaizen glanced around. Including him, twelve people had passed the assessment.
Nock continued, "First, let's divide you into groups."
He began assigning people. Among the twelve, he pointed to the three most robust-looking individuals first. Kaizen, despite his Zoldyck lineage and sharp looks, was overlooked by Lust, who favored older and more seasoned-looking candidates.
Lust's motives were transparent—she wasn't selecting for skill but for her own amusement. Greed, observing this, said nothing, though her expression betrayed a flicker of disdain.
"You three, follow me," Greed said, finally pointing to Kaizen and two others.
As they followed Greed, Kaizen studied his new companions.
The first was a young man in a sharp suit and gold-rimmed glasses. His demeanor was reserved, more fitting for a scholar than a fighter.
The second wore sports gear and a headband, exuding the brash energy of a street tough, though his eyes were oddly detached, as if nothing mattered to him.
Greed led them to a conference room.
"Introduce yourselves," he ordered, motioning to the man in the suit.
"Yes, sir. My name is Yang. I'm a Manipulator, skilled in combat, and confident in my offensive capabilities," Yang said, bowing slightly.
Next, the man in sportswear stepped forward. "I'm Muraki, an Enhancer. My specialty is defense. No matter what kind of attack comes our way, I'll stand at the front."
Finally, all eyes turned to Kaizen.
"I'm Kaizen. I specialize in Nen techniques," he said simply.
Greed nodded. "Good. I won't waste time explaining my abilities—you'll learn soon enough. Here's our mission: two of my companions were killed, and we're going to avenge them.
"Our first target is the Azure Dojo. Tonight, we infiltrate it to capture its master. If necessary, we'll burn through any connections they have with the Shen Dojo."
The simplicity of Greed's plan belied its brutality—she would eliminate any potential threats, even at the risk of collateral damage.
Meanwhile, Lust returned to her quarters with her chosen team. Instead of preparing for the mission, however, she indulged in his base desires. The unwilling participants could do little to resist, Lust's strength vastly exceeded theirs.
Back in the main hall, the six remaining participants turned to Nock.
"What about us?" one of them asked.
"Two more masters will be arriving shortly," Nock replied. "You'll follow them."
Minutes later, two figures entered the room: Jealousy and Anger.
Nock himself retreated to a secured chamber in the Wilhelm estate. There, a team of technicians and Nen users attempted to recover surveillance data, hoping to glean clues about the recent murders.
But it was a futile effort.
The work of Altan, a top-tier Nen technician, was far beyond their capabilities. Not even the resources of V5 or the Kakin Empire could undo the damage Altan had done to their systems.
In a quiet corner, Kaizen reflected.
"It's impossible for them to uncover the real culprit. Their investigation will only stall until something forces them to give up.
"Just like the ten Dons in the original story—once they learned that the Phantom Troupe came from Meteor City, they stopped seeking revenge."
Kaizen's eyes glinted with resolve. "If I can leverage Greed's connections, I'll infiltrate the inner circles of the world's gangsters.
"And then I'll absorb their knowledge, their techniques… everything."
With a plan forming in his mind, Kaizen released a controlled burst of aura. It traveled toward Heavens Arena, carrying an order to his allies, Altan and Raiken.
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