Nina remained vigilant.
Facing Tro's relentless assault, she swiftly dodged, the two of them darting around the ring in a rapid exchange.
"Genius?" Tro sneered. "Genius, my ass. If you haven't made it to the 200th floor, you have no idea what a different world this is. Down below, all your so-called talent is nothing but a joke."
His eyes burned with resentment as memories of his initiation resurfaced. The brutal ordeal had left an indelible mark on him, both physically and mentally. He had once been a bright, handsome young man. But after the initiation, he was left scarred, a shell of his former self.
Tro's grip on his cane tightened, knuckles turning white.
Kaizen observed Tro's condition but remained unconcerned. Nina's strength far surpassed Tro's. Even if she made a mistake, as long as it wasn't a major one, she was still bound to win. And with the level of caution she was displaying, the chance of making any mistakes was slim.
Kaizen had always adhered to the Zoldyck family's principles. As a member of his team, Nina had adopted a similar approach.
"From the audience's perspective, this match is still entertaining," Kaizen mused, scanning the crowd.
Killua was nowhere to be seen, but he did spot Sadaso. The lanky fighter sat in the stands, observing the match with an analytical expression.
"How did that guy end up being a rookie killer in the original story? What exactly happened during his initiation?"
At the center of the ring, Tro's patience was wearing thin. "Stop running! Come and face what I went through! I'll break every bone in your body!"
His face contorted with rage, but his aggression only opened up more opportunities for Nina.
She dodged, appearing at his side in an instant.
"Gyo."
Focusing her aura into her fist, she delivered a powerful punch straight into Tro's waist.
A sharp pain shot through him, his expression twisting in agony. Gritting his teeth, he swung his cane wildly, but Nina had already stepped back.
Tro stumbled forward, desperate to regain control. But suddenly, he realized something was off—his body refused to balance properly.
With a heavy thud, he collapsed to the ground.
Seizing the moment, Nina snatched his cane and brought it down with force.
Crack!
The sickening sound of breaking bones filled the arena.
"I surrender!" Tro screamed, overwhelmed by fear.
The referee immediately stepped in.
"Winner, Nina!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Nina waved to the audience. Unlike Kaizen, who preferred to keep a low profile, Nina enjoyed basking in the applause.
As she scanned the stands, her gaze landed on Kaizen. Her eyes brightened with excitement. Waving enthusiastically, she hurriedly left the ring, disappearing into the player's tunnel.
Meanwhile, the spectators buzzed with conversation.
"Nina's really strong. She reached the 200th floor and won her first match with ease."
"Yeah, but her opponent was weak. Tro has lost three out of four matches. He's not exactly impressive."
"Still, I wonder how she compares to Kaizen."
"Kaizen's definitely stronger. Nina's good, but she still has a long way to go."
Sadaso shook his head at the chatter. "They're teammates. There's no way they'd fight each other. And besides, Kaizen is clearly on another level."
Tro, still gasping for breath, was carried off on a stretcher. Bitterness twisted inside him.
"Why? Why did this happen to me? I made it to the 200th floor, so why am I still losing?" His mind raced with frustration. "How did she learn to fight like that? It's not fair!"
As soon as Nina spotted Kaizen, she ran over excitedly.
"Kaizen!"
"Nina."
That's when she noticed Tessia standing beside him.
Tessia instinctively stepped back, and for a moment, Nina felt a familiar pang. It reminded her of how she once stood beside Kaizen in the same way. Back then, Carlisle had been the one looming in the background. But after witnessing Carlisle's death firsthand, Nina had finally moved on. Now, she embraced the present.
"Who's this?"
"This is Tessia, a new member of our team. Tessia, meet Nina."
The two exchanged brief greetings.
"Head back to your room for now," Kaizen instructed.
"Alright."
As the three of them made their way down the hall, they ran into Shizuku, who had just exited from another corridor. Now a group of four, they returned to the luxury suite.
Inside, Polar Bear paced lazily around the sofa while Shizuku played with snacks, occasionally teasing the large white bear.
"Where's your room, Nina?" Kaizen asked.
"Next door."
"The same one as before?"
She shook her head. "No, a different one."
Kaizen nodded. "That works out. Now that we have five members, space was getting tight anyway. Since you've made it to the 200th floor, it's only fitting."
Turning to Tessia, he continued, "Tessia hasn't learned Nen yet. I've given her a training regimen, so you'll be working with her from now on. Once she completes her training, you'll teach her the fundamentals."
Nina nodded eagerly. "Got it. Leave it to me!"
For her, helping Kaizen with anything was a source of pride.
Just then, a phone rang.
Kaizen picked up.
"Kaizen, it's Mizaistom."
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