"The Kurta?"
Kaizen narrowed his eyes at the mention of the Kurta clan. He had always been intrigued by them.
In the original storyline, the Kurta clan played a significant role, tied to several major plot points. One of the key early characters, Kurapika, was a survivor of the Kurta massacre.
According to Kurapika, the extermination of his people was carried out by the Phantom Troupe, which led to the events of the Yorknew City arc.
"Yorknew was chaotic for two reasons."
"One was the Phantom Troupe's retaliation against the world's underworld syndicates."
"The other was Kurapika's revenge against the Phantom Troupe."
"But the Troupe wasn't really interested in the Scarlet Eyes. The one who gathered the most was actually the Fourth Prince of the Kakin Empire, Tserriednich."
"Not just the Scarlet Eyes."
"Tserriednich even collected the severed head of a Kurta clansman—one with eyes burning red."
The unique abilities of the Kurta's Scarlet Eyes, as displayed by Kurapika, had long captured Kaizen's curiosity.
Kaizen carefully read through the email.
It hadn't been sent to him directly. Instead, the message was addressed to Altan. But it wasn't exclusive to him—several others had received the same email. Each recipient was an elite in intelligence gathering.
"Altan, can you trace the sender's address?"
It didn't take long before Altan had an answer.
"Kakin?"
Kaizen's expression darkened.
The details surrounding the Kurta massacre had always been murky. The true mastermind remained unknown. The extent of the Phantom Troupe's involvement was unclear. And then there was…
"This so-called 'Kurta Labyrinth' is actually a puzzle game. Cracking it reveals the location of a hidden Kurta settlement."
"If I can acquire the Kurta's unique abilities, it would be a major asset."
"I recall that in the original timeline, the Kurta were wiped out in a short period."
"This is an opportunity."
"If I let it slip away, there won't be another chance."
"It's now or never."
Kaizen made up his mind.
"Alright, I'll play along."
"Solve the Kurta Labyrinth. Find the hidden settlement. Seize the Kurta's abilities. And create my seventh Nen Beast."
In the past, he had considered targeting the Kurta, but their secluded nature made them impossible to track. He had set aside the idea.
But now, the information had come straight to his doorstep.
"First things first."
Kaizen opened the email's attachment.
A poem.
Within it, a location was concealed.
Deciphering the poem would reveal the next destination—a place where the Kurta maze could be solved.
A test of worthiness.
Not just anyone could participate.
Much like the Hunter Exam, the email was already a screening process. Only those with exceptional intelligence had been selected, yet even among them, further filtration was necessary.
"Altan, you handle the decryption."
Half an hour later, Altan had the answer.
"Brock Town."
Kaizen pulled up a map.
"That's close to Heavens Arena… but more importantly, it's near Locks City."
Locks City—an underground haven built by the world's criminal organizations around Ganlu Temple.
Kaizen examined the transit options.
"From Brock Town, there's a direct bus to Locks City. Once I reach the station, I can get a ticket there."
"With the wealth concentrated around Heavens Arena, Locks City has become the entertainment hub that fills the void. It's no surprise that it's thriving."
After briefing Nina and the others, Kaizen left Heavens Arena and headed for the bus station.
"One ticket to Locks City."
The ticket clerk, a young woman, glanced at Kaizen in surprise. She knew exactly what kind of place Locks City was.
Men Kaizen's age rarely traveled there.
"Are you alone?"
"Yeah."
"Hold on."
A moment later, she handed him a ticket.
"1,000 Jenny."
Kaizen slid over a banknote, took the ticket, and moved toward the waiting area. The bus wouldn't depart for another half hour.
Behind the counter, another woman watched Kaizen leave and shook her head.
"He's so young. Does he even know what kind of place he's headed to?"
"Unbelievable."
"Kids these days are growing up too fast."
The ticket clerk hesitated. "Not everyone goes to Locks City for that. He might be looking for someone."
"I guess you're right."
Time passed, and the bus was ready to depart.
Kaizen lined up and boarded.
Most of the passengers were men—some young, some middle-aged, some old. But few were his age.
The middle-aged man beside him sized him up curiously.
"Hey, kid. You heading to Locks City alone?"
Kaizen nodded.
"Been there before?"
"Yeah."
Locks City had been built on the ruins of Ganlu Temple, a place Kaizen had fought in before. Though, back then, he had only been a distraction—the real battle had been fought by Silva.
The man furrowed his brow. "That's impressive. At your age, I didn't know the first thing about the world. Kids these days are something else."
Kaizen remained silent.
Then, the man leaned closer.
"Hey, want to stick together once we arrive?"
"No."
The rejection was immediate.
"Alright, alright." The man sighed, a little disappointed.
With a roar, the bus engine came to life. The vehicle rumbled forward, picking up speed toward Locks City.
Outside, the sky darkened.
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