Two hours later.
A sea of lights came into view.
Locks City was an open city, without walls or borders—accessible from any direction. A pure entertainment hub, it never truly slept. Even in the dead of night, it was as bright as day.
In fact, for the people of Locks City, the real day began after sunset.
The bus rolled into the city.
Kaizen looked out the window. Bars, street food stalls, karaoke clubs, hotels—everything revolved around entertainment. Women in revealing outfits stood by the roadside, drawing the attention of passersby. The air was thick with an intoxicating mix of excitement and temptation.
As the bus arrived at the station—
Suddenly.
A familiar aura flared up nearby.
Kaizen instinctively turned his head, his gaze sharpening.
That aura...
He immediately recognized it—it belonged to Ganlu Temple.
And at the same time, Ganlu Temple recognized him.
Kaizen didn't hesitate.
In a flash, he was off the bus, vanishing from the temple's range before it could react.
Ganlu Temple seethed with frustration, unable to catch up. All it could do was watch Kaizen disappear into the city.
...
Locks City Center
A young man stood at a high vantage point, his sharp eyes scanning the direction of the bus station.
"A familiar presence?"
"Someone I know?"
"Could it be one of his people?"
Lockes narrowed his eyes.
He knew the history of Ganlu Temple. Once, it had been a place of worship. The temple's abbot had been its master, until someone placed a contract on his life, hiring an assassin from the Zoldyck family. The deal was sealed with an exorbitant fee, and the abbot was executed by the Zoldycks.
After that, the Zoldycks sold Ganlu Temple to the underworld.
Lockes had been sent by the world's gangsters to take control of it.
"If it's a Zoldyck, I don't have much to worry about."
"The temple has already changed hands. They won't try to reclaim it."
"But if it's a friend of that monk... that's different."
Lockes clenched his jaw.
"Ganlu Temple is mine."
The temple's power had elevated him, pushing his strength beyond its previous limits. Since acquiring it, Lockes had advanced from a mere C-rank fighter to an A-rank force. The thought of losing that power was unbearable.
He had once been a member of the Shadow Beasts, but now, those same underworld figures had to show him respect, addressing him as an equal or even a superior.
Lockes smirked to himself.
"Even the Zoldycks can't be trusted completely."
"Their assassins took down that monk before."
"And if they could defeat him, they might be able to kill me, too."
"I can't afford to let my guard down."
"There are plenty of people in the underworld who would love to take my place."
His expression darkened.
"But I won't let them."
"Locks City belongs to me."
...
On the Bus
The middle-aged man sitting near Kaizen had planned to strike up a conversation, but when he turned his head, Kaizen was gone.
His face froze.
"What the...?"
"Where'd he go?"
"Did he just disappear?!"
A chill ran down his spine.
Kaizen had been seated by the window. If he had left normally, he would have had to pass by. Yet the man hadn't noticed a thing.
"Was I imagining things?"
"Was that seat always empty?"
His excitement about spending the night in Locks City suddenly faded. He had planned carefully for this trip, even coming up with excuses to fool his wife at home.
But now?
"Maybe I should head back early. This place gives me a bad feeling."
Ignoring his companions' invitations, the man grabbed a quick bite from a street vendor, booked a hotel, and planned to leave at dawn.
...
Kaizen's Path
After stepping off the bus, Kaizen moved eastward.
Brock Town lay to the east of Locks City, not too far away. No need for a taxi—he could cover the distance on foot with ease. His aura-enhanced movement was far faster than an average person's.
A woman by the roadside waved at him.
"Hey there, sweetheart. Looking for some fun? I've got a game you'll love."
Kaizen barely spared her a glance before walking past.
In both his past life and this one, he had a principle: stay clean.
Not necessarily celibate, but clean.
Disease could kill even a Nen user. And those with certain afflictions were often ostracized.
"Tch, no fun." The woman clicked her tongue, shifting her focus to another passerby.
As Kaizen left the city center, the streets grew quieter. Fewer people. Fewer lights.
Suddenly.
A shadow fell over him.
In an instant, two figures emerged—one in front, one behind.
"Don't move, kid," the one in front sneered, brandishing a knife. "This blade isn't just for show."
Kaizen raised an eyebrow.
"A mugging?"
"Now this is nostalgic."
It had been ages since anyone had dared try something like this with him. He had almost forgotten what it felt like.
But now, here it was again.
"Just ordinary thugs."
"Not worth my time."
The thug grinned, mistaking Kaizen's silence for fear.
"What, cat got your tongue?"
Before he could finish his sentence—
Kaizen vanished.
"Wha—?!"
THWACK!
The thug collapsed instantly, unconscious before he hit the ground.
His partner turned to run—but it was too late.
Kaizen moved too fast. A complete mismatch in speed and power.
With both assailants out cold, Kaizen looted their belongings, stripped them, and hung them naked from a streetlamp before continuing on his way.
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