Dominica's face darkened as she came to an abrupt stop.
At this point, traveling by aura was far faster and more convenient than relying on a car.
However, before they could move again—
A massive shadow hurtled toward them.
Boom!
The shadow slammed down, flattening the car they had been riding in.
Whoosh!
Three figures darted away from the vehicle just in time, scattering in different directions: Kaizen, Dominica, and Wendy.
The scene gave Kaizen a strange sense.
"In the original story, when the Shadow Beasts attacked the Phantom Troupe, one of their members landed on the roof of their car and obliterated it with a single strike. The troupe members, however, reacted quickly—four escaped just in time, except for Nobunaga. Sitting in the middle of the back seat had left him no way out."
But now, Kaizen thought, they didn't have that problem.
"Dominica?" Kaizen turned to her, his tone cautious yet firm.
The current situation demanded a decision. Should they pursue the Nen user responsible for this chaos, or deal with the monstrosity in front of them?
Kaizen glanced at the creature.
It was a gigantic fish, but not like any ordinary aquatic animal. This one had human legs and moved freely on land. On closer inspection, it wasn't even a real fish—it was an amalgamation of human bodies. The shimmering "scales" covering it were actually countless human heads.
Dominica's gaze shifted toward the airship floating high above.
"We handle the monster first," she decided firmly.
"There's no other Nen user in the area, but Taris' techniques always leave behind something vile."
She explained grimly, "Using their 'Seeds of Death,' they kill large numbers of people to create these instant monstrosities. These creatures are destructive, and what's worse, they draw power from the lives they've consumed."
"If we leave now, this entire city will turn into a graveyard."
"This is why the Kingdom of Fiora despises the Nen users of Taris. Decades ago, hundreds of thousands of Fiora citizens—royalty included—were slaughtered by their hands. We won't let that happen again."
Dominica exhaled sharply, her anger barely contained.
"The Book of Tools has already located the Nen user responsible. They won't escape."
She turned back to Kaizen and Wendy.
"I'll handle the big one. You two take care of the smaller threats."
Wendy gave a quick nod of agreement, but Kaizen hesitated.
"Dominica," Kaizen said, stepping forward, "let me take on the big one."
Dominica frowned, her skepticism clear.
"Are you sure?"
Kaizen nodded confidently. "I've got a strategy. These monsters look terrifying, but their destructive power is mostly brute strength. I have a way to counter that."
Dominica stared at him for a long moment before giving a reluctant nod.
"Fine. But be careful."
Kaizen turned to face the monstrosity.
To ordinary Nen users, creatures like this were overwhelming. Their sheer aura was enough to fill most people with dread. The comparison made Kaizen smirk grimly—at least this time, his hair wouldn't fall out from the stress.
He had already seen enough of these so-called "monsters" to know their weaknesses. They were terrifying, yes, but not invincible. The Kingdom of Taris hadn't taken over the world for a reason. These abominations had limitations, just like any other Nen ability.
Kaizen glanced around. The dense urban environment was his playground. With Altan's monitoring systems, there were no blind spots in this city. He would find the openings he needed.
Dominica, meanwhile, noticed movement in the distance.
A massive balloon floated upward, shaped like a human head. Hanging below it was a person, suspended by the neck. The person struggled, but their resistance didn't last long.
Moments later, the balloon burst—not with air, but with blood.
The crimson rain fell over the city, splattering the panicked civilians below. And as the blood soaked their skin, people began to change.
Their emotions spiraled out of control—lust, rage, and despair consumed them. Some screamed obscenities, others destroyed everything in their path. None noticed the nooses tightening around their necks, connected to newly forming balloons.
The balloons grew larger as their victims' emotions intensified.
Dominica's jaw tightened.
"Kaizen," she said sharply, "are you ready?"
Kaizen turned back to her, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"I've got this."
Dominica hesitated only briefly before nodding.
"Fine. Wendy and I will handle the rest."
As Dominica leapt toward her targets, she muttered under her breath, "Taris scum… maggots… When I find you, I'll grind you into dust!"
Kaizen faced the grotesque fish creature before him.
Wendy, fighting smaller monstrosities nearby, kept glancing toward him with a mix of worry and curiosity.
The civilians at the airship terminal had devolved into chaos, screams echoing through the streets. Kaizen took a deep breath.
"Time to prove myself," he muttered.
The battle was only just beginning.
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