Chapter 65: Go to the Park!

"Let me introduce myself—I am Doppo, the Floor Master of the 236th floor of Heavens Arena."

"My disciple fought you on the 199th floor."

Kaizen furrowed his brow, thinking back. "Erlang?"

"That's right." Doppo nodded, his eyes filled with quiet pride. "He is one of my disciples. I hold myself to high standards, and my path through life has been smooth for the most part."

"But it wasn't until he met you that he realized: There is always someone stronger, always a sky beyond the sky." He sighed, hands folded behind his back.

"After losing to you, Erlang returned to the dojo, determined to train harder. He's finally on the right path, thanks to that defeat. For that, Kaizen, I owe you my gratitude."

Kaizen hadn't expected Erlang to have such a high-ranking teacher. His mind drifted.

If Erlang had beaten me back then... Kaizen imagined the rookie killers targeting Erlang, only to find out later that his teacher was a Floor Master. That would've been a sight to see.

Kaizen shrugged casually. "I was just fighting the way I always do. Nothing special."

Doppo smiled, shifting the conversation smoothly.

"Kaizen, you seem to be walking this path alone. Would you be interested in joining my dojo? I sense that your background is not simple, but rest assured—our dojo operates only within Heavens Arena. It won't interfere with your other pursuits."

Kaizen, though still young, was no fool. He knew Doppo was hinting that someone powerful must have trained him. Who taught me Nen? The question gnawed at him sometimes, though the answer didn't really matter.

After a moment's hesitation, Kaizen shook his head.

"Thanks, but I'm not staying here for long. I'll leave after the fighting tournament ends."

Doppo raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning to compete?"

Kaizen gave a slight smile. "No way. I'm not strong enough to enter yet. I just want to watch and learn."

Kaizen didn't need to participate. Observing the tournament up close would be enough. His crystal ball could absorb the essence of the battles simply by being nearby. It didn't matter whether he fought or not—the crystal would collect what it needed.

"Fair enough," Doppo said with a nod. "I hope we meet again someday."

"Goodbye."

Doppo gave a polite nod and walked off, leaving Kaizen to return to his room.

Kaizen sat down, his gaze falling on the crystal ball. Watching Doppo's earlier fight with Juliana had added a small spark of progress to it, but not much. Still not enough.

He turned to Lina. "We should get going."

Lina gave a small nod, pulling a large black cloak over herself. With her current appearance, she had no choice but to hide. Anyone who saw her would panic, and even Kaizen felt unsettled if he looked at her too long.

It wasn't that Lina was ugly—there were far worse-looking creatures out there. It was more about why she looked the way she did now.

"Got it," she said softly.

That evening, the two left Heavens Arena. A black car was already waiting at the entrance.

The driver leaned out the window. "You Kaizen?"

Kaizen gave him a once-over. "Tansen?"

"That's me."

Kaizen nodded, then motioned for Lina to get in first. She slid into the left side of the back seat, while Kaizen took the right. Tansen gave the two a quick glance before looking away, clearly deciding it was better not to ask too many questions.

"Ready?" the driver asked.

"Yeah," Kaizen replied.

With a roar, the car sped off, leaving a cloud of exhaust behind.

Choosing a black-market driver like Tansen came with risks. There were plenty of stories about these drivers doubling as robbers, ambushing passengers halfway through the journey. But Kaizen wasn't concerned. Tansen didn't have aura—and even if he did, Kaizen was confident he could handle him.

The car cruised smoothly through the city and soon reached the outskirts, where darkness thickened like a curtain.

"Long drive ahead," Tansen muttered. "Might as well rest if you're tired. I've been doing this for years—never had an accident."

Kaizen gave a small nod. "Alright. Thanks."

The words had barely left his mouth when the sound of roaring engines echoed from behind them.

"Vroom! Vroom!"

A pack of cars zoomed past them, engines screaming as they sped ahead.

Kaizen's eyes narrowed. "A street race?"

Something about it didn't sit right.

Tansen's expression hardened. "No. We've got trouble."

He gripped the wheel tighter. "Don't worry—I've got this. Just hold on."

Before Kaizen could ask what he meant, the car surged forward. The engine roared louder, and Kaizen felt a sudden jolt as the vehicle accelerated far beyond normal limits.

This car's been heavily modified.

The tires screeched against the pavement, carving sharp arcs into the road.

Ahead, the other cars had come to a stop, blocking the road entirely. It was clear they were planning something—possibly an ambush.

But Tansen had no intention of slowing down.

"Brace yourselves!" he barked.

With a violent surge, the car rocketed forward.

"BREAK THROUGH!"

The car barreled straight toward the blockade, engine screaming, and in the blink of an eye, they were through—leaving nothing but tire marks and a cloud of dust behind them.

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