Chapter 29: Newcomer Killer, Sadaso!

On the airship, Kaizen sat by the window, gazing at the distant white clouds. A green bird flew by, but a dark figure suddenly darted through the sky, colliding with the bird.

"Squeak?"

Before the bird could react, the shadow enveloped it, and it was gone. Kaizen turned away from the window, disinterested.

Suddenly, the airship grew noisy.

"Don't move!"

"Hand over all your money!"

Several masked figures appeared—one blocking the exit, another guarding the entrance, while others began rummaging through passengers' belongings, threatening anyone who resisted. The tension in the cabin skyrocketed.

"Condensation," Kaizen murmured instinctively, using his aura to sharpen his senses. But something was off—these robbers didn't emit any aura. They weren't Nen users.

"Air bandits," Kaizen mused. In a world where airships were common, bandits who preyed on these transports had become a familiar threat. He scanned the cabin. Most passengers were panicking, but a few, like himself, remained calm. A handful were observant, waiting for the right moment to strike.

A masked robber approached a young man with long, light green hair.

"Hand over anything valuable," the robber snarled.

The green-haired youth trembled in apparent fear, quickly offering his wallet, hands shaking violently. The air bandit, satisfied, moved on.

But Kaizen could tell the youth was faking it.

Just as the air bandit let down his guard, ready to approach the next passenger, the youth moved. His hand shot out, gripping the bandit's throat.

Crack!

The bandit didn't even have time to react. His throat was crushed in an instant.

"What?!"

The other air bandits turned at the sound, but it was already too late. Several passengers, who had been quietly preparing to strike, launched into action.

"Ahhh!"

Within moments, two more bandits were subdued. The last remaining bandit, stationed at the back of the cabin, tried to escape. But the leader of the air bandits—clearly more experienced than the rest—dodged an attack and raised his gun.

Bang!

The leader's shot hit one of the passengers, killing them instantly.

"Who dares to move?"

Kaizen flicked his fingers, sending a coin ricocheting off the ceiling and into the back of the leader's head. Staggering from the hit, the leader lost his focus.

Seizing the opportunity, the green-haired youth lunged again.

"Kill!"

Another passenger joined the assault, and together, they overpowered the leader.

By this time, the airship's security officers finally arrived, apprehending the remaining bandits. The passengers who had fought back began chatting amongst themselves, relieved and eager to discuss their shared experience.

Kaizen, however, remained seated, uninterested in joining the conversation. He looked back out the window. Far off in the distance, the bandit who had fled first was now a tiny black dot, gliding away on a paraglider. If the airship guards pursued him, they likely wouldn't catch up.

The group of passengers who had fought the bandits seemed to be hitting it off, exchanging names. One name, however, caught Kaizen's attention.

"My name is Sadaso."

Kaizen paused.

"Sadaso?" he thought, recognizing the name.

"The rookie killer from Heavens Arena?"

"The same Sadaso who would later be humiliated by Killua, too terrified to even step into the ring, and who fled Heavens Arena in disgrace?"

Kaizen glanced over at the green-haired youth.

"The hair color matches—light green, just like in the original story. But something's off."

In the future, Sadaso had short hair, but this young man's hair was long. His facial features were slightly different, and his eyes weren't as narrow. His arms were still intact, too.

"Well, that makes sense. In the original story, Sadaso appeared years later, when Killua was twelve. Right now, Killua is only five."

Kaizen shifted his gaze back out the window.

"This Sadaso must be the same one," Kaizen mused. "He's probably heading to Heavens Arena now. He'll climb to the 200th floor after years of struggle, thinking it's the start of a brighter future. But he'll soon be met with disaster."

"Not only will Killua disfigure him, but he'll also shatter Sadaso's left arm. That's how Sadaso ends.

Kaizen couldn't help but think about how much time and experience could change a person. Right now, Sadaso seemed confident and capable, even righteous. But years from now, he would become a despicable rookie killer.

"I wonder if Sadaso would still head to Heavens Arena if he knew what lay ahead."

Two days later, the airship descended, finally reaching its destination. As the doors opened and passengers disembarked, Kaizen followed the crowd into the bustling city below.

The sleek, modern architecture stretched before him—a stark contrast to the traditional style of Zoldyck Manor, where Kaizen had spent most of his life. This was the first time he had stepped foot in such a modern city, and he couldn't help but feel a little out of place.

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