NenMaster
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Chapter 141
🕑 Added 2025-01-08 18:04:45 +0000 UTCWith Machi joining the group, Kastro became somewhat impatient. His competitive streak flared, and without thoroughly investigating the situation, he had recklessly rushed in.
This unnecessary desire for victory not only failed to help but also led him straight into the enemy's trap.
“If it were the old me, I would’ve sent out a few conjured clones to scout first, making sure it was safe before coming in myself.
“But now… I got careless, way too careless!!”
Kastro, who had managed to eliminate five out of the seven members of the Kute Bandit Group, had let this small achievement get to his head. He began to underestimate the Kute Bandit Group, thinking they weren’t much of a threat.
Little did he know, reality’s punishment would come so swiftly, making him taste the bitter consequences of arrogance and carelessness.
And the bitterness of this consequence was so intense that he found it hard to swallow.
“It seems… this is where I meet my end,” Kastro muttered, his gaze fixed on Silva Zoldyck standing before him.
Although he didn’t know who Silva was or where he came from, Kastro could clearly sense the vast gap between their abilities.
Kastro wasn’t weak—far from it. But Silva’s Nen was overwhelmingly powerful.
It was as if Silva had maintained a cold, disciplined heart, training himself relentlessly for decades to reach his current level.
And Kastro?
He had only been training for a few short years.
Although he had received proper guidance from his Shingen-ryu master, Morin, it seemed Silva’s family techniques were in no way inferior.
Nen proficiency, aura volume, battle experience—Kastro fell short in every aspect. This was the first time he’d faced such a terrifying opponent.
In truth, given Kastro’s exceptional talent, a few more years of training would have made him a match for Silva.
Even Chrollo, who was self-taught, could hold his own against Silva and Zeno when they teamed up, though the outcome of that battle remained uncertain.
With even greater talent and instruction from a renowned master, Kastro certainly had the potential to rival Chrollo.
But now?
First, he had been injured during the ambush.
Second, while Kastro had previously witnessed the explosive aura of his master, Morin, and Ging Freecss during their demonstrations on Greed Island, it was entirely different to experience it as an enemy.
That raw, unrestrained killing intent—born from countless lives taken—crashed over him like a tidal wave, shaking his willpower to its core.
This was the first time he had ever faced someone exuding such murderous intent, and it assaulted him in relentless waves.
His opponent was undoubtedly a seasoned executioner who had killed more people than Kastro could fathom.
“Even so, so what?!”
Kastro’s eyes remained resolute. “Even if I can’t win, I won’t let you claim an easy victory!”
“Impressive resolve,” Zeno commented, stroking his beard.
“To maintain your fighting spirit under the weight of Silva’s killing intent… It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such an outstanding young man.”
Hunched over, Zeno walked forward. “But it’s a shame… Such a bright, shining star is about to fall right here.”
Zeno slowly extended his hands from behind his back, one hand forming a straight edge in front of him, while the other curled into a claw-like shape across his chest.
“Dragon Head Strike.”
Zeno’s calm voice announced his ultimate technique. At the same time, the massive aura surrounding him coalesced into his hands, gradually forming a ferocious dragon’s head.
“Transmutation? Or Emission?”
Watching this unfold, Kastro quickly analyzed Zeno’s ability, trying to deduce its nature.
It was clear that Silva and Zeno intended to attack him together.
“An ambush, and now they’re planning to team up…”
Machi, having wiped the blood from her mouth, shot a cold glare at the two assassins.
“For such strong fighters, they sure resort to underhanded tactics.”
“Little girl,” Zeno replied with a faint smile, “for assassins like us, everything is dictated by the client’s request.
“Your lives were paid for, so our job is to take them.
“As for how we do it? That doesn’t matter in the slightest.”
“You’re assassins?”
Hearing Zeno’s admission, Kastro probed cautiously. “Whatever Kute is paying you, I’ll double it!”
Silva’s expression remained stoic, while Zeno simply chuckled without answering.
“Hahaha! Don’t kid yourself, boy. Do you even know who they are?”
Kute’s laughter rang out as he saw Kastro begin to waver, delighting in his despair.
“If they could be bought off so easily, they wouldn’t deserve to be called the world’s greatest assassin family!”
“Zoldyck?”
Kastro’s face turned grim.
There was only one family in the world deserving of the title “greatest assassin family,” and that was the Zoldycks.
Machi’s expression also grew colder—clearly, she too had heard of the Zoldyck family’s infamous reputation.
“Then I suppose there’s no other way.”
Realizing who his opponents were, Kastro abandoned any thoughts of negotiation.
He knew the Zoldyck family never reneged on a contract once they accepted a job.
Their priority was always to complete the assignment, even if it meant placing their safety second to the mission.
“Now, the only path left for me…” Kastro thought grimly, “is to fight them to the bitter end!!”
“Have you resolved yourself to die?”
Zeno’s eyes sharpened, a thin smile on his face.
“Then prepare to meet your end, boy!”
The massive golden dragon, its clawed talons gleaming, shot toward Kastro with terrifying speed.
At the same time, Silva gathered his aura into both hands, forming a massive energy sphere, which he hurled straight at Machi.
Boom!!
Silva’s attack landed first, the energy ball hurtling toward Machi.
Using her thin wires, Machi propelled herself off the ground, leveraging the pull of stones wrapped in her threads to narrowly dodge Silva’s strike once again.
However, the cost of evasion was steep—another mouthful of blood sprayed from her lips.
“So, he’s an Emission-type user, is he?!” Machi’s sharp gaze darted to Silva. Her wires, as sharp as steel, encircled her, slicing through the debris hurled her way.
Silva glanced at her but said nothing.
In reality, Silva was a Transmutation-type Nen user.
However, his powerful, broad physique and his aggressive, overwhelming combat style often misled opponents into thinking he was either an Enhancement or Emission-type user.
This misjudgment often worked to Silva’s advantage, giving him a strategic edge.
While Machi struggled against Silva, Kastro was also faring poorly against Zeno.
Faced with the deadly Dragon Head Strike, Kastro immediately conjured several illusions.
In a moment of life-or-death crisis, he no longer cared about whether his abilities would be exposed to his opponent.
But—
“Your ability to conjure illusions? The client has already informed us about it,” Zeno remarked with a sly grin.
“I can tell you’re skilled in close combat. So, as long as I keep my distance, that’s enough to deal with you!”
“Dragon Head Strike: Dragon Tail Sweep!!”
Under Zeno’s command, the enormous golden dragon moved fluidly, despite being formed of aura. The dragon spun swiftly, and its massive tail swept through the battlefield with crushing force.
In a single motion, Zeno’s dragon wiped out Kastro’s illusions entirely. The tail continued its arc, rushing toward Kastro with unrelenting momentum.
Seeing the attack, a glimmer of determination flashed in Kastro’s eyes.
He clenched his fists tightly, adopting a claw-like stance, and collided directly with the dragon’s tail.
Using the recoil from the impact, Kastro adjusted his angle and launched himself toward Machi’s position.
Silva and Zeno didn’t pursue immediately. Instead, they regrouped, standing side by side, waiting for the next move.
The battlefield shifted—now it was two versus two.
“We need to work together!!”
Landing beside Machi, Kastro spoke rapidly, his tone urgent.
“If we don’t, both of us will die at their hands!!”
“Work together? With you?”
Machi cast a cold glance at Kastro.
“If it were your master, I’d have no objection. But you? You’re still far from his level!!”
“My master?”
Kastro instinctively shook his head. “There’s no way my master could know about this situation and show up here.”
Then, a realization dawned on him.
“Wait… Why did you bring up my master? Do you know him?!”
Machi shot Kastro a sidelong glance, remaining silent.
Since Morin hadn’t explained her relationship with him, she didn’t see the need to clarify things to this junior.
Still—
“If it’s him… Maybe he really could know what’s happening here,” Machi murmured.
“After all, he’s got all sorts of strange tools at his disposal.”
