At this moment, Kaka looked at Kaizen and Wendy with newfound seriousness.
Kaka was familiar with their origins.
However, due to their young age and their previous operation against Taris, Kaizen and Wendy had not joined Dominica but instead waited for Gel's team.
Because of this, Kaka initially assumed that Kaizen and Wendy wouldn't be particularly strong. She believed their journey to the Taris Kingdom was likely for "experience" rather than significant contributions.
When Gel assigned Kaizen and Wendy to work alongside him, Kaka naturally took on the responsibility of ensuring their safety. However, what unfolded was entirely unexpected.
When the assailant appeared, Kaizen was the first to notice.
Not only did Kaizen handle the situation with ease, killing the attacker almost effortlessly, but Wendy also demonstrated remarkable skill.
In contrast, Kaka's own performance fell short. She even needed Kaizen's assistance to fend off the enemy.
This left Kaka feeling a bit ashamed.
She was several years older than Kaizen and Wendy. With preparation and guidance from Gel herself, Kaka should have been better equipped for this mission. Yet, her performance had been underwhelming.
'To have such strength at their age is remarkable,' Kaka thought, her expression softening.
It wasn't that she was weak—far from it.
As one of the Twelve Zodiacs of the Hunter Association and a disciple of Gel, Kaka had sparred with many Nen users of her age and level. She followed the Poison Nen discipline, where two-thirds of her focus was on poison research and one-third on combat. Despite specializing in poison, Kaka was no slouch in battle. Among her peers, her combat ability was solid.
But Kaizen and Wendy? They were leagues ahead.
'So this is the talent of the Fiora royal family and the Zoldyck lineage,' Kaka mused, recalling what she knew of these two formidable backgrounds.
The royal family of Fiora, part of V5, wielded influence far beyond the Hunter Association, thanks to their unity and coordination. By contrast, the Hunter Association was a loose organization, where hunters often pursued their own agendas rather than loyalty to their leader.
The Zoldyck family, while small in numbers, had a terrifying reputation for their unparalleled skill as assassins.
The trio continued their journey, with Kaka scattering the poisons she had meticulously prepared while Kaizen and Wendy guarded her.
Despite being older, Kaka couldn't bring herself to argue against the arrangement. After witnessing Kaizen and Wendy's abilities, she knew they were far more capable than their years suggested.
As they advanced, Kaizen's attention briefly shifted to the crystal ball he carried.
Since entering the Taris Kingdom, the crystal ball's rate of absorbing aura traits had accelerated significantly.
Before their arrival, it had been stuck at 26%. Now, it had climbed to 30%, and the progress showed no signs of slowing.
Kaizen estimated that by the end of their mission, his Observer's progress would reach around 35%.
'One-third complete,' Kaizen muttered with a grin, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
The prospect of a new Nen Beast excited him. He had spent months consolidating his foundation and training in Heavens Arena to prepare his body for the strain of creating another beast.
Three days later, after thoroughly cleaning the area surrounding, the team regrouped.
Gel unfurled a map. "Our next destination is Corolla Canyon."
As they began their journey, Gel briefed the group: "Unlike Kerr Prison, we don't have as much intel or preparation for Corolla Canyon. It's a more complex area. I estimate it will take us at least a month to complete the mission there."
Gel glanced at Kaizen and Wendy. "Will that be a problem?"
The two exchanged a glance before shaking their heads.
"Not at all," Kaizen replied.
For him, the time investment was worth it if it allowed the crystal ball to absorb more traits. During his training in Heavens Arena, he had learned the value of patience.
In Corolla Canyon, several skirmishes erupted as the team gathered intelligence. Gel demonstrated her impressive combat abilities, but her disciples struggled.
Even Kaka, despite her earlier confidence, found herself outperformed by Kaizen and Wendy.
Among Gel's disciples, only two were on par with Wendy in combat. As Kaizen evaluated them, he concluded that with his full strength, he could surpass them both.
'As expected,' Kaizen thought, observing their fights. 'Poison Nen users aren't suited for direct confrontation.'
However, once the disciples had gathered sufficient data, their targeted poisons turned the tide completely. Monsters that had given them trouble were swiftly dealt with.
This pattern repeated over the next two months as the team tackled six more regions.
During this time, Kaizen's Observer reached 80% completion. With each mission, the crystal ball grew closer to unveiling its ultimate potential.
And Kaizen couldn't wait to see what his next Nen Beast would bring.
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