The bus came to a stop, and Kaizen and Wendy stepped off.
"Is that Kukuroo Mountain?" Wendy asked, gazing at the towering peak in the distance.
A thick layer of mist shrouded its slopes, obscuring the finer details. Only the rough outline of the mountain was visible.
"Kaizen, is your home on top of that mountain?"
"Yeah, that's right." Kaizen nodded. "Let's check if there's a bus heading up the mountain today. If not, we'll have to walk."
The two made their way to the bus stop, but no vehicles were in sight.
"Looks like we're out of luck," Kaizen muttered.
Buses to the mountain didn't run every day. The town wasn't large, and while Kukuroo Mountain was a well-known landmark, the Zoldyck estate remained closed to the public. Visitors usually came only to catch a glimpse of the infamous manor gates. Most didn't bother making the trip, knowing they wouldn't be allowed inside.
Then there were the challengers—those foolish enough to seek out the Zoldyck family, believing they could take them on. Unlike tourists, those individuals weren't always left alone.
"No problem!" Wendy said cheerfully. "We can walk up. It'll be nice to take in the scenery along the way."
She was eager to see more of the world beyond the Kingdom of Fiora. When she had traveled to the Kingdom of Taris, she had even found the slums fascinating rather than repulsive.
They set off on foot, following the main road up the mountain.
At first, the path was busy with people. But as they entered the Kukuroo Mountain region, the crowd thinned until only Kaizen and Wendy remained.
A small cottage stood by the roadside. As they passed, an old man stepped out, watching them go.
"Did someone just head up the mountain?" he murmured, furrowing his brows. "At this time of day? Are they challengers?"
The sight reminded him of his own past. Once, he too had come here, eager to test himself against the Zoldycks. He had trained for years, believing himself to be an exceptional assassin. But when he reached the Zoldyck estate, he had quickly realized the truth.
He had been arrogant.
The Zoldycks' strength was far beyond what he had imagined. He hadn't even been able to get past the doorman.
"Until they actually face a Zoldyck," the old man muttered, shaking his head, "these fools have no idea what they're up against."
He sighed and returned inside.
"Kaizen, have you taken this road before?" Wendy asked, looking around curiously.
"Not often." Kaizen shrugged. "I usually took the bus up and down the mountain."
He hesitated before adding, "Actually, I never left the mountain until I was nine."
Wendy glanced at him, sympathy flickering in her eyes. "Then we're kind of similar. When I was young, I wasn't allowed to leave my home either. This mission to the Kingdom of Taris was the first time I left Fiora. Actually, it was the first time I ever left the capital."
Kaizen wasn't surprised.
Among those who trained in Nen, isolation was common. Powerful families and organizations preferred to keep their young talents in controlled environments to ensure proper training. Developing a strong foundation took time, and premature exposure to the outside world could be dangerous.
Even ordinary people could pose a threat to an inexperienced Nen user. That was why the Zoldycks had kept a close watch over Kaizen's safety—even after he awakened his abilities and gained his own Nen beast.
Silva had done the same with Killua, secretly protecting him when he was sent to Heavens Arena. Without that protection, Killua wouldn't have survived.
Many people were interested in Killua.
Even Nina and Sally had encountered multiple threats while secretly watching over him. They had dealt with some of the dangers before Killua even noticed them.
Similarly, Zeno had covertly protected Kaizen until he reached the level of a C-rank Nen user—when he was finally strong enough to defend himself.
Kaizen had no complaints about this arrangement. He understood its necessity.
Wendy, however, still seemed to resent the restrictions placed on her as a child. But Kaizen knew that, in time, she would understand.
The road up the mountain was long and steep, though not rugged—buses still had to be able to pass through, after all. But for regular people, making the journey on foot was exhausting.
For Nen users like Kaizen and Wendy, however, it was hardly a challenge.
An hour later, they reached the halfway point.
Before them stood a massive, towering wall. In its center was a set of iron doors—no, multiple iron doors layered together, forming an immense Testing Gate.
A small platform lay before it.
"Kaizen, is this the gate you told me about?" Wendy asked, eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"That's right."
"Can I try it?"
"Of course." Kaizen smiled. "Anyone who comes here is allowed to test their strength."
Wendy eagerly stepped forward just as Zebro emerged from the shadows.
"Kaizen."
Kaizen nodded in greeting.
Zebro's gaze shifted to Wendy. "And who might this be?"
"This is Wendy," Kaizen said. "A friend."
"A friend?" Zebro blinked in surprise.
The Zoldyck family was notoriously private. Most of its members rarely left the estate, and branches like Kaizen's typically lived elsewhere. Among the true Zoldycks—Zeno, Silva, Illumi, Kikyo, and Milluki—there were no known friends. Outsiders were almost never brought to the manor.
Yet now, Kaizen had returned with a friend in tow.
Zebro wasn't sure how to react.
Kaizen noticed his hesitation and reassured him, "I've already spoken to Grandpa Zeno."
"Understood." Hearing Zeno's name, Zebro relaxed.
Meanwhile, Wendy had already pushed open the fourth door of the Testing Gate.
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