Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Can the Phantom Troupe Still Grow?
"Because he entered the belly of a disaster-class giant rat, Raiken's aura merged with others' thoughts."
"Now, these thoughts are bound to Raiken."
"Two consciousnesses are struggling for control."
"But Raiken is my Nen Beast!" Kaizen thought to himself.
A crystal ball, invisible to everyone but Kaizen, appeared in his mind. A faint light emerged from the crystal and shone onto Raiken. The foreign consciousness began to dissolve under the crystal's light, and Kaizen could almost hear its scream as it faded away. Moments later, Raiken's form became clear again, the invasive consciousness had been annihilated, leaving Raiken as Kaizen's 100% loyal Nen Beast.
"The hostile consciousness is gone, but the ability it brought remains," Kaizen murmured. "Raiken has gained a new power."
With that, Kaizen issued an order to Raiken. In response, Raiken clapped his hands, and in an instant, he and Kaizen switched places. Then, Raiken clapped again, and they shifted once more, with Raiken appearing as Kaizen's scissors lying flat on the floor.
"This power's not bad," Kaizen thought. It reminded him of the position-swapping ability he'd seen in the original story from Goreinu, who used it in the dodgeball game against Razor. By swapping places with his Nen Beast, Goreinu had dodged a deadly blow, surviving the impact while his beast took the hit.
Yet, Raiken's power felt like more than just that.
After all, he could switch places with Kaizen or even with objects nearby.
"This ability feels similar to one from another world, a move used by someone called Todo Aoi, who was a first-class sorcerer. As long as he clapped his hands, he could switch places with creatures or objects imbued with mana. It was incredibly useful in combat," Kaizen mused.
(T/N: dont really know, I haven't watched this anime)
"Compared to the Killer Queen, Raiken's new ability isn't half bad."
As Kaizen's Nen Beast, Raiken was fueled by Kaizen's aura. However, Raiken was primarily skilled in close-range combat, which limited his versatility. In Nen, the most valuable trait is adaptability, so Kaizen had previously seen Raiken's potential as somewhat limited.
But with this new power, Raiken's possibilities expanded significantly.
"Unexpected, but welcome," Kaizen thought. "Initially, I just brought Raiken along to observe strong Nen users and absorb their combat styles. I never expected Raiken to actually gain a new ability this way."
"It seems that whoever owned this power was swallowed by the giant rat just like Raiken. Through some twist of fate, their abilities fused. This is a one-in-a-million situation—impossible to replicate."
With a thought, Kaizen dismissed Raiken. The Nen Beast vanished, reappearing at the window, washing away the residue of a recent battle as Kaizen analyzed the current situation in Meteor City.
After all, this was where Kaizen would be heading next.
The crystal ball had yet to absorb Meteor City's traits, and Kaizen's third Nen Beast had yet to reveal itself.
"In the original story, the Phantom Troupe holds a special status in Meteor City, beyond the elders' control. The elders show surprising tolerance toward them, even seeking their assistance at times.
"However, Meteor City isn't weak by any means," he reminded himself.
"Grandfather Zeno once mentioned that all members of the Kute Gang of Thieves are A-level Nen users. So, the man in the suit likely isn't far behind in strength."
"When the elders of Meteor City have these 'Wild Beast' under them, why does the Phantom Troupe hold such a fearless stance?"
"What level will the Phantom Troupe reach?"
Suddenly, Kaizen had a realization: the Wild Beasts were indeed strong, but the Phantom Troupe was still growing. One day, they'd face the elders in earnest. By then, the Wild Beasts would no longer be a threat.
"Even if I weren't here, the Kute Gang of Thieves would still wreak havoc on Meteor City. Ging Freecss wouldn't necessarily arrive soon enough to intervene."
"The Kute Gang of Thieves would likely wipe out the Wild Beasts in Meteor City, even possibly targeting the elders."
"When the Troupe eventually rises, they'll face a weakened Meteor City, ravaged by the Kute Gang. The wild beasts will be gone, and most of the top Nen users will have fallen at the Kute Gang' hands."
"This is likely why, in the original story, Ging Freecss's defeat of the Kute Gang of Thieves never mentions Meteor City."
Kaizen thought a moment longer.
"Based on Zeno's original portrayal and what he's shared with me, Chrollo Lucilfer, leader of the Phantom Troupe, should be roughly on par with the Kute Gang of Thieves' members," he concluded.
"That's likely also true for the suited Wild Beasts."
"The exact strength is unclear, but there shouldn't be a massive difference."
"That means an A-level Nen user."
"As for the other Phantom Troupe members, they're all a notch below Chrollo."
Kaizen stared out the window.
"My presence has changed things. The Kute Gang of Thieves haven't devastated Meteor City's elders or its Wild Beasts as thoroughly. Some Wild Beasts have even survived."
"The landscape of Meteor City has shifted."
"Will the Phantom Troupe still achieve the same strength as they did in the original story?"
Kaizen couldn't help but feel curious.
As a time traveler, each small action could send ripples through the world, altering destinies. He looked forward to seeing how his involvement would affect the lives of those he'd read about.
Moments later, Kaizen's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen before answering.
"Grandfather Zeno."
-------------
+135 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub