Chapter 155: Chapter 155: The Kakin Empire
The name Morena left a deep impression on Kaizen.
In the original story, the Succession Contest arc and the Kakin Empire were at the center of events. The succession war among the princes stood out as the pivotal moment, with a total of fourteen princes vying for the throne.
According to the king of the Kakin Empire, only one prince could emerge victorious. Each prince formed alliances, cultivated their own factions, and competed fiercely. Those without sufficient power were often eliminated early.
Take the twelfth prince, Momoze Hui Guo Rou, as an example—her lack of influence left her vulnerable.
But it wasn't just the royal family in the fray. The gangs of the Kakin Empire played a critical role as well. Unlike typical criminal organizations, these gangs were often led by the illegitimate children of the royal family.
These illegitimate children, marked by their birthright as second-tier members, bore two deep scars on their faces, symbolic of their status. As second-tier individuals, they were barred from openly participating in royal affairs and held no claims to inheritance. Instead, the Kakin royal family compensated them with control over significant resources and power in the underworld.
When it came to actual strength, the gangs of the Kakin Empire were not to be underestimated. Their capabilities rivaled—if not surpassed—those of other world organizations. The Kakin Empire itself was nearly on par with the V5 nations in power.
One such second-tier figure was Morena. She was the illegitimate daughter of King Nasubi and, in the future, would rise to become the leader of the Heil-Ly Family.
"Could she be that Morena?" Kaizen mused.
The possibility seemed high. The girl had worn a veil to obscure her face—likely to hide the scars marking her as a second-tier royal. Without the veil, her identity would have been too obvious.
A young woman with such distinctive scars would undoubtedly attract attention. After all, the existence of the Kakin Empire's second-tier members was no secret.
Still, the Morena Kaizen encountered here seemed different from the one described in the Succession Contest arc. Perhaps something significant had occurred.
Kaizen shook his head, brushing off his thoughts.
"No need to dwell on it. There's still time before the events of the Succession Contest arc unfold."
"Establishing a connection with Morena might not be a bad idea," he reasoned. "Through her, I might gain access to the Kakin Empire's inner workings. But there's a catch—can the Kakin Empire truly be considered complete before the prince competition officially begins?"
Kaizen understood that rushing to absorb the essence of the Kakin Empire too early would be counterproductive. He needed to wait until the competition began to maximize his gains.
Nevertheless, forging a relationship with Morena now could open up valuable opportunities, especially with the lucrative assassination commissions originating from the Kakin Empire.
Kaizen exited the airship terminal and hailed a taxi, giving the driver the name of the hotel he'd booked.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a grand hotel. Kaizen entered his room—a spacious, well-decorated suite equipped with every luxury imaginable. Though pricey, Kaizen didn't mind. His wealth was more than sufficient to indulge.
Over the years, Kaizen had amassed over 10 billion Jenny across numerous accounts, primarily through selling sensitive information about global underworld activities.
Even in comparison to someone as wealthy as Battera, who had spent a fortune on items like the Greed Island game logs and Nen commissions, Kaizen's net worth was remarkable.
Looking at the crystal ball hovering before him, Kaizen observed how it slowly absorbed the surrounding aura of Yorknew City. Though progress was slightly slower than in Orion, it was still steady.
"The auction here will undoubtedly be the highlight," he thought aloud.
Kaizen called out to his subordinate, Altan. "Go and secure tickets for all the upcoming auctions."
Without hesitation, Altan began the task. Meanwhile, Kaizen summoned Killer Queen, retrieving his laptop from its storage space.
He composed a brief email to Morena, introducing himself with little fanfare. Kaizen didn't intend to alarm her—he simply sought to establish a friendly connection.
Morena, for her part, appeared intrigued. Sneaking away to read the email, she quickly responded, and the two began exchanging messages about video games.
A middle-aged woman, observing from a distance, sighed as she watched Morena.
"Is it truly okay to let her continue?" a young man beside her asked cautiously. "As a second-tier member of the Kakin royal family, isn't it dangerous for her to interact with outsiders like this?"
"It's fine," the woman replied. "That boy doesn't seem to harbor any ill intentions. Once we return to the Kakin Empire, Morena won't have the chance to maintain contact with him. In fact, this might help her come to terms with her identity more quickly."
The young man hesitated. "Should I investigate him further? A young man arriving in Yorknew City alone by airship is unlikely to be ordinary."
"You can look into him," she said after a pause, "but don't alert him."
"Yes, my lady."
As the young man left, the woman's gaze softened.
"Let her have this fleeting moment of happiness," she murmured to herself. "There won't be many such chances in her future. For a illegitimate child, fate is sealed from the moment they're born."
The next morning, Kaizen ventured to Yorknew's bustling flea market. This vibrant space was teeming with merchants and buyers from across the world. Stalls were crammed with items of varying quality—some genuine treasures, others elaborate fakes.
Kaizen scanned the marketplace, intrigued by the possibility of finding hidden gems amidst the chaos. For him, every opportunity—no matter how small—held the potential for advantage.
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