It took a few messages with Hayato before he was willing to share his location so that Zoey could find his clan’s estate. For some reason, he was being difficult about this. All Zoey said was that she was going to crush his clan to pieces. She didn’t understand why he had to make this so difficult for her. Asking so many questions, questioning her sanity and current health, warning her about the strength of particular Hanma assassins in the clan. It kind of pissed her off until she realized he was probably just worried about her. Or worried about how he was going to get stronger without her help.

Zoey did say she would help him get stronger. He couldn't get stronger if she died like he thought she would. That made sense, but Zoey didn’t really care right now. She was fed up and ready to beat some asses. What better target than the annoying, pointless assassin clan that has come after her life multiple times? It was only fitting.

Zoey contemplated messaging some of her magjistar friends through the group chat but then realized their lives would definitely be at risk if they went in with her. She didn’t know how strong they were nowadays and if it was enough to keep up with her. Zoey was confident that at her full power, she could take on A-grade magjistars and run away from an S-grade magjistar with some injuries if she pushed herself further. Looks like this was a solo mission!

An excited grin slowly formed on Zoey’s face as she jogged through the streets of the city. The number of skills that she’ll be able to raise during this... Right after an exciting battle like the abandoned school? It felt like this was Zoey’s purpose in life. The joy, happiness, and eagerness she felt before a big fight. This couldn’t be normal, right? Or did all fighters feel like this before a fight?

Zoey’s jog turned into a full sprint as she got closer and closer to her destination. Like a cheetah chasing after a gazelle in full sprint. The predator raced toward her prey. Once the Hanma Clan’s gates arrived in her view just up ahead. Zoey’s mahna surged through her body as she reached the gates. With a single rushing punch, the gate flew through the clan’s compound completely blown away.

“Hanma Clan! I have arrived to crush your clan to the ground! I will give you 30 minutes to evacuate everyone who can’t and won’t fight! Because after this, the Hanma Clan won’t exist!” Zoey shouted, using mahna to enhance her voice to cover the entire compound. A bear mask covered her face.

Hanma Hayasaka, the 54th clan head of the Hanma Clan, nearly snarled as he heard the announcement. The voice was young and feminine. A mere child was looking down on his clan? No, she wasn’t just looking down on his clan. She was underestimating every assassin in his clan!

“Clan Head! There’s an intruder at the gates!” Multiple masked men and women appeared inside his office.

“Do you think I'm deaf?! Go take care of her immediately. Bring her to me alive so that I can show that foolish child that words can’t be thrown around so carelessly.”

“Understood!” They vanished as soon as they appeared.

It only took 5 minutes before Hayasaka realized something was wrong. None of his clan members have returned yet. He doubted that it would take more than a few moments for that many skilled assassins to take care of one child. Hayasaka frowned as he stood up and took a look at the current news in the magji world. A few seconds later, his face scrunched up into something horrifying as he realized there was something very important missing from the news articles. Victor’s apprentice hasn’t been announced dead!

That little girl is at his front gates?! That insignificant gully who was nothing more than a political move by Victor to humiliate those from the Connate Factions!? “Ha ha ha... My Hanma Clan is really being looked at as worthless, I see. Our clan means nothing in the eyes of someone new to the magji world.” Hayasaka strolled out of the main house with fury rising in his bones.

“HA HA HA! SHE REALLY SEES US AS NOTHING, I SEE!”

Hayasaka was greeted with the sight of half the Hanma Clan compound destroyed. Assassins were strewn all over the grounds with injuries ranging from unconsciousness to crippling. None of the buildings were spared from destruction. Hayasaka wouldn’t have lost his mind if it were just this much. Sure, it was the first time in history that the Hanma Clan was being challenged, but that meant nothing in comparison to what he was seeing right now.

Hanma Hayato, the prided genius of their clan and current heir, was aiding some clan members in escaping. Children, elderly, pregnant women, and those thrown away who were unable to awaken the clan’s connate magji. They fled right past the girl destroying his clan’s history, and she let them! Her focus was solely on those who came at her and any standing buildings.

The betrayal was the last straw for Hayasaka. Everything he did to help this clan prosper was being destroyed in front of his eyes. It didn’t even take less than an hour for it to happen. Hayasaka lost all sense of self as he focused his everything on doing one thing. Killing Zoey Winters with extreme prejudice. S-grade magjistar, Victor, be damned. This was the culmination of his entire life!

The world slowed down to a crawl as the hair on Zoey’s body rose in alarm. Focus. It has been a long time since Zoey had this skill activated. Whoever was targeting her could kill her with whatever was coming toward her from behind. This motherfucker must be pretty damn strong to threaten her life right now.

Using the ring gifted to her by Lindsay and Alexander, Zoey teleported to the nearest mahna signature of her choice. The fallen body of an unconscious assassin. She watched in complete clarity as the ghostly figure passed through where she was standing with a sickle and chain in his hand. The chain would’ve wrapped around her neck if she wasn’t able to react in time. Seeing his elderly figure, Zoey guessed this was the Clan Head Hayato was talking about.

Realizing this was the big boss, Zoey didn’t hesitate to unleash everything she had. Brightness surrounded Zoey’s forehead as her muscles began to expand. Her forehead slung backward as if thumped by a giant, but her legs stood standing despite the arch in her back. In the mouth of Max, her left hound-head glove hung a bronze bell from a tooth on his lower jaw. Channeling all of her mahna, Zoey struck the bell in the old man’s direction with everything she had. Overdraft, Fighting Aura, Mahna Manipulation, and Twisting Force all came together to reveal the extent of Zoey’s full power.

“Impossible...” These were the only words Clan Head Hayasaka could say before his ears could hear no more.

A spiraling force of mahna, wind and fighting intent came rushing toward the clan head. The attack itself was invisible, but the destruction it brought and the debris that followed were not. Even Zoey herself had to teleport herself backward to avoid getting sucked up into that horizontal tornado of death and obliteration. A maniacal smile soon formed on her face after she avoided killing herself with her own attack. That power was all hers... Complete annihilation and destruction! With power like this, how could she ever lose?! Victory was everything! Winning was everything!

As Zoey’s inner thoughts spilled from her deepest parts, a strange spike of pain struck her heart, but it went away as soon as it came. Zoey slowly rose from her feet as she caught her breath. Her eyes locked onto the cowardly Clan Head, who went all ghost to avoid her attack. She couldn’t help but laugh, looking at his distraught expression.

“Everything is gone...” The Hanma Estate now lay in ruins. Nothing was spared.

“It’s only fair, don’t you think?” Zoey continued to laugh. “You old motherfucker. Did you think you could take people’s lives at your leisure and live happily ever after? Karma’s a bitch, don’t you know? I just happened to be her enforcer today, you wrinkly old fuck.” Zoey didn’t hold back as she released her frustrations on the clan head.

“If it’s the last thing I do, I will kill you, child.” Hayasaka vowed.

“Ha ha ha! Let’s see you try it, old cunt. When was the last time you even fought? I can see the dust on your sickle from over here!” Zoey got into her Playful Boxing Form.

Playful Boxing Form was the fourth form of Zoey’s Victorious Boxing. This form was centered around complete freedom expressed through carefree dodging and unrestricted attacks.

“Die.” Hayasaka vanished as he headed toward Zoey.