Among the crowd, some were gamblers, others fans, both groups brimming with enthusiasm. Most of the ordinary spectators, however, remained calm.
Killua and Kastro stepped onto the arena platform.
Kastro sized up Killua. So this is Ron-senpai's younger cousin? He nodded slightly to himself. He looks impressive. At his age, I certainly didn't have this kind of strength. I wonder what heights he'll reach in the future. Could he reach Ron-senpai's level?
But as Kastro examined Killua's aura, he noted its rawness. His Nen feels unrefined. He must have only recently learned it.
At the same time, Killua was evaluating Kastro. He knew little about him, aside from the information Sadaso had provided. Sadaso had described Kastro as formidable. That alone had made Killua cautious, refusing to underestimate him.
A contender for Floor Master? That would make him like Ron-nii, Killua thought.
The referee glanced at both fighters. "Are you ready?"
Both nodded.
The referee stepped back, raised a hand, and swung it down sharply.
"Begin!"
Immediately, Killua moved, darting with incredible speed around the arena, circling Kastro and searching for an opening. He aimed to find a blind spot—a vulnerability. Compared to raw power, Killua trusted his speed more. This had always been the case, and would become even more so once he developed his Hatsu in the future: imbuing his body with electricity to achieve speeds unattainable in his normal state—Godspeed.
When speed reached a certain threshold, it could create qualitative change.
"So fast!" some spectators exclaimed in amazement.
Hisoka watched with a gleam of appreciation in his eyes.
Gon, observing from the screen, smiled. "Killua's really strong."
Sadaso watched Killua, then glanced at Kastro. No doubt, Killua's incredibly talented. Even though he only recently learned Nen, he's already this capable. It probably won't take him long to surpass me.
But... his opponent is Kastro.
Killua's a genius—but so is Kastro.
Kastro didn't move. He stood quietly, watching Killua's motions. Unlike in the original timeline, this Kastro had followed the correct path. He strengthened himself with his nen type, avoiding unnecessary techniques. Defense, strength, speed, reflexes—all had been honed to a high degree. His Nen ability was called *White Tiger Transformation*, somewhat similar to Mist's Beast Path technique, which followed the traditions of Fiola Kingdom's Beast Dojo.
There were differences, though. Kastro's technique also involved mental willpower. In fact, a Nen user faction in Mingbo Republic bore similarities to Fiola Kingdom's Beast Dojo. Both allowed users to take on beast-like forms.
But the philosophies differed. The Beast Dojo taught reverence and humility. Mingbo's Nen users cultivated dreams—a form of aspiration or desire. Not negative desires, but positive ambitions.
Otherwise, Mingbo would never have become one of the V5; it would have remained at the level of a minor nation like Taris.
In Nen cultivation, a user's mental pursuit became increasingly important at advanced levels. Reverence, devotion, desire, gratitude... Positive spiritual aims produced completely different outcomes compared to negative ones. Even small shifts in mindset had significant impacts. While negative pursuits often resulted in backlash.
But these concerns arose only when a Nen user reached a certain level. Most practitioners focused solely on technique—mastering the four major principles and advanced Nen skills, then developing their own abilities. Only after achieving great mastery did they begin contemplating spiritual pursuit. That was the key to stepping into the S-rank.
Knowing this didn't guarantee success. Talent, temperament, experiences, and mental state all played huge roles.
A simple example: Oster, from the Saheilta Federation. He certainly understood the importance of spiritual development, but couldn't achieve it. Instead, he pursued the study of parasites as a means to approach S-rank.
Why did schools of Nen develop? Partly because they provided tested paths for ability development, preventing mistakes like Kastro's original misstep.
But more importantly, Nen schools served as preparatory routes toward spiritual enlightenment. Even without realizing it, those who followed a school's path had already started down the road of spiritual cultivation.
By the time they reached A-rank, they accumulated some groundwork. Not enough to cross into S-rank, but enough to provide a slight boost. And for bridging the gap from A to S, even a slight advantage was invaluable.
When Ron had returned to the Zoldyck estate, Maha Zoldyck had shared a few words: to slow down and appreciate life.
Ron had followed that advice. He'd avoided extreme battles, uploading manga, training casually, taking his team on minor commissions. Even when unexpected complications arose, he kept things moderate.
For his teammates, the recent events may have seemed dramatic. But for Ron, with his current strength, they were routine.
A street vendor making ten thousand a day would find it thrilling. For a wealthy person, it's just another day.
Ron wasn't just enjoying life. He was thinking deeply. And now, he'd come to a realization.
In truth, the Zoldyck family does have its own school.
Ron recalled something.
Whoosh!
On the arena platform, Killua suddenly vanished.
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