Yorknew City, a bustling and decadent metropolis.
In this city teeming with gangs, even the appointment of the mayor has to adhere to the arrangements of the underground mafia.
One could say this is a city governed by the mafia.
After bidding brief farewells to Pakunoda , Morin returned to this familiar place.
Upon returning to the city, he found that it hadn't changed much.
On the contrary, as times progressed and the economy improved, decadence, depravity, and hedonism became even more prevalent.
The agreed meeting date was the 31st of the month, but Morin arrived ahead of time.
And he wasn't the only one who had arrived early.
Outside of Yorknew City—
"You're still... as strong as ever, Morin."
Wearing nothing but animal skin pants, Uvogin lay sprawled out on the ground.
"You've become much more resilient than before."
Morin shook his wrist, teasing his long-time friend whom he hadn't seen in a while.
As the most punctual member of the Phantom Troupe, Uvogin was the second person to arrive after Morin.
After their encounter, Uvogin naturally challenged Morin again.
And, of course, the outcome was as expected.
"Damn, I've been training hard all these years."
Uvogin sat up from the ground, his wild silver hair cascading down his back. He spat out a couple of mouthfuls of blood, feeling a bit dejected.
Then he grinned once more.
"But fighting you is always exhilarating, Morin!"
For Uvogin, nothing but combat could give him such a thrilling rush.
"By the way, there's still some time before the meeting date. Why did you come so early?" Morin asked, pulling Uvogin up.
"Aren't you here early too?"
Uvogin grimaced at the pain in his body.
"I was chasing after that little brat, Omokage."
"Omokage?"
Hearing the name, Morin was slightly taken aback.
"Yeah, the guy who was supposedly taken out by Hisoka, which allowed Hisoka to join as a substitute."
Uvogin brushed off the dust from his body. "You remember him, right?"
"Of course, I remember."
As the designated movie villain, Morin naturally hadn't forgotten him.
In the movie, Omokage had dug up the graves of Uvogin and the Shadow Beasts, taking their eyes.
Since he knew where Uvogin and the Shadow Beasts died, he must have been lurking in Yorknew City, observing from the shadows.
Once the turmoil ended, he immediately emerged to start grave robbing.
"I spotted that sneaky brat on my way here."
Uvogin clenched his fists. "Pretending to be dead to leave the Phantom Troupe, who does he think he's fooling?!
"I wanted to confront him, but he had a bunch of puppets. When he activated his ability, I couldn't keep up."
"So I just came here first, and then I ran into you, Morin."
Uvogin had been chasing after Omokage.
That guy was hiding in the shadows, much like a venomous snake, waiting for the right moment.
"Let's not worry about him for now. That guy's getting crazier and more twisted."
In the original version, Omokage didn't make any moves during the Yorknew City arc, and he barely had any scenes.
For now, we can ignore him.
But if he decides to show up on his own, we can deal with him then.
"Come on, after such a long fight, you must be tired. Let me treat you to a meal."
"Hehehe, I've been craving your roast suckling pig for a long time!"
"Roast suckling pig, huh? Speaking of which, during the Hunter Exam, one of the examiners had a test involving roast suckling pig."
"Oh? Did you participate in the Hunter Exam like Shalnark? And the examiner chose roast suckling pig as a test? He has good taste."
"By the way, where's Nobunaga? Why isn't he with you?"
"Oh, he's off playing mahjong with Phinks and Feitan, along with Shalnark. Just enough for a round."
"Still playing? Who's winning and who's losing?"
"Mostly Shalnark's winning streak. The others have almost lost all the money they've made over the years."
"As expected..."
The two continued their conversation, their figures gradually disappearing into the desolate wilderness.
The Phantom Troupe was gathering, the spiders were in motion.
Others were also acting towards their own goals.
---
In the Heavens Arena, Killua and Gon had made quite a name for themselves. Under Wing's tutelage, their mastery of Nen progressed by leaps and bounds.
The likes of Gido, Sadaso, and Riehlvelt, who were known for baptizing challengers above the 200th floor, all fell to the fists of Gon and Killua.
However, in this towering arena, they still had to face the ultimate boss.
July 10th.
It was an ordinary day.
For the spectators of Heavens Arena, it was a day promising some thrilling battles.
But for the two contenders, especially Gon, it was a day to be remembered.
"Why isn't it starting yet?!"
"Hurry up and get in the ring!!"
"Oh! They're coming out!!"
Amidst the cheers of the audience, two figures slowly emerged from the tunnels on either side.
"Gon Freecss vs. Hisoka Morow!!"
"The much-anticipated showdown is finally about to begin!!"
The announcer's invigorating voice echoed across the arena.
"The day has finally come!!"
Gon took a deep breath, checking his gear once more.
Clothes, the fishing rod strapped to his back, and the cap firmly perched on his head.
All set, ready to go!!
As Gon stepped onto the stage, Hisoka was already waiting for him.
The announcer gave a brief introduction of Gon.
But for Hisoka, a slew of words were used.
After all, Hisoka had been fighting here for years, earning quite a reputation.
Moreover, his strength was undeniable; so far, he had achieved nine victories and three losses, the losses being due to voluntary forfeits. If Hisoka won this match, he would be promoted to Floor Master.
Since stepping onto this stage, Hisoka had never truly lost a fight.
"This match will use a point-based knockout system, with no time limit, and a single round to determine the winner!!"
The referee briefly announced the rules before stepping aside.
Leaving the stage to the two fighters.
"Begin!!"
As the referee declared the start, Gon's eyes sharpened instantly.
"Don't look at me like that..."
Hisoka's lips curled, "It just makes me even more excited!!"
"Hah!!"
With a serious expression, Gon dashed forward!!
The battle commenced!!
Despite Gon's diligent Nen training and the significant effort he put into preparing for this fight, he managed to fulfill his long-held wish.
On the stage, he landed a solid punch on Hisoka, and amidst the puzzled looks of many spectators and Killua's approving gaze, he returned the badge to him.
However, after that punch, Gon couldn't score any more points against Hisoka.
It was that punch that got Hisoka truly excited.
Bang!!
A slab from the stage was kicked by Hisoka, hurtling heavily towards Gon.
Gon dodged it with ease, but the audience behind him wasn't so lucky.
Yes, randomly crushing some "lucky" spectators.
But this was still better than when Hisoka and Chrollo fought, using the entire audience as tools in their battle.
Back then, it wasn't just a small portion of the audience that perished, but the majority...
So, if you're watching a fight, especially those above the 200th floor in Heavens Arena, it's best to stay glued to your TV.
Otherwise, you might want to buy insurance first, leave a note for your family, and then watch the match live???
"Trying to escape? That's not happening."
Hisoka smiled slyly, beckoning Gon with his hand.
Suddenly, Gon felt his body being pulled uncontrollably towards Hisoka.
"What is this?!!!"
Before Gon could react, Hisoka landed a heavy blow on his cheek.
Returning the favor of Gon's earlier punch.
"Gon, use [Gyo]!!"
Killua shouted anxiously from the sidelines.
"[Gyo]..."
A white aura enveloped Gon's eyes.
He then realized that his face had been unknowingly stuck with Hisoka's rubber-like aura, his Transmutation-type Nen ability:
[Bungee Gum], which allows his aura to take on the properties of both rubber and gum, sticking to opponents and restricting their movements.