Knowing Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu is the baseline.
Sure, not every Nen user gets to learn the "four fundamentals" systematically, but the strong ones all do—and not just "know," but master.
Ten years ago Harrison earned his Hunter license. Per Association practice he'd have been paired with a same-type mentor. He learned broadly and deeply—hence the iron body forged by a decade of Nen-hardening.
And now he's being told… the opponent he picked is a rookie who hasn't even learned Ren?
Harrison couldn't tell if Roy was too dumb to scout or just arrogant enough to think opening his nodes alone made him a real Nen user.
"Whatever. You met me—death's unavoidable." Harrison cracked his knuckles and strode in.
Ringside, Bisky's face was grave. She looked at Gotoh. "This isn't a joke… has Roy-chan developed a Hatsu yet?"
She didn't believe a Zoldyck wouldn't know the "four." If Roy said he hadn't learned Ren, he shouldn't be able to jump straight to Hatsu. No Hatsu, no personal ability—unless—
Roy's was innate: a passive awakening the instant he opened his nodes. Not unheard of—just very rare.
"He hasn't had his nodes open a month," Gotoh said.
"Reckless!" Wing had caught up. He glared at Gotoh. "You're his butler—why didn't you stop him?
"Facing a mature Nen user without the four—do you know what that means?"
"Quiet!" Bisky snapped him on the shoulder; the boy shrank his neck. She stared at Roy, thinking of how his aura had grown overnight, and quietly reached a conclusion—
Roy-chan was the latter—Hatsu by grace.
Remarkable. I want to see it for myself. The "girl" fixed on Roy like a jewel, tongue flicking unconsciously; even her lollipop tasted dull.
One step, two, three—Harrison sauntered up, stopped at three meters.
Roy let the tip hang, eyes calm. "Why stop?"
"I'm thinking how to torture you," Harrison said evenly.
"What a coincidence. So am I."
A wind cut through. Both pairs of eyes sharpened—they moved at once!
Harrison launched a shoulder smash—Roy flicked a flying slash.
Skree— A crescent air-blade, later launched yet first to land, tore the air with a tooth-aching shriek straight at Harrison.
Harrison jolted. "Lying little—said you can't use Ren!"
No Ren, where did Hatsu come from?
"Aura bullet?" Wing blinked—yeah, no Ren, no Hatsu.
He glanced at Bisky—did Master know, is that why she muzzled him?
No—the "smell" of Nen isn't there. Bisky frowned, eyes on the slash. It wasn't Nen at all—it was sword wind cutting air: an air-slice. Like when she's in true form and throws a full-power punch—pressure turns into a shockwave. Roy's swordcraft was just that sharp.
"I've been training the blade lately—had a little insight…" His words rang in her ears—thunder-clear.
Harrison felt it too—he braked mid-charge, twisted aside, let the slash pass.
"Off. Why dodge?"
"We were fooled. Iro's no half-baked swordsman—he's a real one."
Gotoh felt a chill—"Gunsaint" Guy and "Ninja" Kikuta were glaring at him.
Ten days—were they being played for fools?
"A good dog, truly—while your master's in the ring you keep tossing smoke below. Admirable," Guy muttered.
Skritch— The air-slice grazed Harrison and plowed a fine line across the canvas, stopping a meter behind him.
In shadow, Hua Shidoulang watched and had to admit Roy was right: fools are fearless—he was the frog in the well.
Close—just a hair… Harrison swallowed and went full alert.
Strange—no Nen on the slash; Gyo couldn't catch it. Good thing the kid doesn't know Shu—if he'd wrapped the slash in Nen, who knows how hard it would hit—maybe it could crack this body.
"That your reliance? That's all?" he bluffed.
Then why dodge?
Silva once said something Roy agreed with: when your instinct flinches and you choose to evade—that's the start of your defeat.
Roy shifted to a two-handed grip. Enough talk for a small fry. He stamped into Mastered Silent Gait and vanished.
He reappeared glued to Harrison's flank—one thrust drove into his eye.
Nothing beats speed. Even if you forge a diamond body—eyeballs don't turn to steel.
"Aaah—!" The scream tore the rafters.
The crowd exploded. "He cracked him—he cracked him! What a turnaround, ladies and gentlemen—"
"The 'Invincible' Harrison just got his eye pierced by Iro!"
The emcee howled; the house blew up—cheers for Roy, gasps for Harrison, and a chorus of curses telling Harrison to fight back before the favorite turned into a busted bet.
"Too fast—his Silent Gait improved again." Wing watched Roy's blade flash—one stab, then two, three, four—circling Harrison with impossible speed and flexibility, puncturing again and again—until—
Blood sprayed. The "Meat Grinder" lost power and crashed.
"Still as ruthless as ever. Lucky I didn't go up," Guy muttered. He and Kikuta traded a look—both saw relief in the other's eyes.
Truth was—
Harrison isn't weak. He tried to shield his eye, but Roy was too fast—locked the target and hammered—no chance given. Bisky saw it clearest. She felt Gotoh's glance, dropped her eyes to smooth her skirt, playing "busy."
Faces varied below. Above, Roy slid the blade home, ignored Harrison's pleading eyes, and stood waiting.
A slim silhouette and three or four blurred shadows—rising from Harrison as his breath ebbed—drifted free…
~~~
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