—Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!—
"Haah! Haaah!"
I swing the shovel down against the rock wall—dig, dig, dig. Nothing but digging, endlessly. This work has already gone on for four hours. But stopping midway isn't an option. It only ends once the quota is met.
And that quota keeps increasing every day… As my basic abilities improve, so does the workload. No matter how much time passes, the moment when I finally finish never seems to get any closer.
I wake up at 6 a.m., eat breakfast, then sprint here at full speed. The moment I arrive, I start digging with a shovel and hauling dirt with a mine cart. Once the quota is finished, it's lunchtime. After eating, I get thirty minutes of rest using Biscuit's [Magical Esthetician / Magical Spa Services].
That ability is incredible—no matter how exhausted you are, most of your fatigue disappears in just thirty minutes. As training support, it's extremely effective. I'm grateful for it, but knowing it only increases the amount of hell I have to endure makes it hard to fully welcome…
After that, training with Biscuit begins—Ken training. I maintain Ken while blocking blows delivered with Biscuit's Ko. Of course, she holds back. If she didn't, I would've been reduced to minced meat long ago.
The reason Aisha doesn't do this training with me is because of the quality of her aura. Apparently, it causes slight disturbances to my mental state, and with my aura still being immature, that could interfere with training.
This continues until I collapse. Then recovery with Magical Esthetician. Then Ken training again.
During all this, we also train Gyo. Occasionally, Biscuit suddenly raises a finger and shapes her aura into letters at the fingertip. I have to immediately identify what it says.
But there's a trap. If I'm slow to answer, I have to do push-ups on the spot. That alone wouldn't be a problem—but—
Lately, since my answers have become consistently fast, Aisha has joined the exercise. Whoever is slower has to do push-ups.
There's no way I can win!
Thanks to that, I end up doing push-ups every time now. At this rate, only my arms might end up grotesquely swollen. Please, spare me…
Ryu training will apparently start once Ken reaches a certain level. From what I've heard, Ryu is extremely important in combat, so I want to master it as soon as possible.
And once Ken training ends, it's combat practice. I fight Aisha in hand-to-hand combat, but—
My confidence was utterly shattered.
To think I'd be completely beaten without accomplishing anything against Aisha while she was in Zetsu… There's an insurmountable wall between Nen users and non-users—but the gap between Aisha and me goes far beyond that.
At first, I held back because I thought I shouldn't injure her while she was in Zetsu. But no matter how many times I attacked, I just got thrown aside. Even when I attacked with full Nen, she brushed it off effortlessly.
I felt a bit hopeless.
Aisha is doing the same hole-digging training as I am. We alternate between digging and pushing the cart. Curious, I asked why she was doing this kind of training now.
"I still want to get stronger," she replied.
Honestly, please take it a little easier.
Conjuration training is progressing in stages as well. I've already completed the basic conjuration, but there's still a mountain of things to learn—smooth conjuration, concealing chains with In, combat techniques using chains, and more.
To fully utilize my greatest advantage, [Emperor Time / Absolute Time], training for the Scarlet Eyes was added to my daily routine. Manually triggering them, checking duration, and improving endurance.
However, staying in Scarlet Eyes for too long causes intense headaches and fatigue afterward, leading to extended periods of poor condition. Overdoing it is inefficient.
Magical Esthetician helps alleviate it somewhat, but not completely. I'll just have to slowly build tolerance.
Once the day's training is done, we run at full speed toward Heavens Arena.
After a late dinner, the remaining time is devoted to extending Ken's duration.
And once everything is over, I sleep like a corpse.
…Though even while sleeping, surprise attacks by Aisha or Biscuit happen occasionally, as if sleep itself were training!
If I fail to evade an ambush, the next day's digging quota doubles. Thanks to that, I barely get any real sleep. But all fatigue is erased by Magical Esthetician—this is nothing short of torture.
That's been my hellish training routine for the past month.
"Huff… huff… This really does train you quite a bit."
"Yeah. The rock is hard, so you have to apply Shu to the shovel to dig. Haaah… It uses your whole body, so fatigue builds up quickly."
What surprised me was Aisha's physical ability. I thought this level of training wouldn't even count as training for her—but while she's stronger than me physically, it wasn't overwhelmingly beyond expectation.
"You've gotten pretty used to it after a month."
"As expected of your learning speed. Most people wouldn't adapt that fast."
I don't want to hear that from someone who digs without using Shu. Apparently, her aura is so massive that using Shu would actually make it pointless. What kind of nonsense is that?
"But it's nostalgic. I used to dig holes like this back then."
"Oh? You trained from a young age?"
"…Yes. That's right."
Her profile looked distant, as if she were gazing somewhere far away. Was she reminiscing about the past? Before I could dwell on it, she turned back to me with her usual expression.
"Your aura has grown quite a bit, Kurapika. Shall we move on to the next stage soon?"
"Really?"
Even while talking, we kept digging. My current physical ability is leagues beyond what it once was. Yet I still can't beat Biscuit or Aisha. Just how far above me are they?
…Could they defeat the Phantom Troupe on their own?
N-no. Even if they could, I want to capture them with my own hands.
For that, I need more strength.
"Hey—! You can take a break now!"
"Got it! Coming back!"
"I'm starving. Let's eat already!"
Aisha really never stops thinking about food. Where does all that food even go in that body…? Probably straight to her chest.
No, no—am I starting to think like Leorio lately? I need to snap out of it before his personality rubs off on me.
"Good work. Though honestly, you're barely showing fatigue anymore."
"Yes. So shall we proceed to the next phase?"
"Yeah. Your Ken duration has improved a lot, so let's move on to Gyo and Ryu training. Your improvement speed is honestly absurd—you're more talented than I expected."
"Number seven!"
"Correct. Kurapika was about 0.3 seconds late. 500 push-ups."
"Guh! One—two—three—four—five—Every time I think about it—Isn't it unfair—Going against Aisha!?"
I can't win no matter how many times. Isn't this just bullying at this point?
"Then work harder until you can beat her."
"Sorry, Kurapika. I'll give you my karaage."
Aisha's reflexes don't scale proportionally with her physical ability—they're far more refined. Apparently, her martial art is Kazama-style, which emphasizes reflexes over raw physical strength.
And yet, her physical ability is still higher than mine. Honestly, it's frustrating. My goal now is to at least catch up to her physically through this training.
Eating the karaage she gave me, I renew my determination.
"Mmm~ This is really good. I didn't expect Aisha to be able to cook."
"Well, I've got plenty of experience. I lived alone for a long time, so I can manage basic cooking."
Right—she lived in Meteor City. But how old was she when she started cooking for herself? …She must've lived a harsh life—to be this strong at such a young age, forced to survive on her own strength.
"Seriously though, Aisha, you really love training. How strong are you planning to get?"
"Until I can beat Netero, of course. He humiliated me in our last duel—next time, I'll make him regret it."
"You're gonna make the old man cough up blood bubbles, so please stop!"
Their conversation is always completely unhinged. Chairman Netero is considered the strongest pro Hunter alive, and they're casually talking about beating him—this is on another level.
And yet… after seeing Aisha so far, I can't dismiss it as bragging.
"Also, we should probably start fighting in Heavens Arena again soon. It's about time you gained experience against other Nen users."
"Oh… Heavens Arena matches, huh. Honestly, I'd forgotten."
I'd been so absorbed in training. I barely spoke to Gon and the others. The training restriction should be lifted by now—they might already be fighting again.
"Next time we return, we'll submit a match request. If we apply right before the deadline, newbie hunters will come challenge you on their own."
"Ah, those guys. The ones who kept pestering me about when I'd fight. Cowards—only targeting people who don't know Nen or are beginners."
"Don't underestimate them. They may be underhanded, but that means you don't know what they'll do. Even weak Nen users might have dangerous abilities—or they might use other tricks."
She's right. People like that won't hesitate to use dirty methods. I won't lose to cheap tricks, but caution is necessary.
"And Kurapika—gathering information on your opponent before a match is prohibited."
"That is… also part of the training?"
"You mean figuring out their ability during the match?"
Likely just as Biscuit says—observe and analyze during combat, making it closer to real battle conditions.
That makes sense. In real combat, you rarely have prior information. At the same time, knowing your enemy's ability is extremely important. If you know their Nen type, you can infer attack patterns; if you know their ability, you can counter it more easily.
"Exactly. In real combat, you normally won't know your opponent's ability beforehand. Being able to discern it is vital. This will help you develop that skill."
I see. In actual battles, gathering information beforehand isn't wrong—if anything, it's ideal. But fighting unknown opponents is far more common. This is to sharpen my perception.
"And conversely, letting others learn your ability is a huge disadvantage. So Kurapika, you may fight using chains—but you're forbidden from hinting at conjuration or using the chains' abilities."
"Treat them like ordinary chains."
That's unavoidable. Using abilities in front of a huge audience is practically suicide. I honestly don't understand why 200th-floor Nen users openly display their abilities.
"…I understand how you feel. I also don't get why they reveal their abilities in front of crowds—and on video. Though some may not be showing everything."
…True. Even Hisoka might have more abilities beyond the rubber-like power and fake spider tattoo he showed against Kastro. In fact, it's safer to assume he does.
There's no guarantee Hisoka won't become an enemy someday.
"Hiding abilities applies to the Troupe as well."
"I know. The abilities Hisoka told me about probably aren't everything."
Back then, when Hisoka suggested an alliance, I made him tell me everything he knew about the Troupe members' abilities. He might've withheld some things, but Aisha believes he didn't lie.
Apparently, she can read people's psychology through changes in their aura's quality and reaction. Is that something all experts can do? I think I've just gotten used to being surprised by Aisha.
Though with someone like Hisoka, perfect reading is difficult—he can manipulate his aura too well. No absolute certainty.
"Well then, break time's over. Let's resume training."
"…I was doing push-ups the entire break, you know?"
"Next is Ryu training. Using Gyo to shift offensive and defensive power—it's an essential combat technique."
They're not listening at all. Good thing I ate while doing push-ups. Otherwise, training would've resumed without food.
…Eating while doing push-ups—I've become strangely skilled.
"Alright! Afternoon session of hell training starts now!"
"Yeah!"
"So, how many times do you think you'll pass out today?"
My record so far is seven times in one day. When I saw a flower field across a great river, I truly believed heaven existed. I'd like to finish today without passing out.
Though that's never happened even once.
◆
Today, we came to watch a match at Heavens Arena. Since Nen training has been lifted, Killua and I train nonstop on days when we don't have matches, but today Kurapika and Aisha are fighting, so we decided to come cheer them on together.
"I wonder how strong Kurapika's gotten?"
"He kept training with Aisha the whole time we weren't allowed to use Nen, right? He's probably gotten way stronger than us."
When I had my rematch with Gido, it hadn't even been a full month since I started Nen training. And even then, I completely crushed him. So if Kurapika's been training even longer than that, there's no way he hasn't surpassed me by a lot.
"Damn… thinking about that kinda pisses me off. We learned Nen first, didn't we?"
"Sorry… because you stayed with me, Killua couldn't train either…"
"Ah, don't worry about it. Getting strong by jumping the gun wouldn't be fun anyway. I'll catch up to Kurapika soon enough."
Killua says that, but I can tell he's a little frustrated inside. He's competitive like that. Still, he said it to make me feel better. I should be grateful.
"Thanks, Killua."
"If you really mean that, buy me popcorn. I remembered Aisha eating it before, and now I want some too."
"Haha, okay. I'll get two. What about drinks?"
"Something carbonated. Just don't get Dr. Pepper."
I laughed and nodded as I headed to the stand.
…What is Dr. Pepper, anyway?
Ten minutes later, the match was about to begin as we ate our popcorn.
[Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! Today's first match is about to begin—Gido vs. Kurapika! Here come the fighters!]
"Oh, finally."
"It's Kurapika! Do your best!!"
Maybe he heard us, because he looked this way and raised his hand! I tried to wave back but—
"KYAAAAAAA—!!"
…The cheers were so loud I reflexively covered my ears. What is this? What's going on!?
"Shut up! What the hell is this!?"
"I don't know either!"
We had to shout just to hear each other. I did notice there were a lot of female spectators today, but I never imagined cheers this intense.
[What an incredible roar from the crowd! And it's no surprise—Kurapika is exceptionally handsome, even by Heavens Arena standards! In a venue filled with burly men, his slender build and beauty that could be mistaken for a woman have completely captured the hearts of female fans! I'll admit, I personally had my eye on him even before he reached the 200th floor!]
"Why is this guy suddenly confessing!?"
"So Kurapika's popular, huh."
I knew Kurapika was cool, so I expected him to be popular with girls—but not this much.
[This is Kurapika's first match on the 200th floor! Before reaching this level, he suffered only a single loss—and that loss came when he declared defeat the instant he blocked his opponent's attack just once! In other matches, he refrained from attacking for two minutes, dodged every strike, and then claimed victory in the remaining time—a feat only possible with overwhelming superiority! Clearly intentional! Will he fight the same way today!?]
"Well, of course it's intentional. If you couldn't tell, you'd have to be blind."
"But will he really do the same thing on the 200th floor?"
"Who knows… more importantly, did you notice Kurapika's aura?"
"Yeah. He's still just in Ten, but it feels incredibly solid… it's nothing like ours."
Even though he learned Nen later than we did, in just two months he's walked this far ahead of us. That's amazing, Kurapika! He must've gone through insane training.
"Damn it! I'll catch up to him!"
"Yeah! Me too!"
That's right—we're training too. He's ahead of us, but it's only been two months. We'll catch up. I know we will!
[Gido has already fought eight matches in the arena! A veteran by all accounts—but his record is five wins and three losses, leaving him no room for error! This match will decide his fate at Heavens Arena! A fight he absolutely cannot lose!]
"Heh. There's no way Kurapika's gonna struggle against a guy like that. All those newbie hunters are weak."
"Yeah. Kurapika's definitely winning."
The aura he's giving off is so reassuring it almost makes me relax. Even Gido looks intimidated.
"It's starting. Watch closely—the gap between us and Kurapika."
"Yeah."
Let me see it, Kurapika. How much difference two months can really make.
[Begin!!]
"I have no way out! I won't test the waters—take this! [Shotgun Blues / Scatter Top Dirge]!!"
That's the ability he used against me! But there are more tops than before! Though because of that, each one seems weaker—there's less aura in each. With Kurapika's aura, he should be able to block it with Ren!
"Ha!"
I thought he'd block with Ren or dodge—but Kurapika did something else.
He knocked every single top away with the chain in his right hand!
Amazing! Blocking all of those with just one chain! I might've been able to do it too—but when I fought Gido, there were fewer tops.
"A chain? Did Kurapika have that before?"
"No. Before, he used two wooden swords tied together with a cord."
"A new weapon? Why a chain?"
I don't know, but I'm sure Kurapika has a reason. He wouldn't do anything meaningless!
"Damn it! But this is where it really starts! Dance the dance of death! [Combat Performance Suite / Battle Waltz]!!"
"That guy's an idiot. Same as before—attacks that didn't work on you won't work on Kurapika now. If anything, he should've reduced the number and packed more aura into one top."
"Yeah. But then it probably wouldn't hit Kurapika."
"Exactly. Either way, he's finished."
As we talked, something felt off. The tops weren't spinning at all—they just lay there, unmoving, after being knocked down.
"This is it—Gon! Look closely at the tips!"
"Huh? …They're all broken!"
Of course they won't spin like that! Not only did he knock them all away in an instant—he broke every single tip!?
"Th-that's impossible…!"
"Is it… already over?"
"…Looks like his ability just reinforces the tops. Poor control, and not much aura put into enhancement. Increasing the number backfired."
"Shut up! Then try this! [Tornado Top]!!"
[There it is! Gido's panic move—Tornado Top! Can Kurapika break through that solid rotation!?]
"Heh. Maybe my tops can't defeat you—but you can't damage me either!"
Cornered, Gido unleashed Tornado Top. How's Kurapika going to deal with that?
I flipped the ring tiles with my fishing rod before, but you can't do that with a chain…
"Is that all? …Seems I've got nothing more to gain from you."
Saying that, Kurapika poured aura into his chain and swung it at Gido.
But wouldn't it just get deflected by the rotation!?
"Hah! Useless! Before Tornado Top, any attack is mean—!?"
[Wha—WHAT!? Kurapika shatters Gido's iron prosthetic leg with his chain!! What kind of power is in that chain!? This match is over! With his prosthetic destroyed, Gido has no way to continue!]
"Winner—Kurapika!"
Yes! Kurapika won! He really has gotten insanely strong!
Someday, I—
"Hey, Gon! Cover your ears, now!"
—Huh?
"What's wrong, Kill—"
"KYAAAAAA!! Kurapikaaaa!!"
"W—my ears!!"
The cheers hurt! Right—if it was that loud before the match, it'd be even worse after he won…
"Told you."
"You could've warned me sooner…"
"Idiot. You should've seen it coming."
Hey! Don't call me an idiot!
"Anyway, Kurapika barely even used his strength."
"Yeah. He used Gyo, but not Ren."
"Man, those newbie hunters are way too weak! We didn't get to see his real strength at all! I could've done that much myself!"
Hmm… I don't think I could. Breaking all the tips like that. Knocking them away, sure—but not that.
But if I want to know how strong Kurapika really is…
"Hey, Killua. Why don't we just ask him?"
"Huh? Ask him what?"
"How strong he is. If we ask, he might tell us."
"…Yeah, he'd probably tell us some of it."
Some? Not all? Why does Killua think that?
Maybe it showed on my face, because he explained.
"Abilities aren't something you just reveal openly. Once someone knows them, counters are easy to come up with."
"Huh? But we're—"
"Friends or allies—it doesn't matter. The fewer people who know, the less likely information leaks. A guy aiming to beat the Troupe can't just go spilling his abilities everywhere. That's also why Kurapika would never fight in Heavens Arena in a way that reveals his real powers."
—And don't go casually talking about your abilities or Nen types either, okay?
Killua finished like that. Honestly, even I wouldn't just give my information away that easily.
"If Kurapika needs to, he'll tell us."
"Yeah. You're right."
"That aside, I am gonna make him tell us what kind of training he did these two months."
"Killua, you ruined a really good moment…"
Still, I do want to hear a lot from Kurapika and Aisha. I want to get stronger too—to repay what Hisoka did during the Hunter Exam.
They've been away training lately, so we didn't get many chances to talk—but today we're having dinner together. I'll ask them everything then.
◆
"An incredible display of skill from competitor Kurapika! It's obvious he'll become one of the fighters who will carry Heaven's Arena into the future! Becoming a Floor Master may not be such a distant prospect for him!"
"Kurapika probably doesn't care about becoming a Floor Master anyway. More importantly—it's about to start."
"Yeah. Today's main event—"
[Laaadies and gentlemennn! Today's main event—Kastro VS Aisha!! Kastro fought valiantly against Hisoka, but suffered a narrow second defeat! Even so, there's no doubt about his strength! One of the men closest to becoming a Floor Master! A master of the Tiger Bite Fist!! Will this match earn him the long-awaited right to challenge a Floor Master!?]
That's right—this was a match between Kastro, who had gone toe-to-toe with Hisoka, and Aisha. Sorry to Kurapika, but honestly, this was the real main attraction.
"Gon, don't take your eyes off this fight for even a second. How well she does against Kastro will reveal Aisha's true strength."
"…So you noticed it too, Killua. That Aisha's really strong."
"…You noticed as well?"
"Yeah. Just a feeling, though."
A feeling, my ass. You figured out her strength on instinct alone? What kind of wild animal are you?
"But why would Kastro fight Aisha?"
"Huh? Well… she's a newcomer, so maybe he thought she'd be easy prey on his way to becoming a Floor Master—nah, that doesn't feel right."
I don't know Kastro that well, but judging from his obsession and hostility toward Hisoka, he doesn't seem fixated on becoming a Floor Master.
Then again, maybe this matchup was just coincidence. Aisha submitted her match request right before her preparation period expired. Maybe Kastro just happened to apply for a match on the same date?
I told Gon that, but he said he'd actually seen Aisha submitting her match request—and then saw Kastro submitting his to match hers.
"I think they arranged it beforehand. Otherwise, there's no way they'd choose the same match day."
"You figured that out just from that?"
"Yeah. I asked them afterward."
…Right. I forgot how absurdly innocent this guy is. How can you act without a second thought in situations like that? If it were me, I'd be overthinking everything. Sometimes I really envy the way his brain works.
"So I asked them why they were fighting, but Aisha told me it's a secret."
"What the hell? Then you learned nothing."
"That's why I'm asking you, Killua. If I already knew, I wouldn't be wondering."
"Fair enough… Then maybe Kastro chose to fight her because he saw through her strength?"
I'm saying it, but honestly, I have no idea. That could be it—or not. Only Kastro would know.
"Sure, that's interesting, but only Kastro knows the truth. So for now, let's just focus on the fight."
"Yeah. You're right."
[And now, competitor Aisha! A rare female fighter at the 200th floor level! Thanks to her looks, she seems to have already gained a dedicated fanbase before even reaching this floor!]
"""Aiiishaaaaa-chaaaan!!"""
Ugh, even Aisha too!? These people are so annoying!
[Just like Kurapika, Aisha used a strategy on the lower floors where she evaded her opponent's attacks for two minutes before securing victory! An undefeated run to the 200th floor—a true feat of mastery! Don't let her appearance fool you, or you'll regret it!! And it's clear she has some sort of relationship with Kurapika, who rose using the same strategy! There have even been many reports of the two spending time together privately!!]
"Nooooooooooooo!!"
"Handsome men should die!! Not 'drop dead'—actually DIE!!"
"Hey, want to shut all of them up?"
"Haha, easy there, Killua."
I know, but it's irritating. Just watch quietly, will you?
[Will Kastro secure victory in his first match and earn the right to challenge a Floor Master!? Or will Aisha, facing one of the strongest 200th-floor fighters in her very first bout, claim a historic win!? The match begins now with the referee's signal!!]
"Point & KO system! No time limit! One bout! Begin!!"
Alright—show us what you've got, Aisha!
The two fighters faced each other in silence. Neither Aisha nor Kastro moved from their starting positions, yet the contrast between them perfectly embodied motion and stillness.
Kastro was motion. He continued kneading a massive amount of aura, maintaining Ren. He lost to Hisoka, sure—but there's no way we could beat him, no matter what.
Aisha, on the other hand, was stillness. She wasn't emitting any aura at all. In other words—Zetsu. Not even Ten, not even leaking aura.
If Kastro hit her like that, she'd die!
No—there's no way she doesn't understand that. If she did, she wouldn't have been that furious when Gon got seriously injured. She must have a plan… though I have no idea what it is.
Kastro must have felt something was off too. He hesitated, wary of Aisha, who stood there completely without aura.
"…You're not coming?" Aisha asked.
"Don't be ridiculous. Not even using Ten—are you trying to die?"
From Kastro's perspective, that's exactly how it looked. Even someone like Gido had put Gon—while in Zetsu—out for four months (though Gon healed in one). If Kastro landed a clean hit, death would be guaranteed.
I couldn't do it. Standing defenseless in front of someone like him.
"Please don't worry. I have my own way of fighting."
"I see… then I won't hold back!"
Kastro attacked!
Fast—but not as fast as against Hisoka!? Is it his injury? Or is he holding back!?
He was definitely holding back. His movements lacked the sharpness he showed in the Hisoka fight. His hands weren't fully forming the Tiger Bite Fist, and the aura coating them was minimal. He was probably trying to win without seriously injuring her.
But the moment Kastro's fist was about to sink into Aisha's abdomen—
What happened next shattered every expectation. Not just mine—probably everyone in the arena.
"G—huh!?"
The arena fell completely silent.
All that remained was Kastro's cry of pain—and the sound of his body crashing onto the ring floor.
The scene was so far beyond imagination that even the referee failed to announce points, and the commentator was speechless.
…What just happened?
"C-Critical hit! And a down! Score 3–0, Aisha!!"
The crowd finally erupted as the referee declared the result.
[Wha—What on earth just happened!? Kastro attacked—and suddenly he's the one being blown away!!]
"Did you see it!?"
"No! I thought Kastro's punch landed, and then he was flying! I don't know what Aisha did!"
Damn it—same as me! I don't know either!
No, that's not quite right. I kind of understand. She probably used his own force against him.
But I didn't see it.
The instant Kastro's attack should have connected—he was already flying.
Nen ability? No, Aisha was still in Zetsu.
Technique? That should be impossible!
Beating a Nen user like Kastro while in Zetsu, using pure technique!?
And yet, reality was right there—Kastro was blown away by an Aisha in Zetsu.
What the hell happened!?
"Ugh… what…?"
Kastro got back up. He was hurt, but not incapacitated. Judging by his expression, he didn't understand what had happened either.
While he was rising, Aisha calmly walked toward him. They were now within arm's reach—both in striking distance.
The first to move was—
Kastro.
His center of gravity shifted backward. He was trying to create distance. A smart decision, given the unknown.
But—
"Gah!"
He tried to backstep—
And his body spun into the air.
Kastro's body rotated as if gravity had stopped applying to him. Like a fan blade, spinning again and again.
The arena went silent once more. Gon, me, and everyone else stared in utter disbelief.
He spun for about ten seconds.
Then it stopped.
Kastro collapsed to the ground, eyes vacant—clearly unconscious.
[…I—I can't find the words… What just happened!? Kastro spun through the air and now—he's collapsed!!]
"Down! Score 4–0, Aisha!! …Kastro is unconscious. Match cannot continue! Winner—Aisha!!"
The crowd exploded.
Even if they didn't understand what happened, they knew something incredible had just occurred.
Looking only at the result—a young girl in her debut match had completely overwhelmed Kastro.
But that wasn't what mattered to us.
"…She's strong."
"…Yeah. I didn't understand anything. Not how she defeated Kastro without Nen, not how he was blown away… not even why she didn't use Nen at all."
Exactly. Her way of fighting felt wrong. The same Aisha who lectured Gon about how dangerous Nen was—fighting a Nen user without using it herself?
Why reveal her strength now? Did she have some kind of plan? Or did she just never have the chance before?
"For now, let's buy the video. Like with Hisoka's match, we might notice things on replay."
"Yeah."
Damn it… she's even farther ahead than I thought.
This isn't just about Nen. Fundamentally, her technique is on a whole different level.
Our physical abilities shouldn't be that far apart—but I couldn't even track her movements.
So that's it, huh… an overwhelming gap in technique.
Fine.
Right now, we're weak.
But I swear we'll catch up.
First—Kurapika. Two months created this gap, but that also means it's only been two months. Not an unreachable difference.
"Gon."
"Yeah."
"Let's get stronger."
"Yeah!"
Alright then—let's buy the video and analyze it back in the room. We've got time before dinner.
◆
…What… am I…?
…What happened? Why was I asleep? What did I do before I fell unconscious? I can't remember…
This place… the infirmary?
Why am I in the infirmary? I don't recall being injured. I try spreading my awareness through my body, but I don't feel any abnormalities—
"—ugh…"
No, there is something wrong. I feel sick—abnormally so. It's like my brain itself is being shaken. Dizziness… nausea… What in the world happened…?
"You're awake."
!?
That voice—
"R-Riina-dono! Ugh—!"
I sat up too quickly, and the dizziness worsened immediately…
"Ah, please lie back down and rest. It would be difficult for you to sit up right now."
"M-my apologies."
Speaking to my master in such a posture felt disrespectful, but in my current condition, sitting up was honestly too much. I would have to accept Riina-dono's kindness for now.
"It seems you can talk without issue. I've brought water and medicine—I'll leave them here. Drink them if you can."
"Thank you very much."
She went out of her way for my sake. When we first met, I had thought her a fierce and volatile woman, quite unlike my expectations. But after becoming her disciple, my view changed completely.
She was strict yet thoughtful, always calm and fair in her judgments. She possessed both dignity and elegance, and her depth of knowledge was remarkable.
Her one and only flaw was anything even slightly involving Master Ryushou.
The time she forcibly pried open my room door while releasing an aura so violent it could have belonged to an Asura, and threatened me—I truly thought I was going to die…
According to Biscuit, "Once she's like that, only Master Ryushou can stop her."
"So then, how are you feeling now?"
"Yes. I've calmed down a bit. I feel somewhat better."
The intense dizziness and nausea I felt upon waking had eased. Still, my sense of balance felt off—I'd probably wobble if I stood up too suddenly. As long as I wasn't abrupt, standing should be possible.
"…It seems you've lost some of your memory. I've experienced that myself."
She said that with a nostalgic look.
…Lost my memory?
That's right—why was I sleeping in Heaven's Arena's infirmary? Sleeping? No—wait, that's wrong! There's no reason I would ever fall asleep in the infirmary!
That's right…! Heaven's Arena! This is Heaven's Arena! And I—
"…It seems you've remembered."
"I—I…! …Did I… lose?"
Yes. I was fighting Aisha.
And then—I lost. Pathetically.
Without even being able to object. Easily. Effortlessly. Completely. I couldn't do anything.
I was defeated. One-sidedly.
"How does it feel? The taste of defeat?"
The taste of defeat? I know it well. After climbing to the 200th floor undefeated, I believed I had no rivals—only to suffer a bitter defeat at the hands of Hisoka.
But this—this was different.
Never before had I felt such profound frustration at my own weakness!
When I lost to Hisoka, I didn't know Nen. I was frustrated, yes—but the gap between Nen users and non-users is immense. At the time, losing felt inevitable.
After learning Nen, I believed that by refining it, I could surely reach Hisoka—no, surpass him. And in our second match, though I lost again, I had grown strong enough to keep up with him.
Even then, I lamented my lack of strength—but I still believed I could grow stronger, that I could catch up.
But now?
I was defeated—humiliatingly—by a girl like that.
I used Nen.
She didn't.
And I lost without accomplishing anything.
Something indescribable is surging inside me.
"Are you angry? At Aisha, who defeated you without even using Nen? Thinking she insulted you?"
No. That's not it. I'd be lying if I said that feeling didn't exist—but it's not this.
"Are you envious? Of Aisha, who defeated you without Nen—wishing you could be like her?"
…Yes. That feeling is strong. But it doesn't fully explain this emotion—this desire to shatter myself.
"Do you regret it? Losing your chance at becoming a Floor Master?"
Regret? When I first came to the Arena, I did want to become a Floor Master. But now, I don't care. My desire to defeat Hisoka is far stronger.
Besides, I was planning to follow Riina-dono and travel between Kazama-style dojos anyway. I'd already lost interest in the Floor Master title.
"…Do you regret underestimating your opponent—and losing without fighting at full strength?"
—!!
…Yes. That's it.
I underestimated her.
She wasn't even using aura—she was in Zetsu. I arrogantly thought I could win while minimizing her injuries.
And what was the result?
I lost without understanding anything that happened.
If I had fought at full strength from the beginning—
I still would have lost. Her skill was far beyond mine. She may already stand at the very pinnacle of martial mastery.
But!
I wouldn't have felt this ashamed!
"If you had attacked at full strength from the first strike, without hesitation, you might not have been blown away like that."
Exactly. I knew she was a Nen user. I'd heard she was acquainted with Riina-dono—she herself told me Aisha was a Nen user.
And yet, I let my guard down.
Because she was a woman.
Because she was only thirteen.
I underestimated her out of arrogance.
"If you hadn't held back—if you had used Evil King Flame Slaying Fist—you wouldn't have had your wrist caught and been thrown."
Yes. After the first mistake, what did I do?
I was stunned. My options narrowed, and retreat was the only thought left in my mind. If I didn't want her to get close, I should've activated my ability immediately. The flames' secondary effects could have kept her at bay. As Riina-dono said, she wouldn't have been able to seize my arm.
"No—before even that. You knew Aisha and I were acquainted. You could have predicted before the match that she was a practitioner of the Kazama style."
Yes. Their connection was obvious. From that alone, I could have predicted her martial lineage.
Of course, it wouldn't have been absolute certainty. One can't stake everything on speculation—but even forming that hypothesis would have let me respond better to her attacks. I wouldn't have been so confused.
"There is no absolute in battles between Nen users. Carelessness, underestimation, arrogance—countless strong fighters have fallen because of them."
"…Yes."
Before I realized it, tears were streaming down my face.
How shameful. Thinking I had grown strong. Forgetting the feelings I had after losing to Hisoka.
"This match was requested by Aisha."
I snapped my head up and looked at Riina-dono. My face was a mess of tears and snot, but I didn't even try to hide it.
"She said she wanted you to remember something—since you would soon be leaving this place. That is why she faced you."
Something she wanted me to remember?
…I know. I've carved it into my body and soul.
"I won't accept it if you say you don't understand the meaning behind her humiliating you in front of such a crowd."
"Yes! Never again! No matter who my opponent is! I will never intoxicate myself with foolish pride again!!"
That's right. This is the world of Nen.
Age and gender mean nothing. You never know what abilities another Nen user possesses. Carelessness leads directly to death.
This isn't a rule-bound match. This is a world where people will use any means necessary to take another's life.
"Good. …By the way, how is your condition?"
"Yes. I'm fine now."
It seems the mild concussion has passed. I rise from the bed and place my feet on the floor.
…Yes. No issues.
"That's good. …Hah!"
"—!? What are you doing!?"
Riina-dono suddenly swings a knife-hand strike at me mid-conversation!
I twist my body on reflex, evading the strike, and steady myself. What was that about!?
"Hm. You pass, it seems. Had you let your guard down and failed to evade even that, I would have expelled you."
—Well, 'expelled' isn't quite accurate, since you're not technically a disciple—
She says it lightly, but honestly, that was dangerous. She called it "that much," but most 200th-floor fighters wouldn't have been able to dodge it at all…
"Very well. We leave this place in two days. Today, rest properly and prepare your belongings."
"No. I have very little luggage. And thankfully, it seems Aisha caused no physical damage. Please allow me to train today as well!"
I want to move. There's no way I can just lie around. If she refused, I would've trained on my own anyway.
"…Sigh. Very well. But even if I tell you to stop because you're unwell, you won't listen, will you?"
"No!"
She looked exasperated—but smiled.
I followed Riina-dono as she turned away.
Aisha—thank you. For reminding me of what I once was.
I believe that becoming stronger is the greatest repayment I can offer you.
And one day, I will defeat Hisoka with my own hands.
Wash your neck and wait for me, Hisoka!!
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Next chapter 25 : This… this is Aisha's true strength!