"Here, here. Slow this part down—yeah, the slowest speed, please."
Gon and I came to Wing-san's room to analyze the match between Aisha and Kastro on video. We had examined the fight between Hisoka and Kastro here before too, and we hoped that Wing might understand things we couldn't and explain them to us.
…Though I definitely didn't expect Shion to be here as well.
Didn't this guy leave Heaven's Arena already? Something about his master calling him or whatever. Yet here he is, clinging right next to Wing like it's the most natural thing in the world…
Well, whatever. More importantly, I need to focus on the video right now.
Determined not to miss a single detail, I carefully watched Aisha's every movement, staring at the TV screen with eyes wide open.
And the conclusion I came to was that Aisha is an absolutely ridiculous monster.
"…You're kidding me. Did she really use Zetsu to take advantage of Kastro's attack?"
"It's hard to believe, but… it certainly appears that way."
At first I wondered if she had used In to hide her aura. But it seems not even Wing or Shion could detect any In with Gyo, let alone Gon or me.
"Isn't it possible she used an In even Wing-san and the others couldn't see?"
In a way, that's a fair question.
But Gon, that would mean Aisha has mastered In at a level that even these two can't detect. Even Zushi could somewhat see through Hisoka's In.
"…I don't know. I doubt it's that extreme. But even if that were the case…"
"Even if?"
Yeah, I get what you're trying to say, Wing-san.
In other words—
"Either way, Aisha is someone far stronger than Wing-san or Shion-san."
"Huh? Is that true, Wing-san?"
"…Yes, most likely. I don't have even the slightest confidence that I could defeat Kastro without using aura. In other words, as a martial artist, I am inferior to Aisha-san."
Wing spoke with a hint of frustration.
So Wing's a warrior at heart after all. Usually he acts carefree and a bit sloppy, but losing to a younger girl in martial skill must sting.
"And if Aisha-san truly used In during that fight, yet my Gyo couldn't detect it, then that would mean I am overwhelmingly inferior as a Nen user."
"Ah, I see."
Right. No matter how you look at it, the conclusion that Aisha is stronger than Wing and the others barely wavers.
We were able to see through Hisoka's In. We had to pour a lot of aura into Gyo, but even so, we managed to detect the In of someone stronger than us.
If Wing can't detect Aisha's In—assuming she used it—then the gap between them must be far beyond just "slightly weaker."
"Hey Wing-san. How did Aisha stop Kastro's first attack? I couldn't tell what happened at all."
"Let's see. In this video the angle showing Aisha-san is poor, so it's hard to tell exactly what she's doing, but this is undoubtedly a technique that uses the opponent's strength against them. A type of martial art known as Aiki. You should ask Shion about it—he can explain it better."
"Yeah. Though I never expected Aisha-chan to be a practitioner of the Kazama style."
Shion took over the explanation from Wing as he said that.
Kazama style… I've heard of that before. Isn't it the famous school known as the counterpart to Shingen-ryu's strength—the softness of Kazama-ryu?
So Aisha's a practitioner of Kazama-ryu, huh. But wasn't she supposed to be from Meteor City? Where the hell would she have learned something like that? Or maybe there was a Kazama-ryu practitioner in Meteor City or something?
"Kazama style?"
Yeah, that figures. Gon wouldn't know. This guy doesn't seem like he knows much about general common knowledge.
Typical wild child.
"The Kazama style is one of the schools of Aiki Jujutsu that originated in Jappon. It was spread across the world by Ryushou Kazama-sama, one of the direct disciples of the founder, Ryuzen Kazama-sama. I'm not bragging, but there are hardly any people in the martial arts world who don't know about it!"
"No, that definitely sounded like bragging."
He had the most smug look on his face just now.
Sure, Kazama-ryu is thriving, but that's not exactly your achievement, right?
"So you see, Aiki Jujutsu has many techniques that use the opponent's strength, their joints, the structure of the human body, as well as human reflexes and psychology. My master, Riina-sama—ah, that's my master—can throw a huge man with just a single finger!"
"You really never listen when people talk, do you?"
Is my voice being filtered out or something?
"With just one finger!? That's amazing!"
"Right!? Right!?"
"Haha, Shion truly respects Riina-san. And to be fair, someone with Riina-san's level of ability might be counted on both hands worldwide."
Counted on both hands, huh…
Maybe in the public world. But in the underworld, there are probably tons of people at that level.
Starting with my family.
Come to think of it, that house might basically be a nest of Nen users. I can't imagine a single servant there who can't use Nen.
"Shion, I understand you're excited, but please calm down for now. You still haven't explained the technique Aisha-san used."
"Ah—sorry about that. I got carried away. When I get excited, I sometimes lose sight of everything around me."
"Yeah, I know that very well."
I've experienced it firsthand. Never want to go through that again.
Anyway, finally back to the main point. I didn't ask for a lecture about your martial arts school or your master.
"The technique Aisha-chan used at the beginning is something that could be called the ultimate secret of Aiki."
"The ultimate secret!"
"Whoa, that sounds cool."
Using a word like ultimate secret technique really gets the heart pumping.
Damn you, Aisha—you're pretty impressive!
"Well, maybe it's more like the ideal rather than a secret technique. As I said earlier, Aiki Jujutsu has many techniques that use the opponent's strength, so you could say this is one of its ultimate forms. It uses the opponent's forward momentum and attack power, redirects the flow of that force, controls it, adds your own strength, and then returns it all back to the opponent at once."
"Um… does that mean any attack can be reflected back?"
"No, that's going too far."
"Right, Killua-kun is correct. It's easy to say but difficult to do. If everything you say could be done that easily, nobody would struggle. Ideally, though, what Gon-kun described would be possible."
So Aisha has mastered a technique praised as an ultimate method—at a level where she can actually use it in real combat.
"…."
Looks like Gon realized that too.
His expression changed from earlier… wait, why does he look so happy?
"Hey Gon, why are you grinning like that?"
"Hm? Well… it's just that I can really feel how amazing Aisha is now. And when I think that someone with such a high level is so close to me… I feel really happy."
Is this guy secretly a battle maniac or something?
…Though honestly, I kind of get that feeling.
"So Shion-san, can you use Aiki like Aisha?"
"Hm… I can, and I can't."
"That's a pretty vague answer."
"Aiki isn't just one technique—it includes many different methods. And depending on the opponent's strength, Aiki can be broken. The kind Aisha-chan used… if even the slightest timing or control of force is off, you'll take the enemy's attack head-on. Honestly, just watching that fight gave me cold sweats."
Well, it's a martial art after all. That makes sense.
It's like asking a karate practitioner how much karate they can do. What people can and can't do depends on the individual.
"And besides… even if Kastro reduced his aura to an extreme degree, I still wouldn't have the confidence to exploit an aura-infused attack while in Zetsu. Actually, I wouldn't even want to try. More than anything, I can't believe Aisha-chan came out of that unharmed."
"Huh? If the Aiki worked perfectly, isn't it natural that she'd be unharmed?"
Gon's question makes sense.
Isn't that exactly why it's called the ultimate secret of Aiki?
"You see, Gon-kun. You know very well how fragile the body's defense is when in Zetsu—when you're not wrapped in any aura at all, right? Could you knock away Gido's spinning tops with just your bare physical strength?"
"Ah!"
"In that state, she touched Kastro's body, redirected the attack, and used its power. Sure, Kastro's aura was reduced. But that still shouldn't make it possible. Normally your hands or arms would suffer some injuries."
"…The most likely explanation is that she hid her aura using In after all."
That would make the most sense if she ended up unharmed.
Aisha might be a Nen user highly skilled with In, or she might possess an ability that conceals aura. That would also explain why we've never even seen Aisha use Ten before, despite her supposedly being a Nen user.
"Or perhaps… she applied the Aiki in a way that avoided direct contact with the dangerous part of the attack. That's another possibility."
"What do you mean?"
How the hell do you apply Aiki to an aura-covered attack without touching it?
"Even if the body is covered in aura, simply touching it doesn't automatically cause damage. A stationary body and its aura cannot attack an opponent. To produce power, speed is required."
Well, that's obvious.
The aura covering your body is meant to strengthen the body itself. Simply touching that aura won't cause damage.
For example, if Gon used Ren but didn't move, I could touch him in a Zetsu state and it wouldn't hurt at all.
Though I might feel a strong sense of pressure.
"But Aisha used Aiki against Kastro while he was attacking, right?"
That's right—at that moment Kastro was already moving and launching an attack at Aisha. The initial premise had already collapsed.
"Even during an attack, not every part of the body is moving. In fact, precisely because someone is attacking, there will be parts that remain still. If she targeted those…"
…Well, maybe it's not impossible?
Though it probably depends on how much can actually be done with Aiki. I don't even know if it's possible to apply Aiki to a part of the body that isn't moving while someone is throwing a punch.
"Or perhaps… she read the speed of Kastro's attack and touched his body while matching that exact speed, almost like rubbing along with it. If so, then even without aura-based defense, it might be possible to apply Aiki without injuring one's own body."
…Ah, that reminds me of something I saw in a movie once.
It's like the logic behind jumping from one moving car to another while they're driving side by side at the same speed, right?
Yeah, no way.
…Honestly, the first explanation sounds more convincing.
Wing probably understands how insanely difficult what he's saying is. Even as he said it, he didn't sound very confident.
"It seems we can't analyze any further. If we had footage taken from multiple angles, we could examine it more thoroughly, but…"
"Yeah. More importantly, let's just keep watching."
There's no point wasting time thinking about something we can't figure out right now. Better to watch the entire video first and then put our thoughts together.
The footage moved on to the next moment—when Kastro tried to distance himself from Aisha, only to be spun into the air by her.
"Even watching it again, the level of skill is astonishing."
"Yeah. She completely read Kastro's psychology and movements. Not just Kazama-ryu technique, but her 'kan' in combat is incredible."
"Kan?"
Gon and I spoke at exactly the same time.
Kan… as in the kan from observation?
"To put it simply, it's observational perception. As long as someone is human, every action has a starting point. If someone is about to punch, the shoulder moves before the arm, and the arm before the hand. Instead of thinking about it while watching the whole body, you feel it. That allows you to predict the opponent's movements. Riina-sama once said that Ryushou-sama's 'kan' was practically on the level of future sight."
So it's about reading the opponent's movements and psychology and predicting their actions ahead of time.
I've heard that truly skilled masters can do things like that. I've even experienced it myself. Against weaker opponents, it's definitely possible.
Which means that, to Aisha, Kastro was the weaker one.
Well, the result of the fight makes that obvious.
"As I said earlier, Aiki Jujutsu has many techniques that make use of the opponent's psychology and reflexes, so in Kazama-ryu, cultivating that 'kan' is considered one of the most important forms of training."
Ah… that brings back memories.
It was the same in my house. Watch your opponent carefully. Understand their strength and weaknesses.
And if you realize you have no chance of winning, never fight them.
That bastard of an older brother used to tell me that all the time…
And because I followed that rule, I abandoned Gon that time…!
Damn it! It's not the same now!
I'll never abandon Gon again! I'll never betray them!
I'm not going to stay bound by that guy's curse!
"…Lua—Killua!"
"—!? Ah—yeah! What is it?"
"What do you mean 'what'? I kept calling you and you didn't answer!"
"…Sorry. I was just thinking about something."
"Are you okay, Killua-san? You're sweating a lot."
Looks like I was more trapped by those thoughts than I realized.
I hadn't even heard Gon and the others calling me, and before I knew it I was covered in cold sweat.
"Are you alright? If you're not feeling well, we can continue the analysis later."
"No, I'm fine. Come on, let's keep watching."
If I stop over something like this, I'll never surpass my brother.
Thankful for everyone's concern, I urged them to continue.
"Alright, I'll continue the explanation. The technique Aisha-chan used on Kastro here is a throwing technique from Aiki Jujutsu. Just like the others, it uses the reflexes and structure of the human body."
"It looked like Aisha grabbed Kastro's arm, and then suddenly he started spinning. The Kazama style can do things like that too?"
"Yeah. I could even demonstrate this one right now. I can do it gently so it won't hurt. Anyone want to try?"
"Then try it on me! I want to experience what it's like!"
Gon immediately jumped at Shion's offer.
Since he said he'd hold back, it should be fine. Besides, I want to see it up close too.
"Alright, try reaching out your hand toward me."
"Like this?"
"Yep. Here we go."
Gon reached out his hand toward Shion.
Shion grabbed Gon's wrist and applied the technique. He twisted the wrist he was holding, trying to lock the joint.
Startled, Gon instinctively shifted his center of gravity to resist.
And the moment he did—
Shion used that movement against him, and Gon was cleanly lifted into the air.
"Whoa!?"
"There we go. Alright, are you okay, Gon-kun?"
Gon spun once in midair and landed neatly on the floor on his feet.
Just like he said, Shion had held back.
Not only that—he probably slowed the movement on purpose so we could understand how the technique worked.
"Yeah, it didn't hurt at all! But that was amazing! When I tried to resist, you used that against me and threw me!"
"That's the true essence of Aiki Jujutsu."
"Was the technique Aisha used on Kastro the same thing?"
"Hmm. The basics are the same, but the level of skill is completely different. Honestly… hasn't Aisha-chan already reached the pinnacle of Kazama-ryu? How did she throw him like that? There was barely any off-balancing at all. …She might even be on Riina-sama's level."
So Aisha threw him with a level of technique that even Shion couldn't fully understand.
Is she really thirteen years old?
It's hard to believe she's only one year older than us.
…When a year passes, will I be able to stand at the same level as her?
"But can someone really spin that much from just one throw?"
"No, that part is different," Wing said. "At that moment, Aisha-san is actually accelerating Kastro further while he's spinning in the air. Look—let's replay this part in super slow motion. …Here. Watch this closely. Do you see how Aisha-san sweeps Kastro's head with her foot?"
As he spoke, Wing pointed at Kastro's head, which was upside down relative to the ground.
…He's right.
More precisely, she kicks his temple with the tip of her toes.
By doing that, she increases the rotational acceleration—and at the same time knocks him unconscious.
"…Do you see now? At this moment Aisha-san precisely kicks only Kastro's temple. Furthermore, when Kastro's head rises upward, she strikes his chin accurately, increasing the rotation even more—and… she knocks him out completely. Finally, she finishes with a palm strike to the chin from the opposite direction of the rotation. Kastro, whose consciousness had already been sent flying, could no longer even stand and collapsed unconscious."
This—this is Aisha's true strength!
Winning against a Nen user—someone like Kastro—while in Zetsu!
"So if you go this far, you can knock out a Nen user even without coating yourself in aura."
"Yes. Even for a Nen user, having the brain shaken that violently leaves them helpless… Of course, if Kastro had been in normal condition and maintaining Ren, the outcome might have been different."
So the reason for this defeat was that Kastro underestimated Aisha and let his guard down.
If he had fought seriously from the beginning, the result might have been different. At the very least, he wouldn't have been handled so easily.
Tch! Damn it, Kastro! If you were going to lose anyway, you should've at least let us see more of Aisha's abilities!
"Hm… The fact that Aisha went this far just to knock Kastro out means…"
"Yeah. She really was in Zetsu the whole time."
"Ah! You're right! If she had just been using a highly advanced In, she could have knocked him out much more easily!"
Which means there's a high chance Aisha really fought without releasing any aura at all, just as it appeared.
"Well, that is probably the case. No matter how much one masters In, completely deceiving Gyo is nearly impossible—especially when several people are using Gyo at the same time."
He says several people, but aside from Wing and Shion, the rest of us are basically irrelevant.
If Wing couldn't see it, there's no way we could.
"So in the end, what we learned from this video is that Aisha is a practitioner of Kazama-ryu."
"And that Aisha's strength is far higher than we imagined."
At the very least, she's definitely stronger than Wing.
Man… I'm jealous of Kurapika, getting to learn Nen from Aisha. If we'd learned Nen from her from the beginning, we wouldn't have had to go through that two-month training ban. By now we probably wouldn't even be losing to Kurapika.
"Well, no point thinking about what's already done. Anyway, it's about time. Let's go, Gon."
"Huh? Go where?"
"You serious? We promised to have dinner with Aisha and Kurapika, remember?"
"Oh! It's already this late! Sorry, Wing-san, Shion-san! We're heading out! See you later, Zushi!"
"Jeez, you guys are hopeless. Anyway, we'll take our leave now. I've got a ton of questions I want to ask Aisha."
"Osu! Thank you for your hard work, both of you!"
"You can come play again anytime!"
"And you two—don't forget Ten and Ren! Make sure to continue your training with the Water Divination as well!"
Waving a hand behind us, we left the room.
Man, Wing really worries too much. But I guess that's just his nature.
Then again… watching Gon, I can understand why. That guy's pretty reckless.
Anyway, when I see Aisha, I'm going to ask her everything I want to know.
She better be ready.
◆
Hmm, my shoelace snapped. Ominous. As ominous as if some superhuman somewhere in the world of pro wrestling had just died.
…Why did such a strangely specific sense of bad luck pop into my head?
Maybe it's just a fragment of memory from my previous world—most of which I've already lost. I don't remember ever being into pro wrestling, though.
"What's wrong, Aisha?"
"Nothing. My shoelace just broke. I'll go change into another pair."
Well, it can't be helped if it broke. I might as well go change my shoes quickly.
It's not like I have an endless supply of replacements… but I do have quite a lot.
They're all presents from Riina, though…
Apparently, wearing shoes that match your outfit is important.
I honestly don't get it. I'll admit that after living as a woman for so long, some feminine traits have started to show up—and I hate that fact, but I'll accept it.
But my sense for feminine fashion clearly hasn't improved.
What's the fun in putting together these half-baked gender-mixed outfits, Bisky?
…Sigh. I want to go back to being a man already.
Lately I've even started worrying that when I do return to being a man, I might still act feminine…
Ugh! No way! Using feminine speech in a male body would be even worse than now!
Please let Mom's ability stop working once I return to being a man! And please don't let it have permanently stuck to me regardless of the ability!!
Praying such a trivial wish to others—but a rather desperate one to me—I soon arrived at one of the restaurants inside Heaven's Arena.
I had promised to have dinner here with Gon and the others.
As 200th-floor fighters, we have room service, so there's really no need to eat out. But eating together with friends like this is nice too.
And I want to enjoy different kinds of food as well.
It seems Kurapika is already inside—and Gon and Killua too.
Looks like I'm the last one to arrive. I must have kept them waiting.
"Sorry everyone! I'm late!"
"Oh! Aisha, you're late—…huh?"
"It's fine, Aisha! We just got here too. Right, Killua?"
"It can't be helped. Her shoelace broke. I already explained the reason to them."
Good, it looks like Gon and the others just arrived too.
…This conversation feels like one of those typical lines people say on a date or something.
But… what's wrong with Killua?
I could tell he was about to complain to me, but then he froze like he'd just seen something impossible.
"Killua? What's wrong?"
"W-wh—"
"Wh?"
Wh…? What's he trying to say?
The word that follows "wh"… what—what the hell is this!?
I glance at Killua's stomach to see if he's been stabbed or something.
Nope. Nothing there.
Good, then.
"W-WHAT ARE YOU WEARING!?"
"Huh?"
"Ah, come to think of it, this is the first time you two have seen it."
"Aisha! You look cute! It suits you really well!"
"Th-thank you, Gon… But talking about my clothes is a bit embarrassing, so please don't say too much."
"Huh? Why not? You look really cute."
Ugh…
Gon's naturally straightforward, and he's the type who doesn't lie or say things casually like that.
Which means he's being completely sincere.
And that just makes it even more embarrassing…
Because he expresses his feelings so directly, he influences people—both for better and worse.
That must be why people are drawn to Gon.
"Hey! You accepted that way too fast! It's Aisha, you know!? That Aisha! The Aisha who's always in athletic clothes! And now she's wearing this frilly dress like something a girl would wear! Why aren't you surprised!? Both you and Kurapika!"
Calling me "always in athletic clothes" is rude!
We haven't even known each other for a full year—how can you say that so confidently!?
…Though it's basically true!!
"Well, it suits her, so isn't that fine? Aisha's a cute girl, so it wouldn't be strange for her to dress up."
I-is this kid a natural flirt?
It feels like I'm being smoothly courted without him even trying…
Ah… I can feel my face turning bright red.
No, no! I'm going back to being a man. I'm going back to being a man. I'm going back to being a man.
Alright. Self-hypnosis complete.
"You sure say those kinds of lines easily… Are you secretly pretty experienced or something?"
"Experienced? If you mean going on dates with women, I've done that quite a bit."
"…Eh?"
Gon just casually dropped something that completely shook the mental calm I'd just established.
"Well, with Mito-san… ah, she's like my mother. Most of the time it was with Mito-san, though."
"…Even so, that means you've gone on dates with other women too."
"Yeah. Sometimes fishing boats crewed only by women come to my hometown, Whale Island. One of them said she only liked younger guys, so I went around town with her and she taught me all sorts of things."
"A-all sorts…!?"
Killua and I both froze in shock at this new revelation.
C-could it be that Gon has more experience than me in that area?
Losing in romantic experience to a kid barely over ten years old…
What the hell was I doing in my previous life? Training, obviously.
"By the way, Kurapika isn't surprised at all. Normally you'd be shocked, right? Both by Aisha's outfit and by Gon's bombshell statements."
Come to think of it, Kurapika didn't react nearly as much as we did.
Well—more accurately, he seemed surprised, but he didn't show it outwardly.
"Yes… well. A lot of surprising things have been happening lately. I suppose I've grown used to it."
Ah! Kurapika has the expression of someone who's attained enlightenment!
No, wait—that's not it!
That's the face of someone who has given up on everything!
What happened to Kurapika!?
We've been together almost constantly lately, so I should have noticed if something changed…
But we've been buried in training nonstop.
Hmm… I have no idea.
"For some reason I feel a strong urge to make a sharp retort at Aisha."
"Huh? Why?"
I don't understand.
"…Sigh. Never mind. As for why I'm not surprised by Aisha's clothes—it's because I've grown used to them. I was surprised the first time I saw them."
"Used to it!? This!?"
"Yes. Well… a lot happened. Recently Aisha has started wearing more feminine clothing."
The "a lot" part really does involve a lot.
It's something neither Kurapika nor I particularly want to remember.
Perhaps noticing the tired looks on our faces, Killua didn't press the matter further.
His kindness hurts.
"Well, whatever. …So does that mean you're going to keep wearing clothes like that from now on, Aisha?"
"No. By the time we go to Yorknew, I will absolutely return to my original clothing. Absolutely."
"O-okay… I'll keep that a secret from Leorio."
Why does Leorio-san come up at that moment?
I don't get it.
Hmm… I thought I had plenty of life experience, but there are still a lot of things I don't understand.
"So you don't like your current outfit, Aisha? It suits you though. But your old athletic clothes were nice too—they looked healthy! You're really beautiful, so any outfit looks good on you!"
"…I'd like to interrogate whoever gave Gon this kind of knowledge."
"What a coincidence. Me too."
"Same here," Kurapika added.
I feel like giving a certain someone a long lecture for planting such ideas into pure, innocent Gon.
"Then how about this! Why don't you all come visit Whale Island together? It's a great island surrounded by beautiful nature. The fish are delicious too. And I want to introduce you to my family."
"Yeah, that sounds interesting."
"That would be… but…"
"I think it might be nice," I said. "…Kurapika, you need a break sometimes."
Coming from the one who put him through nonstop training, that might sound hypocritical.
But I had been thinking it was about time to give him a rest period.
Even if Bisky's ability restores physical fatigue, mental exhaustion doesn't disappear so easily.
The training schedule had been extremely intense.
Without a break, his spirit would eventually wear down.
In my case, though, I enjoyed training with all my might, so I didn't feel any mental fatigue at all.
Collapsing from exhaustion and sleeping like a log afterward—that was the greatest pleasure.
Thinking about it now, that mindset was borderline insane…
[Absolute Obedience / Geass] was truly a terrifying ability.
"…Alright. If that's the case, I'll gratefully accept your offer."
"Yes. While we're sightseeing on Whale Island, we'll limit training to basic exercises."
"Oh… so training isn't disappearing completely. I see. Understood."
Hmm?
Kurapika just made that "I've given up on everything" face again.
"Well, we can work out the Whale Island trip later. …But seriously, what kind of training are you guys doing? Between Kurapika acting like this and everything else."
"Yeah, I want to know too," Gon said. "Kurapika really got strong. Way stronger than we could even imagine."
Hmm.
They want to know about the training, huh?
If I explain it too precisely, they might try to copy it right away—and that would be a problem.
So I should keep the explanation vague.
"Well… moderate exercise and—"
"Moderate? There isn't a single day I don't cough up blood."
…
"—an appropriate training method—"
"Appropriate? Even over-the-counter medicine says to follow the proper dosage."
…
"—and a reasonable amount of sparring—"
"Reasonable, huh? I wonder when the day will come when I don't pass out."
…
"…I see. Since we'll lighten the training once we reach Whale Island, perhaps we should increase the intensity until then."
"Gon, how about we leave for Whale Island starting tomorrow?"
"Haha…"
"Training so harsh that Kurapika loses his entire personality… Do we really have to go that far to get stronger…!?"
How rude!
Thanks to Bisky, this training is still easier than what I went through myself!
"Jokes aside… you're probably thinking of applying the same training I received to yourselves, but with your current level, it's impossible."
"Why!? Even if that's true for Aisha, it's not Kurapika's place to decide—he's the one being trained!"
"No. I agree with Kurapika. The training he's undergoing is still too early for you two."
"What!?"
Killua lunged at Kurapika, but I spoke firmly in agreement.
Still, it couldn't be helped.
Right now Gon and Killua are still in the stage of building their fundamentals.
They need to keep practicing Ten and Ren every day, increasing and stabilizing their aura.
Without that foundation, the training Kurapika is doing wouldn't produce much effect.
Two months may be short, but the talent of these three is truly exceptional.
In just two months, they've likely grown more than ordinary people would in several years.
That's exactly why the two-month ban on training the two of them received is so significant. They haven't missed their daily practice of Ten, so their aura remains stable without stagnation, but they still lack power. For a while longer, they should devote themselves only to Ten and Ren.
"Don't rush, Killua. Among everyone I know, the two of you are growing at an unparalleled speed. But in anything, there are always preliminary stages. For now, continue practicing Ten and Ren every day."
"When I first started, most of my training was Ten and Ren as well. If you don't build a solid foundation, it will affect your later training. If you two were to undergo the same training I did right now… you might die."
"…Alright. I'll focus on Ten and Ren for a while. But! Once we reach a passing level, you'll definitely teach us the next training, okay?"
"Of course."
Still, at the rate they're going now, two or three weeks should be enough. Kurapika is the same—he grows so quickly that it's easy as a teacher, though perhaps not very interesting to train them…
How should I put it… I'd kind of like to thoroughly train a slow learner and raise them into a master. I'm an ordinary person myself, after all. It's easier to feel close to someone like that than to a genius.
"Ugh—but I want to get strong like Kurapika soon. I'm definitely going to repay Hisoka for what happened during the exam!"
"Speaking of which, when is your match with Hisoka?"
"July 10."
So there are less than four weeks left.
Right now, he's probably training to bring out his water-divination affinity change more strongly—rather than simply practicing Ren.
Most likely—no, certainly—Gon can't beat Hisoka. Right now, Gon overwhelmingly lacks everything. But… if Hisoka keeps playing around, Gon might at least be able to land a single blow.
"Hisoka is strong, you know?"
"I know. I know I can't win right now. But that doesn't mean I want to back down."
His gaze meets mine, filled with an incredibly strong and unshakable will. Once Gon gets like this, there's no persuading him…
Well, it can't be helped. Hisoka probably won't kill Gon. That guy is the type of battle maniac who fattens up his prey before eating it. Gon isn't ready to be harvested yet. Hisoka surely knows Gon will grow much stronger.
…If Hisoka ever tries to kill Gon, though, I'll stop him—even if Gon ends up hating me for it.
"Have you thought about how to deal with Hisoka's ability?"
"Um… Gyo?"
"That alone isn't enough. Did you forget how, during the fight with Kastro, Hisoka attached that rubber-like ability at the same time he punched?"
"Oh! Right—then I have to dodge all of Hisoka's attacks!"
"That ability sounds even more troublesome than I thought."
"Yeah… if defending isn't an option, what should we do…"
That ability is indeed well designed. Continuously dodging an enemy's attacks in close combat is extremely difficult. And this time the opponent is someone far stronger. It's impossible for Gon to avoid all of Hisoka's attacks.
"It's fine. If defending isn't possible, I'll just move forward!"
"That's…"
For Gon, that might actually be the best strategy. If dodging and defending are both impossible, the only option is to attack. But the fact that he can reach that conclusion so quickly is honestly impressive. Once Gon decides something, he moves forward without hesitation. That's one of his strengths.
Though sometimes it can also be a weakness.
"By the way, shouldn't we order food soon? I'm starving."
"Oh yeah, I forgot."
"…Now that you mention it, I'm suddenly hungry too. Let's order quickly!"
"Right. I just ring this bell, correct?"
We called the waiter and each ordered what we liked.
Perhaps because they were so hungry, Gon and Killua ordered quite a lot. This restaurant is pretty expensive, but since they earn hundreds of millions at Heaven's Arena, it shouldn't be a problem. That said, I also ordered just as much as they did.
"…How can you eat that much?"
"Kurapika, you're a light eater."
"My portion is perfectly normal. You two simply eat too much."
"Really? …Well, I suppose I do eat more than I used to."
Back when I was Ryushou, I couldn't eat this much. Age might play a role.
Also… it might be the rebound from spending about ten years living on nothing but Mother's milk and gum. They were delicious, but when that's all you have, you inevitably start craving other food.
"Anyway, it's late, but good job on your matches today, both of you! You were amazing! Kurapika has gotten really strong, and Aisha was even stronger than I imagined!"
"Thank you. But the reason I've become this strong is thanks to Aisha."
"Thank you, Gon. But Kurapika became strong through his own talent and effort. You can be proud of that."
Even without me, Kurapika would eventually reach the realm of a master. All I did was give him a push.
"Putting Kurapika aside, Aisha—why did you fight like that in your match?"
"You mean fighting in Zetsu?"
"Obviously. You're going to answer that."
Ah, I expected that question. After talking so much about how terrifying Nen is to Gon, it wouldn't make sense if I fought Kastro without using aura.
And they're probably curious about the techniques I used during the match. Though if they've spoken with Wing or Shion, they might already know I'm a practitioner of the Kazama Style.
"The reason I fought Kastro using Zetsu… was because there was something I didn't want him to forget."
"Something you didn't want him to forget?"
"…! You mean overconfidence?"
As expected of Killua—quick thinking.
Yes. I wanted him to engrave the lesson that complacency is the greatest enemy.
He has the talent and determination to achieve great things.
But he also had a tendency toward arrogance. I realized that when I watched the recording of his first match against Hisoka. I watched it to gauge Hisoka's strength for Gon's sake.
In that video, Kastro entered the arena brimming with confidence. He had climbed to the 200th floor undefeated, so he probably believed completely in his own strength. Maybe he'd never hit a wall in his life. But excessive confidence breeds arrogance.
He managed to land hits and even knock Hisoka down, but once Hisoka got serious, he was defeated easily.
After that, he learned about Nen and obtained my regrettable "black history," so he probably abandoned his arrogance. Otherwise, there's no way he could have become that strong in only two years on his own.
But people who make a mistake once tend to repeat it.
Even if he discarded arrogance and trained hard, that doesn't mean he wouldn't become complacent again once he grew stronger. That's why I asked Rina to arrange a match between Kastro and me. …Needless to say, Rina was jealous of him.
"So the lesson was 'never let your guard down,' huh. Sure, that's important. But why would you go that far for Kastro?"
"Well… I suppose it's because I don't want a martial artist with such potential to die for a trivial reason."
That's part of it, but there are actually two more reasons.
One is that he became Rina's disciple. If I think of him as my grand-disciple, I wanted to help a little. It was a harsh form of help, but after experiencing humiliation like that, he probably won't become careless again. The rest I'll leave to Rina.
I can't tell them this reason yet. I still don't have the courage to reveal that I'm Ryushou's reincarnation.
The other reason… was for Gon and the others.
Through that match, I wanted them to see what even a small moment of carelessness or arrogance can lead to. They didn't experience it themselves, but the impact should leave a strong impression.
Carelessness is the fastest ticket to defeat.
The real reason I can't say this… is that it's a little embarrassing.
"Hmmm…"
Maybe my explanation wasn't very convincing. But while they seemed curious, they didn't press further. The topic ended there.
"Still, the Kazama Style is amazing! I had no idea what you did to Kastro. Shion even used Aiki on me once, and I got thrown instantly!"
Ah, so they figured it out. Those two must have told them. They probably studied the match video too.
Technological progress can be annoying. Anyone who saw that match and became wary of me will analyze my martial arts from every angle.
Still, even if they analyze it, it won't be easy to counter. That's something I've dealt with since my days as Ryushou.
"Aiki is difficult to deal with if you've never experienced it before. It's only natural that Gon couldn't handle it."
"That's true. I spar with Aisha as well, but I still can't deal with it. Though I think that's less about the Kazama Style and more about Aisha's skill."
That's partly true. Kurapika now could probably at least break free from an average Aiki user. Through sparring with me, he has begun to understand the flow of power in Aiki.
"But seriously, Aisha—where did you learn the Kazama Style? Was there someone from that school in Meteor City?"
"…No. There wasn't anyone from Kazama Style in Meteor City. At least, not that I know of."
"Then where did you learn it? Could someone really master it that much in the short time after leaving Meteor City?"
Where, and from whom, I learned it…
Considering my age, it's only natural they'd wonder.
"Once, when I traveled to Jappon searching for my ideal martial art, I learned it from a certain person there."
"A certain person?"
"…I can't give details. But they are one of the people I respect the most in this world."
If I had never met Master Ryuzen, I probably wouldn't be here now. In this world, he was like a father to me.
Someday I want to visit his grave… but showing up with a heart still full of lingering regrets feels painful.
Perhaps that's why I can't quite bring myself to go.
"…Alright. I'll wait until you feel like telling us."
"Thank you, Killua."
Someday, the day will come when I tell them the truth about myself.
When that happens, however they see me, I'll have to accept it.
"Still, you really respect that person, don't you?"
"Of course. The Kazama Style I learned from my master is one of the few things I'm proud of. Compared to Shingen-ryu, they each have their strengths, but I believe Kazama Style is in no way inferior."
That small pride inside me—that is the Kazama Style.
It's the one thing I refuse to lose to anyone in. Even though my Geass of Absolute Obedience has been lifted, I still continue training. Perhaps because I don't want to lose that pride.
And besides… I still don't like the fact that Netero beat me more times than I beat him.
"Having something you can be proud of within yourself is a good thing. As long as you have that, you can keep moving forward."
"Yes, I think so too."
"Something to be proud of, huh…"
Killua seems to be deep in thought after hearing Kurapika's words.
Perhaps he's thinking about what he himself can be proud of.
Killua hates the life he was raised into as an assassin. That means rejecting most of his own past.
After all, he was born into the Zoldyck family. There was probably no part of his education that didn't involve killing.
Because of that, he thinks he has nothing to be proud of.
His aura flow is disturbed, and his expression is clouded. My guess is probably correct.
"What's wrong, Killua?"
"Hm? Oh… I was just wondering what I could be proud of. Assassin techniques aren't exactly something to brag about… but besides that, I don't really have anything."
I knew it…
But that's not true. I was about to tell him he does have something to be proud of, when Kurapika spoke with an exasperated voice.
"What nonsense are you thinking about? Don't say such foolish things."
"Huh!? What's foolish about it!?"
"You say you have nothing to be proud of? One of the things I'm proud of is that I gained wonderful companions like you two. …Was that just my own self-satisfaction?"
"That's right, Killua! You've got us! I'm really happy I became your friend!"
"They're right. Bonds between people are incredibly precious."
Ah… I'm glad. These children truly have wonderful hearts. I'm really fortunate to have become friends with them. Surely Killua will come to feel the same. Killua isn't someone who will only regret the past. He's someone who can move forward.
"You guys… yeah, you're right. Sorry for saying something weird."
"Haha, it's rare to see Killua being so humble. Maybe it'll snow tomorrow."
"What the hell! I actually apologized and that's what I get!?"
"Hahaha! But that's more like you, Killua!"
"Yes, Killua wouldn't be himself otherwise."
"Gaaah! That's it! I'm never apologizing to you guys again!"
Trading insults, cracking jokes, telling silly stories—we laughed together as we continued eating. It really makes me happy to have friends I can relax around like this.
"By the way, Kurapika. About that training—you weren't joking, were—"
"I'm sorry! I got carried away! Please forgive me!"
"As long as you understand."
Everyone's laughter echoed through the restaurant. I knew it was probably bothering the other customers, but I couldn't bring myself to ruin this cheerful atmosphere.
I wish this moment could last forever.
But it seems that wasn't meant to be. An unwelcome guest arrived.
"Hi, Aisha ♥ I couldn't find you in your room, so I went looking for you ♣"
"Hisoka!?"
"…What do you want? As you can see, we're busy right now."
I had expected him to come eventually. Even during my fight with Kastro, I could feel an intense gaze on me.
A gaze so malicious it wasn't even trying to hide itself.
But I never expected him to show up somewhere like this. Even someone like him wouldn't cause trouble in a place full of ordinary people… or so I thought.
"Hmm, it's my first time seeing it, but that outfit suits you ♦ I'm falling for you all over again ♠"
"Hearing that from you doesn't make me happy in the slightest. Why don't you get to the point?"
When Gon complimented me earlier, I felt embarrassed but happy.
But hearing it from this guy just sends chills down my spine.
"Can you hurry up and say what you want and leave? We're in the middle of eating."
"Alright. I only have one request… I want to fight Aisha ♥"
At those words, everyone except me immediately entered a battle stance.
…Well, that was exactly the request I expected.
But their reaction was a little surprising. The speed at which they prepared for battle was impressive. Hisoka must have noticed it too, because his aura became even more sinister.
"Well well… ♣ I'm glad to see you've grown more than I expected ♠"
"I'm the one who fights you next! Wait your turn!"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten what you promised."
"It's four against one. You're not going to call that unfair, right?"
Kurapika is even using full Ren…
So that's what they mean by "that promise."
They're talking about the agreement to cooperate with Hisoka, but someone like him wouldn't care about that. Just because they teamed up doesn't mean he wouldn't fight them.
"It can't be helped. After seeing something that mesmerizing… how could I possibly hold back? ♦"
As he spoke, Hisoka's aura grew stronger.
Even the ordinary customers—who can barely sense aura—were frightened and uneasy from the sheer intensity of it.
So he wants to fight me so badly that he can't control himself.
Honestly, what a troublesome pervert.
"I have no intention of fighting you."
"Would you still say that if I attacked you?"
"Go ahead if you want. The essence of Aiki is self-defense. …No matter what you do, I won't attack you. Is that really the kind of fight you want?"
"..."
Hisoka, who looked ready to strike at any moment, stopped moving.
He must have realized I wasn't lying. As things stand, he wouldn't get the death match he wants.
And the next thing he'd say would probably be—
"Would you still say that after I kill Gon and the others?"
"That doesn't sound like you. Are you really willing to destroy your future fun just for this moment?"
"…You have a point ♣ Then maybe I'll kill everyone else here—"
"Do you think I'm some kind of saint? If you do that, I'll just run away while you're distracted. And I'll never fight you."
In reality, I'd stop him if that happened.
But saying that would only complicate things. My expression doesn't change, and my aura doesn't waver in the slightest.
Well, I'm currently using Angel's Veil, so it wouldn't waver anyway.
"Aisha?"
"Stay quiet, Gon."
Gon and Kurapika seem to realize I'm acting. They trust that I would never actually do such a thing.
…Killua, on the other hand, looks like he might actually agree with what I said.
"So what would make you fight me?"
"Even if you say that with the face of a child who just had his toy taken away…"
Do you really want to fight that badly!?
Sigh. Fine. I'll set some conditions and promise a future fight. If I ignore him too much, he might actually lose control.
Honestly, he was already close to it.
"Alright. I'll promise to fight you."
"Really—"
"But there's a condition."
"…? A condition? What is it?"
"You must finish your previous appointment first. There's someone you've been targeting for years, isn't there? Until that's settled, I won't fight you."
Hisoka's prior target.
The man he set his sights on long ago.
Chrollo Lucilfer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe.
Hisoka joined the Troupe—or pretended to—just to fight him. To make that happen, he teamed up with Kurapika and stirred up the Troupe so he could create a situation for a one-on-one battle with Chrollo.
This man is a battle maniac and a killer—but he isn't just a mindless murderer.
He has his own rules.
One of them is fighting powerful opponents in a true one-on-one death match.
If he only wanted to fight strong people, he wouldn't be so obsessed with Chrollo alone. Even if other Troupe members were always around their leader, he could just fight them all at once.
And if he only wanted to kill people, there's no need to target the strong. The world is full of people weaker than him.
But that wouldn't bring Hisoka his true enjoyment.
What he wants is a fight where no one interferes—just himself and someone capable of killing him.
A true duel to the death.
If that weren't the case, if he were just a bloodthirsty killer, he would have already attacked me without caring about Gon and the others.
He might even have launched a surprise attack already.
"So if I clear that condition, you'll fight me ♥"
"I promise. One-on-one. No interruptions from anyone."
"…Alright. I'll accept that promise ♦ In that case, since my business here is finished, I might as well have dinner too. I'm pretty hungry ♠"
Saying that, Hisoka dragged a chair from an empty table over to ours.
…Wait.
"Excuse me, I'll have this and this ♣"
"Y-yes sir! R-right away!"
"You can take your time ♥ I'll enjoy chatting while I wait ♦"
"Y-yes!!"
The waiter ran off at full speed, like he was sprinting through the air.
Well, that's understandable. Anyone would react like that after taking an order from someone emitting that kind of pressure.
But that's not the point!
"No, go home!!!"
"Don't be so cold. We're practically friends, aren't we? ♥"
And so, our fun dinner gathering was completely ruined.
What an unfortunate ending.
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Next chapter 26 : On that day, during a certain period of time… their friendship was destroyed