Kurapika, Killua, Gon, and Leorio were all making smooth progress.
Meanwhile, Zushi, who was also in Heaven's Arena, found himself in a difficult and awkward situation.
He had a high win rate on the 200th floor, but he had never managed to secure 10 victories before accumulating 4 losses.
Because of this, he never got the chance to challenge a floor master like Kurapika did.
Zushi envied Kurapika for that, and deep down, he felt frustrated.
In fact, he had started learning Nen about a week earlier than Kurapika, and a whole six months earlier than Gon and Killua.
But looking at the results now?
Kurapika had already surpassed him in strength and even became a floor master.
Killua and Gon had also reached the 200th floor, securing three consecutive wins with a perfect 100% win rate.
Of course, that 100% win rate was only because they stopped after three matches. They had no real interest in becoming floor masters.
Zushi, on the other hand, had to stay and keep challenging the arena if he wanted that title.
Yet, in less than half a year, Killua and Gon had improved to such a ridiculous degree. Zushi couldn't help but be in awe.
And the one who had discovered and brought these incredibly talented fighters to Heaven's Arena was none other than Mr. Germain.
Zushi had to admit—Mr. Germain had an eye for talent.
Sure, Killua and Gon had the advantage of their family bloodlines. But then again, didn't everyone have strong ancestors if you traced far enough back?
It was always the weak-willed descendants who ended up wasting that potential.
Killua and Gon were not among them.
They had the bloodline, the talent, the determination—and they worked hard to hone their skills.
Kurapika was a few years older than him, so it made sense for him to be stronger.
But Killua and Gon were the same age as him.
Zushi had watched them close the gap between them in just a few months, purely through their raw talent.
It was terrifying. And incredibly stressful.
This nearly broke Zushi.
Sensing the shift in his disciple's emotions, Wing smiled gently and stepped forward to console him patiently.
"Zushi, don't be discouraged. Among your peers, your talent is exceptional—on a genius level. It's just that those three are geniuses among geniuses, and you happened to encounter all of them at the same time."
"This might make the gap between you seem overwhelming, but don't lose heart. You are still among the very best of your generation. As your teacher, I can say that with certainty."
"They have their own reasons for being this strong. Kurapika was personally chosen by Germain as his disciple. Killua is the most gifted child of the Zoldyck family. And Gon… he's the son of one of the world's top five Nen users, Ging Freecss."
"So, don't worry. 'Shingen-ryu' has already been proven by those before us—it's a path where hard work guarantees results. Don't doubt yourself, and don't doubt Shingen-ryu."
With Wing's patient reassurance, Zushi finally felt a little better. Soon, his curiosity took over.
"Sensei," Zushi asked his teacher, "We follow the Shingen-ryu style, but what about them? What styles do they practice?"
Wing adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses, thought for a moment, and replied,
"Killua and Gon learned Nen from me, so they can also be considered Shingen-ryu practitioner. As for Kurapika, from what I know, he follows the 'Blood Source Style' proposed by Germain."
Zushi was surprised. "What's the difference between them?"
"The difference is just one word—'Heart' and 'Blood,'" Wing explained. "We believe in tempering the heart first to achieve martial growth, while Germain believes that true breakthroughs come from bloodshed and life-or-death combat."
"Oh… then which one is stronger?" Zushi blinked his wide, innocent eyes.
"I can't say one is better than the other—only whether they suit the individual. Zushi, you and Gon are better suited for Shingen-ryu, while Kurapika and Killua are clearly more aligned with Blood Source Style."
"But in the end, whether it's Shingen-ryu or Blood Source Style, they start from similar foundations and ultimately lead to the same destination."
Hearing Wing's explanation, Zushi nodded, half-understanding.
Later, upon learning that Kurapika, Killua, and Gon were about to leave Heavens Arena together, Wing approached Killua and Gon specifically.
"Congratulations," he said. "You've passed the final trial of the Hunter Exam. I hope you'll shine brightly in your future as professional Hunters."
"And with that… this is where we part ways."
Kurapika had previously mentioned the concept of the "final trial" to Killua and Gon.
So, when Killua and Gon were taken to Heavens Arena by Germain and later trained in Nen under Wing, they had already made some guesses in their hearts.
Hearing Wing confirm it in person, even though they had guessed correctly, they were still surprised and excited.
But after that excitement came the sadness of having to leave Heavens Arena and part ways with Wing and Zushi.
However, no banquet lasts forever.
After leaving Heavens Arena, their next destination was not Greed Island but Gon's hometown—Whale Island.
Gon couldn't wait to tell his beloved Aunt Mito everything—his journey from the Hunter Exam to the final trial at Heavens Arena, and everything that happened in between.
Of course, that included news about Ging.
Kurapika and Killua were more than happy to go with him.
Kurapika was curious about the childhood home of the famous Ging Freecss.
Killua, on the other hand, just wanted to go to Whale Island for fun.
When they arrived, Gingn's cousin Mito and his great-grandmother warmly welcomed Kurapika and Killua, doing their best to make them feel at home.
After all, Whale Island was small and remote, and Gon only had one childhood playmate—a little girl.
Now that he had brought two friends to visit, both Mito and his great-grandmother were delighted.
They wanted to see Gon making friends and traveling with them, rather than walking the dangerous path of a professional Hunter, which only filled them with worry.
But Gon had already set out on that path, and his two friends were walking it with him. There was nothing more Mito could say to stop him now.
At the very least, seeing the calm and reliable Kurapika and Killua with him put her mind at ease. With them around, Gon shouldn't get into too much trouble.
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