Die in silence, or erupt in silence.
Law had thrown Tonpa an impossible choice.
"Give me a hint." Tonpa said, on the verge of tears.
"Guess." Law blinked, once again using his go-to response.
'What sins had I committed in my past life to encounter such a calamity?'
Tonpa couldn't even force a smile now. He could clearly feel his strength rapidly draining away, and the thought of his precious life energy slipping away made his heart clench.
'Did life energy represent lifespan? If so, wouldn't this shorten my life?'
'No, I don't want to die. I want to live to be a hundred.'
With one foot already over the cliff, Tonpa was still lost in chaotic thoughts.
'In the original work, Gon and Killua mastered the trick almost instantly after Wing opened their pores. As for Tonpa…'
Law looked up, his gaze piercing through the lush branches and leaves, settling on the blue sky and white clouds, 'I hope he can figure it out on his own before evening. Otherwise, I can only express my regrets.'
Feeling the urgency of the situation, Tonpa didn't dare let his mind wander anymore. He quickly calmed himself and began to figure out how to control his Aura Nodes.
There were no hints, no assistance from others… it was like a blind man groping his way through the night.
The difficulty and disaster were twofold, and he could only proceed with extreme caution.
Watching Tonpa calm down, the corner of Law's mouth curled slightly. He didn't disturb him and even helped eliminate any potential threats in the surroundings that might affect him.
After all, this was a magical realm, harboring many dangers.
Time passed bit by bit. Tonpa's Aura was rapidly leaking out, while his progress in plugging the gaps was almost zero.
Comparing talent could sometimes be truly cruel.
Half an hour had passed, and Tonpa still hadn't made any progress. The only thing commendable was his physical constitution.
The situation was growing increasingly dire, and Tonpa was aware of it. Fortunately, he didn't panic, or he would have lost even the slim chance he had left.
'Damn it, get under control!'
Tonpa roared meaninglessly in his heart.
He kept trying, but it was like throwing stones into the sea… always falling just short.
It was like chasing after a goddess: every time he thought his hand could touch her smooth cheek, she would laugh coyly and step back just as he reached out.
That feeling of being so close yet so far was utterly frustrating.
The life-threatening stakes grew heavier, and a cold sense of crisis sprouted in his heart.
Tonpa's knees weakened, and he fell to the ground, looking utterly exhausted.
Still, he didn't panic. Gritting his teeth, he refused to waste even a second, letting sweat pour down his face.
Finally, his efforts paid off. The rate of Aura loss began to slow, and the open Aura Nodes showed signs of closing.
Watching this change, Law thought that Tonpa had at least passed the first hurdle and escaped the threat of death.
By the time the Aura in his body was nearly depleted, Tonpa successfully closed his Aura Nodes and collapsed, unconscious.
The drain on his physical and mental energy was too severe… his body and mind simply couldn't hold on.
Seeing this, Law smiled, picked up Tonpa like a chick, and carried him into the forest.
Twenty minutes later, Law arrived at a small village nestled among the trees.
This was a village of local indigenous people. Their way of life leaned toward the primitive, but they also had some small electrical appliances powered by hydroelectricity.
Law entered the village, greeted the villagers, and then settled Tonpa on a bed inside a house.
It would be a while before Tonpa woke up.
So, Law went hunting in the forest with the villagers. Before long, they returned with a full haul and enjoyed a lavish dinner.
Early the next morning, Tonpa woke up groggily, feeling utterly exhausted, as if he had no strength to muster.
"Your breakfast."
Suddenly, the voice of that calamity rang in his ears.
Tonpa's body trembled slightly. He stiffly turned his neck to look at Law, who was sitting by the bed.
"Eat up. Regain your strength. We have to continue today." Law said with a smile.
To Tonpa, that smile looked like the smile of a devil.
Tonpa's talent was clearly no match for Gon and Killua's. Although he had successfully closed his Aura Nodes the first time, he still had a long way to go before mastering basic control.
First, Tonpa needed to learn to open and close his Aura Nodes freely, as this was the basic requirement for forced advancement.
For the next half-month, Tonpa found himself in deep water. From his perspective, he was being tortured by Law.
It wasn't until he could freely control his Aura Nodes and barely manipulate his Aura that Law explained the Fundamentals Nen Techniques to him. Only then did Tonpa's attitude begin to change.
In that moment, Tonpa felt as if he had opened the door to a new world, completely unaware of what awaited him in the future.
…
Three months later, Heavens Arena.
At this moment, a match was about to begin in a venue on the 200th floor. The spectator stands were, as usual, nearly packed to capacity.
"Today's match is crucial for contestant Tonpa. If he wins, he will become a new member of the 200th floor. However, his opponent today is Doon, the hottest dark horse in recent times."
"Will contestant Tonpa come out on top, or will the dark horse Doon continue his triumphant advance? Let's wait and see!" The female commentator's excited voice echoed throughout the arena.
In the ring, Tonpa was dressed in a tacky blue cloth outfit. His body was slightly plump and short, and compared to the robustly built Doon across from him, he seemed inherently disadvantaged.
Appearance, presence, physique, demeanor… in every aspect, Tonpa was completely outclassed by Doon.
Doon was a boxer. He stepped into the ring bare-chested, revealing rock-like muscles, a gold belt around his waist, and red boxing gloves on his hands.
It was worth mentioning that Doon was also a Nen User.
In the spectator stands, Law and Killua sat together.
Teaching Tonpa to learn Nen Techniques had taken some effort, but it had ultimately allowed Tonpa to successfully develop his own unique Nen Ability.
Thus, Law brought Tonpa to Heavens Arena to participate in matches, using them as a whetstone to hone his Nen Ability.
Biscuit had no interest in this match and had gone shopping instead.
"All the money is bet on Tonpa, right?" Law asked, looking at Killua.
"Yep." Killua nodded. That was his candy budget for the next six months.
"With odds this high, we're going to make a killing." Law chuckled.
Killua hesitated for a moment before saying, "I've watched a few of Doon's matches. His speed and strength are impressive."
"That's why the odds are so high." Law rubbed his chin, "Don't worry, if all goes as expected, your candy money will triple."
Just then, the referee announced the official start of the match.
Doon took the initiative to attack, moving with incredibly fast, shuffling steps. In an instant, he closed in on Tonpa, his fists tearing through the air with a buzzing sound.
"Here it is, Doon's Wave-Speed Jab!" The commentator shouted excitedly.
Doon unleashed a flurry of powerful punches, enveloping Tonpa in a storm of fists.
The audience erupted in excitement, eagerly anticipating Doon pummeling Tonpa into defeat.
But the next second, the roar of the crowd gradually died down.
They saw Tonpa's clumsy, slightly plump body weaving through the barrage of punches.
That's right… it was like he was swimming, gliding as smoothly as a fish, evading Doon's terrifying rapid jabs.