The excited female moderator's voice echoes through the Arena, "Welcome, everyone! This is Floor Master Auren's very first defense match! Despite his dominant performance during his time in the 200th class, he's already been challenged! I think our Floor Master needs no introduction, right?"
She continues, full of energy, "A master of the black long sword known as a katana—yes, the famous heritage weapon from Jappon, which is steadily gaining popularity! His specialty lies in ranged slashes, but that's not all—he can even morph his hands into deadly claws! Truly a fearsome opponent!"
The crowd roars with excitement as she builds the hype.
"His challenger today, Nolf, has earned the right to challenge Auren by achieving 10 victories and suffering 3 defeats. To be honest, this challenge is a bit unexpected. While not considered the strongest, Floor Master Auren is definitely in the top half of all current Floor Masters. There were easier targets for him to choose. So, what's Nolf planning? Does he have a strategy to take down Auren? Let's find out!"
The referee gestures for both fighters to step forward. But before he can begin, Auren speaks coldly.
"There's one way you get out of here alive. You surrender now and tell me who hired you to do this. You've got five seconds. After that… you're done."
Nolf's jaw tightens. His teeth clench. But he stays silent, staring at Auren with hatred.
"Floor Master Auren! That is not appropriate! Let me explain the rules—" the referee protests.
Auren ignores him. While the man recites the same rules Auren had already heard his first time entering, Auren scans the audience.
Thousands of spectators. Dozens of cameras. Multiple staff members managing Arena security.
Nothing suspicious. I hope Buno and Bunu are in position. They should've shadowed me the whole time since landing here—I made sure to arrive just a little later than them.
"Floor Master Auren! Are you even listening?!" the referee asks, looking worried.
"I'm ready. Can we start now?" Auren replies, eyes locked on the man.
"Okay! Back up a little!"
The moderator's voice bursts back through the Arena, "It looks like things are about to begin!"
"FIGHT!" the referee shouts.
Time to set an example. Not just for these ants—but for anyone else plotting against me!
Nolf lifts his arm, Aura surging around it. A massive, transparent fist takes shape.
Auren draws Eternity, activating Limitless Waters.
High water pressure! Spin the Aura as fast as possible! Keep the flow dense and focused on the blade—just stretch the range a little!
With Eternity wrapped in a swirling, high-pressure watery Aura, Auren dashes forward, ready to strike.
Nolf chooses to meet him head-on, throwing his giant Aura fist forward.
Auren responds with a precise vertical slash. The Aura fist is split cleanly in two—but that's not all. The blade slices through Nolf's real fist and forearm, leaving a grotesque, gaping wound, as his split arms dangle around.
Nolf screams, stunned and in agony, staring at the shredded remnants of his arm.
Auren doesn't hesitate. He ducks low, spins sharply in a fluid motion, and adjusts the range of Limitless Waters. In a blur, he slashes in a full circle.
"STOP!" the referee shouts.
But it's too late. The strike lands.
Eternity slices through Nolf like a blade through paper.
Nolf's eyes widen. He looks down—only to see his entire upper body collapse and fall toward the floor.
"I can't believe it!! Nolf's arm was destroyed—and now, with a deadly and vicious follow-up attack, his entire torso has been cleaved in two! That's it! Medics are rushing in! The referee is waving his arms in terror! What just happened?! Floor Master Auren has improved massively! With just two slashes—his opponent is dead!!" the moderator yells, stunned.
Without missing a beat, Auren sheathes Eternity and hops off the ring, exiting through the same fighter entrance he came in from.
I need to get back to the airport meeting point. And I need answers.
Auren quickly types a message on his phone: "Status?" and sends it to Buno.
Not waiting for a response, he aims for the elevator. The hallway is empty—only staff and fighters are allowed in this area.
Suddenly, he notices a pair of figures approaching.
He stops.
Two people walk calmly toward him. The first is a man wearing a full baseball uniform, complete with a glove on his left hand. He tosses a baseball into the air, catching it lazily with a smug grin aimed at Auren.
What a fucking clown.
But it's the second person who catches his attention. A woman in a dark purple suit and a short mini-skirt, but no shirt underneath—her large cleavage exposed without shame. She's tall, with short, straight blonde hair. One detail stands out immediately: her sharply defined Roman nose.
The spiders!
Escape… or should I fight? No… I need to try to talk it out first! If that fails, I'll decide. They must be underestimating me. From the look on that guy's face, he seems to see me as nothing more than a child. I don't recognize him, so he must be either the one Hisoka killed… or the one Silva took out! Either way, these two aren't top-tier. Pakunoda's not a combatant! She's among the weakest in a fight. Her Hatsu is useful for interrogation or for instantly sharing information, but that's it. Those two are not the strongest the Troupe has to offer… I'm not hopelessly outclassed!
"Stop!" Auren shouts. "State your business!"
The man keeps playing with his baseball, casually smirking, while Pakunoda steps forward and says, "We're only here for an interview, Floor Master Auren. Looks like your fight's already finished. We didn't expect you to be so quick—unfortunately, we missed it."
Oh? So they don't even know how strong I am! Thanks for telling me!
"I'm not usually one to accept interviews. But in your case, I might make an exception—seeing as you're looking quite sexy. Just one condition. Send away your brain-dead, baseball player-cosplaying retard of a friend. I refuse to talk to idiots," Auren replies.
"Kid… do you want to die?!" the man growls, staring at him.
Auren doesn't even glance his way. He focuses on Pakunoda, who calmly responds, "I'm afraid I must insist on my partner's presence."
If she reads my thoughts, I'm done for. Every secret I have will be exposed. I can't afford to give in. I've got to escape… or fight!
Without warning, the man launches a baseball at him with frightening speed and technique.
FUCK!
Auren instantly draws Eternity, raising it just in time. The baseball slams into the blade with thunderous force—but is cleaved cleanly in half. Auren stands firm, unharmed, his sword untouched.
Then, something strange happens. A rectangular black board materializes in the air, hovering unnaturally still. Three letters are displayed—B, S, and O—each with a series of circles beside them.
Auren squints. The B has three empty circles. The S has one filled and one empty. The O has two empty.
Baseball…? Strike 1?! I didn't take damage, but what happens if he hits me three times? Three strikes and… I'm out? Shit! I gave him the opening. I let him set the pace.
"Nice reaction! Though you might want to try swinging next time. Bunting's for losers!" the man jokes, and a new baseball forms in his right hand as if out of thin air.
A Conjurer! So he's using Conjuration, huh? I can do that too! Time to try out my new Hatsu—Hiding in Mist!
Auren focuses his Aura into his hand. With a deliberate wave, he releases it, and a thick, swirling mist bursts forth, quickly flooding the corridor. Within seconds, vision drops to almost nothing—half a meter at most.
At that exact moment, Auren activates Zetsu and slips silently backward.
With his Aura sealed, his senses spike. He instinctively detects another ball tearing through the mist—a near miss that smashes into the wall behind him with explosive force.
Yet the board still remains eerily visible, now showing one filled circle under the "B"—a ball.
Hiding in the Mist isn't some basic Conjuration technique. This mist isn't normal… it's special. It works similarly to En! The catch is, I can only sense people and objects inside it like I'm using En, if I'm using Zetsu! And even then, it's not as accurate and reliable as En. I don't sense details—just vague shapes and movement. It's a high-risk, high-reward technique! I can't afford to get hit while using Zetsu, but if I can ambush my enemy, I have the edge. This Hatsu was designed for silent kills—it's meant for assassination!
"Leave him to me, Pakunoda," the man says with a chuckle. "I'm going to enjoy this. Run, little boy. Run as fast as you can."
His footsteps muted and Aura erased, Auren pivots quietly and moves toward his enemies through the haze. He senses the man's slow, confident advance. He's using his glove like a fan, trying to clear the mist, but it's mostly in vain. Only small patches move.
Auren slides to the edge of the corridor, keeping close to the wall. His hand tightens around Eternity's hilt.
Then—he pauses.
Wait. If I use Zetsu, I'm suppressing my Aura… but Eternity is a conjured object. It has its own Aura. It may not be strong, but it's enough… if he uses Gyo, he might be able to spot it. And the mist doesn't completely suppress the effects of Gyo.
Auren grins, a plan forming in his mind.
Alright then. I'll prepare a gift for you.
Auren crouches and places Eternity gently on the ground, letting it rest in plain sight. He then moves silently toward the corridor's window side. His hands and fingers begin to twist, morphing into curved, lethal claws, and he retrieves several throwing knives as well.
Grunah trained me for this. Time to prove it wasn't a waste. The moment he throws—that's when I strike back.
Through the mist, Auren senses movement—his awareness merged with the fog itself. The man steps forward—then suddenly hurls another baseball, this time aimed straight at the wall, right where Eternity lies.
NOW!
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