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Chapter 23 - Ch: 21

Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss, who is clearly more excited than in the original story at Heavens Arena.

The silver hair on my head, which I thought would be discovered at any moment, has settled into a hat and now I can't take it off.

Gon and his group's relentless advance continued unabated, and by the time they reached the 100th floor, everyone had been given fan club names and nicknames.

Leorio's initial nickname, "Ryona Rio," began to be recognized in a positive light as Zushi rose through the ranks, and now he enjoys passionate support from those who have always loved traditional pro wrestling.

The most popular character, Kurapika, with his handsome appearance, balanced fighting style, and mysterious expression, was adored by people of all ages, especially young women, and was known as "Prince."

Killua, like in the original story, continued to win by sneaking behind his opponents and striking with a single decisive blow. His speed and cat-like appearance earned him the nickname "Silver Panther," and his cocky attitude was also beloved.

As for Gon, unlike the original work, he consistently defeats his opponents by either taking their attacks or dodging them before delivering a gut punch. Initially called "Gut Punch Man," he eventually earned the nickname "King" because his opponents would collapse to their knees after being hit, resembling someone kneeling before royalty.

There is a rumor that the four fan club presidents are the same person, and some even whisper that they might be Floor Master-class members, but the truth remains unknown.

Despite their smooth rise, the four faced a major setback on the 100th floor of Heavens Arena, where two of them suffered their first losses.

The first to fall was Kurapika, who, exhausted from his life of sharing food and sleep with his chains, finally succeeded in materializing his chains on the 100th floor ring.

However, since the floor prohibited weapons, he was declared a loser by disqualification, leading to a near-riot by fans.

Nevertheless, he genuinely rejoiced at being freed from his life with the chains and appeared at the next match with a beaming smile, leaving many fans in awe.

The second loss came for Leorio, with the matchup for that day's 100th floor being Leorio vs. Killua.

As the four fighters gained fame, debates about who was the strongest grew more intense, and this match provided the first answer to that question.

"Here we go! The hottest match of the day at Heavens Arena, and the most anticipated battle of the 100th floor is about to begin!!"

Heavens Arena was packed with spectators, with the crowd growing denser as you went up the floors, and as you went down, the crowd became more of a mix of curious onlookers and fans chasing after their favorite fighters.

Amidst this chaos, tickets for the floor where Gon and the others were fighting were skyrocketing in price, with scalpers and even standing-room-only spectators crowding the area.

"First up is this fighter, despite starting out unpopular, he's now skyrocketing in popularity! Known for his bold, fan-favorite style, here's the sunglasses-wearing cool guy, Leorio, also known as Ryona Rio!!"

"No, no!"

Ignoring the commentator's usual provocation, Leorio responds to the loud cheers and steps onto the ring.

Though he was still advancing with ease, the caliber of his opponents was rising, and as the matches dragged on, he continued to grow through the experience of more one-on-one battles.

"Next up is the silver panther, whose ferocity doesn't match his appearance! Against Hoar, who, on the 90th floor, used an unconventional strategy of turning his back from the start to avoid a neck strike, he showed his composure by first facing him head-on before circling around to his back again! The mischievous mascot, Killua!"

Seeing the commentator's personal preferences on full display, Killua winks at her and steps into the ring.

By the time the commentator, who had been so excited he couldn't speak properly, managed to regain his composure, the referee's warnings and physical checks were complete, and all that remained was to wait for the starting signal.

"Ugh, I got carried away and apologize for the disruption. Let me start over! The main event of today's Heavens Arena, the match between Leorio and Killua, is about to begin!!"

The two facing each other on the ring showed no signs of tension, and their ideal mental state, free of complacency or overconfidence, was evident to even casual observers.

"I've been losing every sparring match lately, so I'm going to make you cry, Killua."

"Kyaa, Ryona Rio is scary! Don't say things you can't do, or you'll be embarrassed later."

Ignoring the tension in the audience and staff, Leorio takes his stance while Killua lightly steps in place.

Once the referee confirms that everything is ready, the once bustling floor falls silent.

"The match begins!!"

A deafening roar echoes across the floor at the referee's signal.

However, most of the audience, who had not moved from their starting positions, and Leorio, who had swung his fist, were unable to comprehend what had happened.

"...Clean hit! 1 point for Killua!"

After a moment of hesitation, the referee's decision causes confusion among the audience who couldn't see what happened.

"A mysterious loud noise, and then Killua scored a point! I'm ashamed to say I didn't see what happened at all."

"Hmph, I see. That's quite something."

"...Who are you!?"

A tall, dark-haired man had appeared beside the female commentator. With a smug smile, he spoke in a voice just loud enough to be picked up by the microphone.

"In that brief moment, we caught a glimpse of the incredible skill of both fighters. I had expected Silver Panther to dominate, but Ryona Rio isn't one to be underestimated."

"Did you see what just happened? If you could explain it to me, I'd appreciate it."

"Looking at the result, Silver Panther punched Ryona Rio in the abdomen, dodged the counterpunch, and returned to the starting position. However, there was a lot of psychological warfare within that moment."

"I can't believe that happened in such a short time! What's going to happen next in this match!?"

"Sigh."

Only a handful of people in the entire arena could see every moment of that split second before the match began, and only the participants themselves knew what they were thinking and feeling in that instant.

Killua, in the midst of extreme concentration at the start of the match, carefully executed a feint to move behind Leorio.

So far, Killua has won over 90% of their matches, but Leorio has been making him sweat lately, not just because he can't let his guard down, but because Leorio has been outmatching him in raw power.

That's why Killua abandoned the move he had been using all along, moving behind his opponent, and went for a head-on attack.

Damn, he didn't fall for it after all.

Since he began his training in the art of healing, Leorio had started claiming that he could hear the "voices" of his opponents' bodies.

He had begun to vaguely sense their next moves, physical weaknesses, and even invisible injuries simply by observing them.

Gon speculated that he was unconsciously perceiving an aura too subtle to be detected, analyzing its echoes and other subtle signals.

Well, even if I can react, it doesn't mean anything.

Killua struck Leorio's abdomen before his attack could land, then used the recoil to return to his starting position with a nonchalant expression.

If the missed punch had connected, it would have been fatal, but since it missed, it was no big deal.

I'll dodge everything and win easily this time too.

Killua wore a confident expression, but he couldn't stop the cold sweat from running down his back.

Leorio had already lost a point to Killua, but the damage from the punch was minimal, and he was almost completely unfazed mentally.

That's because he knew from their usual sparring that this would happen, and he understood that the key to victory lay in how much he could catch Killua off guard.

First, I can't let Killua attack freely. I have to end it with a single blow like before. Then, I have to somehow drag him into my territory.

Looking at Killua, it was unclear whether he was being cautious or just relaxed, but he didn't seem ready to attack.

Ignoring the cheers of the crowd, Leorio decided on his strategy, relaxed his guard, and began to walk slowly.

"Oh, Leorio! He's walking toward Killua as if he's taking a stroll! In response, Killua also relaxes his stance and stands still. What's about to happen!?"

"I see. Since he can't catch up with speed, Ryona Rio is deliberately walking to force the Silver Panther into a counterattack."

"What do you mean by 'force a counterattack'?"

"The first strike was when Ryona Rio tried to counter. Since he's walking slowly, the Silver Panther must be wary of a counter, making it difficult to deal damage. Therefore, by having the Silver Panther itself aim for a counter, he's trying to decide the match. That's not just standing still; it's a high-level technique known as the 'void stance.' However, without exchanging a word, they've signaled to each other that this time, Killua is trying to decide the match with a counter! Don't blink! It's like watching a beautiful dance."

As the audience watches with bated breath, the distance between Killua and Leorio grows closer and closer. When they are within arm's reach, the entire venue is filled with tension.

Finally, Leorio gets close enough to look down on Killua and stops without taking a stance.

"Both of them have entered each other's range and aren't moving. The end is near."

"What an intense tension! What's going to happen!?"

Everyone is certain that an intense battle is about to begin, but Leorio slowly extends his left hand as if to shake hands, and grabs Killua's right hand.

"What's happening? Leorio has caught Killua, who should be so much faster! Even I could have dodged that slow move! Why!?"

"I'm surprised. It's a strategy that can only be described as a strategy of no strategy. By deliberately abandoning an attack that could have ended everything in one blow, he caught his opponent off guard! Now that it's come to this, Ryona Rio, who has the physical advantage, will win the match in one fell swoop!"

"Killua, don't lose! Beat that gorilla to a pulp!"

...

Having successfully grabbed Killua's right hand, Leorio continued to stare intently at him, sweating profusely but refusing to break his concentration.

Having approached without resistance, his mental fatigue was at its peak, and he forced himself to hold back a breath that was about to escape, tensing his body.

There's a limit to how much he can dodge. I have to finish him here!

Despite being grabbed, Killua stared up at him with an unchanging expression, sending a chill down Leorio's spine. But he resolved not to let go of that hand.

Here we go, if I win here, it's a big victory!

Leorio gripped Killua's right hand with all his might, like a vise, and collapsed to his knees like a puppet whose strings had been cut, kissing the ring.

"...What?"

In the silent arena, Killua wiped the sudden sweat from his face without pausing to catch his breath.

As Killua struggled to free himself from Leorio's grip, the referee finally came to his senses and declared the match over.

"Leorio KO! Winner: Killua!!"

The frozen moment resumed, and the arena erupted in deafening cheers.

"It's settled! It's settled!! I couldn't see a thing, but Killua's big victory! Yay!!"

"What the hell? Is there someone who can do that at that age?"

"Did you see it, Long Hair!?"

"When a person acts, there's always a time lag between consciousness and movement. There's an instant gap between thinking and acting. If you can read that gap, you can attack an unconscious opponent unilaterally!"

"Just tell us what happened!"

"Ryona Rio was about to attack, but Silver Panther exploited that gap and countered with an attack from outside his consciousness. It's a technique that shouldn't be possible for a child, but it's truly divine speed, worthy of Silver Panther's name."

Amidst the deafening cheers, the clear commentary and analysis further excited the audience, who savored the afterglow of the match and cherished the opportunity to watch it live.

"Though the match was short, it will undoubtedly go down in history. Please give a big round of applause for the victorious Killua and the valiant Leorio! Killua is truly the best!!"

In a corner of the still-thrilled arena, there was a 200th-floor fighter who nodded deeply at the commentator's words.

As night fell, Gon and the others gathered at a hotel near Heavens Arena to hold their usual post-match meeting, with the sound of Zushi's screams serving as background music.

Lately, with the addition of Wing, a top-tier instructor, they've been given more concrete goals and challenges, which has accelerated their growth.

However, on this particular day, Kurapika, who had been freed from his chains, had already collapsed early on, so the discussion was lighter than usual.

"But how many times do you expect us to be amazed? Kurapika's ability to materialize his techniques so quickly is impressive, but the match between Killua and Leorio was truly remarkable. Honestly, even at the Shingen-ryu Dojo, we rarely see such a match."

Leorio blushed at Wing's praise, while Killua looked sullen.

It seemed like the outcome was reversed, but in reality, Leorio was the one who had achieved what he wanted to do, while Killua had simply taken a necessary action given the situation, and his success was merely a coincidence, so he couldn't bring himself to celebrate honestly.

"Killua, you should be more confident in that success. Taking the initiative in a real battle like that is almost impossible, even for me."

"That's right, that's right. You ruined my hopes of winning."

Killua, who is being teased by Leorio, sighs deeply and explains why he can't bring himself to celebrate.

"I only managed to do that because Leorio was holding me. I felt my ability activate, so I'm sure of it. In other words, I cheated."

Killua says regretfully that he knew he had lost the moment he was grabbed, but Leorio, looking puzzled, counters.

"The only thing you were supposed to avoid using was Nen, right? I might have used my ability unconsciously too, so we're even. If the winner whines, the loser won't find it interesting either. Be more confident, as Silver Panther would say."

As Leorio laughs and slaps Killua on the back, Gon, who has finished his training conversation with Zushi, joins them.

"Then, Leorio, you take care of the rest. I made the lower body stronger than usual, so good luck."

After the match, Leorio, who was in worse shape than before, heads toward Zushi to heal him. He surrounds himself and Zushi with aura to enhance his healing power while massaging him.

Impressed by Leorio's massage technique, which doesn't seem like that of a beginner, Wing is once again awed by Gon and the others' extraordinary abilities.

Leorio, who can perform treatments at a level that even a regular doctor couldn't handle, uses his aura to heal Zushi.

He can now generate electrical currents comparable to a stun gun with ease, and even demonstrate an application of the technique, albeit subconsciously.

However, what terrifies Wing the most is Gon's growth rate at this point.

Until now, Gon had only been able to fight using brute force, dictated by the circumstances of his training partners. But by coming into contact with Wing's well-structured martial arts as a disciple of the Shingen-ryu style, he has been able to absorb the missing techniques through physical communication, using sheer force.

If his physical abilities and techniques catch up, there will be no one left who can stop him using conventional methods.

Watching Gon casually chatting with Killua, Wing makes a decision.

Once there's nothing left for me to teach him, I'll ask the master to take Gon under her wing. He has the potential to become the strongest being in existence, surpassing even Chairman Netero!

After sending the three of them home to rest, including Leorio, who had finished his massage, Wing made a late-night phone call.

"What's up at this hour? It's been ages since you called me."

Apologizing to his master, who answered the phone looking sleepy but still polite, Wing got straight to the point.

"Actually, I'm currently taking care of four temporary disciples and one animal, and I called to report that to you and make a request."

"Huh, you taking on so many temporary disciples at once must be pretty serious. But if you need help, I'll have to decline. I'm busy with work for now, and I'm not exactly idle either."

Wing smiled wryly at his master's usual response and made a different request, though it was related.

"I'm fine with helping out, but I'd like you to take over their training after September. They're all exceptionally talented, and one of them is particularly gifted, so much so that I feel he might be too much for me to handle."

He was confident that mentioning their potential to surpass his master and Chairman Netero in the near future had piqued her interest, even over the phone.

"...I can't promise anything, but I'll keep it in mind. At least tell me their names."

When Wing lists the names of the four humans and one animal—Kurta Clan, Zoldyck Family, Freecss, and finally Fox Bear—his master's loud laughter echoes through the phone.

"Taking care of such people is really unlike you, Wing. But for the sake of such disciples, if the timing is right, I'll pass on the torch to you, this Biscuit Krueger."

The confident voice was filled with an overwhelming aura of dominance, worthy of one of the world's strongest.

***

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