Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss! My heart won't stop pounding when I look at Chairman Netero. Is he suddenly getting stronger? Or just getting his edge back? When I see how powerful a human can become, it really makes me appreciate the height of the peak I'm aiming for—the ultimate Gon.
…
Early in the morning the day after Gon's group met Netero, all the members who had been present gathered on a plain a fair distance from Heaven's Arena, led by the Chairman himself. The journey, of course, was a marathon. Zushi had to be carried on Gin's back part of the way, but they still arrived at their destination faster than a car.
"Ho ho! I'm surprised Leorio and Kurapika managed to run the whole way. It seems Wing's guidance has been quite beneficial!"
While Netero laughed without breaking a sweat, Leorio and Kurapika were collapsed on the ground, looking as if they were about to spill their guts. Killua was breathing hard but still had some energy to spare. Wing and Gon were sweating, but their breathing was steady.
"Leorio, you got enough in you to use your stingy One-Man Doctor? Or should I use Muscle Dialogue?"
"…huff… wheeze…"
Netero watched with interest as Gon, hearing their voiceless reply, began to massage the two using Muscle Dialogue. Gin and Killua went into a nearby forest to hunt for food, while Wing and Zushi started a fire to prepare breakfast. After recovering somewhat, Leorio also used his One-Man Doctor ability. By the time they finished breakfast and moved on to a light training session focused on recovery under Wing's supervision, Leorio and Kurapika were back in top condition before noon. Once they had an early lunch, an excited Netero began to explain the game they were about to play.
"Alright, first up, Leorio, Kurapika, and Killua will spar with me in that order. The first round will be one-on-one. The second round will be two-on-one, and the final round will be all three of you at once. Think of it as training for both individual and team battles."
"If it's team battle training, what about Gon and Gin? Are we just dead weight to you?" Killua asked.
"It's less a matter of skill and more one of stamina. The sparring will be non-stop in the later stages, so this is a measure to give you three more time to recover."
When Netero added that the morning marathon had also been a test of their stamina, even the dissatisfied Killua had no choice but to accept it. Then, to motivate them before the sparring began, Netero laid out the conditions for victory.
"In the three-on-three match, if you can land even a single blow on me, you pass. If you can make me use my Hatsu, you pass with flying colors. As a reward, I'll grant you any wish that is within my power to grant."
"Huh? Isn't that backward? The way you said it makes it sound like you won't use your abilities to block our attacks," Leorio pointed out.
Leorio's question was perfectly reasonable, but to Gon and Wing, who knew of the Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, it was completely off the mark.
"My Hatsu is specialized for offense. Frankly, against the three of you, there's a high probability I'd kill you even if I held back."
It was naturally frustrating to be told so bluntly that he would be holding back, but when the three of them looked to Wing and Gon for confirmation, they both just smiled wryly and nodded.
"Even for me and Gin, it's tough to deal with in a real fight. It's still too early for you guys," Gon said.
"To be blunt, Gon and Gin are already in a league of their own. Even I would be defeated in a single blow if I didn't prepare with my full strength," Wing added.
With the endorsement from Gon and Wing, a half-desperate Leorio took off his jacket and sunglasses and shouted a challenge.
"Reconnaissance is a job for the weak! Kurapika, Killua, you two watch me closely!"
"Ho ho ho. Full of energy, aren't you? Very well, let's see what you've got."
"Don't underestimate me, old man!"
The first round of sparring lasted ten seconds for Leorio, thirty seconds for Kurapika, and one minute for Killua.
"It's two against one now! Don't think it'll go like last time!"
The second round didn't last a minute for any combination of two.
"There's no way you can beat all three of us! Give me a break!"
The final three-on-one match also ended in under a minute.
No matter how vast the skill gap, the three of them were dumbfounded, brought to their knees without having made a dent. The confidence they had built up winning fights in Heaven's Arena, and even their faith in the training they had diligently followed since the Hunter Exam, was shaken. As for Kurapika, he tasted a despair akin to watching the shadow of the Phantom Troupe, which he thought he was getting closer to, dissolve into a literal phantom before his eyes.
"Your fundamentals are passable. Your choices of Hatsu also suit your Nen categories and temperaments well. But your teamwork is nonexistent. That was just three one-on-one fights."
Netero's critique didn't even seem to reach them. The three remained on the ground, heads bowed, their weakened spirits causing their auras to cloud over.
"Honestly… Get a hold of yourselves!"
"!?"
Netero's shout, imbued with aura, made them snap their heads up. They flinched under the stern gazes of their mentors but stood up without looking away.
"That's better. There is no shame in losing. The only shame is in failing to learn from defeat and repeating the same mistakes. You three are without a doubt in your growth period. If you have time to be depressed, use it to think, even if it's just for one more second."
"""Yes, sir!"""
Nodding with a satisfied smile, Netero's expression shifted into something more ferocious as he turned to Gon and Gin. Gon met his gaze with a battle-hungry grin of his own, while Gin's fur stood on end with excitement as he faced the Chairman.
"You newly hatched chicks, do not neglect your Gyo for even a moment. This next match will be packed with everything you currently lack."
Killua and the others, who were already trembling from the pressure of their auras, as well as Zushi, who had been on the sidelines, all braced themselves anew.
The first to spar with Netero was Gin, who had transformed into a lean, two-meter-tall form. He took some distance from Netero and crouched low, as if waiting for a signal.
"You may begin whenever you are ready. In a real fight, there is no starting signal… Does he even understand what I'm saying?"
The moment Netero, suddenly worried if his words were getting through to a beast, glanced at Gon, Gin attacked. He moved at a speed so great it was like a blur, without sound or impact. To Zushi, he would have been lost from sight even with Gyo. He shot past Netero, aiming to slash his neck with aura-clad claws.
Though taken by surprise, Netero reacted, choosing to evade rather than block. He perfectly read that Gin had extended his reach by a few centimeters with aura and dodged out of the claws' range.
And then, a strike from Gin's tail—its aura concealed with In and thus undetectable—exploded against the side of Netero's face as he tracked Gin's claws and fangs with his eyes.
"What was that last hit? I can't believe that fluffy tail could have so much power," Killua said.
"That was In, an advanced application of Zetsu," Wing explained. "It's a technique that makes your aura difficult to see. It can be pierced with a stronger Gyo. Gin's last attack had even more aura packed into it than his claws."
"Maybe because he used to be a wild animal, Gin's always had a knack for Zetsu-related skills. When it comes to In, even I'm no match for him," Gon added.
"Man, I knew he was holding back on us, but this is more than I expected," Leorio said. "He's kinda got a Mike-like vibe when he's serious."
"Honestly, I keep losing sight of him. So that's an Emitter who's trained for combat…" Killua murmured.
"I can barely see him at all, sir!" Zushi cried.
The match, which had begun with Netero taking a blow, seemed to favor Gin, who kept his distance and continued his assault with three different types of "Roars." Furthermore, Gin's high-speed movement, which mixed in not only switches to In but also Zetsu, created such a disorienting effect that it was like he was creating afterimages of both his body and his aura.
(This is incredible,) Netero thought. (To think a beast could display such masterful aura control. And his wild instincts are guiding his attacks perfectly to keep me from recovering from the damage.)
Netero, having taken a significant hit from the surprise attack, was in awe of Gin's skill as he dealt with the ensuing onslaught. Gin's physical abilities far surpassed a human's, and his aura control was beyond what any run-of-the-mill Nen user could hope to achieve. He had the cunning to gather aura in his claws and fangs as a feint while launching long-range attacks as an Emitter, and the performance of his Hatsu was excellent. To put it bluntly, this was more fulfilling than any sparring match he'd had in the last two months.
(I won't use the Bodhisattva, but I suppose I'll have to get a little serious.)
Netero pretended that he couldn't fully parry one of Gin's Roars. With the masterful acting that came from his vast experience, he revealed a slight opening to bait an attack. Gin, not missing the opportunity, charged in for close combat—fully aware that it was almost certainly a trap, but chasing the possibility of a major victory in what was, after all, a sparring match.
(Unlike the three beginners, there is less to teach him but so much to gain from training him. Today, I shall teach him a few things about the terror of humanity.)
Like a checkmate puzzle in shogi, Netero began to eliminate Gin's options one by one, ensuring the beast who knowingly took the bait could not escape. Gin, aware that his movements were being guided, continued to make the best possible choices to keep a path to victory open.
The exchange lasted only a few minutes, but it was an incredibly dense bout of offense and defense. The match was decided by Netero's rear-naked choke.
After Gin was choked out and woke up, the beginner trio flocked around him, amazed by the fierce battle he had fought.
"That was insane, Gin! You gotta teach me that high-speed movement! I'll teach you Rhythm Echo!"
"A magnificent fight. Your control of distance to maintain the initiative was nothing short of brilliant."
"You don't feel sick or strange anywhere, do you? I'll give you a proper check-up later, so tell me right away if anything feels off."
"I couldn't follow you at all! That was amazing!"
Though frustrated by his loss, Gin was not at all displeased with being fawned over, snorting proudly as they fussed over him. A short distance from the celebrated Gin, the victor, Netero, stood alone, looking forgotten and lonely.
"I'm the one who won, you know? Aren't I the amazing one?"
"There, there, Chairman. You're more like a wall to be overcome. The final boss, if you will," Wing said, placating the pouting and slightly annoying Netero while his gaze shifted to Gon, who was continuing his warm-up at his own pace. Regardless of the sparring outcomes, the other three were growing rapidly, and Gin was stronger than he ever could have gauged through simple instruction. Wing had a vague sense that Gon was even stronger than them, but honestly, he was no longer sure if he could perceive Gon's upper limit.
"Interesting, isn't it? Just when you think you've got a measure of him, you lose it again. I fought him directly during the exam, but he already seems like a completely different person. His growth rate is insane, but more than that, his ideas and perspectives are so brilliantly unhinged that predictions are useless."
"I've certainly noticed his way of thinking during our lessons," Wing agreed. "I teach him the basics, and he instantly comes up with applications. It's a strange imbalance, as if he knows the entire landscape of the mountain that is Nen, but is unfamiliar with the individual trees and rivers."
As if timing it for when Gin and the others had settled down, Gon finished his warm-up. He stared at Netero with a wide grin and sparkling eyes, anticipating the match to come. Netero, for whom it was no exaggeration to say this was the reason he had come, met his gaze with a deep smile and a surging aura.
"It seems you've gotten a bit better. For now, I'll lend you my chest without crushing you with the Bodhisattva."
"I've finally started to see my complete form recently. I'm so excited I can go all out against you, Chairman Netero."
The others moved away so as not to be in the way, but they took several more steps back, breathless from the pressure of the two fighters' auras. They had grown used to Gon's dense aura, but Netero's sharpened, piercing aura projected a different kind of intimidation.
"Whoa, his aura wasn't this intense against Gin. Is Gon gonna be okay? I'm scared he's going to get seriously hurt," Leorio said worriedly.
"I'd like to think it won't come to that, but seeing their auras makes me doubt it," Kurapika added.
While Leorio and Kurapika watched with anxiety, Killua silently activated Gyo, determined not to miss a single moment. As the audience prepared themselves, Netero asked one of the questions that was the purpose of his visit.
"Speaking of which, you said you were going to strike me. How do you intend to get past my Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva? You just said you've begun to see your complete form. Are you planning to create a new Hatsu?"
After he had calmed down, Netero had considered the possibility that it was just the baseless recklessness of a child. But now, facing him again, Netero was convinced that Gon possessed a solid foundation for his claim. Gon's aura was filled with a confidence far removed from recklessness, and his eyes held an audacity that saw Netero as nothing more than a wall to be overcome.
"I thought a lot about you and your Bodhisattva after learning about it, and when I actually took the hit during the Hunter Exam, I became sure of it. I don't need a new Hatsu. I'm going to exploit a weakness in the Hundred-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva's design."
"Ho ho ho! You'll have to tell me all about that. I'll be sure to pry it out of you after our match."
Netero's eyes, no longer smiling, shone with belligerence, and his aura grew even spikier. Unfazed by the sight of his friends turning pale, Gon unleashed a fragment of the ultimate form he couldn't show during the Hunter Exam.
"Muscle Savings: Withdrawal… Muscle is Power! Additional Withdrawal: Even More Power!"
"Is that it? There's still more, isn't there? Muscle Debt Hell: All the Power I've Got, was it?"
Gon's physique instantly swelled to surpass even Wing's, but to Netero, who had seen what lay beyond, it looked like he was holding back, even though he knew that wasn't the case. In response to that mixture of trust and doubt, Gon closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and quietly, solemnly, uttered the words.
"…Ren."
The aura that erupted from him far surpassed what he had used against Gordeau. Not only that, but the muscles all over his body swelled explosively. The mass of muscle was so huge it seemed unbalanced, but from Netero's perspective, it was all for show.
"What's with those flashy muscles? That kind of thing is all bark and no bite, only good for scaring amateurs."
Despite the harsh words, a focused Gon didn't reply, letting his actions speak for him.
"The pinnacle of Muscle Dialogue… Which comes first, muscle or aura? Perfect Communication!"
With his words, the hypertrophied muscles began to compress, much like Gin's Hatsu. The muscles, their mass contained, grew visibly denser, radiating a power like a bomb waiting for the moment of its release.
Furthermore, even the vast amount of aura from his Ren began to compress, visually shrinking down to the size of a normal Ten. It was impossible to tell just how much energy was being suppressed. All over his body, small, explosion-like phenomena occurred.
Facing him, Netero's eyes widened in astonishment. Watching from a distance, Wing couldn't hold back a scream.
"Impossible!! You mean to say he's achieved the compression of Ken?!"
Eventually, the small explosions subsided, and Gon entered a mostly stable state. Covered in beads of sweat, he smiled at Netero.
"Whoa, that looks seriously bad news! Is that even okay?!" Leorio yelled.
"The compression of aura… isn't that the opposite of En? For Mr. Wing to be that shaken, there must be some history behind it," Kurapika mused.
Netero, along with a cold-sweating Wing, explained the abnormal situation unfolding before them.
"Decades ago, there was a Nen user known as the Master of Aura Application. Even he, after a lifetime of effort, could not achieve a certain theoretical technique. That technique—the compression of Ken, an application of Ren—is called 'Prison' (Rō)."
This master was a Nen user who never used Ken in combat. That was because he could execute Ko or Gyo at the precise moment of attack or defense. He would normally use Zetsu even in battle to mask his presence and would fight while simultaneously recovering, granting him immense stamina. With that technical skill alone, despite having an aura capacity and output below that of an average person, he was a warrior who could trade blows head-on with a Netero who wasn't using his Bodhisattva.
"He said that achieving 'Prison' was the equivalent of flicking someone with your entire body. It would be like putting your full strength into every muscle, then relaxing only the ones that get in the way when you need to walk."
Naturally, this was considered impossible. Even if one could do it, simply walking normally would be far more efficient. However, it was theorized that if performed perfectly, it would grant one tremendous power that more than compensated for its poor efficiency.
"Ho ho ho… To think I would live to see a dusty old theory made real. It pays to live a long life."
A technique conceived by a man who was undeniably his rival in hand-to-hand combat, a pinnacle he could not reach in his entire lifetime. The fact that a boy not even in his teens had achieved it was a feat more than sufficient to inspire awe in Netero's heart.
Gon, who had been moving stiffly as if testing his new body, gradually became more fluid. Deciding it was fine, he raised one leg to give a final, ceremonial stomp.
The moment Gon's foot came down, the earth shook—and that was no metaphor.
Everyone, including Gon, was shocked by the earthquake caused by a seemingly casual stomp. Gon turned to Netero and apologized.
"Chairman Netero… sorry if I kill you."
"Don't you worry about me, brat. Come at me with everything you've got!"
On a remote, untouched plain, two grim-smiling demons of battle clashed.
Elsewhere, in a corner of the 200th-floor lobby of Heaven's Arena, Hisoka was alone, building and destroying a tower of cards.
(I thought he might come to watch the matches, but I guess I was wrong this time…♠)
He had seriously considered moving into the same hotel as Gon and the others, but his rather tight wallet, depleted from purchasing merchandise, stood in his way.
(There were just so many tantalizing photos from the Gordeau fight, you see. Buying so many was a necessary expense ♥… Oh, it collapsed ♠)
As he fondly thought of the photos and posters of Gon and his friends that adorned his room (all without their permission), his card tower collapsed before it was finished, a rare occurrence.
(From the feel of it, I guess that was an earthquake. The ground level probably barely shook, but it's unusual ♣)
Though he had mostly given up on them coming, Hisoka continued to build his card tower in the lobby, clinging to a faint hope.
Hisoka, who was no god, had no way of knowing that his favorite obsession was, at that very moment, undergoing a sudden, mutational evolution.
***
Author's Afterword:
Pardon the intrusion. Author here with some supplementary explanations.
Which Comes First, Muscle or Aura? (Perfect Communication)
This is the pinnacle of Muscle Dialogue, an ability where muscle and aura mutually support each other's movements.
Muscle: "1+1 isn't 2, you know. For us, 1+1 is 200. That's 10 times 10!"
Gon uses this ability to compress his hypertrophied muscles, thereby achieving the compression of his aura. He fights using a method akin to a full-body mantis shrimp punch.
Aura Application Technique "Prison" (Rō)
The name comes from the fact that it's like a fortress (kenrō), and if you could do it, your body would be locked up and unable to move freely.
This is an extremely advanced technique for compressing Ken, an application of Ren. As far as I, the author, am aware, the only instance of aura compression in the original series was when Gon fought Pitou. Based on my belief that in battle manga, compression never makes something weaker, I concluded that its absence from the original story means its difficulty is absurdly high. As I wrote in the chapter, I set the difficulty at a level that would be impossible to achieve unless you could move with the full-body mantis shrimp punch method.