Wing.
Biscuit's disciple.
Had he already come to Heavens Arena at this point?
Morrow was surprised as he examined the young man before him.
Wing had slightly messy short black hair and wore glasses, giving off a scholarly vibe.
What stood out most was the large portion of his untucked shirt, which gave the impression of being deliberately disheveled.
But Morrow knew Wing wasn't doing it on purpose.
And for Wing, this habitual oversight was likely something he'd never correct.
Having confirmed his identity, Morrow found himself intrigued by Wing's straightforward challenge.
If any other 200th-floor fighter had come to challenge him, Morrow would have been thrilled, why would he refuse?
After all, he only needed one more victory.
But the one issuing the challenge was Wing.
This gave Morrow a different kind of anticipation.
The reason was simple.
Because Wing was Biscuit's disciple.
How strong was he?
Could he win?
Perhaps this could serve as a test of his own growth during this time?
Too many factors contributed to Morrow's excitement in this moment.
As for why Wing had suddenly challenged him, that wasn't something worth dwelling on.
Morrow could guess that Wing had watched his matches.
"Do you have a master and a school?"
Before accepting the challenge, Morrow asked calmly.
Hearing this, Wing instinctively straightened his posture and answered solemnly, "I study under Biscuit Krueger of the Shingen-ryu Style."
For martial artists, declaring one's lineage was a serious matter.
Morrow observed Wing's reaction, his body language showed deep respect for Biscuit and pride in his school.
And rightfully so.
The Shingen-ryu Style was founded by Netero, the "Strongest Nen User in the World." How could one not be proud?
As for Biscuit, setting aside her penchant for acting childish and toying with others, her strength, experience, and professionalism as a mentor were worthy of respect.
"How about tomorrow?"
Without revealing that he also knew Biscuit, Morrow accepted Wing's challenge.
Wing naturally agreed.
Over the past month, he had watched every one of Morrow's matches.
Though Morrow held back in each fight, certain techniques and fundamentals couldn't be hidden when victory was necessary.
Thus, Wing had noticed Morrow's astonishing progress during this time.
It went without saying.
This young man must have trained relentlessly.
But what Wing valued more was Morrow's ability to maintain control over the flow of battle at all times.
He wanted to see if his own skills and experience could break Morrow's grasp on the fight's momentum.
The two went to the registration counter to file their match.
Afterward, Wing bowed slightly and said earnestly, "I look forward to our battle."
"Likewise."
Morrow gave a small nod, then watched as Wing turned and left.
For a brief moment, he had seen traces of Zushi in Wing.
It was somewhat amusing.
Some of Wing's personality traits and mannerisms carried clear Enhancer characteristics.
Zushi, on the other hand, was a Manipulator, yet under Wing's influence, he gave off more of an Enhancer vibe. This growth, distinct from the notion that "Nen deepens personality cognition," might also serve as strong evidence that any Nen type can transform into the Specialization Type through acquired influences and certain opportunities.
Morrow returned to his room and began his daily training.
By evening, Morrow had received notification of his match scheduled for the next day at four in the afternoon.
Wing is an Enhancer, trained by Biscuit. His foundational techniques must be solid, and skills like "Gyo" or "Ryū" shouldn't be weak either.
Aside from the troublesome "Ryū," what I should watch out for is the most common Enhancer technique, "Ko"...
So it goes without saying that in close combat, I'm at a clear disadvantage, unless I use my "Starlight Convergence" ability.
But if I don't use "Shooting Star" or "Starlight Convergence," my only assets for this fight would be "Rhythm Echo" and "True Tiger Bite Fist."
In his room, Morrow slowly opened his eyes, activating his aura nodes one by one, releasing a faint aura that coiled around his body.
After nearly a month of rigorous training, his physical coordination and strength had improved remarkably.
Even his mastery of the "Zetsu" technique had reached a proficient level.
However, for an Emitter type like him, even if his "Zetsu" improved, the overall enhancement to his combat system was limited.
The most significant progress he'd made was likely the "body force techniques" he'd gleaned from Kastro and Calista.
Combined with his current physical conditioning, forged through weighted training and medicinal cuisine, Morrow could now be considered a proper Martial Artist.
That evening,
Morrow went to Menchi's room for dinner as usual.
One room, one table, four people.
Menchi remained the one who buried herself in eating, but she knew her priorities and always made sure to serve the most exquisite dishes to Morrow's bowl.
Calista frequently struck up conversations with Morrow, though her topics often veered into questions about "Nen."
Kastro always wore a gentle smile, never silent but never overly talkative either. Whenever Calista and Morrow discussed Nen, he would join in, mostly to offer insights.
Morrow, meanwhile, was like an axis around which everyone else's words and actions revolved.
Initially, Menchi had only been interested in the Poultry Scarlet Knife. But after spending time together, she found Morrow to be quite likable, someone easy to get along with.
This extended to her friendships with Calista and Kastro as well.
Gradually, Menchi no longer felt the urgency to find a replacement for the Poultry Scarlet Knife. She thought things were fine as they were.
Every day, she had access to expensive ingredients, got to handle the Poultry Scarlet Knife, enjoyed precious medicinal cuisine, and exchanged experiences with friends.
The only downside was being confined to Heavens Arena, unable to venture out to places like the Demon Domain to gather ingredients.
Perhaps once Morrow ran out of money, she might even take the initiative to help him source ingredients.
If that day came, she'd quite like it if Morrow could join her.
But she knew that was impossible.
She could tell Morrow was a training fanatic who was "obsessed with time," why would he ever waste it on something like gathering ingredients?
Sitting back and waiting to be served was far more Morrow's style. When only empty plates remained on the table, Morrow suddenly said, "I have a match tomorrow at 4 PM. You can come watch if you'd like."
"Master, is the opponent strong?" Calista asked curiously. For her master to specifically mention it, the opponent must be formidable.
"Yes," Morrow nodded. "A master of the Shingen-ryu Style. In terms of pure technique, they're undoubtedly above me."
"Shingen-ryu?" Menchi, who was clearing the dishes, exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't that Chairman Netero's school?"
Netero—the chairman of the Hunter Association, a living legend of their era.
Hearing it was the school of such a powerhouse, both Calista and Kastro immediately wore solemn expressions.
Morrow glanced at them and said softly, "So in a 'pure technique match,' I don't have confidence in winning. But I want to experience firsthand how much that gap matters in actual combat. It'll determine my next steps."
"Master, the Battle Olympia starts in just a week," Kastro reminded.
Kastro realized his master still had no intention of using Nen, and with the opponent being a Shingen-ryu master, he couldn't help but feel concerned. He didn't think his master's approach was wrong, for a martial artist, overcoming challenges was the only way to reach greater heights. But with this being a critical period, he could only offer a gentle reminder from his perspective.
"Don't worry, I know my limits," Morrow reassured him.
Of course, Morrow understood Kastro's concern. But Wing's challenge was an important test for him.
"Besides, the opponent came to challenge me as a martial artist. I can't embarrass the two of you, can I?" Morrow teased with a smile.
Kastro fell silent.
—--
The next day.
Heavens Arena invested heavily in promoting the match between Morrow and Wing. The management had even approached both fighters, asking if they could postpone the match by at least a day to allow more time for hype. However, Morrow and Wing both refused without hesitation.
Though the match couldn't be delayed, the staff keenly sensed its potential and still went all out in promoting it. Within just half a day, every combat enthusiast in the city knew about the upcoming fight.
Ticket sales spoke for themselves, aside from a small reserved portion, the rest sold out the moment they went live.
A little past 3 PM.
With just over ten minutes until the match, the arena was already packed. Everyone was buzzing about the fight, two undefeated fighters, one with nine straight wins, the other with seven. Their impressive records alone made the match worth anticipating.
Outside the arena corridor.
A golden-haired beauty in a princess dress effortlessly pushed through the crowd and strode into the corridor.
"No tickets and still crowding the place? What's the point?" she muttered, glancing back at the entrance with a roll of her eyes. She'd rushed all the way here to catch the match and wasn't about to spare any pleasantries for the crowd outside.
The girl was Biscuit, Wing's master. At her age and with her experience, she'd long lost interest in Heavens Arena matches. But she couldn't refuse her disciple's invitation, so she'd made time to come, barely making it in time.
Exiting the passageway, Biscuit made her way to the spectator stands, descending step by step as she followed the seat numbers on her ticket.
"Pretty close to the front, huh."
This ticket had been prepared for her in advance by Wing.
She figured he'd deliberately chosen a front-row seat so she could observe the match more clearly.
After all, she hadn't come just to watch a simple match.
Once it was over, she still had to fulfill her duties as a teacher, helping Wing review and analyze the fight.
Biscuit took her seat in the front row, closing her eyes to shut out all surrounding noise.
"Why isn't it starting yet?"
"Hey, hurry up already!!"
"What's the rush? It's only a few more minutes."
Similar conversations played out in every corner of the stands.
This noisy clamor continued until 4 PM.
"The battle everyone's been eagerly awaiting is finally about to begin!"
"First to enter is contestant Wing, beneath that gentle, scholarly face lies the power of a wild beast. His current record: seven wins, zero losses."
"Now look to the opposite passageway! Approaching the ring is contestant Morrow, who also remains undefeated with nine wins and zero losses. Today's victory will earn him the right to challenge a Floor Master!"
"Both fighters carry undefeated legacies, and today's match will determine who becomes the myth-breaker!"
As the commentator's impassioned words rang out, the stands erupted in excitement. Everywhere, savage cheers like "Kill him!" could be heard.
Neither Morrow nor Wing paid any attention to the arena's commotion, each calmly making their way to the ring with composed expressions.
—--
In the stands.
Biscuit caught sight of Morrow emerging from the passageway and couldn't help but show surprise.
"Eh?!"
She hadn't expected that the opponent Wing took so seriously would be that unlikable but incredibly skilled Nen exorcist she'd met in Yorknew three months ago.
Morrow heard Biscuit's startled exclamation.
Turning his head toward the sound, he spotted a wide-eyed Biscuit rising from her seat, one finger pointed directly at him.
After just that one glance, Morrow calmly averted his gaze as if he hadn't seen her at all.
Did Wing call her here?
Morrow wondered to himself.
Knowing Biscuit as he did, it seemed unlikely she'd be interested in this kind of match.
And since the Battle Olympia's prizes hadn't been announced yet, she probably wasn't here for those either.
Biscuit noticed Morrow's deliberate ignorance and immediately bristled.
This guy!
Just as unpleasant as ever!
Biscuit forced a smile, then quickly adjusted her mood. She began waving energetically at Morrow as he prepared to step into the ring, putting on an exaggeratedly bashful expression.
"Dearest Morrow~~ You have to do your best! You promised me that if you won this match, you'd give me an engagement ring~!!"
"..."
Morrow, who'd been about to enter the ring, nearly missed his step. A vein throbbed on his forehead.
Just because he'd pretended not to see her, she'd immediately resorted to this kind of public mischief. His understanding of Biscuit's lack of boundaries grew even clearer.
Wing, approaching from the opposite side of the ring, gaped at Biscuit in shock.
Then he turned to Morrow, lips moving soundlessly as if he wanted to ask something but couldn't find the words.
—--
At the commentator's booth. The commentator girl received the information being passed up from below and immediately exclaimed in surprise:
"What! Contestant Morrow's lover has come to the venue to cheer him on, and Morrow has promised to give his lover an engagement ring if he wins the match. It seems today's match holds special significance for Contestant Morrow!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the venue's large screen switched to show Biscuit's location.
At this moment, Biscuit was covering her face with her white-gloved hands, shaking her head shyly.
In one section of the audience seats, Kastro, Calista, and Menchi, who were sitting together, suddenly stood up simultaneously.
"Master's wife?!" This was Kastro's reaction.
"Master actually has a partner?!" This was Calista's reaction.
"So that guy likes this type?!" This was Menchi's reaction.
On the fighting platform, Wing looked completely bewildered.
"Morrow, you and my master are...?"
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Bonus chapter.