The battlefield looked as though a bomb had gone off. Rubble and cracks littered the ground, and nearly a third of the once-pristine arena had been obliterated.
It was like a cake with a huge bite taken out of it—one whole chunk simply gone.
The tank-like body of Umekawa Naiku quivered violently, his layers of fat trembling as if struck by lightning. Yet even within that chaotic shaking, his body somehow absorbed and dispersed Aoyama's relentless barrage—each strike as fierce as a storm of thunderbolts.
Both fighters had already unleashed their ultimate techniques. Now they pulled back, creating distance, and on the remaining two-thirds of the ring, they clashed desperately once again.
The spectators, referee, and commentator were all stunned. Even after taking heavy damage, both combatants still displayed monstrous power.
Hisoka narrowed his eyes, his expression amused. "What a promising fruit. Crude and unrefined, his fighting style looks ugly compared to the system of Nen. But the sheer force he brings out… every punch is on par with a 100% output Enhancement-type Nen user."
The man beside him nodded in agreement. "In terms of raw strength, yes."
"So you see, my luck's not so bad," Hisoka chuckled. "Even while idly passing the time, I stumble across such a fine fruit. Though it's not yet ripe, I can't wait to pluck it. I'm so excited, I'm nearly trembling…"
"He still needs to grow," the companion replied calmly.
"True. I want to teach him Nen. With that monstrous aura inside him, once he learns to use it, he'll immediately become a top-tier fighter. And then… oh, the fun I could have."
"But aren't you joining me for the Hunter Exam? If you're going to toy with your fruit, will there even be time?"
Hisoka's smile froze. He stared blankly at the battle below, then sighed. "You've given me quite the dilemma. I'd planned to search for potential fruits during the Exam and, along the way, meet some of the Association's examiners. That would've given me plenty of playthings for my boredom."
He licked his lips, eyes glittering. "But this fruit… he makes me tremble with anticipation. Letting him slip away now would gnaw at my conscience. Perhaps I should just bring him along to the Exam. That way, I can test his potential during the journey. Mmm, I'm shivering again."
Back on the arena floor, the fight neared its climax. Aoyama's breathing was steady compared to Umekawa's ragged gasps. The sumo wrestler's chest heaved violently, his face flushed red, resembling a maddened bull. He blocked one of Aoyama's brutal punches with his thick forearms, then tried to grab Aoyama's arm in a decisive counter.
Aoyama's pupils shrank. Like a leopard, he twisted swiftly out of reach, targeting a spot on Umekawa's body with the least fat, reasoning that less flesh meant weaker defense.
"Skinny boy," Umekawa panted, "stop running. I don't know what your ability is, but I'm an Enhancement-type. You'll never break through my defense. You'd better surrender now."
Aoyama frowned inwardly. Indeed, Enhancement users were troublesome. Not because their abilities were complex, but precisely because they were simple.
Simple didn't mean weak. It meant pure. Straightforward offense and defense. That purity made them so difficult to deal with.
Staring at Umekawa's thick body, Aoyama felt his strikes had little effect. His punches weren't penetrating the layers of fat and Nen reinforcement.
"I'll have to aim for his skull. That mountain of flesh is armor. Nen users are just as troublesome as ninjas, if not more."
Years of living in the ninja world had taught Aoyama countless battle tactics. Compared to fighting ninjas, facing Umekawa was far more difficult. The man was too durable, his tank-like frame moving as swiftly as a trained assassin.
"Fine," Aoyama growled. "Dodging around is a waste of time. Let's end this in one more clash!"
He began gathering power for a final collision. Like Umekawa said, if they just kept circling, the fight would drag on until both collapsed. There'd be no decisive end.
Encountering a Nen user before the 200th floor was rare. Surprising, even. But it also proved how powerful the fighters of Heaven's Arena truly were.
Below the 100th floor, most were ordinary people. Between 100 and 200, strange monsters might appear—even Nen users. But beyond the 200th, no one without Nen could advance. The gulf between ordinary fighters and Nen users was unbridgeable.
Umekawa himself hadn't expected such a dangerous opponent before the 200th floor. Every one of Aoyama's punches carried more force than a grenade blast.
Hearing Aoyama's challenge, Umekawa grinned savagely. He slammed his enormous palms together with a thunderclap and roared, "All the better!"
In the stands, Hisoka suddenly stood. He flicked a card into the air, smiling. "An Ace. Time to decide the winner."
His companion also rose, watching intently. "Your fruit is impressive. I just hope he doesn't end up on my hit list. I'd rather not fight someone with the physique of a beast."
On the shattered arena, the two fighters charged toward the center. Before the eyes of every spectator, they unleashed their final attacks.
The air howled with chaotic energy. The ground cracked and shattered.
And then—contrary to all expectations—it wasn't the tank-like Umekawa who stood victorious, but Aoyama.
With a devastating punch, Aoyama sent the massive man hurtling off the stage. His arm was scorched red, steam rising in waves, proof of how much power he had poured into that blow.
Umekawa's gigantic body slammed into the ground outside the ring, creating a crater. His eyes dimmed as he raised his head weakly and muttered, "I've lost. I didn't expect to meet someone like you. It seems… my efforts weren't enough."
Looking at the man's enormous bulk, Aoyama couldn't help wondering if Umekawa's so-called "effort" was nothing more than eating endlessly to grow so huge.
But Aoyama had no strength left to laugh. The Gates of Opening and Healing had already closed. His body gave out, and he collapsed backward.
Yet the victory belonged to Aoyama.