Chapter 172 :Kastro
During the following days, Haze began a specialized training regimen for Charles. Besides teaching him Nen techniques, he also shared some combat skills suited to him external martial arts styles along with two relatively simple breathing methods: static breathing and abdominal breathing.
In just a few days, Haze couldn't teach him too much, and besides… the more he taught, the less Charles could absorb and understand. Haze was only showing him how to begin; how far he could go depended entirely on Charles himself. As the saying goes, the master leads you to the door, but practice is up to you.
Even just those two breathing methods, plus some combat techniques and basic Nen knowledge, were enough to transform Charles. Still, he needed to refine everything through real battles in the Heavens Arena, integrating Haze's teachings into actual combat.
Haze set a goal for him: continue training in the Heavens Arena for one or two years until becoming a Floor Master, and then take the Hunter Exam.
It might take longer three, four, five, or even six years. It varied from person to person.
But before joining the Hunter Association, becoming a Floor Master was an absolute requirement.
The next day, Haze went out to buy food.
Staying in the room day after day teaching Charles was tedious and boring. He realized he didn't share Wing's or Biscuit's temperament those administrators who taught without getting very involved. If Charles failed to grasp key martial concepts, Haze grew impatient after repeating them several times… He felt he wasn't a good teacher, nor suitable for the job.
In the end… everything depended on Charles' comprehension. He would learn what he could.
Haze had always been surrounded by brilliant or highly skilled people, so teaching someone like Charles suddenly felt out of place.
If he had to teach Gon and Killua, both boys would probably understand everything in less than half a day.
That was the difference.
"Hm?"
With a plastic bag in hand, Haze walked down the street, heading back to the Heavens Arena while eating a piece of bread. Suddenly, he stopped something had caught his attention.
Up ahead, someone had stopped Hisoka.
They seemed to be exchanging words.
It was Kastro still alive!
"Hmm… Can you move aside? I'm not interested in you right now…"
Hisoka looked at the long-haired man with a serious expression, smiling faintly.
"Fight me!" Kastro demanded again.
"Don't you understand? You no longer have anything that interests me…"
Hisoka raised his hand, a card between his fingers, his eyes shining with malice. "Move."
A faint killing intent escaped him.
"Hey, killing someone in the street isn't good. Even if this fruit is rotten, you were the one who planted it. How can you just throw it away? At least find a place to bury it properly…"
A voice interrupted the conversation. Hisoka recognized it immediately Haze.
Kastro also turned to look at the suited man approaching.
"Hehehe…"
Hisoka suppressed his killing intent.
"Who are you?" Kastro frowned.
"Don't worry about me." Haze smiled, stuffing the remaining bread into his mouth and waving casually. "Let me give you some advice. Since you want to fight him, why not find a secluded place to settle things in private? Your goal is to defeat him and take revenge, right? So don't waste time."
Then Haze looked at Hisoka. "The sooner this ends, the better. If you don't accept, he'll keep bothering you… Sounds troublesome, doesn't it?"
"Mmm… true," Hisoka nodded.
"I'll be the referee!" Haze offered.
Upon hearing that, Hisoka immediately agreed clearly showing he would follow Haze's suggestion.
Kastro also realized that Haze clearly knew Hisoka… and since Hisoka accepted, he had no reason to refuse.
He was confident he could defeat Hisoka.
He glanced at Haze, turned, adjusted his cape, and followed Hisoka.
Haze opened a bottle of juice from his bag, drinking slowly as he walked behind them.
Although Kastro sought "revenge," there wasn't true hatred between him and Hisoka. When Kastro first reached the 200th floor, he lost to Hisoka in their first match but earned three points. That performance made Hisoka admire him, which is why he spared his life.
Now, after two years of training, Kastro challenged Hisoka again… though saying there was no resentment wouldn't be entirely accurate.
Judging by Kastro's obsession with Hisoka, and knowing Hisoka's nature, he had likely said some unpleasant things during that first match… enough to fuel this fixation.
Kastro was well-known in the Heavens Arena, returning with astonishing strength and earning the reputation of being near the level of a Floor Master.
But in reality, his skill had already reached the level of a Tower Master at least during a period when the 200+ floors were relatively weak, he would have been able to become a Tower Master.
Otherwise, in the original story, he wouldn't have been able to severely injure Hisoka.
Unfortunately, the current Hisoka… was not the same as in the original.
Precisely because Hisoka was stronger now, he had lost all interest in Kastro.
A weak opponent doesn't excite this fruit vendor.
There's nothing special about him.
In any case, Hisoka was just killing time, so he might as well add some excitement to his day.
If Haze hadn't appeared, he really would have killed Kastro in the street.
Half an hour later, the three arrived at a martial arts stadium and paid to rent it entirely.
Haze called Charles to join them.
When he arrived, Hisoka and Kastro now without his cape were facing each other. Haze sat on a bench outside the arena, sipping juice.
"What is this…?" Charles stared at the two men about to fight, his expression changing instantly.
As a Nen user from the 200th floor, he had heard of both Hisoka and Kastro.
He had even seen Kastro in person and watched his fights.
"Sit and watch," Haze said, pointing to the empty seat beside him.
"O-Okay…" Charles sat nervously.
"Kastro is also an Enhancer, incredibly strong…" Charles muttered.
"How long do you think this fight will last?" Haze asked.
"At least half an hour…" Charles hesitated.
In his mind, Kastro and Hisoka should be similar in strength. Rumor said Hisoka had defeated him before, but judging from Kastro's current performance in the Arena, they seemed evenly matched. And Kastro was an Enhancer.
"I brought you here to observe this battle up close… This level of combat is rare for you. Focus on Kastro not to learn his strengths, but to find his weaknesses," Haze said, sipping his juice.
"A fight? A life-and-death fight?" Charles was stunned. He thought it was just a simple training match.
"You're an Enhancer too, so you need to understand why he dies… You won't have much time. Maybe less than a minute." Haze looked at Hisoka. "Less than a minute before Kastro is dead."
Charles swallowed hard. He trusted Haze's judgment, but the conclusion seemed unreal. Was the gap between them really that huge?
After recalling the past, Kastro and Hisoka finished talking.
Haze set his juice down and smiled:
"This fight has no rules, no points the goal is to kill the opponent."
"Since everyone is ready… let's begin."
(End of chapter)