Reaching the 200th floor was effortless for Uvogin.
But the moment he stepped out of the elevator, the steady Ten surrounding his body instantly flared into a violent Ren.
At the same time, a wave of killing intent exploded outward, slamming straight toward the smiling man standing ahead of him.
Arriving on the 200th floor alongside Uvogin were Shalnark and Nobunaga. The moment they saw the person waiting for them, their expressions darkened as well.
A quick glance exchanged between the two told them the same thing: This isn't the real Ronin—it's a clone.
So where was Ronin's real body?
Under the crushing pressure of Uvogin's killing intent, Ronin showed no reaction at all. Even his Nen remained at the most ordinary Ten.
"Aren't you climbing to the 200th floor just so you can kill me in the arena?" Ronin said with a mocking edge to his voice. "So what's wrong? Now that I'm standing right here, why don't you look happy?"
The more casual he sounded, the more violently Uvogin's rage surged.
"You think I won't kill you just because we're not in the arena?" Uvogin raised his hand and cracked his fingers loudly in front of his chest, stepping forward as if he might attack at any moment.
"Heh." Ronin let out a deliberately provocative chuckle before slowly replying, "Can you even kill me? I wonder who it was last time—lying on the ground like a dead dog, only able to bark in helpless rage."
The instant Ronin finished speaking, Uvogin vanished from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he was already right in front of Ronin. His massive fist was raised high as he rapidly condensed Nen into a single point—the signature technique of Ultra Destruction Fist—and slammed it down, as if he intended to hammer Ronin straight through the floor below.
But Ronin moved even faster. The moment Uvogin disappeared, Ronin's hands had already completed a series of hand seals.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall
A waterfall-like torrent burst from Ronin's mouth, instantly forming a flowing barrier of water in front of him.
Uvogin's fist smashed into the Water Formation Wall, and he immediately felt overwhelming resistance. It was as if his Ultra Destruction Fist had been confiscated—its explosive power simply failed to erupt.
At the same time, a sharp sense of danger surged in Uvogin's heart.
He snapped his head up and saw Ronin, shielded by the curtain of water, already leaping high into the air.
Ronin's right hand took the shape of a blade, crackling with lightning. As he descended from above, the hand blade slashed straight toward Uvogin's face.
Uvogin's expression hardened—but he felt no fear.
With a sharp exhale and a shout, he yanked his arm free from the Water Formation Wall. Even more Nen surged into his fist as he launched another punch at the descending Ronin.
Still Ultra Destruction Fist.
It was Uvogin's signature technique—and the one he excelled at most.
As an Enhancer, his path was simple: overwhelming force to crush all techniques. Use a more violent attack to blow apart the enemy's attack.
So he couldn't retreat.
Not ever.
The moment he retreated, it would mean the fearless, forward-charging spirit in his heart had broken.
And Ronin's display wasn't enough to make him back down.
Lightning Release: Horizontal Stab
This was the technique Ronin was using now. It wasn't a B-rank ninjutsu, but a C-rank one.
It was a technique once used by the Fourth Raikage, A, of the Hidden Cloud Village.
In his youth, A had severed the Eight-Tails' left horn with this single strike. During the battle of the Five Kage versus Uchiha Madara, he had even split open Madara's initial Susanoo with it.
Now, Ronin was using this technique through a shadow clone. Though it fell far short of the Fourth Raikage's level, it still carried an air of unstoppable sharpness.
The hand blade and the fist collided midair.
Like two missiles crashing into each other, a thunderous boom rang out. One figure exploded apart in midair, while the other staggered back several steps, carving a long gouge in the ground before finally stopping.
Drops of blood splattered onto the floor.
On Uvogin's lowered fist, a wound had been cut open by lightning Nen.
The cut wasn't deep—but it had undeniably broken through Uvogin's defense.
Just a little over a month.
From being hunted like a rat to biting back and drawing blood—Ronin had achieved it in just one month.
His growth rate was terrifying.
"Damn it! You'd better actually get on the stage, instead of using a clone to disgust me," Uvogin growled. He had no idea where Ronin's real body was hiding, and as he stared down the now-empty corridor, the pent-up fury in his chest had nowhere to go.
"We should've killed him earlier," Nobunaga said, his resolve hardening.
And it still wasn't too late.
Uvogin's arena match would work just fine. If Ronin dared to step onto the stage in person, Nobunaga wouldn't mind breaking the rules at a critical moment—turning it into a two-on-one to help Uvogin kill him.
Shalnark would probably agree as well.
That would make it three-on-one.
Ronin would definitely die.
"Even if Ronin uses a clone on stage, his real body will definitely be among the audience," Shalnark said, as if he could read Nobunaga's thoughts. "Tell the boss. A lot of people might die then."
Nobunaga immediately understood what Shalnark was getting at.
"I wonder if Franklin and Machi can make it. If they help, things should be even easier," Nobunaga said as he pulled out his phone to call for backup.
As for whether outnumbering someone was shameful—he didn't care.
And the key reason for calling in more people was to prevent Ronin from escaping. His endless bag of escape tricks was truly a headache.
While the two spoke in low voices, Uvogin had already strode into the administrative office.
The receptionist greeted him with a professional smile. As for whatever had just happened in the corridor, she didn't care in the slightest. As long as it didn't affect her, professionals would handle it.
Several seasoned fighters lingering near the registration desk took one look at Uvogin and fled like mice spotting a cat.
Ronin was already no pushover. This walking monster—his Nen erupting, rage boiling over, looking ready to devour someone at any moment—was even worse. No one dared get close.
After successfully submitting the application form, Uvogin's anticipation for the arena match three days later only grew stronger.
Three days from now, he would completely tear his opponent apart on the stage. He would start ripping from the mouth, force him to watch as his limbs were torn off one by one, then gouge out his eyes and finally crush his skull!
And by now, Uvogin was certain of one thing: even if Ronin still had hidden trump cards, as long as he dared step onto the stage, the arena itself would become his grave.
Nobunaga and Shalnark would never let him leave the arena alive.
As Uvogin and the others left, a plain-looking young man stepped onto the 200th floor.
He quickly searched a concealed corner of the corridor where Ronin and Uvogin had fought earlier. With a light tap, a hidden camera dropped into his hand.
Near the trash bin, he also found a listening device.
Without lingering, the man took the items and immediately boarded the elevator, leaving the 200th floor.
Not long after, a video recording and a cassette tape appeared together on the desk in Ronin's room on the 188th floor.