"If you fight me... be prepared to die."
Hisoka walked slowly into the training ground. The corner of his mouth curled into a depraved smile, his snake-like eyes narrowing as he shuffled a few playing cards.
"Of course. I don't like playing cat and mouse. But I do love playing... cat eats mouse... Kehehehe..."
Kenpachi Ryker laughed with equal madness.
Wearing the mask of the beast "Zaraki Kenpachi," Ryker unleashed his rawest emotions.
Against a deviant like Hisoka, he didn't need restraint. He treated Hisoka as his emotional trash can—pouring out arrogance, bloodlust, and malice.
Ryker gripped his sword handle with both hands.
"Hmm?"
Hisoka's eyes narrowed slightly at the change in stance.
"Did you know? Swinging a sword with two hands is stronger than swinging it with one!"
Ryker grinned savagely.
"What an aura! Examiner Kenpachi... it feels like a beast is in the room. Just standing near him makes me shiver."
"So strong! Both of them! Is this the power of a 2-Star Hunter?"
"Does two hands really make that much difference for a master swordsman?"
"Gulp... I'm nervous..."
Outside the ring, Menchi and the other Examiners were stunned.
"It's completely different... his aura changed! If he was a tiger before, now... he feels like a T-Rex!"
Kurapika's eyes flashed red. His heart pounded.
As a Kurta, his sensitivity to aura was heightened.
Ryker's pressure was suffocating.
Hisoka, the target of this pressure, felt his heart race. His body trembled. His smile widened until it looked painful.
Excitement!
Unprecedented excitement.
For the first time, he felt a genuine threat of death.
One mistake, and his head would roll.
This lethal thrill intoxicated him.
"Is that so? I'm looking forward to it~ My delicious fruit~~ Ahhhh~~~"
Hisoka moaned, his face twisted in ecstasy.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A flurry of playing cards shot toward Ryker.
Ryker didn't dodge. He smashed them aside. But the cards, flimsy as paper, sliced into the concrete floor like shuriken.
"That's not enough, Hisoka-kun."
Kenpachi Ryker bared his white teeth, his spiked hair bristling.
VROOM.
A sound like a jet engine.
The two-handed slash descended!
Hisoka dodged.
But the air pressure alone shredded his sleeve. A few strands of red hair floated down. A graze appeared on his arm.
Behind him, the training ground... was split in half.
Crack... BOOM!
"Hiss—"
"Am I dreaming? Is that... is that really a sword slash?"
Menchi's jaw hit the floor.
She was a knife user. She knew the difference between skill and brute force. This was calamity. Ryker wasn't even in her league.
Buhara's spine tingled. Even with his bulk, a direct hit from that would turn him into paste.
Satotz stood frozen.
High above, in the Chairman's office.
"Chairman... so Examiner Kenpachi is this strong! No wonder you were so confident..."
Beans finally understood.
Just based on raw power, Kenpachi was easily a Top 10 fighter in the Association.
"Sigh... the brat is holding back. When he swung at me, it wasn't this soft," Netero muttered to himself.
Training Ground.
Hisoka's gaze turned dangerous.
He expected Ryker to be strong. He didn't expect this.
If Illumi was the ultimate assassin, Kenpachi was the ultimate warrior.
"Hisoka-kun... if you don't get serious, you really will die~ Hahahaha!"
Ryker laughed maniacally. "I want to see your true power!"
"The battle is already over."
Hisoka suddenly stopped moving. He stood elegantly on a piece of intact flooring, smiling with supreme confidence.
"Over?"
The Examiners were confused.
"From the moment you attacked me, the outcome was decided. You have immense strength, but your senses are dull. Haven't you noticed your body disobeying you?"
Hisoka flicked his fingers.
Snap.
Suddenly, Ryker's arms jerked uncontrollably.
He raised his own sword... and pointed it at his own neck.
"What?! What's happening?"
"Examiner Kenpachi!!"
"Stop!!"
"It's Nen!! Hisoka attached Nen to him during the fight!"
"It's over! Kenpachi, surrender!!"
Menchi used Gyo. She saw it.
Pink, rubbery strands connected Hisoka's fingers to Ryker's body.
Bungee Gum.
Hisoka had attached it to the cards he threw earlier. When Ryker smashed them, the gum stuck to him. Now, he was a puppet.
"The match is over," Illumi said in a monotone voice, turning to leave.
Ryker was strong, but getting caught by Bungee Gum meant death.
"Hehe."
Hisoka chuckled.
The shattered playing cards on the floor suddenly flew backward.
Thwack! Thwack!
They stabbed into Ryker's back.
Simultaneously, Hisoka yanked the gum, forcing Ryker's sword to slice his own throat!
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