Some were gamblers, others were fans—these two types made up the most passionate crowd.
The rest of the onlookers were much more composed.
Killua and Kastro had both entered the ring.
Kastro looked over at Killua.
"So this is Kaizen-sama's cousin?"
"He looks pretty sharp."
"At that age, I definitely didn't have that kind of presence."
"I wonder how far he'll go in the future…"
"Could he reach Kaizen-sama's level?"
"Though his aura seems kind of raw. Looks like he only started using Nen recently."
…
At the same time, Killua was also sizing up Kastro.
Killua didn't know much about Kastro's background—only what Sadaso had told him.
According to Sadaso, Kastro was incredibly strong.
Because of that, Killua felt a strong sense of unease. He knew better than to take his opponent lightly.
"Could he become a Floor Master?"
"That would make him like Cousin Kaizen…"
The referee turned to both sides.
"Are you ready?"
They nodded.
The referee stepped back, raised his hand, then brought it down with a sharp gesture.
"Begin!"
…
Killua moved instantly, his speed blinding. He darted around the ring, circling Kastro, searching for a blind spot—some kind of opening, a weakness he could exploit.
When it came to raw power, Killua wasn't confident.
But speed? That was where he shined.
And ever since developing his own Nen ability, he'd taken it even further—infusing his body with electricity to reach inhuman levels of quickness.
At a certain point, speed stops being just speed—it becomes something else entirely. Something qualitative.
"Whoa! Did you see that speed?"
The crowd gasped in awe.
Hisoka's eyes glinted with appreciation.
Gon watched the monitor with a grin.
"Killua's amazing."
Sadaso glanced at Killua, then back at Kastro.
"As expected of Killua… Even though he just started learning Nen, he's already at this level. He's going to surpass me soon, if he hasn't already."
"But Kastro's no pushover either."
"Killua might be a genius—but that doesn't mean Kastro isn't one too."
…
Despite Killua's aggressive approach, Kastro didn't move.
He just stood there, calm and unshaken.
This wasn't the path his counterpart had taken in the original storyline.
The Kastro of this world had chosen a proper path—honing his body through reinforcement Nen.
No gimmicks, no shortcuts. Just pure, focused enhancement.
His defense, strength, speed, and reflexes—all of it had been brought to the peak.
His Nen ability was called Tiger Bite Fist.
It bore some similarities to Tessia's ability.
It also reflected techniques from the Beast Dojo in the Kingdom of Fiora.
But there were differences too.
This involved inner will—spiritual resolve.
In fact, one of the Nen factions in the Republic of Mimbo resembled the Beast Dojo in Fiora.
Both allowed users to transform into other forms—often modeled after animals.
But the Beast Dojo practiced from a place of awe.
Whereas Mimbo's Nen schools focused on dreams.
In essence, they both channeled desire—but not in a negative sense. It was more aspirational. Noble, even.
That's part of why Mimbo became a core member of the V5.
If it were only cultivating selfish ambition, it might have ended up like the Taris Kingdom instead.
True Nen cultivation at that level had to be rooted in something higher—spiritual pursuit.
Awe. Piety. Desire. Gratitude.
What you gain through positive spiritual intent is entirely different from what you get through negative motives. Even the smallest shift in mindset can ripple through your ability.
That's why most people don't consider this path until they're already proficient—because spiritual intent only becomes relevant once your skills reach a high level.
Kaizen understood that.
Partly because he'd already become an A-rank Nen user.
And also because Maha Zoldyck had spoken to him about it.
Kaizen had even visited the three main arenas in the Kingdom of Fiora, studying various approaches to Nen.
Most users never get that far.
They stick to the basics—the four major principles, some advanced techniques, and their own abilities.
Only when those are perfected does spiritual pursuit become relevant.
That's the threshold between A-rank and S-rank.
But knowing it doesn't mean you can pull it off.
It takes natural talent, the right mindset, personal experience… and emotional maturity.
Take Oster from the United States of Saherta, for example.
He understood the theory, but couldn't grasp the spiritual level himself. So he explored parasitic Nen instead, trying to find another way to reach S-rank.
That's why style form.
They help you avoid going down the wrong path—like the old version of Kastro once did.
But more importantly, styles act as a framework—a guided path toward spiritual enlightenment.
Even if you don't realize it, following a style often means you're already walking that road.
Once you hit A-rank, your past accumulation starts to matter more.
It won't guarantee S-rank.
But it will help.
And when you're trying to cross that last barrier, even a little help can mean everything.
…
Back at Zoldyck Manor, after Kaizen's last visit, Maha had given him some advice.
"Slow down. Take time to experience life."
Kaizen had listened.
He didn't rush into more battles or challenges.
Instead, he stayed at Heavens Arena, uploaded manga, did casual training, and even took his team out on a small commission job. Though it stirred up some minor trouble, he never went all-out.
He kept his heart steady.
His mindset unchanged.
Nina and the others might not understand that—but Kaizen was on a different level now.
It was like comparing a street vendor making ten thousand a day to a billionaire returning home.
Kaizen wasn't just idly living.
He was contemplating.
Reflecting.
And now, he was forming his own conclusions.
"The Zoldyck family… might not be entirely without style after all," he thought.
…
Whoosh!
Back in the ring—
Killua vanished.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)