Roy stood up, immediately drawing countless gazes.
Gotoh's, Biscuit's, "Divine Spear" Guy's, "Ninja" Kikuta Tadashi's, and the boy hiding in dark corners, plus another boy.
Kastro stared intently at Roy's back. Ten meters away stood Illumi, arms crossed over his chest, silent. Killua leaned against the wall. Noticing Kastro's gaze, the younger Zoldyck's brow furrowed slightly.
Last night, Kastro had returned to his dojo in despair, seeking his one-handed master. His master told him, "When you rely on your fists, someone will cut your hands. When you rely on your kicks, someone will break your legs. Boy, whatever you take pride in, there's always someone better. So why let that defeat you?"
His master had seen it all before, understanding Kastro's feelings. But Kastro still couldn't grasp it—he didn't understand what his master meant. He came to watch and saw what he'd never known existed before, called "Nen."
I can't accept it, Master! I know you're right, but I just can't! Kastro had knelt at his master's feet, tears streaming.
His master remained silent. After a moment, he patted Kastro's head. "What do you plan to do?"
"Find a new teacher! Whoever defeated me, I'll take as my master!" Kastro kowtowed three times. "Please release me from your teachings."
His master smiled. "You brat, you're even more traditional than your old master? This isn't the feudal era—there's no need for formal expulsion. Want to learn? Just go. When you've made it, let this old man witness it. I believe my disciple is second to none!"
"Master..."
"Get lost. You're annoying to look at."
"Yes." Kastro turned to leave. His master didn't see him off, but just as Kastro reached the exit, he raised his severed hand, shouting loudly, "Douro, give it everything you've got!"
Tears filled Kastro's eyes. He nodded fiercely. Now he was here, gaze locked firmly on Roy, who was about to take the stage.
'No way, this kid really knows how?' Seeing Roy draw the cane sword, unhurriedly walking toward the arena, Biscuit's gaze grew somewhat dazed. In her back row, "Divine Spear" Guy and "Ninja" Kikuta Tadashi exchanged glances.
They'd long heard "Ilo" excelled at martial arts, that his eighty-one-win-streak legend was built with bare fists. Never heard when he'd practiced swordsmanship.
"Curious, but still no match for Harrison. No matter how sharp the blade, you can't cut through solid steel."
Amid thunderous cheers, Harrison appeared! People's enthusiasm came and went quickly. From Wing to Harrison—merely one minute. Wing, pushing up his glasses while descending, encountered Roy, smiling. "Be careful. Enhancers are all tough."
"You mean you, or him?"
Harrison descended from above, leaping from the audience seats, directly hammering into the arena like a meteor. Visibly, the arena cracked in spiderweb patterns with him as the center.
Wing squinted. "Both tough as nails."
Roy nodded in agreement, brushing past his shoulder to mount the arena. "I'll be waiting for your challenge."
With that, he drew the cane sword with a metallic ring, holding it one-handed, expressionlessly looking at Harrison.
"Oh! Our winning streak champion actually brought a sword. Could he surprise us today?" The host immediately noticed the cane sword. The sharp blade flashed cold light, the straight body branded with jet-black flame patterns, seemingly declaring to the world, "I'd rather break than bend."
"This doesn't look like a killing blade!" Wing descended, sitting in Roy's seat. He curiously asked Gotoh, "When did your young master start practicing swordsmanship?"
With twin tails swinging, Biscuit curiously leaned in. Gotoh stared intently at Roy's upright back, saying proudly, "Ten days now."
"Ten days? Then he's dead!" Kikuta Tadashi heard, commenting without restraint. "Harrison uses all his aura tempering that steel body. Bullets can't penetrate it. Forget a half-baked swordsman who's only practiced ten days..."
"You're being too generous calling him half-baked." "Divine Spear" Guy shook his head with regret—too bad he couldn't beat Harrison; otherwise these easy points would be his. Guy continued Kikuta's thought. "A month for the staff, a year for the sword. Without at least a year, forget actual combat—he can't even hold the blade steady. Ilo's completely out of his depth!"
"You two have a death wish?" Gotoh pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, looking over dangerously. Biscuit chewed her lollipop, suddenly interrupting. "They're right. Just ten days won't cut through Harrison. Look at his skin—bronze with a metallic sheen. Without ten or more years of hard training, you absolutely can't reach this level."
Though Gotoh was displeased, he had to admit Biscuit was right. This Harrison dared call himself "Meat Grinder" because he loved grinding opponents' bones with his fists—showing just how hard his body was!
"The young master will win. Just wait and see." Gotoh's words seemed feeble now.
The host finished introducing Roy, beginning Harrison's introduction. The latter clearly had far more fame than Roy. Even some betting enthusiasts went all-in on Harrison, howling for Harrison to stop wasting time and quickly grind Roy's bones.
Harrison stood two meters tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, built like a bear. Wearing a long bone necklace, bald head shining bright. Grinning, staring at Roy, laughing. "You shouldn't have accepted."
"But I did."
"Accepting means death."
"Are you talking about yourself?"
"Oh... oh... I can already smell fresh blood!" The host stood between them, hearing their exchange, excitedly pulling the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, bring out your passion and cheer!"
"I announce tonight's main event! 'Piercing Hand' Ilo versus 'Meat Grinder' Harrison! Begin now!"
A violent hurricane erupted from the shattered arena! Powerful Ren brutally swept the host out. Fortunately, he was also a Nen user—otherwise this hit would have killed or crippled him!
"Here it comes! Such powerful Ren!" Kikuta Tadashi squinted. Beside him, excluding Biscuit, Gotoh and Guy looked at Roy together.
The young man holding the cane sword swayed in the hurricane like a small boat recklessly entering a storm. Any wave could capsize him.
Harrison grinned menacingly at Roy. "What's the deal? Where's your Ren?"
When opponents released Ren, the best defense was using Ren to counter. This was common knowledge. After all, Ren involved not just Nen usage but spiritual pressure.
Remember when Gon and Killua reached the 200th floor and were blocked by Hisoka, nearly scared senseless?
'This guy's looking down on me?' Harrison raged internally!
Roy spread his hands, looking innocent. "Don't know how to use it."
Harrison: "..."
Biscuit, Wing, Guy, Kikuta Tadashi: "..."