"Hisoka's match? Of course I'm going to watch."
I was in the room observing Kurapika's training when Gon and Killua came in. Apparently, they were here to invite me to go watch Hisoka's fight.
"Just watching Hisoka's match feels like it would be good training."
"Of course I'm going too. In my case, it's basically mandatory."
Naturally. This is more for Kurapika's training than mine. Watching a fight between higher-level fighters should serve as training in itself.
"Then let's go now. Even with priority tickets, it'll probably take time to get inside."
"Hisoka's match seems really popular. There are even scalpers."
"People are probably drawn by morbid curiosity. A lot of humans are attracted to that sort of thing."
"Most of his opponents are probably dead, right?"
"Oh, Aisha, correct. Eleven matches: eight wins, three losses, six KOs. And apparently, the number of KOs equals the number of deaths."
I knew it. Honestly, I don't understand what's fun about killing people. He could win without killing them, but no—that's the nature of thrill killers. In that sense, the Zoldycks might be better since they don't kill outside of work. …Though to the victims, a killer is a killer either way.
"But is it okay? Killua's one thing, but Gon, should you really be watching the match? You made a promise to Wing-san, didn't you?"
"Hmm, yeah… You think watching the match is no good either?"
"It's fine, right? It's not training. We're just watching."
"No, Killua. Watching matches absolutely counts as training."
I mean, Wing-san is literally listening to this conversation. Behind that pillar—ah, there he is.
"No."
He looks startled. As expected of Wing-san—being a Shihan-dai ("acting master" or "substitute instructor"), he's first-rate at concealing his presence. …But doesn't he look a bit worn out? His cheeks are sunken.
"Watching a match is equivalent to examining Nen. Gon-kun, you will focus solely on treatment for the next month."
"Okay… By the way, Wing-san, why do you look so exhausted?"
"Yeah, you look terrible. Not just pale—like, really pale."
"If you're unwell, I recommend you get proper rest."
"I can't imagine someone who manages himself so well catching a cold…"
He's clearly in bad shape. Even his aura is weakened. He looks like a shadow of himself.
"…Everyone, listen carefully. Never make promises to 'do anything.' This is advice from someone with more life experience."
"R-right… (He got drained, didn't he?)"
"Understood. (He definitely got drained.)"
"I'll keep that in mind. (He got drained, for sure.)"
"Got it! (I want to start Nen training already.)"
Shion… just because you won't see him for a while, this is overkill. This was obviously an all-nighter course.
…What was Zushi-kun doing, I wonder?
"By the way, you really promised to marry Shion-san? Isn't that way too fast?"
"Killua-kun. No, I should say this to Gon-kun and Kurapika-kun as well… There are times when a man must take responsibility."
With a back that radiated melancholy, Wing-san walked away… It's partly his own fault, but still, this feels a bit cruel.
"…Anyway, Wing-san aside, Gon, record the match for us. You can watch it later."
"Yeah. Let's just go by ourselves this time. Sorry, Gon, but tickets aren't free."
"Sorry, Gon."
"It's okay. I'll wait while working on my Ten."
So Gon had to stay behind in the room. It can't be helped—he did break his promise.
"So, about Hisoka's opponent—apparently he's the only guy here who's ever knocked Hisoka down."
"Ah, his name was Kastro, wasn't it? To take a down from Hisoka… he must be quite skilled."
"That was about two years ago, apparently. He probably awakened to Nen at that time."
"A grudge match, huh? Who do you think will win?"
Hmm. I've never seen this Kastro person, so I can't be certain…
"Hisoka, nine times out of ten."
"Oh? You're pretty decisive. What's your reasoning?"
"Kastro learned Nen two years ago. Before that, he likely knew nothing about it—meaning he probably had no teacher. Nen isn't shallow enough to master under those conditions."
Nen is like a vast academic discipline. The current system was built upon countless accumulations from the past. If you try to learn that alone, there's a limit to how far you can go.
"Even if Kastro is talented, two years isn't enough to reach the realm Hisoka stands in. It would be different if he had a master."
Most Nen users here are like Kastro. They reach the 200th floor without knowing Nen, then undergo its baptism. If they're unlucky, they die. If they're lucky, they may still end up permanently disabled.
Even if they suffer no lasting damage, without knowledge of Nen, there's no way they'd know how to train it properly.
I reviewed Gon's match on video—the opponent was terrible. He could barely even refine his aura, and his ability didn't match his natural category. There's no way someone like that could become a proper Nen user.
"In short, Kastro's chances of defeating Hisoka are next to none."
"I see… Guess we were lucky to have a master."
"Indeed. Our starting line was prepared for us from the beginning."
"Whether you meet a master depends on environment and luck. True Nen users are extremely rare."
If I hadn't met Ryuzen-sensei, who knows what would've happened to me? If I had continued training in my own flawed way, I definitely wouldn't be here now. I'd probably have died somewhere along the road.
"There's still an hour until the match, but it's already full."
"Yeah, we wouldn't have gotten in without priority tickets."
"You two! They're selling popcorn and juice over there! Let's buy some!"
"Are you here to watch baseball or soccer?"
"I'll pass. I want to concentrate on this battle."
Eh? Watching a match is more fun when you've got something to eat or drink.
Well, they probably should focus on observing properly. I'll just buy something for myself.
.
[Aaaand now—at last!! Hisoka vs. Kastro, the decisive showdown!!]
It's about to begin.
So that's Kastro… I see. No wonder he has the confidence to challenge Hisoka. Honestly, I underestimated him. I assumed no one who awakened to Nen here could be truly strong.
"You two… I take back… munch munch… what I said earlier. That man is… munch munch… stronger than I expected."
"Either talk or eat."
"That's bad manners, Aisha."
"Sorry… It's just been a while since I had popcorn, so…"
A little self-reflection. Munch munch.
"So, he's strong?"
"Yes. You can tell just by looking at his Ten. A refined, powerful aura surrounds his body without stagnation. He's slightly excited facing Hisoka, but that excitement seems to be putting him in a good condition for battle."
He's facing someone who once defeated him, yet he's not overly tense. That's proof he hasn't neglected his Ten. Did he really reach this level through self-study without a master? Or… perhaps he did have one.
"I won't know for sure until I see his Nen techniques, but at the very least, he hasn't grown complacent with Nen and stopped training."
"…So you're saying he might perform better than expected."
"Whoa, don't tell me he might actually beat Hisoka?"
No, Hisoka still has the edge… but we haven't seen all of their techniques or abilities. I can't make a definitive statement. …Depending on his ability, it might not be impossible.
And those gloves…
He's wearing a normal martial arts gi—probably from some school—but while the sleeveless outfit is designed for mobility, he's wearing gloves that extend almost to his elbows. A weapon? Something hidden inside? The material… I can't tell from here. They look like thin leather gloves clinging tightly to his hands, so they probably don't hinder finger movement much. What's his aim with them?
"Thank you, Hisoka. Thanks to your baptism, I found the trigger to grow stronger."
"…Kukuku ♣ I can't help but feel like a connoisseur about to uncork a well-aged wine ♥ Just how much have you matured?"
Hisoka senses it too—Kastro's strength.
Most likely, Hisoka deliberately allowed Kastro to survive the Nen baptism unharmed. He must have sensed Kastro's talent and thought it a waste to crush him then.
And now, two years later, they meet again—and before him stands prey far stronger than before. Hisoka must be overflowing with delight. He's suppressing it, but the grotesque aura around him is steadily swelling.
"It would be arrogant to claim I've mastered Nen… but I believe I've grown fangs sharp enough to reach you. …Let's go!"
At the referee's signal, Kastro activates Ren.
…That's an impressive Ren! It's hard to believe he's only had Nen for two years!
He dashes straight at Hisoka. At the moment of stepping in, he concentrates aura in his legs, producing explosive acceleration. Maintaining that momentum, he launches his attack—right, left, feint into left, then a right roundhouse kick.
It seems Kastro is a martial artist who specializes in strikes. He doesn't form fists; instead, he uses knife-hands and palms. Judging by that palm shape… is he a practitioner of Tiger Bite Fist?
His taijutsu is highly refined. And… his aura control is polished as well.
He's using Ryu with every single attack. To manage Ryu at that attack speed—his shifting of offensive and defensive aura is remarkable. Hisoka is currently focused on defense, likely observing for now, but Kastro isn't careless. Between attacks, he's using Gyo, prepared to respond instantly if Hisoka activates an ability.
Hmm? Kastro is pressing the offensive even further.
Four feints. One with his gaze, three with body movement… No, he's feinting with aura too!
"!!"
"A clean hit!!"
Hisoka took that head-on! He didn't even get his Gyo guard up in time. Kastro's aura output during the strike wasn't high, but it looks like the damage went through.
"Fight seriously, Hisoka. As a martial artist, I want to settle this against your full strength."
[Kastro takes the initiative! His feint-laced attack lands on Hisoka, who failed to evade in time and loses points!]
.
"Hey! Why did Hisoka take that hit? Even I could tell Kastro was going to strike with his left!"
"Yeah, there were several feints, but it was still obvious he was baiting with the right and attacking with the left. There's no way Hisoka didn't notice."
It's natural they'd think that. That feint only works on Nen users—specifically those above a certain level.
"Yes, exactly. Kastro used a feint that only works against Nen users—and only those with considerable skill."
The feint was based on aura.
Nen users shift offensive and defensive aura during combat. The more aura you focus while attacking, the greater the power. While defending, concentrating aura increases defense. Therefore, how quickly and smoothly one can shift aura is critical in battle.
Reading aura shifts to predict incoming attacks is practically the first step toward becoming advanced.
Of course, Hisoka was reading those shifts.
Though Kastro's body movements suggested a left-handed strike, his aura had actually gathered more strongly in his right hand. Hisoka read that and guarded against a right attack—but Kastro turned that expectation against him and struck with his left instead.
Hisoka likely still underestimated him. "He's improved, but he's only had Nen for two years." That underestimation led to him taking the hit.
Moreover, Kastro had been boosting his offense and defense with Gyo in all prior attacks. Even those earlier strikes were part of the feint.
"…That's what happened. Though the feint succeeded, since he attacked with his lower-aura left hand, the damage wasn't significant."
"…?"
They can't quite follow yet. They haven't even learned about aura shifting in offense and defense.
"Kukuku ♥ I see… You really are different from two years ago ♠"
"That's right. …Are you ready to fight seriously?"
"Yeah… I'm getting pretty excited now. I didn't expect you to grow this much ♦ I'll have to thank your master ♣"
Indeed. At this level, it's hard to believe Kastro has no master. Even with extraordinary talent, reaching this realm alone in two years is nearly impossible. He's still maintaining Gyo carefully, watching Hisoka's movements. He must have had an excellent teacher.
"Thank him? …Unfortunately, I have no master."
What!? That's impossible! He reached this level alone!?
"I—I can't believe it. How much talent would that require…"
"Aisha…"
"Hey… is Hisoka really going to lose?"
I don't know… If he doesn't let his guard down, Hisoka is still stronger. But… someone with this much talent—there's no predicting what kind of Nen ability he possesses. He might have something capable of overturning this gap.
"No master… If that's true, that's impressive ♥"
"There's no need for me to lie. …Though there is someone I revere as a master."
Huh? What does that mean? Didn't he just say he had no master?
"…What do you mean?"
"Hmph… Very well. I'll tell you. The reason I grew this strong after being defeated by you."
[Ooooh! Kastro is starting to talk about his past in the middle of the match!! You don't see this every day!!]
No kidding. But I am curious. I'll focus on what he's saying.
"After receiving your baptism and awakening to Nen, I gathered information about it."
"Isn't Hisoka recovering while he's talking?"
"He's probably already done recovering."
"Well, if he wants to talk, let him."
Maybe he just wanted someone to hear his hardships.
"I learned the name 'Nen' from another 200th-floor fighter, but no one would teach me how to train it. I searched on my own, but found nothing… I thought I'd have no choice but to train independently. But then, by chance, I found something."
Hmm.
"It was being sold on the black market, priced so high you wouldn't think it was just a single book. But after reading its description, I clung to hope and bought it. Fortunately, I had earned a fair amount here."
…Why do I have a really bad feeling about this? My throat suddenly feels dry. I take a sip of juice to moisten it.
"And that was! The legendary martial artist Ryusho Kazama's Nen manual—The Black Book!"
BFFFT—!!
"Whoa, something just splashed on me!?" "Who did that!?" "Huh? A cute girl?" "Then no problem." "It's more like a reward." "Aisha-tan, peropero."
"Cough—cough!"
"Are you okay, Aisha!?"
"Oi, which freaks were those last comments? I won't get mad, so step forward."
I choked from sheer shock! Sorry to the people in front of me, but that's not the issue right now!
The Black Book? Did he just say The Black Book!?
"The Black Book detailed various Nen abilities and training methods in meticulous detail. I followed its guidance and trained my Nen accordingly."
Y-You did say The Black Book!!
Heh… hehehe… fuhahahahahaha!
I. Found. You.
So it was you, Kastro…! You're the one who had my Black History—〈Black History〉!!
"If I must name a master, then the late Ryusho would be the one. …I only wish I could have met him while he was alive."
I don't remember ever taking you as a disciple!
…Well, he seems to respect me, so it's not an entirely bad feeling.
Still, now it makes sense. In 〈Black History〉, I wrote down the Nen training methods I gained through [Original Knowledge / Orishunotokuten]. Of course, that alone left gaps in places. But I later added the correct training methods I learned from Ryūzen-sensei, filling in those missing parts. If someone read that and trained diligently, reaching this level of proficiency would certainly be believable.
…Though he's clearly talented as well.
No, that's not the point right now! I have to get 〈Black History〉 back somehow! I'll burn that thing to ashes!
Damn it! But how do I retrieve it…? Does he keep it in his room? I don't know which floor or which room. And even if I asked the staff, breaking in would be… a bit much.
In that case… after the match, I'll ask if he'll give it to me. I'll offer my entire fortune! If that's not enough, I'll even go into debt!
[W-What's this!? The name of the legendary martial artist Ryusho Kazama has appeared here!!]
Don't shout that name so loudly! People will find out Ryusho was the one who created that cringe-filled masterpiece!!
[Ryusho Kazama was once strong enough to become a Floor Master here at Heaven's Arena! Though he resigned shortly after attaining the title, had he participated in Battle Olympia, victory would not have been a dream! And now we learn that Kastro has obtained the secret manual he authored!]
Don't explain it to the crowd in detail! I appreciate the enthusiasm, but for me this isn't a service—it's torture!!
"With proper Nen training, I continued for two years—spitting blood if I had to. Nen is not so shallow that it can be mastered in two years, but it seems I have at least gained the strength to fight you."
"Hm. You certainly have grown stronger ♥ Even while talking, you're not neglecting Gyo. …You were worth sparing ♦"
Hmm. Hisoka's aura is swelling more and more, growing increasingly ominous. It seems he no longer intends to hold back. He must be unable to contain his excitement at how well his prey has matured beyond expectations.
"So this is Hisoka's—!"
"Damn… what a monstrous aura!"
…Hmm. My aura isn't worse than that, right? I don't infuse it with negative emotions like he does… though maybe that's worse. Even without malice, if it's naturally grotesque, maybe mine is more dangerous?
I really don't want to show it. But I did say I'd reveal my secret someday. Ugh… just thinking about it depresses me.
"Ghk! Yes… this is the battle I desired!"
"Hehe, here I go. Don't break too easily ♣"
The condescension Hisoka had earlier has vanished. This is where the real fight begins.
"You two—watch carefully from here on."
It's rare to see Nen users of this level fight. I remind them not to miss a single detail.
"Yeah, I know."
"…'Focus your eyes'—with Gyo, right? Got it."
Looks like Kurapika understood. He can already use Gyo. Honestly, prodigies are something else…
.
The battle accelerates.
In contrast to before, Hisoka now takes the offensive. His style centers on strikes—rapid movements and flurries of blows. His Ryu shifts at a speed matching his combat pace. He's handling extremely high-speed aura transitions.
Despite the barrage, each strike carries proper weight; none of them are sloppy. It appears to be an unorthodox, self-taught style, but it's refined in its own way. It might be troublesome for a rigid, form-bound martial artist—but if they can't handle that, they're second-rate.
Kastro, on the other hand… seems first-rate. He isn't thrown off by the unstructured movements. He guards skillfully and counters in turn.
Hm? …What's that?
A thin strand of aura is stretching between Hisoka and Kastro, as if connecting them?
"W-What is that!?"
Kastro noticed it too. Judging by his reaction, that's Hisoka's Nen. Aura extends from Hisoka's right fist to Kastro's left arm, clinging to it. What kind of ability is that?
"Kukuku, once you notice, it's already too late. Here ♠"
"What!?"
Hisoka sharply pulls his right arm—and Kastro's left arm moves with it!? The sudden motion throws Kastro off balance, and he takes a direct hit without being able to guard.
"Gah!"
"Critical hit and down! Three points to Hisoka! 3–1!!"
…What kind of ability is that? It sticks to Kastro and stretches? Has he transmuted his aura into something elastic and adhesive?
It stretches and sticks. That's an extremely troublesome ability!
And he attached it with a punch. For someone who relies on close combat, this is the worst possible matchup. If that ability is applied every time Hisoka lands a punch, you'd have to avoid every single strike. You can't even guard—that's unbelievably annoying.
No—could he even attach it when receiving a direct attack from Kastro?
"Th-This is—!"
"Hehe, now what will you do?"
◆
Damn! What is this aura!? It's stuck to my arm—no matter how much I pull, it just stretches and won't come off! It must be Hisoka's Nen ability, but when did he attach it!? I haven't neglected Gyo for a second!
"Take this!"
"Ugh—hah!"
Tch! It's not just adhesive—it stretches too! When I pull, it only elongates, but when Hisoka pulls, it contracts and drags me toward him! I'm managing to guard against his attacks, but I can't block everything! At this rate, he'll overwhelm me on points!
"Is that really wise? Guarding so carelessly?"
"What?"
If I don't guard—! What!? His aura is on my right arm too!!
Damn it! He can attach it the moment our fists make contact!? What a troublesome ability!
Then even using Gyo to see it doesn't matter! If he attaches it during the attack itself, there's no need for him to conceal his aura!
"Come on, over here ♥"
"Whoa!?"
I'm being pulled in! Both my arms are spread wide—completely defenseless! But he's using both hands to reel me in! Then his next attack will be a kick!
"Don't underestimate me!"
I match his kick with one of my own. Our strikes cancel each other out cleanly, and we create distance again.
"Heh, you handled that well ♦"
"I told you. I'm not the same man I was two years ago."
[What an exchange!! A spectacular back-and-forth!! This is truly a rare match—even for Heaven's Arena!!]
I may have said that, but unless I do something about this Nen ability, I have no chance of winning. It's likely transmutation—giving his aura adhesive properties. Adhesive alone would be bad enough, but the fact that it can freely stretch and contract is what makes it truly dangerous. I even tried punching the aura itself, but it only stretched. Useless.
If striking won't work… then I'll try that! This is no time to hold back!
"Your ability is well-crafted. Honestly, there are few abilities more troublesome to deal with than this."
"Oh? Well, thank you ♣ But don't tell me you're thinking of giving up ♥"
—That would be such a letdown—
Damn, what a sinister aura!
Don't falter, Kastro! If you retreat! If you lose heart! Victory will slip even further away! Even if I fall short in strength, I will not fall short in spirit!
"Rest assured, I won't. …After all, I've just thought of a way to break your ability."
"Oh? Now that sounds fun… How will you do it?"
I can't help but admire your composure, remaining calm at all times.
But can you stay calm after seeing this!?
"Haaah!"
"!?"
With both hands, I seize the aura attached to me from either side—and burn it away!
…Yes! It worked! It may resist blunt force, but it couldn't withstand the combination of intense heat and a blade-like hand strike!
"That's… black flames?"
"Heh. So I finally get to see you surprised. …This is the Nen ability recorded in the Black Book—devised by my mentor in spirit, Ryushou! Its name is—[Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist]!!"
"KYAAAAAAA—!?"
"Aisha!?" "What's wrong!?"
Hm, I hear a woman's scream. It seems she understands as well—the brilliance of this naming sense. I too am quite fond of it. As expected of Master Ryushou.
"And by combining [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist] with my Tiger Bite Fist, I have completed the true Tiger Bite Fist. Its name—[Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Fist]!!!"
[Ohhh! Kastro keeps the name exactly the same!]
Shut up! It's cool, isn't it!?
"Noooooooo—!?"
"Calm down, Aisha!!" "She's lost it!"
See? Listen to those cheers. Those who understand, understand.
◆
Just kill me already! Why do I have to witness the shame of my distant past at a time like this!? Ugh… my face is burning red from embarrassment!
"A-Are you okay, Aisha?"
"Y-Yes… I got a little carried away, but I'm fine now."
"A little? Didn't you just scream your lungs out?"
Please don't dig into it, Killua. Even I want to forget that incident.
I never expected Kastro to use something like that as his Nen ability…
Having my own dark history dug up like this is too cruel… I'd like to believe it's not my fault that I screamed from the sheer shock.
Still, to think he mastered [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist]! Did he really reproduce it exactly as I described in detail? If that's the case… huh? What kind of restrictions did I even attach to it back then?
…No good. There's no way I'd remember something I wrote over a hundred years ago.
"Black flames… He can even transmute his aura into fire?"
"Yes. Compared to shape transformation, changing its properties is much more difficult. Turning aura into flames must have taken considerable effort."
"Does the black color have any particular meaning?"
"…I doubt it?"
There's no temperature difference based on color when it comes to transmuted aura flames, and black flames don't even exist in reality. There's no clear reason to make them black.
…Actually, now that I think about it, why did I make them black in the first place? I don't think I came up with that ability from scratch—there must've been some original reference or inspiration…
"I'm going in!"
Once again, the momentum shifts. Evil King—… no, just thinking the name makes my spine freeze. Anyway, having activated his Nen ability, Kastro launches a fierce assault on Hisoka as if returning the favor.
With Hisoka's ability burned away, Kastro is no longer hindered in his movements. That gives us an important piece of information: that elastic aura is resistant to blunt force, but it can be dealt with by sharp aura blades or flames.
The latter type of ability is rare, but if someone could shape their aura into a sharp blade, they might be able to cut it as well. Also, if someone simply overpowered Hisoka physically, they might reduce the effect of being pulled around by the elasticity. There's almost no ability without a countermeasure.
.
Hisoka continues to dodge attack after attack. He doesn't guard. He doesn't counterattack. He's focused entirely on evasion.
"What's wrong!? Afraid, Hisoka!?"
I understand exactly why Hisoka is focusing on dodging. He can't afford to block.
The flames covering Kastro's fists seem to be reaching extremely high temperatures. The air around them visibly warps. Anyone who touches them would surely be burned. If he guards, that part of his body would be scorched. If it were ordinary fire, aura could block it—but this is Nen-created fire. Defending against it requires considerable aura and skill, and even if the flames themselves are blocked, the heat is difficult to completely nullify.
Just like Hisoka's ability couldn't be guarded against, neither can this—and in terms of raw attack power, Kastro's ability is overwhelmingly superior. It's a seriously troublesome technique.
…Back then, I probably wrote it in the Black History as a joke. And yet he actually completed it and made it his own.
"I see… This is troublesome indeed ♦"
"Spare me. If you truly think so, wipe that grin off your face before saying it!"
Hisoka is smiling, clearly amused. He probably isn't lying when he calls it troublesome. But more than that, he's enjoying this situation. Just like the battle maniac he is.
Hm? There's a thin strand of aura stretching from Hisoka toward Kastro. It's concealed with In, making it hard to see. Has Kastro not noticed?
"Troublesome—but not without weaknesses ♥"
"!? Tch!"
Before he realized it, aura had attached itself to his left leg, throwing off his balance. He recovers instantly and burns away the aura—but it's too late. A powerful kick sends him flying backward.
"Clean hit! One point Hisoka! 4–1!"
"Ghk… damn you…"
"You're focusing too much on your hands. That makes you careless ♠"
As expected, Hisoka has more combat experience than Kastro. He spotted that weakness immediately.
To transmute aura into flames, Kastro must heavily concentrate aura in both hands. And he's also concentrating aura to reinforce the gloves protecting his hands from the flames. That likely means about 80% of his offensive and defensive aura is focused in his hands.
His attack power is tremendous, but the aura allocated to the rest of his body is drastically reduced, lowering his defense elsewhere. On top of that, he can't use Gyo on his eyes, making it difficult to detect In, just like before.
And the finishing blow to this technique is its aura consumption. Constantly concentrating aura like that leads to heavy drain. If he could transmute the aura into flames only at the moment of impact, that weakness would disappear—but expecting that from Kastro right now would be too much.
"What weakness? You can figure that out that fast?"
"There is indeed a weakness. I'll explain later."
There's no time to give a full lecture in the middle of a fight.
"It's not over yet! Not by a long shot!"
"That's more like it ♣"
Kastro unleashes a flurry of flame-wreathed punches. Mixing in feints—right, left, right, right, both hands, left—sharp strikes fly one after another. But Hisoka seems to have already read him; none of them land cleanly. The fact that his attacks are limited to his hands is another weakness. In a narrower space, he could corner his opponent more easily, but in the vast arena, landing hand-only attacks against someone focused solely on evasion—especially someone more experienced—is difficult.
…No, Kastro surely knows that better than anyone.
"If this one blow lands!!"
"Heh, then go on—try ♦"
"Damn youuu!!"
Did he fall for the provocation and swing wide? Now Hisoka will counter—
No!? Wait—this is a trap!
He pretended to be enraged and attacked with both hands. But that was the feint. In fact, continuing to attack only with punches was likely part of the setup. Believing he'd taken the bait, Hisoka moved to counter—yet Kastro suddenly halted his motion and shifted to a kick instead.
Releasing the flames from both hands and focusing Gyo into his leg, Kastro's strike lands squarely on Hisoka's left temple!
The powerful blow knocks Hisoka down. Not missing the opportunity, Kastro reignites the flames on both hands and follows up—but the attack only grazes Hisoka's side.
So close. If he could activate the ability just a little faster, it would have hit cleanly. Still, even a graze counts. Hisoka's clothes begin to burn from the flames.
And Tiger Bite Fist boasts enough power to tear apart green wood with bare hands. Even a grazing hit leaves wounds like those from a wild beast's claws. He must have suffered some burns as well.
"Critical hit and down!! Three points Kastro! 4–4!!"
"It's my own ability. Of course I know its weaknesses. And I've thought about how to compensate for them."
"..."
…? Something's off about Hisoka. He's not the type to go down from that much damage. If anything, he'd enjoy it—
—!
Th-This… Hisoka's aura is—!?
.
"What's wrong, Hisoka? Surely you're not beaten by something like—!?"
"…Ah, you're wonderful. I didn't expect I'd get to enjoy myself this much. …I almost want to break you right here."
I knew he wasn't serious before… but for his aura to swell this much.
He's clearly releasing more than twice Kastro's visible aura. The sheer force of his Ren alone snuffs out the flames that had caught on his clothes. Even the sinister quality of it has intensified. Killua and Kurapika seem speechless.
Even the spectators who can't see aura must sense something abnormal about Hisoka. The entire arena has fallen silent.
And Kastro… he's starting to be swallowed by Hisoka's presence.
"U-uh…"
"You should be proud, Kastro ♥ You ripened beautifully in just two years ♠ But—"
—You lack real combat experience ♣
The moment he says it, Hisoka closes the distance far faster than before.
Kastro can't respond in time. The earlier shock had frozen both his body and mind for an instant—and Hisoka capitalizes on that opening. A strike drills into Kastro's abdomen.
"Guh—haah!?"
"Oh my, you're losing focus?"
"Uooooh!"
Kastro counters immediately, but Hisoka reads it effortlessly, dodging with minimal movement. Then once, twice, three times—rapid blows to the face. Kastro guards with Gyo, yet the defense is pierced with startling ease. With such a vast difference in visible aura, it's inevitable.
"Ugh… haah, haah! D-damn you…"
"Out of breath already? You should work on your stamina ♥"
"Critical hit & down! Three points Hisoka! 7–4!!"
Though Hisoka appears relaxed, he's not careless. He's carefully observing with focused eyes—using Gyo. Given their fighting styles, their attack ranges perfectly overlap. Anywhere Hisoka can hit, Kastro can hit too. And Kastro's Nen ability, if it lands cleanly, could potentially break through even Hisoka's current aura output.
"Shut up!"
His attacks have grown more predictable due to agitation, but at least he's no longer flinching under Hisoka's aura. Still, the damage is severe. He isn't even stepping forward to pursue the retreating Hisoka. A few ribs are probably broken. His brain's been rattled too.
…This is rough.
If only he had a long-range attack, things might be different.
…Ah! W-wait! He does! There was one! [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist] had a long-range technique!
"Haah… haah… As expected of you, Hisoka…! It seems I still fall short… but!"
With a fierce shout, Kastro's aura swells and gathers entirely into both hands!
Don't tell me—he mastered that too!?
"I will be the one to win!! Take this! [Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon]!!"
"Please stop already!? My heart can't take this!!"
"What's wrong with you today?"
"Hm… her emotions seem rather unstable (is it that time of the month?)"
My scream, of course, has zero impact on the battle.
The black flames in Kastro's hands morph in shape—forming a gigantic tiger that charges toward Hisoka!
"!?"
Even Hisoka didn't expect him to have a technique that works at this range.
To gain this much power in just two years… he must have subjected himself to hellish training. All to repay Hisoka.
"Haaahhhhh!!"
He must be nearly out of aura. After launching the flame tiger, he can't even maintain Ken. All his remaining aura is devoted to controlling and sustaining the flaming beast.
A strike imbued with his entire being assaults Hisoka!
"Ahahahaha! You're truly wonderful, Kastro!!"
Hisoka dodges the tiger's fangs with swift movement—but the flaming claws immediately pursue him! So he can control it that freely.
But—
"Heh… I'll call that an honorable mention ♦"
…it only gouges Hisoka's cheek.
The flaming tiger overshoots him, unable to halt its momentum. It immediately attempts to correct its trajectory and chase him again—but Hisoka isn't so generous as to allow that.
Kastro tries to retreat, likely to buy time until the flame tiger returns while keeping distance from Hisoka.
But the floor beneath Kastro's feet is already—
"Tch! Wh—? M-my legs won't move!?"
The sticky aura has already spread there. Hisoka must have set it up before Kastro attempted to retreat. Thorough as ever. Though Transmutation is likely Hisoka's specialty and Emission isn't his strong suit, even so it was enough to briefly immobilize him.
"Gah!"
A powerful uppercut sends Kastro flying into the air.
Immediately he's pulled back in by aura.
Then, as Kastro falls toward the ground, Hisoka slams a downward punch into him.
Kastro collapses onto the floor.
He can't move anymore.
Even if he could—the match is Hisoka's.
"Critical hit & down! Plus three points! 10–4!! Winner by TKO—Hisoka!!"
"That was fun. So I'll let you live for now ♥ Gain more real combat experience. And then next time… we'll fight somewhere without rules ♣"
"Decided!! Kastro fails to avenge his defeat! But pushing Hisoka that far—his skill is undeniable!"
A decision by points.
Hisoka seems to have taken quite a liking to Kastro. He won't kill him here. He wants to fight to the death once Kastro grows stronger.
And Kastro will grow stronger. If he continues building his fundamentals and gaining real combat experience, he may one day even surpass Hisoka.
"…That was an incredible fight."
"Yeah. I didn't know Hisoka was that strong."
"He lost, but Kastro is far stronger than we are… I thought I'd grown somewhat stronger myself."
"You'll be fine. The talent you two—no, including Gon—possess is not inferior to Hisoka or Kastro. One day, you'll reach them."
Perhaps watching this battle made them feel impatient.
But it's only been about a month since they learned Nen. Being fledglings is only natural.
"You're still at the stage of building proper fundamentals. Don't rush."
"…You're right. Sorry, Aisha. I'm counting on you from here on."
"I can't even learn those fundamentals yet."
That part isn't up to me. Take it up with Wing and Gon.
"Well then, shall we head back to Gon? I'm hungry."
"Yeah. Let's all four of us grab something to eat."
"Ah, I'm sorry, but I have something to take care of. Please go on ahead. You can start eating without me."
"Something to take care of? What're you going to do?"
"That's… a secret."
This is something I can't tell anyone.
The match is over… Kastro is alive…
Which means there's only one thing left to do.
Retrieve the Black History!!
And dispose of it so no one ever lays eyes on it again!!!
.
After parting with the two of them, I head toward the infirmary. Kastro was likely taken there. His injuries were severe. He might not be accepting visitors, but at least I can confirm where he is.
When I ask the staff, they say he was treated—but has already returned to his room.
…Tough guy. He looked half-dead to me.
Apparently he's not refusing visitors. Good. I'll go see him immediately.
The staff easily tell me his room number.
Is it really okay to give that out so casually? …What if obsessed fans show up?
…This must be it.
Ugh, I'm nervous.
What if he refuses to return the Black History?
For now, all I can do is beg. I knock.
"Excuse me. Is Mr. Kastro in? I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
"…Forgive me, but I don't wish to see anyone right now. Perhaps another day— …No, that voice of yours…"
My voice?
"I retract that. You may come in."
"Really? Thank you very much!"
Thank goodness! At least we can talk.
"Welcome. Apologies for the unsightly appearance. I am, after all, injured."
"No, I'm the one who should apologize for intruding at a time like this…"
Seeing him wrapped in bandages makes me wonder if I should've come another day…
But he might leave Heaven's Arena tomorrow for all I know.
"You are… Aisha, correct? What brings you here today?"
"You know who I am?"
"Of course. I keep track of all fighters on the 200th floor."
Ah, right. I'm technically a 200th-floor fighter too. I registered, but I never intended to fight, so I forgot.
"As for my reason… I'll be direct. Would you please give me the Black Book!?"
I bow deeply.
I'd even prostrate myself if necessary!
"…I see. As I suspected. Please raise your head, Aisha. I'm sorry, but I cannot give you the Black Book."
"I'll pay whatever price you name! Please!"
I'm not shameless enough to ask for it for free!
I have over a billion in total assets! I'll give you all of it!
"I'm sorry. It's not about money."
"Then what will it take!?"
What would make him hand it over!?
"At that time, when you cheered… I thought I might entrust the Black Book to you. But—"
Cheered?
I remember screaming, not cheering.
Wait—are you giving it to me or not!?
"I'm sorry. The Black Book is no longer in my possession."
"N-no…"
My vision nearly goes dark.
I finally found it… finally…
"Then… where is it now?"
"…About two months ago, I was training in a remote region to defeat Hisoka."
…Does this man just enjoy telling long backstories?
Fine. It's important information about the Black Book. I'll listen quietly.
"After completing my training and mastering [Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon], I left that region and boarded a ship to return to Heaven's Arena. But I fell ill during the voyage. Likely from mushrooms I ate in the wilderness."
You shouldn't eat mushrooms without confirming what they are. Amateurs can't distinguish edible from poisonous ones.
"It was careless of me. I thought I might die without ever repaying Hisoka. At that moment, a young man cared for me."
If he had died, he might've left behind Nen born of resentment. He should be grateful to that young man.
"With medicine and a night's rest, I recovered. I cannot thank him enough."
"Um… and how does that relate to the Black Book?"
So far, it hasn't appeared in this story at all.
"That is where it connects. I offered him payment in gratitude, but he refused. A refreshing young man, rare in this day and age. I wanted to repay him somehow. As we spoke, I learned he was a Pro Hunter. So I asked if he knew about Nen."
N-no way.
Don't tell me…
"He did not know of Nen. So I taught him of its existence. And then—"
"Y-you gave him the Black Book?"
"Yes. I entrusted it to him."
God is dead.
=================================
A Newly "Over-Tuned" Character: Kastro!
As a result of this extreme customization, he's ended up being even more to Hisoka's liking, lol.
Below are the full details of Kastro's Nen abilities.
---
[Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist]
Type: Transmutation
A Nen ability that transmutes aura into black flames.
Transforming aura into fire is no simple feat, but Kastro's talent and sheer passion (a.k.a. his chūnibyō spirit) made it possible.
There is no practical reason for the flames to be black—if anything, it's purely because it looks cool. While this may seem like a waste of Nen "memory," Kastro's emotional investment is surprisingly strong, resulting in increased power.
Because the flames also burn his own body (including his hands), the user must wear flame-resistant gloves made of special materials and wrap their hands with ultra-thin heat-resistant tape. Without these precautions, the technique would cause severe burns to the user.
〈Limitations〉
Aura can only be transformed into flames around the hands. The flames affect the user's own body as well.
〈Vows〉
None
---
[Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Fist]
Type: Transmutation + Enhancement
Exactly what the name suggests. This technique combines [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist] with the Tiger Fang Fist.
The gloves engulfed in high-temperature flames are reinforced with Shu and used to strike the opponent.
Even if the attack is blocked, completely negating the damage caused by the heat is extremely difficult.
〈Limitations〉
Same as [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist]
〈Vows〉
None
---
[Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon]
Type: Transmutation + Emission + Manipulation
A technique that shapes the flames created by [Evil King Flame-Destruction Fist] into the form of a tiger and fires it at the target.
The flaming tiger can be freely controlled and will relentlessly pursue its target. True to its form, it can attack using fangs and claws.
Originally, this technique was called [Evil King Flame-Destruction Black Dragon Wave], but Kastro renamed it. He also changed the aura's shape from a dragon to a tiger.
While objectively meaningless, the change better matched Kastro's personal sense of style—and as a result, the technique actually became stronger.
〈Limitations〉
Once used, it cannot be activated again for 24 hours.
〈Vows〉
None
---
Special Effect Conditions
If the following conditions are met, [Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon] gains a special effect:
1. The amount of manifest aura used to activate [Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon] is greater than or equal to the user's remaining latent aura after firing it.
2. The opponent struck by the technique remains completely unharmed
(If the attack is dodged, this condition is not met.)
When both conditions are fulfilled, the released [Evil King Flame-Destruction Tiger Fang Cannon] returns to the user and becomes a catalyst that generates an enormous amount of aura.
The effect lasts for 5 minutes.
This is a true finishing move with extremely strict activation conditions.
Type: Enhancement
〈Limitations〉
The above conditions must be met.
〈Vows〉
Once the effect ends, the user is forcibly placed into Zetsu. This Zetsu state cannot be lifted unless the user sleeps for at least 6 hours.
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