"Is Hisoka already preparing to deal with the leader?" Daniel couldn't help but think as he watched Hisoka whisper something in Kurapika's ear before surrendering.
Though Hisoka's voice was low and he used Nen to conceal it, Daniel still heard what he said to Kurapika: the Phantom Troupe would appear in Yorknew City on September 1st.
Despite the vast difference in strength between Kurapika and the members of the Phantom Troupe, Hisoka still had faith in Kurapika. This showed that Hisoka not only had immense strength but also far superior wisdom.
In fact, Hisoka's action was simply casual. He only gave a piece of information, and even if Kurapika didn't live up to his expectations, Hisoka wouldn't lose anything.
Afterward, Killua easily won his match. As a member of an assassin family, Killua had many ways to make his opponent surrender.
Only Leorio struggled in his fight. The two combatants were evenly matched and fought until they were both exhausted. Leorio won through sheer willpower.
The battles continued, giving the losers a chance to redeem themselves. By evening, seven participants had qualified, with two unexpected qualifiers due to Daniel's intervention.
Pokkle didn't qualify in the end. In his redemption match, he faced Hisoka and lost decisively.
The next day in the hotel conference room, the qualifiers sat at random. Soon, Chairman Netero and Beans appeared, and Beans distributed seven Hunter Licenses and seven documents to the seven qualifiers.
Chairman Netero didn't say much, only congratulating the qualifiers before giving a glance to Hisoka and Daniel and then leaving directly.
After Netero left, Beans began to explain the rights that came with the Hunter License and reminded everyone not to lose their licenses, as replacements wouldn't be issued.
According to the Hunter Association's records, most lost licenses belonged to newly qualified Hunters.
After the meeting, Gon, bandaged, and Killua started to see Kurapika and Leorio off. In response to Killua's inquiry, Kurapika shared what Hisoka had told him. Though the auction in Yorknew City was over six months away, Kurapika needed to start planning his revenge early.
Leorio, on the other hand, couldn't wait to go home and then use his Hunter License to enter medical school. With a Hunter License, he could enter any university at any time.
The group agreed to meet in Yorknew City on September 1st.
After Leorio and Kurapika left, Hanzo came over. He first apologized for injuring Gon and then invited Gon to visit him if he had time.
"Hunter License, huh? Is this Nen inside? And what is this?" Curious, Daniel used his Operation Fruit ability to investigate the Hunter License. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary magnetic card, but it contained mysterious powers beyond just Nen, including a strange symbol.
"Hey, old man, where are you planning to go next?" As Daniel examined the license, Killua and Gon approached, having said their goodbyes to the others.
"And you two?" Daniel countered Killua's question with one of his own.
"We're planning to go to the Heavens Arena. Are you coming, old man?" Killua quickly shared their plan. Without Illumi causing trouble, Killua didn't need to be taken home.
Killua went with the flow, following Gon. With little money left and wanting to train and earn money, Gon agreed when Killua suggested the Heavens Arena.
"The Heavens Arena, huh? I need to make some money too, so let's go together." After a moment's thought, Daniel decided to join them. As the world's largest arena and the fourth tallest building, he was quite interested.
Hearing this, Gon and Killua smiled. Compared to before he met Gon, Killua had changed significantly, now smiling much more easily.
"The city of combat." The Heavens Arena was located in a city dedicated to combat. Every year, over a billion people visited to watch fights. On average, over four thousand challengers registered daily, driven by the promise of riches and fame. Reaching the 200th floor could earn up to 200 million, a sum most people couldn't make in a lifetime.
At the Heavens Arena, there were no distinctions based on age. As long as you registered voluntarily, even children could compete.
When Killua was about six or seven, he fought there for two years, leaving after reaching the 200th floor and spending his earnings on sweets within a year. It was an impressive feat, considering most children couldn't spend such a sum on candy.
"The 50th floor." Their first match was quickly arranged, with all three sent to the 50th floor, a privilege for true experts. Ordinary participants had to progress floor by floor.
Below the 50th floor were mostly strong individuals. To go beyond the 50th floor, one needed martial arts training. From the 100th to the 199th floor, the matches were between skilled fighters.
Due to its fame, many fighters came to the Heavens Arena to compete. It was the fastest way to gain recognition, and even those seeking only to train came for the real combat expertise.
Above the 200th floor, it was said to be full of strong fighters, including Nen users. Although Nen had to be kept secret, the battles on the 200th floor and above sometimes surpassed human limits, leading to the explanation of superpowers instead.
"Gon lost. It seems he hasn't undergone the Zoldyck family's special training yet; his strength is still lacking." After the 100th floor, Gon's winning streak was broken by a formidable fighter.
Killua and Daniel maintained their winning streaks, but Gon looked visibly disheartened.
"Gon, look what I got!" One day, while Daniel and Gon were training in a gym, Killua excitedly waved three tickets.
In a place as focused on combat as the Heavens Arena, the training facilities were excellent. Killua rented a gym after Gon lost, as he was quite familiar with such arrangements.
"What is it?" Gon asked curiously while doing squats with a barbell.
"Hisoka. He's here too." Killua announced loudly.
The tickets were for watching a fight between two contestants from the 200th floor and above, a popular money-making scheme for the Heavens Arena. These matches attracted more attention and were broadcasted on large screens throughout the city.
"Hisoka." At the mention of Hisoka, Gon immediately dropped the barbell. His motivation for coming to train was to return Hisoka's number plate from the fourth exam.
"Yes, he's quite impressive, being one of the fighters above the 200th floor."
"The 200th floor? What's it like there?"
"I'm not sure. When I reached the 200th floor, I wasn't interested, so I didn't explore it."
Killua felt a bit embarrassed about his past. Battles above the 200th floor no longer offered prize money and were fought for honor and reputation, so he had left.
"But since Hisoka is interested, we must check it out."
"Yes, we might get a chance to fight Hisoka there."
"It'll be a good opportunity to see Hisoka's true strength. From my investigation, he's very strong here."
With that, they stopped training, took a shower, and prepared to watch Hisoka's match the next day.
"Zoldyck family butlers, huh? The Zoldyck family is indeed peculiar. Why don't they teach Killua about Nen themselves?" Daniel noticed three people following them as they left the gym. He had sensed them since their arrival at the Heavens Arena.
As the young master of the Zoldyck family with insufficient strength, Killua had people secretly protecting him. The Zoldyck family, as publicly known tax-paying assassins, had many enemies. While some might not be able to kill Silva or Illumi, Killua was still vulnerable.
The Zoldyck family wasn't just a few known members; it included many powerful Nen-using butlers. Becoming a Zoldyck family butler wasn't easy, with candidates chosen from the family-run school where most students were orphans adopted by the family, ensuring loyalty.
"Attention, everyone, attention!" The next day, the 200th-floor arena was packed, and crowds gathered around large screens in the city.
"Today's match features the magician Hisoka against the gunman Jimmy." The red-haired young female announcer declared as a cowboy-like youth slowly walked onto the stage. Soon after, Hisoka made a grand entrance through a cloud of smoke.
"Let's take a look at their previous battles in the Heavens Arena." Following the announcer's words, footage of Hisoka and Jimmy's previous fights appeared on the large screen.
"Emission type, huh?" Watching the gunman Jimmy's fight, Daniel guessed his Nen type. The Heavens Arena didn't prohibit any weapons, so theoretically, even rocket launchers were allowed. Jimmy's "guns" were actually his fingers.
From the footage, it seemed Jimmy's ability resembled a handgun, unlike the Phantom Troupe member who used his fingers like a Gatling gun.
"Hisoka, this time I will avenge our last fight." Upon seeing Hisoka, Jimmy's expression changed, indicating a previous grudge.
"I'm not interested in you, but since you challenged me, I'll play along." Hisoka said, producing a deck of cards.
"Begin."
As the referee signaled, Jimmy formed his right hand into a gun shape, firing a Nen bullet. Ordinary spectators couldn't see the Nen bullet; they only saw Jimmy mimic a gunshot, accompanied by the sound effect, "bang."
The shot didn't hit Hisoka, as a thrown playing card intercepted it. Since the audience couldn't see the Nen, they found it strange to see the card
seemingly hit something in mid-air before falling to the ground.
As Jimmy kept mimicking gunshots, Hisoka continuously threw cards. Soon, a dozen cards lay between them.
"Elastic Love, huh? Hisoka's at it again. Why not use Gyo?" Daniel wondered, noticing the pink Nen strings attached to the cards on the ground. This question had puzzled him since he first watched Hunter x Hunter: why not use Gyo to see Hisoka's abilities? Even with Gyo, some couldn't fully see Hisoka's Nen strings.
"Schrödinger's Nen strings?" Daniel chuckled at the thought.
"Elastic Love may not seem powerful, but in Hisoka's hands, it's quite troublesome." Without using Gyo, any of Hisoka's moves could involve deploying his Nen strings.
In the current fight, Jimmy had three places connected by Elastic Love but seemed unaware. Hisoka could finish him at any moment but chose to play.
"Excuse me." As Gon and Killua watched intently, Daniel noticed a new presence beside him. To his surprise, it was a cute girl with golden twin-tails.
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"Biscuit." When the cute girl with golden twin-tails saw Daniel and flashed him an adorable smile, he immediately turned his attention back to the match. However, he couldn't help but silently call out her name in his mind.
In the world of Hunter x Hunter, Daniel might forget other names, but not Biscuit's. When she first appeared, Daniel thought she was the main heroine because her age seemed close to Gon's and Killua's, and she wasn't weak. It wasn't until her true identity and age were revealed that Daniel was shocked.
"What is she doing here? Is she the one teaching Nen, not Wing?" Daniel wondered while watching Hisoka's match. If Biscuit were here, it would indeed be lucky. Although training in Nen primarily depends on oneself, a good teacher can help avoid many detours. Compared to Wing, Biscuit was clearly stronger, and she was Wing's mentor.
Biscuit was also a two-star Gem Hunter. Typically, newly licensed Hunters wouldn't be taught by star-level Hunters as it would be a waste. Star-level Hunters had made significant contributions in their fields, especially two-star Hunters.
"Hisoka is indeed impressive, this strategy." Watching Hisoka's opponent get lost in thought over Hisoka's question, Daniel shook his head. Thinking about unrelated matters during a fight was a sure way to court death. However, it wasn't entirely the opponent's fault. It was human nature to ponder questions, and even the spectators, referee, and host seemed lost in thought about Hisoka's question.
Even Killua appeared to be pondering Hisoka's question, while Gon simply ignored it. In some ways, Gon's single-mindedness made him a counter to Hisoka.
Biscuit, on the other hand, smiled at Hisoka's question, showing her experience and strength as she wasn't falling for Hisoka's trap.
"This is worth learning." Hisoka's battle experience was invaluable to Daniel. Hisoka's tactic of posing a premeditated mathematical question to affect his opponent's state was a brilliant strategy.
Hisoka's opponent, ensnared by the question, was soon taken down by the playing cards on the ground, his body covered in them. While the Heavens Arena tried to avoid deaths during matches, it wasn't always possible. If someone died during a fight, so be it.
The arena also had a mode called "deathmatch," where the battle ended only with one party's death, not just severe injury.
The death rate below the 200th floor was low, but above it, it increased significantly.
"How does Hisoka do it?" As they left the match, Killua kept pondering Hisoka's methods, growing frustrated when he couldn't figure it out.
Killua's frustration wasn't for himself but for Gon. To return Hisoka's number 44 plate, Gon would inevitably have to fight him, and not understanding Hisoka's abilities would put Gon at a severe disadvantage.
"Don't worry, Killua. I just need to get stronger," Gon said, undeterred by Hisoka's strength. Instead of feeling despair, he was motivated.
Compared to hoping the opponent would weaken, it was better to become stronger oneself.
Back at the training room, Gon threw himself into training with even more enthusiasm. During this time, Killua taught Gon some Zoldyck family training methods and techniques, focusing on combat skills rather than assassination techniques.
Gon had exceptional talent. Among all the Hunter Exam participants, he was the only one without any combat techniques. Kurapika and Leorio had prepared for a long time for the exam, but Gon had joined directly.
"Not as good as the Six Powers. If I could trade Six Powers training methods, I might make a great deal with the Zoldyck family." The Zoldyck family's martial arts techniques were strong, but in this world, Nen was paramount, and martial arts were just the foundation for training Nen.
In contrast, the world of One Piece was purely about martial arts.
Though Gon reassured Killua, the latter continued to gather information on Hisoka, hoping to find a weakness.
"Strange, Biscuit hasn't shown up. Maybe she's not here to teach Nen." Daniel, reading a book, couldn't help but think about how he hadn't seen Biscuit since their last encounter. Even using his Haki occasionally to check for surveillance, he only sensed the butlers, no one else.
Daniel was anxious because without Nen, he couldn't fully use his Hunter License's functions. The real benefits of the license lay beyond the public facilities; it allowed access to the Hunter Association's official website.
The value of a Hunter License mainly came from this. Using Nen, one could appear in a virtual world, showcasing Nen's wonders. Ging and his companions even created a game world with Nen, Greed Island, which existed in reality.
Even with a virtual game like Oasis, Daniel was fascinated by such technology. Combining Nen with Oasis's technology might create something even more amazing.
While others used Nen primarily for combat, Ging had undoubtedly advanced beyond many.
"Master, I didn't expect you to have a disciple already." The Biscuit Daniel had been thinking about was in another hotel, sitting on a sofa and smiling at Wing and his student, Zushi.
"Master, why are you here?" Wing was delighted to see his master, Biscuit, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
"That old man sent me to teach someone Nen." Biscuit's smile faded as she mentioned it. She had been searching for gems in some ruins when Netero called her over.
"Since you're here, they're your responsibility. I'll take the chance to make some money."
"Yes, Master."
Wing could only reluctantly accept his master's delegation.
"So it's them." Hearing Biscuit's information about Gon, Killua, and Daniel, Wing finally understood. He wasn't familiar with Daniel, but Gon and Killua were making waves below the 200th floor of the Heavens Arena, especially Killua, who hadn't lost a single match.
Despite his young age, Killua's undefeated streak drew attention.
Daniel, despite also being undefeated, wasn't as famous due to his age.
Because of Daniel's intervention, Killua wasn't captured and sent home, so he never encountered Zushi. By the time Wing and Zushi arrived, Killua and Gon were already above the 100th floor, while Zushi was still around the 60-70th floor.
With Nen, Zushi could easily reach the 100th floor, but Wing wanted him to train without using Nen.
"Betting on Hisoka is really profitable." Watching his bank balance grow, Daniel smiled. Even though he didn't lack money, this felt like easy cash, and he wouldn't refuse it. The Heavens Arena's prize money was minor compared to the real earnings from betting.
Especially above the 200th floor, a single match could earn millions if one had the right eye for it. Of course, without a good eye, one could end up bankrupt.
Professional Hunters weren't supposed to lack money, but it depended on who they compared themselves to. Ging, for instance, could casually give away billions of Jenny like it was nothing.
Daniel didn't bet on every match but mainly on Hisoka.
"Ha ha ha." As Daniel enjoyed his winnings, Biscuit was also very pleased. With her eye for talent, the chances of her chosen fighters losing were slim.
"They've reached the 200th floor already, and still no appearance. What's going on?" Gon's strength was improving rapidly. While most people improved gradually, Gon's progress was more like leaps and bounds. With his growing strength, Gon's desire to challenge Hisoka surged.
Killua supported Gon unconditionally, so the three of them acquired entry passes for the 200th floor and took the elevator up.
Without knowledge of Nen, Gon and Killua's assessment of Hisoka's strength wasn't entirely wrong. Similar to how the supernovas in One Piece's world initially underestimated the Yonko's strength, Gon and Killua couldn't yet grasp the true power of top Nen users.
"What's this? Hisoka, what did you do?" In the hallway leading to the 200th-floor service desk, Gon and Killua were suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful pressure that immobilized them. They immediately suspected Hisoka, who sat leaning against the wall, extending his right hand.
"You don't have the qualifications to be here yet. Go back." Hisoka said calmly.
"Qualifications? What do you mean? What qualifications?"
"You'll find out soon enough. Now, go back." Hisoka increased his Nen output, making Gon and Killua tremble and sweat profusely.
"So this is Nen." Daniel wasn't affected as Hisoka didn't waste Nen on him. He stayed back, observing quietly.
As Gon and Killua resolutely tried to push forward, a voice interrupted them, "Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Damn it, Wing, can't you handle even this?"
The golden twin-tails girl, Biscuit, walked over unaffected by the Nen field. Not because of her strength, but because Hisoka didn't apply it to her, just like Daniel.
"Alright, come with me now." Biscuit commanded Gon and Killua.
"Who are you? Why should we listen to you?" Killua protested.
"Shut up, kid." Biscuit knocked on Killua's head.
"Enough, withdraw your Nen field." Biscuit said, turning to Hisoka.
"No can do." Hisoka responded with a smile.
"Come with me, and I'll explain what qualifications you need." Biscuit didn't mind Hisoka's refusal. In fact, he was doing them a favor. If Gon and Killua had registered and fought without understanding Nen, it would've been troublesome.
"Can't you explain now?" Gon asked.
"You think this can be explained
in a few words?"
"What happens if we don't register now?" Killua looked at the female staff member who had brought them here. She remained silent under Hisoka's signal.
"Gon, here's the situation." The staff briefly explained. Gon didn't mind as it was his first time. But Killua, having given up once years ago, couldn't register again if he forfeited now.
"Can we make it before midnight?" Killua asked Biscuit, who checked the time and thought for a while before answering, "Whether you can or not depends on you."
"Alright, Gon, let's go with her." They followed Biscuit to the hotel where Wing was staying.
"Wing, what's going on? I told you to find them. Why haven't you? Do you know they almost registered for the 200th floor?" Back at the hotel, Biscuit confronted Wing.
"What?" Wing exclaimed in surprise.
"What's with the 'what'? Explain!" Biscuit demanded.
"Can you guys explain later? We're in a hurry. Can you tell us what's going on and what qualifications we need?" Killua interrupted as Wing was about to speak.
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