Chapter 402: Episode 59

A boy named Killua defeated all the students in the Venue. He did not allow any counterattacks, and having barely been noticed by the enemies, he knocked them unconscious with high-speed strikes. My eyes could barely keep up with the speed.

About 1,500 people were incapacitated, but not a single person was killed. It should be called pure combat technique rather than the power of a Nen User. I am observing the situation carefully, but I cannot see the bottom line of his ability at all.

With this ability, frankly speaking, I have no confidence in winning even if I hold out. I do not want to accept a one-on-one fight against such an opponent, but since Six's Plate was stolen by Killua, I cannot even refuse.

The Examiner did not mention whether one could pass by collecting five Plates from other applicants even if their own Plate was stolen. However, this primary test was clearly designed to determine the strength of one's muscles. If you cannot protect your own Plate during that test, then no matter how many other Plates you collect, your rating will surely drop significantly. It does not matter if you are disqualified.

The Examiner checked the rules at the end of the emergency exit. Judging by the appearance of only stating the minimum exam content and leaving the rest alone, it would be better to treat the examinee's own judgment of the situation as the object of evaluation. After all, you are supposed to get the Plate back.

Thinking about it, I still have the advantage in combat until it comes down to a one-on-one showdown. Speed will not be a match, but I am confident in my stamina. It can be said that it is better than being defeated and then running away.

"I've added a condition: if I win, tell me your real name."

I did not have time to think about why he added such a condition. He realized that the fight began with a change in spirit. I was caught in a surprise attack earlier, but if I know the enemy is coming, I can handle it. I thought so too.

A movement speed as if his figure had vanished instantly. Until just now, the speed at which he killed the students was also unusual, but this has exceeded it. Would you say the fight so far was nothing more than a warm-up match? Not that much, but I cannot keep up with the reaction. An electric shock pierces the back of your neck.

But this time I did not faint. I cannot see the enemy's movements, but predicting that he might be aiming for my neck again, I immediately surrounded my neck with 'Ken'. The defense came just in time.

I turned around to launch an attack on the enemy behind me, but he dodged it naturally. I know, but he is still stingy; he is not an opponent I can defeat. I used 'Ren' to let my Aura spread throughout my whole body.

After about a week of training, I have been able to use 'Ren' correctly. Now I can use 'Gyo' to concentrate the offensive and defensive power of my Aura on various places. After getting used to the Aura control method, it is not that difficult. I do not feel pain all over my body like I did at the beginning.

However, I dare to break that control. Leaving it to nature without adjusting the neat and orderly atmosphere. As if liberated from shackles, a runaway Aura destroys the body. Killua stopped in his tracks when he saw what was happening.

"-!? What is that...!"

Perhaps I am not as good at using Aura to strengthen my body as others. Especially when adjusting power, if I do not consciously adjust my Aura, I will inadvertently put in too much power. If you try to strengthen it without thinking about anything, it will be like this.

Strengthened enough to break through the limits of my own body. Perhaps the function that instinctively tries to save power is not working properly. However, its advantage is that it can absorb more power. This body can be repaired even if it self-destructs.

While enduring the pain of muscle tearing and occasional repairs, I attacked the trembling Killua. Due to the physical strengthening that broke through the limits, the speed of my footsteps and fists increased significantly. Even if he takes this hit, he will not die. He is not the kind of opponent you can easily defeat.

But it did not hit. Even in this strengthened state, they are superior in terms of speed. Unable to stop the momentum of that missed punch, the cement floor let out a boom and shattered.

A crack spread like a spider web, and dust floated in the air. I am glad I moved to a large place where the examinees did not fall down in advance. While paying attention to the people around me, I did not have enough room to fight.

A big attack, high destructive power, also means that Six exposed a big gap. In the blink of an eye, an extremely precise blow hit multiple vital points. However, the current Six, due to the increased defense from strengthening, cannot cause much damage.

Strength and speed, different powers prolong the fight. Feeling such signs, I regained my spirit in my creaking body.

Killua changed his opinion of this girl, "a fragile girl with no combat power." Opening the lid to see, she is a powerful power-type. He is the kind of Nen User who values strength over technique.

Faking one's appearance is also a good place. This girl and Biscuit, I wonder if only lunatics would wear clothes like this. I looked at him suspiciously, suspecting that he might have distorted his true age.

At first I thought he was a Transmuter, but after seeing his fighting style, I started to think he might be an Enhancer. Since the Transmutation system and the Enhancement system are very compatible systems, this is not surprising.

However, fortunately, unlike Biscuit, he is not an outstanding user in terms of strength and technique. The fighting style is one-sided advancement. Killua can easily dodge even a single blow, which would cause a lot of damage if it hit.

However, Killua's attacks also lacked power and did not cause much damage. Nevertheless, he did not stop attacking. Continuing to toss the enemy with speed and reducing their stamina is a strategy. I think if I continue to consume so much Aura, I will reach my limit soon.

However, even after tens of minutes, the girl's Aura showed no signs of weakening. An inexhaustible Aura that makes you wonder where it comes from. Even the current Killua cannot maintain such long, uninterrupted training in a real fight. This is an application training technique called 'Ken'.

That is not all. Killua felt a sense of incongruity during the fight. At first, the girl did not react to Killua's movements at all, but her gaze could catch up to his speed.

Only his gaze was precisely following Killua. The body's movements were not accompanied at all; only the speed of recognition was abnormally sharp. The enemy should be the girl fighting in front of me, but it feels strange, as if I am being stared at by another creature.

Growing in battle. This is certainly true, and Killua also realized this in his life-threatening training and battles. But when it comes to this girl, is it okay to use the word "growth"? It is starting to show this level of rapid reaction speed.

Rather, it is as if he only started to unleash his hidden abilities just now. But if that is the case, then it is just a matter of fighting seriously from the beginning. If your goal is to catch Killua off guard, there is no need to gradually increase your gear.

This girl is somewhat mysterious. Killua hesitated whether to continue the fight, but soon suppressed his emotions. I cannot say I will stop fighting because I have already cut off so much pretension, and now it seems strong.

I admit that this girl can certainly fight in her own way, but even so, I do not feel inferior. Having grown up as an Assassin, he was first instilled with the idea of "quitting." He does not fight people stronger than himself, but puts his own survival first.

His feeling has not reached the end yet. Killua decided to fight and took two yo-yos out of his pocket.

Just like this, no matter how many light hits that do not cause damage, it is not clear. To kill the girl, one must unleash a big move. This is the purpose of the weapon.

Even so, this was the first time trying to use it in actual combat, but Killua did not show any anger and quickly threw the yo-yo out. The girl showed a moment of tension at the enemy's new attack, but reacted immediately.

The girl hit the flying yo-yo and knocked it down. The yo-yo is accelerating, but compared to Killua's own direct attacks, the speed is slow. Killua dared to put more weight on the rotation than on the speed.

The yo-yo seemed to have been dropped, but still showed powerful rotation after being hit. The yo-yo is made of a special alloy weighing 50 kilograms, with enough weight and sturdiness to be used as a weapon.

The yo-yo, which presents unpredictable movements due to rotation, wrapped around the girl's arm. He launched another attack against the girl who wanted to tear off the wound line. Killua has two yo-yos.

Killua then energized the circuit connected by the yo-yo's string. Killua is a Transmuter Nen User who can use Emitter to turn his Aura into electricity.

No matter what kind of enemy it is, as long as electricity passes through its flesh and blood, it will become stiff. Even those with Nen cannot ignore this physiological reaction. However, it is not a powerful electric shock in itself that can incapacitate the enemy. This is a stepping stone for the next attack.

Killua concentrated his Aura on his hands and jumped out. Since the girl was shocked into an opening, she could definitely be hit with a big move. Killua, who pulled away while shocking her, hit the girl's abdomen with his palm.

As soon as the electric stiffness was resolved, the girl's body was blown away. She was hit against the wall and fell on the spot. Killua took a deep breath and sighed.

Although I could not help it, I might have gone a bit too far. Killua's final blow was one of the techniques he learned as an Assassin. It is a technique not intended for killing, but in some cases, it is a dangerous assassination technique that can be said to be more terrifying than death.

The impact of the palm strike shakes the internal organs, causing hellish pain to the target. Nen Users with high toughness often cannot achieve the expected effect even if they try to stun, but the pain caused by this technique makes them lose their fighting spirit itself. A torture technique aimed at causing pain rather than killing.

His father could use this technique to inflict enough pain to make an assassination target commit suicide without losing consciousness, but Killua still cannot do it. However, even if I moderated it properly, I had to be prepared for the severe pain that would make her unable to stand for about an hour.

Unfortunately, Killua could not think of a better way. Even a Nen User of this level cannot be neutralized without killing, and even if they are an enemy, one cannot let them attack a girl with external injuries. Even for him, it is an extremely considered measure.

However, when Killua approached the girl to check on her condition, he found that the Aura emanating from her body had not been covered up.

It must have broken through the girl's Aura, and there was a response to the attack. She should not even be able to stand, let alone practice Aura. However, the girl stood up, and the "straightness" had not changed.

The sweat on the girl's forehead showed that she was not without pain. But she smiled faintly. The smile of the girl, who was previously as expressionless as a doll, gave me a chilling beauty.

Suddenly, the plush toy in the girl's hand changed. Six red claws extended from the inside of the fancy penguin's flank. A plush toy with multiple legs like an insect stuck tightly to the girl's back.

I suspected that he might be hiding some secret weapon, but this was more creepy than I imagined. Her appearance was out of place with the pure white dress girl, but she did not seem to mind and struck her own pose. He seemed to be saying that he could fight with both hands.

I have to say, the battle situation is unfavorable for us. Compared to Six, who constantly consumes a large amount of Aura through 'Ren', Killua seems to be barely exhausted. My skill of releasing control uses an appropriate Aura proportional to its power. If you can use it at key points to boost, you can save money, but I cannot do that now.

If this continues, our Aura will be exhausted first. The enemy also understands this and will not launch unreasonable attacks. Gradually, I was driven to a dead end.

But for some reason, this process is not necessarily painful for me. Part of the reason is the guarantee that the enemy is not trying to kill me. This is not a bloody battle to the point of killing each other.

Through actual combat with a powerful enemy, I felt a deeper connection with Six. You will learn how to move your body and how to fight more effectively.

Since I started practicing Nen, I have felt dizzy. I am trying the training content I heard from Blade, but I am learning too fast. Nen was originally like a martial art that takes a long time to master. As an amateur like me, I can actually feel that this technique is being mastered at an extraordinary speed.

It feels like opening a blocked door. Every time I open a door, I can move smoothly, and I wonder what I was like before. Change the way you perceive. I do not know what kind of world will spread beyond all the doors.

Fighting with Killua gave me better results than training alone. I enjoyed this fight. I tried to calm my emotions and felt so proud that I almost forgot this was the Hunter Exam. Do I have such a combative personality?

Although I had some doubts, I didn't want to let go of the feeling I had finally grasped. It was a shame that it ended without an arrow in return. But it is also a fact that he is an enemy I simply cannot defeat as I am now. No matter how much I grow, this fight cannot overturn everything.

I still don't want to lose. If there is a way, I must draw out power I cannot currently withstand. But, of course, it is impossible to evoke a single one. I don't even want to rely on his power.

This is my fight. In an emergency, I want the power to do something myself. I want the power to fight without relying on strange creatures.

That is why I have been thinking about my own "Hatsu" for a long time. Not Six's, but mine. It is just a sensible prediction, but I think no matter how hard I try to create her, it is impossible. All I can do is do it myself.

My main body is an ant, and I can also use Ten, Zetsu, and Ren. Likewise, you can also create "Hatsu". The real question is what is inside.

"Hatsu" is a special technique that only those with the ability can use. Think for yourself and decide what kind of ability you want. But not everything will go according to plan.

If you want to make it a powerful technique, you need strict rules for its use, and its usage must be limited. Simple abilities are easier to apply, but their effects are easily seen through, and their strength depends largely on the user's skill.

The blade said. If you keep practicing, one day you will discover the ability you think is the only one you have. Ideas that naturally come to mind are easier to learn than trying to think them up poorly. So until then, I think it would be good to focus on the basics and devote yourself to training.

From this perspective, what I am doing now might be too power-consuming and too hasty. It might be that he has no mentor and feels he has mastered something after only a week of practice.

But I already have a clear idea in my mind. I have thought about many things, but I cannot find any ability other than this.

I feel that abilities with many difficult restrictions do not suit me. If you want to do it, a simple technique is good. The mere existence of Six is enough to fight. To have the ability to support it, to possess a unique power.

And in training, I am trying the system identification method called the Water Divination method that the blade taught me (or so I heard). Float a leaf in a cup filled with water, then wrap your hands around it. From the various changes that occur at that time, one can judge the person's specialty lineage.

As a result, the water in the cup turned into a very bitter taste. This is a phenomenon representing the Manipulation System. I thought it was a Manipulation System to some extent, but it is actually the opposite system.

I synthesized these elements and created them. I just did it; I don't believe I can master it, but it's worth a try. If everything goes well, you might be able to stop Killua's actions.

Let's go, "Sunset Honey (Strawberry Jam)"—!

"Hey, you guys!"

Just when I thought this was the critical moment, I was attacked by an unexpected third party. The Examiner had returned to the Venue. Seeing the students lying on the ground, he was startled and turned his gaze toward me and Killua.

"Ah, sorry, I got too excited, but time is almost up; if you cannot collect five Plates, you will fail without exception."

I looked at my watch; there was less than 5 minutes left until time was up. I was so immersed in it that I forgot the passage of time. If you are disqualified, this is a great place for putting the cart before the horse. We interrupted the game and hurriedly started collecting Plates.

Moreover, at that time, Killua was in the middle of the chaos, changing the rules of the game to whoever could collect the most Plates. Therefore....

With 31 for Six and 75 for Killua, he was defeated by a large margin.

"Good, I won!"

You can't win by speed! Seeing our hands full of Plates, the Examiner shrugged in surprise.

"Well, I thought there would be about 200 students participating in the second exam, considering they would fight each other, but I didn't expect there to be so many users. This makes no sense."

"Haven't you two already passed the Hunter Exam?"

"I don't mind, but the final decision will be made by the representative of the Review Committee. The person in charge this year is quite terrible."

"Isn't the person in charge that old man?"

"As usual, it should be Chairman Netero, but he seems to have an urgent matter; in short, he entrusted that 'Vice Chairman' to act on his behalf... what are you thinking?"

"Who is the Vice Chairman?"

"You'll understand when you see him; well, I'm unlucky this year, it won't be easy for you to pass the exam."

It seems the representative of the Review Committee has been changed to the Vice Chairman, instead of the Chairman of the Hunter Association. It doesn't seem strange at all, but the Examiner's words were inexplicably low.

"Huh? Could it be that I was too rude to let you pass? Impossible! I wouldn't do that! Let's approve the passing of Examinee No. 1212 Mr. Jokorobov and Examinee No. 1219 Killua. And this. You have now joined the ranks of Professional Hunters. Congratulations!"

Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association Pariston Hill and the representative in charge of clapping. In another room, Pariston personally notified us that we had passed the exam.

I never thought the number two person in the organization would act as a Guide for examinees. I don't think he has any personality problems. Actually, I was able to pass smoothly, so there is no need to say more.

Now, I am holding a briefing for successful applicants. In a large auditorium that can accommodate hundreds of people, Pariston stands on the podium, and Killua and I sit in the seats next to him. There is no one else.

"The card I gave you earlier is your Hunter License; we will not reissue it, so please be careful. According to our statistics, one in five people who pass the exam will lose or have it stolen within a year. I lost my card due to damage."

Pariston explained the benefits that Professional Hunters can receive and the rules of the Association. Even while listening to his explanation, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that there was a problem.

The replay of the last fight continued in my mind. How did you react appropriately to Killua's every move? How could I read the opponent's movements and act to land such an attack? I am repeating my thoughts and mistakes.

"Name."

Killua, who was yawning next to me, whispered to me. I cannot speak on behalf of this person, but he doesn't seem to be listening to Pariston seriously either.

"I won, you tell me."

Are you still obsessed with it? With such a way of winning, I cannot be convinced. I turned to answer Jokorobov.

"You must have taken it from Chocolate Robot-kun."

No matter what you say, you have no right to say Six's name. If there is a chance, it will be when my promised one-on-one duel fails.

"Hehe, I'm still motivated."

I hope so. I glared back at Killua, who was smiling fearlessly. It doesn't suit this kind of incomplete Burning ending. This time, I will visit you when I leave.

"Hey, please stop ignoring the flirting the teacher is talking about."

"D-don't flirt with me!"

"Young people, aren't they?"

"So it's different!"