MTL NOVEL Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Perfect Start And Unexpected Surprise
As the cheers intensify with this start, both fighters begin to prepare their aura: Kai uses Gyo to make sure that Sadaso cannot use In to trap him with hidden movements or traps in the ring, and Sadaso begins to form a mass of aura in the area of his missing arm.
Making sure there's nothing hidden, Kai charges at Sadaso, who responds by forming a fist with his aura and trying to crush him. Kai dodges it by jumping to the side and tries to head back towards Sadaso, but Sadaso inadvertently swings his aura arm to toss him away, which Kai dodges again by jumping high and twisting his body in the air to get behind Sadaso and try to land a punch.
However, before he can throw his punch, Kai notices a trap and jumps back to distance himself from Sadaso.
"Wow, you noticed. What a pity. I really thought I could end the fight quickly." Sadaso says looking at Kai while a mass of aura equal to that on the left side of his body forms on his right arm. "
'So not only can he transmute the aura on the part where his arm is missing, but also on his right arm. Good thing I sensed something was wrong.' Kai thinks with his gaze fixed on Sadaso.
"Well, I think it's my turn to attack now." Saying this, Sadaso lunges this time towards Kai, launching a flurry of attacks with his aura arms. "Demolition Barrage!"
Despite Sadaso's incessant attacks, Kai manages to avoid his oversized aura hands without any problems, and when he tries to grab Kai with his hands to crush him, he jumps into the air, aiming a downward kick to Sadaso. His attack is easy to read, so Sadaso prepares one of his hands to try to grab him, but Kai changes his move mid-air to kick his hand aside and trow a back kick when he lands on the ground, hitting Sadaso in the face.
"Clean hit!" The referee yells, awarding Kai 1 point.
"How's that, veteran? These are the martial arts I have practiced on the lower floors." Kai says a satisfied smile to Sadaso, who has a nosebleed for the kick.
"Wretch, it seems I have underestimated you." Sadaso answers angrily as he wipes the blood from his nose and prepares his aura arms again. "I won't make that mistake again. From now on, I'll play hardball."
As the two continue to go back and forth in their little standoff, in the spectator stands, Nicholas fidgets in his seat. "Something here is not right." He says out loud, gaining the attention of Gon, Killua and Zushi.
"What do you mean?" Gon asks intrigued.
"From the start of the fight, I could see that this one-armed guy is much weaker than boss Kai, whether in his physical or Nen capabilities. He could have literally ended the fight in just 3 seconds, and yet..." He stops watching as Kai dodges a punch from Sadaso's aura arm that cracks the floor of the ring. "...the boss seems to be fighting way below his true level. I don't understand it."
"There are two reasons for this." Wing says, gaining everyone's attention. "The first is to build his reputation on the 200th floor."
"Kai knows very well that if he were to defeat his opponents with one blow, people would not see him perform with skill and grace in combat, so he would not attract people's attention. That is why he greatly limits his skills in order to make the fight more interesting and to make the aundience captivated by his performance."
"Seriously, is that a necessary thing? Even if he doesn't show off his skills, as long as he defeats his opponent he will still advance and be recognized as a strong fighter, right?" Killua asks disdainfully.
"But part of the reason why boss decided to enter Heavens Arena was to attract the attention of important figures for when we serve as Blacklist Hunters. If he didn't captivate people's attention, he wouldn't be able to achieve that goal." Nicholas responds.
"Exactly. And in order to accomplish that objective, Kai needs to put on a show that will get people talk about him." Wing adds.
"Alright alright, I get it. Then, what's the second reason?" Killua asks accepting their reasoning with a chill attitude.
Wing takes a few seconds in silence before answering. "He's training his ability to fight in Nen battles."
"While it is undeniable that Kai is an astounding prodigy with experience in hand-to-hand combat, he seems to lack experience when it comes to fights involving Nen. That's why he limits his capabilities and actions in combat, using his talent and analytical ability to ingrain in his muscles and mind the essence of Nen combat."
"Master, how do you know so much about that guy named Kai?" Zushi asks bewildered by Wing's words.
"I didn't tell you. It turns out your master and mine had a confrontation a few days ago in the mountains east to the city." Nicholas responds, shocking not only Zushi with the revelation, but also Gon and even Killua.
"Kai fought master Wing! And who was the winner?!" Zushi asks.
"Well, it was boss Kai, obviously." Nicholas answers with a smug and cheeky expression.
"What?! That's a lie! I can't believe that! Master, that's not true, is it?!" Zushi asks, altered and unwilling to believe Nicholas.
However, Wing's averted gaze, coupled with his deathly silence confirms to Zushi that Nicholas's words are indeed true, leaving the karate-clad boy stunned in place.
'Seriously? In just three months of training he's already more powerful than Wing? Does that mean he's more talented than Gon or me? Where the hell did Kai come from?' These questions run through Killua's head as he agitatedly watches Kai fighting in the ring.
For a few minutes, Kai remains on the defensive, being pressured by a relentless barrage of punches from Sadaso's Phantom Hands. However, the rookie crusher is unable to score a single point, as Kai always dodges, blocks or counters his punches and grab attempts, preventing the referee from calling a clean hit.
On top of that, after all that back and forth, something is starting to change in their combat didactic. Kai, who previously kept his distance, has started to get closer to Sadaso on several occasions, bypassing Sadaso's aura attacks and landing clean hits in the open spaces of his Nen ability, even being able to score 2 points in one instance for a clean hit and down by holding one of Sadaso's Nen arms and using it to throw him to the ground, to everyone's surprise.
This is not because Kai is restricting himself less or Sadaso's performance is decreasing, but rather it is the result of Kai adapting to battle. After all, Kai has always had a natural talent for hand-to-hand combat, using his observation and analysis abilities to understand how his opponents fight and find ways to defeat them.
And now, thanks to the influence of his Orb of Development, that ability is amplified along with his strategic thinking ability, allowing him to gradually identify and adapt to the rhythm of his opponent. While not truly at the superhuman level that Meruem will be, his pattern-recognition skill allows him to identify the fighting style, thought process, and nature of his opponent's Nen ability, allowing him to anticipate and counter them.
Using these abilities, Kai is able to easily jump over and counter the Phantom Hands's attacks from an increasingly desperate Sadaso and land an open palm strike against his chest, despite being limited to his own level.
"Clean hit!" The referee yells, awarding Kai 1 point.
Meanwhile, Sadaso, who is panting from exhaustion and the slight bruises along his upper body, raises his distraught and desperate gaze to observe Kai in a fighting stance ready to continue.
'What is going on? None of this makes sense. This was supposed to be an easy win against a rookie who hadn't experienced Nen fights yet. How am I about to lose?' Sadaso thinks, feeling helpless against the extraordinary martial artist before him.
'Have I been fooled by his cheerful and friendly attitude? Have I underestimated an opponent who is far above my level? No, none of that is important now!'
'I must put aside these doubts and focus on the situation at hand! No matter what happens, I must find a way to surpass this bastard! I WILL WIN THE FIGHT AND BE CLOSER TO BECOMING A FLOOR MASTER!!!' With this last thought, Sadaso desperately launches himself to try to catch Kai with his two large aura arms.
However, Kai gets ahead of this move by ducking under his Nen's outstretched arms, and closing the distance with a leap he lands a right hook on Sadaso's jaw that sends him flying several meters before coming to a stop lying unconscious at the edge of the ring.
"Critical point and down! With 12 points and a knockout, victory goes to Kai!" The referee makes the announcement, causing the stadium crowd to burst into a outstanding ovation.
Cocco announces as Kai starts walking out of the stadium.
Point of View Switch: Kai
With the fight over, I enter one of the tunnels that lead outside the stadium to meet up with the group before I head with Nicholas back to my room to review my fight played on the TV and continue training with him. But when I'm already halfway there, I notice a presence lurking in the shadows of the unlit tunnel.
"Tell me, did you enjoy my premiere battle on the 200th floor?" I ask unperturbed, already knowing his identity.
"You can't imagine how much. The way you handled the battle against Sadaso was truly splendid. I can tell you've improved a lot since our last encounter." Hisoka, who is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, answers. "Although I admit that the fact that you have held back so much makes me feel a wanting more."
'Of course, he has to realize what my true level is even if I try to hide it. He's just that perceptive.' I think to myself. "You should know very well that sometimes one has to restrain oneself in order to achieve a future goal."
"I must say I'm surprised you're here now after I've been in the tower for so many days. I thought you would come to greet me much earlier."
"Well, I didn't know you were in Heavens Arena until I saw your fight on the 200th floor advertised. After all, I'm not interested in weaklings on the lower floors, and it seems you've hidden your tracks well until you got here. You haven't forgotten your promise from back then, have you?" Hisoka asks with a slightly threatening tone as he holds a four of hearts card on his fingertips.
"Of course not. I fully intend to face you in this very tower in a fight that will show you how much I have truly grown in the past 4 months. It's just that now is not the time." I answer with indifference.
"That sounds like a lame excuse to me. We are both in good condition, so you can choose the date and place you like and I will be there without fail to fight you." Hisoka counterargues me.
"I think you can't allow yourself that. I know that Gon is also in the tower with the goal of facing you. And I also know that your current record is 9 wins and 3 losses due to abstentions. If I were to face you before Gon, whether you win or lose, you would lose the opportunity to fight him, and he would lose the opportunity to settle the score with you." I explain.
"I see that nothing escapes you. So you're saying you're going to wait for me to become a Floor Master so you can face me and take the title for yourself?" Hisoka asks.
"Actually, it's the other way around. I aim to become a Floor Master within a month, and after you've had your showdown with Gon, you'll face me in a battle for the title. That is how I plan to do it." I reply confidently.
"That's a very bold statement. Becoming a Floor Master is something that all fighters above the 200th floor aspire to, and you say that you'll achieve it in a month. That doesn't sound very plausible for me." Hisoka says starting to flare his Nen tinged with bloodlust.
"Maybe we should put the matches aside and take our confrontation outside the tower. Don't you think so?"
"No, I prefer to do it my way. If we were to fight outside of Heavens Arena, I would lose a great opportunity to promote myself as a fighter, and also my friends and the audience would not be able to witness me finish you off in a glorious battle where we go all out. That would be a real shame, don't you think?" I ask with a false tone of pity.
The place falls silent for a while until Hisoka tones down his aura as he chuckles lightly. "You must have a lot of self-esteem to say that after our last confrontation. Shattering that ambition and confidence in front of hundreds of people certainly sounds a lot more delightful than doing it with just the two of us." Hisoka says as he makes the card disappear from his hand.
"Alright, I'll wait until after my fight with Gon to fight you. I hope you've made good on your declaration about becoming a Floor Master by then."
"Don't even doubt that I will. Good, that's settled then. We'll meet up to fight when you come to challenge me for the title of Floor Master. It's a promise." I say, walking past Hisoka to continue my way out of the stadium.
"I'll be looking forward to that moment." Hisoka states, making my hair stand on end with his creepy tone of voice.
Arriving at the Heavens Arena recreational area, I find Wing and the others waiting seated in some seats, and when the kids see me approaching, they rush in my direction.
"Kai, congratulations on winning! Your first Floor 200 battle was amazing!" Gon yells excitedly.
"That's right! You limited your combat abilities and focused on defense at the beginning of the fight, and yet you still managed to outmaneuver your opponent with your impressive mastery of martial arts! You are quite an inspiration!" Zushi adds.
"It's not a big deal. I was just trying to make the fight more interesting for myself and the spectators." I reply rubbing my neck somewhat embarrassed by their praises.
"I'm actually surprised too. The way you kept your guard up at all times, and how you internalized your opponent's fighting style until you were able to outmaneuver him, it was truly a flawless performance. It's very obvious to me that you take your training very seriously." Wing says.
"Yes, I always do my best to find new ways to improve. By the way, where is Nicholas? I remember seeing him in the stands with you during the match." I ask, noticing his absence.
"After your fight was done, someone called him on his cell phone, and he left immediately saying he had something to take care of. He didn't tell us what it was, though." Killua responds indifferently.
"Something to take care of? As far as I know, he doesn't have any pending business that doesn't involve me as well. I think I should call him to make sure everything is okay." I say trying to get the phone out of my pocket.
"Wait boss, no need. I'm already here." Nicholas says appearing from around the corner.
"Oh, there you are. Since you're back, could you tell me what that business was that you had to take care of? I know it may sound a bit hypocritical on my part, but since we spend every day together, I'm really curious that you have plans that I don't know about." I ask a little nervously.
"Well, the truth is that I had to pick up an acquaintance who came to Heavens Arena to visit. Come on, you can go out now." Nicholas says, and from the same corner, a person appears whose appearance I instantly recognize.
"Ponzu?" I ask completely flabbergasted by the unexpected arrival of the cute girl in front of him.