At that moment, the referee’s voice rang out across the arena.
“Critical Hit!
Gon scores two points!”
“Woooooo—!”
Deafening cheers instantly erupted from the stands.
The spectators’ faces flushed with excitement.
They did not truly believe Gon could win, but seeing the seemingly invincible Hisoka get punched filled them with a strange, twisted thrill.
Hisoka licked the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His expression showed no pain.
Instead, he looked as though he had just tasted an unexpectedly delicious treat.
Wearing a spine-chilling smile of excitement, he slowly walked toward Gon.
Gon took a deep breath, pulled Badge #44 from his pocket, and held it out.
Hisoka looked at the badge and accepted it without hesitation.
That action represented his formal acknowledgment of this still-unripe “fruit.”
The instant their gazes met, both of them leapt backward almost simultaneously, opening the distance between them.
Without the slightest hesitation, Gon activated Gyo and concentrated aura into his eyes.
At the same time, the aura surrounding his entire body erupted.
Seeing this, a trace of surprise flashed through Hisoka’s eyes before transforming into even greater excitement.
“It seems you know something about my ability…”
“But apparently, you don’t know quite enough.”
Before he finished speaking, Hisoka vanished.
So fast!
Gon’s pupils contracted sharply.
Hisoka’s speed was far beyond anything he had expected.
Relying entirely on instinct, Gon lashed out with a kick.
Smack!
Hisoka blocked the attack effortlessly.
Immediately afterward, a tearing pain erupted from Gon’s abdomen.
Hisoka’s fist had already buried itself deep in his stomach.
“Urgh!”
Gon groaned as though he had been struck by a massive hammer.
His body flew backward uncontrollably.
“Gon!”
Killua shot to his feet.
His fingernails dug deeply into his palms as a mixture of fury and unprecedented helplessness overwhelmed him.
Hisoka’s strength far exceeded even Killua’s worst expectations.
Watching his friend being beaten while being unable to intervene was almost suffocating.
Kael’s expression became incomparably grave.
“Hisoka didn’t even use Ken to significantly reinforce that punch…”
“He produced that much force with nothing more than his basic aura reserves and physical strength.”
Wing spoke solemnly from beside them.
“This is the difference created by overwhelming aura reserves.”
“Gon… can you feel how enormous the gulf between you is?”
“Don’t push yourself too far…”
Before Gon could even land, the corner of his eye caught sight of something terrifying.
Hisoka had already appeared like a ghost at the point where Gon was about to fall.
Even more alarming was the exaggerated posture of Hisoka’s next punch.
His right arm had been drawn back to its absolute limit, as though every ounce of strength in his body had been stored within it.
I can’t take that directly!
While still airborne, Gon forcibly twisted his body and crossed both arms in front of his head, concentrating his aura into his defense. Get faster updates on g.com.
But in the next instant, something unbelievable happened.
Hisoka’s fist seemed to carry a strange, spiraling penetrative force.
It tore through the defense formed by Gon’s crossed arms with ease and struck him squarely in the cheek.
Bang!
Gon crashed heavily into the ground.
A mouthful of blood burst from his lips, darkness flickering across his vision as the entire world spun around him.
Relying on astonishing willpower, he rolled and leapt backward, opening the distance again.
This is no good.
Even though he could see Hisoka’s attacks, his body could not keep up with them at all.
The difference in both speed and strength was far too great.
And then there was his right hand…
Gon noticed in alarm that its movements had become strangely sluggish, as though it had been stuck to something with invisible glue.
Had Hisoka attached Bungee Gum while they exchanged Badge #44?
Or during one of their attacks and blocks just now?
Gon instantly understood his situation.
He immediately deactivated Gyo, which was continuously consuming aura, and devoted his limited reserves entirely to defending his body.
“Knockdown and clean hit!
Hisoka scores four points!”
The referee’s judgment echoed across the arena.
Hisoka savored the unyielding light in the boy’s eyes.
It was simply delicious.
Is it going to end like this?
No!
Absolutely not!
A stubborn fury rising from the depths of Gon’s bones erupted violently, driving away both the pain in his body and the brief ease that had crept into his heart.
His eyes became as fierce and resolute as those of a beast trapped with no escape.
He stared directly at Hisoka.
“Hisoka!”
“Next, I’m going to show you my new power!”
With a furious shout, Gon poured all his concentration and strength into his right fist.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, his right fist and forearm instantly transformed into a deep, ink-black color that seemed capable of absorbing all light.
“I-It changed color!”
“Gon’s right hand has turned black!”
The announcer’s voice distorted with shock.
“Wh-What is this?!
Is it a new Nen ability?
Or some kind of mutation we’ve never encountered before?!”
Hisoka’s pupils widened slightly.
For the first time, his usual playful smile completely disappeared.
In its place appeared the pure greed and fascination of someone who had discovered an unknown treasure.
He could sense it clearly.
That was not Nen.
It belonged to an entirely different system—one filled with a raw, primal sense of power.
“Haaah!”
Gon shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
His blackened right fist tore through the air and flew directly toward Hisoka’s face.
To everyone’s astonishment, Hisoka made no attempt to dodge.
He even raised his chin slightly and widened his eyes.
He wanted to experience this unknown power personally.
He wanted to feel its impact with his own body. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Bang!
The fist coated in Armament Haki struck Hisoka squarely in the cheek.
His head snapped to the side, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
A burning pain spread across his face.
Yet Hisoka smiled.
It was a genuine smile that caused his entire body to tremble slightly.
Pain felt so wonderful.
Seeing that the attack had worked, Gon found the signal for his counterattack.
His fists poured toward Hisoka’s face like a violent storm.
Yes!
Just like that!
Hisoka screamed madly within his heart.
He desperately suppressed his instinct to counterattack, allowing himself to savor the marvelous barrage.
Finally, Gon leapt into the air.
He concentrated all his strength, aura, and momentum into his blackened right fist, preparing to deliver a decisive blow.
At that precise moment, Hisoka elegantly curled his index finger as though playing a note in a symphony of death.
“Oh no!”
An irresistible pulling force suddenly erupted from Gon’s right fist.
His supposedly certain finishing blow missed completely.
Because he had committed too much strength to the attack, the pull dragged him off balance and left the center of his body entirely exposed.
Thud!
Hisoka’s counterattack was simple, direct, and brutal.
A heavy punch he had prepared in advance slammed mercilessly into Gon’s face without the slightest flourish.
Gon was sent flying backward.
Hisoka moved his index finger again.
Bungee Gum violently yanked Gon’s airborne body back toward him.
Hisoka drove a vicious knee into Gon’s abdomen.
“Urrgh—!”
Gon’s eyes bulged from the pain.
His stomach churned violently, and a mixture of sour fluid and bloody foam sprayed from his mouth, almost causing him to suffocate.
But Hisoka was not finished.
Following through with the motion, he raised his leg and delivered a heavy side kick that struck Gon precisely in the left side of his waist.
Like a sandbag launched through the air, Gon screamed as he flew away again.
He rolled across the ground several times before barely managing to stop.
The entire arena fell deathly silent.
The spectators’ earlier cheers had completely disappeared.
They had been replaced by a stunned silence brought about by the cruel reality unfolding before them.
Only the referee’s cold voice continued to echo, announcing what seemed to be an inevitable conclusion.
“Knockdown, heavy strike, left strike, right strike—all valid!”
“Hisoka gains five points, bringing his total to nine!”
Gon planted his trembling arms against the ground and desperately forced his upper body upright.
Every part of him hurt.
His mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood.
He raised his face.
Sweat, dust, and blood mixed together and dripped from his stubbornly raised chin.
But his eyes remained resolute.
They burned like flames that would never be extinguished.
Nine points to two.
If he lost one more point, the match would be over.
(End of Chapter)