7 First hatsu

It was 4 years since I told Battera the method to clear the game and finally, he had done it. Tsezguerra returned triumphant, bringing with him the aforementioned cards : Paladins Necklace, Accompany and most importantly, Angels Breath for the comatose wife. The papers were having a field day with her 'miraculous recovery' and the motif of lasting love that conquers even death.

'Hah! What crap!' I retorted.

On my side, I have grown up a fair bit, and so has Oroma, but by far the greatest increment has been in my Nen ability. I could now hold my Ren for upto an hour. Not only that, I had also mastered the advanced techniques of Shu, Ko, Ken, Gyo, and Ryu. I had yet to master In or En but I'd soon be on it.

The best part of it though was my aura flow being smoothed out significantly. So much so in fact, that I looked like an ordinary person, if someone didn't examine too closely using gyo that is.

After all, the best disguise isn't the unseen but that which is hidden in plain sight. And I was gonna need all the aces up my sleeves if I want to face off against the most powerful nen users in the world. The phantom troupe.

Oroma had also awakened to Nen with my help and contrary to my expectations, his Nen type was actually Transmutation. Not that I knew how to train a bear in the transmutation of its aura. One thing I did realize was that I was nowhere nearly as talented as Gon or Killua. My talent with Nen lay somewhere between Morel and Tsezguerra. And while I was above their level of Nen, this was only after 4 years of practice. Kurapika did it in 6 months. Gon and Killua did it in two years even without much effort.

Today was the day though. The day I climbed up to the 200th floor. Today was the day I put my Hatsu ability to test.

I brought Oroma with me as I made the momentous climb. I was confident. I wouldn't lose to anyone.

I went up to the reception desk and asked.

"When can I fight next?"

"That depends. If someone is available to fight. Hold on. Let me check. Uh... only one person is available today."

"Great. I'll take them." I reply.

"No. You don't understand. They're a floor master. I don't think its a good idea to fight a floor master on your first day up here kid. No offense, but they're a floor master for a reason." She objected.

"It'll be a learning experience. Get them down then." I insisted.

"Hey babe! You got someone scheduled for me?" Came a loud voice from behind me.

I turned around to find a young man no older than 14 strutting his stuff like he owned the place.

"Sir, ...there is indeed one person available but it is a new contestant here. I don't think you'll like it."

"Eyo, I just wanna rumble baby, don't matter who it is!" He replied.

"Well, it seems I've found a willing fighter here. Just schedule me with him."

"Yo pipsqueek! I said anyone but not babies. Jeez. Go back and get some more of yo mama's milk in ya before ya think to get at me. I'm almost insulted!" He replied.

"So, you're chicken huh?" I taunted.

"WHO YOU CALLING CHICKEN YA PEASHIT PASTY BOY, YOU WANNA GO SIX FEET UNDER PRONTO?! SURE! GET IN THE RING. ITS YOUR FUNERAL! IF I DON'T DOWN YOU TODAY MY NAME AIN'T LARRY O'REILLY" he screamed into my face.

'His name is Larry. Omg I'm gonna die of laughter. No. No. Hold it in. Hold it in.' I think as I hold back my laughter.

I just returned a smirk and looked at the receptionist.

"Fine. It's your choice kid. Remember that." She said, before pointing us to the ring.

I shed my jacket onto Oroma and stepped into the ring with Larry following soon after.

As soon as the Referee started the countdown, both of us flared up our Ren.

I plucked out a hair from my head while pretending to scratch an itch and got ready. Time to teach this blond little shit a lesson in humility.

"Say O'leery, what happens if you lose?" I jeered at him.

"It's O'REILLY and I ain't the one who's gonna lose pipsqueek." He said hopping back and forth.

'Kickboxing huh? That's predictable as fuck.'

The moment the Referee gave the Go, Larry blurred out of sight at a blinding speed.

A voice rang out from multiple angles immediately.

""Face my power baby! Sunny Blitz!""

I had a bad feeling about this and immediately ducked, only to see his kick fly by where my head just was.

I twisted on the heel of my foot and whirled around to face him at the same time charging the plucked hair with nen and letting it rip out of my grasp.

By the time I came face to face with him, he once again sped out of vision. But this time I was prepared.

Dozens of pulsating orange light spheres emitted out of my hands and spread out across the ring.

As soon as I finished emitting, I dashed low across the ring to one corner. My plan was in place now. Soon he came into view on the other edge of the ring where I had been moments prior with the tiles cracking under his feet.

I gulped. If I had been there my leg would have been crushed to dust about now.

I braced for another bout when he suddenly stopped.

"You think this is gonna stop me? What even is this?" He said, poking one the spheres with his finger. I extended my control onto that globule and stopped its function from activating.

"Ha! This bluff was your ultimate plan? What a joke! Ya know what? I'll barrel right through yer cheap tricks, straight at'cha." He quips.

Good. He's getting heady. Time for the final blow.

"Hey chicken! Wanna make a bet?"

His brow furrowed and his veins almost popped in anger.

"What?"

"If I win you do one thing I say."

"Ya won't. But when I win?" He smirked.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Your bear."

"Deal. But if I win I get you then."

"Sure pipsqueek!" He said.

I smiled from ear to ear and eased my stance into a sideways one and gesture at him.

Come!

He leaned right into the ring in a runners stance as his Ren supercharges.

I activate my spheres at once and reassert control over the previously plucked hair pulling it silently into place in Larry's blind spot.

Time slows down to a crawl as spirit echoes ring out.

"Sunny Blitz : Haberdasherie"

"Pollen Bomber : Doom Protocol"

0.04 seconds

The ground beneath Larry shatters as he begins his dash at me.

0.27 seconds

The pulsating spheres of light strike down into Larry's path, exploding and draining at his Nen defenses bit by bit.

0.45 seconds

Larry arrives in front of me and prepares his right hook only to see a smile on my face.

0.56 seconds

My plucked hair rips past his weakened defense and right into his nose.

0.61 seconds

My secondary Hatsu activates.

"Hairy Jack"

If a hair from my head is in the body of the target, I gain control of their action for 3 minutes. I'd added the restriction of both activation and duration to make sure it was strong enough to be irresistible to most people. After all, more restrictions equal stronger nen. Especially if they've been implemented from a position of weakness.

0.63 seconds

Larry's fist stops millimeters short of my chin as I take control of his body.

0.77 seconds

A look of abject horror spreads across his face as he realizes what happened.

1.0 seconds

The spirit echoes end.

Our perception of time returns to normal.

The crowds descend into silence for a moment as they comprehend what just happened before I push Larry off the ring in one smooth sweep. But not before I give him the 'Atomic Wedgie'.

I hear gasps from the audiences but who cares. They wanted a show, I gave them one!

*insert gladiator.gif*

Cheers break out across the peanut gallery and the referee declares the match.

"Naaz Cutler wins!"