Chapter 66: Raymond vs. Sin!

"Seems like I need to be prepared this time..."

Raymond addressed Sin, who stood before him.

Sin nodded in acknowledgment, his muscles tensing as he prepared himself.

Meeting Raymond's gaze, he murmured, "...I'll show you how much I've improved this time, Master."

It was well known that Raymond made it a habit to spar with newcomers in the Celestial Force.

What stood out was that Raymond seldom fought in such a spar after just a few rounds.

Being perceptive, Sin noticed that in those early rounds, Raymond seemed to be grappling with the unique fighting techniques employed by members of the Celestial Force.

As the matches progressed, it became clear that Raymond was getting the hang of it.

It was as if he had effortlessly mastered their techniques, making them seem predictable and easy to counter.

Like others who were challenged by Raymond, Sin felt the sting of defeat.

This fueled a determination within himself.

His goal was that there would be a day Raymond would once again challenge him of his own volition.

"I'll mix up my Hatsu this time. That should catch him off guard!"

Sin thought to himself, determination shining in his eyes.

"Whoa!"

"He just defeated the 250th floor, right? Yet he was immediately challenged!"

"Well, I can understand why, though..."

Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd as they observed the fighters in the arena, pointing and whispering to one another.

Despite Raymond's recent victory against Cassandra and some unsettling aspects of his battle, especially the arena that crumbled into dust.

With no insight into what was happening within Cassandra's ability, uncertainty surrounded Raymond's true strength.

And many were still doubtful about his qualification as the 250th Floor Master.

His victory, although, was a quick and decisive one.

It appeared too straightforward for some to consider him truly formidable.

"Wow, it's starting soon!"

"..."

Gon, Killua, and Zushi made their way into the crowd, settling into vacant seats.

They were eager to watch the fight, knowing Sin's reputation as a skilled combatant.

Seeing Raymond face off against such a formidable opponent was sure to be exciting, especially with his martial arts skills on display.

Wing trailed behind, casting a skeptical glance at Raymond and Sin.

He had seen what was happening a while back and couldn't shake the feeling that there was a connection between Sin and Raymond.

"...That Sin guy should be Celestia's subordinate."

The looming question in his mind was why they were now set to engage in a battle.

"Oh? Hisoka's also watching!"

Gon glanced to the side, spotting Hisoka's deadpan expression as he observed the arena.

Noticing such an expression on Hisoka's face, Gon tilted his head in confusion.

Scratching his head, Gon muttered, "...He was aggressive just moments ago, but now he seems lifeless somehow."

"Forget it. Let's focus on the battle. We have no circus around here!"

Killua shrugged, his eyes sparking with interest.

He knew Raymond was strong, but he had only heard about his fights from others.

This would be his first time witnessing Raymond's fight firsthand!

Back in the arena, the referee looked at both fighters as he gestured for them to get ready as he stood right in the middle.

Seeing them were in position, his eyes sharpened as he raised his hand, "Let the battle begin!"

"Come, show me what you've got, Sin!"

Raymond's voice echoed in a hint of amusement as Sin's figure suddenly rushed toward him.

"Oh! Sin's charging straight at Raymond! What aggression, what excitement!"

The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, echoing the sentiments of the roaring crowd as they cheered on the beginning of the battle.

Sin moved swiftly and erratically across the arena, his figure blurring with each sudden shift.

In an instant, he reappeared right in front of Raymond, launching a powerful roundhouse kick aimed directly at Raymond's head.

"...!"

But to everyone's surprise, Raymond didn't dodge the attack. Instead, he leaped upward, meeting Sin mid-air.

The crowd gasped as the two clashed, their movements fast and intense.

"What the fuck!"

The announcer blurted out, breaking the silence with an unintended profanity.

Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, Sin vanished from sight.

A split second later, a deafening thud echoed through the arena as Sin's kick struck the ground where Raymond had been standing moments before, cracking the surface open with a loud boom.

The audience watched in awe as the fight unfolded before them, the intensity of the battle almost overwhelming their senses.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!"

"It seems like Sin's attack was just a distraction!"

The announcer shouted, marveling at the strategy unfolding before them.

"But Raymond saw through it and dodged the kick! What a move!"

The announcer stumbled over her words as she tried to describe the action, "Sin keeps disappearing and reappearing!"

"...!"

As Sin's figure vanished once more before reappearing by Raymond's side, the tension in the arena grew.

Raymond sidestepped Sin's attack effortlessly, dodging the blow with ease.

But just as Sin moved to block Raymond's counter punch, he felt a sudden impact from his right side, sending him sprawling across the platform.

Sin struggled to get back up, stunned by what had just happened.

He watched as Raymond's figure seemed to blur and reappear on the opposite side of the arena.

"Whoaa!"

"Did Raymond just pull off the same move Sin did?"

"Wow, they're like twins!"

The crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch as they reacted to the thrilling exchange in the arena.

"...I see. I should've seen this coming."

Sin muttered as he saw Raymond execute his technique with such ease.

If Raymond could read his move like a book, he should also be able to use it.

"However, it doesn't matter!"

Sin's face twisted into a smirk as he enveloped his body in Nen.

From his suit, he took out something and threw it to the ground as it exploded into a cloud of smoke that quickly filled the arena.

"What? Smoke?"

"Oh, not this again!"

The crowd groaned in frustration, realizing they couldn't witness the thrilling battle unfolding before them.

Raymond quickly caught on to Sin's tactic as he noticed Sin surrounding himself with his Hatsu.

"Ah, he's trying to muffle the sound of his movements," Raymond realized.

A smirk formed on Raymond's lips as he observed the smoke clouding his vision, "That's pretty smart..."

"But there's a flaw in your plan, Sin," Raymond pointed out, closing his eyes to concentrate.

He relied on his senses, feeling for any subtle vibrations of Sin's movements on the ground.

Raymond knew that despite his movement was now quiet, Sin would still have to move across the platform to attack.

However...

Raymond's senses heightened as he sensed something off.

"Hmm?"

He quickly opened his eyes, their crimson glow intensified by his Nen.

With this enhanced vision, Raymond saw that the entire platform was covered in Sin's energy as well.

"Ah, shit. You used to be so innocent. What changed you?"

Raymond muttered, feeling a twinge of disappointment.

"..."

Sin's figure quietly materialized behind him, his gaze cold and determined.

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