026 The Power Is So-So

In other words, Ronnel had never faced a serious Nen user before, and this Gido was his first opponent of that kind.

Ronnel was quite intrigued at the prospect of going head to head with a Nen user.

...…

Early the next morning, after taking care of himself and having breakfast, Ronnel hurried to the venue.

On the 220th floor of Heavens Arena, the place was already buzzing with excitement.

As soon as Ronnel arrived, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

"Come on, Ronnel! You have to win this round!!"

"Keep winning! Go and become the Floor Master!"

Cheers echoed from the stands, coming from fans who had been watching Ronnel's rise from the very first floor. In addition to these followers, there were countless enthusiastic onlookers.

Every time a newcomer reached the 200th floor and challenged a seasoned fighter, it was a grand event.

Would the rookie overthrow the veteran and begin their meteoric rise, or would the old-timer defend their honor and send the challenger crashing down—or worse, to their death?

Either way, it was a perfect source of drama and speculation for the crowd, which was why so many had gathered.

"Must win, Ronnel! I bet heavily on you!!" shouted a gambler from the audience, placing his hopes—and money—on Ronnel.

The intense battles at Heavens Arena had given birth to thriving peripheral industries, the most prominent being the major casinos nearby. Betting on fighters had become a lucrative business.

With the level of excitement and discussions around each match, it was natural for bets to flow. Every time a newcomer challenged someone on the 200th floor, all the major casinos opened their books for betting.

"Ah! Mr. Ronnel! Marry me! Be my boyfriend!" a shrill voice called out from the crowd.

Ronnel paused for a moment and glanced over to find a pretty girl gazing at him with wild admiration.

Well, there's no avoiding the attention that comes with being handsome, and Ronnel had gained quite a few female fans.

After all, if a creepy clown like Hisoka could have fangirls, it wouldn't make sense for someone like Ronnel—a bright and charming youth—not to.

Smiling, Ronnel waved at his supporters, causing a wave of cheers, especially from his female fans.

In front of him, Ronnel basked in the attention, oblivious to the sharp eyes of Shizuku, who was walking behind him. Her gaze, cold and unwavering, fixed itself on the fan who had shouted her marriage proposal to Ronnel.

Ahem, no matter how adorable the girl was, Shizuku, having been immersed in the intense environment of Heavens Arena, had developed a clear understanding of certain things.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the audience, a striking girl with pink and purple hair looked down at the arena, her eyes icy.

"Hmph, what are you so proud of? You're just going through the Initiation on the 200th floor. I bet fifty Jenny that Ronnel will be ruined."

Her ignorance of Nen was clear. She had only heard of the Initiation on the 200th floor—a trial that had claimed the lives or strength of many contestants. Her bitter words came from jealousy, fueled by seeing Ronnel, so young and so handsome, reach the 200th floor with ease.

As the audience's chatter filled the air, Ronnel stepped into the ring and locked eyes with Gido.

"Hehehe, rookie, you're lucky to face me. I'm the weakest of the three of us, so I probably won't kill you outright," Gido sneered, his voice muffled behind the gas mask with a pig's nose, hidden beneath his red cape.

"Outright? So you want me to feel pain before dying?" Ronnel asked with mild curiosity.

"Hmph, that depends on how much you can endure. If you're lucky, you might die painlessly. If not, hehehe…"

"I see~" Ronnel nodded thoughtfully, just as the referee raised his arm and brought it down with a swift motion.

"Match start!"

"Take this—Battle Waltz!" Gido roared.

The moment the referee signaled, Gido waved his hands, sending several spinning tops infused with Nen power shooting out from his sleeves. The tops clashed in midair and hurtled toward Ronnel.

Above the 200th floor, fighters were permitted to use weapons.

"Battle Waltz? A fancy name, but its power is bad," Machi, observing from the high platform, silently critiqued.

"Calling a bunch of spinning tops a waltz, huh?" Ronnel mused aloud, extending a hand toward the approaching tops.

In an instant, one of the tops veered off the ground and launched itself directly at Ronnel's face.

"Boom!"

To Gido's astonishment, the spinning top slammed into Ronnel's open palm, as if it had willingly returned to its master's hand.

"The power's… so-so. Barely even a twinge of pain," Ronnel said nonchalantly, exerting the slightest pressure with his fingers. The top cracked and exploded in his hand, scattering fragments across the floor.

"N-No… Impossible! How did you know the trajectory of my tops? And how did you figure out which one was launching the attack?!" Gido stammered, utterly baffled.

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