Chapter 7: Ascending to the 200 Floor!

As Raymond delved deeper into his quest for strength, two years slipped by like grains of sand through an hourglass.

This year was 1990, he found himself scouring the streets for any sign of the main characters from the original story.

However, his search yielded no results, indicating that he was still far from the events of the original plot.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the timeline, Raymond remained vigilant, keeping a close eye on the nearby Zoldyck Family.

He also instructed Luke to monitor any news about the Hunter Exam.

In the meantime, his relentless dedication earned him the moniker of "Crazed Battle Maniac" among the denizens of the '190s.

It was no secret that Raymond deliberately chose to remain in this tier, honing his skills to perfection.

Meanwhile, Tatiana's suspicion regarding Raymond's activities continued to grow.

Yet, Raymond adeptly deflected her inquiries by mentioning his acquaintance with Luke, a familiar face from their neighborhood.

This explanation seemed to placate Tatiana's concerns, at least for the time being.

In the midst of his training, Raymond also took the time to immerse himself in the compexities of the country's political landscape, familiarizing himself with tax laws and regulations.

Armed with this knowledge, he became instrumental in helping Tatiana's small business thrive, shielding it from the clutches of government exploitation.

Luke had gone above and beyond for Raymond, even arranging for his identification. Once a beggar with no official papers, Luke had managed to get Raymond listed as a fifteen-year-old this year.

In the Republic of Padokea, the legal age was 16.

With his legal age on the horizon, Raymond focused on refining his business plan.

Their business, aptly named Amazing, was modeled after Zevv Besoz's I'mazon from Raymond's previous life.

Over the past three years, Amazing had flourished, expanding its operations to cover the entire Republic of Padokea.

Raymond also urged Luke to establish a logistics company, which they named FedUp.

This decision was aimed to attract more customers to Amazing by offering free delivery services.

With their own logistics company in place, they could not only grow their customer base but also manage losses more effectively.

Despite Luke's initial shock at Raymond's aggressive approach, he couldn't deny the nationwide attention that Amazing had garnered under Raymond's unconventional strategy.

Although Raymond had achieved remarkable progress in both business and personal strength

Even with his newfound strength surpassing his peak from his previous life, Raymond still lacked the essential knowledge of Nen.

Luke's attempts to get his hand at the information only got him to secure only a basic introduction to Nen, covering just the fundamentals and leaving out the crucial details of unlocking one's potential.

Raymond hesitated to hire a hunter for personalized instruction.

He was wary of attracting attention too soon, preferring to stay under the radar until he had sufficient forces at his disposal.

Raymond sat in his private room at the Heaven's Arena, poring over the information with a furrowed brow.

"So, this is all we could gather?"

He asked, disappointment evident in his voice.

"It seems like the Hunter Association has locked down everything tightly, leaving us with just these morsels of information."

Luke sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

Despite his initial appearance as a downtrodden beggar, Luke had transformed into a confident middle-aged man, radiating authority and competence.

Yet, there was an undeniable irony in the scene...

A middle-aged man reporting to a youthful teenager, who seemed to hold all the cards despite his tender age and striking appearance.

Raymond sifted through the documents in his hand, absorbing the contents within a few seconds.

The papers contained an introduction to a mysterious technique known as Nen.

In simple terms, Nen allowed individuals to harness and manipulate their life energy, also known as Aura.

It was a versatile skill that enabled users to manifest their imagination into reality, granting them superhuman abilities.

To master Nen, one needed to grasp the four fundamental principles:

Ten, the ability to control one's aura.

Zetsu, the art of suppressing aura to remain undetected.

Ren, the technique of amplifying one's aura to its fullest potential.

Hatsu, a unique specialization that varied from person to person.

The documents hinted at the existence of various Nen classifications, each accompanied by its own set of advanced techniques and abilities.

Yet, it didnt mention anything about how to unlock his Nen or anything related to the method of opening one.

"It seems I've hit a wall. I need someone to show me the way..." Raymond set aside the documents, his expression filled with determination.

He shook his head at the thought of taking the Hunter Exam to unravel the mysteries of Nen.

A reluctance to reveal himself to the Association and a pressing need for haste completely ruled out that option.

Luke's eyes widened in surprise at Raymond's revelation.

He had heard whispers about the secrets concealed on the 200th floor of the Heaven's Arena, and Raymond's previous reluctance to ascend had made him take the rumors seriously.

Now, it seemed there was no choice but to confront them head-on.

"You're really going up there?" Luke asked incredulously.

Raymond nodded firmly, "Yes, I have to. There's something I need to discover."

Luke was adamantly against his decision but his decision was resolute as he made his way up toward the 200s. Yet Raymond decision was final and Luke had no other choice but to wish him Good Luck.

As Raymond ascended to the 200th floor, the referee, baffled by his sudden change of heart, handed him the ticket with an excitement.

Stepping into the corridor of the 200s, Raymond headed towards the registration office for his upcoming fight.

To his surprise, a group of individuals with a formidable aura awaited him at the corridor's end.

Raymond's expression sharpened, recognizing that these were no ordinary fighters.

Yet, instead of hostility, they greeted him warmly, "Ah, hello there! You must be the famous Crazed Battle Maniac we've been hearing about so often..."

Raymond surveyed each of them, recognizing faces from the lower floors.

However, he couldn't recall facing them directly, indicating they had navigated their own trials through the 190s by different fighters.

Amidst the assembly, a blond individual caught Raymond's attention as he approached with deliberate poise, heralding the onset of a confrontation fraught with anticipation.

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