Chapter 132: Hardcore x Fan – The Magical Spectator’s Glasses
Alex sits on the ground training his Zetsu. He is strangely relaxed and feels almost like a new person. He and Menchi spent the entire night practicing Ten and Zetsu. Zetsu has the huge advantage of cutting off any aura leaving the body, which speeds up not only HP regeneration but also a fast recovery of AURA and Stamina.
Using this ability while meditating is essentially almost as effective as normal sleep.
Finally, Alex stops using Zetsu and takes a look at his [Destiny Watch], noticing, Oh, it's already 9 AM.
Menchi notices that Alex has stopped for now and says, "Your next fight is in 1 hour. You should really get your own damn phone. It is annoying that you gave the arena my number. Now, I am the one getting these messages!"
"You are right, sorry for that. After today's fight—which I absolutely can't afford to lose since it would mean losing our room as well—I'll get paid some prize money, so I'll buy one in the many stores inside the Arena afterwards, okay?" Alex responds, agreeing with her point.
"Okay, let's do it after your fight. I wanna check out the stores as well!" Menchi replies, her excitement visible on her face.
Alex, after dumping most of his equipment into his inventory and just wearing simple workout clothes, walks to the elevator on floor 199 to ride it down to floor 106, where he is scheduled to fight in an hour. Menchi stands beside him and slightly elbows him, asking, "So how confident are you?"
The elevator suddenly arrives, and they both enter it.
Alex, slightly annoyed, responds to her earlier question, "I'm fairly confident I can win against most fighters… against a few, I'll probably struggle if I don't use… that."
The elevator attendant, a rather old and experienced-looking woman, suddenly chimes in: "If you need to use your Aura to defeat the small fry on these floors, you better train some more, kiddo. If you can't advance without your Aura, that's also a sign that you lack basic fighting skills. Use this opportunity to get some fighting experience!"
"Thanks for the advice. It looks like you know quite a lot… even about Nen," Alex responds, noticing that Menchi also looks slightly surprised.
"I love martial artists. My father once fought in the 200 class! It's been ages since that time… still, I myself never get tired of the excitement of watching a battle between two Nen users, each using their abilities to fight against each other. The only reason I work here is to be able to get any ticket for the 200th class for myself. I got connections after all these years! I am excited to see you enter it as well. I'll definitely watch your fights. My only regret is that I was never able to enter it myself… It took me years to open my aura nodes, and even after decades of training, my aura is pitifully weak. Still, it somehow excites me to be able to train aura. Want me to rate your Nen ability, young man? It's my hobby!" the eager attendant asks Alex.
"You know, ma'am, that sounds fairly interesting, but my danger sensors are kinda kicking in right about now…." Alex responds.
The elevator door opens, and they arrive at floor 106.
"Don't be silly! Now we are on floor 106, so just let me do it. Your beautiful but skimpily dressed friend can watch! I'm just evaluating you so I can earn a fortune placing bets later. In return, I'll give you all the info you need about your future opponents. How about that?" The old attendant offers, a hint of greed in her eyes.
"If you sell out my information… I am a hunter… I hope you know what that means. As long as I don't overdo it, my license is safe, and the law can't touch me," Alex responds, wary of the woman but also deeply interested in her offer.
"Ah, I'm not worried. I've never reneged on a deal before. Follow me." She urges Alex and Menchi toward a nearby staff room, which she opens using a set of tools instead of a key. The tools seem specifically designed for breaking into a certain type of door, likely for doors mass-produced for Heavens Arena.
"I'm kinda getting the creeps… What do I have to do? I won't trust you and enter into some sort of contract, just so you know," Alex says, slightly intimidated by this older woman, who looks old enough to retire in a few years.
"No need… Let me use and also explain to you my own Nen ability. It's called Spectator's Glasses! It combines Enhancement and Conjuration. I conjure a seemingly normal pair of glasses, and those glasses don't have any other use but to strengthen and evolve my Gyo! If I use it on them, not only is my Gyo pushed to levels even the most accomplished hunters couldn't reach, but it also shows me the current combat level of participants.
"The only downside is that as long as I use it, I can't fight at all, and I have to sit down on a chair or something similar, so excuse me, young man." She explains this as she pulls a plastic chair from a nearby closet and sits down.
"With this ability, I can enjoy the fights and don't miss out on any tricks! Some fighters are especially crafty and use In, so many spectators don't even understand the fights, even if they are mediocre Nen users themselves," she continues.
Finally, she openly conjures a pair of glasses, puts them on, and activates Gyo.
"I've developed my own rating system. It's fairly accurate, ranging from 1 to 10. The winner of Battle Olympia—the highest position in this tower—is what I'd call a 10. Of course, not every winner of Battle Olympia is strong in everything, but just use that as a general range. The average Floor Master is a 7, and the average 200th-class fighter is a 4," she explains.
She begins her "examination" of Alex's fighting strength:
"So, let's see what you've got, young man:
Physical abilities: I'd say a bit more than 5, maybe more like a 5.5.
Aura: A solid 5, I guess. Nothing special, but above average at least.
Nen abilities: Oh my… 8.5… at the very least!
And there is something else… which I usually call the X Factor. That thing is easily a 9.5, maybe even a 10. You show quite a bit of promise. What's your name?"
"My name is Alex Kerber… To tell you the truth, I just got my license, and this is my Nen master… Yes, despite the age difference," Alex answers.
"Incredible, young man. Anyway, your physical abilities and Aura are not bad at all, but maybe on the lower side if you want to become a Floor Master… But this will deceive most fighters into underestimating you. Your Nen abilities and your uniqueness are insanely strong. I think you could be the one I've been waiting for! I'll bet big on you! You won't regret it. You're living on floor 199, judging from where you entered the elevator? I'll visit you later, and I'll tell you whatever you want. I can't wait to see you fighting."
"Hmmm, thank you, I guess," Alex says, a bit confused but also intrigued by her ability.
Menchi, seemingly impressed, adds with a sweet but menacing smile: "Your ability is interesting, old woman. You've probably used it for a long time, right? I see that your aura is incredibly weak. You're not talented at all, but I see an insane amount of dedication and polish in your aura and your ability. I think we'll agree to your little scheme, but if you dare to go back on your promise… I'm not just a rookie hunter like my cute student over there but a Single-Star Hunter. If I wanted to, I could kill any Floor Master in a matter of days, so you better not deceive us! Anyway, Alex, your fight is starting soon. You better hurry up!"
Alex, Menchi, and the old attendant, Sua, exchange contact info before Alex hurries to the Arena.
As he enters, Alex is surprised by the sheer size of the crowd—easily a few thousand people, all gathered around a single fighting arena in the center of the stage.
Normally, Alex would start panicking, sweating, and outright making a fool of himself in a situation like this. But his extensive Aura training has tempered not just his body, but his spirit as well. He manages to walk calmly toward the middle of the arena and ascends the few steps to the platform, where an attendant directs him to wait for the announcer's cue.
It only takes a few minutes before the voice of a young female announcer echoes through the arena:
"Now, we have our next fight! Introducing our veteran, Robinoldo—a fighter who once reached floor 160 but, after sustaining an injury, went on a losing streak and dropped all the way back to the 70s. Recently, though, he's on a comeback streak with three consecutive wins! Robinoldo is known for his acrobatic kicks and a mix of throwing and grappling techniques!"
The crowd cheers as she continues:
"Facing him is Alex! He may look like your average, good-looking guy, but don't be deceived. Alex was sent directly to the 100s, and not much is known about him yet. However, during his assessment, he used an impressive claw technique to brutally cripple his opponent, piercing deep into his opponent's lung! Be warned—this fighter may look normal, but he is vicious!"
Cheers erupt from the crowd, and Alex hears several voices calling out:
"I'm rooting for you, Alex!!!"
"Destroy that arrogant fat slob Robinoldo! I'm betting on you!"
"Claw style! Claw style! You have to win!"
To Alex's surprise, quite a few spectators are cheering for him despite the rather ominous description from the announcer. He gives a casual wave to the crowd, and their cheers grow even louder.
"Now, let's check the betting odds… Oh, it looks like our newcomer is slightly favored! Let's see if he can live up to the hype!" the announcer declares.
Whatever. Not like I care, these odds are decided by the crowds and they don't know shit, Alex thinks.
The referee calls Alex and his opponent, Robinoldo, to the center of the ring. Robinoldo, an older and gritty veteran with a bizarre body shape, steps forward. Alex notices he's nearly two heads taller than his opponent, yet somehow Robinoldo's build still makes him appear larger and stronger overall.
Another freak. This body structure makes no sense. Typical HxH bullshit, Alex thinks, annoyed.
The referee begins his announcement: "This match will consist of three rounds, each lasting three minutes. The match will be decided by points or a KO. A clean hit earns 1 point, while a critical hit earns 2 points. If you go down, you'll lose 1 point. Unsportsmanlike conduct, such as intentionally leaving the arena, will result in additional point deductions. Play fair!"
He steps back and shouts, "Now… get ready! 3… 2… 1… FIGHT!"
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