1999 flew by in the blink of an eye. With the new millennium approaching, all kinds of apocalyptic rumors were spreading like wildfire.
Kurapika often heard such rumors while traveling by taxi, airship, or train, passed around by chattering passengers.
He never believed in such nonsense and always dismissed them with indifference.
However, his two companions were different. They seemed to take these rumors quite seriously.
Killua and Gon were a few years younger than him, still in their early, impressionable years.
Gon's upbringing in a remote place made sense, but even Killua—despite being raised in the Zoldyck family and growing up in the shadows—didn't have as much worldly experience as Kurapika.
Since learning Nen, Kurapika had trained under Germain, Melody, and Wing.
All of them were highly skilled Nen users, and his time with them had greatly broadened his perspective.
Killua and Gon, on the other hand, still had a certain innocence about them—especially Gon.
They would snack on Killua's favorite chocolate candies while excitedly discussing how they would prepare for the "end of the world."
Their favorite topic was how to build a fortress in the apocalypse, where they would be the two kings.
The two boys even promised Kurapika that they would let him in when the time came. Kurapika could only smile helplessly at their words.
Sometimes, he would join in on their discussions, but mostly for their sake.
The three of them—along with Leorio, who had already left—had grown close. Kurapika didn't want to ruin the bond they had built.
In fact, it had already been over a month since they left Heaven's Arena.
Of course, they only left after fulfilling their respective promises to Germain.
Now, let's rewind time a bit.
Back in February, Kurapika's first match at Heaven's Arena had granted him the privilege of skipping directly to the 190th floor.
Kurapika didn't want to waste too much time below the 200th floor, so he intentionally revealed his Nen abilities.
The referee, of course, could immediately tell that Kurapika was a Nen user, and not just any user, but one with strong abilities and a lot of battle experience.
In fact, leaving him on any floor below the 200th would be unfair to the other participants.
The reason the referee didn't mention the 200th floor directly was that they intended to observe and buffer things for a while.
As a result, after easily winning his subsequent matches, Kurapika smoothly and steadily reached the 200th floor.
Of course, many people would think this was rigged.
They couldn't see what made the young man with golden, long, ear-length hair so special.
If they hadn't encountered him in person, it would be hard to understand how his light "Chain Jail" could knock out an opponent as strong as an ox in one strike.
However, after Kurapika started his first match on the 200th floor and won, all doubts were swept away.
Everyone knew that above the 200th floor, there were no weaklings and no luck.
What his teacher said was right.
Kurapika couldn't help but think back to what Germain had told him earlier.
"When you reach a level that others can't imagine or attain, all the jealousy and hatred people once had for you will turn into overwhelming admiration."
And so, Kurapika gained his first batch of fans in the Heavens Arena.
Although he didn't need them, every time he had a match after that, a fixed group of people would come to watch, place bets, cheer, and ask for autographs.
This group kept growing.
Kurapika's matches on the 200th floor weren't exactly smooth sailing.
He won many times, but he also lost twice, and with only two losses left before his victory count would reset, he had to bounce back from that pressure.
The "Healing Thumb Chain" in the "Chains" provided terrifying endurance.
The "Plundering Index Chain," "Binding Middle Finger Chain," "Soul Chasing Ring Finger Chain," and "Judgment Little Finger Chain" were particularly effective.
His current "Chains" were not designed to target the Phantom Troupe or to risk his life for "Vows and Limitations."
The power might not be as strong as the original storyline, but it excelled in being comprehensive and sustainable.
The combination of abilities in the "Ring Chains" was ever-changing, and Kurapika often used smoke screens, confusing others, making it difficult for his competitors to identify his true Nen ability.
Many still believed he was an Enhancement-type Nen user.
Moreover, his combat strength had been sharpened through intense training on the 200th floor, advancing from "Hero Level" to "Elite Level."
This terrifying yet calm young man finally achieved a 10-2 win record in the Heavens Arena, earning the chance to challenge the Floor Master.
It was a grueling battle that took place in late April.
Kurapika was once suppressed by the Floor Master, on the verge of defeat, but in the end, he had to use his "Scarlet Eyes."
While using the "Scarlet Eyes," Kurapika's combat power was forcibly raised to "Master Level."
This life-draining method allowed him to achieve victory at the fastest possible speed.
The defeated Floor Master left in a daze, while Kurapika, though somewhat disheveled, claimed the position of the new Floor Master.
At this point, he had fulfilled his promise to Germain.
He could now head to Greed Island and join Germain's team.
However, Kurapika ultimately decided to wait a bit.
Because, by March, Gon and Killua had already reached the 200th floor, and they were not far from fulfilling their own promise to Germain.
Their agreed conditions were a choice between two options. One was to become a floor master like Kurapika, and the other was to achieve three victories on the 200th floor.
After witnessing Kurapika's tough battles, Gon and Killua understood that with their current strength, becoming a floor master would be too difficult. So, they chose the first option.
They made full use of the 90-day preparation period for battle on the 200th floor. During this time, they trained with Wing and learned the basics of Nen before they started participating in the competition.
Then, in mid-May, both Killua and Gon achieved three victories on the 200th floor, fulfilling their agreement with Germain.
This also meant that they were about to be promoted from "Apprentice Level" to "Warrior Level."
Such talent made even Kurapika, who had seen their progress, marvel.
They had mastered Nen much quicker than he did. Truly, they were the children of Silva Zoldyck and Ging Freecss.
Kurapika had been waiting for this moment, planning to go to Greed Island with the like-minded Gon and Killua.
Seeing them fulfill their promise with their teacher, Kurapika was genuinely happy for them.
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