A light so bright it made one's eyes sting pierced straight into Kisho's eyes.
Kisho suddenly realized that only by slicing through space-time in a thousandth, or even ten-thousandth of a second, could such a light be unleashed.
Time, frozen, began to move again, but before normal time resumed, Kisho's perception remained locked in the frozen moment.
Because of this, he could see Netero's movements with perfect clarity.
Hands clasped together, he adjusted his body at a speed Kisho could not hope to match, and strolled leisurely back into the circle drawn on the ground.
It was only after all this that Netero began to "deal with" Kisho, this boy who had surprised him after such a long time.
Logically, Kisho shouldn't have been able to break into the one-foot radius around him—the test was just to see the limits of the kid.
If the kid's power at the extreme pleased him, he would step out of the "circle" on his own.
But that last move of the kid—
He had assumed the boy's speed was simply enhanced to the utmost, but now it seemed far more complex.
Netero's gaze met Kisho's, studying the astonishment on the boy's face, then he narrowed his eyes with interest.
Logically, his "Hundred-Type Guanyin" should be able to execute an attack and defense within a split-second—at such a speed, this boy shouldn't have been able to see it.
He thought, and slowly raised his hand.
Behind him, the gigantic Guanyin statue mirrored the motion, lifting its hand slowly.
Then, the massive golden palm descended toward Kisho, moving at an impossibly slow speed.
But in Kisho's eyes, there was nowhere to hide, nowhere to flee.
Netero's palm hadn't actually come down—he was testing whether the boy could truly see, so he naturally wouldn't strike hard.
Yet what made him stop wasn't this.
Because Kisho's body, sealed in a "split-second" of time, actually moved.
Even under that strike, despair and fear overflowed in Kisho's heart, but he was still fighting with his all.
Now Netero understood.
The nen in the boy's body had been devoured by a clock-shaped badge on Netero, and thus the boy gained the ability to break free from the shackles of time.
In an instant, the boy retreated ten meters away, body taut, cold sweat pouring.
Netero naturally did not pursue, lowering "Hundred-Type Guanyin" and leisurely standing in place, waiting for the boy to recover from the previous encounter.
Although it might be early for the boy to experience a fight of this level… well, such a small creature carrying many secrets, a little stimulation now might help him go further in the future.
After all, kids from Meteor Street aren't ordinary, and the child personally brought by the leader of the troupe was even less so.
It's fine, he won't be broken, won't be broken…
Netero thought, trying to ease the small embarrassment of using "Hundred-Type Guanyin" on a child.
To those watching on closed-circuit TV, it merely looked like the boy disappeared, threw a punch at Netero, and retreated ten meters away.
Perhaps only Amos, silently folding his arms and watching the screen, knew what had really happened.
Time passed, second by second. Kisho just stood there, eyes slightly closed, neither speaking nor moving.
Netero unusually made no move to urge him, quietly standing, leisurely stroking his beard, waiting for the boy to emerge from the horror of life and death—either transformed or withered.
Half an hour later, Kisho slowly opened his eyes.
Seeing the boy's gaze, Netero nodded in satisfaction:
"Looks like you've recovered. Hoho, kid, not bad at all."
He smiled: "You saw it, and you heard it, didn't you?"
Kisho frowned.
He intended to skip it, but curiosity mixed with fear surfaced: "…What was that?"
He paused: "What I heard… what was it?"
"The move you saw is called 'Hundred-Type Guanyin,' no further explanation."
"As for the sound you heard, we generally call it 'Heart Drop Fist Listen.'"
Netero did not hold back, slowly explaining:
"In detail, it's the temporal illusion generated between two combatants during an exchange, somewhat like a carousel of life and death."
"But the difference is, those in the state of 'Heart Drop Fist Listen' can hear the opponent's thoughts."
Netero scanned Kisho, his gaze resting on the clock badge on him.
"Logically, your strength is still far from entering 'Heart Drop Fist Listen.' The fact that you could enter that state must be entirely thanks to this badge."
"Escaping from 'Hundred-Type Guanyin' should also rely on this?"
Kisho made a sound of agreement.
Since Netero had already figured it out, hiding or lying was useless; he wasn't arrogant enough to think a few words could fool this man.
"An 'interesting' ability indeed."
Netero decided to stop here.
Kisho's performance had already satisfied him, and any extraordinary nen ability came with a cost; he wasn't going to push further.
"Consider yourself passed." He said. "Though you didn't make me leave this 'circle,' but…"
"No."
Kisho suddenly raised his head, interrupting firmly.
Netero was surprised: "Hmm?"
"Don't think I didn't see it and act like nothing happened!"
Kisho gritted his teeth: "You left the 'circle' just now! But then you went back!"
Netero froze, then laughed loudly: "Hohoho, hohoho~"
Kisho snapped: "What are you laughing at!"
Netero pressed his temple, tilting his head, as if daring him to do anything:
"You say I left, who can testify?"
Perhaps the chairman's actions were beyond Kisho's comprehension of the word "chairman," his eyes widened:
"I always thought our boss was the number one in human limitlessness, yet your standard surpasses him!"
"Hohoho, flattery, flattery~"
After laughing, Netero squinted at this boy who continuously surprised him—what other moves or thoughts could he reveal to shock him further?
Since a certain kid named Ging began hiding, he hadn't met such an interesting boy in a long time.
Netero looked at Kisho: "So, either admit I never left and I'll count it as a pass; or produce proof."
"Proof?"
Kisho glanced at the surrounding surveillance cameras, then looked away.
Even high-speed cameras might not capture the chairman's movements in a thousandth of a second; ordinary ones were useless.
Kisho naturally couldn't admit he failed to make Netero leave the circle and just accept a "pass."
But the chairman's speed was too great.
Once he used "Hundred-Type Guanyin," even if pushed out, he would return at a speed cameras couldn't catch.
As for "Shadow of Zero Hour," his previous attack took one second, retreating from the attack's range took another; Kisho's remaining nen could only sustain three more seconds of time stop.
Time stop seemed futile.
If he didn't cancel it, cameras would still see a stationary Netero; once canceled, the chairman could teleport back instantly.
Ah, so annoying! Damn old man! No one with "long" in their title is any good!
Kisho clutched his head, expression pained.
"Kid, just admit it, it's not shameful."
Netero smiled, expression full of anticipation.
"Heh, heh."
Kisho snorted twice, and in a flash, his gaze fell on the cameras.
He seemed to have an idea, focused, and a bright light flashed in his pupils.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
He stared at the camera, lips moving slightly, as if speaking.
Then he looked toward Netero, faintly smiling.
Netero shrugged: "Looks like he's thinking of some mischief again?"
"Hmph hmph~"
Kisho only smiled, not answering, a trace of confidence showing on his pale, overused face.
He raised his hand, recondensing a "Chapter of the Four Seasons" badge on him, and disappeared once more.
First second, the boy vanished and reappeared beside Netero.
Netero was ready; the gigantic "Hundred-Type Guanyin" reappeared before Kisho's eyes.
Kisho stared at the giant statue that had forced him into life-and-death moments just seconds ago, his gaze clear and resolute.
Second second, a "Chapter of the Stars" badge appeared in Kisho's palm; he activated its ability, but due to time stop, he was not yet teleported away.
Third second.
Kisho slammed the "Chapter of the Stars" in his hand onto Netero.
Forcing the "Chapter of the Stars," combined with the exhaustion from "Shadow of Zero Hour," almost instantly drained Kisho's nen.
He could no longer sustain the nen that required such intense energy; the time stop ended, backlash came.
At the same moment, the teleportation from "Chapter of the Stars" activated.
In the instant the teleportation light flashed, Kisho saw the gigantic hand of "Hundred-Type Guanyin" pressing down toward him.
Though it shifted slightly at the last moment and landed to the side, the wave of nen alone sent Kisho flying.
"Boom—!"
The boy slammed into the wall, cracks spreading, the building trembling again.
Those watching on closed-circuit TV were still shocked when Netero disappeared as well.
Outside the building, Netero, momentarily dazed, stood in an open area, squinting, raising a hand to shield the sun.
He paused for a few seconds, then revealed the "satisfied" smile reserved only for battles that pleased him.