"Knowing that this sleepover is coming to an end makes it feel a bit lonely…"
In just five days, we'd already climbed to the 100th floor…Since we were assigned private rooms, starting today we'd be staying there instead. Well, it couldn't be helped. If you win twice a day without taking any damage, reaching the 100th floor in the shortest five days is inevitable. Kurapika had been winning smoothly as well. I thought he might struggle a little, but below the 100th floor it still seemed easy for him.
"Five days… that felt long,"
"Well done, Kurapika. I'm truly moved…"
"You're both amazing, Aisha and Kurapika. Climbing to the 100th floor so fast under those conditions. I mean, all I did was shove my opponents with full force, so it was easy for me."
As for me aside, Kurapika was genuinely impressive. There was something about the way he fought—almost ferocious. I think even his opponents were overwhelmed by the intensity of his spirit.
"Being together like this was fun, but I suppose this is a good stopping point. I wanted to move on to the next stage of training anyway, beyond just Ten and Ren."
Kurapika had grown quite accustomed to Ten. He could now maintain it even while sleeping. Over these five days, I'd made him focus repeatedly on Ten and Ren training.
No matter how talented someone is, everything has its preliminary steps. A Nen user who neglects Ten and Ren will never amount to anything.
"Tch. We're taking it slow too, so Kurapika, take it easy with us~"
"Sorry, Gon, Killua. I'll move ahead while you two rest."
"We'll catch up soon! So go on ahead and wait for us!"
"Yeah. I'll catch up to the 200th floor soon too. So Gon, hurry up and heal your injuries. Let's all get stronger together."
Yes, yes—cheers to fiery friendship. I need to get stronger too!
"Yes! Let's become stronger together!"
""No, Aisha, you could afford to take it a little easier.""
"Ahaha! You two are awful."
"Don't you think you two have been oddly in sync lately?"
Mainly as the straight men. Ever since this sleepover started, Killua and Kurapika had gotten strangely close. Well, it's a good thing.
"Well then, I'll be taking my leave. Gon, thank you for letting us stay over."
"See you. Wait for us on the 200th floor. Thanks for everything, Gon."
"It's fine! You can come stay again anytime!"
"Cut it out, idiot. See you, you two—hurry up and climb!"
Those were a really fun five days. Thinking about going back to a single room again makes me feel lonely.
Oh well. We'll have chances to hang out again. For now, I need to focus on Kurapika's training.
"Alright then, let's move on to the next stage of training right away."
"Yeah. That's what I'm hoping for."
.
From there, things progressed smoothly.
The matches, the training—both went smoothly… too smoothly.It took two days to master Zetsu… and only one day to reach Ren. Honestly, couldn't he already use Gyo at this point? On top of that, aside from one loss by forfeit on the 190th floor—when he surrendered after taking a direct hit—he won every match.
In just eighteen days after arriving at Heaven's Arena, he reached the 200th floor…
"I'm two days behind you, Aisha, but now I'm a 200th floor fighter as well."
"Yes, that's right. Though you still need to register."
I knew it already, but… he's incredible.
Sure, the opponents were weak, but before coming to Heaven's Arena, Kurapika would never have been able to win under those conditions.
His growth speed is terrifying…! He carefully observes his opponent's movements, reads them, learns various martial techniques, and converts them into greater strength. Anyone aiming for the pinnacle of power does this—but his speed far surpasses the norm.
"I've started to understand my opponents' movements. What they're trying to do, what kind of attacks they're about to launch."
"It seems your powers of observation have improved. But don't be overconfident. Growing arrogant with half-baked strength is the most dangerous thing."
"Mm… you're right. There are countless people stronger than me."
It seems that one hit he took was actually a good thing. If he had reached the 200th floor without ever being hit, he might have developed misplaced confidence.
Confidence is important. Without it, you can't bring out your true strength.
But too much is dangerous. Excessive confidence turns into arrogance, which breeds complacency—and someday, that can invite disaster.
"How is switching between Ten and Zetsu?"
"At first, switching to Zetsu was difficult, but now I can do it smoothly without discomfort."
He demonstrated the switch between Ten and Zetsu repeatedly in front of me. Hmm. Quite good—at least for a beginner.
"Yes, it's very smooth. It's hard to believe you only learned Zetsu two weeks ago. For now, you pass—but don't neglect this training daily."
"Got it. …By the way, what's the meaning of this training?"
"Never question your teacher's methods… well, that's outdated. As I explained before, Zetsu is important for advanced techniques. Improving your proficiency with Zetsu makes applied techniques much easier."
For example, Ko. It's an advanced technique combining Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu, and Gyo. If your Zetsu switching is fast, you can reach Ko more quickly. The speed of shifting offensive and defensive power is a crucial issue for Nen users.
"Could you show me your Ren as well?"
"Sure. …Hah!"
…I see. He's been diligently repeating Ten and Ren every day. The power is on a completely different level from when he first learned Ren. With this, he could probably repel any attack from so-called "rookie killers" on the 200th floor.
"Yes, this also earns a passing grade. The speed at which you release the aura you've stored internally is excellent. Of course, you still have a long way to go."
"Really!? Then I get to do that Water Divination test now?"
"Yes."
Kurapika looked happy. Of course he would—having your efforts acknowledged feels great. And he must have been curious about his Nen affinity too.
"Alright, let's begin the Water Divination. …Bring your hand close to this glass and activate Ren."
"Like this…? …There's some kind of impurity in the water?"
"That reaction indicates Conjuration. Kurapika, you're naturally suited to the Conjuration type."
"…I see. I was hoping for Enhancement, though."
I had explained Nen types beforehand, but it seems Kurapika had wanted Enhancement. Probably because he judged it to be the most advantageous in combat.
That reasoning isn't wrong. Enhancement excels in offense, defense, and recovery—it's the most well-balanced type for pure combat. When mastered, even basic attacks rival other types' finishing moves. Combine it with other types, and weaknesses are minimal. Netero is a good example… though he's in a league of his own.
The downside is that it takes time to truly master. Other types can create high-risk, high-reward abilities capable of upsets, but Enhancement relies on pure growth. Fast, but lacking surprise.
"Conjuration has its own strengths. It's not inferior to Enhancement."
Yes. While Enhancement may dominate in straightforward combat, there's no rule saying you have to fight straightforwardly.
Conjurers often imbue their creations with special effects—some of which can completely neutralize opponents if used well.
"Still, if I'm to fight the Spiders, I wanted the stable strength of an Enhancer."
"Well, it's not like you can't learn Enhancement techniques…"
"You mean affinity rates?"
"Yes. As shown on this Nen chart, each type has a maximum proficiency of 100%. Moving one step away reduces it by 20%. That means you can learn and use Enhancement up to 60% efficiency."
"So in pure physical combat, I can't beat an Enhancer…?"
"No, that's not true at all."
"What?"
Thinking you can't beat someone just because your affinity is lower—that's an illusion!
"That assumption only holds if both sides fully master their natural types. Honestly, even among Nen users I know, only a handful can truly claim mastery."
"…"
"And if your proficiency is lower, then all you need is enough overall skill for your 60% to surpass their 100%. It's a mistake to assume Conjurers or Manipulators can't defeat Enhancers head-on."
"Ku—hahahaha! I see, that's true. Even if my Enhancement caps at 60%, all I need is for it to surpass their 100%."
Hey—don't laugh! I'm being serious here!
"Differences in latent aura, manifested aura, aura control speed, Nen technique, physical ability, martial skill, and mental strength—assuming perfect condition, these factors can easily overturn type differences. …Though, I won't deny that type differences are significant."
"Understood, Aisha. I'll grow strong in my own type."
"That's what matters. You must have an unshakable sense of self. Aura is heavily influenced by emotion."
Aura can surge—or plummet—due to emotions. You can draw out power beyond your limits… but forcing excessive aura creates distortion that can rebound onto yourself.
I just hope Kurapika doesn't let his hatred for the Spiders run out of control…
"What's wrong, Aisha?"
"Oh—nothing. …Anyway, you should think carefully about what you want to conjure. Materializing objects requires enormous concentration and imagination, along with extensive training."
"…Chains."
"Chains?"
"Yes. When you said Conjuration, that image just came to mind…"
"And does it still feel right?"
"It does. Nothing else feels as fitting."
"I understand. That kind of inspiration is important. From now on, we'll train in chain conjuration while continuing other exercises in parallel."
There's still so much I need to teach him.
Restrictions and vows. Advanced techniques. What each type can do. And on top of that, continuous fundamental training. I also want to extend his Ko duration—at least three hours minimum.
I should ask Biscuit for help. Alone, I don't have enough time. With Biscuit's Magical Esthetician, we can drastically shorten training time. I'll contact her later.
"For now, let's get your 200th floor registration done. If you don't do it today, you'll be forced back to the 1st floor."
"I'd rather not. I don't want to endure the ordeal of dodging attacks endlessly again."
Talking like that, we headed for the 200th floor.
—but it seems things won't go smoothly.
"What's wrong, Aisha?"
Kurapika questioned me when I suddenly stopped. Ignoring him, I glared at the corner ahead and spoke.
"…I know you're there. Why don't you come out, you pervert."
"Kukuku. Calling me a pervert—still as cold as ever, Aisha♥"
"Hisoka!"
…Sigh. When I went to register, he didn't show up. Well, I made sure to go when he wasn't around. This time, though, he was clearly lying in wait. His presence hadn't moved at all.
"So, what exactly do you want? If you don't have business with us, step aside."
"It's true, I don't have business with you. Well… actually, I have a lot, but this isn't the place for it ♣"
His aura is truly revolting. Hair-raising doesn't even begin to describe it.
…Though I guess I'm not really one to talk.
"Right now, I have business with Kurapika. I honestly didn't expect to see you at Heavens Arena. What an unexpectedly quick reunion ♥"
"I had no desire to see you again. But since we've met here, you'll tell me everything you know about the Spiders."
About the Spiders? So Hisoka knows something about the Phantom Troupe? And he intends to tell Kurapika… He's planning to use him for something. Kurapika probably realizes that too, but if it's about the Spiders, he can't just ignore it.
"Of course. But this isn't the best place, is it? Come to my room—we can talk there ♠"
"…Understood. Aisha, wait here. I'll be back soon."
"No, I'm coming too. There's no telling what this pervert might try."
"I don't mind at all. In fact, you'd be more than welcome, Aisha ♥"
…What do I do? I already want to go home.
—
Pervert explanation in progress
—
"—And that's the situation. I want to fight the Boss, but his guard is tight. I figured that if I teamed up with you, we could stir up the Troupe a bit ♣"
"And you think I'd allow that?"
"Thought so ♦"
Is he serious? He wants to use Kurapika just so he can kill the Troupe's leader?!
"Wait, Aisha. Let me talk to Hisoka for a moment. …Hisoka, aren't you a member of the Troupe?"
"On the surface, yes ♣"
"On the surface?"
"I joined just to fight the Boss. I'm not really a Spider ♠ …Well, since it's you two, I suppose I can show you proof—to earn your trust ♦"
As he says that, Hisoka starts taking off his clothes.
Hey, pervert. What are you planning? If you try anything, I'll eliminate you at full force.
"Hm? Not embarrassed? I was hoping for a cuter reaction ♥"
"I will actually kill you."
This is bad. I can feel real killing intent rising. I'm starting to think maybe I should just kill him. …Ah, no good. My threat just made him more excited. Someone help me.
Hm? A tattoo of a twelve-legged spider with the number 12 on his back. So that's the Troupe's mark.
—!
Kurapika's aura?!
The moment he saw the spider tattoo, it surged?!
His eyes… they've turned scarlet. Is it because seeing the Spider stirred his emotions? But even so, this surge is clearly abnormal! It far surpasses the typical increase caused by emotional fluctuation! And hasn't the quality of his aura changed too? What is this…?
"…Impressive. You've only learned Nen for less than a month… How thrilling ♥"
"Enough games. Show us your so-called proof."
"Very well. …There. I'm no longer a Spider ♠"
The spider tattoo peeled off? Is that a Nen ability?
"This is my ability. I can reproduce various textures on paper. I used it to forge the Spider tattoo ♣"
"I see. Then I understand perfectly. You're a parasite within the Spider."
"Kurapika?!"
Is he really going to team up with Hisoka?!
"You can relax, Aisha. I have no intention of doing anything to your precious Kurapika. It's a simple give-and-take based on exchanging information. If our conditions don't align, there's no forced cooperation. That should ease your mind, right?"
"There won't be any lies or deception…?"
"Of course not ♥ So, Kurapika—shall we join hands?"
"…Very well. Start by telling me the information you have."
"Sure. I'll tell you the names of the members I know—and their abilities. Though I only know the abilities of seven of them ♦—"
After finishing the discussion and leaving Hisoka's room, we completed our registration and headed to the room assigned to us.
…But what truly concerns me is the change in Kurapika's aura. That level of increase shouldn't be possible. There's no way he's already created a Nen ability like that. The change happened the instant his eyes turned scarlet… Was the trigger the Scarlet Eyes?
"…I'm sorry, Aisha. For acting on my own."
"Oh, no… it's fine. If Kurapika wants to defeat the Spiders, having information on them will obviously raise his chances of winning…"
"I see… You've been quiet ever since we left. I thought you might be angry."
Ah. It's true—I haven't spoken since we left the room. I got so absorbed in analyzing the aura surge that I drifted off into thought.
"Sorry. I was organizing my thoughts."
"Your thoughts?"
"Yes. …Kurapika, did you notice that your aura increased when your eyes turned scarlet?"
"What? …No, I'm not sure. But now that you mention it… I did feel more power welling up than usual…"
Hmm. So even Kurapika doesn't fully understand it yet. But he senses something.
"Let's confirm it once we reach the room. …It might be—"
"Might be what?"
"…Nothing certain yet. Let's go to the room first."
"…All right."
It's possible that Kurapika is a Specialist who awakened later in life.
We'll perform the Water Divination again—this time while his eyes are scarlet.
◆
"As I thought…"
"This is…! The result of the Water Divination is different from before?"
What is going on? At Aisha's urging, I turned my eyes scarlet and performed the Water Divination again. This time, the reaction was completely different from the Conjuration-type result we saw earlier.
"Kurapika, please return to your normal state and perform the Water Divination once more."
As instructed, I calmed my mind and let my Scarlet Eyes fade. Then I performed the divination again… Something manifested within the water. The same result as the first time.
So the result changes when my eyes turn scarlet? Why?
"…Kurapika, you are a Specialist. More precisely, it seems that when your eyes turn scarlet, you shift into Specialization."
"Only while my eyes are scarlet? Is that even possible?"
"There are both innate and acquired Specialists. This would fall under the acquired type. However, normally once someone becomes a Specialist, they don't revert to their original category. This is extremely rare."
"I see… I've heard that Specialization is quite unusual. But how does one even create an ability for it?"
Apparently, Specialists can use abilities that don't fit into any other category. But that makes it even harder to figure out how to develop one.
"Specialist abilities are unique as well. In some cases, the ability is predetermined from the start. In others, it manifests from the user's subconscious. You can consciously design one, but even then, the subconscious plays a major role."
"I see… Which type am I?"
"I can't say yet. For now, please turn your eyes scarlet again."
"…This is rather taxing. But it can't be helped."
Without the Scarlet Eyes, there's nothing to examine. When I see a Spider, they change instantly—but I don't actually need to see one. I just need to hate strongly enough. Hate the Spiders—the ones who stole my family, my clan, my friends—everything from me!
"…I'm sorry. Even if it's for verification, I'm making you relive something painful."
"Don't worry about it, Aisha. If this becomes power to defeat the Spiders, I would welcome it."
That's right. If it's for the sake of defeating the Spiders, I'll endure any pain.
So please… don't make that face, Aisha. It dulls my hatred.
"Whew… finally. Maintaining the Scarlet Eyes like this will require training."
"How do you feel? Has anything changed? Does it feel like an ability is manifesting? Like something is about to materialize?"
"Let me see… Ah. It feels like my aura's enhancement is stronger than usual. No—my enhancement rate has definitely increased."
I can clearly feel my body strengthened beyond normal. The difference is unmistakable.
"That may mean some kind of ability has already manifested. Most likely a passive one. When your eyes turn scarlet, it activates automatically. The question is—what kind of ability is it?"
"We'll have to keep testing. …I can't maintain the Scarlet Eyes for very long. After switching repeatedly in such a short time, I'm nearing my limit."
"Understood. Let's call it a day for now. Kurapika, until we finish verifying everything, you are absolutely forbidden from fighting on the 200th floor."
"Understood. Fortunately, we have a 90-day preparation period. We can investigate thoroughly during that time."
"Good. Then get some rest. Good night, Kurapika."
"Good night, Aisha."
So I'm a Specialist…
My luck has turned more than I expected. At the very least, this will make me stronger than remaining solely a Conjurer. In the Scarlet Eye state, my aura output increases dramatically, and my enhancement rate rises as well. And it's not as though I've lost my Conjuration affinity—I can still materialize chains.
With this… it will be easier to obtain the power needed to defeat the Spiders.
…But overconfidence is forbidden. As Aisha has reminded me many times, I've only known Nen for less than a month. No matter how talented I may be, if I grow complacent, I could lose battles I should have won.
Now is the time to sharpen my fangs.
Don't rush, Kurapika.
You are steadily becoming stronger.
◆
Ahhh, I'm so bored. I can't fight, can't train. There's still over a month until our promise with Wing. Kurapika's probably already moved way ahead of us by now. Damn it… I wanna train Nen already.
Maybe I'll go kill some time with Aisha and the others? …Hm? Is that… Shion? She's trudging over this way… but she's got zero presence. Don't tell me she still hasn't made up with Wing?
…Now I'm curious. I'll call out to her.
"Haah… Wing…"
"Yo, Shion… san. What're you doing around here?"
"Huh…? Oh, Killua-kun. Long time no see. Have you been well?"
"…Who the hell are you?"
That's not Shion! She doesn't talk like that! That's obviously a fake!
"Hahaha, don't be silly. It's me—Shion. You just called me by name."
"No. You're not Shion. You're something… gentler."
This is not the Shion I know!
If it were her, she'd say something like, 'Fuh, it has been a while, Killua. I am glad to see you in good health.' Right?! What's with this creepy way of talking?!
"Huh? B-But I am Shion…"
"Liar!! The Shion who was with us didn't talk like that!"
"…Oh! Right, that's true. …There's a reason I talk like this."
"A reason?"
"Yeah. Actually—"
—
Maiden explanation in progress
—
"…So basically, when you're in front of Wing, you get so nervous your speech turns into that. And this is your normal way of talking?"
"Yeah. That's right."
"You're an idiot. A genuine, incurable idiot."
I get being nervous in front of someone you like, but don't change your entire personality over it!
"H-Hey! That's mean, Killua-kun…"
This is impossible. I can't get my rhythm with her like this…
"It can't be helped… It's all Wing's fault for being so h-handsome!"
"Got it. There's no cure."
I'm done. No more retorts. I've been doing way too many lately! This isn't even my character!
"So after you stormed out, you didn't want Wing to see your nosebleed face, so you unleashed some secret Kazama-style technique on him…?"
"Y-Yeah… It's called Yama Kuzushi—'Mountain Crusher.' Just like the name says, it can take down a mountain of a man in one blow! It's a powerful combination of grappling, strikes, and throws! Though… I guess it probably wouldn't work on someone that huge…"
You sound proud, but the one who took that 'Mountain Crusher' wasn't a giant. It was Wing.
"I see… So Wing has passed on. He was a good man."
"He's not dead! He blocked and took the fall properly!"
Oh. He's alive? Good for him. Would've been awkward if you became a murderer.
"So what happened after that?"
"…I carried half-dead Wing back to the inn and handed him to Zushi-kun… and since then… it's been too awkward to see him."
He blocked and took the fall and still ended up half-dead?! Don't use terrifying ultimate techniques just to hide your embarrassment! What a scary woman…
"Ahh, I'm running low on Wing… It's been 326 hours and 22 minutes since I last saw him. I can endure thanks to my 'Visual Memory / Otakara Folder,' but being so close and not seeing him is torture… Ah, now it's 326 hours and 23 minutes."
"You're scary."
What the hell is 'running low on Wing'? Why are you counting the minutes?! And what's an Otakara Folder?! There are too many things to respond to! —Wait, why am I responding to all of them?!
"If you want to see him that badly, just go see him."
"B-But what if he hates me? I'm confident I'd die of shock before I could even consider doing something drastic…"
That's a disturbing kind of confidence. What a pain. I almost feel sorry for Wing for being loved by this.
"It'll be fine. Wing wanted to apologize too. He chased after you because he was worried, right? And besides—"
"…Besides?"
"That soft-hearted guy isn't the type to hate someone so easily. You should know that better than anyone, right?"
"W-We're not dating or anything, so don't say it like that~!"
"Is your brain permanently pink?"
I can't do this. Someone save me. I swear I won't complain about being bored again.
"You're right. If it's Wing… he'll definitely forgive me!"
"Probably. …But what about you? You were mistaken for a guy all this time. Doesn't that make you mad?"
Honestly, she's the one who should be angry, not Wing.
"Well… it was a shock, but it can't be helped… It's Wing, after all."
"Understood."
So that's the level of density we're dealing with. Poor Wing.
"And don't you think his clueless side is cute!? He's strong, sturdy, dignified, cool, and adorable all at once! He's a perfect superhuman!"
"I think the light refracts differently in your eyeballs compared to mine."
The Wing she sees is not the Wing I know. This isn't just 'love is blind.' I've glimpsed something far more terrifying.
"If you like him that much, just confess already. He's dense, right? If you don't tell him directly, he'll never get it."
"C-C-C-C-C—"
"Calm down. You're human, not a chicken. Take a deep breath."
"Okay… 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19…"
"Why are you counting prime numbers?!"
Someone tell me. How many times do I have to retort? How many before I'm freed from this woman?
"Phew… I've calmed down~"
"Got it. I give up on understanding you. You're just… that kind of species."
Why do prime numbers calm you down?!
"A-A confession, huh… I've done it tens of thousands of times already…"
"Seriously?! And Wing still didn't notice?! Wait—tens of thousands?!"
"Yeah. In my imagination."
"Cut it out already! That's what I've been saying—you're scary!"
That's not imagination. That's delusion!
"Ugh, whatever! Just go to Wing already! Confess or do whatever you want!"
"O-Okay! Um… what should I say?"
"Keep it simple. 'I like you,' or 'I love you.' Then hug him."
"W-What if he rejects me?"
"Listen. If you're always thinking about getting rejected, you'll never move forward. You've gotta at least try. Besides… if you drag your feet too long, Wing might get snatched up by some other woman—"
"—Wait, that was fast!!"
She bolted off at incredible speed before I even finished my sentence.
She really likes him that much, huh.
Love, huh…
I don't get it at all.
◆
"Hah… hah… hah…"
I run toward Wing's room.
I never once imagined Wing being taken by another woman. We've been together constantly lately, and before I knew it, I started thinking being by his side was only natural.
But that was a mistake.
Wing doesn't even know how I feel. He even misunderstood my gender. And there's a chance—however small—that he might already be in love with someone else.
I can't stand that!
No… if Wing chooses to date another woman, I'd hate it—truly hate it—but I could still give him my blessing. But for that to happen without me ever telling him how I feel? That's something I absolutely cannot accept!
So… even if I get rejected…
…I'll confess.
All those countless confessions I've practiced in my imagination—I'll finally do it for real. And if he rejects me… I'll return to Riina-sama. I'll devote the rest of my life to martial arts.
…
I arrive at Wing's room. I can tell he's inside. There's no way I'd mistake his presence. I knock and wait.
"Yes, who is it?"
Ah! Wing's voice—for the first time in 326 hours and 44 minutes!
Gah! This is bad—my brain is melting…
P-pull yourself together, Shion! If you start bleeding from your nose like usual, it's all over!
23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97… okay!
"It's… me. May I come in?"
"Shion!? Yes, of course—please come in!"
Ah, thank goodness. From his tone, it doesn't sound like he hates me. That's a relief.
"Thank you for coming, Shion. …About that time, I sincerely apologize."
"Please, don't. I was the one who did something terrible after you apologized to me. …Forgive me."
Ugh! Why am I talking like this again?! I wish I could just speak normally!
"There's nothing to forgive… You had every right to be angry, Shion. I truly believe I did something wrong."
"It's fine, Wing. It's in the past. Just… please see me as a woman from now on. That's enough."
"I understand. Thank you. Honestly, I'm relieved. We hadn't seen each other for a while, so I was worried you might hate me."
"W-what are you saying, Wing!? There's no way I could ever hate you!"
"Th-thank you very much!"
Gah! What is that smile!? Is he trying to make me die of moe?!
But I won't lose! I, Shion, will not fall here! I refuse to let this be my end!
101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 127, 131, 137, 139, 149, 151, 157, 163, 167, 173…
I endured it! This is the first time I've lasted this long!
"By the way, where is Zushi-kun?"
"Zushi went out for a run a little while ago. He probably won't be back for two or three hours."
"…I see."
Which means this is my chance!
Sorry, Zushi-kun—but I'm going to confess now!
"Wing!"
"Y-yes? What is it?"
"There's something I need to tell you."
M-my heart feels like it's going to stop… No, it's beating so fast it might burst out of my chest.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I—I…"
No, not "I"—don't say "boku"! It's "watashi"! Why am I messing this up?!
Wait—what was I about to say? I can't remember the words!? I practiced this so many times in my head!
What was my confession again? Uh, um—ah! That's right! Killua-kun gave me advice!
Say "I love you" and hug him.
Say "I love you" and hug him!
Say "I love you" and hug him!!
"Wing! I—I… I mean, I—!"
"Huh? You?"
Ryushou-sama! Riina-sama! Please give me courage! H-here I gooooo!!
"I—I love you, Wing! I love you! Hold me!"
"…Eh? …Eh!?"
I said it! I actually said it!!
…Wait.
Did I just say something completely outrageous?
After that… my memory goes blank for a while.
How did it end up like this?
◆
"Huh. So Shion-san was in love with Wing-san."
"I see. That is quite surprising."
It had already been three days since Kurapika registered on the 200th floor. While continuing their training, they occasionally took breaks to chat with Gon and Killua. During one of those conversations, Killua brought up something unbelievable.
So Shion had feelings for Wing-san… According to Killua, she went to confess. I hope it went well.
"What surprised me was the way she talks," Killua said. "Apparently she gets so nervous in front of Wing that her whole speech pattern changes. She suddenly started talking all feminine, so I thought she was a fake."
Ah, so that's what that was. She spoke completely differently when she was little, so I assumed she had simply changed her way of speaking as she grew up.
"I do not know those two very well," Kurapika said, "but do you think the confession will succeed?"
"Hmm, probably not," Killua shrugged. "Wing's density is on another level. Even if she confessed, he might not even realize it!"
The scary part is that it sounds entirely possible. That man's obliviousness has reached the level of a master. A true grandmaster of density—terrifying!
"If something isn't done about Wing-san's obliviousness, Shion-san's love might never bear fruit," someone remarked. "Why is he that dense?"
"You're the last person who should be saying that."
…I don't get it.
"In Aisha's case, it's less 'dense' and more 'unaware,' isn't it?"
"Yeah. Maybe it's because of the environment she grew up in…"
"My upbringing certainly wasn't great, but what exactly are you two talking about?"
If Meteor City were considered a good environment, then most of the world would be overflowing with happiness.
"For some reason, I feel like I'm being insulted."
"These two have gotten pretty close lately, haven't they?" Gon said cheerfully. "Staying over together must've helped! Let's all stay over again sometime!"
"Hey, stop that, idiot."
"Aww."
I was looking forward to playing together again. Oh! I just thought of something!
"Gon, next time, why don't we do it when all five of us are together—including Leorio-san?"
"Oh, that sounds great!"
"Would Leorio even come to this side?" Kurapika wondered.
"Hard to say. I can kind of imagine him being happy about it, though. For a completely different reason than those airheads."
Hm? I sense Shion's presence. It seems she's heading this way.
After chatting pleasantly for a while longer, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in~"
"Excuse me."
"Ah, Shion-san! Welcome!"
"Gon-kun, long time no see. How are your injuries?"
Ah, she really does speak completely differently. When she talks to Riina or me (Ryushou), she's much more formal. Maybe this is her natural way of speaking?
"Yeah! They've gotten a lot better!"
"That's good. Make sure you properly follow what Wing says, okay? Nen is really dangerous."
"Y-yeah… You really are completely different."
"Told you. So, Shion-san, what brings you here today?"
Even Gon looked stunned by how different she was. That's understandable. It's like she's a different person.
"I came to say goodbye to everyone. And to thank Killua-kun."
"Goodbye?"
"Thank me?"
"What do you mean?"
The thanks must be about the confession. But goodbye? Does that mean she's leaving?
"The truth is, I'll have to leave Heaven's Arena soon."
"What? Why?"
"Don't tell me it's because Wing rejected you!?"
"N-no! It's not that! My master has been calling for me. She's been summoning me for about a month now, so I need to head back soon…"
Riina? Why would she call Shion back?
"I see. Take care, Shion-san! I won't forget what you told me!"
"Yeah, we'll probably run into each other again somewhere. Stay well until then."
"Both of you, do your best. Wing is a very good teacher. If you learn properly from him, I'm sure you'll both grow stronger."
Hmm. Come to think of it, hasn't Shion taken any disciples? She's trained quite a lot. I'd think she'd at least qualify as an assistant instructor by now.
"And Killua-kun, thank you so much. Thanks to you, I found the courage to confess."
"Speaking of that—what happened with the confession? I've been dying to know."
"I must admit… I'm curious as well."
Seeing her blushing and fidgeting like that… did it go well?
"Well… um… it's thanks to Killua-kun… Ahh! It's so embarrassing!"
"No way, it actually worked!?"
"Amazing, Killua. What kind of advice did you give her?"
"Hmm. For Killua to give such advice… Perhaps he's more experienced than he looks?"
"So Shion-san and Wing-san are dating now! Congratulations!"
Well, congratulations indeed. I should hurry up and return to being a man myself so I can find someone too—
"Yes! We're getting married!"
"No, that's wrong in so many ways."
What!? Didn't you skip several steps!?
What happened to everything between confession and marriage!?
"Are you crazy!? How do you go from confession straight to marriage!? He only found out you were a woman recently! You're skipping way too many stages! How did my advice turn into this!?"
"Amazing, Killua. What exactly did you tell her…?"
"…For Killua to give advice like that. That's beyond 'experienced.'"
"So Shion-san and Wing-san are going to be husband and wife! Congratulations!"
Gon's consistency is impressive.
"Wing said he'd take responsibility! He said he'd take care of me for the rest of my life!"
"…She's completely in la-la land now. Once it gets like this, there's no saving her."
"You've come to understand Shion-san quite well in such a short time."
"I didn't want to."
I understand the feeling. So this is what she's really like… She's nothing like the Shion I knew.
"What responsibility is he even talking about…?"
"W-well, that's… ahhhh! I can't say it! Oh no, I'm getting a nosebleed—2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17…"
She suddenly started counting prime numbers. Is she okay?
…Wait. Now that I think about it, when Shion used to get discouraged because she couldn't win matches due to nerves, didn't I tell her that counting prime numbers would calm her down?
Why did I tell her that primes calm the mind? It was so long ago I can't even remember.
"Phew, I've calmed down. After handling the real thing, I have no openings left."
"Don't call it 'the real thing.'"
"Huh? What are you talking about? What 'real thing'?"
Gon is too pure. It hurts.
"Well then, I should get going. I have to spend what little time I have left with Wing!"
And just like that, after completely stirring everything into chaos, Shion left the room.
"She was like a storm…"
"She looked happy, though. Isn't that what matters?"
"Is Gon broad-minded… or does he just have a hole in his head?"
"Perhaps both."
I feel completely drained. I just want to rest quietly for the rest of the day…
=============================================
Shion Crimson!
Within the ability of "Shion Crimson"… time itself is erased from this world.
And no one remembers the actions taken within that erased time!
Only the 'result' remains!!
In this world, only the 'result' remains!!
=============================================
Correct me if any grammatical, typographical, translation, or terminological errors.
Next is the Hisoka VS Kastro match