A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 18: Showtime

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! BOYS AND GIRLS! Welcome to the greatest show on earth! It's the moment you've all been waiting for so please relax and enjoy!" A beam of light had fixed on the ringmaster before it all went dark again. People had filled the seats around us, cheering from all directions.

I pulled away just in time, knowing it was about to begin. I was waiting for the right moment, and it finally came. My plan for the bet, I had to get a feel for him. For the colors that peeked inside. But it was now or never...because I could tell...Hisoka had figured out a way to break me tonight.

It might not be enough to affect this game he's given me but it's a start.

Hisoka retracted his arm and straightened up, crossing his legs. His aura temporarily nulled, but I felt subtle emotions rise again. He was flabbergasted and trying to comprehend what I had just done but hopefully, didn't figure out my intentions. I used his words against him to throw him off, leaving him on edge to think my plan was more manipulative than he thought.

The lights burst on again.

The first act. I need to take the rules seriously, I shouldn't underestimate him and I won't let Bisky down.

I narrowed my eyes in concentration. The music echoed an upbeat, classical melody. Soft purple and blue beams flickered over the center. A circular stage in the center held five pairs of canes, along with five beautiful women with matching leotards in swan-styled makeup that posed at each one. And hanging from the ceiling was a long, plum-silked rope.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, the Swan Cavorts!" The ringmaster appeared again by the stage. Within his hand, he escorted a woman with a dazzling white leotard and a feathered mask onto the stage by the silk rope. She waved to the crowd and climbed up. The ringmaster stepped off, "Let the show begin!"

The five acrobats positioned onto their canes, hauling themselves into handstands. The woman in the middle was gathering silk to climb up, locking her legs in and posing. Suddenly, the stage itself started spinning but the silk rope remained in place. She performed tricks in the silk, twirling into different positions while the acrobats below her did a synchronized dance. My fingers curled and I let out a breath awestruck. It was simply amazing...the music, the lights. Then I sighed because my first experience had to do with life and death matters.

Gyo!

I first examined the girl on the rope. She started swinging around, orbiting the center at a speed faster than the stage. Her legs were now the only thing attaching while her torso completely extended sideways, protruding towards the crowd.

There's...no Nen activated.

The spinning woman then took out a stick and inserted something in her mouth. She then blew on the tip and fire surged out! A flamboyant mint green flame cast a glow over the seats of the audience as she moved in a circle. The flame then started turning into a lavender color, then white, then blue. The crowd went wild cheering.

But I stiffened.

The Nen. Her power. Isn't that what I'm looking for? It doesn't seem like there's anything coming from her-

Something caught my eye. The acrobats on the canes. They all had Nen surrounding them.

Is that where the true performer is? I haven't even found whom I'm supposed to reveal yet.

I studied them intensely. The dancers were bending in ways that didn't even seem possible as they shifted to a stance using only one hand.

Could their Nen be focused on flexibility? An ability to bend your bones like rubber? But...that means they would all need to have that ability. Unless...