Hello everyone! I do apologize if this chapter seems...Baren. I'm prepping to post more chapters to get the Christmas chapter out on time. I hope this chapter is good for everyone! Much love from me <3
- - -
Y/N stared at the world map in her grasp. Okay, so we're up here in the top part of lop-sided Africa, and the arena is over here in lop-sided South Africa. She pulled the map closer to her face. This map is so confusing. Killua watched her struggle reading the large piece of paper.
She narrowed her eyes. What the fuck kind of names are these places? Killua sighed loudly before snatching the paper from her grasp. He read the map quickly. Gon peeked over his shoulders and down at the map.
"Can you seriously not read a map, baka?" Killua stared up at Y/N.
The female folded her arms over her chest, "I can read a map, FYI. I just can't read this one... It's too confusing."
The young boy facepalmed. Y/N smiled under her scoff, "Shut the fuck up, Kil. Anyway, how long should it take to get to the arena?"
Gon began thinking. Killua closed the map quickly. He glared up at the female. "A day. Let's get going to the terminal."
"Okay okay, grumpus. I'll buy the snacks for the flight." Y/N sighed in defeat.
The pair packed up their bags and started back into the airport. Gon remained behind, still thinking. Y/N was the first to notice the absence of enthusiastic energy. She looked over her shoulders to find Gon with steam coming out of his ears.
"Gon, are you alright?" She stepped back towards him.
"I think he fried his head," Killua observed the boy slump over onto the ground.
The unconscious boy had white foam coming out of his mouth. Geeze, so this really happens when he overthinks? Killua tossed him over his shoulder and retreated into the airport. Y/N sighed and followed behind.
After a few minutes, Gon had reawoken and was back to his usual and cheerful demeanor. The trio purchased their tickets and boarded their flight. Y/N was seated next to the aisle seat and by herself. Gon and Killua sat together on the opposite chair.
- - -
"Look! It's huge!" Gon gasped.
"Yes," Killua smiled, "That's the Heaven's Arena. It has 251 stories and it's 991 meters tall. It's also the world's fourth-tallest building."
Y/N woke up from her nap. She first noticed Gon, who had his hands against the glass. His eyes held a familiar sparkle in them. Killua smiled at his friend's joyous attitude. The female sat up in her seat and stretched her arms.
She looked out the window and at the massive building that peeked its way out from the rest of the city. Y/N held the same shimmer in her eyes as Gon. This is where we truly become Hunters. She pressed her fingers against the cool glass.
"So this is where we'll be training."
"What's our game plan, by the way? Sign up first then get food after?" I'm starving after eating breakfast like a billion hours ago.
"Sure. But if I remember correctly, we're going to have to be fast. Since we're just entering the Arena, there are going to be a lot more people compared to the upper floors." Killua remarked.
The blimp soon landed. Gon, Killua, and Y/N gathered their belongings. Many others trailed off the aircraft. Killua and Gon sighed.
"I used up all my money on the trip fare. We'll have to make more here. After we disembark, we'll start from zero."
What the fuck? But I still got money in my bag. Y/N stuffed her hands in her green jacket, fuck. They both ran off suddenly. They're so eager. The female followed far behind the quick boys. I just hope I'm able to catch up with them at the Arena.
She felt her heart flutter with anxiety. I don't have anime strength like the boys, and I can barely control this Nen I have right now. Y/N stepped onto solid ground. I'm weak, with terrible instincts. This is gonna suck, hard.
The trio left the bustling airport and took a cab to the Heaven's Arena on the other side of the city. Once out of the cab, they found themselves in the sign-up line.
"This is a really long line. Is everyone going to Heaven's Arena? There aren't any conditions here, unlike the Hutner Exam. You just have to defeat your opponent," Killua's gaze averted to the massive building next to them, "The higher you go, the more prize money you earn. This is as good as it gets for those who are looking to make a living with their fists."
"No wonder there's a bunch of bulky smelly dudes here." Y/N thought aloud.
After an hour of waiting in line, the trio was finally next in line. They approached the booth and were greeted by an enthusiastic woman. "Welcome to Heaven's Arena. Please fill out this form."
Soon after, she inputted a few lines of information onto the computer.
"Killua Zoldyck, you are 2054. Gon Freeces, you are 2055. Y/N L/N, you are 2056. They'll call your number on the first floor of the arena. So, make sure you remember it. Please, go ahead."
She pointed in the direction of a long hallway with a set of double doors. Y/N felt her nerves grow with nervousness. I'm so fucked. I may have my Hunter's license, but I'm so fucking fucked. Luckily, Gon and Killua couldn't sense her nervous state.
They walked down the hall. Loud cheering and other noises seeped through the cracks of the door. Someone on the other side of the door opened it. The sounds they heard moments ago were much louder. There was a strange smell of popcorn and sweat.
"It's been a while. But the place hasn't changed." Killua commented.
The trio sat down and watched the matches closest to them. Y/N watched buff men punch each other. She quickly looked around the match floor. There are literally no women fighting anyone. How peachy. Not.
"I would have hoped there to be at least a few girls here to fight. I guess I misjudged." Y/N sighed with defeat.
"Wait, Killua. Have you been here before?"
"Yeah, when I was six. My dad left me here without a penny. He said I should reach the 200th floor before coming home. It took two years."
Gon and Y/N looked at each other with disbelief. Killua brushed them off. He continued on, "If you want to fight people at Hisoka's level, you'll need to go higher. Let's hurry."
Soon after waiting and watching in silence, Gon was called up to fight someone. "I'm getting nervous now." He shakily set his bag down. Bro, at least you have the strength to one-punch them.
"Gon, you got through the Testing Gate, right? in that case all you need to do is push hard."
Gon left with new confidence. The female looked down at him. "Hey, Kil. How am I going to get through this? I'm...I'm not as strong as you think, and you and Gon are way above me in terms of pure strength."
He looked up at her, "You were able to get your license, right? That means you're a lot better and smarter than everyone here. I know you'll figure it out once you're in there."
Of course, I'm smarter than the muscle men here. She nodded. Wait. That's it! Gon's match began, and his opponent flew back against the wall and out of the ring. Killua and Y/N gave him a thumbs up.
Once Gon returned, Killua's number was called up. Both friends watched on as he easily took down his opponent with ease. He soon returned to his seat, with the number 50 written on a ticket.
"Number 2056! Number 1831! Please enter Grid B!" I've got this, don't I?
She handed her bag to Killua, and bid them a quick goodbye. She briskly walked down the stairs. I'm going to improvise. Y/N approached the referee and her opponent, a very fat, but buff man.
How the hell can someone be both fat and have abs? Y/N could hear the distaste in the stands from the men. Tune them out. She listened to the referee and soon the match began.
The man grinned, "I'm going to flatten you like a pancake."
He darted forward. Y/N stepped to the side and swung her leg. It connected with his large stomach. The man was sent flying back. He hit the wall that separated the rings from the arena stands. There was a large indent in the wall.
"H-Hey! I can't get out of here!"
Y/N stood taller but dumbfounded. Holy shit, I fucking did that. The referee stared down at the girl. "Sooo, uh, what now?"
The referee typed into his tablet and pulled out a paper, "You'll be going up to the 50th floor. Good luck."
The female ran back to her friends with the ticket in her grasp. She flaunted the paper in front of them. I can't believe I did it. "Shall we get a move on, boys?"
They left the large room and towards the elevators. The boy with the white karategi was waiting too. Soon they all entered the elevator after showing the employee their papers. Y/N leaned against one of the railings so she could see Zushi behind Gon and Killua.
"The first 200 floors of Heaven's Arena are divided into classes, each comprised of ten floors. So, after someone defeats someone in the '50s, they advance to the '60s. If they lose, then they'd drop back to the '40s."
"So that's how it works." Gon remarked.
"I heard that after you pass the 100th floor, you'll get your own room!"
Gon and Killua looked over their shoulders. A boy younger than them stood with a smile on his face. Y/N smiled warmly. "You must've been here for a while." She observed him. The two boys stared at her, then back at the boy confused.
The white-coated boy realized something, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zushi! What about you guys?"
"I'm Killua!" "I'm Gon!" "Y/N. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The elevator arrived, "We've arrived at the 50th floor."
The group exited the elevator. Y/N felt the change in the atmosphere. There were less smelly people and more people who were dressed like normal. The air felt crisp, clean. Man, this floor is a hell of a lot better than the first one.
"I saw all of your fights. They were really amazing!"
"What are you talking about? You made it here with one match too." Killua remarked.
"No. I still have a long way to go. By the way, which martial arts discipline do you practice? I'm studying the Shingen-ryu fighting technique."
"School? We don't have one, right?"
"I thought that kicking them was enough." Y/N muttered to herself.
"What?" Zushi's jaw dropped, "Are you that strong with no training? I'm kind of shocked. I still have so far to go."
Someone began the clap behind the group of three boys and one girl. Y/N looked back over her shoulder and saw a man with a light pink button-up, black slacks, and large glasses. Oh, it's Zaddy Wing.
"Zushi! You did well."
"Master!" Zushi turned around.
"You adhered to my teachings."
"Yes!" He glanced down, "Master, your shirt is untucked again."
"Oh, sorry about that," He fixed his attire, "Who are they?"
"These are Killua, Gon, and Y/N."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Wing. I didn't expect to meet other children or a young woman for that matter. Why are you here?" He smiled warmly.
Was that...A backhanded compliment? Y/N stuffed her hands in her olive-colored jacket. Gon and Killua didn't seem to notice her slight discomfort. She looked off in the distance at the vending machines next to the cash box.
"Well, we want to become stronger. But we're also broke, so we're also here to make money." Killua listed off.
"Killua is a veteran here." Gon smiled.
"Is that so? If you're up here, you must be fairly skilled. But you should pay attention to your opponent's body, as well as your own."
Focus too much on simply winning a fight, and you reduce your potential. I remember Wing telling that to Zushi. She narrowed her eyes at the people walking around her. It's not always about winning if you're just going to fuck yourself up. It's about how you fight and how you can improve your techniques next time.
"If you fight to win, what's the point in fighting?" She thought out loud.
Gon, Killua, and Zushi looked up at the girl. Y/N was off in her thoughts. It makes sense though, there's no point in fighting to win if you don't improve yourself for the next match. She looked back at her friends and Wing.
"Sorry-I think out loud sometimes. We should go cash in these tickets before anything else." Y/N quickly added.
The group left behind Wing to the cash booth. They forked over their tickets and in exchange, received a small brown envelope. Inside were a few coins of different sizes and colors. She stared at them. Uh, how much is this?
"It's 152 Jenny."
"On the first floor, win or lose, your reward covers a canned drink. But beyond that, a loss earns you nothing," Killua sipped from the aluminum can, "A win over an opponent in the 50s earns you 50,000."
"That's a lot of dinero." Y/N muttered.
"On the 100th floor, I think a win's worth a million. Once your past the 150th floor, you get ten million per win."
"Ten million? Didn't you make it to the 200th floor when you were here before?"
"The 200th floor? How much did you get on the 200th floor?" Zushi asked.
"Well, I don't really know because I quit once I reached the 200th floor. But when I was winning in the 190s, I had around 200 million in total."
"Where's the money now?" Gon was stiff.
"That was four years ago. Of course, it's gone now. I spent it all on snacks!"Killua is my spirit animal. The girl stared in disbelief at Killua.
"We should get going to the waiting room. We didn't take any damage in the last fight, so they'll probably assign us another match today."
They made their way to the waiting room. Y/N trailed behind the group as they entered the room. It became eerily quiet as soon as they stepped in. The girl walked in last and took notice of the lack of women, and the number of muscle men.
Not even a minute into waiting, Killua and Zushi were called up to the arena on the 57th floor. Right, this is where we lose Zushi. Y/N, who was leaning against the wall, gave the boy a smile, "Good luck to you both."
They both left together, leaving behind Gon and Y/N. She sat down next to him and closed her eyes. I should focus on my game plan for my match. The girl controlled her breathing. A few minutes passed.
Their match should be starting now. Doesn't Zushi use Nen during his match? She kept her head down. I wonder... What if my opponent does the same?
Needles shot up her back. This is like the match between Shari and me. It's almost the same type of energy. Does that mean Zushi used his Nen on Killua? Gon took notice of her change of pace.
"Are you alright, Y/N?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
Gon was soon called out. They both said goodbye, which left Y/N alone in the waiting room. She looked down at her hands. For a few moments of silence, she was relaxed. that was until the announcer called her number.
Y/N took the elevator up to the 54th floor. She set her bag down next to a bench. I'll be okay. The girl followed the sounds of distant cheering until she was inside the ring. Her opponent was a tall man with a twelve-pack and mountains of muscle on his arms.
How the fuck does this guy have a twelve-pack? The referee explained his point system. Three points for a critical hit, two points for knocking them off their feet. There would be an automatic winner once someone stepped out of the ring or once someone was knocked out.
"You may now begin."
The man in front of her darted straight for her. This dude is like the Flash. She dropped to the ground in time for the man to punch the space that used to be her stomach. He grabbed the back of her jacket and tossed her up in the air with ease.
I need to control my limbs. The man jumped up in the air as she began to fall. Y/N watched him get closer to her falling figure. She then used her legs as he edged closer in the air and hit his throat as well as his crotch. He fell towards the ground with her.
She stood on top of him as he broke her fall and created a huge dent in the ground. Y/N stepped off of him and backed up. The referee awarded two points to both opponents. She could hear her heart beating in her ears.
The man stood back up slowly and launched himself at her. She was in the middle of the square. I can do the thing! As he got close, Y/N dropped to the ground again. She then readied her leg and focused her energy on hitting the guy in the stomach. As she swung and connected to his stomach, he was flown out of the ring and slammed into the cement wall.
His body was stuck far inside the man-made dent he created. Blood dripped from the side of his head as he closed his eyes. Y/N stood up straight with a slight bounce in her step. Her head cocked to the side with worry.
"He's gonna be okay, right?" Y/N looked over at the referee.
- - -
Y/N stretched her arms and legs next to the bench. Gon stared off at the bustling city outside the window. Killua's been gone a while now. The needle pricks I had felt earlier stopped a few minutes ago. The elevator chimed, and Killua walked out the elevator.
"Killua! Over here!" Gon called.
The girl slowly stood up. "Are you good? You were gone an awfully long time."
"Yeah. Just ran into some trouble."
"On the bright side, we've got 60,000 Jenny."
"So, Zushi was pretty strong?" Gon asked.
"No, not at all. He has potential. One day, he'll be strong. But right now, he's just target practice for me. His punches were weak. I was completely able to knock him around. But I couldn't defeat him." Killua didn't look back at his friends.
"I received the TKO from points but I couldn't knock him out. Furthermore...When he changed his stance his aura reminded me of my brother's. I don't know what it was, but it felt dangerous. It must be some kind of technique," He finally turned around, "His Master called it Ren."
Killua recalled the conversation between Wing and Zushi before he came to meet with Gon and Y/N. The girl stepped over to the vending machine and picked out a soda. "I think we should pay them a visit then, find out what the hell Ren is."
- - -
Her idea was put on hold. The announcement for matches was unpredictable. And for the next 3 days, the trio fought opponents with ease. If they weren't fighting, they were sleeping inside the lobby downstairs.
And by the following week, they had reached the 150s. Killua still held questions about the Ren that was used by Zushi. Gon suggested finding sushi and asking him straight up. Once he was found, they found a quiet corner to talk.
"Ren is one of the Four Major Principles."
Y/N pulled out her notebook and began taking notes for Gon's sake. "The Four Major Principles are for disciplining your mind and body. They're fundamental to every martial art! You must know Ten, learn Zetsu, achieve Ren, and reach Hatsu! This is all part of Nen training. That covers everything!"
"I've no idea what you just said!" Killua yelled into Zushi's face.
"Zushi, are you sufficiently qualified to teach?" Wing appeared before the group, "Gon, Killua, Y/N. There's an old saying that if you learn something in pieces, you'll end up knowing less than when you started."
"So, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing? But I want to know right now. Because it's related to the secret behind my brother's power."
"Ah yes, the brother who threatened to kill Gon and I." Y/N reminisced.
Wing lost his smile as he stared at Killua, "So, your brother is able to use Nen?"
"I need to know what Nen and Ren even mean! I'll agree to the full learning process instead of a quick explanation! And if you're willing to teach me. I won't try to figure it out myself."
For a few seconds, Killua held a staring contest with Wing. Y/N looked between them both. Wing then dropped his head. "Very well. Come with me to my residence."
- - -
Once inside, Wing pulled out a whiteboard. "Now, do I have your attention? Nen means "to burn your own soul." In other words, it's how strong your will is. And the For Major Principles are part of a training curriculum to strengthen your will."
"Strengthen your will?" Gon asked.
"Training?" Killua questioned.
"That's correct. Ten means to focus your soul on one focal point and decide on a goal. Zetsu means to speak about those ideas. Ren means to have stronger determination. Hatsu means to put your ideas into action.
"Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu. These are the Four Major Principles." Gon recited.
Y/N crossed her arms over her chest. He's lying about Nen. Zushi knows it, and Killua has an inkling of a feeling about him. She stared at the board.
"Killua, during his fight with you, Zushi used Ren which is his refusal to lose. So, allow me to demonstrate. Killua. I think I'm going to kill you now. Are you ready?"
"Yeah, sure. It's not happening." He shrugged.
"Then I'll take this step-by-step. The first one is Ten. I focus my soul into one focal point," He paused, "Zetsu. You can express yourself mentally or verbally...I will kill you."
A strong aura began radiating from Wing. Y/N stood her ground as the familiar energy blasted her entire body. Killua stared into the dead eyes of Wing. She watched him jump onto the corner between the wall and the ceiling behind them.
Wing cooled down, "That was Ren. If I temper my will enough, then I can act on it, which is Hatsu. If your will is strong enough, you can make your opponent back down, without moving a muscle. The concept of bluffing derives from this." Killua landed on the ground, "Ren hardens things that are soft and you lose the ability to correct an incorrect idea.
Therefore, you should avoid using Ren until your soul has fully matured. Right now, you boys and Zushi should be training your souls. Y/N, you could probably start Nen training since your soul is already matured."
Killua looked into Wing's eyes once more, "Let's go, Gon, Y/N."
"If you wish to learn about Nen, you should focus on mastering Ten. If you master Ten, you will no longer feel the pressure of an opponent's will."
"You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up." Y/N assured her boys.
They closed the door behind them. The girl sighed and looked back at the door behind her. "You know, I can tell when someone lies."
"I don't know what you mean, Y/N. I wasn't lying in my explanation of Nen." He spoke calmly.
"Let me rephrase that. You lied about the foundation of Nen. I think that you lied because you don't know us. Whatever Nen really is, you know that it's dangerous in the wrong hands."
"I don't understand what you're trying to say. I don't gain anything by lying to you and your friends."
Y/N felt herself heating up with anger. The fireplace nearby exploded into bright flames. Zushi and Wing jumped away. Oh shit. The girl quickly controlled herself, and let the fire calm down. "As I said before, I know you're lying. I know that Zushi knows that you're lying. My point," She sighed, "I don't trust liars. Thank you for showing us a glimpse into Nen, we'll see you around, I guess."
She looked over at the fireplace as she turned to leave. I can fuck with them before I head back. Y/N cut off the oxygen around the fireplace with a flick of her wrist. The fire died quickly before she opened the door to leave.
We'll be back once we reach the 200th floor and run into Hisoka.