Chapter 73 - Vol 2, Chapter 21: Baptism

A/N: Don't forget to check out my original novel: Can I Magic Please. It's like really good. 😉

ANYWHOOO. ENJOY THE CHAPTER

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The roar of the crowd thundered throughout Heavens Arena.

Thousands of voices overlapped into a single wave of excitement.

Lights illuminated the massive arena floor below while giant screens replayed highlights from previous matches.

And today's headline fight was already drawing enormous attention.

The fastest climber in Heavens Arena history.

Versus a veteran fighter of the 200th Floor.

The announcer's voice exploded across the stadium.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

The audience erupted instantly.

"WELCOME TO TODAY'S FEATURE MATCH!"

"IN THE BLUE CORNER—"

"A NEWCOMER WHO HAS TAKEN HEAVENS ARENA BY STORM!"

"THE YOUNGEST FIGHTER EVER TO REACH THE 200TH FLOOR IN ONLY FIVE DAYS!"

"THE PRODIGY IN SUNGLASSES— YUUUZUKIIIIII!"

The arena burst into cheers.

People shouted wildly from the stands.

Some held signs already.

Others wore cheaply made sunglasses in imitation.

Yuzuki had become popular frighteningly fast.

Not just because he won.

But because he fought beautifully.

Every movement smooth.

Every victory stylish.

Every fight entertaining.

And most importantly—

He always looked relaxed.

Meanwhile the announcer continued.

"AND IN THE RED CORNER—"

"A VETERAN OF THE 200TH FLOOR!"

"THE MASTER OF THE BATTLE TOPS!"

"GIDOOOOOO!"

Another wave of cheers exploded.

Though noticeably smaller.

Far above the arena floor—

Bisky sat comfortably in the audience seats with Wing and Zushi nearby.

She munched on snacks lazily.

"He'll be fine."

Wing adjusted his glasses.

"You sound very confident."

Bisky smirked.

"Because I am."

"That idiot will walk out completely unscathed."

Zushi looked nervous.

"But Master Bisky… this is the 200th Floor…"

"Everyone here knows Nen."

Bisky shrugged.

"And?"

Zushi blinked.

Wing smiled faintly.

"Watch carefully today, Zushi."

"Especially Yuzuki's movements."

"He possesses unusual combat instincts."

Zushi nodded seriously.

"Yes, Master!"

Meanwhile—

Several sections higher in the stands.

Machi Komacine sat alone with her arms crossed.

Watching quietly.

Then suddenly—

A familiar voice sounded beside her.

"Fancy meeting you here again ♥"

Machi didn't even look at him.

"…Go away."

Hisoka Morow ignored her completely and sat beside her anyway.

Cards spun elegantly between his fingers.

LICK.

Machi visibly looked irritated.

"I didn't invite you."

Hisoka smiled cheerfully.

"How cold ♠"

His eyes drifted toward the arena below immediately.

Toward Yuzuki.

The smile on his face deepened.

"He's grown again ♥"

Machi frowned slightly.

"You're way too interested in him."

"Mmm~ Of course ♣"

"He's special ♥"

Machi chose not to continue that conversation.

Mostly because she did not want to hear whatever disgusting explanation Hisoka would give.

Elsewhere in the audience—

Kastro sat quietly with his arms crossed.

His sharp eyes remained fixed on the arena entrance.

On Yuzuki.

The boy fascinated him.

Fast.

Talented.

Calm.

And strangely disciplined.

But one question lingered in Kastro's mind.

'Does he know Nen?'

Because this was the 200th Floor.

Without Nen…

You did not survive here.

Not for long.

Around the stadium, betting booths were overflowing.

"Two hundred thousand on Gido!"

"No way! That sunglasses brat is different!"

"I'm betting on the kid!"

"He's fighting a Nen user now, idiot!"

"Three million Jenny on Yuzuki!"

"Gido crushes him!"

Money changed hands constantly.

Tension rose with every passing second.

Then finally—

The arena gates opened.

Yuzuki walked into the stadium calmly.

Hands in pockets.

Sunglasses resting over his eyes.

Relaxed.

The crowd erupted instantly.

And from the opposite entrance—

Gido rolled forward on his wheelchair before smoothly rising onto one leg.

Spinning a battle top between his fingers.

The referee stepped between them.

"Both fighters, listen carefully."

"No killing."

"Ring-outs count as losses."

"Intentional lethal attacks will result in disqualification."

"Victory is decided by points, surrender, incapacitation, or ring-out."

Both nodded lightly.

Then the referee stepped back.

"Begin when ready!"

Silence fell for a moment.

Then—

Gido smiled.

But unlike before…

The fake friendliness was gone.

Completely.

His face twisted slightly.

"You really are an idiot kid."

The audience quieted slightly at the sudden shift in tone.

Gido's eyes darkened.

"You should've stayed downstairs."

"Now?"

"You're going to suffer the same fate we did."

His tops spun faster between his fingers.

Dangerous.

Violent.

Cruel.

"You have no idea what this floor really is."

Most newcomers panicked at this point.

Fear.

Confusion.

Dread.

That was the usual reaction.

But Yuzuki simply smiled.

Calmly.

Almost amused.

"…Wow."

Gido frowned slightly.

Yuzuki tilted his head.

"Your façade broke pretty quickly."

Silence.

Then Yuzuki's smile widened slightly.

"And here I was hoping for better acting."

A strange chill suddenly crawled down Gido's spine.

For no clear reason.

Yuzuki slowly adjusted his sunglasses.

Then smiled again.

"I can't wait."

And for the very first time since entering the ring—

Gido felt something instinctively.

Danger.

"BEGIN!"

The instant the referee shouted—

Gido moved first.

His battle tops exploded from his hands with violent speed.

WHIRRRRRR—

The sound alone was enough to make weaker spectators flinch.

Aura coated the spinning tops as they tore across the arena floor like circular bullets.

Yuzuki leaned slightly sideways.

One top screamed past his face.

A second curved unnaturally midair.

A third shot toward his blind spot.

Gido smirked.

"Dance for me, brat!"

The tops accelerated further.

The arena floor cracked wherever they struck.

Concrete fragments exploded into the air.

The crowd erupted instantly.

"He's cornered!"

"The kid can't even get close!"

"Those tops are insane!"

Yuzuki moved again.

Smooth.

Efficient.

Minimal.

Every motion barely avoided disaster.

One step.

Tilt.

Pivot.

Duck.

Another top ripped past his chest close enough to graze fabric.

Gido's grin widened.

"So you can use Nen after all."

The tops circled him like predators.

"Good."

"That means I don't need to hold back."

Aura surged from Gido's body as more tops emerged.

The pressure increased immediately.

WHIRRRRRRRRR—

The tops now moved so fast they became blurs.

Some bounced off walls.

Others curved unpredictably.

Several attacked simultaneously from different angles.

To the audience—

It looked overwhelming.

Yuzuki appeared trapped in an endless storm of spinning death.

Even experienced fighters in the crowd looked tense.

"That kid's finished."

"He can't keep dodging forever."

"He's being completely overwhelmed."

But high above the arena—

The reactions were very different.

Wing watched calmly.

"He's not struggling at all."

Zushi blinked.

"Huh?"

Bisky smirked while chewing lazily.

"He's bored out of his mind."

Down below—

Machi watched expressionlessly.

'His movements are too clean.'

'Too relaxed.'

Meanwhile beside her—

Hisoka's smile widened slowly.

LICK.

"Beautiful ♥"

Because unlike the audience—

They could all see the truth.

Yuzuki wasn't barely surviving.

He was reading everything effortlessly.

Every trajectory.

Every angle.

Every rotation.

Every shift in aura.

The difference in skill was enormous.

Gido simply could not see it.

The tops attacked again.

This time from every direction simultaneously.

A barrage.

A prison of spinning steel.

Yuzuki's body flowed between them smoothly.

Like water slipping through cracks.

Not once did his breathing change.

Not once did panic appear on his face.

And eventually—

Yuzuki sighed.

Actually sighed.

Mid-fight.

"…Man."

Gido frowned.

"What?"

Yuzuki dodged another top lazily.

Then another.

"…I don't know why I expected more from you."

Silence.

Gido's face twisted instantly.

"What did you say?"

His aura surged violently.

The tops accelerated harder.

Faster.

Sharper.

Deadlier.

"I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"

The entire arena floor shattered beneath the pressure of his attack.

Multiple tops launched directly toward Yuzuki's body at lethal speed.

Then—

Yuzuki stopped moving.

Completely.

The sudden stillness made Gido grin viciously.

"Finally gave up!?"

Yuzuki slowly raised one hand.

Two fingers extended forward.

Calm.

Relaxed.

Then softly—

"Nen Technique Reversal…"

For the first time since the match began—

The atmosphere changed.

Veteran Nen users instantly stiffened.

Because the aura around Yuzuki suddenly compressed unnaturally.

Violently.

Like space itself bending inward.

Wing's eyes widened.

Bisky's smirk vanished slightly.

Machi narrowed her eyes.

And Hisoka—

His pupils dilated.

"…Ahh ♥"

Yuzuki spoke quietly.

"Red."

BOOOOOOOOM—

The world exploded.

A violent crimson shockwave erupted from Yuzuki's fingertips.

Pure repulsive force.

The incoming tops disintegrated instantly upon contact.

Erased.

Then the blast struck Gido directly.

His eyes widened in absolute horror.

"What—"

The impact detonated.

Gido's body disappeared from the ring entirely.

The arena wall behind him exploded inward.

Concrete shattered.

Steel bent.

Dust erupted everywhere.

And Gido himself flew screaming through multiple reinforced structures before finally crashing violently into the far side of the stadium.

BOOOOOOOOM—

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The crowd froze.

The announcer froze.

Even the referee stood motionless.

Smoke drifted slowly from the destroyed arena wall.

Yuzuki lowered his hand calmly.

His sunglasses reflected the dust clouds quietly.

Then—

The massive monitor screens finally displayed the result.

WINNER: YUZUKI

Still—

Nobody spoke.

Because everyone present understood one thing instinctively.

That attack…

Was not normal.

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