150: Goodbye, Wing!
Bisky shouted so loudly that Ronnel's ears rang.
In the end, the three of them agreed to meet in the main hall on the 251st floor of Heavens Arena.
Heavens Arena
As a world-famous battleground, Heavens Arena is bustling with fighters and spectators alike.
Ronnel strolled through the crowded streets, nostalgia washing over him. At a familiar stall, he picked up two crab roe buns made with fringed crab and munched on them as he made his way toward the arena.
With the duel between Hisoka and Kastro fast approaching, the media had been stirring excitement with endless speculation. The arena's promotional materials advertised the match with the tagline:
"The battle closest to the strength of the Floor Masters!"
Closest to the Floor Masters? Ronnel chuckled to himself. That's just to save face for the other Masters.
In his view, Kastro deserved to stand among the best of the Floor Masters—Hisoka was certainly no pushover, but Kastro was on another level entirely.
Their duel was scheduled for April 12th—just three days away.
Ronnel went to find Wing and Zushi, and, as he expected, he ran into Gon and Killua there.
"Yo, Ronnel! No way—it's really you!" Gon's surprise quickly shifted to excitement.
"Ah! So the 'important guest' Mr. Wing mentioned today was you!" Killua said, his hands tucked behind his head, his usual mix of indifference and intrigue clear.
"Hey there!" Ronnel greeted with a grin. "Looks like you managed to drag Killua out again, Gon."
He glanced at the familiar string wound around Gon's fingers. Some things never change.
"And from the looks of it, you've both learned how to use Nen—impressive."
Gon scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh, it wasn't easy..."
Wing smiled at the exchange. "It seems you all know each other already, huh?"
"Yep! We met Ronnel during the Hunter Exam!" Gon chimed.
"Perfect, that saves me the introductions," Wing said with a warm smile. "Ronnel is my friend brother, and Zushi's uncle."
"Friend?!" Gon and Killua exclaimed in unison, wide-eyed.
"Yup," Wing confirmed. "Ronnel and I trained under the same master."
"But Ronnel's talent far surpasses mine," Wing added, his voice self-deprecating. "He's always been a step ahead."
Ronnel gave him a knowing look. Wing was being too modest—his abilities were nothing to scoff at. Anyone trained by Bisky for any length of time couldn't be weak.
"Oh, right," Wing said, adjusting his glasses. "You've been here for a while, but I bet you don't know—Ronnel holds the title of Floor Master on the top floor of Heavens Arena."
"A Floor Master?!" Gon and Killua gasped again, their expressions somewhere between awe and disbelief.
"That's right!" Zushi chimed in, practically beaming. "Uncle Ronnel fought his way to the top, defeating the previous Floor Master to claim the title!"
Zushi's eyes shone with admiration. "One day, I'll be a Floor Master too!"
Gon and Killua stood in stunned silence, trying to process the information.
Ronnel's feats suddenly put Hisoka's reputation into perspective. If someone as strong as Hisoka was only considered close to the strength of the Masters, how strong must Ronnel be to have surpassed them all?
"Oh, by the way," Ronnel said, glancing at Wing, "Master will be joining us in two days."
Wing smiled and nodded. "So Bisky's coming? We haven't seen her in a year—this will be nice."
Meanwhile, Zushi fidgeted awkwardly, unsure of how to address his mentor's arrival. Should he still call her Master?
"Master Wing and Ronnel's teacher?" Gon asked curiously.
Killua's curiosity was also piqued. Anyone capable of training both Wing and Ronnel must be someone extraordinary.
Gon thought back to something Ronnel once said during the Hunter Exam.
"My master told me that if I couldn't get my Hunter license, I shouldn't bother coming back to see her."
Gon chuckled at the memory. Bisky always reminded him of a cranky old grandpa.
Although she promised to arrive in two days, both Ronnel and Wing knew better than to rely on Bisky's exact timing—she had a tendency to keep people waiting.
Sure enough, when the day of Hisoka and Kastro's duel finally arrived, neither Bisky nor Shizuku had shown up.
April 12th – The Duel Begins
The arena was packed, every seat filled with spectators eagerly awaiting the showdown.
Ronnel, using his Floor Master privileges, secured VIP seats for himself and the others. They settled in just as the commentator's voice boomed through the speakers:
"Today's match is a revenge battle two years in the making!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as two figures emerged from opposite ends of the arena.
Hisoka, dressed in his signature jester-like outfit, wore a grin full of anticipation. Across from him stood Kastro, his stoic expression masking the flicker of excitement in his eyes.
The energy in the arena soared as the two combatants locked eyes. The audience knew they were about to witness something extraordinary.
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