Chapter 39: Surprise—The Ultimate Challenge

Auren and Neffi sit inside the backroom of their favorite restaurant. By now, they’re well known to the owners as they always leave generous tips.They order their food and drinks and begin eating the moment their meals are served.

“So… what is your goal?” Neffi asks, her expression full of curiosity as she stuffs her mouth.

“So tasty!” She adds with a big smile.

“I’ve got quite a few goals. Short-term, medium-term, and long-term,” Auren replies.

“I guess I want to become a Floor Master for now. It’s not particularly difficult, but it’s a great starting point to get my name out there. I also just reached an En range of over 20 meters, so that’s one short-term goal I’ve knocked out,” he says with a grin.

“20 meters is incredible… I’ve never focused on En. I can use it, but my range is only a few meters. Anyway, why do you want that useless title? I guess part of it is just training, right? I like how you train—you’re kind of like me,” Neffi says.

“Training, yes—but I want accomplishments too. My medium-term goal is to build a strong reputation and backing. For that, I want to improve my standing within the Association and the Hollow Blade. So, after Heaven’s Arena, I’ll head there… I might as well send you home while I’m at it.”

“I see,” she says. “So why do you want that backing in the first place?” she asks.

“I want to use my Hatsu to get rich. For example, I know about a guy named Battera who would pay me 50 billion Jenny to cure a certain someone. The only reason I haven’t already paid him a visit is because I’m afraid of the consequences. You said it yourself—if people find out about my Hatsu, I’ll be in danger. I need the strength to protect myself so that people pay me for my services instead of trying to exploit me. I also want to travel the world, learn from others, and honestly… have fun.”

“As for my long-term goals… I like collecting weapons and armor. It’s childish, maybe, but I’m hooked. For now, I’ve got my six Ben’s Knives, but that’s hardly a collection. I want to keep training hard as well, that’s something I can never neglect. I want to become the strongest Nen-user. It’s unrealistic, sure. Silly even, but I mean it.” He pauses, then asks, “Say, Neffi… has your master ever told you about the outside world?”

“The outside world?” she repeats, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

“Hehe, well… let me tell you a story. It’s connected to the last Hunter Exam, too. You see, every nation in the V5 has launched a very special expedition.”

Auren begins explaining what he knows about the five expeditions to the Dark Continent.

“The Begerosse Union went after a rare ore that generates absurd amounts of electricity when submerged in water. It’s located in a steep mountain range. The United States of Saherta was after a special herb that supposedly cures all known illnesses. Apparently, it grows within ruins hidden in an ancient forest.”

Neffi chuckles. “Hehe, why go on such a dangerous expedition for an herb when people like you exist? Another reason you need to be careful, Auren—I don’t want to lose my new little brother.”

Younger brother?

“When you join Hollow Blade, you’ll be my junior brother!” she adds with a grin.

“I guess… anyway, the Federation of Ochima went looking for Nitro Rice, which grows in the swamps over there. Honestly, that’s one of the main reasons I’m interested in the Dark Continent—it can increase your lifespan.”

Neffi looks visibly impressed. “I’m interested too…!”

“Then there’s the Trinity Elixir, the so-called mother solution for all liquids, which the Mimbo Republic was after. And finally, the Kukan’yu Kingdom was searching for Metallion—a special alchemy plant.”

“They all encountered the so-called Five Threats—or Five Calamities. I’ll tell you about them later. The survival rate is under 1%, if I remember right,” Auren says, finishing his explanation.

Neffi still looks intrigued, but her eyes grow darker at the mention of that survival rate.

“It takes a lifetime of training to make it. If you go in unprepared, you’re as good as dead. That’s why I want to build up my reputation. When I finally reveal my Hatsu, I want to be indispensable. I’ll go to the Dark Continent with the strongest team possible. It might take years, but that’s the goal. I told you about that special snake, right? I’m also curious how much of the Dark Continent is already seeping into our world. Into our little lake.”

“This is… wow. You’ve really opened my eyes. I… I want to join you. At least for a while,” she says, smiling.

“We’re stuck with each other anyway,” Auren replies with a smile. “I’ll gladly take you along.”

Finishing their meal, they return to their room. Before Auren can enter his, Neffi suddenly hugs him from behind.

“Thank you,” she says softly. Newest update provıded by novelhall.com

It takes her half a minute before she finally lets go, rushing into her own room without saying anything else.

Auren quickly goes to his own bed, only for his door to open, Neffi, wearing a set of pyjamas jumping in his bed.

“What are you doing?” Auren asks.

“I… I’m having nightmares. Surely you will help out your cute, big sister just a little? Can I stay… please?” She says, seemingly hiding her fear.

“No problem,” Auren says.

“Say… I talked about my goals… what is your goal? Did you already fulfill it when you… took revenge?” Auren asks.

“I guess so… but that was more of an oath… I had to do it. I didn’t want to do it… I just had to. For now, I guess my goal is to thank my Master for everything she did for me. I also want to see more of the world, which is why I’ll gladly join you for a while. I’m having fun, and we’re only hanging out in this stupid tower! Still, every day is so refreshing. Once we leave, things will get even more exciting!” She says, her mood brightening a little.

She then cuddles up to Auren, stretches out her tongue, and closes her eyes, not letting go of his arm.

… This girl.

Auren and Neffi continue training hard in Heaven’s Arena and nearby abandoned warehouses, serving as a suitable sparring place. They’ve begun daily sparring sessions—both with and without knives. This gives Auren the perfect opportunity to use Limitless Waters freely during combat, allowing him to experiment to his heart’s content. From water bullets and slicing arcs, to large defensive shields or enhancing his claws, daggers, and sword—Auren doesn’t just experiment, he significantly improves his effective techniques.

Neffi holds nothing back either. Her Hatsu allows her supernatural mobility—changing direction mid-air by manipulating her clothes. She wears a long scarf that she can control like a flexible blade, capable of cutting steel when infused with enough Aura. She’s also mastered a gliding technique, using clothes like Jackets and dresses to launch herself into the air and form them into makeshift wings, or using her dress to glide through the air.

Sometimes, they simply spar without using Hatsu at all—focusing purely on technique and Ryu to sharpen their fundamentals.

Neffi isn’t inferior to Auren when it comes to Aura capacity or output, which, according to her, greatly frustrates her—since she’s two years older than him.

Auren also continues his climb through the 200th class. His seventh opponent is a young martial artist, fresh to the floor. Auren has researched him but has found out that he doesn’t know Nen, yet. Uncertain how best to approach him, Auren simply activates Ken and allows the opponent to strike him freely—absorbing all the attacks without flinching or getting hurt.

Eventually, the martial artist injures his own fist from repeated strikes and, in a fit of frustration and humiliation simply surrenders and leaves the Arena.

Before he does so, Auren said one word to him, “Nen!”

That should at least give him a clue what he’s missing. I hope he can avoid getting crippled.

His eighth opponent doesn’t show up. Neither does his ninth. By now, Auren’s reputation has grown wildly exaggerated.

Finally, he stands in the Arena for his tenth—and if successful, final—fight before earning the right to challenge a Floor Master.

With Eternity already conjured, Auren steps into the Arena, full of anticipation.

I didn’t get any information about the enemy! That’s a first. Usually, I’m given at least some intel. There must be something unusual going on… I only received the match date, not even a name. Could this be a Floor Master pulling strings to sabotage me?

The moderator announces loudly, “Everyone, he’s back! Formerly known as Demon-Claw—but we all know he’s got more to offer than just that! With an astounding record of 9 wins and zero losses—please welcome, Auren!”

The crowd erupts into cheers as Auren calmly walks into the ring.

“His opponent is a new face—someone who just registered yesterday. He has no record here, but made it to the 200th floor without a single loss in just… a few days? How is that even possible? That smells like connections, everyone! Please welcome the mysterious… Kite!”

What?! No… it couldn’t be.

Auren’s eyes widen in disbelief as he sees a man with long silver hair, wearing a blue cap. In his hand, he carries a long, curved tachi.

As Kite enters the Arena, Auren keeps staring, speechless.

I don’t want to reveal my ability in front of this many spectators. I’d rather just surrender. A few losses won’t hurt me…

The referee calls both fighters forward and begins explaining the rules. Just as they’re about to return to their positions, Kite speaks.

“My Master sent me to check you out. I finally met him just a week ago—and before I start working on my dream, he told me to pay you a visit.”

Damn… so this is Ging’s fault!