Chapter 203 Hunter's Occasion × Spider × Promise
[Ilmi: ...]
[:～?]
Xi Suoxi was accustomed to receiving such incomprehensible messages from the other party from time to time.
[Ilmi: I met someone.]
[:Oh~]
[:Isn’t it going well?]
[Ilmi: Not an assassination target.]
[Ilmi: But her presence does bother me a bit.]
[: I'm surprised you didn't choose to just kill the source of your troubles.]
[Ilmi: I am a principled person.]
Looking at the other party's ridiculous and rigid reply on the screen, Hisoka couldn't help but chuckle.
[: Illumi has reached the age where she understands the taste of love~ (heart)]
[Ilmi:?]
Hisoka put down the phone with a smile on his face. The player was looking up at him curiously.
"Hehe~ It's nothing, it's just that my friend seems to be having some minor emotional problems."
He fiddled with his phone absentmindedly, his golden eyes slowly shifting to focus on the player in front of him. "Hmm~ Looks like the Fushimi 200th floor competition is happening today."
"To be precise, I'm challenging a contestant on the 200th floor," the player corrected, pausing. "But I will win."
By the way... Hisoka, who has been indifferent to players and almost ignored them during this period, actually remembered her game time.
"Hehe...try to make yourself delicious."
Suddenly, a cool touch touched his chin, and the player blinked reflexively.
Hisoka lifted the player's face with the poker between his fingers, allowing her to meet those golden eyes brimming with fighting spirit. He sighed, almost suppressing something, "Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I'll do next..."
“…” The player stared blankly with his eyes wide open.
"--The next match will begin in two minutes. Players whose names are called, please enter." The announcement sounded above the two people's heads and spread equally to every corner of the Sky Arena.
Hisoka quickly let her go.
The extremely aggressive attitude that had previously emanated from within seemed to be an illusion on the part of the players.
The player subconsciously touched his face. The terrifying aura emanating from the other party just now was not surprising even if his skin was scratched by a poker.
"Go ahead, cute little fruit, um... give me some more unexpected surprises." Hisoka stood still, watching the players head to the competition venue with a strange look mixed with some sticky expectation.
Players regard this as a special form of encouragement.
The player failed to reach the competition venue smoothly, as an uninvited guest had been waiting for her on the road she had to take.
"I've heard of you for a long time, and today I finally get to meet you, Miss Fushimi..."
The young man with slicked-back hair and a black coat slowly turned around. His eyes, as calm as a cold pond, held a subtle smile. His voice paused subtly, "Nice to meet you, Kuroro, Kuroro Luciro."
The player vaguely realized that his words had two meanings at the same time.
"Hey, the hottest newcomer lately," said a blond, green-eyed, baby-faced young man standing next to Kuroro, speaking to the player in a familiar manner. "The Sky Arena is full of publicity about you."
"How about signing for us?"
In contrast to the somewhat frivolous blond youth, Kuroro displayed a much more stable character. He raised his hand to interrupt his rude remarks, and also calmed down the surroundings.
"Please forgive me, my companions and I have been paying attention to Miss Fushimi before, and we can't help but get a little excited for a moment." There was a hint of apology on his face, and his tone was sincere enough to convince anyone.
His voice paused slightly as the announcement began. His obsidian-like eyes flickered slightly, and he made room for the players to pass. "If Ms. Fushimi has time after the match, perhaps she would be willing to give us a chance to make amends?"
"No~"
The player didn't say anything, and a light, strange voice with ups and downs in tone came from not far away.
The magician, standing in the shadows, held an indistinct playing card between his fingers. His narrow eyes curved in a smile as he spoke in a fluctuating voice, "It's not right to pick the fruit before it's ripe."
"Ah, Hisoka, I see you're still alive," the childlike young man responded to Hisoka's appearance. "It's because you haven't responded to the captain's call that I came to the Sky Arena to confirm if the brigade needs a new No. 4."
"Feitan and the others are here too, the only one missing is you." The green-eyed young man added with a slight twinkle in his eyes.
"Hmm~ Is that so~" Hisoka asked back with a chuckle, not knowing whether it was okay or not, but he had no intention of asking further questions.
They had no intention of avoiding the players and discussed the action frankly.
The player looked at Hisoka and then at each other.
"The brigade's collective activities..." Hisoka repeated the other party's words, his tone gradually becoming warmer, and his laughter was so deep that it seemed to come directly from his chest. He suddenly straightened up, "Okay~ I'll participate."
Kuroro's smile remained unchanged, like a host who could accurately consider the feelings of each guest. He turned his head and looked at the player. "Perhaps, Miss Fushimi is also interested in cultural relics?"
"..." Hisoka did not make any substantial move to stop Kuroro's invitation to the players. He had an interested smile on his face and was cutting the playing cards in his hand. His fingertips quickly picked out an Ace of Clubs, turned it over, and then inserted it into the deck.
Player: "Oh, that, sorry."
Kuroro didn't ask the reason. After a brief pause, he nodded slightly, said "what a pity" without any emotion, and left with the young man beside him in a graceful manner.
“Hmm…”
When the two spiders disappeared from view, Hisoka placed his hands on his legs and leaned over to approach the player. "Why would you refuse?"
"plum bossom."
The player gave an answer that he did not expect.
"Spades represent joy, diamonds represent impatience, and clubs represent a sour mood," the player drawled, pointing to the cards in his hand.
Hisoka listened to the player's analysis with great interest, neither saying that the player's guess was right nor wrong.
"...As for hearts, I've never seen them used in front of me." The player said dryly.
Hisoka stood up straight again, surprise in his eyes. He spoke softly, almost to himself, "It's surprising that you know this much about me."
The player answered frankly: "I have always been paying attention to Hisoka."
When observing your opponent's weaknesses, you will inevitably notice some of his usual habits.
——So far, players have never succeeded in challenging Hisoka.
I must be stuck... I have to learn the ability of Nen to continue advancing the plot?
"Ah, competition!" The player shouted briefly, and only had time to wave to Hisoka before rushing towards the light source in the aisle.
“…” Hisoka’s gaze was cast behind him.
The player successfully stood on the ring before the commentator's countdown ended. As soon as he met his opponent, a reminder popped up in front of him.
([Perception]: You sense the abnormal flow of air, surrounding the opponent and forming a unique loop!)
"*Note: You can only observe the existence state after learning the [Condensation] ability of [Nen]!"
Without [Condensation], players cannot predict from which direction the opponent will attack with telekinesis. Weapons are allowed in competitions above the 200th floor. Players shoot bullets filled with deadly flames at the ground to prevent the opponent from approaching.
"Open the box."
By using the calming qualities of Yudieyu's attributes to slow down the opponent's actions, the player won the game with great difficulty.
The opponents that players will encounter in the future games will probably be those who have mastered the ability of Nen.
"...Alas, there really hasn't been any improvement at all."
The player who won the game came to Hisoka, but received this kind of evaluation from him.
In contrast to his disappointed tone, he stroked the player's face with his fingertips with pity, and the player even inexplicably felt a sense of disappointment.
"It clearly exudes the aroma of unripe fruit. Both its appearance and smell are like a perfect fruit that only needs a little ripening to grow into a big apple..." Hisoka's face fell, and even his voice lost its deliberate disguise. His whole body revealed the anxiety of unsatisfied desire. "But it tastes as boring as cotton."
"How disappointing."
"It's tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw it away... So this is what it feels like."
He made no effort to hide his disappointment, his shoulders slumping weakly: "I'm leaving."
"When will we return to the Sky Arena?" the player asked behind him.
"Maybe after the brigade's operation is over, I may never come back." He waved casually behind him, and with his unique steps, his figure gradually disappeared from the players' sight.
Let’s go…
The player stared blankly at the direction Hisoka left.
"Oh, it's you?" The blond, blue-eyed, baby-faced young man deliberately widened his eyes and spoke to the player unexpectedly.
"The team leader and I watched your match just now. It was quite exciting. What was that butterfly? Is it your ability?" Noticing the player staring at him in silence, the other player didn't feel awkward at all. Instead, he pointed at his face and said, "Ah, you didn't recognize me yet? Knight, I spoke to you on the phone earlier."
“Oh, thank you…?”
The knight smiled and moved closer to the player, his attitude natural: "You reached the 200th floor so quickly, is your next goal to challenge the host?"
The player shook his head. "I'm preparing to take the Hunter test, and I'm just training in the Sky Arena while I'm there."
"Is that so?" The knight blinked, indicating that he understood. He suddenly suggested, "I have the same idea. How about we go together to take the Hunter Test?"
He had a bright and friendly smile on his face: "We can look after each other, what do you think?"
The player didn't react: "Ah, okay?"
"Then it's settled. See you on the day the Hunter test starts." Before leaving, the knight turned around and waved the uniquely shaped phone in his hand to the player, indicating that the player could contact him at any time.
So passionate...
The player realized it later.
Now that Hisoka has left, who else can help players open their minds?
-----------------------
The author has something to say: An experience in Sky Arena:
It was discovered that many viewers would participate in betting on the winning or losing of the opposing players. The player pondered: What would happen if I bet on the opponent to win and then deliberately lose?
Congratulations, players, you have understood the basic process of match-fixing!
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