The sudden shift in atmosphere brought a hush over the entire venue.

Hisoka turned around and walked off the stage.

The moment he vanished from sight, the referee finally snapped out of it.

"Winner: Hisoka!"

Normally, Hisoka loved to keep playing. Toying with his opponents was half the fun.

But the moment he got Kaizen’s call, all that interest disappeared.

He walked straight to the front desk and submitted his application.

A Floor Master Challenge.

Target: Kaizen.

Kaizen agreed instantly.

The match was scheduled for the very next day.

...

The Heaven Arena staff immediately sprang into action. After all, Hisoka was already one of their most popular fighters.

But Kaizen? Kaizen had an even bigger following.

A clash between the two would easily become the most anticipated match of the year.

If they’d had more time, the Heaven Arena would have gone all-out with their promotions—boosting ticket prices and flooding the airwaves with ads.

But Kaizen and Hisoka didn’t give them that luxury.

So instead, Heaven Arena opted for a more aggressive publicity push.

Posts flooded the Heaven Arena forums. Digital screens all across the complex flashed urgent headlines.

"WHAT?! Hisoka’s challenging Kaizen for the Floor Master title?!"

"When?!"

"Tomorrow. It’s happening tomorrow!!"

Excitement exploded across the board.

"Buy a ticket! Get it NOW!"

"This kind of fight is once-in-a-lifetime!"

"They’re gonna sell out fast!"

But ticket sales hadn’t even opened yet.

The hype kept growing, waiting to boil over.

"I can’t believe Hisoka chose Kaizen... and Kaizen just said yes."

"Didn’t Hisoka just finish a match?"

"Who’s stronger?"

"Hisoka is a monster—but Kaizen’s the strongest young talent Heavens Arena has seen in years."

Fans from both camps clashed in the comment sections, arguing so hard it looked like their brains were about to leak out.

And it wasn’t just spectators. Other fighters—and even the arena’s floor owners—were paying attention now.

...

At that time, Gon had just returned from the medical wing to Wing’s apartment.

He wasn’t fully recovered, but the doctors said he could begin light activity.

"Killua! Check this out!"

The moment Gon saw the announcement, he called Killua over.

"What’s going on?" Killua asked, walking in after his training session.

"It’s Kaizen. He’s going up against Hisoka. Tomorrow."

"Kaizen and Hisoka?!"

Killua’s eyes narrowed sharply.

He cared deeply for Kaizen—his cousin—and in many ways respected him more than his own brother, Illumi.

And as for Hisoka... Killua was no stranger to him.

During the Hunter Exam, Hisoka’s power had left a lasting impression. Even now, Killua couldn’t help feeling uneasy whenever he heard that name.

He also knew how Gon and Hisoka had crossed paths.

Neither he nor Gon liked the man—but there was no denying his strength.

So when Killua saw the news, his first reaction was worry.

"Killua, Gon, what’s going on?"

Wing and Zushi came over to join them.

"Hisoka qualified for a Floor Master Challenge and chose Kaizen," Gon explained. "Kaizen accepted. The match is tomorrow. Wing-san... who do you think will win?"

Killua stared at Wing, eyes burning with hope. He wanted an answer.

He needed one.

"Kaizen vs. Hisoka..." Wing went quiet for a long moment.

"I’m sorry, Killua. I can’t say."

"Hisoka is strong. So is Kaizen. Honestly... I think they’re both stronger than I am."

"In a Nen battle, it’s never just about raw power."

"It comes down to experience, technique, strategy, intuition... even luck."

"Any of those could decide the match."

Killua scowled.

"Then why did Kaizen agree to fight that psycho?"

Ever since he reached the 200th floor, Killua had heard plenty about Hisoka.

The guy was a madman—and not just rumors. He had a record of killing in the ring.

"Kaizen wouldn’t say yes unless he was confident," Gon said softly. "You know how he is. He’s not the reckless type. Unlike me."

Killua: "..."

...Killua grumbled internally.

—So you know you’re reckless and still do it anyway, huh?

But deep down, he knew Gon was right. Kaizen didn’t do anything without a plan.

That’s how the Zoldycks operated.

All of them—including himself.

Killua’s gaze sharpened.

"Does that mean Kaizen’s stronger than Hisoka?"

"What level has he reached now?"

"What kind of monster is my cousin turning into...?"

...

When Sadaso saw the announcement, his face froze.

"Kaizen-san... versus Hisoka?"

Just then, Kaizen’s phone rang.

He picked up.

"Kaizen speaking."

"It’s me," said a familiar voice. "Doppo."

"I saw the notice. You really taking on Hisoka in a Floor Master challenge?"

"It’s fine," Kaizen replied calmly.

"Then I’m relieved."

Doppo sighed on the other end. "As long as you’re sure."

Soon after, Nina, Shizuku, Sally, and Tessia gathered in front of Kaizen.

They all knew Hisoka’s reputation.

Shizuku had even recorded his moves in her notebook after seeing him fight live.

Ponzu and Siper—who had encountered Hisoka during the Hunter Exam—were especially uneasy.

Even the examiners back then had been wary of him.

Kaizen looked around and gave them a relaxed smile.

"Don’t worry. It’s just a match."

"My aura’s stronger than Hisoka’s. He’s not a threat."

"Tessia, Shizuku, Sally—go get ready."

"After tomorrow’s fight, we’re moving forward."

...

At 8 PM, the tickets finally went on sale.

The Heaven Arena reserved one of its largest battle halls—second only to the top floor’s tournament arena.

Tens of thousands of seats.

Gone in under three minutes.

Online? Sold out instantly. SMS alerts? Jammed with auto-replies.

Only the limited counter tickets remained.

A line formed that stretched through several floors.

But there weren’t many physical tickets left.

Scalpers crept through the crowd.

"Got a ticket?"

"No."

"Then what good are you?!"

"I can get you through the express line, though. For a fee..."

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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 Chapters in total)