NenMaster
patreon
Chapter 88
🕑 Added 2024-12-05 09:49:31 +0000 UTCThe Phantom Troupe was an emerging criminal group gaining notoriety worldwide.
With their distinct personalities, unconventional methods, and overwhelming strength, they had started to attract the attention of certain individuals.
Nen users, by nature, tended to act alone and were rarely sociable.
Even when some gathered, the groups were usually small.
Because of Nen's uniqueness and the strength it granted, Nen users held a high status in the world's hierarchy.
In this ecosystem, Nen users occupied a notable position near the top of the food chain.
If a Nen user sought wealth and possessed at least decent skills, they could live comfortably without much struggle.
Even those with subpar abilities could sustain themselves by working as bodyguards for wealthy clients.
In general, Nen users, as a distinct group, rarely engaged in deliberate or purposeful criminal activities unless circumstances forced their hand.
Most of them operated in the gray area between legality and illegality, skirting the line but not crossing it.
However, the Phantom Troupe was a unique exception, diving headfirst into darkness without hesitation.
The group, composed of numerous skilled Nen users, was an anomaly in this world.
As a result, every one of their actions caused ripples in the world, drawing considerable attention.
And this was only when individual members acted independently. If they all gathered, who knew what chaos might ensue?
Many hunters who had started paying attention to the Phantom Troupe shared this sentiment.
And today, in the year 1990, this increasingly infamous criminal organization was assembling for the very first time as a full group.
Sky Arena.
The atmosphere today was electric. A highly anticipated match was about to take place.
An hour before the match, the venue was already packed to capacity. The live broadcast had begun early, capturing every moment leading up to the event.
On the ground floor of the Sky Arena, a massive crowd had gathered. Many who failed to secure tickets had flocked here, either sitting or standing, crammed in front of the various monitors.
They were determined to witness the match, even under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Throughout the city, electronics stores were turning on all their TVs to broadcast the live feed from the arena. Giant screens on buildings played the same footage.
On-screen, a female commentator, dressed in Sky Arena's signature light pink-yellow uniform with a large fist logo on the front, was visibly animated.
Holding a wireless microphone, she stood on the highest outer edge of the spectator stands at the commentator's booth, passionately addressing both the live audience and those watching from home.
“Look at the passionate audience here! There’s less than an hour before the match begins, and the arena is already packed!”
“And today’s competitors are two of Sky Arena’s most formidable Floor Masters!”
“They submitted their battle request in advance, ensuring that everyone here and watching on TV could witness this spectacle.”
“These two are among the strongest in the world, capable of delivering a thrilling and magnificent performance!”
“Each of them has carved their glorious battle records into the history of Sky Arena, with their opponents’ blood and their own scars as testimony!”
“And most importantly…”
The commentator paused slightly, adding suspense to her words.
“They’re not just competitors but partners who arrived at Sky Arena together—a duo bound by a life-and-death friendship. They are the most dazzling pair in the arena’s history!”
She raised her voice dramatically:
“They entered the competition together, climbed the ranks together, and became Floor Masters together, all while maintaining perfect synchronicity!”
“As fans marveled at their achievements, one question always lingered in everyone’s mind—who is stronger?”
“It was assumed that their relationship would never allow such a scenario to unfold.”
“But, as they say, reality doesn’t need logic! No one ever expected that the match we joked about would actually happen!”
“It’s as if they heard the audience’s desires—or perhaps their competitive spirits were ignited, pushing them to settle the score!”
“These two life-long friends will engage in an unprecedented showdown today!”
“Who will emerge victorious? Let’s wait and see!”
“Now, before the match begins, let’s revisit some of their most incredible battles!”
As the screen switched to highlight reels, the previously animated commentator put down her microphone and took a long swig of water from a bottle on the table.
Being a commentator wasn’t an easy job—it required exceptional verbal skills, an ability to set and maintain the atmosphere, and seamless adaptability.
Moreover, due to an unspoken rule, they couldn’t openly discuss Nen abilities.
So, whenever a fighter used Nen to create extraordinary, physics-defying effects, the commentators had to improvise and attribute it to some other plausible explanation or play dumb.
Commentators didn’t necessarily need to understand Nen, but they did need excellent eloquence and a talent for turning the absurd into the believable.
As the woman drank her water, the screen displayed clips from the two Floor Masters’ past battles.
One of them was a towering, rugged man with silver hair styled into long, spiked locks. He wore clothing made of bear pelts and boots, his appearance radiating raw, primal energy.
The other was a man dressed in a traditional Japanese yukata paired with shorts, with white cloth wrapped around his abdomen and ankles.
His long hair was tied back with an ornamental hairpiece, forming a high ponytail. He sported a slightly unkempt beard, adding a mature charm to his face. A sword never left his side.
Anyone who saw the two would have to admit—they were striking figures.
One exuded a wild and untamed strength, while the other carried a melancholic air, embodying the solitary grace of a wandering samurai.
That’s right—the two fighters being hyped up by Sky Arena were none other than Uvogin and Nobunaga.
In the past two years, they had made significant progress, steadily climbing the ranks to become Floor Masters.
Granted, becoming a Floor Master at Sky Arena wasn’t exactly the most prestigious feat; even someone like Zushi could achieve it after a few years of training.
For Uvogin and Nobunaga, this was an even easier task.
Both were naturally gifted, perhaps even exceptional.
With the training methods Morin had given them—focused on enhancing their abilities in reinforcement and swordsmanship—and their relentless dedication, their strength had far surpassed what it would’ve been if they’d trained aimlessly on their own.
The members of the Phantom Troupe were naturally free-spirited, only pursuing what interested them.
While they might capture Nen users to learn advanced techniques, they’d never resort to stealing techniques or seeking guidance from outsiders.
Born and raised in Meteor City, the abandoned refuse of the world, they carried an inherent pride that refused to bow to anyone.
However, if the one offering guidance was one of their own, it was a different matter entirely.
As the Phantom Troupe’s Vice leader, Morin generously shared his training methods with the members, and they gratefully accepted them—it was only natural.
Armed with mainstream, elite training techniques and the opportunity to hone their skills through constant battles in Sky Arena, the duo’s power soared.
Their performances in the arena were nothing short of spectacular.
Along the way, they defeated countless opponents, garnered immense popularity, and even amassed a fanbase.
Uvogin, in particular, captivated many with his brutal, primal fighting style, becoming an idol for fans of muscular, no-holds-barred combat.
His fans were not only numerous but also fiercely loyal.
This naturally made Nobunaga a bit envious.
Fortunately, Nobunaga’s melancholic, ronin-like demeanor also attracted a devoted following, ensuring he wasn’t left behind in terms of support.
At this point in his life, Nobunaga still retained his youthful vigor, far from the disheveled, weary state he would eventually adopt.
Through countless bloody battles in the Sky Arena, the two cemented their strength and status.
They had even earned the unofficial title of “strongest Floor Masters.”
This title was shared by both, with fans divided into two camps—those who believed Uvogin was the strongest and those who backed Nobunaga.
Discussions about who was stronger often became hot topics on forums and social media, generating significant buzz and even sustaining numerous tabloids and media outlets.
But as debates raged on, Sky Arena suddenly announced that the two would face off against each other.
The news sent shockwaves through the fighting community, leaving everyone stunned.
No one had expected Uvogin and Nobunaga to truly battle each other!
Fans, initially in disbelief, erupted with excitement and clamored for tickets to the live event.
This led to the current frenzy, where the entire city seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation.
The ticketing system for Sky Arena crashed under the demand, and even after it was repaired, tickets sold out instantly.
Scalpers took advantage, driving up prices, and tickets eventually sold for astronomical sums.
Betting houses across the city also opened wagers on the fight, offering a variety of options:
Uvogin wins.
Nobunaga wins.
A draw.
Both are incapacitated.
Uvogin survives, Nobunaga dies.
Nobunaga survives, Uvogin dies.
Among the numerous options were three seemingly less popular ones:
Uvogin arrives, but Nobunaga doesn’t.
Nobunaga arrives, but Uvogin doesn’t.
Both fail to show up.
While the first two options had some plausibility—given the possibility of unforeseen events or interference from external forces—the third option was almost universally ignored.
The idea that neither fighter would show up was laughable, given how much hype surrounded this match.
For Sky Arena and its eager audience, the match would be a failure if even one fighter didn’t step into the ring.
What they truly wanted to see was the battle between these two titans.
"In such a massive environment, if Uvogin and Nobunaga don't show up...
Not to mention they'd face the wrath of the entire world, their reputations and momentum would plummet, turning them into pariahs in the eyes of fighting enthusiasts. Even Heaven’s Arena itself wouldn’t let them off the hook.
After expending so much energy, manpower, resources, and finances, only to receive such a disappointing result?
It would be an outright slap in the face to the entire world and a blatant provocation to Heaven’s Arena itself!
Heaven’s Arena would never accept such an outcome.
As a colossal organization, the amount of power and influence it could mobilize was truly terrifying.
Precisely because of this, Heaven’s Arena, accustomed to its pride and dominance, never entertained the idea that Uvogin and Nobunaga would treat the entire world as fools.
Or rather, they instinctively believed such a scenario to be impossible.
After all, any person with even a modicum of sense wouldn’t do something so reckless.
But as the announcer had said, logic is for novels—real life is often absurd and doesn’t follow such rules.
There are always those audacious enough to defy convention and do the unexpected.
And sure enough, such a situation arose.
