*'He's definitely a handful!'*
Despite failing to snatch the ball again and again, Zane didn't grow frustrated. On the contrary, he found himself marveling at Netero's performance.
It felt as though the old man had returned to a state of pure simplicity.
Even though every move he made seed perfectly ordinary, he sohow managed to turn the mundane into the extraordinary.
His thoughts were much like Killua's.
Seeing that he still couldn't touch the ball, Zane decided to switch targets. He stopped lunging for the ball and instead aid for Netero's wrist.
Way of the Soldier: Killing Fist—Aggressive as Fire!
Boom!
Deep footprints were stamped into the hard tal floor.
Zane's right arm seed to transform into a cannon, his fist firing out like a heavy shell.
The friction between his fist and the air, combined with his specialized technique, caused his hand to erupt in scorching, fierce flas.
*'What a ferocious fist technique!'*
Netero read the trajectory of Zane's strike, his eyes narrowing as he reacted instantly.
He flicked his wrist to create distance. At the sa ti, using his right hand—which had remained idle until now—he held his fingers together like a blade. He deftly avoided Zane's punch and tapped him on the wrist.
Bang!!!
Zane's wrist shuddered from the impact, causing his montum to veer off course as if he were about to fly past Netero.
Way of the Soldier: Killing Fist—Immovable as the Mountain!
Shifting the flow of his internal energy, Zane dissipated the shock to his wrist with incredible speed.
Regaining his balance without a mont's pause, he dropped his center of gravity and transitioned into a fluid spinning backkick toward Netero.
Surprised that Zane could neutralize his counter so easily, Netero raised an eyebrow and jumped back.
Snap!
Zane's body coiled like a spring mid-spin.
Zane had keenly anticipated Netero's reaction.
He changed tactics instantly, slamming his palms into the floor. With the resulting burst of montum, he launched himself like a high-speed spinning top, unleashing a barrage of rapid kicks at the airborne old man.
*'Youngsters these days are really sothing!'*
Netero marveled inwardly, yet his movents showed no signs of slowing down.
Faced with Zane's relentless flurry of kicks, Netero finally brought his left leg into play.
While still in mid-air, he unleashed his own kicks.
Netero intercepted every strike with pinpoint accuracy. He even used the force of the impact to propel himself higher, soaring toward the ceiling.
Whoosh!
A flash of movent.
The very instant Netero ascended, Zane activated Swift as the Wind, appearing on the ceiling at the sa mont.
Slap!
His right hand landed squarely on the ball.
Zane hadn't just been chasing Netero; he had never lost sight of his objective.
Now, through his relentless sequence of attacks, he had finally managed to touch the ball held in Netero's left hand.
*'Not that easy!'*
Netero's eyes flicked toward the ball. Before Zane could exert any force to snatch it away, the Chairman's gaze turned serious.
Boom!!
Being suspended in the air didn't hinder Netero's balance at all.
He pivoted his right leg and stomped heavily against the ceiling.
With a dull, heavy thud, a clear footprint was pressed into the tal surface.
Using the rebound, he yanked the ball away from Zane's reach and plumted back toward the floor.
Boom!
Another heavy impact sounded.
Undeterred by the missed grab, Zane followed Netero's lead. He pushed off the ceiling and continued his pursuit as he fell.
He stayed on Netero like a shadow.
In an eyeblink, the pursuit began anew.
Their speed increased until they were nothing but two blurred streaks flickering across the room.
"I can't see them... Zane and Chairman Netero are so amazing. I can't follow their movents at all." Gon, who had been watching intently, rubbed his aching eyes and gasped in wonder.
Beside him, Killua's expression was a mix of complicated emotions.
He felt like a total clown.
He had originally hoped to drag Zane down with him to share the embarrassnt.
And yet...
Yes.
Like him, Zane still hadn't managed to take the ball from Netero.
But compared to his own performance...
How could Killua fail to notice that Netero was now using both hands and both feet?
*'Tch, he's just older than . When I get to that age, I'll definitely be stronger than him.'* Killua bit his thumb as he watched the fight, trying to soothe his ego.
...
Ultimately, Zane failed to snatch the ball from Netero.
It was proof that the title of the world's strongest human wasn't an exaggeration.
Even if that strongest human was now well into his twilight years.
Zane felt a bit of regret, but he wasn't truly disappointed.
After all, his primary goal had been to asure the gap between himself and Netero.
Furthermore, the exchange hadn't been fruitless; he had learned quite a lot from the old man.
After Zane stepped down in defeat, it was Gon's turn.
Naturally, the outco was no different.
Although Gon's sheer montum forced Netero to use his left leg, he still couldn't get the ball.
The ga of keep-away lasted until the first light of dawn.
8:00 AM.
After flying for a full day and night, the airship began its descent.
"Yawwwwn..."
The candidates gathered at the exit. Standing alongside Leorio and the others, Zane let out a long yawn.
Having enjoyed a full night's rest, a refreshed Leorio and Kurapika turned around at the sound.
When they saw Zane's drowsy face—and it wasn't just him; Gon and Killua looked just as exhausted.
Seeing the three of them in such a state, Leorio asked in confusion, "What's with you guys? Did you three not sleep last night?"
"Uh... we just stayed up a bit late."
"We played a very interesting ga with Chairman Netero last night."
"That was a mistake. If I'd known, I wouldn't have played with that old man."
Zane, Gon, and Killua replied one after another.
Their explanations left Leorio and Kurapika completely baffled.
Just as the two were about to press for more details, the airship's exit slowly ground open.
A sudden blast of wind rushed inside.
This not only cut off Leorio and Kurapika but also gave all the candidates a clear view of their destination.
It wasn't the ground.
The airship had co to rest on the roof of a towering building.
The structure was not only exceptionally tall but also incredibly wide, making the roof feel like a vast, flat square.
Despite their confusion, the candidates began to file off the airship.
"Candidates, the starting point for the third phase is right here. This place is known as the top of the Trick Tower!"
Beans had descended along with the candidates.
As the candidates surveyed their new surroundings, Beans cleared his throat and began his briefing.
"Trick Tower...?"
The candidates looked at Beans with even greater curiosity.
Beans continued, "The requirent to pass this phase is to make your way from the roof to the ground. The ti limit is 72 hours."
Finally, Beans announced, "And now, the third phase officially begins. I wish you all the best of luck."
With that, Beans turned and stepped back onto the airship.
Watching the airship depart, the candidates exchanged looks and imdiately set about finding a way down to the base of the tower.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comnts are highly appreciated to keep going.....( 40 chapters) patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink]
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