Heavens Arena

Heavens Arena

Dendra was still some distance from Heavens Arena.

Heavens Arena lay to the northeast, while Kukuroo Mountain, where the Zoldyck family resided, was in the Dendra region to the northwest—the exact opposite direction.

After leaving the station, Oboro boarded a bus bound for his destination.

There were no empty seats on the bus. Every one of them was occupied.

Moreover, most of the passengers looked like trained fighters... some were broad-shouldered and heavily built, while others were thin as monkeys but had sharp eyes.

There were all kinds of people... but without exception, they had all come for money and fame.

These people came from all over the world. Making a name for themselves at Heavens Arena was a great chance for them to turn their lives around and grow stronger.

Heavens Arena was the fourth-tallest building in Hunter World. It was hailed as a Fighter's holy land and a paradise for combat enthusiasts. It drew over a billion spectators every year, with more than four thousand challengers registering each day. There were also countless betting pools of all sizes related to Heavens Arena, which substantially fueled the gambling economy.

Then there was the underground arena industry...

That had also made Heavens Arena a famous tourist attraction. Even those who did not compete came from all over the world to visit every day.

If Oboro remembered correctly, winning a match on the first floor of Heavens Arena only earned 152 Jenie, roughly the price of a glass of juice. The higher one climbed, the greater the prize money became. The rewards had to be accumulated... if one lost, they might lose everything. Heavens Arena's officials were not going to hand out money for free... Around the fiftieth floor, the prize money was probably about fifty thousand. After reaching the hundredth floor, competitors would be assigned private rooms.

Above the 150th floor, the prize money exceeded ten million. By the 190th floor, it reached two hundred million... Above the 200th floor, people basically fought for honor, and there was no more prize money.

However, their rooms would be upgraded to luxury suites, and they would be permitted to carry weapons... They also had to sign an agreement. The matches leaned more toward death battles, and there was a risk of losing one's life.

Two years later, when Killua was six, he would come here for the first time. He would reach the 150th floor in two months, ultimately stopping at the 200th floor after spending two years in total.

During that time, he would surely be eliminated and defeated, forcing him to start "climbing" all over again.

It was clear that the stretch from the 150th to the 200th floor was the hardest.

There might be no money to earn above the 200th floor, but Oboro's plan was simple. He could use the prize money he had saved to bet on his own victories. That way, money would make more money... The amount he could earn would be astronomical! Of course... this method had a time limit. As his win streak grew longer, the betting odds would definitely shrink. Eventually... once there was no suspense left, there would be nothing more for him to profit from.

"I can get in touch with some of the bigger local casinos... Ideally, I'd run the book myself..." As the bus started up and slowly pulled away, Oboro sat by the window, watching the scenery outside as he thought to himself.

"Hey, kid... here for sightseeing?"

Sitting beside Oboro was a bald man with bulging muscles, a thick golden beard covering his face, and a white martial arts uniform.

He was obviously a Fighter.

The bald man grinned, looking exceptionally friendly.

"Yeah."

Oboro smiled and nodded.

Whether by physique or attire, Oboro looked far less professional than the other man. He looked like an ordinary person.

"My name is Charles. I'm an up-and-coming star about to make a name for myself at Heavens Arena... Want an autograph? It might sell for a pretty good price someday..." The burly man flashed a row of white teeth and smiled confidently.

"No, thank you."

Oboro politely declined.

"Are you sure? I'm really good... You've missed an incredible opportunity. Once I'm famous, you might regret it, you know~"

"..."

Oboro sighed softly.

The bus would not reach its destination until very late, which meant they would be stuck together for a long time... Seeing the bald man's enthusiasm and how talkative he was, Oboro felt that if he did not agree, the man would probably keep rambling on.

"Then I'll trouble you."

Seeing him actually pull out a small notebook and pen from his backpack, Oboro said a word.

Ross Charles.

The bald man's eyes lit up. His pen flew across the page as he wrote down his name, tore the sheet from the notebook, and handed it to Oboro.

He even gave Oboro a thumbs-up. "You've got good taste!"

"..."

Having run into someone like this, Oboro could forget about getting any peace and quiet.

Along the way, Charles chattered nonstop. He knew Heavens Arena very well.

Back then, he had fought his way up to the fortieth floor of Heavens Arena before being eliminated... According to Charles, he had been too young at the time. This time, he had returned fully prepared and was confident he could reach the 200th floor.

He had spent five years training bitterly and visited many martial arts schools to learn their techniques before regaining his confidence. Now, he was ready to make his mark at Heavens Arena.

Oboro looked at the rookie in front of him and did not laugh at his endless boasting.

Instead, he gave him sufficient respect—respect for his dream! As night deepened, they finally arrived in the city where Heavens Arena was located.

The moment they got off the bus, the bustling atmosphere of a major city washed over them.

Towering buildings and flashing neon lights... This place was more developed than Graham Galance. Whether in terms of economy, foot traffic, or modernization, the latter could not compare.

"Charles."

After getting off the bus, Oboro called out to the bald man.

"I can take you to Heavens Arena..." Charles thought Oboro was unfamiliar with the place and had no sense of direction, so he wanted to ask him for help.

"Did you bring money?"

To his surprise, Oboro held out a hand toward him the next second.

"Huh?"

Charles froze.

"Hurry..." Oboro crooked a finger, making his meaning obvious.

Once the bald man caught on, he somehow found himself taking out his wallet and handing over a small stack of bills.

"Thanks."

Oboro accepted them without the slightest hesitation, waved, and strolled away at an unhurried pace.

Charles was left standing there in a daze, scratching his head in confusion...

He had no idea... that he had actually been affected by Nen.

Now that Oboro had some cash, he planned to find a hotel for the night, then register at Heavens Arena tomorrow and begin fighting.

Without Charles's kind "help," he would have had to sleep on the streets tonight. His pockets had been painfully empty, and he was nearly out of food.

At least listening to the bald man ramble all the way had not been for nothing.

It had been quite torturous...

After a while, he found a hotel not far from Heavens Arena and settled in. He then enjoyed a lavish meal and bought himself an outfit at a mall... a pair of black leather shoes, black dress pants, a white shirt, and a tie.

It was a typical office worker's outfit... but it made him look much more energetic. He looked pretty cool, too, and somewhat more mature.

He had always been casual when shopping... Besides, the saleswoman had been incredibly enthusiastic, and the clothes seemed to be from a decent brand. Since he had enough money left over, he bought them.

Having lived two lives, his soul was rather old-fashioned. He did not like styles that felt too youthful.

A man... had to have at least one presentable outfit.

After leaving the mall, Oboro had his hands in his pockets and wore sunglasses. When he looked up, he saw the magnificent building rising into the clouds and piercing the night sky. At first glance, its spire seemed suspended beneath the bright moon... It was Heavens Arena! This landmark stood at the center of a vast plaza.

Starting from Heavens Arena, the entire surrounding district sold everything imaginable and had an intensely commercial atmosphere.

Compared to tourists and residents, the people coming and going along the main streets were more often Fighters of every sort... Some wore casual clothes, but Oboro could tell at a glance that they possessed considerable presence.

Some young women and married women passing nearby secretly glanced at Oboro, while others openly stared at him, proving... that this outfit really did suit him.

"From far away, it looked like a glowing pillar. Up close, I didn't expect the building to be this huge..."

Drawing back his gaze, Oboro sighed. He truly felt like a tourist.

After all, he had only seen it in anime in his previous life. It did not have this kind of visual impact there.

With a faint smile, he returned to the hotel.

The next morning, he checked out, left the hotel, and followed the massive crowd through Heavens Arena's main entrance.

The instant he entered the lobby, a wave of noise and heat hit him head-on.

The crowd was packed tightly together... Long lines stretched before every service window.

Staff members continuously directed the crowd and shouted instructions.

Numerous screens hanging on the walls played recent famous arena matches. Some also introduced rising star Fighters who had made names for themselves, all of them Heavens Arena's hottest celebrities of late.

Spectators and competitors looking to register were separated... After Oboro briefly stated his purpose, he was taken to a relatively quiet corner of the lobby corridor.

At the end of the passage was a staircase leading to the second floor. Upstairs, several small windows handled registration and enrollment.

Though it was quieter there, there were still over a hundred people lined up in front of him...

"What a crowd."

Oboro sighed.

"Brother, you came to the wrong place, didn't you? Looking at you... you should be working at some company... An arena where the strong devour the weak isn't for you... The people here eat others alive. A newbie like you has no place here at all."

Suddenly, the person standing behind Oboro poked him in the shoulder and sneered.

Oboro slowly turned around and saw that the speaker was a vicious-looking Black man over two meters tall, wearing boxing gloves. He smiled. "I'm here to make a little extra cash..."

Make a little extra cash?

The Black man's eyes widened. Thinking Oboro was looking down on him, his face darkened at once. He pointed behind them. "Move. Go line up at the back."

But the next second, the Black man's eyes bulged as if he had suffered a heavy blow. Clutching his abdomen, he dropped to his knees.

His mouth hung open, but he could not breathe.

Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth...

Just a few seconds later, he passed out.

"Someone fainted here!"

"Get someone over here!"

Someone in the line behind them shouted.

Soon, several staff members arrived and carried the Black man away.

With his hands in his pockets, Oboro leisurely moved forward with the line.

Another competitor who filled the Black man's vacant spot looked at Oboro with a trace of fear in his eyes.

The man had been standing close by. He had heard and seen the verbal exchange and conflict between the Black man and this "young office worker."

His instincts told him that the latter had definitely attacked the Black man! Yet he had noticed nothing at all... In fact, from his perspective, the guy in front of him had remained with his back to the Black man the entire time...

"This office worker who looks like he belongs at some company... is dangerous."

Thinking this, the man swallowed and took a step back, keeping a certain distance from Oboro.

Before long, Oboro reached the registration window, signed up for the competition, and filled out the form.

It did not take much time...

Then, following the assigned number, he found the waiting room designated for him and pushed open the door.

His first arena match was about to begin.