Wind swept dry dust across the plain.
Sunlight poured down without obstruction, baking the ground.
Boom!!!
A deep, heart-stopping blast erupted, its shock wave sweeping up all the dust within ten meters.
Leo crossed his arms over his chest. A terrifying force blasted him backward, his boot soles plowing two deep furrows through the ground.
He slid a full seven meters before barely regaining his footing.
The dust slowly settled.
Leo lowered his trembling arms and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his chest heaving.
He could feel a dull ache deep in the bones of both arms—a warning that the force had exceeded what they could withstand.
"Master Biscuit."
He panted, smiling wryly.
"You're... far too strong in your true form. You almost wrecked both my arms."
Facing him stood a figure over two meters tall.
Her muscles bulged as though cast from iron and steel, every contour brimming with explosive power.
Her long blond hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her little princess dress had long since been replaced with a close-fitting black training outfit.
Her face was still delicate, but its contours were sharper, her gaze keen as a blade.
This was Biscuit Krueger's true appearance.
"Tch."
Biscuit curled her lip, displeasure written all over her face.
She flexed the right arm she had just punched with, her joints cracking sharply.
"Say that again, and I won't hold back anymore."
Her voice had become much deeper, carrying an undisguised threat.
"I hate my true form—too tall, too muscular, hideous. You think so too, don't you? Hmm?"
She drew out that final "hmm," slowly clenching her fist.
Leo swallowed. These five months of special training had taught him one lesson very thoroughly.
In front of Biscuit, honesty sometimes mattered less than survival.
"You're right."
His expression was utterly earnest.
"Of course women are cutest when they're petite and delicate. Your usual appearance is wonderful, Master. Absolutely perfect."
Biscuit stared at him for two seconds, then snorted as Nen Aura began flowing around her.
Her tall, muscular body slowly shrank like a deflating balloon. Her muscle contours softened, and her height decreased—a few seconds later, the little blond girl with twin ponytails stood on the plain again.
She brushed nonexistent dust off her clothes, her expression returning to its usual ease.
Leo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Every day of these five months had pushed him beyond his limits.
Mornings were devoted to systematic training—building aura reserves through the Enhancement Type, changing properties through Transmutation, and projecting aura over long distances through the Emission Type.
Biscuit's teaching was almost ruthlessly strict. Every detail had to be refined over and over until it became muscle memory.
After noon came sparring.
At first, Biscuit used her little-girl form, but as Leo improved at an astonishing pace, that level of pressure was no longer enough.
A month ago, Biscuit had reverted to her true form for the first time.
Leo had lasted only thirty seconds in that fight.
The true strength of a Two-Star Hunter had overwhelmed him like a landslide and a tsunami.
Strength, speed, experience, Nen application—she had crushed him in every respect.
Yet that very crushing defeat had shown Leo what lay at greater heights, allowing him to find a new direction for improvement every time he was knocked down.
Later in the afternoon came hunting.
Deep within the Moonlight Tundra lived all kinds of powerful creatures: spine-backed boars with hides as hard as iron, silver leopards swift as lightning, packs of giant swamp lizards that spat acid... Every battle was a fight to the death.
The tattoo on the back of his hand kept radiating heat as life energy poured into him.
[Level: 29 → 31 → 34 → 37 → 39 → 41]
Five months, twelve levels.
He could clearly feel the physical enhancement that came with every level.
His muscle density increased, his bones grew tougher, his neural responses became faster, and his five senses sharpened.
Nourished by Nen Aura as well, his body was evolving toward something beyond human.
But the cost was equally heavy.
The intense training kept his body constantly on the verge of collapse.
Torn muscles, microfractures, jolted internal organs...
Without Biscuit using Magical Esthetician Cookie every night for deep massage and restoration, coupled with Leo's own powerful recovery ability, he could never have endured this hellish training.
Now, Biscuit walked up to Leo and looked up at him—even back in her little-girl form, her gaze still carried the pressure of a powerhouse.
"I've taught you everything I can, without holding anything back."
Her voice grew calm, with a rare hint of gentleness.
"The rest is up to you—to put it into practice, understand it, and break through. I only planned to stay for three months... Who would've thought we'd reach the end of the year in the blink of an eye?"
Leo was silent for a few seconds, then bowed deeply.
The gesture was solemn. He bent at the waist to ninety degrees and held it for three seconds before straightening.
"Thank you so much for your guidance, Master Biscuit."
His voice was earnest.
"I'll remember these five months of teaching for the rest of my life. If you ever need anything, just say the word. I'll make it happen."
These were not empty pleasantries.
Biscuit's wholehearted instruction over the past five months had gone well beyond the scope of an ordinary commission.
She had taught him not only Nen Abilities, but also combat wisdom, wilderness survival, and even secret knowledge known only to Hunters.
Leo would never forget that kindness.
Biscuit waved a hand, that carefree smile returning to her face.
"Yes, yes, I've seen how hard you've worked. All right, special training ends here. We'll head back first thing tomorrow morning."
She paused, as though suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, right. You're not a Hunter yet, are you? It's December now... I suggest you get yourself a Hunter License. The Hunter Exam is next January."
Leo nodded.
"That's right. I was planning to register in a few days."
"Good."
Biscuit clasped her hands behind her back and paced a couple of steps.
"Also, our school is called the Heart Source School. That old man Netero, chairman of the Hunter Association, founded it. Keep working hard..."
She turned to Leo, a glimmer of expectation in her eyes.
"I hope that one day, you'll be stronger than that old geezer. I have high hopes for you."
Leo awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"I will."
He said it quietly, but Biscuit heard the weight behind those words.
On their last night in the Moonlight Tundra, neither of them trained.
In a rare gesture, Biscuit cooked herself, preparing a lavish dinner from the ingredients they had gathered during their stay.
The glowing moss provided natural light, bathing the camp in a dreamlike glow.
They said little over dinner, but the atmosphere was relaxed.
After five months together day and night, master and disciple had developed an understanding that needed few words.
Early the next morning, they packed their belongings and left the glowing forest where they had lived for five months.
After half a day's trek, they reached the city nearest the Moonlight Tundra—Yutop City.
It served as an outpost for entry into the tundra, and plenty of well-equipped explorers could be seen on its streets.
The airport was in the city's eastern outskirts.
Compared with the bustling metropolis that housed Heaven's Arena, this airport was much smaller. Most of the airships arriving and departing flew short-haul routes.
In the departure lounge, Biscuit patted Leo's arm.
"This is where we part ways."
She withdrew her hand, took out a card, and handed it to Leo.
"Here's my contact information. If you run into trouble you can't handle, you can come to me—just don't bother me over anything trivial."
Leo accepted the card and carefully put it away.
"Once you're back at Heaven's Arena, remember to check that boy Wing's training progress for me."
Biscuit's expression turned dangerous.
"If he's been slacking off, lazing around, or halfhearted about his training... teach him a good lesson for me! Don't hold back. If he gets hurt, he deserves it."
Leo couldn't help laughing.
"No problem, Master Biscuit. I will."
He paused, looking at the figure before him, seemingly petite but in truth as imposing as mountains and seas, and spoke solemnly once more.
"Thank you for your guidance and companionship all this time."
Biscuit waved impatiently.
"All right, all right, you're making me cringe! Get going. Your airship's about to take off!"
Leo smiled and said no more.
He shouldered his pack and turned toward the boarding passage.
The small airship slowly rose into the sky, tracing an arc above Yutop City before flying toward Heaven's Arena.
Biscuit stood at the edge of the landing apron, looking up at the shrinking airship until it became a black speck on the horizon and finally disappeared.
She sighed softly, a complicated expression crossing her face.
There was satisfaction, expectation, and a faint trace of worry.
"I hope I made the right decision..."
Biscuit murmured, her voice scattering in the wind.
"Old man Netero, I think I've... let quite a beast out of its cage."
She shook her head, cast those thoughts aside, and turned toward another passage.
Inside the airship's cabin, Leo leaned by the window, watching the mountains and rivers race past below.
Seven months of special training had honed him from a rough stone into something with an edge.
And now, it was time to test just how sharp that edge was.
The Hunter Exam... battles above the two-hundredth floor of Heaven's Arena... and the countless secrets waiting to be explored in this vast world.
Leo closed his eyes and began planning his next steps.
First, he would return to Heaven's Arena and check Sophia's and Wing's training progress. Then he would register for next year's Hunter Exam.
Before you continue