Opening Gambits, Every Illusion Shattered

The echo of the referee's "Begin!" still lingered in the arena when Hisoka vanished completely from ordinary sight. There were no footsteps, no roar of erupting Nen, only a nearly invisible strand of Nen Threads that slid silently along the floor toward Lin Ye's ankle like a venomous snake that had long lain in wait. At the same time, three playing cards glowing with pale gold Nen shot toward the three vital points between Lin Ye's brows, at his throat, and over his heart from three entirely different angles, shrieking as they tore through the air. This was Hisoka's usual opening-ambush and deception. Bungee Gum bound and restrained, while Texture Surprise concealed the cards' Nen until it was almost imperceptible, making their trajectories difficult to predict. In past matches, even veteran Nen users on the 200th floor had panicked under this opening assault. Whether the Nen Threads entangled them or the cards cut them, Hisoka instantly seized control of the fight's rhythm. Before the spectators could even gasp, Lin Ye was already moving. Future Sight clearly outlined the scene one second ahead in his mind: the instant the Nen Threads wound around his ankle, the cards would strike all three vital points simultaneously, and Hisoka would appear overhead to his right, ready to deliver a fatal follow-up. Every attack trajectory lay exposed. "Flash Shave!" Lin Ye stamped the floor twice in rapid succession, leaving a translucent afterimage where he had stood. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he shot diagonally upward for two meters, narrowly avoiding the Nen Threads on the floor and letting the three cards skim past his soles. They embedded themselves viciously in the arena's alloy floor, blasting out three small, deep pits. Hisoka appeared on his right, the mocking smile on his lips briefly faltering.