Obsession X Rhythm Echo

Swish, swish!

Seeing Baishi's gaze fixed behind them, the two tensed and spun around. When they saw that Netero was only inches away from them...

Swish-

Killua's sense of danger soared. Like a wildcat with its fur on end, he sprang several meters away, but when he realized Gon was still there, he forced down the urge to put more distance between them and stared coldly at Netero.

"Oh ho ho ho~"

"No need to be so tense..."

Having taken in everyone's reactions, Netero smiled calmly. He looked at the three of them with the eyes of a mischievous old boy, then changed the subject.

"I was just feeling a little bored and wanted someone to play with... Speaking of which, this is the first time all three of you have taken the Hunter Exam, isn't it? What do you think?"

"It's pretty fun."

At that, Gon immediately forgot his startled reaction from moments ago and said excitedly, "It's a good thing there wasn't a written test that made us use our brains, or I'd have been the first one eliminated!"

"I think it's just okay."

After making sure Netero posed no danger, Killua glanced at Baishi. Seeing that he still looked as composed as ever, Killua understood. He walked back to Gon's side and said casually,

"The tests have all been easy. They don't feel very challenging. I thought they'd be more interesting."

"What about the next test? Will there be more interesting challenges?"

"Oh ho ho ho, you can look forward to it..."

Netero turned his curious gaze to Baishi and asked with interest, "What about you?"

"Depends on my mood (weighting), I guess..."

Baishi shrugged and smiled.

"Compared to that, I'm more interested in the Shingen-ryu you founded, Chairman. I wonder if I could ask you to teach me a thing or two!"

"Hmm..."

"So you know quite a bit about me."

At Baishi's words, a trace of an inscrutable smile appeared in Netero's aged, clear eyes.

"Come play a game with me!"

As soon as he said that,

Gon and Killua were utterly bewildered, their faces full of confusion.

Ding!

[Temporary Weighting Task triggered!]

[Temporary Weighting Task: Isaac Netero's obsession with games!]

[Note: Satisfy Netero's desire to play, or follow the rules of the game he sets. Based on how fully his desire is satisfied or how completely the game's rules are fulfilled, Advent Emulation attempts of a quality equivalent to that of the expert can be obtained...]

[Restriction-forced level: Advent Emulation attempts x? (white-red)]

Red? There really were red-grade talents and abilities?!

Forcing down his suddenly soaring excitement, Baishi kept his expression unchanged, though a strange glint flashed in his eyes. He looked at Netero with apparent puzzlement.

"A game?"

"That's right!" Netero gave Baishi a meaningful look and started walking toward Area B.

"Come with me... If you can win this game..."

"Whether it's a Hunter License or the Shingen-ryu... I can give it to you!"

Tap, tap, tap!

"Baishi..."

Watching Netero walk away, Gon and Killua looked at Baishi questioningly, asking whether they should follow.

"Let's go! Opportunities like this don't come often..."

Baishi started walking, smiling faintly without looking back. In a low voice, he said,

"He was once hailed as the world's strongest Nen user!"

Hearing this,

Gon and Killua, who were already extremely curious about Nen, followed without a moment's hesitation.

The four disappeared around the corner of the corridor, one in front and three behind.

Area B, training room.

The training room was circular and spacious, stretching dozens of meters across. Training equipment and balls were arranged in a corner of the room.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

Netero had taken off his outer martial robe, revealing the simple undershirt beneath. Now he stood in the middle of the room, deftly manipulating a two-colored ball.

The ball was about the size of a volleyball. No matter how he turned and manipulated it, it moved around him as if by magic, rolling and wandering over every part of his body before finally returning to his fingertip.

Did this old man have to take it so seriously...?

Baishi took off his dress coat and set it aside with his black cane. Looking at how seriously Netero was taking this, he couldn't help twitching the corners of his mouth, hoping it wouldn't affect his plan.

While putting his clothes down, Baishi thought for a moment and decided to materialize the Talisman Wheel and shrink it first.

The fluctuation of Nen Aura was bound to attract Netero's attention, but it was still better than materializing it during the game.

If Netero suspected him of having some ulterior purpose, a single strike from the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva could probably pound him to death on the spot.

Thump, thump, thump~

"Let's skip the unnecessary talk."

The ball bounced precisely between the walls. Netero gave Baishi a meaningful look, then reached behind him and caught the ball flying toward him without turning his head.

"Whoever gets the ball before the airship reaches the next exam site wins!"

"No matter how you attack, I won't make the first move against you!"

"Whether it's one against one or one against three, if any one of you gets the ball, you'll get what you want..."

With that, he first winked at Gon and Killua.

"A license that certifies your status as a Hunter!"

Then his meaningful gaze fell on Baishi.

"And the Shingen-ryu, which contains all orthodox training techniques!"

"All we have to do is get that ball, right?"

After hearing Baishi say that the old man was the strongest man in the world, Killua had long been itching to try. He was the first to step forward, unable to wait any longer.

"You two don't rush. I'll test the waters for you first..."

"..."

Gon, a step too slow, scratched his head and turned to look at Baishi.

"Watch calmly and learn..."

After that brief instruction, Baishi fixed his eyes on the two in the room and activated all three Talismans on the wheel.

Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory, Dynamic Copy, and Reflex Nerves!

His mind worked rapidly, memorizing and integrating information.

Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down. In Baishi's eyes, everything became a moving object whose actions could be traced.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap~

The footsteps gradually fell silent.

Killua, who had stepped forward first, didn't immediately go on the offensive.

Instead, he chose to circle Netero counterclockwise, his steps seeming to shift between fast and slow.

Silent Rhythm Echo!

His expression calm, Killua became a series of lingering afterimages, alternating between solid and illusory, as his silent steps shifted chaotically between quick and slow.

"Huh, huh, huh!"

Watching from the sidelines, Gon's eyes widened when Killua suddenly became so many, leaving him seemingly stunned.

The Zoldyck Family's top assassination technique-Rhythm Echo!

His eyes flickering, Baishi consumed Nen Aura. Killua's movements were greatly slowed by his dynamic vision, and every action was clear to him. Even among the many afterimages, he could precisely distinguish Killua's details.

He committed every detail related to Rhythm Echo to memory at a glance, then used Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory to integrate and analyze them, and Dynamic Simulation to imitate and reproduce them. Finally, he used Reflex Nerves as a bridge for the reactions needed to learn quickly.

The muscles in his legs twitched slightly under the influence of Nen Aura. It was an immediate adjustment brought about by the neural reflexes following his imitation.

A painful, itchy sensation forced its way into his brain, but it didn't affect Baishi's observation in the slightest. With every additional second he watched, his mastery of Rhythm Echo rapidly improved, even without him immediately putting the imitation into action.

That was the powerful learning effect formed by bringing together the talents of all three people.

If there was one drawback, it was that even when pushed to its limit, the green-grade Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory still couldn't fully draw out all the potential of the other two.

This flaw stemmed from the quality of the talent. The only way to correct it was to obtain a superior replacement with a similar effect through Advent Emulation.