Sky Arena.
163rd Floor, Arena A, Contestant Lounge.
Kevin sat alone in the lounge, holding a thick book on zoology in his hands as the broadcast echoed in the background.
A few days ago, after successfully advancing to the 150th floor, he had taken some time off to rest and train before returning to compete.
The door to the lounge opened, and a new contestant walked in.
Naturally, the lounge for fighters preparing to enter the arena wasn't a private room.
"It's him."
The one who entered was none other than Killua—the six-year-old who had won the first match Kevin ever watched three months ago.
This little kid had left a deep impression on Kevin.
Under Kevin's gaze, Killua, small and quiet, didn't even lift his head. He had long grown used to such stares. Because of his young age, he was already quite well-known in the arena.
Truth be told, he was feeling a bit irritated. His age often invited careless, disrespectful remarks from other fighters.
But young as he was, Killua wasn't someone with a good temper. Many fighters had already been maimed by him. The only reason he hadn't killed anyone was because those above the 150th floor were too strong—he couldn't finish them off in one blow.
Because of this, the schedule was usually arranged to avoid having Killua share a lounge with other contestants—when time allowed, anyway.
Today, however, it seemed Killua had arrived early.
Just as he was preparing to deal with Kevin if he said anything stupid, Kevin had already withdrawn his gaze.
"Hm?" That actually piqued Killua's curiosity.
He lifted his head and looked at Kevin.
Kevin had returned to his earlier state—book in hand, completely focused.
He was genuinely studying. Physically, Kevin didn't learn fast, but mentally, he was extremely adaptable. And since his Nen ability, A Moment's Dream, was closely tied to botany, zoology, and medical knowledge, he had no choice but to study hard.
It had been nearly half a year since Kevin transmigrated to this world. He hadn't had a single day to enjoy himself, constantly buried in intense training and study.
"Strange." That was Killua's first impression of Kevin.
After observing him for a moment, Killua's brows furrowed slightly.
Born into an assassin family, Killua was trained not just in combat and survival, but also in observation—a crucial skill in a trade where carelessness could mean death.
From what he could see, Kevin was strong.
Different from the opponents he'd faced so far—those people he could easily surpass given time.
Sometimes he lost battles simply because he didn't want to get too hurt. If a fight couldn't be ended quickly, he'd just forfeit.
But this man before him gave him a faint sense of dread—like facing his brother. Though faint, the feeling was still there.
Thinking of his brother irritated Killua. His family life was complicated, and he mostly hated his older brother.
Kevin looked up from his book, locking eyes with Killua.
"You're Killua, right?"
"Yeah." Killua responded curtly with a nod.
Suddenly, Kevin's face lit up with a friendly smile. "Wanna train with me sometime?" he asked in a relaxed tone.
"What?" Killua blinked, confused.
"I've seen you fight. You're only six, but your technique is incredibly solid. When I was your age, I was still playing in the dirt behind someone's house," Kevin chuckled, clearly impressed.
Killua smirked, obviously pleased, but quickly corrected, "I'm seven."
"Haha, really? Then congrats on growing another year older." Kevin thought to himself—so that's what he's sensitive about. What a kid.
That short exchange warmed Killua up to Kevin. His attitude noticeably softened.
"So, what do you think? Want to train together?"
Kevin was being sincere. He had watched Killua's matches. The kid's technique was impressive—better than most in the arena.
His only shortcoming was his age: his lack of physical strength limited his killing power. He could land a blow to a vital spot, but it just didn't have enough force behind it.
Even so, for someone his age, Killua was outstanding.
"How about this? I'll be your punching bag—let you train on me. I promise I won't hit back. Deal?" Kevin added, sweetening the offer.
But the moment he said that, Killua's expression darkened.
"Hah! You think I can't beat you?" he snapped.
Yup—kids sure are sensitive about that. Kevin was starting to get a read on his personality.
"Haha, I am more than ten years older than you, after all. It's only natural I'd be stronger."
Before Killua could argue, Kevin extended a fist.
"Let's make a deal—consider it a friendly pact. If I ever fight you in the arena and win, you'll be my sparring partner."
Killua's retort caught in his throat.
He stood still, clearly conflicted.
In the end, he played it cool, walked over, and bumped fists with Kevin.
"Hmph! I'm definitely gonna beat you. Then I'll teach you a lesson, haha!"
"Oh yeah? Then I'll be counting on Master Killua to show me the ropes," Kevin replied with a grin.
"Hmph-hmph!" Killua huffed smugly, clearly enjoying the banter.
This kid really is something, Kevin thought. Are all kids in this world so mature? He added aloud, "I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Kevin Carpenberg." He offered his hand.
Killua curiously reached out and shook it, mimicking Kevin's formal tone. "I'm Killua. Killua Zoldyck."
"Looking forward to meeting you in the ring."
Kevin had no doubt that they would cross paths in the arena. He had already figured out how the Sky Arena chose matchups.
He was a buzzworthy contestant—and Killua, being so young, was equally popular.
Now that both were competing in the same tier, it was obvious Killua had hit a bottleneck after reaching the 150th floor. But the fact that he hadn't dropped below it showed that he was still strong enough to win most of his matches.
Kevin, on the other hand, had just reached this floor. If he lost and got demoted, it would be a huge hassle. So he would definitely go all out.
Given all that, if the timing worked out, they were very likely to be paired up next.
After all, the Sky Arena organizers loved to stir up hype. A matchup between these two would boost betting rates tremendously.
Whenever Kevin fought, betting activity surged.
Just then, the broadcast chimed—it was Kevin's turn to head to the arena.
He stood up and waved to Killua.
"I'm off."
"Mm, bye-bye!" Killua finally showed a bit of childish glee, smiling and waving back.
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