And yet… even he found this cat-woman terrifying.
Kite had no confidence in defeating her. He couldn't imagine a newcomer standing a chance.
Please… just don't die in one hit.
He prayed silently, gripping his enormous scythe as he rushed after Neferpitou.
Behind them—
Gon had already stepped aside on instinct. His strength wasn't enough to join a fight like this.
But the way he stared at Aoki Hiroshi—was filled with uncertainty.
"Why…" he muttered, "…do I feel like this person is dangerous?"
"More dangerous than Neferpitou."
"That's weird."
…
SWOOSH!
In less than a second, Neferpitou was in front of Hiroshi, her claws flashing forward in a lethal arc.
At that speed, there should've been no time to react.
Heh—watch me rip your head clean off!
She was already savoring the kill, bloodlust gleaming in her eyes.
But in the next instant—
Hiroshi looked up.
His eyes were blank. Unfocused.
What!?
Something about that unfocused stare sent a chill crawling down her spine.
For Hiroshi, though—
In First-Stage Gene-Lock mode, his perception was razor-sharp. Combat knowledge and physical instincts flooded his mind all at once.
He saw everything in Neferpitou's attack.
The strength, angle, timing, trajectory—every motion broken down and understood instantly.
And then—he moved.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
Not from thought. From pure instinct—the most efficient counteraction chosen in a heartbeat.
He stepped directly into her path.
At the same time, his left hand pressed lightly on her attacking wrist—and gave it the faintest redirecting push.
BANG!
WHOOSH!
Her chest took the full impact—his shoulder colliding like a battering ram—and her claw strike whiffed through empty air.
Neferpitou went flying.
Kite's eyes went wide with disbelief.
"A rookie… just knocked Neferpitou back?!"
He couldn't trust what he was seeing.
That speed—barely perceptible even to him—had not only been reacted to, but countered perfectly?
The technique had been clean. Flawless.
Not only had Hiroshi neutralized her attack, he'd reversed it and thrown her back.
"This rookie… he's a genius in the art of combat!" Kite's gaze burned with intensity.
In the distance—
Gon clenched his fists, eyes shining.
"I knew it…"
His intuition had been right.
This big brother… was even stronger than Neferpitou.
She hadn't just failed to land a hit—she'd been overpowered.
…
"Khh—cough! What the hell was that!?"
Neferpitou's expression twisted, her hand on her chest as she coughed and steadied herself.
"A weak little human… managed to hurt me?"
That strike had nearly ruptured her heart.
It didn't feel like a person had hit her—it felt like she'd been shot point-blank by a high-caliber bullet.
Fast. Brutal.
He didn't even have killing intent—I couldn't react in time!
She stared coldly at Hiroshi, wariness now growing in her eyes.
That strike—had been meant to kill.
Yet Hiroshi hadn't leaked even a drop of bloodlust.
Her instincts hadn't warned her because there had been nothing to sense.
If it weren't for my aura's passive defense, she realized, I might already be seriously injured.
But no!
I won't accept it!
A human—such a fragile, lowly species—can't be stronger than me!
I was born with Nen! From the moment I opened my eyes!
Her face contorted with rage.
BOOM!
She slammed a foot into the ground, dirt exploding outward.
Then she vanished again, charging Hiroshi with renewed fury at lightning speed.
"Watch out! I'm coming!" Kite shouted, rushing forward with his scythe—Crazy Slots now showing #2, the massive, crescent-bladed reaper.
This kid didn't even know how to fight with Nen!
How could he possibly defend himself?
But Hiroshi simply glanced at him—and raised a hand in refusal.
Kite froze. "Huh?"
Then, Hiroshi vanished too.
With a crushing step that split the earth, he met Neferpitou head-on—speed matching hers blow for blow.
"Wait, what—!?"
Kite reeled in shock.
He wasn't dodging. He was charging straight in?
That made no sense!
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH!
Their forms blurred into shadowy afterimages as they clashed—leaping, weaving, darting through the field.
Ten meters away.
Twenty.
Up in trees.
Behind rocks.
Across open ground.
The entire area within fifty meters became a battlefield flooded by two wild, flickering phantoms.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
They collided again and again—fists flying, claws slashing, bones thudding.
Spatters of blood marked trees and stone.
They fought like animals. No—like predators in a death match.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kite whispered, drenched in sweat. He dared not approach.
He couldn't follow them.
Their speed was well beyond his limits.
If he got involved… he'd be torn apart in an instant.
So that's why he waved me off…
Kite chuckled bitterly.
He had no place in this battle.
Better to stay back—than become dead weight.
"He just awakened Nen… and he's already fighting a Chimera Ant stronger than me head-on. This kid is terrifying," Kite muttered, though his eyes gleamed brighter by the second.
This one had to be brought into the Hunter Association.
Even if he couldn't take him as a disciple himself, he'd introduce him to Chairman Netero personally.
The Hunter Association desperately needed battle-capable Nen users—especially against threats like the Chimera Ants.
…
Far above, in a tree—
"He's amazing!"
Gon's eyes were wide with excitement, watching the two figures clash.
He could barely keep up—but he wanted to.
"This big brother… he's stronger than anyone I've ever seen!"
And it wasn't just raw power.
It was the way Hiroshi used it.
His movements, his decisions—every bit of energy was maximized to its peak.
Gon didn't have the words to describe it.
But his powerful intuition told him:
This big brother was operating in a different state of being.
His technique, awareness—everything had transcended.
He wasn't just ahead of others—he was beyond them.
If Gon had to compare it, there was only one person that came to mind:
Chairman Netero.
The same overwhelming mastery.
But—
"When the Chairman was this age… he definitely couldn't fight like that," Gon whispered.