Chapter 13: Kastro and the Copycat Conundrum
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: USER ADAM RICHTER. NEW OBJECTIVE: ACCUMULATE 20 UNIQUE DEATHS FOR SYSTEM UPGRADE LVL 1. CURRENT PROGRESS: 12/20. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT: 10,000,000 JENNY. CURRENT JENNY: [CLASSIFIED]. ** ]
The atmosphere in Heavens Arena was growing thicker with Nen. Battles on the 200th floor were no longer just about brute strength; they were about intricate aura manipulation and deadly Hatsu. Adam, Gon, and Killua were rapidly climbing, and the money was starting to pour in from their victories. Adam, however, had his sights set on a particular target: Kastro. The copycat Conjurer with the troublesome tiger.
" Kastro. The poor man's Hisoka. He tried, bless his heart. But he's perfect! 'Tiger Bite Fist.' A conjured Hatsu! This is exactly what I need. My very first Hatsu! Though, knowing my luck, I'll get 'Basic Tiger Claw Polish' or something equally useless. "
Adam watched Kastro's previous fights, studying his conjured tiger and his attempt to mimic Hisoka. Kastro's desperation and the raw power of his Hatsu made him an ideal target. Adam needed to get him to use that specific ability against him.
He found Kastro in the waiting area, looking intensely at a mirror, practicing his grimaces. Adam, ever the instigator, sauntered over.
"Kastro, is it?" Adam said, a polite but subtly mocking tone in his voice. "I must say, your tiger motif is… bold. Very… animalistic. Are you sure you don't secretly wear a striped onesie under your fighting gear? Because the dedication to the brand is truly impressive."
Kastro whirled around, his eyes flashing. "What did you say, kid?!"
"Oh, nothing!" Adam chirped innocently. "Just admiring your commitment to the theme. It's just that… well, your tiger seems a little… unenthusiastic. Like it just found out its favorite toy was recalled. No offense, of course. Just constructive criticism from a fellow connoisseur of majestic, dangerous animals."
Kastro's aura flared, his anger building. "You're mocking me!"
"Mocking?" Adam feigned shock. "Never! Just offering artistic feedback. You know, if you really want to sell the 'fierce tiger' vibe, you need more… raw energy. More unleashed fury. More… tiger bites!" Adam emphasized the last two words, trying to goad him into using his Hatsu.
Kastro, his face contorted in a sneer, glared at Adam. "You want to see raw energy, kid? You want to see fury?" He smirked, his aura shifting. "Then let me show you the Tiger Bite Fist!"
The moment was perfect. Adam's 'Enhanced Reflexes' were buzzing, his 'Skin Hardening' was ready, and his newly acquired 'Ten' was instinctively forming a protective layer. He needed to feel the Hatsu.
Kastro lunged, his right hand transforming, becoming a fearsome tiger's head, crackling with Nen. Adam didn't dodge. He stood his ground, a determined, slightly insane glint in his eye.
" This is it! My first Hatsu! Please, System, don't let it be 'Basic Tiger Grooming'! Give me the real deal! The biting, the tearing, the sheer metaphorical power! "
The 'Tiger Bite Fist' slammed into Adam's chest. It was like being hit by a freight train made of pure aura. The impact was shattering, pulverizing. His 'Skin Hardening' barely blunted the blow, his 'Ten' dissolved under the immense force. Adam felt his bones compress, his internal organs rupture. The pain was beyond anything he'd felt before. It was a complete, agonizing, terrifying death. His vision swam, filled with the image of a snarling tiger's head.
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: UNIQUE DEATH DETECTED. SKILL ACQUISITION INITIATED. ** ]
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: ACQUIRED SKILL: [C-RANK NEN ABILITY] TIGER BITE FIST (CONJURATION/MANIPULATION). ** ]
" YES! Tiger Bite Fist! It actually worked! My first Hatsu! Though 'C-Rank' probably means it's a glorified kitten scratch right now. Still, progress! This is amazing! Take that, Kastro, you tragic copycat! I now own a piece of your soul! Or at least, your signature move! "
Adam gasped, sitting up in his inn room, sweat slicking his skin. He felt utterly drained, the phantom pain in his chest intense. This was by far his most painful death yet. But it was worth it. He now had a Hatsu. He clenched his fist, focusing. A faint, tiger-like aura shimmered around his hand, a ghostly outline of a fanged maw. It was incredibly weak, barely visible, but it was there. He was at 13/20 unique deaths.
He stumbled back to the arena, a giddy feeling mixed with lingering discomfort. He found Gon and Killua. "Guys! Guess what?!" Adam exclaimed, his voice slightly hoarse. "I just got myself a fancy new trick! It involves… tigers! And biting! It's like a furry, violent handshake!" He tried to conjure his 'Tiger Bite Fist', but it just flickered weakly, looking more like a disgruntled house cat.
Killua raised an eyebrow. "What was that? Did you just try to sneeze a tiger?"
"It's a work in progress!" Adam insisted. "But it's my work in progress! And it came from a very painful, very important death!"
He was now a true Nen user, in his own unique, bizarre way. The arena fights continued, and with each victory, Adam's money pile grew. He was getting closer to that upgrade. And closer to facing Hisoka. But that was a death he definitely didn't want to acquire a skill from, not yet anyway.
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