Chapter 45: Heavens Arena
Heavens Arena, standing proudly at 251 floors and 991 meters tall, is hailed as the holy land for savages and the Mecca for fighters—the ultimate destination for those who seek combat. Since matches here are subjects of gambling and betting, numerous tourists also visit. For newly licensed hunters wishing to test their skills, this place serves as an excellent choice.
Located in the eastern part of the continent where the Republic of Padokea lies, Mord boarded an airship bound for Heavens Arena the very next day after obtaining the information.
After several days of flight, Mord glimpsed through the airship's window the towering structure piercing through the clouds—the world's fourth tallest building.
Upon disembarking, Mord didn't rush to investigate the whereabouts of the murderous doctor Pierre Izzie, as doing so could easily alert the target. According to the intelligence, Pierre Izzie had made contact with more than one participant of Heavens Arena.
Thus, Mord decided to first visit Heavens Arena before making further plans. This would also serve as an opportunity to hone his combat skills.
Timeline-wise, Gon and his companions should still be at Kukuroo Mountain, the home of the Zoldyck Family. It remained uncertain whether Hisoka had already arrived here. And that woman too...
At the registration desk on the first floor of Heavens Arena, a massive queue stretched endlessly. Lifting his gaze, Mord saw a dense crowd—all participants of the arena.
After all, unlike the Hunter Exam, this place had no tedious requirements. It didn't demand exceptional overall abilities; strong muscles alone sufficed. Moreover, the rewards were substantial starting from the very first floor.
Winning a match allowed promotion to higher floors, along with corresponding compensation. The higher one climbed, the greater the prize money. For those capable of earning with their bare fists, this was the ideal venue.
From the 100th floor onward, participants could access private resting rooms. Beginning at the 200th floor, they gained the right to challenge for the title of the arena's top combatant. Truly high-level battles commenced from the 200th floor.
After waiting in line for a good half-day, it was finally Mord's turn.
"Welcome to Heavens Arena. Please fill out your information here," the receptionist said with a professional smile, handing him a form.
Mord glanced at it, filled it out casually, and handed it back.
After all, no matter how he filled it out, he would start from the first floor anyway—it didn't matter.
After submitting the form, Mord entered the first-floor competition arena. The scene was spectacular, with the spectator stands packed with a massive crowd.
Sixteen arenas were set up in the central area, with matches taking place simultaneously.
From time to time, defeated contestants were carried out.
"Contestant 1732, please assemble at Arena D."
"Contestant 1732, please assemble at Arena D."
"Contestant 1732, please assemble at Arena D."
The announcement repeated over the broadcast.
On the Arena D.
A burly man over two meters tall stood in the center of the ring, waiting for his opponent.
"Clueless about life and death!"
He looked down at the young man approaching, disdain flashing in his eyes.
In the stands, the audience joined in the commotion.
"Big guy, you're so lucky! Knock him off the stage with one punch!"
From their physiques alone, the two were clearly not in the same weight class—it was a complete mismatch.
The referee standing nearby began explaining the rules.
"In first-floor matches, the contestants' strength will be assessed based on the outcome. Please demonstrate your abilities to the fullest within three minutes."
"Then... begin!"
With the command, the big guy charged at Mord like a heavy tank.
But Mord didn't even bother to look, simply extending a single index finger and lightly tapping the opponent's forehead.
The seemingly unstoppable force came to an abrupt halt.
The audience in the stands was baffled, unsure of what had just happened. Some were still shouting, "Big guy, why aren't you attacking? I bet on you to win!"
Mord withdrew his hand and turned to leave directly.
The referee broke out in a cold sweat, paused for a moment, and then announced loudly, "The match is decided! Contestant 1732 wins!"
"Fixed match! Fixed match!"
Confused gamblers, eyes red with fury, roared hysterically.
They looked just like those delusional folks muttering about the KGB after the TI10 finals.
At that moment, the big guy's massive body collapsed with a loud thud, hitting the ground with a heavy impact.
His eyes were rolled back, and he had already lost consciousness.
"Contestant 1732, you may proceed directly to the 50th floor," a staff member approached and updated Mord's participant card.
Mord nodded. This skip-level system made perfect sense. If experts like him had to fight their way up floor by floor, it would not only waste time but also strip the matches of suspense and entertainment value.
Without manipulating the contestants, once a fighting competition loses its unpredictability, the betting revenue—which makes up the bulk of the income—would vanish.
At Heavens Arena, this battleground where only the victors advance, an average of 4,000 challengers strive for higher floors every day, with over a billion spectators entering annually.
Thus, there was no need to risk major losses for minor gains. At the very least, as the event organizer, Heavens Arena would never rig the outcomes. If their reputation were tarnished, the prestige of this sacred ground for fighters would crumble.
"This way." The beautiful guide lady led the way ahead. Seeing it was Mord's first time, she explained, "In this building, up to the 100th floor, every ten floors form one tier."
"That means a fighter who wins on the 50th floor will advance to the 60th floor, while a loss will drop them to the 40th floor. After passing the 100th floor, you can have a private room."
"We've arrived at the 50th floor."
The guide lady stopped, pushed open the door, and respectfully ushered Mord inside.
...
"Please show your card," a staff member at the entrance said.
Mord handed over his participant card. It was quickly verified inside the window, and the card was returned along with an envelope containing money.
Mord reached out to take it, pouring the money from the envelope into his hand.
Four coins, totaling 152 jenny. He wondered if this number held any particular meaning.
This was the reward for the first floor, equivalent to the price of a can of juice.
In fact, on the first floor, whether you win or lose, you receive this amount as encouragement from the arena. Of course, this benefit is only available on the first floor.
Naturally, as the floors increase, the prize money rises accordingly. For example, on the 50th floor where Mord currently was, if he could win, he would receive a bonus of 50,000 jenny.
Mord casually tossed the coins into a nearby vending machine, retrieved a can of carbonated drink, and entered the contestants' waiting room.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the first floor.
Many participants on the first floor were amateurs, just dabbling for fun. Those who made it to the 50th floor were generally professional fighters.
In one corner of the waiting room, three people were chatting.
"Brother Kino is the boxing champion of our Sankaku Country. Now that he's finally found time to visit this so-called sacred ground of martial arts, he's going to sweep through the Heavens Arena."
The speaker was referring to Kino, the tallest of the three men.
He had a crew cut and wore a small black tank top that revealed his thick arms and solid chest muscles, almost bursting the seams. The veins on his arms bulged prominently, and his large hands were covered in calluses. He paired this with dark green military pants.
Generally speaking, with such an appearance, he looked like someone not to be trifled with.
Kino shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face. "I originally thought the so-called sacred ground for fighters would be something extraordinary, but it's truly a letdown."
As soon as Kino said this, his two lackeys quickly nodded in agreement. "That's right, with Brother Kino's skills, you probably wouldn't get interested until you reached the 200th floor or above. Unlike us two, the 50th floor is probably our limit."
"If it weren't for the Heavens Arena's immense reputation, I wouldn't have bothered coming this time," Kino said with a disdainful expression. "Listening to the rumors, it was hyped up so much, but in reality, it's just so-so."
The two lackeys chimed in repeatedly.
Mord, who overheard their conversation unintentionally, shook his head inwardly.
These guys were too ignorant and arrogant, thinking that just because they were some so-called boxing champion in their small country, they were invincible. He probably had never encountered truly skilled fighters, which gave him this illusion.
Little did he know there were many things in this world he was unaware of. Setting aside Nen, just in terms of physical strength alone, he was far from being considered strong.
At best, he could only be considered a master within the sport of professional boxing.
But there exists a chasm as vast as heaven and earth between sports and life-or-death combat.
This chasm is far greater than the gap between amateur and professional levels.
They are entirely two different worlds.
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