Very few people could actually perceive this point, and among those who had interacted with Killua, there was only one—Wing.
"Yes," Killua nodded.
Ron hesitated for a moment before saying, "You could say I wasn't going all out, but I also gave it my all. Hisoka's strength is extremely high. It'll be very hard for you two to reach that level in the short term."
"If you encounter him, it's best not to initiate a fight. For now, what you should do is focus on learning the fundamentals of Nen from Wing. With a solid foundation, the path ahead will be much smoother."
"You've experienced Kastro's strength firsthand. To be honest, Killua, the gap between you and Kastro is much smaller than the gap between Kastro and Hisoka."
Killua's expression grew serious as he silently began calculating something. He knew how long Ron had been training Nen—about seven or eight years. Then how long would it take for himself to reach Ron's level?
Before he was exposed to Nen, Killua had thought he was already very strong. Gradually, that confidence had made him a little complacent. During the Hunter Exam, he was aware that Hisoka and Ron were stronger than him, but he hadn't understood in what way—they just seemed older, more physically developed and had more experience.
It was only after encountering Nen that Killua realized the difference lay in that power. Even after completing his basic Nen initiation, his understanding of Nen remained shallow. But after fighting Kastro and watching the battle between Ron and Hisoka, Killua finally understood just how high Nen's potential ceiling could be.
It could create what looked like living beings, so-called Nen Beasts; it could turn aura into fire, lightning, frost, or wind; it could transform into slicing gales or take on rubber-like properties; it could even cover the entire arena.
If Nen could do all that, then what couldn't it do?
Killua's imagination was running wild. He wanted to finish learning the basics as quickly as possible, to develop a specific Nen ability, to grow stronger, and to become one of the elite among Nen users.
"Cousin Ron, how long do you think it will take for me to reach Kastro's level?" Killua asked.
Ron shook his head. "I can't determine that. Only you can. Kastro will likely stay at the Heavens Arena for a long while. I've already spoken with him, and you have his contact."
"If you want to know, you can just challenge him again."
Gon's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Ron, can I try too?"
He had watched Killua's fight with Kastro and clearly knew Kastro was stronger than both of them, so he also wanted to test himself.
"You can." Ron nodded. "Just reach out to him yourselves—or you can even invite Kastro to Wing's place. You all have talent. Sparring with you would also benefit him."
That was the truth. Killua and Gon both had strong potential, and in sparring with them, Kastro would gain valuable experience.
After the meal, Ron took out a small box. "Killua, this is for you."
"What is it?"
"A little thing you can use as a hidden weapon," Ron said. "It's coated with a very potent poison. Normally, don't use it—especially not in sparring. If someone gets hit, they might not survive it."
What Ron gave to Killua was the same set of Nen needles Kikyo had once given to him. But for Ron, these had become useless. With his current strength, he could easily use something else far more powerful. No one else in his team specialized in hidden weapons, but in Killua's hands, they could be put to proper use.
The needles were coated with poison from the Crystal Featherbone—a rare item Ron had picked up years ago at the Yorknew flea market. That supply was nearly depleted, and the coating on these needles was the last of it.
Killua opened the box and took a look. "Thank you, Cousin Ron."
"No need to thank me." Ron waved his hand and stood up. "That should be enough. You two head back. I've got things to take care of. Hopefully, next time we meet, you'll already be fine Nen users."
"We'll do our best!"
Ron walked out of the restaurant and took the elevator back to his floor. Shizuku and the other two had already finished packing. Ron didn't need to pack—his belongings were usually stored in Sumas's space.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Nina and the others escorted Ron's group to the airship terminal.
"Bye-bye, big brother!"
"Goodbye, Captain!"
"Goodbye, Sister Sally!"
"Goodbye, Sister Shizuku!"
"Goodbye, Misty!"
Ron and the others boarded the airship. Below, Nina and the others waved from afar. A few bees circled above Ponzu, and Ruco, wearing sunglasses, didn't look away until the airship had completely vanished from sight.
"Back to training."
With Ron gone, Nina was essentially the acting leader of the team. After all, she had the most seniority. Sally had lost her original memories. The ones Ron had fabricated were all false. Shizuku still had issues with short-term memory. Misty was the youngest, and Ponzu and Ruco had only just joined recently.
Nina was eager to cross that threshold and become a B-rank Nen user. Ponzu and Bourbon were similarly striving to reach C-rank.
..............
.......
.
Ron had just boarded the airship when a call came in—an unfamiliar number.
He picked up. "Hello?"
"Ron, it's me—Hisoka."
Ron's brow rose slightly. "From the sound of your voice, you've recovered pretty well. What made you want to call me? Looking to strike another deal, or something else?"
"Not interested..... for now," Hisoka said with a shake of the head. "That match was quite something. Your abilities and strength gave me quite a few surprises. And I can feel you've still got things hidden."
"But let's talk about that some other time. I don't really want to fight the same opponent again so soon."
"I called mainly to ask you one question."
"Ron, during our fight, how much of your real strength did you use?"
Ron hesitated. "Roughly half and half, I'd say."
Hisoka's pupils shrank sharply.
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