In the audience, Goreinu, seeing Hisoka knocked down, waved his hands excitedly and shouted.
"Yes! It's 3 to 0 now! Kastro just needs to get a full 10 points to win!"
He didn't like Hisoka much. The man was too perverted, sending chills down one's spine.
Sophia also cheered, clapping her hands loudly.
She had long wanted to see Hisoka get beaten up. It was so satisfying.
That guy was always acting crazy, laughing in a way that made your heart feel clogged. Now, finally, someone could make him shut up.
Leo also revealed a smile.
He too enjoyed seeing Hisoka get hit.
It had to be said, it really was satisfying.
Kalluto looked at the few of them with a blank expression.
They were this happy just because he was knocked down once?
He didn't understand, but he didn't ask further.
On the arena, the two stood firm again, their gazes clashing once more.
No words, no probing, only pure Battle Intent.
In the next instant, both moved simultaneously.
The pace of the battle grew faster and faster, so fast the audience could only see two blurry shadows crossing, separating, and crossing again on the arena.
Each impact erupted with a dull thud, shockwaves exploding from the point of collision.
Kastro swung his fists rapidly, smashing down with the sound of tearing wind, each punch aimed at Hisoka's vital points.
Hisoka sidestepped. The first punch grazed the tip of his nose, the second passed under his armpit, the third shaved off a few strands of his hair, the fourth, fifth, sixth... he dodged them all.
The moment the seventh punch was thrown... Hisoka raised his hand.
His fist snuck treacherously through the gap between Kastro's arms, landing heavily on Kastro's vital waist and abdomen!
Thud!
This punch was precise and vicious. The Nen condensed on his fist struck Kastro's abdominal muscles, shaking his internal organs.
Kastro was forced back several meters by this punch, staggering on his feet, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"Clean Hit! Hisoka scores 1 point!"
The referee's voice rang out, crisp and decisive.
The score became 3 to 1.
Hisoka revealed an excited smile, Kastro's retreating figure reflected in his golden pupils.
He didn't give his opponent a chance to catch his breath. Pushing off with his foot, he charged rapidly towards Kastro.
After steadying himself, Kastro, instead of retreating, advanced, also attacking Hisoka.
His eyes showed no wavering. The blood at the corner of his mouth instead made him look even more ferocious.
The two collided once more!
The commentator couldn't keep up with the pace anymore, only able to let out a string of meaningless exclamations.
"Oh my god! Too fast! Their attack-defense Conversion is too fast! Hisoka dodges—Kastro pursues—Hisoka counterattacks again—Kastro blocks Hisoka's attack—Here it comes again! Here it comes again!!"
The cheers from the audience seats had merged into one continuous roar. No one could make out any distinct sound, only pure, primitive, bestial shouting.
Leo sat in the audience, his gaze locked on the two figures on the arena.
His expression was calm, but deep in his eyes was a trace of barely perceptible satisfaction.
Kastro's growth rate was fast. Truly worthy of someone whose potential could rival Hisoka's.
More importantly, he had learned to think during battle, no longer just blindly charging and attacking.
Five minutes later.
Hisoka's playing cards cut another gash across Kastro's chest. Blood seeped out, staining the white martial arts uniform red.
Kastro's fist also left a dark purple bruise on Hisoka's shoulder.
Both had sustained injuries, their breathing heavier than before.
The score had reached 7 to 5.
Due to Hisoka's initial underestimation, coupled with his own techniques being gradually seen through, he had fallen too far behind in points.
Kastro was only 3 points away from winning by points.
Just three more effective strikes, and this fight would be over.
Hisoka licked the corner of his mouth, his golden pupils narrowing slightly.
He had roughly understood Kastro's ability—the "Tiger Stripe Combat Body."
This ability was indeed powerful, simultaneously enhancing physical strength, speed, and healing ability, but its weakness was also obvious.
Every time he was injured, it would passively consume a large amount of Nen to maintain it.
In other words, Kastro's ability had a clear weakness. His Nen was being depleted at a rate far exceeding normal consumption.
Hisoka's offensive rhythm began to change.
He no longer sought absolutely landed heavy blows, but switched to continuously wearing Kastro down.
Each attack became more precise, more treacherous, not seeking a one-hit kill, only aiming to force Kastro to continuously consume Nen to maintain the "Tiger Stripe Combat Body."
Simultaneously, those playing cards that seemed to have been dodged by Kastro, shot into the air, or knocked away and fallen to the ground, grew in number, scattered messily across various parts of the arena, lying placidly on the surface.
But if someone with a discerning eye used "Gyo" to look carefully, they would find that under each playing card extended extremely fine, rubber-like strands adhering to the ground.
That rubber was transparent like a spider's web, densely interwoven together, turning the entire arena into Hisoka's trap.
"Mmm~♦ Come on! Continue!"
Hisoka beckoned contentedly, his face showing the satisfaction of an apple gradually ripening.
The orchardist's twisted taste was acting up again.
His smile deepened, becoming more and more distorted, like a Hunter watching prey step into a trap.
Kastro ignored the provocation. He assumed the Tiger Bite Fist stance, launching a relentless assault.
His fists poured down like a torrential rain, each filled with power.
But Hisoka no longer met them head-on. He dodged, weaved, used playing cards to interfere, just not giving Kastro a chance for a direct collision.
The battle situation became a stalemate.
Kastro's fists missed again and again. Hisoka's figure slipped through his fingers time after time.
His breathing began to grow ragged. Maintaining the "Tiger Stripe Combat Body" required a massive amount of Nen, and he had already consumed over half.
His mind grew slightly agitated, a momentary Divided Soul.
Hisoka keenly caught it.
His eyes lit up. It was the light of a Hunter spotting prey exposing a flaw.
He feinted, charging forward holding a playing card, neither too fast nor too slow, as if intending a frontal clash.
Kastro instinctively assumed the Tiger Bite Fist stance, preparing to counterattack.
His body leaned forward, his center of gravity shifted ahead, his fist poised to strike.
The moment he charged forward and threw a punch at Hisoka—now!
Hisoka's fingertips twitched slightly.
The playing cards scattered across the arena—those preset "traps"—instantly activated.
Dozens of cards sprang up from the ground, carrying sharp Nen, converging on Kastro from all directions!
Front, side, back, overhead—deadly card edges attacked from every direction.
At the same time, Hisoka stomped the ground, shattering it.
Lifting his foot, he kicked, sending rock fragments shooting out, sealing off all of Kastro's possible escape routes.
Kastro's pupils contracted sharply.
He had no time to think. His body reacted on instinct.
Swinging his arms, Nen surged, batting away the incoming playing cards and rock fragments one by one.
"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!—!"
The sounds of collision and flying rock fragments mixed together, debris scattering everywhere.
Kastro's defense was airtight, but Hisoka's trap was far more complex than it appeared.
Several cards, perfectly disguised as rock fragments by "Texture Surprise," were mixed in.
They had no sharp edges, no gleaming faces, looking exactly like the surrounding rock fragments.
"Sshh—!"
Blood blossomed.
A playing card disguised as a rock fragment grazed Kastro's side. Not deep, but enough.
Kastro's "Tiger Stripe Combat Body" consumed another large amount of Nen to heal the wound.
His Qi reserves were almost depleted. The tiger stripes on his body began to flicker, bright then dim.
Seizing this opportunity, Hisoka circulated his Nen, pouring it into his fist with "Ko." His fist condensed with a piercing white light.
His figure appeared behind Kastro, his fist already raised high, about to smash down.
If this punch landed solidly, Kastro would undoubtedly lose.
But Kastro did not panic.
The final effect of the "Tiger Stripe Combat Body"—when Qi reserves are about to be completely depleted, "Tiger's Roar" can be activated, dealing a mental shock to enemies within a ten-meter radius.
Those hit by "Tiger's Roar" have their brains shaken, causing brief stiffness and Divided Soul.
Kastro took a deep breath, then—"ROAR—!!!"
A deafening tiger's roar exploded from his chest.
The sound didn't come from his throat, but erupted from his Nen.
An invisible soundwave centered on him, madly expanding outwards. The very air trembled.
Hisoka's entire body stiffened abruptly.
His fist stopped mid-air, mere centimeters from the back of Kastro's head.
His eyes widened, pupils unfocused, plunged into a second of Divided Soul.
For that second, his mind went blank, his body completely out of control.
Kastro did not waste that second.
He turned, his fist gathering the last of his body's Nen, and punched towards Hisoka's chest.
Hisoka had concentrated "Ko" in his fist, greatly reducing the defense of the rest of his body.
The Nen protection over his chest was thin as paper.
"Thump—!"
The fist landed solidly on Hisoka's chest.
"Crack!"
The sound of breaking bone!
Hisoka spat out blood. A crimson mist scattered in the air as his entire body was sent flying backwards.
He flew over a dozen meters, crashing heavily onto the arena floor, bounced once, then lay there motionless.
The entire arena fell deathly silent.
The referee jolted, instantly rushing to Hisoka's side, crouching down to check.
He lifted Hisoka's eyelids, checked his pupil response, then felt for the pulse in his neck.
Then he stood up, raising both hands high without hesitation, his voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor.
"The winner—Mr. Kastro!!!"
After a brief silence, like a suppressed volcano finally erupting.
"OH—!!!"
Deafening cheers and applause swept through the entire colosseum like a tsunami.
Spectators jumped from their seats, waving their fists, roaring, shouting.
Some were so excited they cried, others hugged strangers next to them in celebration.
Kastro stood in the center of the arena, his chest heaving violently, sweat mixed with blood dripping from his chin.
His "Tiger Stripe Combat Body" had already deactivated. Only wounds and utter exhaustion remained on his body.
He lowered his head, looking at his hands which were still trembling slightly, then raised his head, looking towards a certain direction in the audience.
There, Leo was looking at him, giving a slight nod.
Kastro smiled.
That smile held relief, and gratitude.
Leo withdrew his gaze, nodding in satisfaction.
Hisoka was still too reckless, too underestimating. In terms of pure strength, Hisoka was still superior.
But he lacked intel on Kastro's ability, while his own abilities had been seen through.
Losing was also within expectations.
Battle was never about who was stronger winning, but about willpower, about that one breath.
Kastro held onto that breath. Hisoka didn't. It was that simple.