Chapter 31: Heading to the Hunter Exam Venue
The airship landed on the rooftop helipad of Heavens Arena as dusk settled.
Leo stepped out of the cabin with a simple travel bag on his back, greeted by the familiar clamor.
Seven months had passed, yet the colossal tower still stood tall, its lights flickering on floor by floor like a monument to unyielding ambition.
He headed straight for the 200th floor.
Occasionally, fighters passed by in the corridor. Some recognized him, their eyes flashing with surprise—a seven-month disappearance in a place like Heavens Arena was enough to be forgotten, but Leo's two overwhelming victories from before had clearly left a deep impression on some.
Room 2079 remained unchanged, with even less dust than expected.
The arena's cleaning service was evidently still operating normally.
Leo set down his luggage, freshened up briefly, and then called Sophia and Wing's rooms in succession.
In less than twenty minutes, a knock sounded at the door.
Leo opened it to find Sophia standing outside.
She wore a practical dark blue training outfit, her blue hair tied into a neat ponytail, her gaze sharper than it had been seven months ago.
The moment she saw Leo, her eyes lit up.
"Master Leo!"
Her voice brimmed with barely contained excitement.
"I've already secured one victory! Also, I've been diligently training in Nen all this time. Please test my progress!"
Leo nodded and stepped aside to let her in.
"No rush, have a seat first."
Sophia entered the room and sat on the sofa, her back straight and posture rigid, clearly a bit nervous.
Another knock soon followed, and Wing pushed the door open.
He looked largely unchanged from seven months ago, still the gentle scholar, though a subtle, scrutinizing glint flashed behind his glasses as he saw Leo.
"Mr. Leo."
Wing smiled.
"It seems these seven months of training have made you stronger."
This wasn't mere courtesy.
As a fellow disciple of Shingen-ryu, Wing could intuitively sense the restrained yet profound "qualitative change" in Leo's presence.
His aura felt more grounded and concentrated, his movements carrying a refined coordination honed through relentless tempering—like raw ore polished into a sharp blade.
"Not bad."
Leo sat opposite them and poured three glasses of water.
"It was grueling, but the gains were immense."
He paused, glanced at Wing, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"By the way, Master Biscuit asked me to check whether you've been training properly during this time, Wing."
He enunciated the last three words clearly.
Wing's smile froze for an instant before he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
"That won't be necessary... I've been training diligently too. Leo, please spare me!"
Leo chuckled and waved a hand.
"Don't worry, Wing, I won't report you to Master Biscuit. But be careful—she might show up anytime to check on your progress."
Wing sighed, his expression a mix of resignation and helplessness.
"Alright, alright, I understand."
He adjusted his glasses and changed the subject.
"So, what are your plans next? Continue challenging fights and aim for ten victories?"
Leo shook his head.
"No. I plan to take the Hunter Exam."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Sophia abruptly turned to look at Leo, her eyes filled with shock and a hint of panic.
"Master Leo, are you leaving again so soon after returning? I still have so many questions to ask you... C-can I come with you?"
Her voice carried a hint of urgency, clearly taken aback by the sudden news.
Leo looked at her, his gaze calm yet resolute.
"Sophia, from now on, you must walk your own path. The most I can do is guide you through the basics."
He paused, his tone softening slightly.
"I'll still be here for several more days before I leave. During this time, I'll give you proper guidance."
Sophia lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of her clothes, looking as sullen as a child who had been denied the chance to tag along.
Seeing her expression, Leo couldn't help but smile.
"Alright," he added.
"As long as you achieve three victories, I'll allow you to train alongside me."
Sophia suddenly looked up, her eyes reigniting with a spark of hope.
"Really? I will! I'll definitely win three victories as soon as possible!"
Her voice regained its determined, spirited tone.
Wing, who had been observing the scene, took a thoughtful sip of water before speaking.
"As for the Hunter Exam, I can share some information with you. Next year's exam will be held in Zaban City on the Yorbian Continent."
"The location is a ramen shop on Tsubashi Street—the shop is called 'Meshidokoro Gohan.'"
"Order a special tonkotsu ramen, and use the code phrase, 'I don't eat beef, extra green onions.' That will grant you access to the exam venue."
Leo nodded.
"Is that so? I didn't expect you to know such details."
Wing waved his hand dismissively.
"This information is all available on the Hunter intelligence website. However, only Hunters can log in, and each piece of information requires a corresponding fee."
Leo understood.
The Hunter website's intelligence network spanned the world, making such basic information easy to obtain—but for outsiders, it remained an insurmountable barrier.
The three chatted for a while longer, mostly with Wing asking about Biscuit's recent months, and Leo sharing what he could.
Half an hour later, Wing stood up to leave.
"Well, I'll be going now. As for the Hunter Exam… good luck."
He walked to the door, glanced back at Leo as if wanting to say something, but ultimately just nodded and left.
The room fell silent once more.
Leo stood up and walked toward the training room.
"Alright, Sophia, let me see the results of your training over this period."
Sophia immediately followed, her expression as serious as if she were facing an official match.
Inside the training room, she demonstrated the Four Major Principles one by one.
Her Ten was already very stable, with aura evenly covering her entire body and a solid, condensed glow.
The burst of her Ren, though still short in duration, showed a clear increase in aura volume compared to seven months ago.
Her Zetsu was decent enough—she could completely conceal her aura within five seconds.
As for Hatsu—developing a Specialization Type ability was inherently difficult, and she was still in the exploratory stage.
Leo watched quietly throughout, only nodding after Sophia finished her demonstration.
"Hmm, not bad. Keep working hard."
He walked to the center of the training area.
"But there are a few issues to address. First, the flow of aura in your Ten has slight stagnation, concentrated around the shoulder blades and lumbar spine. This is caused by maintaining tense postures for too long. You need to relax your deep muscles and let the aura circulate naturally."
Leo gestured toward several points on her back.
"Second, the timing of your Ren burst is too deliberate. You activate it at the peak of your inhalation, which gives opponents time to anticipate. Try shifting to a burst midway through your exhalation instead."
"The rhythm will be even harder to grasp."
He demonstrated once—breathing steadily, then halfway through an exhale, his Nen erupted without warning, only to instantly withdraw.
Sophia watched with shining eyes and immediately tried to imitate him.
"Third, your use of 'Zetsu' isn't natural enough. Right now, you're 'actively withdrawing,' but true 'Zetsu' should be a 'natural dissipation.' Try to imagine yourself as a fallen leaf, blending into the environment, not forcibly hiding."
Over the next few days, Leo kept his promise and provided Sophia with intensive guidance.
He adjusted the training methods and insights he had learned from Biscuit according to Sophia's actual situation and passed them on to her without reservation.
During this time, Leo found a moment to log into the Hunter website to register and apply.
Time passed in training.
The New Year arrived quietly, and Heavens Arena held a grand New Year's Eve celebration, with fireworks blooming in the night sky.
Leo and Sophia watched for a while by the training room window, not joining the festivities.
This was his first New Year in this world. No family, no gatherings with friends, only the goal of growing stronger and this disciple beside him, also pursuing power.
...
January 4th, early morning.
Heavens Arena's airport was bustling with people.
Leo, dressed in casual white clothes, waited leisurely for the airship's arrival.
Sophia came to see him off.
She wasn't wearing her training gear today but ordinary casual clothes, though her posture remained straight.
"Go back," Leo said.
"If you want to train with me, earn three wins as soon as possible."
Sophia nodded firmly.
"I will, Master Leo!"
She paused, her voice growing more solemn.
"May you succeed in obtaining your Hunter License."
Leo waved his hand, turned, and walked toward the boarding gate.
No more farewells—clean and decisive.
The airship slowly ascended. Through the window, Sophia's figure on the tarmac gradually shrank until it was blocked by buildings.
Leo leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
The airship cut through the clouds, heading at full speed toward the Yorbian Continent.