[17] Fragment

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It was a sea of red, gleaming eerily in the moonlight. 

Laying there in huge puddles that coated the floor, its metallic scent wafted through the entire room. 

It had a slick, almost viscous texture when touched.

...But most of all, it still had its warmth. 

You were on your knees, eyes wide. Not from horror, but strangely enough, fascination as you stared at the dark blood that filled the room. It stared back at you, presenting you with your dazed reflection.

You were supposed to be doing something... worrying over something, but your mind was completely occupied. You didn't move from your spot.

Finally, you let your hands touch the slick liquid. It painted your fingers with its crimson red color. It was still warm, still fresh as you felt it.

All these things were completely new to you, so was this why you couldn't take your eyes off of it? Was this why you've forgotten everything else?

Your 6-year-old self never got the answer, even if the memory was still fresh as can be. 

So why, until now, after many more similar moments, are you still asking yourself that question?


___________________________


"ONCE AGAIN, VICTORY BELONGS TO (Y/N)!!! THIS MEANS SHE WILL OFFICIALLY BE ADVANCING TO THE 200s!!!" You hear the commentator scream, along with the deafening cheers and screams of your fans.

Your eyes, however, remained fixed on the ground, where your unconscious opponent laid. Unknowingly, a satisfied smile, almost bordering on sadism, crept its way to your face. 

You were only able to finally snap out of it when the referee approached you. He gave you a slip of paper, which meant you could finally advance to the 200s once you give it to the register.

You smiled brightly at him, silently thanking him through your gaze. Taking the piece of paper, you left the ring with a happy and confident spring to your step.  

While making your way to the exit, you looked up at the audience for the first time. Well, sure, you would peer at the crowd a few times before, but that was only to look for Killua and Alluka whenever they watched. Up until now, you've never really cared about those who supported you, since the reason you fought in Heavens Arena in the first place was to get stronger.

But now that you've finally made it to the 200s, you've decided to look up at the faces who've been supporting you, so you did. You gave them a bright smile, enthusiastically waving your hands at them. 

Your eyes scanned through the crowd for a short while, until someone caught your attention. He was in one of the back seats, but his overall appearance made him stand out nevertheless.

In simple terms, he looked like a jester. He had bright fuchsia hair that spiked upwards like a flame, and adorning each of his pale cheeks was face paint in the shapes of a star and a teardrop. Aside from that, you could see suit symbols decorate his shirt.

He was simply giving you a close-eyed smile. At first glance, you would think this gesture was nothing short of friendly. That's what you also thought since you found yourself smiling back. However, as you looked forward once more and exited the arena, the memory of his smile seemed to give you an unsettling feeling. It almost felt like his gaze never left you, even after you've lost sight of him.

Shaking off the weird feeling, you decided to visit Wing's house to let them know of your recent victory. It's already been a few days since you saw Sanguis, so things have already gone back to normal, aside from the fact that Zushi still needed more time to recover.

You excitedly made your way to his house, eager to tell everyone that you finally made it to the 200s. 

_ _ _ 

Killua was the one to answer the door.

"Oh, (Y/N). You're back." 

He opens the door a little wider to let you in. You enter, noticing the expectant look in Killua's face. "So, how did it go?" He asked, shutting the door.

You tried your best to contain your excitement, yet you still grinned at him from ear to ear. "I made it! I'm in the 200s!" You exclaimed, showing him the slip of paper the referee gave you earlier.

He smiles, resting one hand inside his pocket. "Took you long enough," he simply states, his smile turning to a smug smirk.

A vein popped in your forehead as a visibly annoyed expression made its way to your face. "Well, I'm SORRY I'm not as talented as you," you snap back at him, though you were a little louder than intended.

"Oh, (Y/N)-chan? You're here! This is perfect, I can teach you and Alluka together today." Wing pops up from the corner, hearing your voice.

Turning your head towards him, you smile excitedly. "Wing-san!" You run up to him. "I made it to the 200s!"

He pauses, before smiling proudly at you, patting you on the shoulder. "Good job (Y/N)-chan! This is the result of all your hard work."

"Thanks, Wing-san! At least someone appreciates my accomplishment," you say, looking at Killua through the corner of your eye. 

Killua rolls his eyes at you, trying his best not to laugh or smile. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's get going," He shrugs, proceeding upstairs.

You sigh. "Killua can be a jerk sometimes."

Wing only chuckles, leading you upstairs. "But he cares for you, you know."

"Yeah, yeah."

_ _ _

Upstairs, you see Alluka practicing her Ren. She immediately stopped the moment she saw you. "Onee-chan!" She exclaims happily, running to your side and hugging you.

You hugged back and proceeded to chat with her for a bit, letting her know about your progress in Heavens Arena. She smiles happily, sharing your joy and excitement.

Eventually, you and Alluka settled down for Wing's lesson. Killua took his usual spot by a wall, leaning on to it and keeping his ears open for what Wing was about to say.

"It's been quite the journey, but I'm proud to say that you've learned the 4 major principles quite well," he starts, pulling up his whiteboard. "Now that you have. It's time to figure out which Nen type you fall under." He pauses, grabbing a marker and scribbling a hexagon on the board, along with writing on each of its corners.

"Nen type?" You tilt your head in confusion. "So you mean to say... even after the four principles and advanced techniques... there are still more?" You ask him in disbelief. He only nods. "That's right."

After he finished drawing, he showed you the board. "Upon learning your Nen type, you can use this to guide you in developing your Hatsu even more, and forming it into a special ability," he then points to each corner of the hexagon with writing on it. "Each person falls under one of these 6 types of aura: Enhancer, Transmuter, Emitter, Conjurer, Manipulator, and Specialist." 

'Specialist...' Your eyes widen in recognition, remembering Killua asking if you were one not long after you've met.

"So...how do you find out your Nen type?" You wonder, getting more and more curious.

"The most effective way to determine your aura is called 'Water Divination'." He states, grabbing a wine glass filled with water. Strangely enough, a single leaf sat on top of it. "Apply your Hatsu to this glass. Whatever happens to it will reveal your Nen type," he finishes, setting the glass on a nearby table. He then turned to you.

"(Y/N)-chan, why don't you go first?" 

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