HxH: Apex Predator

As Ryker's spectacular performance above the 200th floor continued, his undefeated 9-0 streak drew massive attention, prompting the Heavens Arena officials to personally promote him.

However, since Ryker refused to participate in any interviews, the officials resorted to creating a mysterious narrative around him.

Leveraging his enigmatic demeanor and impressive skills, they marketed him as a prodigy from a renowned martial arts lineage.

Various fabricated rumors began to circulate. One described him as an arrogant genius hiding his identity to prove his strength by competing in the Heavens Arena.

Another cast him as a scion of a prestigious family who faced tragedy, now seeking vengeance while honing his skills.

This version claimed he concealed his identity to avoid being hunted by enemies before reaching his full potential, planning to exact his revenge once his abilities were fully developed.

Speculations about Ryker's identity spread like wildfire. As his popularity soared, so did his betting odds, rivaling those of established Floor Masters.

Meanwhile, Ryker remained indifferent to the outside noise. He focused entirely on his training and his next match, unwilling to let his efforts go to waste in this final battle.

Though he expected the Floor Masters to be formidable, he believed in testing his strength against them.

For the first time, Ryker found himself motivated to train diligently—something he never thought possible. But for the sake of the points, it was all worth it.

At the same time, Illumi, who had advanced to the 100th floor, began facing hurdles.

Despite enduring his family's brutal training, the six-year-old couldn't match someone like Ryker, who had grown under the nurturing power of Nen from an early age.

Illumi was stuck at the 120th floor, unable to progress. He juggled battles with guidance from Tsubone, steadily improving. However, it was clear that Illumi's climb would be far more arduous than Ryker's.

Ryker hadn't sought out Illumi or Tsubone during this time. His focus was wholly on training and preparing for his next opponent.

After nearly a month of preparation, Ryker was finally set to face his 10th match. Behind the scenes, the Sky Arena officials were already manipulating the event—not to rig the fight, but to craft a narrative.

Their plan was to create the spectacle of a young prodigy achieving ten consecutive victories to challenge a Floor Master. The hype alone would generate enormous revenue.

If Ryker managed to defeat the Floor Master, he would become the youngest in Heavens Arena history to do so—a monumental news story.

The officials were ready to elevate him into a legend, potentially making him the youngest participant in the Battle Olympia.

Even if Ryker lost, it wouldn't matter. Many spectators found satisfaction in seeing an overconfident genius brought down by reality, their fall a source of entertainment. Human nature often delights in such dark narratives.

The day of the match arrived, and the arena was packed to capacity. Cheers, jeers, and shouts filled the air, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

Illumi and Tsubone arrived to watch Ryker's match as usual. On the opposite side of the stands, two child-like spectators also observed the stage—a blonde girl in a dress and a bespectacled boy who looked visibly nervous, clearly overwhelmed by the intense environment.

If Ryker had noticed, he would have immediately recognized the blonde girl. Anyone familiar with 'Hunter x Hunter' would never forget her—a petite, cute girl who concealed her true nature as a muscular, battle-hardened woman.

Yes, this was none other than Biscuit Krueger, a Gem Hunter and student of Isaac Netero, the Hunter Association chairman. Known as a mentor for many, she often served as a stepping stone for protagonists in countless fanfics.

The boy beside her was her newest disciple, Wing—the same Wing who would later mentor Zushi, and provide Nen training for Gon and Killua in the original story.

Meanwhile, Ryker stood on the stage, facing his opponent. Before him was a tall, gaunt man with dark skin, tinged with an unhealthy greyish-white hue.

The man's most striking feature was his mouth—protruding unnaturally forward, with sharp teeth faintly visible. Four pronounced canines gleamed menacingly, like weapons meant to intimidate.

The commentator's voice boomed through the arena:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to witness a match between our super rookie Ryker Haruto and the infamous Warwick, also known as 'The Wolfman.'

Warwick earned his moniker for his bloodthirsty, cunning, and feral fighting style. He treats his opponents like prey, relentlessly hunting them down once they're injured.

On the other hand, Ryker stands on the cusp of greatness. A win here would earn him the right to challenge a Floor Master. Can our undefeated dark horse continue his streak? Let's find out!"

As the referee signaled the start, Ryker began with his usual opening strategy—testing his opponent with Nen bullets.

Warwick, a melee specialist, wasted no time attempting to close the distance. Through his Sharingan, Ryker observed the dense aura coating Warwick's teeth and fingernails, particularly his claws.

Analyzing the situation, Ryker concluded that Warwick was likely an Enhancement or Specialist-type Nen user. The key to his abilities seemed to lie in his teeth and claws.

Ryker's deduction was spot on. Warwick's ability, 'Bloodthirsty Blades', enhanced his teeth and nails while granting them a unique property.

When Warwick injured an opponent using these enhanced parts, he cursed the wound, disrupting the victim's blood-clotting ability. This caused continuous bleeding that couldn't heal at a normal rate.

Additionally, Warwick could track his target within a 30-kilometer radius using their blood, making escape impossible.

However, on the limited-sized stage, this secondary effect rarely came into play.

The ability had a significant drawback, though. Warwick's overall defense was halved when using 'Bloodthirsty Blades', leaving all areas except his enhanced parts vulnerable.

This made his skillset heavily offense-focused, akin to that of an assassin.

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