Chương 93: Tour

"You... you can't kill us." The two men, thoroughly frightened by Aren, stammered like they had forgotten how to speak. Aren looked at them trembling on the ground. Their words piqued his interest. Even this terrified, were they trying to hide behind someone else's name, or did they truly have a backer they believed in? Aren walked over at an easy pace, leaned down slightly, and asked with interest, "Oh? Why can't I kill you?"

"We... we are Tour's people. If you kill us, you'll make an enemy of Tour." As they spoke, the two seemed to regain some confidence. Their trembling began to stop.

"Tour?" Aren quickly searched his memory.

"Never heard of him."

"Tour is a Floor Master on the two-hundred-thirty-fourth floor of Heavens Arena. No matter how strong you are, below the two-hundredth floor and above it are two different worlds. And Tour is a Floor Master. You can't stand against him." The two grew more confident as they spoke. Their boss had once provoked Tour the same way they had provoked Aren today. Then, with a single strike, half of the boss's face was ruined. Somehow, through luck or sheer survival, the boss lived and opened Nen as a result.

That also caught Tour's interest. They still remembered what Tour had said then.

"Oh? Your luck is good. Since that's the case, I'll spare you. From today onward, work for me. I guarantee you'll earn far more than before." The reason they remembered so clearly was simple. They really did earn more afterward. Especially after Tour became a Floor Master. In a sense, they truly were grateful to him.

"A Floor Master?" Aren raised an eyebrow.

"No wonder you dare fleece Heavens Arena. You have a Floor Master behind you." Of course, the relationship was not that of shareholders in the usual sense. It was closer to partners in a law firm from Aren's previous world.

"That's right. Tour is a Floor Master of Heavens Arena. So? Are you afraid..." Splat. Before they could finish, Aren waved his right hand. Both heads burst apart. Blood sprayed across the alley wall in a fan-shaped arc.

"Since I know who stands behind you, you no longer need to exist." Aren shook the blood from his hand.

"Tour, huh. If I have the chance, I'll go meet him." Then he smiled at Neon and extended his hand.

"Neon, let's go."

"Mm. Master, let's go." Neon was already used to encountering fools like this. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. During the trip with Biscuit, they had met similar insects from time to time. So Neon showed no reaction. She walked to Aren on her short legs and held his hand. The two left the alley hand in hand, as if nothing had happened, walking out of the thick smell of blood and back toward Heavens Arena.

"Master, you promised Neon one less set of training earlier. No take-backs."

"Don't worry. When has Master ever gone back on his word?"

"Last time. Master remembered wrong."

"Ah... hahaha. Neon, you said it yourself. I remembered wrong. That doesn't count." The next afternoon, on the one-hundred-ninety-third floor of Heavens Arena, Aren once again slapped his opponent out of the ring and embedded him in the wall.

"Critical hit. Down. Three points. Out of bounds. Winner: Aren Voss." The referee crossed his arms toward the audience, then opened one hand toward Aren to declare his victory.

"Contestant Aren has defeated a one-hundred-ninetieth-floor opponent in one move again. He has broken through the one-hundred-ninetieth floor and advanced to the two-hundredth." The commentator sounded excited enough to spit into the microphone.

"No one expected contestant Aren to truly reach the two-hundredth floor without a single injury. But as everyone knows, above the two-hundredth floor and below it are two completely different worlds."

"Can contestant Aren continue his undefeated legend above the two-hundredth floor? Let us wait and see." Aren walked down from the ring while glancing at the passionate commentator. He had to admire her verbal skill. Across more than a dozen matches, he felt as if he had done the exact same movement each time, yet she could still make every fight sound full of suspense. Heavens Arena had a rule. Contestants on the two-hundredth floor were precious resources. No reporter could interview them casually.

They could only send an interview invitation and wait for the contestant to agree. Strictly speaking, the winner of the one-hundred-ninetieth floor had already become a two-hundredth-floor contestant. So this time, Aren did not need to worry about being blocked by reporters at the exit. From now on, he could also use the exclusive golden VIP elevator reserved for contestants above the two-hundredth floor. Both privacy and convenience improved dramatically.

After picking up Neon, Aren stepped into the golden elevator under the respectful sendoff of the staff. The elevator had black marble walls with white veins and a black-and-gold checkerboard floor. Its interior carried an ornate baroque style. When the elevator reached the two-hundredth floor and opened, Aren felt as if he had entered a five-star hotel rather than an arena. Dark red carpet stretched across the floor. A black leather sofa faced the elevator. Doors lined the corridors to the left and right.

No matter how he looked at it, this resembled a hotel. Aren glanced at the signs above and followed the direction toward the right. On the way, he occasionally passed one or two two-hundredth-floor contestants leaving their rooms. Fortunately, he did not run into Uvogin or Machi. At the corridor indicated by the signs, a purple-haired staff member was already waiting. When she saw Aren, she gestured politely.

"You must be Mr. Aren Voss. Registration is over there. Please follow me."

"Please complete your two-hundredth-floor battle registration today. If you miss midnight tonight, you will no longer be able to register." She walked beside Aren and led him toward the registration area. On the way, she continued explaining.

"Also, let me explain something. There are currently around one hundred fifty-six contestants on the two-hundredth floor preparing to compete. Starting from this floor, you may use any weapon you bring yourself."

"In addition, Heavens Arena no longer pays prize money from this floor onward. This level is for honor. Please accept that before registering." Not long afterward, she brought Aren to a window. The staff member behind the counter immediately handed Aren a registration form.

"Welcome to the two-hundredth floor, Mr. Aren. Please sign here. Would you like to apply for a match now?" Then she seemed to remember something and added,"The system on the two-hundredth floor is different from the floors below. This floor uses a declared-match system. You have a ninety-day preparation period. During that time, you may choose any battle date you like."

"You may fight every day if you wish, or wait until just before the deadline. However, after each match, your preparation period resets."

"If you do not participate within the preparation period, you immediately lose qualification and your registration will be erased. Please pay attention to the timing."

"If you want to become one of our Floor Masters, you need ten victories."

"But if you lose four times before reaching ten wins, you also lose qualification. Once you complete ten victories, you gain the right to challenge a Floor Master."

"Heavens Arena has twenty-one Floor Masters. Every one of them is a top fighter."

"Each floor from the two-hundred-thirtieth to the two-hundred-fifty-first is held by one Floor Master."

"If you defeat a Floor Master, you become the master of that floor in that instant."

"And most importantly, once you become a Floor Master, you can participate in the Battle Olympia, the fighting festival held every two years at the top of Heavens Arena." From Heavens Arena's perspective, they very much hoped Aren would become a Floor Master and participate in Battle Olympia. In the end, Heavens Arena was similar to the NBA of Aren's previous life. It was a commercial league. Someone like Aren, with idol-level looks and real strength, could be promoted through media until his popularity surged.

He might draw a large number of female viewers. Heavens Arena's current market was already close to saturated. Most of its audience was male, drawn in by the violence, spectacle, and competition. If it wanted to grow further, it needed a new path. Aren might be a good candidate.

"I see," Aren said.

"I have a question. After obtaining ten wins, can I choose which Floor Master to challenge?"

"Of course."

"Good. I have another question. Is there a contestant named Uvogin on the two-hundredth floor? What dates has he applied for?" As he spoke, an ill-intentioned smile curled on Aren's lips.