Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 495 (Patreon)

Chapter 495: Tonpa's Rise

Silence could lead to death, or it could lead to an explosive breakthrough.

Luo gave Tonpa an impossible choice.

"Give me a hint," Tonpa said tearfully.

"Guess," Luo blinked, using his usual vague response.

What kind of karma had he accumulated to encounter such a troublesome star?

Tonpa couldn't even muster a forced smile, feeling his strength rapidly depleting. The thought of losing his precious life force made his heart clench.

Does life force represent lifespan? Wouldn't that mean a shorter life?

No, I don't want to die. I want to live to be a hundred.

Even with one foot out of the cliff, Tonpa was still lost in thought.

"In the original story, Gon and Killua mastered the technique quickly after their energy nodes were opened by Yun Gu. Tonpa's case is different."

Luo looked up, his gaze piercing through the lush foliage to the blue sky above. "I hope he can grasp it by evening, otherwise, I'll be disappointed."

Feeling the urgency, Tonpa stopped daydreaming and focused on controlling his energy nodes.

No hints, no assistance, like a blind man groping in the dark.

The difficulty and danger were twofold; he could only explore carefully.

Luo watched Tonpa settle down, a slight smile on his lips. He didn't disturb him and even eliminated potential threats around him.

After all, this was a demonic realm, lurking with many dangers.

Time passed slowly, Tonpa's energy rapidly leaking out, with little progress in sealing the gaps.

Talent can be cruel when compared.

After half an hour, Tonpa had made no progress, though his physical resilience was commendable.

The situation worsened, but Tonpa remained calm, knowing panic would cost him even the slim chance he had.

"Damn it, control it!"

Tonpa shouted in his heart, trying again and again, with only failure in return.

It felt like chasing a goddess, always just a touch away, only for her to retreat with a laugh.

That tantalizing feeling was unbearable.

The stakes on his life increased, a cold sense of crisis emerging from his heart.

Tonpa's knees buckled, and he collapsed, exhausted.

He didn't panic, gritting his teeth, refusing to waste even a second, sweat washing over his face.

Finally, his efforts paid off; the speed of his energy leakage slowed, and the open nodes began to close.

Seeing this change, Luo thought at least Tonpa had passed the first hurdle, avoiding immediate death.

As his energy almost dried up, Tonpa managed to close his nodes and fainted from exhaustion.

The physical and mental strain was too much; his body and consciousness couldn't sustain it.

Luo smiled, lifting Tonpa like a chick, and headed into the forest.

Twenty minutes later, Luo arrived at a small village in the woods.

This was a native village, living a primitive lifestyle but using some small electrical devices powered by water.

Luo entered the village, greeted the villagers, and placed Tonpa on a bed in a house.

Tonpa wouldn't wake up for a while.

Then, Luo joined the villagers for a hunt in the forest, returning with a bounty and enjoying a hearty dinner.

The next morning, Tonpa woke up, feeling utterly exhausted and powerless.

"Your breakfast."

Suddenly, that troublesome voice sounded in his ear.

Tonpa shivered, turning stiffly to see Luo sitting by the bed.

"Eat more, regain your strength; we continue today," Luo smiled.

To Tonpa, that smile was the devil's grin.

Tonpa's talent clearly couldn't compare to Gon and Killua. Although he had successfully closed his nodes the first time, he had a long way to go to basic control.

First, Tonpa had to learn to freely open and close his nodes, a basic requirement for further progress.

The following half-month was hell for Tonpa, feeling tormented by Luo.

Only when he could control his nodes and barely manipulate Nen did Luo explain Nen abilities to him, changing his attitude.

At that moment, Tonpa felt like he opened the door to a new world, unaware of the challenges ahead.

Three months later, at Heaven's Arena.

In a room on the 200th floor, a match was about to begin, the audience nearly filling the seats as usual.

"Today's match is crucial for Tonpa. If he wins, he'll become a member of the 200th floor. But he's up against the recent dark horse, Dawn."

"Will Tonpa prevail, or will Dawn continue his winning streak? Let's wait and see!"

The commentator's excited voice echoed throughout the arena.

On the stage, Tonpa wore a shabby yellow cloth, his short, stout body contrasting sharply with the muscular Dawn.

Appearance, aura, physique, and temperament.

In every aspect, Tonpa was outclassed by Dawn.

Dawn, a boxer, entered the stage shirtless, displaying rock-hard muscles, a gold belt around his waist, and red gloves on his hands.

Notably, Dawn was also a Nen user.

In the audience, Luo and Killua sat together.

Teaching Tonpa Nen abilities had taken effort, but he had successfully developed his own Nen.

Luo brought Tonpa to Heaven's Arena for matches to hone his skills.

Bisky, uninterested in the match, had gone shopping.

"Did you bet all your money on Tonpa?" Luo asked Killua.

"I did," Killua nodded. It was his candy money for the next six months.

"With such high odds, you'll make a fortune," Luo grinned.

Killua hesitated, "I've seen Dawn's matches; his speed and strength are formidable."

"That's why the odds are so high," Luo stroked his chin. "Don't worry, barring surprises, your candy money will triple."

The referee announced the start of the match.

Dawn attacked first, moving quickly to Tonpa, his fists breaking the air with a buzzing sound.

"Dawn's rapid punch technique!" the commentator shouted.

Dawn unleashed a barrage of powerful punches, covering Tonpa.

The audience roared, anticipating Dawn to crush Tonpa.

The next moment, the roar subsided.

Tonpa's clumsy, slightly chubby body moved within the barrage.

Yes, moved, like a fish, slipping through Dawn's fierce punches.

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