Loki's body underwent a bizarre and inexplicable transformation, contorting to the left in a manner resembling a sheet of paper bending in the wind—a movement utterly impossible for a human being.
'What in the world…?!' Silva, momentarily forgetting the intensity of the battle, fixated his gaze on Loki's body, utterly captivated by this unusual display.
Loki's voice reached his ears.
"Kami-e…"
Through this bizarre contortion, Loki's body evaded Silva's seemingly unavoidable, devastating attack with impossible grace.
Silva's eyes widened in utter shock, his gaze locked onto Loki.
"What… what kind of technique is that…?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
Silva's punch, ultimately failing to connect with Loki, slammed into the ground instead. A thunderous boom reverberated through the training ground, followed by the eruption of an invisible shockwave that spread outwards in all directions. A violent gust of wind howled in its wake.
Loki, with a series of rapid flips and jumps, swiftly increased the distance between himself and Silva. His expression remained perfectly calm and unreadable.
Once the dust and windstorm caused by Silva's attack had subsided, the two stood facing each other, separated by approximately thirty meters. Silva, gazing at the massive crater he had just created with his punch, looked up at Loki. 'How… how did he do that?! It's impossible for a human body to perform such a maneuver…'
The sheer force of Silva's blow had caused the entire underground training facility to tremble, sending a shower of dust raining down from the ceiling above. The tremors left the four onlookers—Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio—visibly shaken and speechless, their faces devoid of any expression.
"Can human strength actually reach this level?!" Leorio exclaimed, turning his head to look at Killua. "Killua, your father is the real monster!"
Upon hearing this, Killua turned and glared intensely at Leorio. "What did you say?"
"Uh!!" Leorio chuckled nervously, attempting to defuse the situation. "Nothing! Sorry."
"It was absolutely astonishing. A single punch caused such a massive underground space to tremble. Such power is simply beyond imagination," Kurapika said, still reeling from the sheer force of the attack.
"Did Loki dodge that attack? The one just now?" Killua asked, his tone tight with a mixture of disbelief and dawning comprehension.
"Yeah! He dodged it," Gon confirmed.
Killua's face darkened. Silva's power had already astonished him, but the fact that Loki had managed to evade it was even more shocking. It explained why his father had launched such a powerful preemptive strike. This kid was really only twelve years old? His strength was completely beyond what was considered normal for a human being.
'To catch up to this guy, I'll have to train far harder than ever before,' Killua thought, clenching his fists in a mixture of frustration and determination at being outmatched by someone his own age.
The aftershocks of the battle caused Loki's white cloak to billow. Loki slowly reached behind his back, grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Shinsō.
'Should I use this? Silva's strength and speed are truly formidable. With Rokushiki alone, I can only hope to maintain a stalemate; to defeat him, Rokushiki is insufficient.'
However, Loki immediately released his grip on the Zanpakutō.
'My Nen capacity far surpasses his. Relying on Rokushiki isn't without its chances, and he's not attacking with the intent to kill. I still have a fighting chance.'
As Loki made this crucial decision, Silva observed him intently.
'Ken, Rankyaku, Shigan, that extraordinary defensive stance, and now Kami-e—a total of five distinct techniques.'
'If this kid truly is just an Enhancement-type Nen user, the development and refinement of these five techniques are nothing short of perfect.' Ken provides unparalleled speed; Ran-kyaku delivers devastating ranged attacks; Ko offers impenetrable defense; Kami-e allows for impossible evasive maneuvers; and Shigan delivers pinpoint, devastating strikes. Regardless of Loki's astonishing natural talent, in Silva's eyes, the seamless integration and devastating effectiveness of these techniques far surpassed even his innate gifts, transforming what were already remarkable skills into truly flawless techniques.
The definition of a "perfect technique" is subjective and multifaceted. Ultimately, the most effective technique for a given individual is the one best suited to their unique strengths and fighting style. Yet, Loki's techniques, while not outwardly flashy or visually impressive, possessed an undeniable practicality and effectiveness that any Nen user would covet.
'This is one incredibly skilled kid. He's making me want to get seriously involved in this hunt,' Silva thought, flexing his wrists. 'He's already proven himself more than capable, but encountering such a fascinating opponent… let's prolong this engagement a little longer!'
With a single, powerful step, Silva once again charged towards Loki. This time, however, his initial burst of speed was noticeably less intense. Even at his peak speed, Loki's Ken could easily surpass him. If Loki wished to evade, Ken alone would suffice, not to mention the remarkable Kami-e technique at his disposal. This approach would also conserve Nen, allowing Silva to focus on maximizing his chances of landing a decisive blow once he closed the distance.
As a highly experienced Nen user, Silva quickly understood the tactical advantages of this strategy. In terms of defensive capabilities, his battle-hardened body, fortified by a formidable Nen aura, was not easily breached.
Their fists collided once more. This time, Silva unleashed approximately eighty percent of his full power. He had no intention of killing Loki and would not resort to his full strength. However, eighty percent of Silva's power was still terrifyingly potent.
To Silva's astonishment, Loki was able to meet his attack head-on, matching his power blow for blow. In the instant of impact, Silva keenly observed the Nen emanating from Loki's fist.
'In terms of Nen capacity, this kid is utilizing far more than I am. However, the intensity, the sheer power of his Nen, is only barely on par with my own…'
In the brief moment following their initial clash, Loki swiftly accelerated, launching an attack towards Silva's left side. Silva responded with a counter-punch, resulting in a rapid succession of air blasts.
Silva intently observed Loki. 'This kid is not an Enhancement-type Nen user.' If he were an Enhancement type, such a massive Nen capacity would undoubtedly result in Nen power far exceeding his own Transmutation-type Nen. Yet, their head-on collision had been evenly matched. Silva, as a Transmutation type, could only exert approximately eighty percent of his potential Enhancement-type Nen power. This indicated that Loki's Enhancement-type Nen power was demonstrably weaker.
Based on the six Nen types, Loki's Nen strength was clearly below his own. This strongly suggested that Loki was either a Conjuration or Manipulation type Nen user.
'If he is indeed a Conjuration or Manipulation type, then it seems he has yet to fully develop his Hatsu,' Silva mused. Conjuration and Manipulation types often manifest rather unusual abilities, and unlike Emission, Enhancement, and Transmutation types, developing their abilities is considerably more challenging. Furthermore, due to the nature of their abilities, Conjuration and Manipulation types are typically not as strong in close-quarters combat, often opting for ranged attacks instead.
'However!' Silva's thoughts continued, his keen observation skills picking up on another possibility. 'This kid could very well be a Specialization type Nen user.'
Silva, possessing significantly more experience than Gotoh, considered the possibility of Loki being a Specialization type to be quite high—perhaps nearing fifty percent. If that were the case, it would indeed present a significantly more challenging opponent.
However, one thing remained certain: even if Loki were a Specialization type Nen user, his aptitude for Enhancement-type Nen was undoubtedly not particularly high.
What truly deserved attention was Loki's remarkable talent in Emission-type Nen. Loki's continuous Shigan attacks, each one a concentrated burst of Nen, showcased a remarkable level of skill and control, significantly amplifying the power of each strike. Even Silva wouldn't dare to take such attacks head-on.
'Even a monster of a kid, with such a short time to develop his abilities, hasn't yet fully unleashed his potential!' Silva chuckled softly to himself. A Nen user without a fully developed Hatsu facing an opponent with a fully developed Hatsu would have drastically different odds of victory.
While Silva was meticulously analyzing the information he had gathered on Loki, their intense exchange had already lasted for five or six minutes. During this time, Loki had relentlessly pressed his attacks, attempting to discern Silva's fighting style and patterns.
To Loki's surprise, Silva's attacks and movements remained remarkably unpredictable and varied, constantly shifting and adapting. The short time frame of their engagement was far from sufficient to fully decipher Silva's fighting style.
'The Zoldycks… truly a terrifying family,' Loki thought to himself.
Their battle continued to shake the training ground, creating numerous craters in the earth and unleashing powerful gusts of wind that echoed repeatedly throughout the space.
Silva unleashed a powerful punch aimed at Loki's abdomen, unleashing a torrent of Nen. Loki instantly activated Ko, crossing his arms and covering them with Nen to defend against the attack.
Despite the force of the blow, Loki sustained minimal damage, though he was sent flying backward.
At this moment, Silva glanced towards Killua, who was watching from the sidelines.
'You should understand now, Killua. The gap between you and the world's strongest fighters is still vast. You must strive to grow stronger as quickly as possible!'
Silva's eyes shifted back to Loki, his gaze unwavering. 'This should be the end.'
During their intense exchange over the past few minutes, Silva had come to a solid understanding of Loki's strengths. His massive Nen reserves were undeniably formidable, remaining remarkably potent even after several minutes of intense combat. His combat skills were exceptionally refined and high-level. However, the most significant weakness was the lack of a fully developed Hatsu (ability), coupled with his apparent lack of aptitude for Enhancement-type Nen. While his unusual techniques, combined with his Nen control, compensated for his shortcomings in close-quarters combat, they were ultimately insufficient to secure a decisive victory.
'He's already quite remarkable. Without a developed Hatsu, he's still able to hold his own against me, a close-combat specialist. Truly a terrifyingly gifted kid!'
Buzz buzz buzz!
Silva raised both fists, his Nen surging dramatically, creating powerful waves of energy that rippled through the air.
Sensing the sudden, dramatic increase in Silva's Nen, Loki, having landed after being sent flying, abruptly raised his head, his gaze fixed on Silva.
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