Hunter x Hunter - Unlimited Abilities

He leaned against the counter with one hand, holding the glass in the other.

Then, a knock came at the door.

Arin turned sharply, surprised.

He placed the glass down and walked toward the door cautiously, focusing his senses lightly in case something felt off.

When he opened it, his eyebrows lifted in disbelief.

Agris stood there.

Still in the same outfit as before.

"I'm not here for trouble," Agris said, raising one hand slightly in a non-threatening gesture.

"I just have a few questions. If you don't mind."

Arin didn't answer immediately.

He kept his expression unreadable and tilted his head slightly, thinking.

A moment later, he stepped aside.

"Come in."

Agris nodded and entered the room.

He didn't look around like a curious guest.

He walked straight to the chair Arin had vacated earlier and sat, crossing his arms.

Arin returned to the counter, picked up his glass of whiskey, and leaned back.

"You want a drink?" Arin asked casually.

"No, thanks," Agris replied.

There was a brief pause between them, not awkward but cautious.

"I've fought a lot of people in this arena," Agris started, his voice even and low.

"Most of them either go all in from the start or rely on a single trick. You fought like you were holding back."

"I was," Arin said without hesitation.

"Why?"

Arin shrugged.

"Training. Learning. This place is more than just prize money to me. It's a chance to improve. If I show everything in every fight, I'll have nothing left when it matters."

Agris narrowed his eyes slightly.

"That's… a dangerous mindset. You could lose because of it."

"Only if I'm careless," Arin replied.

"But today, I wasn't. I needed that fight to understand a few things. And it worked."

"And as you know, the battles in the Heavens Arena are rarely fatal, and both sides are just trying to knock their opponents out instead of killing."

Agris leaned forward slightly. "So you're new to Nen?"

"New enough," Arin answered. "Still finding my way."

Agris sat back and exhaled slowly.

"If I did not fight with you to understand your character, I would tell you are a liar. I think you are wicked." Agris said, and he grinned.

Arin tilted his head. "Is that a compliment?"

Agris closed his eyes for a second and said.

"There are people here who watch these fights for more than entertainment."

"Recruiters. Hunters. Mercenaries. And others. You catch the wrong kind of attention, and you might find yourself in trouble."

"I already have," Arin said under his breath.

Agris caught it.

"You're being hunted?"

"Not exactly," Arin said. "But there are people who've noticed me. They made offers. I turned them down."

"Smart move?"

"I hope so."

Agris stood up.

"Listen, I don't know what you're aiming for. But if you're planning to climb past the 150s and into the real battlegrounds, you better be ready."

"I know," Arin said. "That's why I'm here."

Agris nodded once.

"Then we may meet again. If we do, I'll expect a stronger version of you."

"I also want to win next time, so expect a different me in the future..."

"I would be happy to fight you again."

Arin replied with a small grin.

Agris walked to the door and paused.

"One last thing. That last strike was smart. You waited, read me, and hit just once. That takes restraint. I respect that."

"I am not an amateur; if you wanted to kill me with that last kick, you would be able to with your mastery over 'Nen.'"

Arin raised his glass slightly.

"Thanks, but as I said, I am not fighting to kill here, and I do not want to be disqualified from fighting."

Agris left the room without another word.

As the door closed, Arin sat down again, finishing the last sip of his drink.

After Agris left, closing the door with a soft click,

Arin leaned back against the door for a moment, holding the empty whiskey glass in one hand.

As he walked slowly back to his seat, he spoke to himself, almost in a whisper.

"He noticed that I was not fighting for real…

"That despite being new to Nen, I've shown him that I'm hiding something."

"Hiding my mastery. Or at least my theoretical knowledge."

"He's not a fool. That's clear. He's seasoned."

"And he probably knows there's a difference between raw aura and aura used with precision."

"I gave him just enough. Not too much. But even that was enough for someone like him to notice."

Arin's gaze shifted toward the dark window.

"And then… he warned me."

He smirked.

"He warned me that there are people watching these matches."

"Recruiters. Mercs. Even assassins or talent scouts."

"That if I'm not careful, someone out there might decide I'm useful… or worse, dangerous."

A short chuckle escaped his lips.

It was dry, not amused but not dismissive either.

"He's not wrong."

Arin said to himself as he stood up.

"If I were just some uninformed guy thrown into this world by chance… yeah, his warning would be valuable."

He poured himself another drink, just a little this time, and brought it to his lips, letting the liquid touch his tongue before swallowing.

"But that's not the case."

He walked to the edge of the bed and sat down again.

"Maybe the most important advantage I have… the most critical thing that separates me from anyone else like me… is that I know."

He looked up toward the ceiling, as if addressing someone unseen.

"I know this world."

He smirked slightly.

"I know what happened to Gon. To Killua. To Kurapika. To Hisoka, Chrollo, the Zoldycks, and even the Phantom Troupe."

"I know about the Hunter Association, about the Chimera Ants, about the Dark Continent… and most of all…"

His eyes narrowed.

"I know how terrifying Nen truly is."