Killua, Gon and Raphael learn to master the five D of dodgeball.
Razor bounced the ball several times on the court, testing the firmness of the ball. Unlike most of the ones used for dodgeball, this would be much firmer. It was also designed to integrate with Nen, so that different kinds of aura constantly fuelling or smacking against the ball will never cause it to burst.
"I'll explain the rules. The game starts with one outside player and seven inside."
"Well that's a little redundant. We start off having already scored a point…" The teen joked with the man, "You made it sound like all eight must be in the ring at the start."
"I guess I did." The man merely cast a glance at the boy, "Still, as a team you must knock every player out to win. A player inside the court who's hit by the ball thrown by an opponent is out, and must move outside. However…" He looked over to the other players, "you may bring one player inside the court by saying Back. And if the ball hits an area outside the court, without any players, the opposing team gets the ball."
"Now, the important stuff…" That covers the most basic rules. Now it was time for the technicalities, "The rules regarding hits that employ a cushion effect. For example, if I throw a ball, and it hits opposing player A, ricochets, hits opposing player B before hitting the floor, both A and B are out."
"But if B in that scenario is able to catch the ball, player A is safe, correct?"
"Exactly. But if I throw the ball, and it hits opposing player A, ricochets, and hits my teammate player C, before hitting the floor, only C is out."
"So basically, friendly fire is on…" Raphael muses over the odd rule. The chances of that happening were pretty slim.
"Does that mean if player C catches the ball, does that mean player A is out?"
"Indeed…"
Gon fizzled from the rules, too many being flung at him at once. He couldn't memorise all of that, "Uh…"
Killua sighed at his friend, "Seriously, Gon…"
Raphael raised a finger, "Gon, just remember the five D. Dodge, duck, dip, dive and… dodge." Killua chuckled at the obvious joke, understanding the reference immediately. It seems like Killua has watched a few movies in his spare time.
"I guess…"
"The rules are simple, you or a teammate gets hit, catches the ball. And if you don't feel like you can catch it… like the name of the game, dodge it."
Gon awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, smiling from the advice being given. It felt a lot more condensed than what Razor explained but much easier to follow.
"Any questions?"
Killua raised his hand "What if an outside player hits someone with the ball, does that count?"
"Of course, naturally they are out. But only one player can come back in using, Back."
Razor chucked the ball to someone off the court, another puppet Razor controlled, the referee. Wouldn't that count as giving himself a handicap, considering that was another creature he had to control?
Then again…
That could count as cheating seeing as the ref could ignore every team member they knock out "I am number 0, the ref."
"Wouldn't that count as cheating?"
"No, I must follow all the rules. Let's have a clean game, choose your teammate who's going to go off the court."
Killua pointed to the Mirage, "Raphael, move your shadow to the other side."
"I think it's better if I get off the court…"
"Huh? There's no way that Mirage is stronger than you." Going from experience, especially with what he's dealt with, a doppelgänger is never as strong as its creator. Kastro was a clear example of that.
"Killua, do you trust me?"
"Yeah, but…" What exactly did he have planned? "You better not plan on using back right as we start!"
"Nope, just trust me with this."
Gon gave a nod, "I trust him Killua. You know what you're doing, right?"
Giving a nod, he moved into position, hiding behind Razor and his team of puppets. He felt a little isolated given his position, but that wouldn't stop him from succeeding to manipulate his Mirage. He just needed a line of sight to see what and how he was manipulating it.
Five and seven were blocking his view, with number 6 and 7 being the bigger concern.
The ref stood in the middle, Killua standing ready to take the ball from 6, the tallest puppet.
"We will now begin the game. Go!" Throwing the ball up into the air, Killua leapt for it, shocked that Razor was manipulating his puppet to back off.
"You can have the first move."
He shot the man a glare, annoyed that he was treating them so lightly. Killua smacked the ball to Goreinu, getting into position beside Gon's side.
"You sound so confident. That will be your downfall!" Goreinu threw the ball, launching it right at 4 "Here's your first greeting!" The ball rebounded off the creature's head, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
"One down, let's go…" Killua cheered at the rather easy win.
"Let's keep this up! Raphael, pass the ball."
Raphael caught the ball, smiling as he looked over the selection of puppets to choose from. There was no point going for Razor. Even with his back turned to him, his puppets were still looking, which means they'll defend him at all costs.
The boy gripped the ball hard, launching it at an angle, directly into the side of 5's face. The rebound caused the ball to bounce towards their side of the court, "You're not the only one that knows how to throw. Go for 3 next, I need him out of the way."
"Good luck with that. I'm all ready to go…" Razor moved into position.
Goreinu raised an eyebrow at the comment. What did the man mean? How could he be ready after having two of his puppets knocked out "Huh, what are you talking about?"
"I'm prepared to defeat you now."
The man felt himself smiling at Razor's comment "I didn't know you could make jokes." He pooled aura into the ball, taking one step back with his arm stretched out "Good luck catching this!"
Razor stood up calmly from the throw, one palm held out. The ball collided with his hand, earning no reaction from the powered up throw. He caught the ball with zero effort, let alone need to power up his guard with Ken or Ryu.
Goreinu's eyes widened.
"IDIOT! I asked you to go for 3 next, NOT Razor."
"How the hell was I supposed to know he'll stop it with one hand…"
"DID YOU NOT NOTICE when he showed off his aura when Ging was mentioned? That's not a dude you can take lightly."
"Are you kids done arguing?" Razor cast a glance between the kid behind him and Goreinu "It's time for the counterattack." Razor forced aura into the ball, a deep purple wave flowing around the object.
"Everyone get ready!"
Razor slammed one foot forward, throwing the ball directly at Goreinu. He had no time to dodge. Taking an impact like that would be deadly. Raphael switched his focus towards his Mirage, fingers stretching out to take complete control over the puppet.
Razor felt the wave of aura from behind him, smiling when he saw the puppet move. It slammed its foot into the back of Goreinu's leg, knocking him backwards. The man saw the ball sail past where his head once was, a heavy smash echoing across the walls when the puppet behind them caught the ball.
With the ball still in Razor's control, 1 threw the ball back, now aiming for the Mirage.
Raphael contorted the after image, warping its posture for the ball to safely avoid the attack, only for 3 to catch the ball. Raphael could tell from a glance he had no way to move his puppet again to help, let alone catch the ball while Goreinu was down.
Gripping the ball tightly a loud pang echoed when the ball rebounded off the man, landing right into Razor's hands, "Nice rebound…"
The room was silent, Goreinu shaking after his near-death experience. Had Raphael not acted quickly, his face would've been splattered across the floor. If he had his White Goreinu, he could've survived on his own.
But he doesn't…
His body refused to move, still clinging to the floor as though that would stop the game of dodgeball from progressing.
"Goreinu is out, please move to the outer field."
Gon moved closer to the man, wanting to help him up. But the man brushed his hand aside, standing on his own once more. With shaky legs he moved to the outskirts of the field, falling straight onto his ass once more. His legs had given out from underneath him. His body refused to cooperate…
This can't be how it ends for me… He rejected the idea that this is how he gives up. But unless he can push through his trembling body, he has no hopes of being useful to anyone.
Given everything that has happened so far, it's safe to argue that the puppets do not throw as hard as Razor can. But on the other hand… taking a direct hit from him was not an option.
So when the man held the ball once more, aura recharging that ball of instant death, everyone got ready to dodge his next throw, "Alright, let's move on!" Turning his body at the last second, he faced 5, throwing it in their direction.
The group moved back, ready to dodge the next attack, only for that puppet to turn and face 2. Their eyes shifted focus, only for that puppet to pass it back to 4, who passed it back to Razor. It continued to cycle in that direction, the ball getting lost from how quickly they were passing it along.
Raphael was barely able to track the ball, let alone know if he could manipulate his Mirage to avoid an attack coming in that fast.
When 4 caught the ball one last time, it used the momentum of the pass to fling it at the group.
Raphael barely moved his Mirage to dodge the attack, only to realise they weren't aiming for him. They were aiming for Tsezguerra.
"Shit!" The boys called his name in unison, alerting him about being Razor's next target "Tsezguerra!"
"Behind you!" Gon warned the man, but it was far too late. He only had a split second to dodge that ball.
The man forced his aura to block his back, unable to know where the ball was specifically targeting. He winched when he felt the ball connect, the man biting his lip to keep back the scream of agony.
It felt like he was getting hit by a cannonball. Now he knew what Goreinu felt when the ball was coming towards him. Had he not had proper control of his aura, he would've been paralysed from the waist down after taking a direct hit like that.
His body hit the floor hard, the man wincing as he held his back. Even as Gon and Bisky came to check on him, he refused to make a noise. To let them know how excruciating the pain he was experiencing.
Razor could appreciate the man's skill. It's not every day he gets to see someone tank a hit from his ball without dying or at least being incapacitated, "He focused his aura on his back and avoided a lethal blow. You have some skill, at least, to survive…"
With a quick wave, he called some of his pirates over to assist the man he had just downed. "Hey, you might want to patch him up."
"I-I'm fine!" Tsezguerra stopped them from coming any closer, "Don't touch me." He continued to hold his back.
The ref held up his hand, "If a player is unable to continue playing, they're disqualified. They won't be allowed to play inside or outside the court, so keep that in mind."
While Tsezguerra's teammates looked after him, the teams were now equal. Well, equal in terms of number of knockouts. Both Goreinu and Tsezguerra most likely took a hit to their pride. They're not moving anytime soon.
Killua bounced the ball, testing the firmness. By now, Razor's aura had evaporated from the ball. But it's terrifying how long it clung to the ball. It wasn't a normal application of Shu, he could tell that much. The man was somehow making the ball so heavy, when it hits someone, even if they could block it, at best they'll be incapacitated.
At worst… instant death. If they were going to beat the man, they'd need to knock out everyone without the ball landing into their hands even once.
Gon turned to Hisoka, "You're up…"
"Sure…" Hisoka turned to Killua with a smile, "Pass the ball."
"Hisoka, aim for 3. I need him out of the way. Then go for the big boy 7."
"Sure…" Hisoka gripped the ball hard, flinging it right at 3's face. The ball bounced right off the puppet's face, the man recalling the ball with his bungee gum ability. Gripping the ball once more, Hisoka looked slightly bemused by the man's never faltering smile, "Do try to keep me entertained. Surely, this isn't everything you have to offer."
Razor chuckled at the request, "Sure, I can do that for you…"
Hisoka let the ball dangle from his fingertip, the ball swinging like a pendulum, "You want 7 out, correct?"
"Wait a second." Killua held up his hand "Hey Ref, can the last player inside the court use Back at the second he's hit?"
"That is not allowed. For a moment, there would be zero players on the court, so the team would lose. But someone outside the court may use Back, at the last second, before the player is hit."
"Hisoka, you know what to do…"
"Clearly…" Hisoka could only savour the moment. Once everyone is knocked out by his ability, the fun will be over. It's sad it'll have to end this way, with a cheap tactic "We leave him for last…"
Razor moved his puppets around as Hisoka threw the ball, 6 now standing by 7's side.
"Perfect! We can take out 6 and 7 at the same time!"
"With a shot like that, easily." Bisky chimed in to the argument.
Aura glowed around the two, the puppets merging into a single entity. The Puppet had a different number 13. And with the combination, came new benefits. It was fatter and taller than the originals.
The man doesn't just have 7 Puppets… he possibly has hundreds of combinations… or was this the real meaning of Razor and the Fifteen Devils, because he has a combination of fifteen types of puppets he has control of ?
"Th-They combined?"
Hisoka didn't have time to pull back the ball, not when its hand clasped over the ball holding it in place. No matter how much the man tugged, it refused to leave the puppet's grasp "You're strong…" Hisoka frowned, flicking his finger up to detach the connection he had over the ball.
"Is that REALLY ALLOWED?!" Killua called out to the ref. That couldn't be a legal move. They're technically swapping out players for new ones, when Razor made it strictly clear that they had to have eight on each side. This had to be a rule under technical disqualification.
"It is."
"Wait, if you're allowed to combine, does that mean he can split them as well?"
"Yes, but you cannot surpass the maximum numbers of players on the court."
Raphael held up his hand, "But he technically has only seven players on the court, when there's supposed to be eight. We have our eight… he doesn't!"
"Both 7 and 6 are still on the court, they count as two, even though they're now called 13."
"So if he splits them right as the ball hits them, does that count as only knocking one of them out?"
"No, it would count as a double knockout. Both of them would be out. They cannot split right after being hit."
"Now…" Razor called out as the giant puppet handed the ball over to the man like it was some kind of dainty vase that could shatter if dropped onto the floor, "It's my turn to attack again."
Everyone took a step back, lining up against the edge so they have a chance to dodge a toss from that man.
After what Tsezguerra and Goreinu experienced, they're not taking any chances.
"Now we have to retake the ball again…" Gon acknowledged their circumstances. They'll have to hope by him throwing the ball past them, the puppets behind them have a considerably weaker throw than Razor.
"I agree. We need to stop his ball."
The two boys offered a nod at each knowing the only way to do so. That's to catch it. And if they were going to do that, they needed to be prepared to take a risk…
A risk where they can survive. Fortunately, they knew of a way.
"Ken!"
The boys' aura roared to life, a testament to all the training Bisky put them through.
Razor could see the two boys weren't slackers. They were skilled… but were they strong enough to tank a hit from him? "So you know how to use Ken, huh? That means there's a chance you won't die." The man met their enthusiasm, the ball in his grasp filling with aura. It was like a wild tempest, full of destruction "This assumes you aren't hit in a vital area. Here I come…"
Grasping the ball of wild aura, the man paused to look directly at one of the boys "Gon!"
The man's expression was wild, sending a shiver right down his spine. If he fails to guard the ball properly, he will die. Razor wasn't holding back… not for anyone "Bring it!"
Razor slammed his foot down, winding his hand back to throw it with all his might. The ball flew towards the boy as if Razor were a cannon firing at the boy. But at this point, given how hard and fast his throws were, he might as well be one.
Raphael called out to the boy "Don't try to block that, it's-"
Gon brought his hands up to protect his forehead "Ko!" The ball collided with his arms and head, being blocked almost perfectly. It looked like he had successfully stopped the ball. But his feet gave out from underneath him. The boy was shocked momentarily, especially when he felt his feet slip out from his shoes.
He heard several crashes follow, one from a distance and several as he bounced across the floor. He was surprised he hadn't shattered his neck from how hard his head hit the ground.
"Gon?!" Raphael and Killua called out in unison, hoping their friend had survived the heavy attack.
"What about the ball?"
"Fuck the ball! Is Gon okay?" Raphael called for a time-out, the ref accepting the request. The two along with Bisky ran over to the boy to make sure he was still alive. His body had been slammed into the wall, his head down and limp. Gon showed no signs of life.
It was only when Killua checked to see he was alive, Gon acted like he had been revived from a near-death experience "I'm fine!"
Killua's hand moved in quick succession, slapping him with zero warning "Like hell you are! You're bleeding from your forehead…"
Gon looked down at his feet as he rubbed at the throbbing pain from where his friend hit him "I'm missing my shoes."
"And a couple of brain cells…" Killua finally sighed with relief. At least he was somewhat okay. But he probably didn't deserve to be hit like that, especially after bouncing across the floor, AFTER taking a hit from Razor's ball to the face.
"I used Ko to harden my arms and head, but my legs couldn't take the impact." With shaky legs, Gon stood proudly. Even though he failed to guard against the ball this time, he was filled with excitement. If he can survive an attack from Razor, he can catch the ball "However, next time I'll catch it!"
Bisky blew out a frustrated sigh. Gon was a serious danger to himself, but she could see why he was so excited after his latest failure. He was the only one so far, who wasn't shattered after taking a hit from Razor. He was determined to beat him.
"Seriously…" Raphael could only shake his head in disbelief. Maybe he was suffering from a concussion after all. He did take a serious hit to the head. "The only thing you will be doing is getting patched up." Turning to the other he waved to Razor "Can we get some bandages for Gon?"
"Sure…" The man could only smile from the situation. The fire in the boy's eyes told him everything. Gon would be back… sooner or later "Get him some medical attention."
While Bisky patched the boy up, the ref looked up at the ceiling, trying to gauge where the ball might have gone. "Estimating the ball's likely drop point… Play will resume with Team Gon's inside players controlling the ball. But as the ceiling is considered an extension of the floor, Gon is out."
"I'm going to use Back."
"Like hell you are!" Raphael warned his friend, "Sit out for a round or two, at least-"
"I'm doing it!"
"Don't even bother. He's not going to listen to any of us…" Killua was the most annoyed about the situation. Because he knows Raphael was making a good point, it's just he knows Gon is too stubborn to listen to reason right now.
"Fine…" Bisky grabbed the boy, stopping him from making any more immediate stupid decisions, "Don't use Back until we're down to two inside players! Got it!"
Gon pouted, "Fine…"
With the ball successfully regained on their side of the court thanks to Gon's reckless nature, Killua held onto the ball as they figured out their next line of action. The boy tested a theory, passing the ball to Goreinu.
The man passed it back to him, Killua holding onto it for a second. "This isn't against the rules to keep passing it back and forth between two players, is it?"
"No, that is okay."
Killua passed the ball to Raphael, the boy catching it with ease "Considering he round-robin the ball on us earlier, two players would've been fine. Speaking of which…" The teen turned to face Razor, "I might know a way to knock out the big boy." He passed it to Goreinu, "Piff the ball to the Mirage."
"Dude, I'm closer…"
There was a long pause, Goreinu staring long and hard at the ball, "No…"
"No? No, as in I can't do it or no as in you have a better idea."
Goreinu held the ball, now walking away from the group.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm the type that tends to hold grudges."
Raphael quirked an eyebrow. Exactly what did he mean by that statement? Was he planning to do something stupidly reckless, "Just pass the ball? Don't make an idiot out of yourself."
"I don't plan to…" Goreinu turned to face Razor, aura releasing from his palm. The blackish gorilla returned, running away from the man to the edge of the court, "Time for payback, Razor." He threw the ball towards his gorilla.
"Are you CRAZY?! He's on the other side of the court."
"Black Goreinu!" The man moved the gorilla, switching its position from outside the court to inside, where Razor once stood. Where Black Goreinu was, a now confused Razor occupied the spot. The ball collided with his face, the man gritting his teeth from the action. He never expected to have his position swapped in an instant.
Goreinu grinned from the man's dumbfounded expression, "You're out of here!"
Two puppets started running, their reaction being far too late. Given the trajectory of the ball, it'd land somewhere far outside the boundary. When 13 grabbed 2 from outside the ring, it was a different story.
He threw 2 right at the ball, the puppet promptly catching it to pass it back to 13.
"Look out!"
Goreinu had no time to react, not when the ball was flung right into his face by the puppet. He was knocked out in an instant.
"What an interesting move. You should've used it wisely…" Razor mocked the man who was already out cold. He caught the ball as it landed in his palm, meaning all the effort Gon went through to catch the ball was wasted.
The ref held up his hand to make a call, "Illegal move."
"Finally, something in our favour."
"Team Gon is disqualified!"
"Huh?!" The trio of boys reacted.
"Illegal move?" Killua pointed a finger right at Razor, "Razor straight up knocked out someone, who was already out."
"I was just passing the ball… It's not my fault he couldn't catch it. Had the ball touched the floor, I would've been out." The man gave Killua a small smile.
"What is the illegal move anyway?" Bisky pressed her palms to her sides, "It was all done through Nen."
"There were nine players on Gon's team."
"NINE?! Where?" Raphael waved his hands out of exasperation, "There were only seven of us on the court at that point, that's if we include the man that's now knocked out. The same amount that's on Razor's team."
Razor turned to the teen. The boy was right, there were seven, including Goreinu. He wondered what would happen if he made the ref push back. How would Raphael react?
The ref interjected the idea, "Goreinu Black was not an original player on the field."
"So was 13, but I don't see you chucking a hissy fit over that. At least try to be consistent."
"13 is still 6 and 7, they have been merged as one entity."
Raphael grit his teeth, annoyed that he was arguing with a puppet being controlled by Razor. He was making the rules as he saw fit, "Both Tsezguerra and Gon are recovering on the side. If they were standing around the court as Goreinu pulled off his stunt, I'd see your point. But they weren't. We had only seven players around the court at that time, so your argument for disqualification is invalid."
Razor's smile grew, "You're a stickler for rules and loopholes."
"You made the game like this. The Zoltan was the same, he could cheat by seeing where the cards were at all times, but we weren't allowed to. But if he was being blinded, he didn't know where the cards were…"
"But if you called him out for cheating, he'd stop cheating." Razor's smile only grew, "That's what he was designed to do." This was a player who knew their stuff, searching for clues within the limits of the hints being given. He won't be tricked as easily as others.
"This whole time we could've called him a cheater, and he'd stop cheating?!" Asta screamed at the man in disbelief, "You're joking…"
"Nope, afraid not. You just had to let him know how he was cheating, call him out, and he'd stop."
"Fuck me…" Asta sat back down, annoyed with the whole situation. How did the boy even find out how the Zoltan was cheating anyway? She knew they were cheating… but she could never figure out the Zoltan's methods. He just knew where the highest card was at all times, even after shuffling them every game.
The gorilla vanished, leaving Razor to speculate that Goreinu's beast was being controlled directly. Well, it didn't matter. Even if the man recovers, that gorilla isn't coming back… it's not on the field, either.
Razor held up his hand, "The boy is correct. However, in this instance, there were only six players. The Black Goreinu was used to teleport me closer, so I had no time to dodge the ball. Had he used Black Goreinu to throw the ball, different story." Razor held the boy's attention for a moment, "There were no illegal moves being made."
"The game will proceed as normal." The ref made the call without hesitation.
It was being forced to agree with Razor, its owner, and that sucked. That means at any point, that man could ultimately screw them over. He has absolute control over the game and rules… he's just choosing not to cheat.
Raphael shot a glare at the man knocked out on the ground. He made such a reckless decision that could have cost them their match. Had he not argued against the foul, they would've been forced to start all over again.
He was thankful for wasting every precious moment getting into the nitty-gritty of bypassing Greed Island's rules and conditions, finding loopholes he could exploit for success.
At least with Goreinu knocked out, he won't be making any more stupid actions.
Razor took a moment to appreciate the teen's arguments. He found an alternate way to beat the Zoltan, most likely beating the quest with its difficulty spike active. That kid wasn't messing around.
The man turned to the multiple players still on the field, ideally listening to Gon thanking Raphael for getting them out of the mess Goreinu created. He still had four players he had to beat, one of which… was going to be problematic. During the first round of throws, when he tried to knock out Goreinu, the Mirage knocked the man down.
When he tried to knock out the Mirage instead, it could warp its body out of the ball's pathway. Could Raphael keep that up indefinitely? If he's going to pull off his ultimate shot, he's going to need to get rid of that Mirage, first. Razor tossed the ball into the air, promptly catching it a few times.
He's going to need to ricochet the ball after some of the stunts he pulled off initially. Grabbing the ball one last time, he positioned himself to throw the ball. The puppets moved, surrounding the Mirage from all angles, "You're up next, kid. Show me what you can do!" The man flung the ball right at Raphael's Nen Beast.
Raphael weaved his fingers, the Mirage warping its body, avoiding the shot by bending its weight to the left. 1 caught the ball, promptly swinging the ball back in its direction.
Raphael was forced to make it dodge again, snapping its back forward, so the ball sailed past their head. Over and over again, the teen was forced to dodge the attack. At times like these, he could truly appreciate Bisky's brutal training.
Had he not participated, he probably couldn't pull off half of these stunts in quick succession. Still… he couldn't keep this up indefinitely. He's mostly relying on the Manipulator category to control his Mirage. Either he's going to need to risk catching one of the endless throws, or collapse out of exhaustion.
Hisoka witnessed every move, the way the kid was controlling his puppet. It was malformed, far different to how Kastro was with his body double. He wasn't seeking perfection in his Mirage, it was merely shaped to have his stature…
But the way it moved… it was unnatural, for a human body. Designed to be flexible, like a shadow flickering under the candlelight. When it flattened into the ground, a thin blob across the floor, he knew his hypothesis was correct.
But a quick look at Raphael, and he knew the kid wouldn't be able to keep up indefinitely.
Who knows how long the boy could manipulate the Mirage, to survive his endless rally of throws. He'll be wasting his own aura just to knock out one individual. So, if he can't defeat the Mirage in one throw… he'll take out the person controlling it, instead.
Razor purposely made one of his puppets misjudge their throw. Their hand trailed under the ball's trajectory.
"Raphael, watch out!"
Raphael pulled back his hands, defending his body like he witnessed Gon do. But instead of trying to use Ko like his friend did. He followed in Tsezguerra's footsteps. Weaving his aura to surround his face, arms and legs. He prepared himself for an impending impact.
He slid his feet across the floor, mentally preparing himself to catch the ball being tossed in his direction.
He anticipated a heavy impact, the ball knocking him straight onto his ass as he was forced to cushion his body against a heavy blow to score this catch…
What instead happened, amounted to the equivalent of a ping pong ball bouncing off a wall. The second the ball hit him, he didn't even have a moment to grasp it. It had effectively bounced right off his chest.
"Heh…?"
The ball rubber-banded back in Razor's direction, his body leaving the spot to bounce across the ground several times. He used his aura to cushion the blows to his body, hopefully surviving from an instant knockout like the others.
All he remembers was his name being called, an audible 'oops' off in the distance coming from Razor. He highly doubts the man meant anything by that. It was definitely sarcastic, at least in tone.
Gon watched as the ball bounced back to Razor, the man immediately targeting the Mirage. It shattered on impact, like a candlelight vanishing after being blown out.
Killua quickly called for a timeout, the ref giving their blessing. They went over to their friend's side, to check if he's okay. He was okay for the most part, serious bruises along their body. But he wasn't bleeding from anywhere, nor does it look like he has any broken bones.
"You did that on purpose!" Gon called out the man's behaviour. He pulled off the same stunt with Goreinu earlier. No 'oops' was going to change that he purposely targeted Raphael instead of trying to knock out the Mirage.
"The puppet's fingers slipped…"
"No, they didn't!" Killua was quick to argue back, "You couldn't knock out the Mirage so you targeted him instead."
"But I did knock out the Mirage, didn't you see?"
"After you knocked him out…" Bisky made the point, her finger being jabbed in the man's direction, "Had you kept up your actions, you would've knocked out the Mirage without having to take him out."
"Hmm? Did I, now…?" Razor mocked the girl with a smile, "I don't have eyes on the back of my head, so how was I supposed to know that? How was I supposed to know he was standing there?"
"Through your puppets."
"None of them have eyes…"
"But the ref can clearly see. It's calling out all our actions."
"That is true…" Razor hummed in agreement, "But its goal is to report things, using the game's rules. It is not designed to let me know where everyone is at all times. Why do you think I'm always facing the direction of the ball?"
He was right. She was caught off guard by that argument. He was always facing the ball. So when Goreinu hit him in the side of the face, he didn't have time to turn towards the ball to catch it. Still… How did he know that failing to grab the ball meant Raphael would get hit?
It was at this moment Raphael snapped awake, "You bastard, I was standing right THERE! You did that on purpose…" The teen rubbed his chest, massaging the bruise that will definitely be forming later, "Fucken hurts."
"Are you okay?" Gon checked the boy out.
When Raphael looked up at Gon, he found himself frowning, "Considering I'm seeing two of you… no. Unless you have a twin I'm not aware of."
Asta scoffed at the situation, arms crossed as she looked down at the boy, "I'll get him patched up. You deal with the big dude."
"What about the Mirage?"
"Afraid he knocked him out, after knocking you down."
"Shit…" Raphael looked down at the floor, "I let you down."
"It's okay. You did pretty good." Killua came to hold a hand on his friend's shoulder, "After your stunt, it's clear he wasted time and resources trying to knock out your Mirage. His average throws are most likely going to be weaker now." It probably wasn't true, since that man has shown exceptional skills over his control of his puppets and throws. But he didn't want him to feel like he took a hit to the chest for nothing.
Still…
If Raphael's Mirage could keep surviving indefinitely, that would've been a boon to their side. As long as one of them could catch the ball without any risks, Razor would've had no chance of beating them.
With Raphael now being taken care of, that left both teams dead even. Three VS three. But they were clearly at a disadvantage. Razor's puppet, 13, was far stronger than Hisoka.
Killua turned to face the man who continued to smile from their misfortune, "We still have to get that ball back."
"Yeah…"
The teams returned to their sides, Asta patching up the boy's chest, "Stop sulking, at least you're still conscious after taking a hit from that man."
"But we're down too many players. Razor has 13 and 2. Once I'm not seeing two, I'm returning to the field."
"Hey, I'm using back." Gon was quick to interfere. He and Bisky made a deal. If their side drops to less than three players, he gets to use their only Back.
"I know. I meant to the side. I should still be able to control my Mirage too, so there's that."
"Oh…"
"Gon as much as I would love to take a third hit to the face…" He turned to Gon, smiling at his misfortune, "which I don't, I don't think I can survive another direct hit. But let's put our trust in Bisky or Hisoka, maybe we'll get lucky, and they'll be able to catch the ball."
"What about Killua?"
"You and I both know why. It's not that I don't trust him…" He turned back to his friend in question, "I wouldn't want him to experience what we went through."
"Well, then…" Razor smiled, the ball in his hand. He ran right to the edge of the line, performing an underhand throw, "Who's up next?" The ball flew right towards Killua.
Killua moved, avoiding the strike by dodging to his right. But the moment he did so, the ball made a sharp turn to the right… his left.
Raphael and Gon watched in horror as the ball flew right for Bisky, the woman expertly dodging the ball. However, Hisoka was next in line. He bent backwards, the ball flying past his body into the hands of 5.
Gripping the ball, he threw it back at the man.
Hisoka caught the ball, the power behind the pass pushing him along the floor. It was clear even he couldn't escape a throw without suffering in the process. He had a wound on his forehead, a bruise and a slit just above his eye. He received a small cut from the impact.
Razor isn't holding anything back. If anything, he was throwing the ball progressively harder, adding more aura on every toss to make sure he's knocking someone out every round he has a turn.
The silence was deafening, something very clear about the whole situation.
Had Killua moved left… he would've died.
Raphael's fist tightened, with Gon's eyes growing dark. He nearly lost his best friend… he won't stand for that. He's going to make Razor pay.
"Bisky is out! Move to the outside court…"
"Wait, the ball didn't hit her!"
"I did…" Bisky fanned out her dress, touching the seam where Razor's ball ripped her dress, "I should've realised, that your clothes count as a part of your body."
"Yes!"
"It was a nice dress too…" Bisky frowned at her misfortune. It's going to take a fortune to get this thing repaired back to pristine condition. Razor's lucky that this is a game, or she would've walloped the man for ruining it.
"We're down to two! We can't let them get the ball!"
"Gon…"
"Yeah!"
The two stood up.
"Hey, sit your ass back down!" Asta quickly grabbed the boy, warning him from moving so soon. It had only been a couple of minutes, so surely he hadn't recovered that quickly. He should still be resting, "Have you even recovered?! It's too risky to move so soon."
Raphael shook his head. Even if he hasn't, he's not going to let that man get away with his latest stunt, "Gon when you get in, pass the ball to me."
"What do you have planned?"
"Pay back! I'll tell Bisky my plan, you on the other hand… figure out a way to take out Razor. Razor isn't going to get another toss, let alone use his Back."
With a nod, Gon held up his hand, "Back!"
"Gon has used Back. He may move back inside."
Bisky moved to block Gon's path, the look in his eyes clearly telling her everything. He's not thinking straight, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Listen to me. Do not overdo it!"
"Yeah…"
When Gon walked around her, it was clear he wasn't listening to a word she was saying, "What's one plus one?"
"Yeah…"
Bisky let out a long sigh. Why did Gon have to be like this… to refuse to be rational about their situation? Fine, if he was going to be stubborn about it, then let him be reckless. Let him let loose, so he can put Razor in his place, "Fine then! Beat Razor even if it kills you!"
"Osu!"
Raphael approached Bisky, drawing her way from Razor's prying ears, "I have a plan. I'm going to take out the big guy, you take out the smaller one."
"Huh, you have no way of-"
"If you can be tapped… so can they. As soon as you get the ball, knock out the other. We're going to hit him hard and fast, with zero warning."
She was absolutely loving this idea. Even if she had no idea how he was planning to knock out the other, taking out both of his goons before he has a chance to call for a Back is a brilliant plan. Unlike Goreinu who wasted an opportunity, he clearly has a way to pull off a dangerous risk: "You fail, I'll smack you!"
"Likewise…"
"Killua, we have to utterly DESTROY HIM!"
Razor stood in position, ready to take a hit from Gon. With a smile, the boy held the ball in his fingertips. He pulled back if ready to throw the ball, the man smirking in response. Gon had no way to take him out, let alone any of his puppets.
"Now!" Gon turned at the last second, twisting his body to pass the ball to Raphael.
Raphael focused his attention on the bigger puppet, 13, his back wide open from being positioned as far away from Gon as possible. He shifted his fingertips, aura releasing from his body, "Mirage!"
With his doppelgänger at his side, the figure caught the ball, the boy completely sharing his aura between his clone and himself "Payback is a bitch…" With a wide smirk aimed at the man, the figure beside him pulled back the ball, winding up for a throw. It moved its hand, aiming directly for Razor.
Razor moved to position himself to receive the ball. But as he did so, he caught the hand holding the ball twisting and warping. The fingers twisted backwards, passing the ball around its back to perform an underhand throw.
Raphael focused all his aura on his clone as it threw the ball, the ball catapulting past the man. He managed to witness the ball winding past him, slamming right into the back of 13. The heavy impact bounced right off him, Bisky reaching out to catch the ball.
"13 is out! Move to the-"
"We're not done, yet!"
Bisky threw the ball, the ball swerving back around him to slam right off the back of 2. He focused on forcing the puppet to return the ball, but before he even had a chance, Bisky had done what he did to Raphael.
The ball bounced right off the body, and made its way back towards Raphael. He didn't even have a chance to use Back. They got him good…
Raphael used his Mirage to catch the ball, the thunderclap from the ball returning shattering his clone apart. It was to be expected. He brought his foot down, pinning the ball to the ground as he panted heavily. Since he was sharing his aura to an unnatural degree, giving the Mirage enough strength to knock down 13 and still pass it to Bisky, he needed to share everything he had. But he was glad he had enough to fulfil his task without passing out from exhaustion.
Still… he had nothing to take on Razor, not that he was planning to. But with this move, that left Gon to be completely fixated on taking out Razor. As long as he put everything into it, that man had no chance.
"Gon, you're up. Make him pay…"
The boy caught the ball, filled with indescribable giddiness. This is where he makes the man pay.
Gon pointed to a spot the two were whispering about something. With Killua standing in position, the ball in his hands, he gripped the ball loosely between his fingertips. Gon took a deep breath.
The room stood still with anticipation.
Gon felt his aura flare up, the boy clenching his fist in anger. This wasn't going to be enough. No, he wanted Razor to feel his frustration, to be brought to his knees from an overpowering force. He drew on those feelings, reaching deep into that anger he felt when Razor knocked down Raphael…
The rage he felt when Killua could've died, had he made a different decision…
His aura burst forth, glowing brightly for all to see. To say everyone was mortified, would be an understatement. He was more than ready to take out Razor.
Razor's eyes opened wide, fixated on preparing himself to launch an attack that could probably kill him if he's not careful. He's not going to risk it, trying to survive a direct head on collision with Gon's unrelenting anger.
"Shit…" Razor held up his hand, clicking his fingers once at the group. All the aura he was using to maintain his puppets' returned to his side, it raged in anticipation. Ging had birthed a monster… one he'd definitely be proud of, "Bring it…"
"Yeah!" Gon brought up his fist, "Killua, I'm going all-out."
He gave a nod, even knowing what could happen to him if he made one fatal mistake. Gon couldn't afford to hold back anything, but doing so means he'll be there… by Gon's side to feel the brunt of his friend's aura rush past him into the ball right before the launch. He'll consider himself lucky if his hands don't come flying off along with the ball.
But Gon is trusting him with this…
He'll trust his friend too, "You better. He's stronger now, so put everything you've got into it!"
"Yeah…" Gon turned to the man, now glaring at him. He moved into position, "First comes rock!" He reeled in all that aura, drawing it into his fist. What the group could feel around Razor, Gon was condensing it into his fist.
It was going to be an all out battle. Gon VS Razor. The winner will be decided by who has the strongest will.
"Rock…"
Razor got into position, smiling like a madman.
"Paper…" Gon swung with all his strength, his fist colliding with the ball in Killua's hands, "Rock!"
Killua bit down on his lip for a second, only to quickly shift back into a smile. Even with all his training, the pain he felt was excruciating. It was an instant crushing force, as if the doors back at home fell right onto his unprotected hands, mangling them instantly. He should've forced more aura into his hands to protect it, but any more than he already used for protection probably would've weakened Gon's attack.
As the ball left his hands, he forced them straight into his pockets. Even as a grunt left his mouth from the pressure now pressing against his wounded hands, Gon didn't need to know about the damage, let alone see it. No, his friend need to be completely fixated on taking out Razor.
Razor bent his knees, receiving the ball into his hands. But in a cruel twist of fate, the man simply smiled. He bent his wrists, flicking his arms up with all his strength. The ball was being returned to Gon.
Gon had no chance of receiving his own aura being returned to him, "Gon, dodge!"
"It's too late. He's too stubborn." Razor glanced in Raphael's direction, "That isn't how he wants to win. During this match, I've learned that much about him."
Razor was right. Gon was stubborn as fuck. Raphael had no chance to call upon his Mirage to trip his friend. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable gore to ensue. Gon's body would spatter across every square inch of the walls.
Except, there was nothing remotely of that sound to come. It was instead the sound of something crashing to the floor.
When the teen opened his eyes, Gon had passed out on the floor.
Razor was bound to lose from a technicality.
"Take pride in your actions…" Tsezguerra found himself looking away with a smile, "You won…"
"Not, exactly…" Hisoka drew out his hands, taking the ball being returned, between his fingers. He was going to give Gon exactly what he had hoped for.
"What are you doing!"
"They wanted an absolute win…" Hisoka's face twisted into a deranged smile, "And I'm going to give it to them." The man cracked his knuckles, letting the ball collect in his makeshift rubber gum bag. He rebounded the ball back, Razor shocked by his actions.
"Oh, we're just playing hot potato now." Razor got ready to receive the ball again. But as his eyes opened to look at the ball, a ball of aura flew past his face. The area in front of him lit up, blinding him with light temporarily.
"Blash Bang!" Raphael smiled behind hazy eyes. It was the last of his strength. But he was making this return count. Razor humiliated them way too many times. It's finally time he got a taste of his own medicine.
The man was forced to refocus his aura, the ball colliding with his stomach. The next thing he felt was his head hitting the floor, blacking out after the first crash.
A/N: Leave a review, it helps inspire me.