As Darius leaves their hotel suite on floor 199, Alex and Menchi exchange looks, both still processing the surprising turn of events.


    “Any plans for the actual fight? You provoked him, you challenged him, and he accepted. Forget the bet for now. I have to admit, besides his obsessive love for his daughter, he seemed like a strong fighter,” Menchi says, her tone slightly worried.


    “I’ve got a strategy,” Alex replies confidently. “After buying all those treasures the other day, I had some leftover cash, so I ordered something special from a local blacksmith. You’ll see—it’s friggin’ ingenious. I had to think long and hard about it. A simplistic moron like Darius won’t know what hit him.”


    Before Menchi can press him for details, Alex quickly adds, “Of course, I know he’s strong, and that trick alone won’t guarantee a win. But it’s not like I have to him, do I? I just need to win the fight.”


    “I see, going for 10 points, huh?” Menchi nods, understanding his plan. “Anyway, don’t get cocky! I’m adding another penalty: if you lose, I’ll make sure the joke from earlier becomes reality. You’ll be my maid for a week—wearing the frilliest dresses I can find, cleaning up my mess in the kitchen, cleaning my room, bathing me, massaging me. And—oh!—you’ll use your to clean my feet! Hehe, you better make sure you win! I want to brag to Master Linne that my student became a Floor Master under my genius tutelage.”


    Alex can’t help but blush slightly, though a small, dangerous part of him wonders what that would even be like. He quickly shakes the thought off.


    “And if you win,” Menchi continues with a smirk, “I’ll reward you as I promised. So you better fight like your life depends on it.”


    “Stop with this joke already! This is serious; even if I lose, I’ll refuse, and I won’t lose in the first place,” Alex protests, groaning in frustration.


    Menchi giggles at his reaction, but Alex changes the subject. “I need your help with something! I think speed and agility will be the key. I’ve got some ways to increase my speed, but as you know, those are limited and not something I can rely on forever. Can you teach me techniques to strengthen my jumps or temporarily boost my speed? Like using Aura to propel me forward?”


    Menchi tilts her head, intrigued.


    “Especially the jumping part,” Alex adds. “I’ve got an ability that lets me glide through the air. As long as I can get enough height, I’ll be able to make good use of it.”


    “Geniuses can learn that almost instantly—it’s basic Aura manipulation,” Menchi replies, clearly trying not to laugh. “I always forget you learned Nen just a short time ago. Okay, fine! As your super beautiful and talented teacher, I’ll teach you!”


    … … …


    A few hours later, Alex is smiling, satisfied with his progress.


    Menchi, pleased with his results, heads out on one of her shopping trips to buy ingredients for some new dishes she’s been planning to experiment with. Even while at Heavens Arena, her dedication to honing her cooking skills is impressive—she spends hours a day refining her craft when not training with Alex.


    Once Menchi leaves, Alex suddenly remembers the green chest that dropped after his fight with Bahawin. His expectations are low, but with his upcoming fight against Darius looming, he figures it’s worth taking a chance.


    Alex decides, hoping for something useful to support him in the battle ahead.


    Alex wonders, startled by the notification.


    [Stolen Breath]


    Alex thinks, his mind already racing with possibilities.


    Alex quickly reviews his inventory.


    Over the next two weeks, Alex trains diligently every day. He focuses on refining his Nen techniques and improving his agility and jumps, as Menchi had taught him.


    Beyond training, Alex immerses himself in a side project he had started shortly after arriving at Heavens Arena: studying weaponry. He dives deep into ancient weapons, learning their designs, functions, and histories. Luckily, the Hunter x Hunter world has many similarities to Earth, making most of his research feel familiar.


    Alex goes so far as to take pictures and measurements of various weapons and equipment, conducting tests in a laboratory located within the massive tower. Using the lab, he analyzes the material composition of his system-recognized items from other worlds.


    To make the results more compelling, Alex blends scientific facts with some fabricated details about the origins of the materials. He publishes a report with the overarching conclusion that certain items are “foreign” and beyond the comprehension of modern science. His analysis suggests that some of the materials don’t exist on any known periodic table and contain multiple unknown elements—claims that, if true, could shake the scientific community.


    As part of his “proof,” Alex shaves off minuscule fragments from a few system-recognized items and assembles small kits containing the samples. He plans to send these kits to the Hunter Organization, along with some of the most prestigious universities and research facilities he can find in the Hunter x Hunter world. Of course, he makes sure, not to reveal anything directly about the Realm.


    Alex thinks, smirking as he plans out his next move.


    Using the information provided by the system’s "Notes" window, Alex prepares to spin a detailed explanation. He’ll incorporate what the system told him about the knife’s origin and then create some basic justifications for how Nen could have altered its properties but not its composition.


    Alex chuckles to himself.


    For the other items, like the [Sword of Pluto], [Mr. 5’s .44 Caliber 6-Shot Revolver], and [Shield of Pluto], Alex has an even bolder plan. He’ll claim these are relics from some “unexplored continent,” then publish his findings as if they were groundbreaking. To top it off, he’ll announce plans for a grand expedition to this supposed continent—an excuse to explain his long absence.


    Alex congratulates himself. Sёarch* The N?velFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    … … …


    A few days before his fight with Darius, Alex sends out almost 50 large packages. Each one contains his mostly fabricated thesis, samples from various weapons and armor—including some from other worlds—and the results of basic scientific tests.


    The tests, naturally, failed to identify certain elements in the items from Final Fantasy 9 and One Piece, further fueling his narrative.


    As Alex watches the last package leave, he cringes.


    He pauses, frowning.


    “Did you send your research away?” Menchi asks when she returns. She sounds genuinely impressed. “I have to say, I thought you were just a brute focused on collecting items and fighting, but you’ve really opened my eyes! This research is on the same level as mine, and I became a Single Star Hunter because of it! I’m seriously impressed—I think your conclusions are fascinating! I even copied your data and sent it to Linne.”


    “You… seriously?” Alex stares at her in shock. he thinks, hiding his amusement.


    “Yeah!” Menchi nods enthusiastically. “At first, I thought you made it all up. You managed to create this research out of nowhere, so it was suspicious. But then I looked into it myself, mostly to rub it in your face.... Surprisingly, what you claim is true! Sure, you barely offer any answers to the questions you raise, but the questions themselves—and your observations—are undeniable.


    “By the way, your research mentions ‘Sword A’ and ‘Shield A’ as sources, along with a few pictures… that’s your equipment, isn’t it? And this ‘unexplored continent’? I was supposed to never mention it, but I’ve heard some things from Linne. She told me stories about her adventures, but she left out most of the details.


    “Anyway,” she continues, “I know for a fact you didn’t visit that continent yourself! You wouldn’t have survived for one minute. So I’m very curious about where those items in your research really came from. Your research is fundamentally true, but your explanation about the continent is a cheap excuse that sounds reasonable but is totally wrong!”


    Alex grins and shrugs. “I’ll tell you once I become a Floor Master, and I’ll leave this world if you decide to follow me, of course.”


    “HUH? WORLD??” Menchi stares at him in shock.


    “You heard me,” Alex says


    “You BETTER tell me! And I already said I’m coming with you!” she huffs. “Just a few more days until your fight. Make sure you actually win… or ELSE!” Menchi says with a joyful expression.