Five seconds earlier, the two stood on the stage, silently analyzing their opponent.
Ryker's gaze swept over his opponent, curiosity sparking as he noticed that Jackie Chan had indeed brought a folding chair and a mop to the stage, just as the videos had shown.
His mind churned, trying to deduce the purpose of these odd weapons and Jackie's true abilities.
At the same time, Jackie Chan was closely observing Ryker.
Having studied all of Ryker's match recordings, Jackie was convinced of one thing: the boy had deliberately avoided using Nen before reaching the 200th floor.
However, Ryker's performance after that milestone was nothing short of astonishing.
Jackie had never encountered such a terrifying prodigy. Despite Ryker's youthful appearance, his mastery of Nen—the sheer quality and quantity of it—was extraordinary. How much training had this boy undergone to reach such a level?
Jackie's own Nen awakening had been an accident. While pursuing a fugitive in a furniture mall, he had leapt from a height of three or four floors to prevent the criminal's escape.
That reckless act had unlocked his Nen, and the subsequent rapid healing of his injuries had amazed even him.
Jackie was an Enhancer. Through years of rigorous training, he had honed his abilities and achieved everything he had today.
This match was especially important to him—not just as a matter of pride but because he found Ryker's behavior troubling.
From what Jackie had observed in Ryker's previous matches, the boy often fought with ruthless precision, seemingly intent on inflicting unnecessary harm.
As a former law enforcement officer, Jackie found this deeply unsettling. In his view, matches should end when victory was clear—there was no need for excessive force.
Jackie believed Ryker's actions stemmed from a distorted worldview, likely shaped by a difficult past and the confidence that came with overwhelming strength.
Determined to set the boy on the right path, Jackie had thoroughly analyzed Ryker's fights, formulating a strategy to uncover the truth about his abilities.
.......
As the referee signaled the start of the match, Jackie charged forward at full speed, dual-wielding his mop and folding chair. However, Ryker reacted as if he had foreseen the attack.
The instant the match began, he darted aside with remarkable agility, employing a skill that left multiple afterimages in his wake.
This unexpected move threw Jackie off, forcing him to pause and recalibrate. Despite his experience and countless battles as a floor master, Jackie had never encountered such a technique.
Ryker, meanwhile, silently celebrated his decision to go all out from the start, gaining the upper hand in the match's opening moments. With Jackie caught off guard, Ryker unleashed a barrage of Nen bullets.
Jackie quickly adjusted his strategy, unfazed by the initial setback.
'I'll test the power of his Nen bullets with the mop first,' he thought. 'Seeing it on video doesn't compare to experiencing it firsthand.'
Setting the folding chair aside, Jackie infused his mop with Nen and began deflecting Ryker's attacks. He was confident in his ability to block the bullets while closing the distance.
But Ryker's strategy had another layer. Each Nen bullet was tethered by a Nen thread, allowing him to control their movements with precision.
Jackie found himself facing not just straightforward projectiles but a swarm of guided missiles that split and changed direction unpredictably.
Caught unprepared, Jackie struggled to adapt.
The mop that had seemed sufficient for defense now felt woefully inadequate as he dodged and deflected in a desperate attempt to regain control.
'So this is his true power,' Jackie thought, adjusting his plan. 'These guided bullets are far more advanced than the ones he used in his earlier matches. He's holding nothing back.'
From Ryker's perspective, something about Jackie's Nen felt off.
'His aura doesn't seem as solid as it was at the start.'
'Did he expend too much energy in his initial burst? Or is he conserving it for a prolonged battle? No, that's not it… Even the flow of his Nen has become sluggish.'
As Jackie struggled to fend off the guided Nen bullets, he began to piece together Ryker's capabilities.
'This ability relies on both Manipulation and Transformation,' he deduced.
'He's using Transformation to create Nen threads and possibly a touch of Manipulation to control them. But for a boy his age to master such complex techniques…'
Jackie considered two possibilities: either Ryker had always possessed this ability and had simply withheld it in earlier matches, or he had developed it on the spot in response to a specific challenge.
'If it's the latter, there's no way he could use it so proficiently. Which means this ability has always been part of his arsenal.'
'But that raises another question: how can a pure Emitter possess such advanced skills in Manipulation and Transformation? That's not normal.'
Jackie's thoughts turned to the concept of limitations and vows.
'It must be a restriction,' he concluded. 'Some kind of vow and condition has granted him this power. The only question is, what price did he pay?'
'His weakness must lie in the details of his ability, something everyone has overlooked but is hiding in plain sight...'
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