Chapter 29: Truth X Tempest
Heavens Arena, March 12th…
On the 211th Floor, sitting in the dining area, Sinbad watched Gilgamesh and Imane retreat toward the floor elevators. Turning his attention back in front of him, he noticed a swirly soft serve ice cream cone on the table. Excited, he snatched the desert off the table and bit the pointy top.
After enjoying his desert for a few seconds, he noticed the lingering stares from his friends. Sinbad understood their looks of confusion and the need for answers, he sighed and rested the waffle cone on the table.
"I believe it is time to reveal the truth of my lineage and mission," Sinbad said to them, looking at each of them. He took a dramatic deep breath. "I am–"
"The King of Magi." Killua interrupted, confident and unbothered.
"King?!" Pokkle yelped, looking at Killua. "That doesn't make sense, he is a teenager."
Hesitantly, Killua thought because he came to the same realization because of Sinbad's Nen Ability and the way the man carried himself, he went back and forth between a prince or king. However, listening to his conversation with his brother and Imane, Killua understood that Sinbad truly believed himself to be the King.
Sinbad folded his arms. "Yes and no. We don't believe in the concept of a prince because if Gilgamesh and I both have equal rights to become King why should either of us take a lesser title."
"That makes some sense," said Pokkle.
"But, you're not the true king?" Killua asked.
"My father still has the highest authority of the Kingdom till the end of the Contest of Kings," Sinbad revealed, picking back up his ice cream. He licked the cylinder shaped ice cream, making the sides evenly smooth. "Gilgamesh and I are in a contest to keep our status as King."
Pokkle leaned back in his seat in surprise and Killua whistled.
"So, what's the contest?" Killua asked, scooping his plastic spoon into his cup of vanilla ice cream. His face lit up with anticipation before stuffing the tip of the spoon into his mouth. "I'm guessing one of them is to become Floor Master."
Sinbad bit onto the tiny edges of the sugar glazed waffle cone. "Yup, plus two others."
"What are the other two?" Pokkle asked, leaning forward to enjoy his ice cream, feeling a bit left out.
"To conquer a body of land and bring something of great value back from the Dark Continent," answered Sinbad before licking off huge portions of soft serve onto his tongue, finishing the entire top part of the desert.
"Dark Continent…" Pokkle mumbled. "What is that? Where is that?"
Sinbad grabbed onto his aching head to comfort his brain freeze. "No idea."
Killua swallowed the last bite of his ice cream, dropping the empty paper cup onto the table and then faced Sinbad. "And what is our role in all of this?"
"Nothing has changed really," Sinbad answered, honestly. Even though he wished to have explained this a bit further into the journey, he wanted to be a little more forthcoming to Killua, especially since the reveal of his part in killing Gon. "We are still Hunters exploring the world. I am not going to ask for anything that I wouldn't do myself. Sure there will be some danger here and there but that is where all the fun will be."
Killua smiled regarding his last sentence. 'That is true, nothing much has changed and it does sound kind of fun.'
"That is why we are getting stronger, here," Pokkle spoke up, pointing all around them.
Sinbad nodded. "And I will still help you escape the grasp of your family and keep you from killing people."
Killua leaned back into his chair and kicked his feet onto the table. "I guess I don't mind helping you take down your arrogant brother. A serving of humble pie."
Pokkle chuckled. "Seriously, I can't believe you are his brother. You two are nothing alike."
Laughing, Sinbad tossed the rest of the cone in his mouth. "Right!"
As laughter ended between the three of them, Sinbad's face grew serious.
"I do feel terrible for not telling you guys earlier but I hope you guys can understand the importance of my lineage and mission," Sinbad said. "However, I trust the two of you with my life so I believed this to be the necessary next step."
Pokkle's facial features soften, moved by Sinbad's openness and feeling the bond between them deepen.
Killua grabbed his used plastic spoon and threw it at Sinbad's forehead. "Stop being so sentimental."
"Hey! I'm–"
Killua's outstretched hand interrupted Sinbad's complaint, easing his anger from the spoon hitting his head. Then, they shook hands.
In front of Sinbad and next to Killua, a grey and white striped cat leapt onto their table and jumped onto Pokkle's head.
"Oh, there you are Rain," Pokkle said, reaching with his hands to pet the furry cute animal. His adopted cat from his fight against the Magician, they've become inseparable. "Where are you always running to?"
…
Heavens Arena 200th Floor, March 21st…
With his King's Crown already activated, Sinbad unsheathed his curved blade and stood at the center of the fighting square. "I am going to stand here for two minutes, once complete I will make a command that will affect both of us."
Sinbad poured his Nen downward, golden tides of Nen pooled from his feet and inched toward the perimeter.
"There it is! To nobody's surprise, Sinbad announced his condition by staying at the center of the arena!" Cocco commented. As this was now, Sinbad's fifth fight on the 200th Floor and everyone anticipated this action. The audience fell in thought, thinking of the same way to counter Sinbad's King's Court ability and that was to move him away from the center. "Let's see how Zora keeps Sinbad away from the center! In his previous three matches, he hasn't been able to achieve the two minutes once! But he somehow continues to win!"
'I can't wait to blow that annoying smile off his face! I will be the first one to give this attention craving freak!' Zora thought angrily.
"Kiya Kiya Kiya," Zora laughed with his mouth wide open, revealing sharp teeth. He wore a loose yellow baggy t-shirt with a black compression shirt underneath and ridiculous black compression shorts, finishing the outfit with green sneakers. "Sure, go ahead and stay there, Sinbad! If you can!"
Sinbad smiled, confidently. "I'm feeling a bit good today, Zora. What do you say, we make a wager on this match?"
Zora reflected Sinbad's grin. "I like the sound of that. What is your proposition?"
"If I can stay here on this spot for the full two minutes, I get to steal something of value from you," said Sinbad. He ran a hand through his long purple hair, earning some satisfaction from his growing fan club.
"Kiya Kiya Kiya," Zora laughed. His eyes narrowed. "And if I win?"
"I'll be your slave for life," said Sinbad, confidently.
Zora's mind wondered, images of potential ideas of the heinest things he would do to Sinbad if he were his slave. A twisted grin carved his face. "Deal."
Those in the stands twisted to their neighbor, placing side bets on the challenge. A bubbling buzz of gambling erupted in the audience, surprisingly most neutral viewers voted on Zora's Nen Ability. And of course, Sinbad's growing fan club of nearly all girls for the sole exception for two males had full confidence in him.
Zora activated his Nen Ability, roaring torrents of wind surged around his forearms. "Howling Wind!"
He aimed his open palms at the standing still Sinbad, twin tornados shot from his arms.
Using his sword, Sinbad anchored himself into the cement tile and activated his Nen to flow outward to fight back against the gusts of twisting winds. Even before impact, Sinbad's long hair and coat fluttered chaotically from the twisting force of wind.
Gritting his teeth and gripping his blade, Sinbad held on amidst the breezing storm. He adjusted the Nen releasing from his body to perfectly match the blowing wind, not wanting to alert too much attention from his immense raw output.
"Sinbad remains undaunted at the center of the tornado, completely engulfed by powerful winds!" shouted Cocco. Those in the first stands felt the breezing winds knocking up their shirts and hair. They held their breaths watching with intense interest, especially with the added wager on the line.
But regardless, this level of output was nothing to Sinbad but he sure put on a performance to the bystanders and his future opponents to give them the faint idea that they stood a chance against him.
In the minute and a half, Sinbad endured two more Howling Winds.
"Impossible!" Zora screeched from distress and exhaustion. Sweat and tension built on his face. Huffing and puffing, hunched over onto his shoulders, his eyes rolled to the tip of his sockets to glare at Sinbad's perfect stance. With both hands gripping his sword, he appeared like a statue made out of pure blinding diamonds. "I will break you! I still haven't used my ultimate technique."
Sinbad chuckled. "I would point and laugh at you for saying something so lame but I don't want to accidentally move from my spot."
Zora's rage boiled as he grinded his top teeth onto his bottom, he raised both of his arms above his head. Activating his Nen, he illuminated in a pure white and blue light. His forearms erupted as unrelenting twisting winds spun around each arm, then on his exposed palms, tiny gusts of wind danced.
The roaring spinning winds on each arm picked up, becoming more furious and unhinged like hot and cool air and wind pressure colliding to create a devastating hurricane. The two Howling Wings slammed together to combine into a singular typhoon.
Small loose objects in the audience were stolen by the roaring winds, visibility became difficult as the spectators eyes were being beaten by rushing air. Not to mention, the large growing typhoon rising to pierce the floor's ceiling.
"Zora is summoning a natural disaster!" Cocco announced with a hint of fear in her voice. "Can Sinbad still withstand even this?"
"Tempest Tornado!" Zora shouted, throwing both arms down, unleashing the desperate attack. This natural disaster moved with eagerness and excitement to destroy everything in its path, the winds roared with such enthusiasm it had the power to cut.
Sinbad manipulated his facial features and body to appear nervous and afraid of this upgraded attack. Lurching forward and increasing the tension of his body to hold onto his hilt tighter, Sinbad prepared for the impact of the windwall. His Nen glowed like the light of dawn to suppress the angry winds.
"Sinbad is withstanding against this natural disaster like a beacon of hope!" Cocco commented, feeling inspired by the man's desperate fight against nature. A symbol of humanity's desire to survive.
After ten seconds, the roaring tempest winds dissipated and lost its rage. As the wind and dust cleared, the audience couldn't believe their eyes as Sinbad remained standing and more importantly, he didn't move a single inch from the center of the arena. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded for him.
Sinbad conquered Zora's tempest, coming up victorious in their bet.
"I don't believe this…" Zora mumbled before collapsing face first onto the cement tile, exhausting his Nen completely.
"King's Conqueror," announced Sinbad.
Sinbad's Crown brightened in its brilliance as he lifted his right forearm where a golden bracelet conjured around his wrist. After Zora accepted his challenge and as his right as victor, Sinbad conquered the man's Nen and Ability.