Hunter X Hunter - Reviewers Rage

July 10th, 1999.

It had been over two months since the Blue Demon last made an appearance.

While most of the gangs continued to cower in fear, the absence of the Blue Demon emboldened the criminal underworld once again.

Without his terrifying presence, the vile activities of the city began to resurface, like a festering wound reopening.

The whispers of his demise spread through the streets; many believed the notorious Asura and Slasher gangs had finally killed him.

But this was far from the truth. Togiri allowed them to believe this falsehood. He couldn't continue wiping out gangs daily for Shop Points—it was unsustainable.

Instead, he lay in wait, knowing that when the need arose to quickly gain Shop Points, or when the gangs grew arrogant enough, he would strike again. And when he did, it would be swift, and he would become rich overnight.

For now, Togiri devoted himself to rigorous training. The strength of both him, his subordinates, and the Phantom Society soared to unprecedented heights.

Status:

Name: Togiri

Age: 13

Strength: 45.53

Agility: 44.52

Vitality: 48.32

Aura: 130,890

Body Cultivation: Third Layer of Bone Refining (Peak Stage)

Skills:

Nen (Entry-Level)

Mastery:

Ten 43%, Ren 29%, Ken 26%, Zetsu 36%

Gyo 20%, In 11%, En 19%, Shu 27%,

Ryu: 21%, Ko: 13%, Hatsu: 14%

Nen Ability:

Phantom Pages (Entry-Level)

Phantom Book (Entry-Level)

Max Pages: 9

Phantom Warrior: 1.84 (STR, AGI, VIT)

Time Limit: 5 minutes, 32 seconds

Combat Power: 4 ☆

Actual Combat Power: 3 ☆

---

In just two months, Togiri's physical strength increased by a staggering 15 points—a fifty percent increase, giving him the raw power of 45 grown men.

His rapid progression allowed him to break through the Organ Refinement stage and enter Bone Refinement, where his strength began to grow even more rapidly.

His Aura surged by a third, now sitting at 130,000. His Nen abilities, while still in their infancy, were steadily improving, and his control over Phantom Pages, though limited, was already enough to overpower regular fighters.

Despite his formidable growth, the supply of dead animals he received weekly was still not enough to meet his needs.

Togiri had spent almost all the Shop Points he had earned from annihilating the Slasher and Asura gangs.

The slaughter of over 400 people had yielded nearly 16,000 points—most notably, Garrick, the strongest of the Slashers, was worth 2,348 points alone.

Combat Power (Stars):

The concept of combat power being measured in stars was a simple yet effective metric to gauge an individual's overall fighting ability.

Each star represented an exponential increase in strength, with factors like physical prowess, speed, vitality, and Aura coming into play.

1-2 ☆ – Average Nen Users: Fighters like Zeik, leader of the Slashers, were categorized here. They could perform basic Nen techniques but lacked advanced mastery.

3 ☆ – Elite Fighters: Fighters at this level displayed high proficiency in combat, seamlessly incorporating advanced Nen techniques.

4 ☆ – Top-Tier Fighters: Individuals capable of manipulating their environment and dominating multiple opponents in combat.

Togiri's current combat power was listed as 4 stars, though, in reality, his capabilities remained closer to 3 stars due to his underdeveloped Nen skills.

For hours, Togiri pushed his limits, attempting to create the elusive tenth page in his Phantom Book.

His orange Aura swirled around him, gradually shifting to pure white as he channeled it into his hand.

He slowly let the finger sized piece of paper he created connect to the book, creating another page in it.

"Just a little more..." Togiri whispered through gritted teeth, sweat dripping down his face as he held the fragmented pieces of paper made by his Aura in his hands.

But each time, he fell short. Knowing he was near failure again, he took a gamble. "Seven, switch my Conjuration affinity back to 100 percent."

The system obeyed, and Togiri felt a surge as white, finger-sized fragments of paper formed in his hand.

With sheer force of will, he condensed his remaining Aura, creating many finger nail sized pieces of paper in his hand.

For half an hour, he toiled until finally, he finally decided he created enough pieces of paper, but now he had no Aura left to manipulate them together and fuse them with the book.

"Seven, Aura-condensation pill, quickly!" His body felt on the verge of collapse. The systen window spat out pill into Togiri's open mouth.

It quickly dissolved in his mouth, and his energy was partially restored by 10 percent. 'The pill barely raised my Aura capacity by 100, but when it's more useful to use when my energy is depleted'

He still needed more power to bind the page to the book. After another grueling two hours, the page became tangible—a solid, white sheet.

The process of increasing the page count wasn't just about conjuring the pages; it involved infusing enough Aura and enhancement into the book to prevent it from breaking apart under the weight of its own power. The book, once fragile like ordinary book, was now as tough as a brick.

"I wonder... will it eventually become strong enough to be a weapon in itself?" Togiri mused aloud, holding the white book in his hand as he lay on the floor, exhausted.

Suddenly, the system's voice rang out in his head: [Does the host want to fuse the pages?]

Togiri shot up in surprise. "What? Can the book handle it?"

[Yes. Do you want to fuse the pages? Yes □ No □]

With a moment's hesitation, he pressed 'yes.' But he wasn't ready for what came next. [Not enough Aura. Please increase your Aura quickly]

After consuming another batch of Aura-condensation pills, Togiri finally ordered the fusion.The system required almost all his Aura to complete the process.

Bright white light filled the room as the pages fused into a singular form. When the light faded, Togiri held the book in his hand—a single page remained, now tinged with a faint blue glow.

He glanced at his status, noticing the significant change:

Nen Ability:

Phantom Pages (Entry-Level)

Phantom Book (Entry-Level)

Max Pages: 10 white / 1 light blue

Phantom Warrior: 1.84 / 2.2 (STR, AGI, VIT)

Time Limit: 5 min. 32 sec. / 4 min. 25 sec.

Though the time limit was shorter, the strength boost was noticeable. Even at these early stages, the 20% increase in power seemed substantial. When applied to higher levels, it would make a world of difference.

"My book is evolving, and so am I," Togiri muttered. "This is just the beginning."

---

Togiri left his training room and returned home to find Lilia groggily greeting him. Togiri didn't sleep and was awake for past 25 hours.

After a quick breakfast, he showered and changed into fine clothes—preparing for his first visit to the Heaven's Arena in two years. Today was a day he couldn't afford to miss.

At the Heaven's Arena, he found his seat among the front rows. Using Zetsu to conceal his presence, Togiri waited as the lights dimmed, and the announcer's voice boomed over the arena.

"Today, we have two incredible contenders! On one side... HISOKAAAA!" The crowd erupted in cheers.

"And on the other side... GOON!" The roars grew louder.

Togiri remained unfazed. His cold gaze focused intently on the combatants as he quietly activated the Enemy Detection system.

A panel appeared before him:

Enemy Detection:

458 Humans: 0.5 ☆

41 Nen Users:

27 Unknown: 1 ☆

6 Unknown: 1.5 ☆

3 Unknown: 2 ☆

1 Unknown: 2.5 ☆

1 Unknown: 3 ☆

1 Unknown: [Unable to estimate]

Hisoka: 4 ☆

Gon: 2 ☆

Togiri reviewed the numbers once again. 'Hisoka's strength should reach at least 4.5 stars, but the system can't provide an exact estimate without a detailed observation of his skills.'

A grin tugged at his lips. 'This is the perfect chance to save Hisoka as an avatar in my Training Simulator.'

Even though Togiri's eyesight and senses had significantly sharpened since he began his journey down the path of body cultivation, he activated Gyo on his eyes, enhancing his vision even further.

His sharpened focus allowed him to study every detail of the arena, leaving nothing unnoticed.

'I wonder who this unknown fighter is, the one whose strength can't be estimated,' Togiri mused, his brow furrowing in curiosity.

'The three-star Nen user must be Wing, Gon and Killua's teacher, but who is this hidden powerhouse?'

There was more to this world than met the eye, and watching Hisoka and Gon fight had broadened Togiri's perspective.

The system quickly adjusted Hisoka's combat power from 4 stars to 4.5, even though Hisoka seemed to be merely toying with Gon throughout the battle.

Once the fight concluded, Togiri left the arena, slipping away quietly without making any effort to interact with Gon, Killua, or Hisoka.

He had no intention of wasting his time with them. His goals were set far beyond the immediate and in his eyes.

Togiri had only participated in the Hunter Exam at the same time as Gon to observe the key players and because of the lurking threat of sudden death because of unknown variables.

More importantly, it allowed him to establish a connection with Chairman Netero, even if indirectly. While he hadn't gained anything directly from Netero, Fang had—and without Fang's presence, Togiri found himself with more freedom to act in his own city.

Glancing at the clock, Togiri muttered, "It's 8 o'clock. Time to move."

Slipping out of his window, he vaulted over the gate of his estate, sprinting through the dark streets.

After running two blocks, a sleek black luxury car awaited him. Without hesitation, he slid into the back seat, and within hours, he was back at the familiar sight of the shipping containers where his weekly routine unfolded.

Tonight, however, was different.

Togiri summoned his Phantom Book, tearing out a page. A light blue Phantom Warrior materialized before him, its form glowing faintly under the dim container lights.

Opening the large shipping containers, Togiri faced rows of tranquilized pigs, with some groggy and awake, staring back at him.

Without a word, he and the Phantom Warrior began their grim task. Armed with a sharp knife given to him by Togiri, the Phantom Warrior joined him in systematically slaughtering the pigs.

"Dead pigs are worth 2 Shop Points. Alive ones are worth 20. The difference is massive," Togiri muttered to himself as they worked their way through the containers.

The Phantom Warrior disappeared after reaching its limit, but Togiri continued alone, efficiently finishing the job.

Once the pigs were dealt with, Togiri moved on to the containers holding dead chickens and fish, absorbing their residual energy.

The reason why the chickens shipped alive too was because killing over thousands of chickens was too time consuming.

As he methodically worked, he thought to himself, 'If I had an army of Phantom Warriors, I could delegate this tedious task... but for now, it's just a hassle.'

With the task complete, Togiri checked his earned points, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

Existence Points (EP): 352,545

Shop Points (SP): 31,915

Reviewer Points (RP): 0

The 800 pigs netted him 17,600 Shop Points—16,000 for slaughtering them and an additional 1,600 from absorbing their bodies.

Another 14,000 Shop Points came from the cadavers of chickens and fish. While the initial number of animals had been higher during his first absorption, Togiri had since settled into a steady, consistent supply that was slowly increasing.

A weekly haul of 32,000 Shop Points wasn't insignificant. In a month, it would add up to 128,000. However, he couldn't simply hoard all his points.

Many went toward essential resources, like the beauty pills that sustained the Phantom Society's profits.

Each beauty pill cost 1 Shop Point to create, but they had become a must-have luxury across many cities, especially among the wealthy elite.

The pill's effects—rejuvenating one's appearance by ten years—completely transformed the beauty industry.

With the Phantom Society making billions every month, they no longer needed to rely solely on weapons production or development. The demand for the pills was enough to secure their dominance.

Rika, ever diligent, had become busier than ever. To keep up with demand, the chambers of commerce had doubled in size, providing hundreds of employees with decent-paying jobs. Behind the scenes, Togiri's influence was the unseen force driving it all.

Of course, Togiri also used a portion of his points to buy Aura-condensation and body-tempering pills, bolstering the strength of his squads.

The third squad had expanded considerably, with its numbers growing from 30 members to 45.

Several young adults had joined, eager to train after witnessing the miracle effects of the pills.

Though only half of the third squad could use Nen—since many were too frightened after seeing one member bleed from every orifice following the forced opening of his Aura Nodes by Togiri.

The second squad, on the other hand, was fully proficient in Nen, and several members had already developed their own unique Nen abilities.

The first squad had grown in strength too, and though they were still formidable, the gap between them and Togiri was gradually narrowing.

His own Nen ability developed slowly but promised a much higher ceiling in the long term.

After completing his task, Togiri began the long run back to the city, arriving home after a couple of hours.

He immediately went to sleep after staying up almost two days and entered his Training Simulator, eager to put his new avatar to the test.

"I've always wanted to kill you... after what you did to Fang," Togiri growled, bloodlust and a palpable aura of killing intent swirling around him as he stood in the simulation.

His opponent, a fictional recreation of Hisoka, stared back at him, unflinching. Togiri's anger surged, and with it, his orange Ken flared around his body. "Ready, you bastard?"

They stood opposite one another in the familiar space—an exact replica of the final phase of the Hunter Exam.

The air in the Training Simulator was thick with tension as Togiri stood face to face with Hisoka, the twisted magician whose name alone ignited a deep, seething rage within him.

Hisoka's sickening grin spread across his face, his eyes glinting with that same unsettling mix of mockery and menace.

Every muscle in Togiri's body tensed at the sight, memories of the past clawing at his mind—Fang, his trusted comrade, had died at this monster's hands, but thankfully mysteriously revived.

'Fang said Hisoka toyed with him', Togiri thought, teeth gritting. 'He let Fang think he had a chance, only to crush his neck when was injured by Fang's suicide blow.'

Togiri planted his feet.

'Fang's final moments…' An image of his friend's possible broken body flashed in his mind, filling him with a rage so potent it threatened to boil over.

But something was wrong. The Hisoka in this simulation shouldn't be able to speak. Yet, as he stood there, Hisoka's voice slithered through the air, but Togiri wasn't conscious enough of it to notice.

"Oh, so much hatred in your eyes," Hisoka said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Is it for me? For what I did to Fang?"

Togiri's eyes widened in shock. His mind reeled. 'How... How can this simulation talk?' The Avatar shouldn't be able to taunt him like this, and yet, there it was—Hisoka's voice, every bit as chilling and real as when talked in real life.

The unexpectedness of it only added fuel to the fire burning inside him. Hisoka's voice—that voice, the same one that had sneered as he snuffed out Fang's life—was too much to bear.

"You seem surprised, Togiri. Surely you didn't expect me to be silent while we dance?" Hisoka's chuckle rang out like a sharp knife scraping against glass. "And Fang... Well, he was fun. For a while."

Togiri's heart pounded in his chest, his breathing growing shallow as his fury threatened to overwhelm him.

His fists clenched, nails digging into his palms until they nearly drew blood. He could hear the mockery in Hisoka's tone, the same sick glee that had marked Fang's death.

'If Fang by some miracle revived and healed, he would have stayed dead permanently.' "Bastard!"

He had heard how Hisoka had toyed with him, how Fang's last moments were filled with the false hope of victory, only for it to be ripped away in an instant.

'Focus... Don't lose your head. You're here to beat him, not let him control you', Togiri tried to steady his mind, but the pain of Fang's possible loss gnawed at him.

Hisoka's voice cut through his thoughts again, gleefully twisting the knife. "Still holding a grudge over Fang's death, are we? You know, Togiri, he wasn't even worth the effort. He was like a toy that broke too soon. Pity. Now that he is alive again, it's time to see how he hold out in round two"

Togiri took a deep breath and breathed out. A low, calm voice exited "...Thats it.." Togiri's orange Aura flared around his body like fire.

"Why? Are you still mad I killed your friend?"

"Shut your mouth!" Togiri roared, his aura flaring as Ken surged around him in a brilliant orange glow, but it slowly turned redish and hints of black appeared in it.

With all his pent-up fury and rage, he charged at Hisoka, aiming to silence that mocking voice once and for all.

His fists flew toward Hisoka's face, powered by raw emotion and frustration.

Swish Swish Swish

But Hisoka's movements were effortless, smooth. He dodged every strike with the ease of someone who'd been through this dance a thousand times.

Hisoka's grin only widened as he swayed just out of reach, his body flowing like water around Togiri's wild attacks.

"Such anger... I like it," Hisoka cooed, barely moving out of the way of another punch. "It makes the game more interesting."

Togiri's mind raced. His rage had taken over, but somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he couldn't let Hisoka bait him into a reckless assault.

He tried to rein himself in, to focus on strategy. He faked a wide hook, leaving an obvious opening, hoping to draw Hisoka in.

For a brief second, Hisoka's eyes flickered with interest. As Togiri had planned, Hisoka lunged forward to exploit the feint, but Togiri was ready.

Twisting his body at the last second, Togiri drove his knee into Hisoka's side, feeling the satisfying crunch of ribs breaking beneath the impact.

But Hisoka merely grinned through the pain, his face lighting up with sadistic pleasure. "Oh yes," he purred. "That's it. More." Togiri looked at Hisoka's ribs and saw his Nen ability Bungee Gum.

Bungee Gum had the properties of both rubber and gum.

Togiri's stomach churned at Hisoka's reaction. 'How could he still be smiling after that hit? I still broke a few ribs'

Hisoka's mocking words and twisted joy gnawed at his nerves, stoking his anger even further. 'He's not human... He's a monster.'

The imagined scene of Fang's death crashed through Togiri's mind again. 'He toyed with him just like this', Togiri thought bitterly.

Togiri's vision blurred with anger, but he forced himself to stay in control. He had to think, to be smarter than Hisoka's games.

He couldn't just rely on brute force. But Hisoka wasn't giving him any time to gather his thoughts.

Hisoka's hand shot out, faster than Togiri could react, and landed a solid punch to Togiri's gut. "Argh" The force of the blow knocked the wind out of him, sending him stumbling backward.

Hisoka followed up with a roundhouse kick aimed at Togiri's head. Togiri managed to block it, but the sheer force of the attack sent him skidding across the arena.

"You're too slow, Togiri," Hisoka said in a low, mocking voice. "Your anger makes you predictable."

Togiri's body screamed in pain, but the fury burning inside him pushed him forward. He charged again, throwing rapid punches and kicks, each one faster and more desperate than the last.

But Hisoka was faster, his movements almost a blur as he dodged and countered every strike.

Togiri managed to land a few hits, but each one seemed to fuel Hisoka's sick excitement rather than slow him down.

"You're still holding back, Togiri," Hisoka said, his voice carrying that same taunting edge. "Let go. Show me the rage you've been bottling up since Fang died."

Togiri's mind was in chaos. The combination of Hisoka's words, the eerie realism of the simulation, and his own lingering guilt and anger over Fang's death all crashed together, making it impossible to think clearly.

Hisoka's hand shot out again, grabbing Togiri by the throat and lifting him effortlessly into the air.

Togiri gasped for breath, his feet kicking futilely beneath him as Hisoka's grip tightened.

His vision blurred as the pressure on his windpipe increased. "Let me end this for you, Togiri," Hisoka whispered, his voice low and cold. "Just like I ended it for Fang."

With a sickening crack, Hisoka twisted Togiri's neck. The sensation of his neck snapping was immediate, the pain blinding and overwhelming.

For a brief, agonizing moment, Togiri remained conscious, his mind screaming in pain as his body went limp.

Darkness consumed him, and everything went silent.

---

Hours later, Togiri awoke in a cold sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. "AH ah hahahaha. Bastard!"

His hands flew to his neck, expecting to feel the same break that had ended him in the simulation, but everything was intact.

Still, the phantom pain lingered, fresh and vivid, as if Hisoka had truly snapped his neck.

"How... how long was I out?" Togiri rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

@Half a day, Master@, Seven's voice echoed in his mind. @You were in a coma. The simulation... was too real.@

Seven previously mentioned that if Togiri died while fighting inside his consciousness he would enter a coma for a few days or even a week.

Togiri sat there, breathing heavily, still feeling the ghost of Hisoka's grip around his throat.

His hatred for the perveted clown had only deepened. The rage he had bottled up after Fang's death had nearly consumed him today. 'But next time—next time...I vow to kill you...'

Crack

The scene where he was helpless while struggling to breath and Hisoka snapping his neck played in his mind like a loop.

"I'll kill you for real one day," Togiri muttered

under his breath, his voice filled with cold,

burning resolve.

But for now, the memory of Fang's death

and the simulated sensation of his own

broken neck haunted him, stoking the

flames of his anger even higher.