Survival in the Ruins: I can make everything evolve infinitely

Chapter 14 - High-Speed Clash × Heart Drop Fist Listening

Chapter 14: High-Speed Clash × Heart Drop Fist Listening

“Just now, I...”

Lorraine’s eyes shimmered with a trace of bewilderment.

Moments ago, he seemed to have... entered a different realm. In that instant, everything around him appeared to slow down—or rather, he suddenly sped up.

But how did he do it?Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Lorraine was puzzled.

It felt as if he had tapped into some deep, hidden force within his body. Yet, now, as he tried to unleash it again, he couldn’t sense anything remotely close to that power—not even a trace.

“Did I fail to meet certain conditions?”

“Judging by the previous situation, it should require intense focus. No, perhaps it demands absolute concentration!”

As he recalled his earlier state, Lorraine began to form a hypothesis.

“Unbelievable...”

Netero, watching Lorraine lost in thought, couldn’t help but curl his lips into a grin. Despite having suspected this outcome earlier, witnessing it firsthand still left him astonished.

Yet, the upward curve of Netero’s lips unmistakably revealed his joy.

“Hey, kid, that move just now wasn’t bad. Want to keep going?” Netero beckoned Lorraine with a playful smile, eyes brimming with excitement.

“Bring it on!”

Without further hesitation, Lorraine responded.

Since he had achieved that state while playing Netero’s game, he believed he could rediscover it through the same game.

Holding his breath, Lorraine focused entirely, charging toward Netero with his right hand stretched out, aiming for the ball.

From earlier contests, Lorraine knew it was nearly impossible to snatch the ball from Netero’s hands. Therefore, his new objective was to swat the ball away.

In a sense, knocking the ball out of Netero’s hand could still be considered a form of victory.

“Interesting!” Netero chuckled, firmly gripping the ball. He had already discerned Lorraine’s intent but didn’t mind. This time, however, he took things a bit more seriously.

For instance, he no longer limited himself to using just his left hand and right foot.

With a light step, Netero evaded Lorraine from the side. The ball looped behind him, dodging Lorraine’s outstretched palm and landing in his left hand.

Against Gon or Killua, Lorraine would’ve held a decisive advantage.

But this was Netero—the world’s strongest human!

Just as Lorraine initiated his strike, Netero, previously sluggish in Lorraine’s eyes, suddenly matched his speed.

In an instant, they clashed dozens of times.

Their sheer speed created afterimages, leaving Killua and Gon stunned.

This wasn’t Killua’s illusionary speed; it was raw velocity—so fast their eyes couldn’t track the movements, only catching faint snapshots of collisions.

Gon’s wide eyes reflected shock, while Killua’s mind screamed in disbelief.

He knew Lorraine’s abilities—decent but nothing extraordinary. Serious effort would’ve been enough to defeat him.

But now...

Watching their blurred punches and palms, Killua doubted he could keep up.

“Monsters!” Killua’s mind reeled.

Seconds later, Lorraine trembled mid-clash, snapping out of the state, only to be sent flying by Netero’s block.

Yes—flying from a mere block.

Though to Gon and Killua it appeared fierce, it wasn’t a real fight. Lorraine was attacking wildly, and Netero was effortlessly blocking.

Upon exiting the state, Lorraine’s speed faltered, leading to his defeat.

Despite being flung, Netero’s precise control ensured Lorraine was unharmed.

But exhaustion overtook him. Attempting to stand, Lorraine ultimately lay down, gasping for air.

Yet, fatigue didn’t matter. His heart raced with excitement.

This wasn’t a fluke—it lasted seconds, enough time to recognize the ultra-high-speed state.

“Heart Drop Fist Listening!”

In the Hunter world, this phenomenon occurs during high-level duels, creating a temporal distortion. Masters might even hear each other’s thoughts.

Lorraine hadn’t reached that level. His state resembled slowed perception before death—a compression of time akin to Netero’s “Prayer State” after years of disciplined training.

Of course, Lorraine still had a long way to go before reaching Netero’s level.