Gon's Harem System
Chapter 197: Having to retreat

Chapter 197: Having to retreat

Gon’s eyes locked onto the boy as he lunged forward, his movement little more than a blur,

a streak of pink hair slicing through the air like a thrown ribbon.

But Gon didn’t focus on the hair. His attention zeroed in on the snake.

It launched from the boy’s stick like a spear, fangs gleaming, mouth agape, a wet hiss tearing through the noise of the crowd. It came at him fast, too fast.

No time to hesitate.

Gon triggered his shadow step, mana flaring beneath his skin.

A pulse of power surged through his limbs, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood.

The world stretched sideways in a blur of motion, and he reappeared just feet away with a sharp flick of displacement energy.

The snake struck nothing but air, jaws snapping shut with a violent crack.

It recoiled instantly, as if furious, its sinuous body whipping back around the boy’s stick in a smooth spiral.

It hissed again, louder this time, frustrated, hungry.

Gon landed hard, boots crunching against the loose sand of the arena.

His breath came fast and ragged, chest heaving with the rush of adrenaline.

Sweat dripped from his brow, stinging his eyes. He took a brief moment to steady himself, forcing air into his lungs.

Safe, for now. But only barely.

The crowd roared somewhere above, a swell of cheers and shouting that sounded like distant thunder behind thick glass.

Gon didn’t hear any of it properly.

His focus was razor-sharp, narrowed to a single point: the pink-haired boy now standing only a few yards away.

He wasn’t smiling as widely as before.

A flicker of something passed across the boy’s face, irritation, maybe.

His lips pressed together in a tight line, his brow twitching ever so slightly. His eyes, once wide with glee, narrowed into dangerous slits.

But just as quickly, the moment passed.

The frown melted away, replaced by a look that made Gon’s skin crawl.

Hunger.

Not the kind that could be satisfied with food, but the kind that came from deep within, the greedy, predatory kind.

The boy licked his lips ever so slightly, like someone savoring the anticipation of a long-awaited meal.

His gaze lingered on Gon like he was already imagining the taste of victory.

He began to move forward. Not rushing this time, no, he stalked. Slow and steady.

The stick in his hand spun lazily with each step, the snake’s head swaying hypnotically at its tip, eyes never leaving Gon.

It tracked his every motion like it was watching prey too slippery to strike, yet.

Gon’s eyes darted to the left, then the right. A quick scan of his surroundings.

The arena was huge, enclosed by tall, curved stone walls that rose high into the sky, enclosing the chaos like a coliseum.

Mages clashed in the distance, bursts of color lighting up the battlefield.

Magic collided with steel, screams and spells rang out, but for Gon, that part of the world faded away.

Right now, there was only the boy.

He checked the perimeter. Good, he wasn’t too close to the barrier, and no one was within striking range behind him.

A few more yards, and he’d be boxed in, but for the moment, he had space.

He shifted his weight slightly on the balls of his feet.

"Stop running and fight me," the boy called, his voice slicing through the space between them like a blade.

It was sharp, edged with a taunt that made Gon’s jaw tighten.

The boy tilted his head to the side, pink bob swaying with the movement. "I’m dialing my power down for you, and you still bolt? Disappointing."

He smirked then, tilting his chin up, like he was mocking a child who wouldn’t play fair.

Gon didn’t answer. He didn’t trust his voice not to betray the knot forming in his throat, that combination of rage and unease that churned in his stomach.

He simply stared, knuckles whitening as his grip tightened around his sword. Every part of him was coiled and ready, waiting for the next strike.

The boy’s voice dropped, playful now, but with a sharp, cruel edge. "You’re angry now, huh?" His grin returned, slow and deliberate. "Good. Means you’ll fight this time."

And then he lunged again.

This time, it was faster.

The snake struck out, a blur of green and black, and Gon’s instincts screamed.

He activated his shadow step again, mana crackling across his skin like lightning.

In the next instant, he slid sideways in a rush of wind and motion, sand kicking up behind him as he blinked out of the snake’s path.

It missed again, fangs slicing through the air with a wet, audible snap

But this time, Gon didn’t just dodge.

He struck.

As he slid across the sand, he turned and swung his blade, aiming low, toward the boy’s exposed side.

If he was fast enough, he’d catch him mid-lunge, before he had time to recover.

Steel sang through the air.

But before his blade could land, something moved beneath the boy’s tunic. A flicker of motion, subtle, deadly.

Another snake.

It sprang from under the boy’s ribs, striking like a javelin.

Its hiss was louder, deeper, more guttural than the others, and Gon’s reflexes screamed again.

He jerked backward mid-swing, forcing himself to retreat, the momentum dragging his blade just shy of its mark.

The strike missed by inches.

The snake snapped shut right where his wrist had been a second before.

One heartbeat slower, and it would’ve sunk its fangs into flesh.

The boy’s laugh rang out, high and wild, as if he was having the time of his life.

His pink hair bounced with the force of his movements, catching the sunlight and glowing like rose quartz.

"That’s more like it," he said, eyes wide with delight. His tone was drenched in glee, like this was the best game he’d played in years.

Gon said nothing, but his breath came heavy, and sweat stung his eyes. He adjusted his stance, blade steady, heartbeat loud in his ears.

It wasn’t just a fight anymore.

It was a dance, with serpents.

And he was one misstep from being swallowed whole.