The masked figure was about to press the attack when a chill ran down his spine. He twisted his shoulder sharply to the right—
A razor-sharp hand strike grazed across his mask, carving thin cracks into its surface.
"Young man," the masked figure rasped, voice rough and androgynous, "there's a trace of assassination techniques in your moves. Who exactly are you?"
"Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. Please enlighten me."
The moment Ray Chu finished speaking, he launched forward. His fists blurred, shadows of punches overlapping midair as they engulfed his opponent.
Compared to Ray, the masked figure was slightly inferior in both speed and raw strength. Yet every strike he threw carried a strange vibration. It dissolved most of Ray's force on contact—and worse, it burned like fire through muscle and bone.
BANG!
They clashed again. One figure shot high into the air and landed lightly—
On the surface of the water.
"What?! He's standing on water?!" Caesar and Joseph—who had just managed to scramble back to his feet—both cried out.
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Ray smiled faintly. He stepped forward—and placed both feet onto the water as well. Unlike the masked figure, ripples spread outward in widening circles beneath his soles.
"That's… Hamon!"
Unlike Jonathan, who had once been a novice, Caesar immediately saw through it.
"He's spreading Hamon from his feet across the surrounding surface, using it to support his weight. But how did it conduct through his shoes? Right—the moment his feet touched the water, they were already soaked. Which means…"
Caesar's gaze flicked toward the masked figure—
Only to meet a sharp glance that made him swallow the rest of his words.
"Not bad," the masked figure said calmly. "Your Hamon technique is far more refined than those two idiots'. But if you intend to defeat the three strongest Pillar Men, you're still far from sufficient."
"Idiot? Is he talking about me?" Joseph jabbed a finger at his own nose.
Caesar instinctively stepped a little farther away from him, as if stupidity might be contagious.
"You ambush my friend and talk like you're above us? I don't think so."
Ray suddenly struck the water with both palms.
Two columns of water exploded upward and shot toward the masked figure.
With a flicker of movement, the masked figure kicked up another oar and seized it. The wooden blade spun rapidly in his hands, shattering the incoming water columns into a spray of droplets.
For a moment, rain seemed to fall within that ten-meter circle.
Within the mist, a shadow slipped soundlessly behind the masked figure.
"Got him!" Joseph was just about to shout—
The masked figure, as if eyes grew on the back of his head, whipped the oar around in a vicious arc.
It smashed into Ray's waist.
Ray spun through the air, flipped twice, and landed back on the embankment. A faint smile tugged at his lips—though a thread of blood slipped from the corner of his mouth.
"What? That's the first time Ray's taken a clean hit." Joseph stared in disbelief. He had witnessed Ray fight Santana head-on. Even that so-called superior ancient being hadn't gained the upper hand.
Could this attacker be another Pillar Man?
"Impressive," the masked figure said evenly. "You let me notice you on purpose. At the instant I struck you, your true killing move was hidden inside a single leaf."
As the words fell, the mask split cleanly down the center and slid away.
Revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face—mature, composed, and impossibly elegant.
"A… a woman?!"
"Teacher! I knew it was you!"
Joseph and Caesar shouted at the same time. They exchanged a glance before Joseph pointed at the woman standing atop the water.
"She's your teacher?"
Caesar nodded, reverence in his eyes. "They call her Lisa Lisa. No one knows where she came from. Only that she's a master of Hamon—and the one who'll be training us."
Joseph stared in disbelief. "Then why was she beating me up?"
Lisa Lisa brushed back her wavy hair and glanced at him coolly. "Your companion already figured it out. You really are a simpleton."
"What? Who are you calling simple?!"
Joseph clenched his fists and strode toward the water. Though nowhere near as smooth as Ray had been, he managed—barely—to remain standing atop the surface. The others looked on in surprise.
He learned it just from watching once… His talent isn't any worse than Ray's.
Joseph took a few tentative steps. He could stand, yes—but fighting like this was impossible.
He snorted. "I don't hit women. I'll let this one slide."
Caesar: "…"
Lisa Lisa shot him a flat look, then tossed two metal masks—one to Joseph, one to Ray.
"These are Hamon Breathing Correctors. They'll help you regulate your breathing properly. Put them on."
"Why should I wear this weird thing?" Joseph muttered out of habit.
Seeing Ray already fastening his, Joseph hurriedly fumbled his own into place.
The moment Ray put it on, his breathing faltered. His Hamon had been derived from Joseph's—never fully orthodox to begin with. Adjusting would take time.
Lisa Lisa nodded in satisfaction once both were masked. She guided a gondola through the dense canals, rowing northeast for half an hour before reaching a small island.
Air Supplena Island.
Upon it stood a dark, ancient castle steeped in mystery. Built, according to legend, in the era of Ancient Rome, it had once served as a training base for Hamon warriors preparing to fight the Pillar Men. After centuries of refinement and expansion, it now housed a complete and brutal training system.
"The gloomy vibe suits that woman pretty well," Joseph whispered to Ray.
"I heard that."
Lisa Lisa's voice cut in calmly, making Joseph jolt.
"A true Hamon master," Caesar explained awkwardly, "can hear even the slightest sound within ten meters."
Joseph instantly struck a bizarre pose—one hand covering his face, the other twisted behind his back. "What?! So you can hear everything I say?"
Lisa Lisa ignored his antics.
"The first trial," she said coolly, "is called the Hell Climb Pillar."
This time, Caesar went pale. "The Hell Climb Pillar? Teacher, we're doing that right away?"
"Sounds tough. This petty woman isn't making it hard on purpose, is she?" Joseph "whispered" to Ray.
"Anyone who cannot pass this trial," Lisa Lisa said without expression, "has no right to remain on this island."
She pushed open the tower's heavy door.
Beyond it lay a massive circular pit. At its center stood a towering marble pillar—twenty-four meters high, with a maximum circumference of 7.2 meters.
Its entire surface—along with the base—was coated in a mysterious liquid that flowed ceaselessly downward.