Zetsu: eliminate your own aura so the enemy will not notice you.
Ren: use Ten to focus the mind, unleash powerful aura, and elevate your will through Ren.
Hatsu: the will elevated through Ren could change depending on the target. This was what they called overcoming the enemy through momentum: I remain still, and the enemy retreats on their own.
These were the
U!
four major practices, collectively known as Nen. They elevated and trained the mind, and formed the foundation of all Nen power combat techniques.
In other words, this was training that strengthened one's own will. As for more advanced application techniques later on, they could discuss those another time.
Morin spoke slowly and in great detail. Uvogin and the others listened with complete focus, carefully committing everything to memory.
"Alright, is there anything you still don't understand?"
Next came the question-and-answer portion.
"The cup of water with leaves that you used this morning—was that a method of training Nen ability?"
Machi raised her hand to ask. What she had seen that morning had truly made her curious.
"That is a method for determining which category your Nen ability belongs to. Once you learn Nen, I'll test each of you one by one." Morin said, "Any other questions?"
"I do!"
Uvogin raised his thick arm high. "When can we learn Nen?"
Nobunaga nodded as well. That was what he wanted to ask too.
"Any time."
Morin smiled. "As long as you're prepared."
"I'm ready!!" *2.
Uvogin and Nobunaga spoke in unison again, reciting SpongeBob's classic line.
"Me too~"
Machi twirled her pinkish-purple hair around her fingers.
"Uvogin and Nobunaga are fine, but Machi, you..."
Morin looked at her. "I suggest you wait a little longer."
Machi said nothing. She simply looked calmly at Morin, waiting for his reason.
"Although opening Nen earlier is better, since it lets you train its strength and increase your aura capacity sooner, there is a prerequisite."
Morin explained, "That is, your physical condition must be strong enough."
Nobunaga was already seventeen this year, while Uvogin was sixteen.
Neither was far from adulthood, and judging by their muscular builds, their physical condition was absolutely sufficient to open Nen. But for Machi, it would be a little forced.
The Zoldyck Family had placed great hopes on Killua, and they also wanted his physical condition to become stronger before he learned Nen.
Morin likewise hoped Machi would build up her body first before discussing Nen.
"If your physical condition isn't strong enough, can you absolutely not learn Nen?"
Machi looked directly into Morin's eyes.
Morin shook his head. "Not exactly. It's only a suggestion."
"I want to learn."
Machi said calmly.
She stated her position once again.
"Alright."
Morin nodded.
This was Machi's own will. If he interfered any further, not only would it be unreasonable, he had no right to interfere.
"To learn Nen, there are two methods I mentioned earlier. The first is to have a professional teacher in this field guide you step by step.
"After every Hunter Exam, those who pass are taught Shingen-ryu's method of learning Nen power by the Mind's Eye Style hunters within the Association."
"Although I know a great deal about Nen abilities, I know nothing about Shingen-ryu's method of learning Nen power. So if you want to learn Nen, there is only the second method."
"Receive Nen initiation and forcibly learn it."
Morin said gravely, "Let me make this clear first. Although this method has no side effects after you learn Nen, it is far more dangerous than learning it normally, step by step.
"If you're careless, and your luck is bad enough, you might not even keep your life."
"Is that so?"
Uvogin grinned instead. "Perfect. If there really weren't any risks, I'd actually have to hesitate."
Nobunaga nodded in agreement beside him. "It's fine. Our lives are usually pretty tough. We won't die that easily."
Machi: "I'm not afraid of dying."
I Can't Wait to Have This Power!!
"Alright."
Seeing that they were all firm in their resolve, Morin continued.
"There are mainly two kinds of initiation. One involves gambling with your life and hoping for the best. This method is extremely crude, and it usually happens to newcomers who have just reached the two-hundredth floor or above in Heavens Arena.
"Oh, Heavens Arena is a fighting holy ground in the outside world, a paradise for combat enthusiasts. The world's top fighters gather there to compete."
Seeing Uvogin and Nobunaga's blank expressions, Morin added another piece of information.
"It has more than two hundred floors, and above the two-hundredth floor is the domain of Nen users.
"There's actually a place like that?"
Uvogin bumped his fists together and grinned excitedly.
"When I get the chance to go outside, I'm definitely going there for a proper fight!!"
Machi merely twirled her hair. She had no interest in it.
"Also, Heavens Arena assigns floors according to strength. The stronger you are, the higher the floor you can reach, and the more prize money you receive."
"Prize money?!"
Machi suddenly looked over.
"That's right, prize money."
Morin thought for a moment. "On the first floor, whether you win or lose, you can receive 152 Jenny in prize money, roughly the price of a can of juice. However, if you lose your next match, there will be no prize money.
"If you win on the fiftieth floor, you can receive around 50,000 Jenny. After that, the prize money corresponds to the level of the floor."
"At the hundredth floor, there is about one million in prize money. Above the one-hundred-and-fiftieth floor, the prize money exceeds ten million. If you win a match on the one-hundred-and-ninetieth floor, you can receive around two hundred million Jenny."
"Around two hundred million..."
Machi murmured.
"Uvogin!"
She suddenly raised her voice. "I'm going with you when the time comes!!"
Bright glints flashed through Machi's eyes, as though she had found an important goal in life.
"I want to have a proper fight too!!!"
"Sure!"
Uvogin loved fighting more than anything. If someone was going with him, that was even better.
He looked at Morin eagerly once more, signaling for him to continue.
"If newcomers who don't know Nen reach the two-hundredth floor of the arena, the veterans will attack them using Nen."
Morin continued explaining some basic knowledge about Nen.
"The gap between those who understand Nen and those who do not is like a heavenly chasm. If your body is not protected by Nen and suffers an attack from Nen power, even if you don't die, you'll lose a layer of skin."
"To learn Nen, you must open the Aura Nodes sealed throughout your body, allowing the life energy stored within—your aura—to flow out and wrap around you."
"Other than learning step by step and opening the Aura Nodes one by one, there is only a chance for them to open after Nen initiation is performed on you."
"As for Nen initiation, one method is suffering a violent attack—the life-risking, luck-based method used by veterans against newcomers in Heavens Arena. The other is having someone who understands Nen pour Nen into your entire body and help you open your Aura Nodes."
"I used the latter method."
Morin told a small lie, but it was not a big problem.
"Then it seems we should use the same method as you?"
Machi made her choice.
"Although I really want to test Nen's power and have you attack me,"
Uvogin smiled. "I'll wait until I've mastered Nen before having a proper spar with you!!"
"Then I'll be relying on you too, Morin."
Nobunaga scratched his head as he spoke.
After hearing Morin's explanation, all three wisely chose the second method of receiving Nen initiation.
After all, they were not stupid enough to ignore a safe method and gamble with their lives instead. Besides, wasn't this how Morin had come through it? This was safer and more reliable.
"Alright."
Morin loosened up slightly. "Who wants to go first?"
"I'll go first!!"
Uvogin was the first to jump out.
"I can't wait to have this power!!!"
He looked at Morin with a face full of anticipation.
"Alright!"
Morin nodded.
In an instant, he used Ren, unleashing powerful aura from his entire body.
The expressions of the three people present
changed at once.
"So this is Nen?"
They had been shocked earlier. Even though they had not yet learned Gyo and could not see the flow and changes of aura,
they were even more moved by the oppressive force Morin was giving off at this moment.
"I have to master this power!!"
A brilliant gleam flashed in Uvogin's eyes before quickly fading. He stared at Morin with burning intensity.
"One last thing. Even this gentler initiation is not without danger."
Using Ten, he gradually gathered aura into his hand.
"After your Aura Nodes open, if you cannot properly control the aura flowing out and spread it throughout your body, causing it to keep leaking out, you could die from excessive aura loss just as you could from excessive blood loss."
"As for how to guide the aura flowing out to spread through your body, that depends on your own will and ability. No one else can help you with it."
"I understand!!"
Uvogin slapped his chest. "Come at me!!!"
"Be careful!"
Seeing Uvogin brimming with confidence, Morin said no more.
His hand, wrapped in aura, went directly to Uvogin's forehead.
Before you continue