Beginning Training

Seeing Oboro bring his aura under control, Abachi and Neo finally relaxed.

They stood nearby and watched.

"So this is... aura."

A moment later, Oboro opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.

He spread his hands and looked at the gleam flowing across his body, a thrilled smile appearing on his face.

It was genuine excitement and joy!

The reason he had managed to control his aura so quickly... was largely because he had seen others forcibly open their aura nodes and knew roughly how it worked. Especially the scenes in the anime where the Chimera Ants first came into contact with Nen... and by imitating the techniques and insights Gon, Killua, and the others had when they first awakened their Nen.

As the saying went, even if he had never eaten pork, had he not seen a pig run? Others had already fallen into the pitfalls and tested everything for him. All he had to do was imitate them.

Still, Oboro had not expected it to go so smoothly... The instant the vital energy in his body erupted, he had been extremely nervous as well.

"Congratulations!"

Moritonio's words brought Oboro back to his senses.

Though the old man wore glasses, Oboro could sense the complicated emotions in his eyes behind those lenses.

"Controlling your own aura... is only the first step."

The troupe leader continued, "Next comes training in the basics of Nen... What I just mentioned, Ren and Ten, is only part of it..."

After that, the old man began explaining the principles of Nen training to Hisoka and Oboro.

Oboro had understood it all long ago, but he did not want anyone to notice anything unusual—especially a guy like Hisoka... So he still pretended to listen attentively.

During that time, he opened the system panel and glanced at it.

He found that the screen had changed.

It was related to the training plan the system had formulated for him.

His attributes had risen slightly, and his overall evaluation had changed from an ordinary person to an Apprentice-level Nen User.

Oboro wanted to strengthen his body, so the system had drawn upon his memories to create a training regimen, including several subsequent forms of Chinese Martial Arts... After he awakened his Nen aura, the plan section had gained a dense mass of tiny text.

"This is..."

Oboro narrowed his eyes.

He instantly realized that the growth method provided by the system combined Wing and Biscuit's training methods and programs for Gon and Killua. On top of that, it incorporated his understanding of the world of Hunter x Hunter and optimized it.

It had given him the best possible plan suited to him.

"Among these, Hatsu is the culmination of the basics of Nen. Nen abilities can generally be divided into six categories: Enhancement, Transmutation, Conjuration, Emission, Manipulation, and Specialization. Every person's Nen affinity is closely related to the Nen User themselves..."

"The most commonly used method to determine a person's Nen affinity is Water Divination."

The troupe leader then took out the cups of water he had prepared beforehand and handed them to Hisoka and Oboro. "Try it according to the method I told you."

Hisoka held the cup. As he released his aura, the water rippled slightly, but there was basically no other change.

The troupe leader dipped a finger into the water, tasted a drop, and nodded. "Hmm... The flavor has changed. Hisoka is a Transmuter."

"Oboro, your turn."

"Alright."

Oboro stepped forward and took the cup from Hisoka.

"Oboro should be an Enhancer..." Abachi said with certainty.

After all, from a purely visual standpoint, Oboro was now sturdy and muscular, giving off a powerful impression.

A person's Nen type usually matched their nature rather closely.

The water in the cup rippled again, but the amount did not increase. Instead, something resembling crystalline material appeared.

"Ah!"

Abachi's mouth fell slightly open. She had guessed wrong.

Oboro was actually a Conjurer!

"Conjuration..." Oboro raised an eyebrow as well.

He had thought he leaned more toward Enhancement. In terms of sheer offensive power, Enhancement was undoubtedly the best.

What he had truly hoped for... was Specialization.

Because Specialization had greater potential and a higher ceiling.

Yet... it was Conjuration.

From what he remembered, the Conjurers who had left the deepest impression on him seemed to be Shizuku from the Phantom Troupe and Kite...

"Enhancers are all single-minded and simple-minded... Right, that doesn't fit my personality."

Oboro thought it over and soon accepted it.

Then, the troupe leader continued teaching the two of them the basics of Nen.

They talked until late into the night.

Only when it had grown quite late did Hisoka and Oboro rise to leave.

Watching the backs of the two boys as they walked out the door, Moritonio's gaze grew distant, and he seemed to see a familiar figure.

Ging Freecss!

As an experienced Nen User, Moritonio knew very well just how terrifying the talent displayed by those two was! Nen Users came in all levels, and someone like him... was merely one of the most ordinary among them.

Some people... were blessed by the gods from the moment they were born.

Though they lived in the same world, they were two different kinds of "creatures."

A fundamental gap...

No matter how hard one worked or struggled, it could never be made up for.

"Get some rest early..."

Neo glanced at Abachi beside him and inexplicably felt sorry for the girl. She apparently had yet to realize that from this moment onward... she and the two boys had embarked on completely different paths.

"Hey... Before your aura nodes were forcibly opened, you couldn't see aura, could you?" In the hallway back to the dormitory, Hisoka wore a smile.

He had exposed Oboro's act.

Oboro kept his hands in his pockets and gave no reply.

"And... you didn't seem interested in the Nen basics Moritonio was explaining. Can I take that to mean... your knowledge of Nen exceeds his?" Hisoka kept flicking out playing cards of different suits with one hand. "You said you had encountered a Nen User before... That was a lie, wasn't it?"

"Tch."

Oboro stopped walking, his brow furrowing. "Hisoka..."

"Hmm?"

"You really are becoming more and more annoying."

"Hehehehe..."

Hisoka covered his mouth with a playing card and laughed.

Time passed little by little. Ever since awakening his Nen aura, Oboro's schedule had become even tighter.

Because in addition to his existing training, he now had to add Nen practice.

He was still dissatisfied with his physical attributes, and he also wanted to train his Chinese Martial Arts to at least a minor level of mastery. So... out of twenty-four hours a day, he barely had any time to rest.

Nen aura was only the foundation. Only by controlling and using it, granting it various abilities and applications, could it be called a Nen ability.

Although Oboro possessed the theories and methods of training, and his progress far surpassed that of ordinary people, there was... an utterly freakish guy beside him! While Oboro was busy nonstop, Hisoka remained leisurely and relaxed all day. Yet even in that state, he had needed only one week to use Ren freely.

What kind of level was that? The troupe leader had previously said that it took Abachi more than a year to reach the level of Ren...

Hisoka... had taken just one week.

When the three of them saw that scene, even Oboro, who had expected it beforehand, was deeply shocked.

Recently, with the date of the Graham Royal Show fast approaching, troupe leader Moritonio had become extremely busy as well, leaving him little time to teach them. Hisoka's mastery of Ren could even be said to have come from his talent and comprehension alone, as he had grown to that point by himself.

It also made Oboro realize once again that there was a gap between his potential... and Hisoka's.

Even without good training methods or anyone to guide him, the latter could still transform himself! However, Oboro also learned Ren a week later—after half a month in total.

With Hisoka setting such a dazzling example first, the troupe leader and Abachi had become somewhat numb to Oboro's equally monstrous performance... It was easier for them to accept.

But Oboro understood... His rapid improvement was thanks to the system's training and his understanding of Nen, those two major advantages.

He was not the same as Hisoka...

One day, they rarely managed to get some fresh air.

Oboro, Hisoka, and Abachi came to the rooftop of the venue and stood in the wind.

"He also tried several times to teach the troupe members Nen... but it seems I was the only one with the talent for it."

"The troupe leader... originally wanted to become a Hunter."

"A Hunter?" Hisoka asked.

"Yeah... It's a profession that explores all kinds of treasures and secret realms... People who hunt 'something.'"

"The troupe leader also took the exam to become a Hunter, but... only one person passed that year."

"Apparently, in an already incredibly complicated exam, he witnessed that person's extraordinary talent and was discouraged by it..."

"I've always felt that the troupe leader wants to teach the troupe members, including you and me, Nen... because he wants to cultivate someone as strong as that 'successful candidate' from back then. His dream of becoming a Hunter probably wasn't so easy to give up..."

Abachi looked down at the cityscape below and spoke at length.

"My dream is to fulfill the troupe leader's dream. Sooner or later, I'll leave the troupe and take the Hunter Exam!"

"Oh? Then what do you want to hunt?"

Hisoka chimed in.

"What do I want to hunt... I... haven't thought about that..."

Abachi shook her head.

"Your goal isn't very clear~"

Hisoka teased her.

"I-I do... I want to travel around the world, become a Ruins Hunter, or a Gourmet Hunter who tastes delicious food everywhere... I..." After being lectured by Hisoka, Abachi felt a little indignant and hurriedly stammered out her answer.

"Don't rush, calm down... Here, have this... Bungee Gum."

Hisoka soothed the girl and pulled out a piece of gum.

He casually tossed one to Oboro as well, who had remained silent the whole time.

Oboro caught it, stuffed the gum into his pocket, and turned to leave.

Hisoka asked in a lazy, casual tone, "Leaving already?"

Oboro ignored him.

"You really are... working yourself to the bone..."