Chapter 40: Specialization × and × Gold Experience
Joey's test was only a brief diversion. Once he steered the conversation back on track, Palm began giving the two boys some basic information about Knuckle and Shoot.
"Knuckle and Shoot are both Morel's students. Morel set conditions for them too. I don't know the details, but either we'll be going to NGL, or they will!" Palm looked utterly serious. "The time limit is one month."
Joey listened to their conversation from the side, but his attention was entirely focused on the aura flowing into him from the Wallet.
He tried guiding that wisp of aura into the glass of water in front of him. At that instant, he suddenly saw the leaf in the glass change.
Roots rapidly sprouted from the leaf's broken stem, dangling into the water within moments.
"Huh? Specialization?" Killua suddenly noticed the change in the leaf. "How is that possible?"
"This is the aura from that piece of Leather," Joey explained, releasing his hand. A heartfelt smile involuntarily spread across his face.
Specialization!
Someone came to Joey's mind.
Giorno Giovanna, the protagonist of JoJo Part 5, and the son DIO had with his bread.
Gold Experience!
That was the name of Giorno's Stand, and its ability could imbue any object or living thing with "life force."
Objects imbued with life force could turn into any living creature. The creatures Gold Experience created also had some unusual abilities, such as returning to the original object or its owner, possessing the traits of the creatures they had become, and so on.
But none of that mattered much to Joey right now. What he valued most was another of Gold Experience's abilities.
It could imbue objects with life force and turn them into body parts. Those created parts could be fitted into wounds to heal them.
If Joey could develop Gold Experience using the life-force-rich aura in the Wallet, he could create a replacement for his missing hand himself.
Then all he would need to do was cut open the wound again and attach a new hand!
But how could I develop Gold Experience's ability?
Would I have to create another Stand?
Joey furrowed his brows. Although Emission excelled at using Nen Beasts, were Nen Beasts really Stands?
Could I really create Gold Experience?
Joey wasn't certain, but another idea came to him. Perhaps he didn't need to create a "Stand" at all. All he wanted were living body parts created through Specialization Nen.
Then could I take the Wallet's Nen for myself and use it to develop a Specialization Nen Ability, "Gold Experience," that creates living body parts?
There would be no need for a Stand. He would use life-force-rich Nen to perform the Specialization Nen Ability himself.
There was just one crucial problem: that life-force-rich Nen belonged to the Wallet, not him.
So the first thing Joey needed to figure out was how to store enough of the Wallet's aura inside his body.
Only then could he start considering how to develop the ability.
But because he would need to keep absorbing the Wallet's aura to obtain that life force, Joey wouldn't devote too much effort to developing "Gold Experience."
If he wanted to grow stronger, he still needed to spend most of his energy training Killer Queen and his Emission Nen.
After all, the Wallet's aura came from an external source. Even if he found a way to store it, every bit he used would be gone. Unlike his own Nen, it wouldn't gradually replenish as his stamina recovered.
But how could I store the Wallet's Nen inside my body?
As Joey guided that wisp of life-force-rich aura through his body, he suddenly thought of Kurapika.
Under normal circumstances, Kurapika was a Conjurer, but when he activated his Scarlet Eyes, he became a Specialist.
Could I do something similar to Kurapika? Normally, I'd be an Emitter, but when I activated the Wallet's Nen, I'd become a Specialist.
But how would I do that?
Kurapika could do it because of his Scarlet Eyes. Would I have to implant the insect skin into my body? That would be far too...
Joey shook his head. Perhaps he should first try absorbing all the Nen the Wallet emitted and determine whether it posed any danger to him.
He couldn't just train recklessly, fail to heal his hand, and end up crippling himself first.
"Too bad it isn't your own Nen. A Specialization ability rich in life force would probably be pretty interesting." Killua sounded both curious and regretful.
"Yeah, it is a shame." Joey felt the same way.
Once inside Joey's body, the Wallet's aura would simply turn into energy that replenished his stamina over time.
"Let's go. We'll head to where we're staying first." Palm lifted her cup and downed the black tea.
Joey handed her a napkin. After all, the corners of her mouth were covered in black tea. No, calling it black tea was generous. Syrup would have been more accurate.
Palm shyly accepted the napkin. "Are you coming with us too?"
"Sorry, I might have to impose on you for a while. I don't want to return to NGL, but if Kite comes back, I may really have to go in again with him." Joey shrugged.
"Kite? If he's bringing someone along, he must have thought it through carefully. You're really lucky." Palm's voice held a hint of envy.
Anyone vouched for by a One-Star Hunter had to have something special about them. Remembering Joey's earlier Nen test, Palm couldn't help giving him a few more looks.
"Then let's hope Kite comes back safely!" Joey sighed and said no more, but the mention of Kite seemed to dampen the mood at once.
Palm was staying in a detached villa in the northern part of town.
According to her, it was one of the properties owned by her respected (beloved) teacher, Knov.
Once Gon and Killua had confirmed the location and their rooms, they left without lingering to gather information about Knuckle and Shoot.
With the two boys gone, only Palm and Joey remained in the villa.
At some point, Palm's face had begun to redden, but Joey was so absorbed in the Wallet that he didn't notice.
When he finally realized Palm had been staring at him, he paused briefly and checked the time. "Is it time to make dinner? I can cook a little too. I could help you out."
"C-c-cook together?" Palm shook her head like a rattle. "No, no, I can do it myself."
With that, she dashed into the kitchen.
Sitting on the sofa, Joey scratched his head and smiled faintly. He kept getting the feeling that Palm liked him, though he wasn't sure whether he was imagining it.
Or was she the shy type who couldn't help blushing and developing feelings whenever she faced a handsome guy?
Considering that Palm could actually go on a date with Gon, who was only twelve or thirteen, it seemed easier to understand. She probably lacked attention and was too lonely.
He remembered that Palm's ability seemed to be called "Lonely Deep-Sea Fish." Its effect was roughly to let her observe people she had seen through a crystal ball.
He shook his head and stopped thinking about Palm. "If you don't need any help, I'll head back to my room."
"All right. I'll call you for dinner."
"Thank you."
After thanking her, Joey returned to his room.
He shut the door firmly and drew the curtains, then took the Wallet from inside his clothes. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he began carefully absorbing its Nen.
If Kite had been there, Joey might have asked him to stay nearby. Although that could expose all the Wallet's secrets, Kite's presence would at least make things safer for Joey if anything went wrong.
But Kite wasn't there, and Killua and Gon had their own things to do. Joey didn't particularly want to trouble them over something like this, so he could only face the risk alone.
After two days of Joey absorbing it, the Nen on the Wallet was already very thin.
With Joey absorbing it at full force, the Nen on the Wallet vanished completely in just over half an hour.
It was then that the Wallet stuck to Joey's hand, and a pitch-black mouth full of sharp teeth quietly appeared on its surface.
As Joey's expression shifted slightly, the mouth bit down on his hand.
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