Awakening Nen

As the final gulp faded into the silence of the warehouse, the air suddenly grew thick.

The next second, currents of air surged through the warehouse, lifting Machi's hanging purple hair. Tiny flecks of Nen Aura drifted from between her fingers like fireflies.

A web of veins bulged beneath Uvogin's bronze skin. Every breath he took sent out a visible gust of white air, whipping the wheat husks at his feet into a vortex.

Chrollo's eyelashes quivered. He felt a mass of liquid ice melt in his chest and spread through his blood vessels to every part of his body.

When he raised his hand, white mist flowed along the lines of his palm, as though he were holding a corner of a polar glacier.

"Control your Nen Aura. Take a deep breath and pull it in like you're clenching your butt!"

A pale golden halo rose around Carl, making her look like an insect encased in amber.

The veins in her neck bulged. Even with the boost from the Qi and Blood Pumpkin, the Nen Aura inside her still wouldn't quite obey her.

Or rather, it was precisely because the Qi and Blood Pumpkin had strengthened her body that her Nen Aura had grown too immense and become difficult to control.

Fortunately, she could still control it. When she forcibly tightened her hold, it quickly settled against her body.

"So this is Nen Aura..."

Chrollo raised his hand and carefully studied the white energy flowing across his palm, murmuring involuntarily.

"It doesn't seem all that special, does it?" Machi asked, puzzled as she examined the purple Nen Aura on her hand.

Her words seemed to serve as a signal.

Within a single minute, the rest of the Phantom Troupe had all drawn in their Nen Aura.

"As of today, you're all Nen users!"

Carl leaned against the wall and congratulated everyone with a smile.

Although she had known all along that Nen Komugi's ability was harmless, she had still been a little worried about awakening Nen in so many people at once.

After all, she was now living in a real world. Who could say for certain that what she knew about Nen Abilities was correct?

"Now, let's find out what type everyone belongs to."

Carl rubbed her chin and pointed to the wooden cups lined up neatly at her feet. A small wheat leaf floated in each cup.

"Types? Are there different kinds of Nen users?" Sarasa tilted her head and asked Carl curiously.

Clap! Clap!

Carl clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention.

Now that everyone had become Nen users, there was some basic knowledge she needed to emphasize.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm talking."

Carl glanced at Sarasa as she stressed the point.

"Oh, come on~" Sarasa stuck out her tongue and made a face.

"No two things in the world are alike. Because our aptitudes, personalities, and environments growing up are different, the types we belong to naturally won't be the same either."

"As far as I know, Nen users are generally divided into six major types. They are..."

Carl deliberately paused, letting everyone know she was about to get to the important part.

["Enhancement," "Emission," "Transmutation," "Manipulation," "Conjuration," and "Specialization"]

"Everyone's type is different, so their Nen Abilities will be different too!"

"And of the methods currently used to determine your type, the most authoritative is Water Divination!"

With that, Carl pointed to the wooden cups on the floor and gestured for everyone to take one.

The Phantom Troupe members exchanged glances. Chrollo was the first to step forward and pick up a cup, with Machi and the others right behind him.

"Wrap your hands in Nen Aura and slowly touch the cup."

Carl picked up her own cup and demonstrated for everyone.

"First, Enhancement. The amount of water will increase."

"Gulp, gulp."

Before Carl had finished speaking, the sound of swallowing came from the corner.

She looked closely and saw Uvogin tilting his head back to drink the clear water overflowing from his cup. "Enhancement!" He thumped his chest. "Perfect for my fists!"

"I'm the same type as this idiot?" Nobunaga said in disbelief, watching clear water spill steadily from his cup.

"What's so idiotic about Enhancement? I agree with Uvogin!" Phinks's mouth twitched. Water was also overflowing from his cup.

Chrollo narrowed his eyes.

"Are Enhancement Nen users all rather simple?"

He easily reached that conclusion based on the three men's usual personalities and behavior.

"For Transmutation, your water will take on a different taste," Carl continued.

"Sweet." After a quick taste, Machi was the first to put down her wooden cup. The clear water in it gave off a cloying, honey-sweet scent, reminding her of the chocolate she had dug out of a garbage heap three years ago.

Feitan dipped the tip of his tongue into the water, and his pupils abruptly contracted. It tasted of rust and gunpowder.

After a while, he finally spoke. "Rust."

The two exchanged glances, both looking somewhat surprised. They were the same type?

"For Conjuration, the water in your cup will crystallize like mine."

Carl turned the rim of her cup toward everyone so they could see the change inside. The water, once clear, had turned into golden crystals at some point.

"The water turned into golden crystals?"

Sarasa opened her mouth in surprise.

Chrollo glanced at the remaining cups and saw that none of them were like Carl's.

Conjuration. Is this space a product of Conjuration?

He stole a glance at Carl, giving some thought to the existence of this space.

"For Emission, the color of the water will change," Carl continued.

"The water turned green..." Franklin held his wooden cup and curiously dipped a finger into the green water, stirring it. "So I'm an Emitter."

"For Manipulation, the leaf will move."

"Huh, I'm a Manipulator?" Shalnark called out happily as he watched the wheat leaf drift through the water.

Whatever his type, he was more than satisfied to have become a Nen user!

"Last, the type with the greatest qualities of a leader: Specialization!" Carl winked at Chrollo and raised her voice slightly.

As a transmigrator, how could she not know the leader's type?

Of all the strange and varied abilities in the original work, Chrollo's Nen Ability was the most unusual.

A Nen Ability that could steal other people's abilities was incredible, no matter how many restrictions it had.

Wherever there were people, there had to be ranks to distinguish the weak from the strong.

The same was true of Nen users. Once an ability was decided, there really was no taking it back!

That was why the uniqueness of a Nen Ability that could steal others' abilities was unparalleled!

"The greatest qualities of a leader? Is that how you'd describe Specialization Nen users?" Chrollo pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at Carl in surprise.

He hadn't expected Carl to see him that way.

Qualities of a leader...

"But are Sarasa and Paku Specialists too?" Chrollo had been paying close attention. Neither Paku's nor Sarasa's wooden cup had changed at any point.

"Everyone, go outside and relax for a bit," Carl added after a pause.

With the owner of the estate's permission, everyone's eyes lit up. Uvogin took the lead and ran outside.

They had only just awakened their Nen Aura, after all, and had long been itching to try it out!

Watching their backs as they left the warehouse, Carl slowly sat down against the wall.

She knew full well that only a genuine Nen user could guide newcomers like them in their training!

She had said everything she needed to say. The rest of the knowledge couldn't be made clear through words alone.

For now, she could let everyone in the Phantom Troupe relax. After all... it was the first time these children had encountered such a clean world.

"If only Meteor City... could be like this place too," Chrollo said in a low voice. He sat down beside Carl and turned to watch the others chasing one another and fooling around.

"That day will come, won't it?" Carl slowly closed her eyes, her tone confident.

She had never doubted the future leader's potential!

"Yeah." Chrollo nodded and followed Carl's example, closing his eyes.

As he felt the clean air move through his lungs, a deep sense of happiness filled Chrollo's heart.

It was his first time breathing clean air too. It really was clean, with a hint of pomegranate and wheat in it...