Snake Awakens X Medium

Thump!

Flicked squarely on the forehead by a fingertip, Killua, whose face had been cold with killing intent, looked in surprise at Baishi as he drew his hand back.

"What was that for?"

"You'd better keep useless nonsense to yourself."

Baishi rolled his eyes.

"You don't really think you can hurt that guy even a little as you are now, do you? Even though I'm only a beginner myself... just wrapping myself in Aura is enough to leave a top-notch assassin like you helpless."

"And... here's a little tip! Once Nen users awaken their Nen, their senses become extraordinarily sharp. They'll notice immediately even when someone is simply looking at them!"

"Until I'm stronger than Illumi, I have no interest in being casually killed by him. So... keep your anger bottled up for now, and settle the score when you're strong enough. Otherwise, our information exchange ends here..."

"Don't! I'll try to hold back!" Hearing that, Killua's killing intent faded, and his face fell. He looked at Baishi in puzzlement. "Are Nen users really as incredible as you say?"

"But before I ran away from home, I hurt Mom... and my second brother. I saw them badly injured and bleeding with my own eyes..."

"Are they Nen users too? If they are, why was I able to hurt them?"

"Faking injuries is easy for Nen users. As for why they let you hurt them..." Baishi smiled slightly and held out his right hand to Killua, transparent Nen Aura wrapped around it. "Try attacking my right hand in whatever way you're best at."

Huh?

Killua glanced at Baishi in surprise. Then, thinking back on everything Baishi had said, he slowly raised his right hand, pressing his fingers together like a knife.

Snake Awakens!

Through his control over his muscles, the muscles in Killua's otherwise ordinary palm rapidly tightened to the extreme. Veins stood out as his skin, muscles, and fascia pressed against his finger bones, his outstretched fingers forming what looked like a sharp blade.

Oh?

Baishi saw the change in his hand clearly. He had already put his left hand behind his back and conjured the black iron wheel, sending Nen Aura into it to activate two Talismans. Under the rapid observation of Talisman - Dynamic Simulation, he instinctively analyzed and absorbed the series of physical changes and techniques for exerting force involved in Snake Awakens.

Whoosh!

With a faint sound of tearing air, Killua's knife hand flashed like a snake's shadow across Baishi's right arm, which was wrapped in Nen Aura.

Scrape-

The cut felt as though it had struck hard armor, and Killua's finger bones stung slightly. Killua, who had always been confident in his own strength, looked astonished. Then, as if he couldn't believe it, his right hand became a flurry of snakelike afterimages, slashing at every part of Baishi's right arm at high speed like a snake whip.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Scrape, scrape, scrape!

Armor... no!

It's more like some flowing defensive substance, constantly deflecting every attack I make!

Killua habitually analyzed the sensation at every point he struck. Although he couldn't see exactly what was on Baishi's arm, he could clearly feel that no matter how he attacked, he couldn't break through the flowing layer of defense.

Even when the sharpness of Snake Awakens broke through a tiny part of the defensive layer, it recovered readily as it flowed rapidly!

"Is this the 'Ten' you were talking about?"

Killua stopped attacking and shook out his right arm, staring at Baishi in shock.

"I can't break through that layer of stuff that's just like air. Can Illumi do this too?"

Talisman - Dynamic Simulation proficiency +14...

"Can he? You should say he's mastered it. If I didn't deliberately control it, even the slight recoil from my Nen Aura could hurt you."

Baishi had used up some Nen Aura, and he couldn't help feeling a little surprised by the power, speed, and frequency of Killua's attacks. If Killua had attacked like that while wrapped in Nen Aura, Baishi reckoned he might not have been able to keep defending for long.

"By the way... does the attack technique you just used have a name?"

"The assassination technique Snake Awakens. By mastering control over your body, you can make your limbs as flexible and agile as snake-shaped blades." Killua looked at Baishi's expression and shook his head. "Want to learn it? Even if I taught you, it's not something you could easily learn in a short time..."

"I've trained since I was little with my family's 'help' to gain enough familiarity and control over my body. Even Illumi is less..."

Killua broke off and immediately stared at Baishi.

"After saying all that, you must have a way to solve my problem, right?!"

Heh~

How do you know I can't learn it?

Having fully analyzed and absorbed the force-exertion techniques of Snake Awakens with Talisman - Dynamic Simulation, Baishi smiled to himself in satisfaction. But the timing wasn't right, so he suppressed the itch to imitate it immediately.

Hearing Killua's question, Baishi shrugged and brought his left hand out from behind his back. He flipped the shrunken black iron wheel between his fingertips and smiled slightly. "Solving it... is both simple and difficult."

"What do you mean?" Killua looked more focused than ever.

Hmm~~

"It's complicated to explain." Baishi gently flicked the wheel into the air like a coin, then caught it as it fell and gradually disappeared.

"Nen is divided into different types. From what I know, Illumi's Nen Ability belongs to the Manipulation type! And the most common characteristic of Nen users with this attribute is manipulating external objects..."

"You can also think of it as controlling living or nonliving things. Some specialize in the former, and some in the latter. Of course, there are also Nen users who combine the two..."

"But ultimately, no matter what they manipulate, Manipulation Nen Abilities need a suitable medium to carry and implant the corresponding commands!"

"What do you think Illumi's manipulation medium is?"

"Needles!" Killua nearly blurted it out. Understanding dawned on his face: he finally understood why Illumi had always been so fond of needles, even using them as his main weapon for assassinations.

So those needles are the medium for his Nen Ability!