Hanzo stared at the postscript explaining Nen to him, looking a bit puzzled.
A guy who failed the Hunter Exam was now teaching him—a guy who passed?
Could this Nen really be that powerful?
Is this why Kaizen and the others are so strong?
Even Alita, who barely made her presence known, was shockingly strong.
Hanzo already thought Hisoka, Kaizen, and Illumi were all stronger than him. Still, this... was something else entirely.
"Alright, I'll explain the technique of Ten to you now. After you've memorized and understood it, I'll help you open your aura nodes."
"Got it."
Hanzo nodded seriously.
Kaizen laid out the key points step by step. Then, he turned to Ponzu and Siper.
"Grab two glasses of water and put a leaf on top of each."
Kaizen had already contacted the Zoldyck estate about teaching Hanzo the moment the Hunter Exam ended. Maha Zoldyck had no objections.
He left the decision up to Kaizen.
Kaizen had weighed the pros and cons before accepting. For one, he was only teaching the basics, so while he might unconsciously pass on a little of Maha's style, it wouldn't be significant. And two, he needed this opportunity to gather more Nen attributes.
One thing was worth noting:
When Kaizen taught Nen to Ponzu and Siper, he noticed he could absorb some of their traits through observation.
"Which honestly makes sense," he mused to himself. "Ponzu and Siper were both Hunter candidates, even if they didn't pass."
Once he made that realization, Kaizen had an idea.
If teaching Hanzo, Ponzu, and Siper still didn't fill the last sliver of progress in the Observer's Will, then he could always track down other failed candidates—like Tonpa—and teach them Nen.
Of course, if he already hit 100% before then, it wouldn't be necessary.
...
"Hold the water glasses in both hands."
"Don't move."
"Concentrate your aura into your palms."
This was one of the simplest ways to identify aura types.
"Kaizen, done."
Hanzo's voice called out.
Kaizen turned.
Ponzu and Siper did too, surprised.
They remembered struggling for quite a while before fully grasping Ten when Kaizen had taught them.
But Hanzo?
It had barely been any time at all.
What did that mean?
For a brief second, both felt a twinge of jealousy—and bitterness.
"So Hanzo really is that talented...?"
"No wonder he passed the Hunter Exam so easily."
"And we didn't."
"If it weren't for the captain... we'd never even have the chance to learn Nen."
Siper clenched her fists.
She didn't feel quite as shaken as Ponzu did, though. Even if she failed this year, she still believed she could pass if she kept trying.
Ponzu, on the other hand, needed strength now—her village's future depended on it.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
Hanzo nodded again.
"Alright, I'll help you open your aura nodes."
Kaizen extended his hand.
A wave of invisible pressure swelled around Hanzo.
His expression turned serious.
Even without hostility, Hanzo could sense Kaizen's overwhelming aura. If Kaizen wanted to use that aura to crush him, he'd be powerless to stop it.
Boom!
The aura nodes opened.
With a thought, Altan's figure emerged from Kaizen's mindscape.
Hanzo looked down at his hands, stunned.
He could feel it now.
Siper glanced at him, concerned.
"Hanzo, don't space out. It's dangerous now. You need to get control of Ten right away."
Hanzo looked up and gave a calm smile.
"Thanks for the reminder, but it's fine. I've already got it down."
Until now, Nen and aura had been nothing but vague concepts to him.
But now? Now he could feel it clearly—flowing through him like a second heartbeat.
...
Postscript:
Hanzo's talent hit Ponzu and Siper like a slap in the face.
After Altan integrated Hanzo's data into the model, the analysis came through.
"Potentially A-rank in the future..."
Kaizen looked away, thoughtful.
Hanzo's talent was clearly higher than Ponzu or Siper's.
But that didn't automatically make him more valuable.
Hanzo was a fighter.
Ponzu was support.
In RPG terms, if you want to run dungeons, clear fields, and fight bosses, you need a balanced team of roles.
But when it comes to building that team, expectations for DPS are always higher.
Meanwhile, support roles often have lower barriers to entry.
That's why free-to-play players—or those barely spending—are often advised to choose support roles.
Hanzo came from a hidden shinobi lineage.
There was a lot more to consider.
Kaizen had no plans to invite him into his core team.
...
Two days later, Kaizen and his group arrived in the United States of Saherta.
As soon as they got off one airship, they were transferred to another. The layover was barely a pause.
Kaizen had just settled into his new seat when—
"Jingle jingle."
His phone rang.
He picked it up.
"Kaizen, are you in the United States of Saherta? I think I just saw someone who looked like you from behind."
"Tuck? Were you just at Airship Station?"
"Yeah! It was you, Kaizen!"
"Yeah, I'm here on business."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"Kaizen… you got a moment?"
"Hm?"
"I'd like to commission you for a job. A kill."
Kaizen's brow furrowed.
"Tuck, you know how I work."
"I do. This is a serious commission. I wouldn't ask you to do it for free. I'll send over the target info and the reward details."
"Alright. If I accept, I'll get in touch."
"Thanks."
Tuck hung up.
"I can't believe I bumped into Kaizen… If he accepts the job, everything will go so much smoother. Those bastards have gotten bolder lately… Even targeting nobles in broad daylight."
Soon, the commission details arrived in Kaizen's inbox.
He took out his laptop and opened the file.
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