Bang!
Xiang Nan fell flat on his back, limbs spread wide, every muscle relaxed.
Gazing up at the mist‑shrouded sky, he muttered, "Unbelievable… Had I known it would be like this, I wouldn't have come."
With that, he slowly closed his eyes.
He replayed Linne's words in his mind.
For a Hunter, the very first blow must guarantee absolute control or capture of the prey.
His arm had been struck the instant Linne launched her surprise attack. Given her skill, she clearly could have severed it outright instead of merely "de‑materializing" it.
That proved what she'd said—she had only meant to frighten him.
That ability… must be reversible, right?
Even as consciousness faded, Xiang Nan was still analyzing the fight.
Anyone who dared attack him so openly—and inflict such a serious wound, crippling an arm—had to be confident her Nen could restore it afterward.
But Xiang Nan hadn't thought that far. Instinctively he'd gone into a fight‑to‑the‑death mindset.
Once he realized Linne truly wasn't trying to kill him, he finally let himself sprawl out and drift into a deep sleep.
His aura was almost exhausted—even though so little time had passed, the battle had drained him enormously, both physically and mentally.
…
Everything was black.
He did not know how long he had slept when he opened his eyes and bolted upright from a bed.
Looking up, he saw the old woman sitting with her back to him, quietly sipping tea.
"Uh…"
Xiang Nan hesitated, scanned the room, then said softly, "Thank you, senior."
Clearly, Linne had cared for him while he was unconscious.
"Senior? Weren't you calling me 'old hag' every other sentence?" Linne turned, cupping her teacup in both hands, slurping a mouthful with a vaguely smug look.
"Times change…"
Xiang Nan's eyelid twitched; he cleared his throat.
"My earlier disrespect—please don't hold it against me. Your jokes were… a bit much. A few more rounds like that and I'd be a goner." His muscles still ached all over. He didn't know how long he'd been out, but even now his body hadn't fully recovered—his aura reserves were still badly depleted. Not even the Serpent's‑Blood death‑force had sped his healing.
"How can I teach you without first seeing what you're really made of?"
Linne spat out the tea leaves in her mouth and shot him a sidelong glance.
"Huh?"
Xiang Nan blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"To know your true level, the best way is to push you to the brink. Otherwise"—she smacked her lips, spitting out another tea leaf—"a kid like you probably hides a lot of tricks. Hard to gauge your depth unless you're cornered."
Xiang Nan felt a flash of delight but kept a straight face. "But, senior, didn't you say—"
"I'm not the Hunter Association chairman—just a Gourmet Hunter. I'm not management either. Compared with you juniors, I'm merely more experienced. V5 can't lay a hand on me unless those pups decide they're going to bully a lonely old woman." She spoke with eyes closed, perfectly calm.
"Netero had his reasons for turning you down. But you—first you went to him, then came straight to me. Aside from Menchi and a few other Gourmet Hunters, most rookies have never even met me, let alone know this old relic exists. Yet you showed up on my doorstep—obviously sent by someone. Why?"
She narrowed one eye at Xiang Nan. "I want the truth."
Xiang Nan fell silent. Apparently, while he lay in bed, she had already dug up everything worth knowing about him.
"Back then, you, the chairman, and Zigg. all explored the Dark Continent together. Among living humans, the few who returned alive can be counted on one hand. I've never been there, but I know its horrors… so naturally I know your strength," Xiang Nan said.
"So that's it…"
The old woman sighed.
This brat had once been a high official of the Republic of Padokea. Whether he still had military ties, she couldn't say, but with his background it would be easy to learn about the Dark Continent despite the official blackout.
"Don't get excited. I may not fear V5, but I'm still part of the Association and don't want to cause trouble for Netero—so I won't take you as a disciple," Linne stressed. "That doesn't mean I can't give you pointers."
"Netero likely felt the same; V5 just monitors him more closely."
"You and Chairman Netero…" Xiang Nan ventured.
"Yes, I dislike him—nothing more. We worked together, but his stubborn streak drives me crazy. And no, we never had that kind of relationship—don't get any stupid ideas. We're from the same era, but he's a lot older. Back when I was young—beautiful and full of life—why would I go for him?" She looked utterly disgusted.
Xiang Nan wisely held his tongue.
The old woman spat out another tea leaf. Xiang Nan noticed Netero liked tea too, but unlike him, Linne clearly neither savored it nor understood the art—she was merely putting on a show.
"Your Nen has little room left to grow—what remains isn't something others can meddle with."
Her voice turned stern. "First, your body—too weak. Even if you're top‑tier in the Association, that's still not enough; your flesh lacks training. Second, although your Nen techniques are honed and well‑adapted to your style, your mind is full of 'impurities.' That's where I cannot teach you."
"Impurities?" Xiang Nan frowned.
"Your spirit has been tempered—by outside forces," Linne said calmly.
Xiang Nan's heart skipped; she saw through even that.
"Brat, I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. The road you're on—we've walked it countless times. I can see your state at a glance, and feel it in your aura's traces." She snorted.
"The strength of Nen is body and spirit. True tempering of the spirit comes from living, from insight—your own growth, seasons of time. Real experiences, a clear look back on your path—that is how Nen grows. External means—hallucinations, forced negative emotions—only harden your shell. They help you 'defend the self' but leave no core."
"In other words, spirit forged from your own experiences, emotions, and attachments makes Nen fiercer and easier to wield. Two wills may feel similar, yet one is iron and the other gold—utterly different."
She clicked her tongue. "Cut down on those shortcuts. They stunt you."
"Yes." Xiang Nan nodded, half understanding.
"Your spirit may be strong, but it's cold—devoid of warmth. Emotion is the best food for the soul. Your will is growing numb because you lack lived moments, lack insight. Without emotions to nourish you, even if your spirit grows, its ceiling will stay low. Power gained by external stimulus is poor nutrition. To grow stronger, understand people. Humans have hearts—our innate gift."
"You feel like a cold brat lacking emotion. Keep it up and you'll end as nothing but a powerful killing machine."
"Do you have anyone you care about?" she suddenly asked.
"No."
"And anything you care about?"
"…Yes." He paused. The only thing he truly cared about now was the fun and unknown exploration the system's "game" offered him.
"Good—still saveable," Linne murmured. "Since you care about something, make it your goal. Follow that path; the scenery of life will give you answers."
"When you one day grasp life's essence, you'll grow stronger naturally."
"Remember: innate human emotion is the finest catalyst for will. It will make your martial heart shine."
Martial Heart… It appeared in the Ten Hunter Articles, penned by Netero himself.
So, spiritually, the old woman could not help him further. What she could guide was his physical strength.
But from what Xiang Nan observed in their fight, Linne's vast vitality and aura surely hadn't come from a Netero‑style regimen of endless drills. Netero's path was uniquely his; few could copy it.
Even Linne Horsdoeuvre—Xiang Nan doubted she was the same.
"Tut‑tut… Brat, you're wondering why my aura reserves are so deep, aren't you?" She noticed his look and smiled smugly, clearly showing off.
"I am," Xiang Nan admitted.
"Don't forget my profession," she reminded him.
Profession?
"I'm a Gourmet Hunter. I have my own ways to strengthen the body—born of my career and life's experience."
Xiang Nan's eyes flashed. "You mean… through food?"
"Of course. Don't underestimate… the power of gourmet cuisine."