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"Sanai?"
Gardevoir tilted her head slightly, puzzled by the dazed look on her Trainer's face.
This was yet another reason Rinku believed that Pokémon were fundamentally different from conjured beasts, they were living, breathing individuals.
Unlike conjured beasts born from Nen, Pokémon could speak albeit in their own Pokémon language, but Rinku could understand them perfectly.
"I'm fine…"
As he spoke, Rinku stood and walked over to the large round table, where a glass of water sat. A bright green leaf floated delicately on its surface.
Though he already had a hunch, Rinku wanted to test it for himself.
What he was about to perform was the Water Divination Method, a technique developed by the Heartsource Style to determine a person's Nen category.
Standing before the table, Rinku took a deep breath. His expression was solemn as he placed his hands on either side of the glass.
He assumed a posture as if about to cradle the glass, though his palms never actually touched it.
Slowly, he gathered his aura into his hands. Translucent, milky-white Nen began to envelop his palms, layering over them like a thin veil.
He hadn't been awakened to Nen for long, and he had barely trained. This was the most aura he could currently muster.
Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. Noticing this, Gardevoir quickly stepped forward and gently wiped his brow with a handkerchief, a flicker of concern glimmering in her beautiful eyes.
Her gesture seemed to signal a turning point.
As Rinku continued to release more aura, the water in the glass began to change.
The once-clear liquid was now tinged with soft pink hues, gradually deepening into a rich purple.
Just as Rinku thought the transformation was complete, the floating leaf started to curl inward, slowly sinking until it rested in the center of the glass.
By then, the leaf had transformed into a sphere. Its surface crystallized, with faint etchings forming what looked like a capital letter "M."
From Rinku's perspective, the crystalline orb in the water looked exactly like a Poké Ball—no, more accurately, a Master Ball bathed in violet liquid.
Once he confirmed that no further changes were occurring, Rinku withdrew his hands and ceased releasing aura.
Staring at the strange object in the water, a knowing gleam flashed in his eyes.
As expected… I'm a Specialist.
Nen abilities are categorized into six primary types, arranged like a hexagon:
Enhancement: Increases the quantity of water.
Transmutation: Changes the taste of water, varying by individual.
Conjuration: Produces crystalline structures in the water.
Emission: Alters the water's color.
Manipulation: Moves the leaf on the water's surface.
Specialization: Any phenomenon that deviates from the above categories.
In the original series, Kurapika's Nen ability was a classic example of Specialization—it allowed him to use abilities from all five other types at 100% efficiency.
Other Specialist examples include Chrollo's ability to steal Nen powers and Pakunoda's memory-reading skill.
Among the six types, Specialization is the rarest and most unique.
It's worth noting that while a Nen user can develop abilities outside their natural type, the further an ability is from their innate category, the weaker it becomes.
Initially, Rinku had doubted his assessment. After all, the concept of a "Pokémon Master" seemed inherently tied to Specialization. But the color change in the water had made him wonder if he was actually an Emitter.
Yet the subsequent transformations left no room for doubt—he was, without question, a Specialist.
If anything, his Specialist nature seemed to incorporate traits from Manipulation, Emission, and Conjuration.
Manipulation: His ability to command Pokémon in battle, as well as the analytical function of his Pokédex.
Emission: Pokémon emerged from within his body, and he could also launch attacks outward using this internal source.
Conjuration: Each Pokémon existed as an independent entity, materialized through Nen—a form even ordinary people could see.
Putting it all together, perhaps that old rumor was true…
Rinku recalled hearing somewhere that those born with innate Nen abilities were always Specialists.
Now that he had confirmed his type, it was time to begin the foundational training known as the Four Major Principles of Nen:
Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.
Ten (Focus): Centers the mind, calming emotions while allowing one to wrap their leaking aura around their body, a basic Nen technique.
Zetsu (Suppression): Closes off one's aura completely, hiding their presence from others.
Ren (Intensification): Builds upon Ten to explosively increase aura output. If Ten is accumulation, Ren is release.
Hatsu (Expression): A user's personal Nen ability developed through their understanding of Nen, shaped by personality and preferences.
These four principles, collectively known as "Nen," form the foundation of all advanced techniques.
Though Rinku believed he could rely on the strength of his Pokémon alone, he understood that the Four Principles were essential—especially in battle.
Among them, he deemed Ren the most crucial, followed by Ten.
That's because Ren leads to the application technique Gyo, which enables a user to see the aura of others.
Since Nen is normally invisible to the naked eye, Gyo is a critical skill. Without it, how could a Pokémon Trainer like Rinku properly issue commands in battle if he couldn't even see the opponent's attacks?
As for Ten, Rinku valued it for two main reasons:
First, mastering Ren required a solid foundation in Ten.
Second, Ten helped contain naturally leaking aura, slowing aging and enhancing physical vitality.
Compared to the average Nen user, Rinku had it relatively easy.
He only needed to focus on mastering Ten and Ren, while others had to climb the full ladder of Nen training from the ground up.
Of course, training was important, but…
Rinku glanced over at the soft, inviting bed.
Maybe… I'll start tomorrow.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 100, 200, 300 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!