Chapter 2: Water Divination
Maduo was Mord's current employer.
As the proprietress of Shinjuku Tavern, her beauty was renowned throughout District D of Meteor City.
Though lazy by nature, her every movement exuded an intoxicating allure.
A woman like her would be the center of male attention anywhere.
Especially in a lawless, hormone-charged place like Meteor City where passions ran wild.
Every man in the hall was watching her—if not openly, then from the corners of their eyes, and if not even that, then certainly in their minds.
Mord was a man too, and he admitted to looking.
Because they were simply too big.
Yet Maduo, standing at the center of all this attention, remained completely unfazed as she drank by herself.
She'd been drinking since early morning—who knew how much liquor this woman could hold?
Tilting her head back, she took another swig.
Glittering droplets escaped the corner of her lips, trailing down her jade-white neck until they reached her chest.
Finally disappearing into unfathomable depths.
The alcohol also soaked through the thin fabric of her dress, the silk turning translucent and clinging tightly to her skin.
Gulp~
The sound of someone swallowing saliva came from below.
"Boss lady, there's something wrong with your wine! Did you water it down?" A newly arrived fugitive in Meteor Street finally couldn't hold back and shouted loudly.
From a distance, Mord glanced over and immediately saw through the man's petty scheme.
Picking a fight to take advantage.
"If you don't believe me, come take a sip?" The drunkard shook the wine flask in his hand.
But the next moment, he suddenly felt his hand go empty—the flask had somehow vanished and reappeared in Madou's hands behind the counter.
"Oh?" Madou tilted her head back and downed the wine in one go, holding it in her mouth as she gazed at him with a seductive look. "Why don't you come over and try it again?"
At this sight, the drunkard sobered up considerably, his lustful thoughts dissipating along with the alcohol.
He still had enough sense to leave the money for the wine and slink away, leaving the tavern patrons roaring with laughter.
Madou was a flower that could be admired but not touched.
This was common knowledge in Meteor Street's District D.
Only clueless newcomers like this one would dare try their luck.
Mord, who had witnessed the scene, now knew Madou was also a master of Nen.
...
The next day, at the agreed time, Mord quietly slipped out of the tavern again and headed alone to the outskirts of Meteor Street.
Madou merely glanced at him but didn't call him out.
Ten-Mile Slope.
"I'm here."
Zald slowly emerged from the shadows behind a tree.
He looked noticeably more haggard than before, as if he hadn't slept in over ten days.
Zald nodded at Mord.
His aura was flowing very slowly, smoothly... and with even greater force than the day before.
"Good. You've now mastered the basics of Ten."
"Ten?"
Though as a transmigrator, Mord already had some understanding of Nen abilities in the Hunter world, he still asked.
After all, experiencing things firsthand might yield different insights.
"Yesterday in the tavern, weren't you impressed that I could easily defeat a vicious outlaw several times my size? The ability I used was Nen."
"Nen refers to the ability to freely manipulate the life energy, or 'aura,' that flows from the body!"
"Though everyone emits trace amounts of life energy, most can't control this leakage. The technique of retaining aura within the body is called Ten. Practicing Ten strengthens the body and keeps it youthful."
Mord nodded, then brought up what had happened in the tavern the previous night.
"By your explanation, the tavern boss lady is also a Nen master. She transformed her aura into a thread so fine it was nearly invisible, creating the illusion of teleporting the wine flask."
"That's an advanced application of Zetsu—In."
"What is Zetsu? And what's In?"
Cough!
Zald coughed heavily, his right hand opening to reveal a palm full of blood.
"Time is precious. Listen carefully to what I teach you next."
"The fundamentals of Nen are called the Four Major Principles."
"You've already learned Ten. The remaining three are Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu."
"Zetsu tightens and seals all aura and presence, making one's existence faint. Your boss lady used this technique."
"Training involves releasing the life force refined within the body all at once through the pores, expelling more life force than usual. The most effective method against 'Zetsu' is to concentrate life force in the eyes using 'Ren' and look intently."
"'Hatsu' is the culmination of Nen abilities, allowing free manipulation and application of one's life force. It manifests as ultimate techniques, with each person's abilities varying individually."
"For now, I will first teach you the training methods for 'Zetsu' and 'Ren.'"
...
Several hours later.
Mord smoothly grasped the basics of both skills, likely due to his transmigrator status granting him a soul stronger than ordinary people's.
He found learning these techniques not particularly strenuous.
"Alright, come find me again when you can clearly see the nen threads emitted by your boss lady," Zald said, his eyes beginning to redden once more.
It seemed he was forcibly suppressing something.
Mord nodded, bowed in respect, then turned and walked toward Meteor City.
In the following days, Mord practiced ceaselessly.
On the seventh night.
While Madou drank alone on the rooftop, admiring the moon, she used her Nen threads again.
And below, Mord finally saw the slender Nen threads in Madou's hand with his own ability.
...
"I thought you wouldn't come."
By the time Mord saw Zald again, it was already the afternoon of the eighth day.
Under a blood-red sunset.
Zald was assessing Mord's training progress.
"Today is the final lesson: 'Hatsu.'"
"Master this, and you'll have learned all the basics of Nen. After that, it's about honing your skills, adding your own creativity, and developing your unique Nen."
Zald didn't rush into explanations. Instead, he took out a cup filled with water, a green leaf floating on its surface.
This was the Water Divination test.
A method Hunters used to assess aptitude and also train 'Hatsu.'
"Bring your hands close to the cup and use 'Ren' on it," Zald instructed.
Mord extended his hands, slowly releasing his Nen.
The water in the cup suddenly surged violently, shooting skyward before transforming into a watery sword.
Zald's eyes brimmed with delight.
I may have awakened a terrifying monster.
But only a monster can enter that world full of beasts and fulfill my dying wish.
[Name: Mord]
[Nen Ability Level: D]
[Nen Ability: Zanpakutō]
[Skills Acquired: Basic Hakuda, Basic Zanjutsu, Basic Footwork]
Along with the watery sword, a status panel appeared before Mord's eyes.
Mord glanced discreetly at Zald, who clearly couldn't see this panel.