Chapter 10: Growth Plan and Separation
"Where are you going now?"
Inside a hotel suite in Gram City, Hisoka sat cross-legged on the floor stacking poker cards, his voice calm yet curious as he looked at Haze.
The two of them had already left the circus without saying goodbye.
Because… there was no need to.
From the beginning, neither Hisoka nor Hazehad any intention of getting too involved with the troupe members.
"There's no need for you to know."
Hazeopened the window, and a sudden gust of cold wind scattered Hisoka's cards across the floor.
"Haze…"
Hisoka frowned slightly, watching him. There was something strange about Hazelike he wanted to say something but didn't.
Hisoka recklessly let his Nen surge outward.
Sensing the flow, Hazestiffened and turned around. Their eyes met.
"Are you going to attack me?"
"Moritonio was just the appetizer. You should already know the one I'm truly interested in… is you."
Hisoka picked up a large joker card, his expression openly filled with fighting spirit as he slowly stood up.
Tch.
Hazereleased his Nen as well his aura was even stronger than Hisoka's.
Two waves of Nen collided in the room, their pressure cracking the surrounding glass.
"You'll die…"
Hazepulled his hand from his pocket, flexing his fingers. Each crack of his knuckles sounded like fireworks.
"How would I know if I don't try? Besides… if you kill me, I wouldn't mind that either," Hisoka said, a dark thrill flashing across his face.
Hazestayed silent.
He wasn't sure he could control Hisoka nor even defeat him.
If they truly fought, his only advantage was his understanding of Nen and his familiarity with Hisoka's abilities.
His disadvantage… was talent.
He lacked true combat instinct.
Hisoka did too but judging by that fight with Moritonio, Hisoka's instincts were terrifyingly sharp.
In a real battle, Hazewouldn't stand a chance.
But even if he couldn't win, he knew Hisoka couldn't easily harm him either.
Seeing Hisoka's face light up with excitement, Hazefrowned slightly and suddenly withdrew his Nen.
"Hm?"
Hisoka, who had already taken a fighting stance, froze.
Whoosh!
He immediately noticed Hazewasn't in the mood to fight.
But since the tension was already building, Hisoka naturally didn't want to stop now. Without a word, he flicked a card straight at Haze's face.
Snap!
Hazecalmly raised his hand and caught it.
"Your provocation means nothing to me. I have no expectations of you… or rather, of who you are right now."
Hisoka chuckled softly and lowered his hand.
What he wanted… was a battle to the death with Haze.
If Hazewasn't interested, attacking one-sidedly would only ruin the fun.
"Really?"
Hisoka seemed to understand.
"I'm going to the hospital. Don't follow me," Hazesaid coldly.
Hisoka had taken heavy injuries in his fight with Moritonio several bones clearly fractured.
"Are you breaking up with me?"
Hisoka caught the disdain in Haze's tone, his expression dimming slightly.
He couldn't tell if it was deliberate or genuine reluctance.
"Well… see you around."
Hisoka squinted, smiled faintly, stretched his arms, and turned to leave.
There were no small talks or farewells.
Both he and Hazeneeded time and space to grow.
And… Hisoka knew that by the time they met again, Haze's self-discipline and rigorous training would make him far stronger so he couldn't afford to fall behind.
They understood each other well.
Hisoka could feel Haze's strength even though Hazetried to hide it, his instincts screamed of danger.
"If you ever miss me, don't forget to call."
As he was about to leave, Hisoka turned, winked, and tossed a card toward Hazebefore walking out.
"..."
Hazelooked at the ace in his hand.
On it, a phone number was written in neat script.
"Testing me… what bad taste," Hazemuttered.
After what just happened, Hisoka clearly wasn't serious about fighting him.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have left that card behind almost as if predicting Haze's reaction, just to tease him.
As for the reason… Hisoka probably knew that two newly awakened Nen users fighting seriously would be a waste.
But there was no denying this lunatic had just tried to attack him.
From the moment Hisoka joined the circus, Hazeknew he could never escape him.
"If you really want to die, I can't stop you," he sighed, tossing the card aside.
He wasn't afraid of Hisoka.
With a structured system and vast knowledge of Nen, Hazemight not have Hisoka's raw potential, but he was confident he could become a powerful warrior.
And above all, the Hunter world was vast his goal was far beyond simply catching up to Hisoka.
Still… being entangled with a pervert and lunatic like that was anything but pleasant.
Yet, as Hazecame to understand Hisoka better, his impression of him began to shift slightly.
At least… he didn't despise him as much as before.
Hisoka had a strangely childish side.
"There are still ten years before the main story begins… the plot hasn't even unfolded yet. That's plenty of time for me."
With Hisoka gone, Hazefinally relaxed.
He lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, murmuring to himself.
What came next was clear he had to grow stronger.
And he already had a plan.
Over the past few months at the circus, he'd saved a fair amount of money.
Moritonio had been surprisingly fair in distributing the earnings after each performance.
It wasn't much, but enough to live on for a while if he was careful.
Notably, the expensive hotel suite they were in was paid for by Hisoka, not him.
Hazeplanned to stay for a while first to solidify his foundation, to train his Nen control and management.
He also needed to strengthen his body and martial skills.
As the saying goes, "A mighty tree must have deep roots."
Others in his position might have rushed to advance their Nen abilities, but Hazesaw it differently.
The foundation determines one's ceiling.
Only through solid groundwork could he truly build strength without collapsing later.
He thought of young Netero his obsessive pursuit of martial mastery, his ten thousand strikes a day in the desert.
Those years of repetition forged the man who would one day become a legend.
Though he lacked Netero's talent, Hazehad one great advantage: his system, and his knowledge.
After a Haze night of rest, Hazeset out the next morning with only basic supplies, leaving Gram City behind.
After searching for a suitable place, he traveled deep into a mountain range covered in primeval forest.
There, his harsh training began.
Time in the mountains flowed differently days felt like years of cultivation.
Following the system's schedule, Hazedivided his daily training into three core parts:
Physical and Martial Conditioning – strengthening his body and martial techniques to expand his capacity for Nen.Nen Foundation Training – forging mental resilience before advancing to the four basic Nen principles:Ten (Focus) – concentrating one's inner thoughts and forming a clear mind.Ren (Manifest) – expressing one's inner intent outward.Zetsu (Restraint) – strengthening inner will and conserving aura.Hatsu (Release) – transforming intent into action.
Most Nen users refined these before advancing to the Four Major Techniques:
Enhancement, Emission, Manipulation, and Transmutation.
The final part of Haze's self-made training involved observing the Nen flow of every living being in nature, seeking insight from them.
He applied what he learned day after day, night after night.
He punched stone cliffs until his knuckles bled, sat cross-legged beneath waterfalls, and fought wild beasts bare-handed.
When hungry, he ate wild fruit or hunted game.
When thirsty, he drank from streams.
At first, it was harsh but gradually, it became his rhythm.
He slept in caves beside bears, watched monkeys swing through trees, and studied everything from insects to serpents, rats, and ants.
The smaller the creature, the weaker its Nen but never nonexistent.
Every living thing emitted its own subtle fluctuations.
This realization opened the door to a new world for him.
Half a year later
On the peak of a mountain, Haze, now completely transformed, stood facing the wind and gazed at the vast forest below.
His clothes had Haze since rotted away; save for an animal pelt around his waist, he was nearly naked.
His hair fell wildly over his shoulders, his body hardened like carved stone, his skin tanned and filled with power.
"My body can still grow stronger… but I've hit a wall for now. I'll have to wait until it matures completely. My aura has tripled, so I'm satisfied."
"I've mastered both traditional martial arts styles…"
"Ten, Ren, Zetsu, Hatsu… In essence, they're all about amplifying willpower.
Only with a strong enough mind can you control Nen precisely achieving micro-control and frequency conversion.
The basics are complete. Next comes En, Ken, and mastering absolute focus."
Stretching his limbs, Hazesmiled slightly, feeling the raw power flowing through him.
Then, with a single leap, he dove off the hundred-meter cliff.
(End of Chapter)