Some say that combat is the best teacher.
This is because no matter the technique, all skills are born from actual combat, evolving and developing bit by bit through trial and error.
For geniuses in particular, listening to a teacher's lectures is often far less effective than allowing them to experience and realize truths for themselves in the heat of battle.
Clearly, Killua and Gon were exactly that kind of people.
Through continuous battles against the various monsters within the Dungeons, they gradually forged their own unique styles, and their total Aura capacity began to grow at an explosive rate.
Of course, the price for this was being driven forward by a metaphorical whip under a hellish regime of cruel exploitation.
As a "Demon Instructor," Allen adhered to his consistent philosophy: if they aren't dead, train them harder. He formulated a terrifying special training regimen that a normal person couldn't possibly survive for five days.
Whether it was Gon or Killua, they were allowed only eight hours a day for food and rest; the remainder of their time was spent either on fundamental drills or fighting for their lives against monsters in major Dungeons.
That's right!
Literally fighting for their lives!
To squeeze every drop of potential out of their small bodies, Allen never gave them the chance to recover to peak condition. They were forced into extreme combat while possessing only half, sometimes even a third or a quarter, of their maximum Aura.
Such a staggering training volume even moved Bodoro and Baise, who had undergone similar experiences, to pity.
By the time the hellish crash course ended, spanning 140 days in the game world and half a month in reality, the Aura capacity of both protagonists had soared to over 60,000. This was more than triple what they possessed during this period in the original timeline.
Back in their hotel room, watching the sunlight stream through the window, both Killua and Gon felt as though they had returned from another life.
Killua, in particular, went as far as to pinch his thigh hard, sighing with a look of relief. "I can't believe we actually made it back alive!"
"Yeah! There were several times I thought I was a goner," Gon nodded, his heart still racing at the memory.
"But the gains are massive! I can feel myself getting stronger, and that new technique is almost ready. The next time I face a powerful enemy, I won't run away," Killua said, his fists clenched with confidence.
As his Aura capacity began to close the gap with his elder brother, Illumi, the influence of the Nen needle embedded in his head was weakening. He would likely discover and remove it before long.
Gon chimed in with a smile, "Exactly! I feel like I can beat that guy now! We'll save Kite!"
Hearing the two youngsters' somewhat inflated declarations, Allen finally couldn't resist and gave them each a sharp rap on the head. "Don't get cocky!" he scolded. "With your current strength, you're only slightly stronger than an Officer among the Chimera Ants. You'd likely struggle against a Squadron Leader. As for the Royal Guards, those are opponents only Chairman Netero and I can handle."
"Ouch!"
"That hurts!"
Intimidated by their "Demon Instructor," neither Killua nor Gon dared to argue. They simply clutched the spots where they'd been hit, crouching on the floor and sticking their tongues out secretly.
"Remember, your Hatsu development is still very immature. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to approach a Royal Guard. They are not enemies you can handle," Allen warned in a solemn tone.
Regrettably, Gon had already made up his mind; he merely lowered his head in silence. Killua, standing beside him, spread his hands innocently, indicating he was powerless to change Gon's mind.
One had to realize that the current Neferpitou already possessed a staggering Aura capacity in the millions. Furthermore, her Nen development might be entirely different from the original story; there was no guarantee she wouldn't develop some truly monstrous abilities.
Given that her Specialist nature leaned heavily toward Manipulation, she was the type most likely to create unreasonable, rule-based abilities.
In the original timeline, when Pitou was being pummeled by "Adult Gon," she had been maintaining Doctor Blythe for a long period, both her body and spirit were far from their peak. Even then, she had several opportunities to kill Gon before he finalized his Vow and Limitation, but she hesitated out of fear for the King's safety.
In other words, the victory between them was a low-probability fluke, a result pieced together by countless coincidences.
Unlike Chairman Netero, who was forced to use sacrificial tactics due to limited manpower and resources, Allen preferred a direct, frontal assault, an extermination-style massacre of the entire Chimera Ant species.
What a joke!
This was human-controlled territory!
As the undisputed masters of this world, why should they act like they were fighting on away turf, sneaking around just to eradicate a pack of man-eating ants?
It was utterly ridiculous.
Just as Allen was about to say more, the door was pushed open. Illumi, Hisoka, and Kalluto filed into the room.
Noticing the surge in Aura coming from Killua and Gon, the eldest son of the Zoldyck family asked in immediate astonishment, "What did you do to them?"
"Nothing much, just some special training," Allen replied with a smile.
"Special training? Are you joking? Two weeks of training can triple a person's Nen?" Illumi questioned, his face expressionless. From his attitude, it was clear he didn't believe a word of it.
In contrast, Hisoka's reaction was far more visceral. His eyes shimmered with intense excitement and anticipation, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. To this pervert, two "unripe fruits" were fast approaching maturity; it was almost time for the harvest.
"No, of course it wasn't ordinary training. It was hellish training in the truest sense. Believe me, it's a process more painful and desperate than death. If you don't believe me, ask them," Allen said, gesturing toward the two protagonists.
Noticing his brother's searching gaze, Killua immediately nodded. "He's right. Under that training, there were several times we actually almost died."
"Oh? Cruel training on the brink of death? That sounds interesting..." Illumi rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful.
He had heard his father and grandfather mention that for Nen users, every near-death experience could make one's Nen stronger. However, because the method was so dangerous, one slip-up and you'd lose your life, very few people actually dared to attempt it.
Yet, in the eyes of Gon and Killua, he could faintly see the resolve that only comes from conquering death.
Coupled with the miraculous effects of Allen's healing potions, Illumi realized Allen had likely mastered a way to bring people to the brink of death repeatedly without actually letting them die, using it as a shortcut to rapidly increase Aura.
While his elder brother was lost in thought, the cross-dressing Kalluto stepped forward and bowed slightly, asking in an uncertain tone, "Are those two coming with us?"
"Not for now. They haven't earned the right to join this war yet. Am I right?" Allen looked at the two boys.
Killua pulled two halves of a wooden board from his pocket and answered without hesitation, "Right! Chairman Netero said we still have to defeat two guys and take their halves before we're qualified to join the Extermination Team."
"In that case, I wish you victory in advance. I've delayed here long enough; I'm heading out first."
With that, Allen led his team back to the monster truck and drove once more toward the borders of NGL.
————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]