CHAPTER 18
Uh… this… that's right."
A single lie required countless others to cover it.
Whether it was the matter of time-travel or the strange advantages he had gained from it, Rimo had never intended to let a second person know. Not even Machi. In the world of the Phantom Troupe—where Chrollo's Skill Hunter could steal abilities and Pakunoda could extract memories with a bullet—secrets were life itself.
So at this moment, Rimo could only bite the bullet and claim he was a Manipulator.
From a functional standpoint, it wasn't entirely wrong. After all, his ability to materialize objects looked similar to manipulation or conjuration to an outside observer.
"Alright, alright. Let's test your types properly," Rimo quickly changed the topic.
As he spoke, he used his aura to materialize three transparent glasses and filled them with clear water. Then he placed a single leaf gently on the surface of each cup.
Although he already had a good idea of their affinities based on personality and behavior—Uvogin's straightforward brutality, Nobunaga's unwavering faith in his blade, Machi's calm and calculating nature—the formal process still had to be done.
"Each of you take a cup," Rimo said. "Channel your Ren into the water."
"This is called the Water Divination Test. It's the standard method for identifying Nen affinity. It was passed down through the Shingen-ryu school founded by Chairman Isaac Netero of the Hunter Association."
He deliberately used the proper name: Shingen-ryu. In the manga, Wing had explained that this was the martial arts lineage Netero mastered before refining Nen to its peak. Netero himself was considered the strongest Nen user in the world prior to the Chimera Ant arc.
"It's the most reliable way to determine your category."
He began listing the outcomes precisely as Wing had explained to Gon and Killua in Heavens Arena:
"If the water level increases, you're an Enhancer."
"If the taste of the water changes, you're a Transmuter."
"If impurities appear in the water, you're a Conjurer."
"If the leaf moves on the surface, you're an Emitter."
"If the color of the water changes, you're a Manipulator."
"And if something completely different happens, then you're a Specialist."
Uvogin narrowed his eyes.
"Rimo, you said Isaac Netero—the strongest in the world. What category is he?"
Just hearing the phrase "strongest in the world" struck directly at Uvogin's heart.
Becoming stronger than anyone.
That had always been his creed.
Even if he hadn't yet articulated his absurd dream of punching through anything in existence, his obsession with strength far surpassed that of ordinary people. During the Yorknew City arc, he had willingly fought all the Shadow Beasts alone just to prove the superiority of brute force.
Looking at Uvogin's rising battle spirit, Rimo's mouth twitched slightly.
"Enhancer."
Uvogin grinned widely. "Heh. Figures."
When Rimo described Enhancers earlier—maximizing attack and defense, strengthening the body—Uvogin had already felt a strange resonance. His Big Bang Impact, though not yet fully conceptualized, was clearly aligned with enhancement.
Rimo pushed the glasses forward.
"Go on."
Without hesitation, the three activated Ren and poured aura into the water.
Immediately, the water levels in Uvogin and Nobunaga's glasses began rising steadily, threatening to overflow.
"Enhancer!"
Both men laughed in satisfaction.
Uvogin believed only in his fists. Nobunaga believed only in his katana. For warriors who valued direct combat, Enhancer was the most fitting category. Nobunaga, in the original story, was confirmed to be an Enhancer as well—his Iaido style relying heavily on aura reinforcement.
On the other side, Machi's glass showed no visible change at first.
She frowned slightly.
Rimo couldn't help smiling. "Taste it."
Machi paused, then dipped a finger lightly into the water and touched it to her tongue.
"…It's sweet."
Her eyes returned to their usual calm clarity.
Transmuter.
In the official data books and manga, Machi is indeed a Transmuter. Her aura takes on elastic and adhesive properties, allowing her to form threads strong enough to stitch severed limbs—like when she reattached Hisoka's arms after his fight with Kastro in Heavens Arena.
Transmuters change the quality of aura.
Almost subconsciously, a faint thread of pink aura formed between Machi's fingers.
Just like Kurapika instinctively imagined chains after learning about Nen, Machi's first instinct was thread.
"Good," Rimo said. "Now that we've determined your affinities, we can start specialized training in addition to basic Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu."
He raised a finger and concentrated carefully, shaping his aura into the crude outline of the number "1."
Because he was still newly awakened himself, the shape wavered slightly.
"Ah! Rimo, there's a '1' on your finger!" Uvogin shouted.
Rimo nodded.
"The technique of focusing aura into your eyes to see hidden aura is called Gyo. It's derived from Ren and Ten. In serious combat, you must maintain Gyo constantly."
He looked at them seriously.
"If you don't use Gyo, you won't see concealed aura—like abilities hidden with In. During Yorknew, Kurapika hid his chains using In so the Troupe wouldn't detect them."
"Ohhh…"
The three nodded like attentive students.
Rimo felt a subtle sense of accomplishment.
"For Transmuters," he continued, looking at Machi, "practice shaping aura precisely. Form numbers from one to ten on your fingers within five seconds."
Machi simply nodded and began immediately.
Rimo turned toward Uvogin and Nobunaga.
"For Enhancers, your training is simpler—but brutal."
"Brutal?" Uvogin's eyes lit up.
"Strengthen a stone with Ko—focus all aura into one point—and use it to break other stones. But you must prevent the stone in your hand from shattering."
Ko was an advanced technique combining Gyo, Ren, and Zetsu—concentrating aura into one body part.
"It sounds simple," Rimo said calmly, "but balancing offense and defense with aura control is extremely difficult."
Then he added, "Break one thousand stones in a day. That's your first goal."
Uvogin burst into laughter.
"Ha! That's easy!"
Rimo didn't bother arguing. In Heavens Arena, Gon and Killua nearly collapsed from maintaining Ren for extended periods. Enhancer training was straightforward—but exhausting.
"These methods are derived from Shingen-ryu's foundational discipline," Rimo said evenly. "Perfect for beginners."
—
Far away on another part of the continent, in a luxurious five-star hotel suite, a blonde little girl lay comfortably on a velvet couch.
Biscuit Krueger—Bisky—was currently in her child form, enjoying a professional massage from "Cookie-chan," the muscular beauty created by her Transmuter ability Magical Esthetician.
"Ah-choo!"
Bisky suddenly sneezed.
"…Feels like someone's talking about me."
She muttered lazily before turning over to continue enjoying Cookie-chan's massage.
—
Back in Meteor Street.
After finishing his explanations, Rimo stepped outside and materialized two large piles of clean stones.
That way, Uvogin and Nobunaga wouldn't grab debris contaminated with unknown substances—Meteor Street was, after all, a place where discarded toxins and refuse were commonplace.
"Woohoo! Thanks, Rimo!"
The two Enhancers immediately began smashing stones enthusiastically.
Inside, Machi practiced shaping aura with focused precision.
Rimo watched them quietly for a moment, a faint smile on his lips.
Then he turned and walked back to his room.
Whether it was the new ability he obtained after killing Oss—or the true nature of his Nen category—both required careful confirmation.
"Click."
He gently locked the door.
"Now," Rimo murmured to himself, "it's time to properly examine my abilities."