Once I awakened my Nen, my immediate priority was training and expanding this power. Unless I was actually ill, I rarely left the house, so I dedicated nearly all my time to practicing in my room. While some children my age were already starting to work, my new family lived in a large estate with several domestic staff, so our financial situation was stable enough for me to focus on my "hobbies."
By this point, my parents, the maids, and even my tutors had grown accustomed to my eccentricities. As long as I attended my lessons and ate my meals, they generally left me to my own devices. I made sure to stay on their good side with plenty of "family service"—hugging my parents and telling them I loved them, or helping out with small chores around the house. I was careful not to make it look too calculated, but I knew the importance of securing my sponsors.
Now that I had mastered Ten, the next logical step was to tackle the rest of the Four Major Principles: Ren, Zetsu, and Hatsu.
I started with Ren. I visualized my cells, just as I always did. I pictured the life energy—the aura—squeezing out from every single node, and then focused on intensified the flow while keeping it contained around my body.
…!
I did it. It was surprisingly easy. A powerful surge of aura erupted from my body. Controlling it was still a challenge, and after about ten seconds, the surge dissipated back into a steady Ten, but I had maintained it. I wondered where a body as weak as mine hid that much energy. Aura is life energy, after all; I had expected a much smaller amount. Perhaps some of it had carried over from my previous life?
Next was Zetsu. I visualized closing every node in my body. I sat in a meditative pose for this one, as Ren had already exhausted me. I focused on each cell, pulling the energy inward and sealing the nodes shut.
…!
Again, it happened without much struggle. The aura that had been radiating from me vanished completely, and my presence felt as thin as a shadow.
I was surprised by how quickly I grasped these concepts. It had taken me over a year to manifest Ten, yet these followed almost instantly. It seemed my years of meditation were finally paying dividends, especially the technique of visualizing my body on a cellular level.
I used to wonder how Zetsu could possibly help with physical recovery or healing, but now I understood. The aura doesn't simply disappear; it's being circulated internally at a cellular level rather than being released. By sealing the nodes, you force the energy to rotate entirely within the body, which likely enhances the cells' natural repair functions. For someone with my constitution, it was an invaluable technique.
As for Hatsu, I already had an ability in mind, but I decided to focus on the basics for a while longer. It was better to build a solid foundation than to rush into a half-baked ability. However, I did need to discover my Nen type. This would dictate my entire training regimen, so the sooner I knew, the better.
I brought out a glass of water, floated a leaf from the garden on top, and placed my hands around it. Let's see what we get.
The leaf began to spin rapidly. Manipulation. I was hoping for Enhancement, given my goal of a stronger body, but Manipulation wasn't a bad draw at all. I was satisfied and about to clean up when I noticed something odd.
The leaf looked different. Upon closer inspection, parts of it were slightly dissolving. I tried again. The leaf spun, but as it did, I saw tiny fragments of it melting into the water.
Specialization? So, I was a Specialist with a strong lean toward Manipulation—or perhaps a Manipulator with Specialization tendencies. Or even a rare dual-type. The physical movement was the dominant reaction, but that secondary effect was undeniable.
Specialization... that was going to be a difficult path to master. Regardless, I had to work with the hand I was dealt. I spent the following months repeating Ten, Ren, and Zetsu, while practicing aura manipulation and flow. Since most of this could be done while sitting down, it looked like my usual meditation to anyone watching.
***
About a year passed. My aura felt significantly more robust. While I still struggled with the finer points of Ren, I could now maintain it for an hour. Strangely, I seemed to have a weakness in active aura control; while I could generate and hold energy, the actual "shaping" of it was difficult for me—even though I was a Manipulator. Advanced techniques like Gyo and Ryu took seven months of trial and error just to budge. It wasn't until a month ago that I could use them with any degree of proficiency, and even now, it takes about five seconds to move my aura where I want it. It's far too slow for actual combat.
Then again, I had no intention of fighting. My goal was to reduce my risk of death, not to go looking for it.
On the other hand, I had a natural talent for Zetsu. I could trigger it instantly, and my presence would vanish so completely that maids would walk right past me while I was sitting in the middle of the room. I suppose my lack of emotional volatility makes it easier for me to sync with the environment. I'm practically a ghost.
I also gained a better understanding of In. It's essentially the art of erasing the "will" or intent behind your aura. Aura is life energy, and it vividly reflects a person's emotions. Even a normal person gives off a harsh, jagged aura when they're angry. My own lack of strong intent makes my aura naturally difficult to perceive. It made me realize just how terrifying someone like Hisoka must be—to possess such a bloodthirsty aura and yet be able to mask it perfectly with In proves he is a true master, not just a madman.
I am now six years old. I've reached a point where I hardly ever catch a cold, which has been a huge relief for my parents. They recently had another son, and they've been happy to focus their energy on him.
I also finally figured out what my father does for a living. Officially, he runs a trading company. Unofficially... well, he's in "the family business." In America, they'd call it the Mob. When I asked him about his work, he was vague, but I found out he manages lotteries and several "entertainment venues" (read: casinos). I've also seen large, intimidating men bow to him and kiss his hand. He's a Don. No wonder we're so wealthy.
To his credit, he never shows that side of himself to us. He's a family man through and through—a local pillar of the community who looks out for his own. Since we're immigrants, we're essentially an Italian-style Mafia family.
Naturally, I have zero interest in inheriting that life. Why would I want to take over such a dangerous business when my goal is to stay alive? Fortunately, because I was so sickly and "eccentric" growing up, they don't expect much from me, even though I'm the eldest son. They love me, but they've already told me I'm free to pursue my own path. When I told them I wanted to be a Hunter, they just laughed.
So, when my brother was born, it was a win-win for everyone. Little brother, please grow up to be a magnificent Mafia Don. Watching him grow up healthy and strong over the past year has been a weight off my shoulders.
Now, back to my Hatsu. Based on my type and my goals, I've decided to develop two specific abilities. The first is:
[Daily Health: Healthy Man]
Type: Manipulation
This ability uses aura to manipulate my own body at a cellular level. In the event of injury or illness, I can force my cells to reconstruct and restore themselves to a healthy state.
Conditions and Restrictions:
The amount of aura required scales with the severity of the damage.
The ability must be activated manually.
It is a process of "restoration," not "super-recovery." I cannot accelerate my natural healing beyond its peak healthy state.
Vow: I can never use Manipulation to control other people or objects.
Death Sentence: If I exhaust my aura while using this ability, I will die.
In short, it's a self-restoration ability. It has zero offensive capability, but if I can perfect it, I'll become incredibly hard to kill. I'm a bit worried about the "memory capacity" required for the ability, but since I've made the Vows and Restrictions quite heavy, it should be possible. I did hesitate on the "death" penalty, since my goal is to notdie, but that's a debate for another time. For now, it's a theoretical goal to work toward alongside my basic training.
***
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