Chapter 9: What Do I Need? Developing a Hatsu!

Auren stares at the left side of his chest as if in a trance, of course using Gyo. The six dark petals look ominous—each one a shadow that reminds him of death itself. The skin colored flower turning into one of pure darkness.Six students who “quit”… six dark petals. The dismissed students… are they alive? Is this just a ritual or a test? They don’t have to be dead… do they? But this color… this dark hue, it reminds me of something bad. Like Death…. I need to find out more when I have the chance. At least I’m still one of the top students, so I’ll be safe for a long time. That gives me time to grow stronger… and investigate.

Feeling the pressure build, Auren quietly reflects on his past decisions.

I’ve… been too soft. I’ve been enjoying this—playing around, treating it like a game. No. This is serious. I need to hurry. Six years… and a year and a half is already gone! I need to plan my next steps carefully. I need to learn the other advanced Nen techniques. Maybe I should focus on En—it’ll allow me to detect what’s happening throughout this mansion… maybe even beyond it. If I fail at that, I’ll need an alternative, some kind of plan.

And I’ve been focusing too much on Enhancement. From now on, I’ll switch to a three-day rotation: Emission, Enhancement, Transmutation. Thankfully, Emission doesn’t require any special equipment. The first step is simply separating my Aura and projecting it. Transmutation is similar—it just requires control over my Aura to change its properties. I can train both in my room.

These exercises are simple… but they’re a start. I’ll do them now. I’ll also keep up Water Divination… and I need to think about my ability. My Hatsu…

Several days later, Auren returns to his room. He looks down at his hands—bloody, scarred—and at his swollen toes, making every step painful.

Recovery takes too long… I’ll need to pause Buno’s and Bunu’s training again. It’s annoying. If only I could heal myself…

Healing… Enhancement! Maybe I could… Yes. This is it! But I want to include Transmutation too. Maybe even Emission, that way I could use it on others….

Using Zetsu, Auren remains in bed for hours, silently turning over ideas in his mind—until finally, a grin spreads across his face. A flash of determination lights up his eyes.

This is it!!

Half a year passes.

Each day, Auren continues working on Ren, Ten, and Zetsu. Despite his dedication, the only advanced techniques he’s managed to grasp so far are Shu, Gyo, and Ko. Shu strengthens objects by cloaking them in Aura. Gyo enhances his vision by concentrating Aura into the eyes, allowing him to see Aura hidden by In, while Ko allows him to focus all his Aura into a single body part—similar to Gyo, but more extreme, cutting off Aura-flow to the rest of his body and raising both its power and risk.

Ken, the defensive technique used to maintain a high level of Aura over the whole body, by combining Ten and Ren, remains unstable and unusable. Ryu, a technique based on Gyo, that allows a fighter to dynamically shift Aura distribution in battle, is still too slow and awkward to be effective.

I need my Ryu to instantly shift my Aura! I need to train this even more! It’s hard without a partner but I’ll manage regardless!

Auren also has not yet learned how to use In, which would enable him to hide his Aura, nor succeeded in performing En, which would create a large sphere around him, allowing him to be aware of anything within it. Still, he’s getting closer. He’s already managed to expand and shift his Aura in preparation.

Despite this, Auren smiles. Overall, he isn’t disappointed in his progress.

His Ren, Ten, and Zetsu continue to improve. His Aura capacity increases every day. His swordsmanship improves steadily, slowly resembling that of his Master. The assassination techniques he’s learning from Buno and Bunu are progressing steadily. Most importantly, his Enhancement, Emission, and Transmutation exercises are bearing fruit.

For Emission, Auren practices separating a small ball of Aura and launching it at his wall. Over time, he’s able to knock over small objects and even control the path of the Aura slightly, introducing a tiny bit of Manipulation into the exercise.

According to someone named Biscuit… a name that lingers in my memories… every Nen user should train all types, even if they’re unsuitable. I don’t have proof—but I believe that even a little training in Manipulation and Conjuration will help eventually. I just haven’t figured out good training exercises for them yet. What I’m doing now is probably 95% Emission and maybe 5% Manipulation at best.

Meanwhile, he can now form numbers with his Aura quickly and precisely—using Transmutation to shape it into figures and symbols. At times, he even creates a small blade from his fingertip, a thin, sharp projection of Aura.

One night, Auren uses Gyo and stares at his chest in the mirror, noticing more and more dark petals. The flower turns more ominous each time a student leaves the mansion.

Like a clock… is this a countdown to my death? I have to learn the truth. It’s been two years since I started learning Nen… By now, some of the people I remember—characters I somehow remember without having met them—had already achieved amazing things. I want to progress even faster, but I need to be patient. I’m still too young to make drastic moves.

Auren continues to train relentlessly. Eventually, he succeeds in creating En—a small dome of Aura around him. It's just a little over two meters in radius, but it still counts as fulfilling the minimal conditions. He has officially formed En.

To his surprise, Bunu calls him out into the yard one night.

“What have I taught you during our training?” he asks.

Auren doesn’t hesitate.

“Movement techniques. Stances. Balance. Rhythmic exercises. Different types of kicks, knee strikes, body shifting… and more. Shadow Step—the ability to move without making any sound—is the culmination of your teachings. I haven’t perfected it, but I think I’ve made solid progress.”

“Shadow Step is an excellent foundation—but it’s still a technique I would call ordinary. What matters more is that it’s a prerequisite. Among assassins, there’s a technique known across the world—even in Meteor City. It's rare, but not unknown. When people see it, they recognize it immediately.”

Bunu’s voice grows quieter, but sharper.

“If you can learn this technique, it marks you as someone rooted in the underworld. A true assassin. Even among killers, it commands respect. This technique is more than just a tool—it’s proof. Proof that you are walking a solitary and dangerous path. If you want to continue learning from me, you will have to master it.”

Bunu begins to move in a circle around Auren, his steps steady and rhythmic.

Suddenly, Auren sees Bunu blur—his body splitting, multiplying. For a brief moment, Auren sees more than a dozen visible afterimages and instinctively rubs his eyes in disbelief.

This is… Rhythm Echo!

Bunu stops directly in front of him, only to vanish again—reappearing behind Auren, his hand resting casually on his shoulder.

“This technique is called Rhythm Echo. It’s far more difficult to master than Shadow Step. Still… are you ready to give it a try?” Bunu asks.

“Yes, Instructor!” Auren responds without hesitation.

“From now on, I expect you to practice every night. I’ll join you when I feel like it. If you can’t master it within a year, you fail—and you should walk away from this path.”

One year… so exactly three years since I first came here. I have one year. I’ll do it!

Of course, his training with Buno continues as well. His hands and arms are now capable of performing truly strange—but deadly—movements. Despite his small frame, Auren can already replicate a weak version of Buno’s claw technique by manipulating the muscles in his arms and hands. By enhancing the technique with Aura, his clawed fingers can now rip through wood and bamboo as if they were paper.

“Good. You’re ready to move on to stone. But don’t you dare cheat by using Aura! You can train that aspect as well, but it won’t help you! This technique can be learned without Nen. If you use Nen, the exercise becomes meaningless. Behind the shed, I’ve prepared a beautiful boulder just for you. It took twenty scavengers to put it on a truck and transport it here. Have fun tearing your hands apart,” Buno says with an almost mocking grin.

Really?!

Auren looks uncertain—he can’t even imagine using his bare hands to tear apart a massive rock. This isn’t about striking it, cracking it, or slowly wearing it down—it’s about literally ripping it apart with his fingers.

“You understand, right? This path takes decades to master. You train, you injure yourself, you recover—and then you do it all over again. The progress is slow. Wounds and damage build up over time, and eventually, your body breaks down. It’s not about how fast you learn—it’s about whether your body can endure the process. Most people stop once they’ve reached a certain point of mastery. They stop, then turn to Nen to carry them the rest of the way. The risk of crippling yourself permanently just for a slight boost in strength? Not worth it for most.”

“But you, No. 23… you’re strong. You’re talented. You won’t reach the level of a Zoldyck, but among the filth in this city, you’re at least a half-precious stone. Useful and rare, you stand out among the worthless rubble.”

“Zoldyck?” Auren asks, the name surfacing in his mind—familiar, but distant.

“A legendary assassin family. Their techniques, their methods, their very existence is the stuff of myth. Ordinary people can’t replicate their skill. At first, I thought it was all about secrets—but the truth is, their talent is terrifying. Combined with their lineage, they’ve become one of the most feared assassin families in the world. Maybe the most fearful one.”

“I once tried to learn from Zeno Zoldyck, back when I was young. He looked me in the eye and told me he wasn’t interested in teaching mediocre people. I was furious. I went crazy, taking on harder and harder jobs, pushing myself until one day… I heard a rumor.”

“Apparently, being called mediocre by Zeno means he acknowledges you to some degree. It’s rare. Incredibly rare. People were actually afraid of me—because Zeno Zoldyck had called me mediocre. Can you believe that?”

“That day, I realized—those people live in another world. I accepted my limits.”

“That story… is really quite unbelievable,” Auren says quietly.

“No. 23, I don’t believe you’re a super genius like a Zoldyck—but from what I’ve seen, you are more than capable of surpassing me. Give it everything you’ve got.”

“Yes, Instructor!” Auren answers with conviction, walking toward the stone.

I’m sorry, my precious hands… but I have to do this.

Auren begins striking the massive boulder. He continues for thirty agonizing minutes. When he’s done, his hands are shredded and shaking. Buno silently bandages them with a proud look in his eyes, before sending Auren off to continue his remaining exercises for the day.

That night, as the day ends, Auren stares at his wounded hands—his expression complicated, a mix of exhaustion, determination, and unease.

It’s been over two years since I arrived here… and every single day has been devoted to Nen. I’ve reached a point where I’m ready. I will stake my entire future on this decision.

I will develop my first Hatsu!

Auren sits cross-legged on his bed. His Aura flows calmly, quietly, like a still lake.

I need something that fits me. Something that comes naturally—something I truly desire. It needs to reflect who I am.

Water… That’s what comes to mind. Water nearly killed me. But it also gave me life. The muddy water I drank after the accident… it felt like heaven. That’s it. That’s me.

I want an ability that starts weak, carries no real risk… but has near-limitless growth potential. I know that’s greedy. To increase its strength, I’ll include a limitation carrying the ultimate price as punishment should I break my oath.

Okay. This is it.

I swear—I will bind myself to the element of water. I will only use water-related Hatsu, basic and advanced Nen techniques, and general applications. Should I break this oath, I’m willing to pay any price. I stake my life on this oath.

Auren reaches for a large bowl of water. He places his hands into it, letting the cool liquid run along his arms. He closes his eyes, recalling that moment of pure survival—of being reborn through the very substance that nearly ended him.

“Let’s do this,” he whispers, voice low but firm.