Hunter x hunter: I’m interested in Nen abilities

Chapter 26: Performing for a Living

The night was calm and quiet as Haru lay on the bed of his small inn, staring at the dim moonlight streaming through the window.

Earlier, as he passed by the slaughter docks in East Town, waves of deathly aura had assaulted his heart like a sneak attack. He had almost panicked, thinking he might faint on the spot or involuntarily "transform" again, aging a few more years in the process. Based on his past experiences, whenever he absorbed deathly energy, something always changed—whether it was the unnaturally tall grass where he first woke up, the tree leaves that turned into branches during his water divination, or Toru's injuries mysteriously healing after being caught by poachers.

If he had transformed in public tonight, it would've created a sensation. The news of such strange phenomena would likely attract certain interested parties—like the Kakin team still investigating this island.

Haru had quickly said goodbye to Menchi and Ginta before heading back to his temporary lodgings near the amusement park. Now, as night fell, he hadn't felt the usual pre-transformation dizziness or fainting spells.

"Is there no pattern to this?" he wondered aloud. "Self-adaptive transformations?"

Sitting up on the bed, he grabbed the sleepy Rock Sparrow perched on the headboard, stroking its tiny head. It squawked in sleepy protest as Haru resolved, I'm staying far away from slaughterhouses and markets from now on. Too dangerous.

Hospitals, too... better safe than sorry.

As the bird flapped its wings in annoyance, Haru shifted his focus back to planning. His thoughts were soon drawn to one of his many "perspectives"—this time, the view through the eyes of his crows.

Shizuku's silhouette looked particularly striking under the moonlight.

Haru shook his head, rubbing his face. Focus, Haru. No distractions.

Having faced Shizuku head-on earlier through Toru's body, he couldn't deny it—she was stronger than him.

It wasn't a pleasant realization.

Early to bed, early to rise. Tomorrow's training would be even more intense.

The Next Morning

In the Crescent Tiger sanctuary, the five amateur hunters who had accompanied Shizuku the previous day regrouped at their agreed-upon meeting spot. After a day and night of searching, they exchanged what little intel they had gathered.

"Anything tied to the Kakin royal family must be ancient and dangerous," one said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Probably some tomb they're trying to keep secret."

The group nodded, collectively frustrated. After all their efforts, they hadn't found even a trace of a mysterious tomb—or anything else remotely noteworthy.

"And where's that woman? Shizuku?" someone asked, looking around.

"She's probably lost," another joked, smirking. "She's cute but not reliable."

"Or she got caught by Blanchett security," someone else added, chuckling.

The informal leader of the group, a man named Dago, raised a hand to quiet them. He was a seasoned amateur hunter and a proficient emission-type Nen user. It had been his idea to split up, partly to cover more ground and partly to test each member's capabilities. He had high hopes for Shizuku and thought a solo lesson in the field would encourage her to take things more seriously.

"She's probably lost," he admitted, shaking his head. "She's strong, but her head doesn't seem to be in the game. A hunter needs both strength and brains to succeed. That bald idiot from Ochima didn't vet his hires properly."

"Let's wait until noon," Dago suggested. The others, trusting his judgment, nodded and dispersed to conceal themselves.

They waited.

And waited.

Finally, as the sun reached its zenith, Shizuku appeared, looking as calm and collected as ever.

"You're late!" one hunter snapped.

"What do you mean late?" Shizuku asked, tilting her head. "Didn't you guys go back to the hotel to rest?"

"Rest?!" The group collectively bristled.

"We agreed to meet here!" Dago reminded her, his voice tight with suppressed irritation.

Shizuku frowned. "I don't remember that."

The hunters exchanged incredulous looks.

"Unbelievable," one muttered.

"She really doesn't remember…" another whispered.

It wasn't just that she forgot the time or location of their meeting—she had forgotten the meeting entirely!

"What kind of person is this?"

From a nearby branch, the "Haru crows" cawed in amusement.

Shizuku's memory—or lack thereof—was consistent with how she was portrayed in the manga. She had an extraordinary talent for forgetting anything she deemed unimportant. Yesterday's events? Forgotten. Meeting her companions? Forgotten. Yet when it came to the Phantom Troupe's rules and values, she was meticulous, even adorning herself with symbolic items like a cross-shaped necklace—a mark of her devotion to Chrollo.

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Midday at the Sanctuary

While Haru's main body trained at his lodgings, his network of birds kept watch. Some kept tabs on Shizuku, others observed the Kakin agents at the northern coast, and a few had abandoned their original assignments out of sheer boredom.

By noon, Haru returned to his training spot, where Toru waited patiently. Menchi and Ginta arrived not long after, with Menchi lugging a large stash of ingredients.

"Saved my appetite for this!" Haru grinned.

"Don't get used to it," Menchi muttered, quickly whipping up a feast. The group—including Toru and Haru's Rock Sparrow—dug in heartily.

After lunch, the real work began. Haru spent hours cycling between exhausting himself with Ko and Ken and allowing his aura reserves to recover, pushing his limits with each repetition.

Even Ginta, a seasoned Nen user, couldn't hide his surprise at Haru's sheer determination and rapid improvement.

"At this rate… he's growing stronger ten times faster than normal," Ginta thought, frowning.

By the end of the day, Haru's aura capacity had increased by 200 units—an extraordinary feat that would normally take a month of intense training.

"He's like a beast," Menchi muttered, slumping in exhaustion.

"And you're the chef," Haru replied, grinning as he wiped his sweat.

Menchi rolled her eyes, wobbling to her feet. "Tomorrow… you're cooking."

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Nightfall at the Amusement Park

The amusement park was quieter than usual, though still lively with scattered visitors. Haru, seated at a food stall, enjoyed a hearty meal as he idly played with his sparrow, watching the passersby.

His cash reserves were dwindling fast.

Only outgoing, no income—that's not sustainable.

Haru sighed. "Guess it's time to earn some extra cash."

Surveying the crowd, an idea struck him.

I've got strength. Let's put it to use.

Haru smirked.

Time to set up a performance stall.

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(Chapter end)