Hunter x hunter: I’m interested in Nen abilities

Chapter 43: Subconscious

Early the next morning, a representative from the Blanchett Company arrived at the small inn where Haru was staying, delivering a brand-new model of the Spirit smartphone.

Local connections really are impressive. Haru weighed the box in his hand, watching as the staff moved next door and quickly knocked on another door.

"What phone?" Shizuku's voice drifted out from the hallway. "Impossible. That's not true."

"It definitely is." Haru walked over, tossing his brand-new box in the air as he motioned toward Shizuku.

Only then did Shizuku, confused, take the box from the Blanchett Company representative.

Haru found it amusing. "Even if you forgot, why wouldn't you accept a free phone before deciding it's real?"

Cradling the box, Shizuku murmured, "What if it's a bomb?"

...She has a point.

Haru had to admit. While both of them were fairly strong Nen users, in an unguarded moment and at close range, even a small explosive could injure them if they didn't have time to activate their aura for defense.

Walking into Shizuku's room, Haru asked curiously, "So let's say there might be a bomb inside. How would you check?"

Closing the door behind him, Shizuku thought for a moment, then ripped a small opening in the plastic wrapping of the Spirit smartphone box, breaking its seal.

Next, she raised her hand, conjuring a bizarre, cartoonishly grotesque vacuum cleaner with a wide, grinning mouth and a lolling tongue.

"'Blinky,' suck the bomb inside," Shizuku commanded, flipping the vacuum's switch to ON.

The vacuum's oversized mouth opened wide, making loud suction noises as it began to inhale.

Shhhhooooop!

It kept sucking for a while, but nothing happened. The partially unwrapped phone box sat motionless on the bedspread.

Shizuku let out an "Ah," her expression as neutral as ever. "It's not a bomb."

"Your ability works like that? You could get a job in airport security!"

Haru was genuinely impressed. He'd always known that Shizuku's vacuum could absorb objects and function as a storage device, but he hadn't realized it could be used this way.

Shizuku held onto the vacuum's handle. "'Blinky' can absorb anything I consider non-living."

"'You consider'?" Haru sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed. "So it's based on your subjective judgment? If you think a living person isn't alive, could you absorb them into 'Blinky' too?"

Shizuku tilted her head. "But people are alive. That's just how it is."

"I see." Haru nodded thoughtfully.

In the manga, during the Chairman Election arc leading into the Dark Continent storyline, Kurapika had mentioned the concept of the subconscious when discussing the capabilities of his Chain Jail. Haru began to putting things together.

Unwrapping his own box, Haru pulled out the new Spirit smartphone and began testing it while reflecting.

According to Kurapika, his Chain Jail could only be used on members of the Phantom Troupe. He had established an ironclad vow and restriction that stipulated: If I use this chain on anyone other than a Troupe member, my heart will be pierced, and I will die.

This ability's core function was rooted in Kurapika's subconscious—I believe this person is a Phantom Troupe member. Because it was tied to his subconscious, there was no way for Kurapika to "pretend" someone was a Troupe member in order to bypass the restriction.

This highlighted the dual-edged nature of vows and restrictions: without unwavering conviction and deep understanding, attempting such measures could backfire catastrophically. For someone indecisive or unsure, imposing severe restrictions could easily lead to self-destruction.

While Haru pondered, Shizuku flipped Blinky's switch again.

"'Blinky,' suck all the dust in the room."

Shhhhooooop!

The vacuum's gaping mouth opened wide, inhaling every speck of dust from the room.

Haru marveled. "No wonder your room is cleaner than mine."

"It can suck anything in, but can it spit things back out?" Haru teased. "Surely it's not just an intake machine."

"'Blinky' can spit out the last thing it absorbed," Shizuku replied.

"Only the last thing?" Haru asked.

"Yeah."

Haru frowned. That doesn't sound right. I've seen you casually summon a bottle of water, then a loaf of bread right after. Didn't those come out of Blinky too?

It was possible that the water and bread she had retrieved earlier had simply been the most recent items Blinky absorbed. However, Haru considered another possibility.

He smirked. "I think Blinky could probably spit out anything it's absorbed. You just have a bad memory, so you only remember the last thing."

To Haru's surprise, Shizuku didn't deny the comment about her bad memory with her usual "impossible, not true."

"That might be the case," she admitted.

Just as Kurapika hadn't fully understood the intricacies of his chain abilities, Shizuku's incomplete grasp of her own ability was entirely plausible. Nen abilities were born from unique circumstances and individual creativity, often revealing hidden depths over time.

Even if Blinky truly could only return the last absorbed item for now, Nen abilities weren't static. In the manga, Chrollo had evolved his book, Bandit's Secret, to include a bookmark that significantly enhanced its functionality. Who's to say Shizuku's Blinky couldn't change as well?

"Why not just remember everything Blinky absorbs and imagine it can always spit those items back out? Maybe Blinky will adapt to match your expectations," Haru suggested.

Shizuku nodded, dispersing the vacuum into a puff of aura. "Makes sense."

Haru chuckled. "You're so open about your ability. It feels like I'm taking advantage of you."

Shizuku tilted her head, confused. "You're the boss, right? The first rule of the Dawn Organization: follow the boss's orders."

Haru paused, then smiled and nodded.

After a moment, he got up and opened the window, glancing outside.

"What's wrong?" Shizuku asked.

"Nothing yet. We'll need to wait a little longer." Haru closed the window and sat back down at the table. "Let's arm wrestle again in the meantime."

(End of Chapter)