Chapter 40: Vows and Limitations
The air in the spacious hotel room felt like solidified lead. Kyle sat cross-legged on the soft bed, his gaze shifting between Killua's bowed head and Gon's clenched fists.
He cleared his throat deliberately, trying to cut through the suffocating silence. "Ahem! Ahem!"
Killua and Gon both looked up.
"Just as I suspected," Kyle said, his voice holding more analytical detachment than frustration. "Gambling is a one-way ticket. There are always bigger fish out there." He shrugged, his movement effortless, completely contrasting with the heavy atmosphere.
He paused, then a mix of relief and mischievous pride spread across his face, like a mouse who had successfully stolen the cheese. "But hey, good thing I was smart enough not to bet Killua's last million Jenny. Otherwise, we'd be testing the comfort level of the park benches tonight."
Killua stared at Kyle. He had nothing to say about Kyle's almost heartless optimism.
They had just reviewed the fight. Jack's ability, fueled by the Vows, seemed unbreakable to them in their current state. The shame of losing his share, and Gon's share, was still eating at him. How were they supposed to turn the meager 800,000 Jenny they had left into billions in just four days? It was impossible.
"Killua, Kyle," Gon suddenly stood up, his voice slicing through the gloom like sunshine. "We still have four days, don't we?"
"I believe we can earn enough money in those four days!" His eyes burned with an unyielding flame.
"But what if... just what if... we don't?" Kyle asked, not to be discouraging, but to make him face the worst-case scenario.
Gon paused, then shook his head, his smile bright. "It's okay! Even if we don't buy it this time, we'll just earn the money later and buy it from whoever won the auction!"
"I believe that if we offer a fair price, they'll sell it to us!" His logic was simple and full of faith in humanity.
Kyle looked at Gon's cloudless eyes, touched by his extreme optimism and resilience. But he also knew the danger. That kind of purity, if struck by an unavoidable tragedy that shattered his worldview, could lead to a devastating, self-destructive breakdown. Kyle quickly shook off the thought. Not now.
Killua, hearing Gon, felt his guilt evaporate. Seeing that his friend wasn't mad at him for the loss, warmth filled his chest. He immediately looked at Kyle.
"Kyle," Killua's voice was back to its cool, analytical norm. "You mentioned 'Vows and Limitations' (Seiyaku to Seigen). What exactly is that? Was Jack's final burst of power based on that?"
This was Killua's biggest question—a power that could instantly nullify their efforts was terrifying.
Kyle grew serious. He sat up straight. "Vows and Limitations are an extreme and specialized way of using Nen."
"A Limitation (Seiyaku) is a self-imposed rule or condition," Kyle explained. "These rules are usually severe. Things like 'I can only use this ability once a day,' 'I must be in a specific emotional state,' or, like Jack, 'This power only works when I'm about to lose a gamble.' "
"And a Vow (Seiyaku) is the associated punishment."
"If you violate the Limitation you set for yourself, the Vow is triggered. The consequences can be devastating. You could lose your Nen entirely, or worse... pay with your life."
"Why do it?" Kyle held up his index finger for emphasis. "Because adhering to those harsh rules and facing that risk is the ultimate form of 'training' and 'focus.' It allows a Nen user to massively amplify the power of a specific Hatsu."
"Simply put: the more severe the risk you're willing to take, the stronger your ability becomes."
"However," Kyle said, his tone now grave, "it's a shortcut. A path covered in thorns. It has huge side effects. Over-reliance can cause irreversible damage to the mind and body. That power is borrowed from the future."
He looked meaningfully at his two gifted friends.
"The more talent you have, the more powerful the Vows you can make, and the more astonishing the power you gain. But if you lose control, the fall is just as catastrophic."
"So," Kyle concluded, his voice unwavering. "Never, ever touch this power unless it's an absolute, life-or-death, last-resort situation. It is a sword that cuts both ways."
Gon and Killua were silenced by Kyle's intensity. They felt the danger in his words and exchanged serious looks before nodding firmly.
Seeing they understood, Kyle relaxed, his easy smile returning. The seeds had been planted.
"Alright, enough of the heavy stuff!" Kyle clapped his hands. "We still have four days. It's too early to despair. Tomorrow, we're going somewhere else: the Underground Antique Market!"
His eyes were shining like an adventurer who had just found a new map.
"But... we have no money," Killua reminded him, patting his empty pocket. "We only have 800,000 Jenny left. I looked it up; stuff there costs millions! We can't even buy a decent bottle cap!"
"Heh heh," Kyle said, shaking his finger mysteriously. "That's where you're wrong. The real thrill of the antique market isn't buying the priced goods in the fancy windows. It's in the 'Jian Lou'—the treasure hunt!"
"Treasure hunt?" Gon and Killua asked together.
"Exactly! Using your sharp eyes and knowledge... or our 'special techniques'... to find valuable items that the sellers mislabeled or overlooked. We only need one big score! 800,000 is more than enough to get started!"