Chapter 41: Buy and Sell
Killua and Gon looked at the familiar, confident smile on Kyle's face, the kind that suggested he had everything under control. It felt completely reckless.
But an even stronger force—curiosity—was flooding their defenses. Their mouths curved into eager smiles. They weren't just chasing the cold goal of "money." They were immersing themselves in every strange, bizarre facet of this new world.
With the plan set, Kyle said no more. He walked to the center of the room, sat down cross-legged on the bed, and quietly closed his eyes, his breathing slowing.
His Ten training began silently. His Aura flowed like a deep stream, becoming internalized and steady, almost merging with the room's silence.
Killua and Gon nodded to each other, pushed down their excitement, and closed their eyes. They entered the harsh training state of maintaining Ten even while "sleeping," their senses hyper-alert to the slightest anomaly.
The next afternoon, rested and prepared, the trio stood at the entrance to the notorious Underground Street.
It was less of a "street" and more of a narrow, congested alleyway that time had forgotten. A complex smell of mold and dust hit them. The storefronts were dark and peeling. Most of the sellers just laid their wares on filthy rags spread on the ground.
Old books, rusted metal parts, strange wooden carvings, cracked ceramics, and ancient watches—a chaotic jumble of items, all labeled "antiques," were piled together like a forgotten scrapyard.
The light was dim, with only a few sunbeams cutting through the narrow gap between the buildings, illuminating the dust motes in the air. The people here were just as eccentric: keen-eyed collectors and hustlers, their fingers rubbing the relics, their eyes sharp as hawks, searching for a score.
The clean, young appearance of Kyle, Killua, and Gon stood out instantly, drawing stares.
"Kyle, there's too much here... And it all looks... like junk," Killua said, frowning. "How are we supposed to know what's real?"
Kyle smiled enigmatically. "Simple. Use Gyo."
"Gyo?" Killua was baffled. Using an advanced Nen technique to look at junk? "Use Gyo to look at... this garbage?"
"Exactly," Kyle affirmed, lowering his voice. "Use Gyo and look closely at these objects, especially the old ones. Remember: everything has a spirit. Time leaves a mark."
Gon and Killua exchanged confused glances, then focused their Aura into their eyes.
The world changed. Most items only emitted a weak, chaotic Aura, like dust caught in the wind—the short-lived residue of past owners, or the item's own faint, dying life force. No value there.
But occasionally, on a small, unassuming bronze censer covered in verdigris, or a chipped vase tossed carelessly in a corner, they saw a soft, steady, thick Aura.
It was an Aura that had aged beautifully, like fine wine, calm and warm, contrasting sharply with the chaotic "dust" around it. It was a subtle jewel in the dark.
"I see it!" Killua whispered, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement. He pointed at the little censer. "That Aura... it's heavy and steady. It's totally different! It feels... warm. Kyle, are you saying that things with a special 'Aura' are... the genuine article?!"
If this was true, they had found a cheat code for the antique world! They could cut through all the fake surface layers and see the true value. Every purchase would be a treasure hunt.
Kyle grinned, confirming their realization. "That's right. That settled 'Aura' is the object's 'lifespan' or 'spirit.' It's something no fake can replicate."
"Our goal is simple: use this advantage to buy, then quickly sell, and stack up the cash."
Killua, ever the realist, quickly spotted the flaw. "Wait, Kyle. We still have a problem. We can see it's real, but we don't know its market value. If that censer is just ordinary peasant pottery, and the ugly wood carving next to it is priceless ancient royalty, we could lose a fortune."
"We have this," Kyle said, pulling out his phone with a sly smile.
Killua understood immediately. The phone couldn't tell them if it was real, but the internet connected them to global experts! By posting clear photos and detailed descriptions to collecting forums and appraisal sites, they could quickly get a rough market valuation. With a price range in mind, they could negotiate and avoid being fleeced.
"Alright, the theory is set, and the tools are ready." Kyle put away his phone, his eyes shining with the focus of a hunter who has spotted his prey. "Let's move out."
For the next few days, the trio became the most mysterious "buyers" on Underground Street. Their teamwork was seamless: Gon used his intuition for the initial "good feeling" triage. Killua used Gyo for the precise verification. Kyle handled the market research, negotiation, and selling.
On the first day, a few successful flips earned them their first big score: 100 million Jenny. Holding the thick stacks of cash, they were momentarily stunned. That was fast.
On the second day, they were sharper, aiming for items with a much stronger "Aura." A bold purchase and a quick auction-style resale ballooned their funds to 1 billion Jenny. The sheer excitement was popping like bubbles in their chests.
However, the antique market was fickle. On the third day, they hit a snag. A bronze ritual vessel with a strong, ancient "Aura" was identified by an online expert as a brilliant modern forgery. They lost 500 million Jenny.
The setback was a cold shower, reminding them that even with Nen, research and caution were essential.