Chapter 54: The Best of Both Worlds
Netero completely ignored Kyle's death glare. He stroked his goatee, his face wrinkled in a mischievous, almost disrespectful grin.
"Ho ho ho ho~ Do you want to know what my ability is?" he teased, his voice dripping with temptation.
"Do you want to know why I can strike so fast?"
"Do you want to learn? I could teach you, you know~"
He watched Kyle's expression—a mix of "I can't beat you" and "I really want to kill you"—with undisguised amusement. It seemed to bring him endless joy.
Kyle, hearing this, shook his head internally.
It wasn't that he didn't want to learn the god-like 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
It was that he knew he couldn't.
Based on his knowledge of the original story, Netero's ability was forged through decades of mountainside isolation, performing ten thousand punches of gratitude daily with absolute sincerity and willpower.
That kind of cultivation required a level of mental state and a desperate, agonizing amount of time that simply didn't fit Kyle's path of "efficiency" and "utility."
"Ho ho, what a shame," Netero said, feigning regret as Kyle remained silent. "I have quite a few trump cards, you know. Very powerful ones!"
Kyle's eyes darted, suppressing his annoyance. He put on a serious, sincere expression.
"Old man, if you have such amazing moves... why don't you train them first and show me?"
"If they're really that good, maybe I will learn from you."
He tried to make his eyes look innocent, but a cunning glint flashed deep within them.
His ability allowed him to gain the results of his contractor's training in this world. But due to individual differences, he didn't just automatically learn everything they learned. He had to have the foundation for it.
For example, even if Netero trained his Bodhisattva here, Kyle couldn't use it. And even if he could, the power would be drastically reduced because Kyle wasn't an Enhancer.
Kyle had run the numbers. When Gon trained as an Enhancer in the Pirate World, Kyle inherited 100% of the progress, but his own Enhancer efficiency only increased by about 10% compared to Gon's.
It was like two cups—a small one (Gon) and a massive one (Kyle). Pouring the same amount of water might fill the small cup, but it would barely cover the bottom of the large one.
That was why learning Netero's ability was so hard.
The same applied to Haki. Now that Kyle's Haki was far superior to theirs, he needed them to generate massive amounts of growth just to give him a small boost.
Greed Island. The Plains.
Gon and Killua looked at the blonde girl with twin-tails who was still following them.
She wore a frilly, cute dress like a porcelain doll. They had tried to ignore her, but then they realized... this girl was Biscuit Krueger. The 57-year-old hag Kyle had told them about.
And she was one of the people Kyle had specifically asked them to recruit.
Killua hadn't felt it before, but now he had a strong sensation that this "little girl" was unfathomably strong.
Gon and Killua exchanged a look, their faces lighting up with surprise and excitement. "Are you Biscuit?" they blurted out.
"Hm?" Biscuit tilted her head, her jewel-like eyes showing just the right amount of confusion. "Do we... know each other?" She was certain she'd never met these boys.
"No, no!" Gon started to say, "Kyle told us about you," but Killua sharply elbowed him in the ribs.
Gon, usually slow on the uptake, realized his mistake and clamped his mouth shut, shaking his head vigorously.
Biscuit saw the brief, obvious interaction.
They definitely don't know me, she thought, her mind sharp. But they've heard my name from someone. And that name clearly means something specific to them.
Who told them?
A flicker of curiosity rose in her, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger emotion.
Her large eyes sparkled as she looked at Gon and Killua. She felt like a collector who had just stumbled upon two unpolished, priceless gems.
She could sense the terrifying potential hidden within them. Their Nen foundations were incredibly solid. With just a little carving and polishing, they would shine brilliantly!
The desire to mold them, to train them until they reached their full potential, burned within her.
She pushed the question of how they knew her to the back of her mind. A sweet, harmless—and entirely deceptive—smile spread across her face.
"Your Nen foundation is quite good," she said in a clear, bright voice. "Your previous teacher was skilled. However—"
She raised a slender finger and wagged it. "There is still huge room for improvement in your precision and application! So, how about it? Interested in some special training with me?"
"I guarantee I can make your strength skyrocket in a very short time!"
Gon and Killua looked at each other and nodded without hesitation.
They had received a lot of advanced guidance and help from Kyle, but Kyle was their best friend, not a traditional master. Wing had been more of an examiner to Gon.
Collecting 99 cards to clear the game wouldn't be easy.
To receive personal instruction from a Pro Hunter with forty years of Nen experience, while also playing the game and getting stronger?
For two boys hungry for power, this was the best of both worlds.