Chapter 55: Leave It to You
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sound of violent impacts echoed across the deserted island.
Kyle was a relentless machine, launching assault after assault on Netero.
His fists tore through the air, whistling sharply, every blow packed with his full strength.
"Too slow!" Netero's voice was calm water in the middle of the storm.
Just as Kyle's fist was about to graze the old man's robe, a withered palm casually swatted the attack aside.
Kyle felt the vibration rattle his arm. It was the clash of two completely different "Auras"—his heavy, armor-like Ken and Armament Haki against Netero's whisper-thin Nen.
The familiar scene sent a jolt through Kyle's heart.
Wasn't this exactly like the legendary duel between Netero and Meruem?
Only this time, he was the one unable to break through the defense.
"Focus!" Netero's sharp command snapped him back to reality.
Kyle gritted his teeth and charged again.
His feet dug deep trenches in the sand, kicking up glittering grains in the sunlight.
He was pouring everything into every strike. His body had memorized the grueling rhythm, but his mental exhaustion was becoming impossible to ignore. Sweat poured down his face, carving tracks through the dirt on his bronzed skin. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving.
But Netero? He was serene, not a hair out of place.
The gap was despairing. Yet, Kyle's eyes only burned brighter.
Under this extreme pressure, every cell in his body was screaming, but every punch was becoming sharper. Like grinding an iron rod down to a needle, the progress was slow, but every second was building toward a qualitative change.
"Your Haki is too rigid," Netero said suddenly, in the gap between blocks. "Remember: Ki flows. It is not armor."
The words struck Kyle like lightning.
He realized he had been treating Armament Haki like a hard shell, ignoring its fundamental similarity to Ryu (Nen flow).
In that moment of epiphany, as Kyle threw a right punch, he didn't just coat his fist. He let the Haki from his upper arm flow down, surging into his fist like a tidal wave. His fist, already black, turned a deep, glossy obsidian.
The power skyrocketed.
This time, Netero didn't block it so easily. A flicker of approval passed through the old master's eyes.
Meanwhile, on the Phantom, far out at sea...
Chrollo stood quietly at the edge of the deck, the sea breeze fluttering his black coat.
"I see..." he murmured, slowly raising his right hand.
In the sunlight, his palm began to darken, turning a deep black that shimmered with the unmistakable luster of Nen.
"Danchō! This Armament Haki isn't hard at all!" Uvogin stomped over, his rough face beaming with excitement.
Chrollo stared at his hand. "Nen and Haki are fundamentally from the same source."
"For those of us who have already mastered Nen, the key to Haki isn't learning... it's conversion."
Uvogin scratched his head, his thick brows furrowing as he tried to process the theory.
Ten seconds later, he slapped the railing hard enough to shake the entire ship.
"I got it! Like water can be ice or steam, but it's still water!" his booming voice echoed.
"An apt analogy," Chrollo nodded.
"The difficulty lies in perfectly fusing the two systems. Haki and Nen both have limitations on their own. But if we combine them... a qualitative change occurs."
He didn't finish, but Uvogin understood.
The Enhancer immediately began to experiment. His massive arm flickered with Nen, then with the black sheen of Haki. The two energies alternated, struggling to coexist.
"What about Conqueror's Haki?" Uvogin asked suddenly, eyes shining. "That power to knock people out with just presence... how do we get that?"
Chrollo turned to face the sea. "That is an innate quality. You cannot force it. However..."
He paused. "For us, Ren can produce a similar effect."
To Chrollo, combining Armament Haki with Nen should create an effect similar to Conqueror's Haki. But if awakening true Conqueror's Haki required the "disposition of a king," he estimated at least four members of the Troupe had the potential to unlock it.
On the other side of the deck, Nobunaga sat cross-legged, his katana across his knees. A layer of black Haki was slowly creeping along the blade.
Machi sat quietly under the mast, threads dancing between her fingers. They flickered between transparent and pitch black as she attempted to fuse her Nen with Haki.
Three days later. Hunter Association Headquarters.
Knov and Morel were already waiting in the conference room.
Kyle dragged his exhausted but exhilarated body into the room, following Netero.
Three days of special training had left their mark. His clothes were torn, and his skin was covered in small scrapes, but his eyes were sharper than ever.
"Looks like the training paid off," Knov said, adjusting his glasses as he assessed Kyle.
Morel let out a hearty laugh. "To get three days of personal training from the Chairman... kid, that's some special treatment!"
Kyle looked around the room. Everyone was here.
Morel's disciples, Knuckle and Shoot, stood quietly in the corner. Knuckle was staring at Kyle with obvious fighting spirit, while Shoot was more reserved, giving a slight nod.
"Mr. Knov, about your [Hide and Seek]..." Kyle cut straight to the chase.
Knov nodded, tracing a strange pattern in the air. "My ability creates a four-story Nen dimension with 21 completely independent rooms. Each room can have multiple entrances and exits. It's perfect for storing massive amounts of supplies."
As he spoke, a semi-transparent cube appeared in the air, divided into numerous compartments.
Kyle held his breath. He could feel the profound energy within the space.
"However," Knov added, "crossing world boundaries introduces unpredictable variables. Entrances set in this world will likely be unusable in the other world. I won't be able to travel between worlds at will."
"But, items stored inside should remain accessible. That is the limit of what we can do."
Kyle thought for a moment, then grinned. "That's enough! As long as we can transport supplies, we have leverage. Specialties from one world are priceless treasures in the other..."
His eyes shone with the excitement of infinite possibilities.
He immediately walked up to Knov. "Mr. Knov... let's go shopping!"
Knov, seeing Kyle's enthusiasm, found himself nodding.
Just as they were about to leave, Kyle stopped. He turned back to Netero as if remembering something vital.
"Oh, right! Chairman! I leave the pirate ship to you. I changed my mind... get the top-tier spec. Spare no expense!"