72-Hour Tower — Sixth Floor: The Chamber of Still Waves
The door to the next floor opened with a heavy, resonant thoom, the vibration humming faintly along Ethan's skin.
This wasn't ordinary architecture.
Not even Nen constructs below had felt like this.
A soft breeze drifted from the darkness ahead—cool, calm, deliberate.
Kurapika took a cautious step inside and immediately narrowed his eyes.
"…This air is different."
Killua sniffed.
"It's too clean."
Gon exhaled with a smile.
"It feels nice."
Leorio wiped sweat from his forehead.
"If the next trial is a hot spring, I'm all in."
Ethan didn't follow immediately.
Because the Panel flashed a solitary line:
---
PANEL ALERT — SIGNATURE IDENTIFIED
A Nen-user is present.
Not hostile.
Not friendly.
Observing.
---
A watcher.
Ethan stepped in last.
The chamber inside stretched wide like an abandoned dojo—smooth stone floor, wooden beams overhead, a high ceiling with faint lantern-like lights illuminating the shadows.
At the far end of the room…
sat a man.
Long dark hair tied loosely.
Bare foot tapping rhythmically.
A simple pale robe with an open collar.
A cup of tea steaming beside him.
He didn't look threatening.
If anything, he looked like someone who had simply forgotten to leave after meditation.
But aura leaked from him naturally—
Soft yet impossibly dense.
Like a lake pretending to be a puddle.
Kurapika froze.
"…A Nen-user."
Killua's eyes sharpened.
"A strong one."
Gon's pupils dilated with admiration.
"Whoa…!"
Leorio said the quiet part out loud.
"We are so screwed."
The man opened one eye lazily.
"You finally made it. Good."
His voice carried no menace—just calm observation.
Like he was reading a book titled Group of Kids in Danger.
Gon took an eager step forward.
"Are you our next opponent?!"
The man chuckled.
"Opponent? No, no. If I fought you seriously, you would all be unconscious in three seconds."
Leorio nearly died on the spot.
"TH-THREE—?!"
Killua's hair stood slightly.
He wasn't afraid—
He was excited.
Kurapika bowed slightly.
"May we know who you are?"
The man sipped his tea.
"I am called Soren. Caretaker of the Sixth Floor.
My job is to test those who reach this point…
and to prevent anyone unworthy from meeting the master of the tower."
Ethan quietly registered the wording.
Caretaker, not prisoner.
Meaning: this man wasn't part of the exam.
He was a real asset of the tower—likely one of the rare Nen-user volunteers running supervision.
Gon asked, "So what's the test?!"
Soren smiled.
"Patience."
Killua almost choked.
"Patience—? That's the trial?!"
Soren pointed at a stone slab on the floor.
"Sit. All of you."
They sat.
Even Killua, after clicking his tongue.
Soren continued, "This floor is a neutral zone. A still place. Movement of aura is forbidden."
Kurapika frowned.
"Forbidden…?"
Ethan felt the air tighten—subtle, like threads of pressure.
Soren raised a finger.
"Any release of aura—intentional or accidental—will be seen as aggression.
And the room will react accordingly."
Leorio grimaced.
"In what way?"
Soren shrugged happily.
"Oh, it punches you. Hard."
Killua laughed.
Gon laughed harder.
Leorio cried internally.
Kurapika nodded.
"A test of restraint, then."
Ethan noticed Soren's eyes flicker toward him—specifically toward his sleeve.
A sign.
Soren had sensed something… unusual.
He took another sip of tea.
"This place is called the Chamber of Still Waves. Nen reacts to emotion here.
Fear, excitement, anger, curiosity… even pride."
Gon raised a hand.
"I'll do my best not to get excited!"
Killua nudged him.
"You being excited is your default setting."
Leorio whispered,
"If the room punches me for being scared, I'm done…"
Kurapika focused on his breathing.
Calm. Controlled.
As for Ethan—
He adjusted his position quietly, letting the Panel dim completely beneath his sleeve.
Soren watched him again.
"You're strange," he said casually. "No aura flowing from you at all. Not even naturally from the body."
Ethan kept his expression neutral.
Soren's gaze sharpened.
"That means either you have zero potential…
or you're hiding it very, very well."
Kurapika stiffened.
Killua narrowed his eyes.
Gon blinked, confused.
Ethan bowed his head slightly.
"I'm just good at controlling myself."
Soren stared at him for a long moment…
then smiled.
"A lie… but a good one."
Leorio choked.
"HE CAN TELL?!"
Soren sipped his tea as if nothing interesting was happening.
"Let's begin."
---
THE TRIAL OF STILL WAVES
The room dimmed.
The air grew heavy and slow.
A thick, invisible blanket pressed down on their shoulders.
Kurapika swallowed.
"This… pressure…"
Killua grinned through clenched teeth.
"This is fun."
Gon trembled—not from fear, but excitement.
He forced himself to sit perfectly still.
Leorio was already sweating buckets.
Ethan's breathing slowed.
Panel text appeared softly—like a whisper:
---
PANEL — MICRO-MONITORING ACTIVE
Nen pressure field detected.
Emotional spikes will trigger a kinetic backlash.
Allies at risk: Leorio (High), Gon (Moderate)
Optional Sub-Task:
Help the group pass without backlash.
Reward: +120 PP
---
Soren watched them like a teacher observing a row of seedlings.
Then he said:
"Tell me…
Why do you seek strength?"
Gon smiled instantly.
"To find my dad!"
Kurapika's eyes cooled.
"To prevent tragedies."
Killua shrugged.
"To have fun."
Leorio pointed at the ceiling.
"To become rich so I can become a doctor without worrying about tuition!"
Soren nodded to each.
Then he looked at Ethan last.
"You," he said. "What about you? Why do you want strength?"
The room's aura tightened.
Everyone felt it.
Ethan paused.
A long silence fell.
Gon looked at him, curious.
Killua watched seriously.
Kurapika's eyes sharpened.
Leorio held his breath.
Ethan spoke quietly.
"To change the paths that are already written."
Soren's smile vanished.
Interesting.
Kurapika examined Ethan with new eyes.
Killua blinked in surprise.
Gon didn't understand, but he liked the feeling behind the words.
Leorio whispered,
"That sounds… deep."
Soren leaned forward ever so slightly.
"A dangerous ambition."
Ethan met his gaze calmly.
"But necessary."
The aura pressed harder.
The floor vibrated.
For a moment, Ethan felt the full weight of Soren's attention.
Not hostile.
Not warm.
Evaluating.
Finally…
Soren leaned back.
"…Good answer."
The aura softened.
Leorio collapsed backward in relief.
Kurapika exhaled.
Killua stretched.
Gon grinned brightly.
Soren stood up.
"Congratulations. You all passed."
Leorio screamed,
"THAT WAS THE WHOLE TEST?!"
Soren chuckled.
"Yes. And you survived it admirably."
He gestured toward the next door—a tall wooden barrier glowing faintly with Nen.
"Beyond this lies the Seventh Floor and the last chamber before the heart of the tower.
There, you will meet someone far more important than I."
Ethan felt a new Panel message appear, crisp and cold:
---
PANEL — WARNING
Seventh Floor Operator Detected
Classification: "Named Timeline Anchor"
Interaction may influence future events.
Proceed with caution.
---
Soren approached Ethan silently and whispered:
"I don't know what you're hiding… but be more careful on the next floor.
That one doesn't tolerate secrets."
Ethan nodded once.
The door opened.
Light spilled through.
Together, they stepped forward—
toward the Seventh Floor, toward the tower's heart, and toward a meeting capable of shaping the future of the Hunter Exam timeline.