Chapter 3: Specialization Type Nen Ability User!
"Gardevoir?"
Seeing her master staring blankly at her, Gardevoir tilted her head in confusion.
This was another point that made Ivan feel Pokémon were not like Nen beasts but rather living individuals.
Pokémon born from Nen Abilities could speak, albeit in the Pokémon language, which Ivan could understand.
"I'm fine..."
As he spoke, Ivan got up and walked over to the large round table. On it was a cup of water with a vibrant green leaf floating on the surface.
Although he already had some guesses, Ivan wanted to test it out personally.
What he was about to use now was the Water Divination method created by the Shingen-ryu school, a way to determine which category his Nen Ability belonged to.
Standing in front of the round table, Ivan looked serious, placing his hands on either side of the cup.
He made a motion as if to lift the cup, but his palms still maintained a gap from it.
Taking a deep breath, Ivan slowly gathered Nen in his palms. Streams of pure, slightly transparent Nen covered his hands, forming layers of a white smoke-like aura around the cup.
Having only recently awakened his Nen Ability and not having trained properly, this was the maximum amount of Nen he could currently mobilize.
Suddenly, faint beads of sweat appeared on Ivan's forehead. Seeing this, Gardevoir quickly picked up a handkerchief and wiped the sweat away, a trace of concern flashing in her beautiful eyes.
Gardevoir's action seemed like a signal. As Ivan released more and more Nen, changes began to occur within the cup of water.
The originally transparent water, as if infused with droplets of pastel, first turned pink, then deepened continuously to form a purple liquid.
Just as Ivan thought it was over, the leaf floating on the water's surface began to curl up and gradually sank until it stopped at the center.
By this point, the leaf had transformed into a spherical shape, with a layer of crystals coating its surface and some patterns resembling a capital letter "M" etched on it.
From Ivan's perspective, the spherical crystal in the water cup resembled a Poké Ball, and with the purple water, it looked even more like a Master Ball inside!
After repeatedly confirming that the water cup showed no further changes, Ivan ceased his Nen output and withdrew his hands.
Gazing at the bizarre scene in the water, a glimmer of understanding flashed in Ivan's eyes.
So... it's the Specialization Type after all.
Nen Ability is divided into six major categories, forming a hexagonal structure overall:
Enhancement Type: manifests as an increase in water volume.
Transmutation Type: the taste of the water changes, with the altered flavor varying from person to person.
Conjuration Type: crystalline substances appear in the water.
Emission Type: the color of the water changes.
Manipulation Type: the leaf on the water moves.
Specialization Type: any phenomenon differing from the other five types falls under this category.
For instance, in the original work, Kurapika's ability was of the Specialization Type, allowing him to utilize all five other types at 100% efficiency. Similarly, Chrollo's ability to steal others' Nen Abilities and Pakunoda's memory-reading ability both belonged to the Specialization Type.
Among the six categories, the Specialization Type is also the rarest and most uncommon.
It is worth noting that abilities from categories other than one's own can still be used, but the further they are from one's innate category, the weaker they become.
At first, Ivan thought he might have misjudged, as he had assumed that the "Pokémon Master" ability should be of the Specialization Type. The change in water color, however, is a hallmark of the Emission Type.
But the subsequent series of changes made Ivan realize that he was indeed of the Specialization Type.
To put it precisely, his Specialization Type seemed to incorporate characteristics of the Manipulation, Emission, and Conjuration Types.
Manipulation Type: refers to his ability to command Pokémon in battles, along with the analytical capabilities of the Pokédex.
Emission Type: refers to Pokémon being released from and returning to his body, as well as their ability to attack outward from within him.
Conjuration Type: refers to each Pokémon being an independent entity, materialized from Nen, visible even to ordinary people.
With this in mind, perhaps that rumor was true?
Ivan recalled once reading somewhere that all natural Nen users are of the Specialization Type.
Now that he had confirmed his category, the next step was to train in the Four Major Principles of Nen:
En, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu!
En: Concentrating the mind, focusing inward to calm the emotions, and surrounding oneself with the life energy—Nen—that constantly emanates from the body. This is the foundational skill of using Nen.
Zetsu: Eliminating one's own aura, forcibly cutting off one's presence to avoid detection by enemies.
Ren: Using En to concentrate the mind and unleash a powerful aura. If En is about accumulation, then Ren is about eruption!
Hatsu: Commonly understood as Nen Ability, it is the unique ability developed after one has reached a certain level of proficiency with Nen.
This aspect is closely related to an individual's personality, preferences, and other factors. From a person's Nen Ability, one can often infer their character and more.
The above are called the Four Major Principles, collectively referred to as Nen.
Although Ivan felt that relying on his Pokémon's strength would suffice, unlike combat, techniques like the Four Major Principles were still necessary to learn.
Ivan believed that the most important one for him currently was "Ren," followed by "En."
This was because "Gyo," an application technique of "Ren," allowed one to see the Nen of other Nen Ability users.
As everyone knows, Nen cannot be seen with the naked eye, but by using "Gyo," it becomes visible—undeniably crucial.
After all, Ivan saw his role as a Pokémon Trainer responsible for giving commands. How could he direct his Pokémon if he couldn't even see the opponent's attacks?
Ivan considered "En" equally important for two reasons:
First, to master "Ren," "En" was an unavoidable hurdle.
Second, "En" could lock the naturally dissipating Nen within the body, indirectly prolonging life and enhancing physical fitness.
Compared to regular Nen Ability users, Ivan already had it quite easy.
He only needed to focus on "En" and "Ren," while others had to diligently practice all Four Major Principles step by step.
Training was undoubtedly important, but...
Ivan glanced at the soft bed...
He'd start training tomorrow!