Chapter 13: Chapter 12
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you," Morin assured Nobunaga with a grin. Of course, he wouldn't overlook the future grumpy uncle of their group.
Soon, Morin helped Nobunaga unlock his aura nodes as well, bringing him into the same realm as Machi and Uvogin. Now the three could once again band together and cause all kinds of chaos… ahem.
To them, Nen and aura were like new toys—except these toys were intrinsic, drawn from their own bodies, forming the source of their newfound power.
They couldn't stop experimenting, exploring, and trying out various ways to manipulate their aura.
Boom!
"YOU TWO, STOP NOW!!"
Machi's face darkened as she glared at Uvogin and Nobunaga, who had gotten a bit too excited while testing their Nen. Her house now bore dents and craters, on the verge of collapse.
Under Machi's scolding, the trio finally settled down, regaining a sliver of composure.
"Hey, Morin! Hurry up and teach us more techniques for Nen! I can't wait!" Uvogin demanded eagerly.
He was impatient to grow even stronger, to push his abilities to the next level.
"There's no rush for that," Morin replied, pulling out a familiar-looking gourmet tablecloth. "Before we proceed, we need to determine your Nen affinities."
As he laid out the tablecloth, he began explaining:
"Nen abilities are divided into six main categories: Enhancement, Emission, Transmutation, Manipulation, Conjuration, and Specialization.
"Your affinity depends on your innate qualities, personality, and life experiences.
"It's easiest to develop abilities within your own category, while learning abilities outside your affinity is more difficult and less effective."
"So basically," Machi interjected, "if you stick to developing Nen abilities that match your affinity, you'll grow stronger faster?"
"Exactly."
Morin shot her an approving look before continuing:
"The most common way to determine your affinity is the Hunter Association's Water Divination Test. It's the most accurate and straightforward method."
With a snap of his fingers, a glass of water appeared on the table, a single leaf floating on its surface.
The sudden appearance of the glass left Uvogin and Nobunaga staring in awe.
Machi, however, used Gyo to observe Morin and noticed a faint drop in his aura reserves.
"Yep, that's my Nen ability," Morin explained, catching her curious glance. "Abilities are the pinnacle application of Nen. Once we've identified your affinities, I'll teach you how to develop your own abilities."
Even though Morin already knew their affinities from watching the show, he had them perform the test themselves for accuracy.
"All you have to do is concentrate your aura around the glass," Morin instructed.
Uvogin was the first to step up. He activated his aura, and the water in the glass began to overflow.
"This result indicates Enhancement," Morin explained. "This category strengthens the innate properties of yourself or your weapons, maximizing attack, defense, and healing capabilities. Enhancers can also imbue objects with their aura to increase their durability."
"Sounds perfect for me!" Uvogin grinned broadly, clearly pleased with the result.
"Strengthen myself, huh…"
Clenching his fist, Uvogin's eyes lit up with excitement, as if fueled by flames of determination.
Next up was Machi.
Unlike Uvogin, there was no immediate reaction when she activated her aura. She glanced at Morin for guidance.
"Try tasting the water," he suggested.
Following his instructions, she dipped her finger into the glass and brought it to her lips.
"It's… a bit bitter," she noted, frowning.
"A change in the water's taste indicates Transmutation," Morin explained. "This category allows users to alter the properties of their aura, changing its nature or form while retaining its fundamental energy.
"Transmuters' aura is often flexible and adaptable, capable of being shaped into various tools or forms."
"Versatile tools…"
Machi's fingers traced the threads of her aura, deep in thought.
Finally, it was Nobunaga's turn. His test results mirrored Uvogin's—he was also an Enhancer.
Afterward, Morin gave them a detailed explanation of how each Nen category manifested during the test and their respective characteristics.
"Morin," Uvogin asked curiously, "what's your affinity?"
"Me?"
Morin thought back to his own abilities. "I'm closest to Conjuration and Specialization."
"Closest?"
Uvogin and Nobunaga tilted their heads in confusion.
Machi, on the other hand, seemed to understand. It explained the strange way Morin had summoned the glass earlier.
"Conjuration and Specialization, huh…"
She quietly filed the information away for future reference.
"So, how do we start training?!" Uvogin exclaimed impatiently. "And what's the deal with your ability? How does it work?"