Eager to test the knowledge he had just acquired, and perhaps with a touch of pride, Koby turned to Luffy and asked excitedly:
"Luffy-san! Could I have a glass of water?"
"Oh? Sure!"
Luffy was momentarily puzzled, but then realization struck him. He understood exactly what Koby intended to do.
The Water Divination Test!
In the world of Hunters, this was a classic method used to determine a person's Nen affinity.
The method was simple: place a leaf on a glass of water, then focus your Nen around the glass using both hands. Depending on the user's affinity, different effects would appear:
Enhancement Type: The volume of water increases.
Transmutation Type: The taste of the water changes.
Conjuration Type: Crystals or foreign objects appear in the water.
Emission Type: The water's color changes.
Manipulation Type: The leaf moves around in the water.
Any other phenomena? That would indicate a Specialization Type.
Soon enough, a glass of water with a single leaf floating atop was placed on the table.
Everyone gathered around, curious and excited to see what Koby would demonstrate.
Koby placed both hands around the glass. A soft, white glow shimmered from his palms, gradually infusing into the water.
In just a few moments, a change occurred.
Tiny, crystalline white particles began to materialize on the surface. Slowly, they sank to the bottom like falling snowflakes.
"Phew…"
Koby let out a gentle breath.
Nen, after all, was the manifestation of one's life energy guided by willpower. The stronger the body, the more robust the Nen.
For someone with Koby's physical condition, even this small amount of emission felt like a real strain.
"Conjuration Type, huh?"
Luffy picked up the glass and took a small sip. No change in taste, just plain water. He smiled and confirmed:
"Yup, definitely Conjuration Type, Koby."
While Luffy felt a slight twinge of disappointment, it wasn't the rare and unpredictable Specialization type, Conjuration was still a versatile and flexible category among the six Nen types.
Koby, however, had no such reservations. His knowledge told him all six categories were equal in potential. In fact, their boundaries often overlapped.
The water test simply identified which category suited his innate talents best.
"Thank you, Luffy-san!"
Koby bowed deeply, his eyes shimmering with emotion.
Seeing his Nen affect the water firsthand had completely validated the knowledge flooding his mind. It was real.
In this moment, Koby felt more determined than ever.
If he could continue to train step by step, then one day, no matter how unreachable it seemed before, he could reach the heights of his dreams.
And it was all because of the man standing in front of him, his courage, his strength… everything had been given by Luffy.
"All right, all right… no need for all that!" Luffy said, slightly embarrassed by Koby's overwhelming gratitude.
Nami teased from the side, "Yeah! Come on, show us what you can actually do!"
"Do… what?" Koby blinked, startled.
In his knowledge of Nen, Conjuration worked a bit differently from other types.
Where other types could often use or emit abilities directly, Conjuration was unique. Most Conjurers only had one chance to manifest a Nen tool or beast, a deeply personal item or creature that resonated with their soul.
These conjured objects didn't instantly make someone powerful. Rather, they offered new ways to fight or train, a method for growth.
To accelerate this growth, many Conjurers used vows and restrictions, rules set by the user themselves. The harsher the restriction, the greater the resulting power.
Think of normal Nen as addition. But Nen with strict self-imposed rules? That's multiplication.
It was a technique used by all powerful Conjurers.
"Luffy-san, may I begin?"
Despite already understanding the process deeply, Koby still looked to Luffy for reassurance.
But Luffy simply smiled, not answering directly. He knew Koby needed to learn to rely on his own judgment. All he said was:
"Go for it."
Koby pressed his lips together, then smiled back.
"Mm!"
Luffy's expression gave him strength.
He closed his eyes and mentally reviewed everything he knew about Nen, especially the part about growing stronger: Vows and Restrictions.
─────────🏴☠️────────
Nightfall came quietly.
The sky was filled with stars, and the moon hung bright overhead.
But no one felt sleepy. The crew had silently gathered around Koby, forming a quiet circle as if standing guard while he performed a sacred rite.
As Koby closed his eyes and summoned the faint stream of Nen from within, something deep inside him began to stir, like a memory pounding against the walls of his heart, begging to be heard.
"First… I need to declare my life's vow."
Koby recalled each step of the Conjuration process. This was the most important: defining your purpose.
A vow for life…
The old Koby, the timid, hesitant boy, might have stumbled here, paralyzed by doubt. He might have failed to even complete this part.
But things were different now.
Even though he hadn't known Luffy long, that short time had transformed him entirely.
He had a purpose. A belief strong enough to carry him through.
He thought back to earlier that day, when Luffy had pushed him to speak his dream aloud.
In his mind, Koby suddenly laughed, and shouted to the core of his being:
"I want to become strong! Strong enough… to rid the world of all evil!"
His voice rang loud and true, no hesitation, no fear.
BOOM!
As if in response, a mysterious energy enveloped his heart, wrapping it tight.
His Nen surged out from within, flooding his body with raw, vibrant power.
Watching from nearby, Luffy's eyes widened. On Koby's status panel, all his attributes were rising steadily.
Still not powerful, per se, but no longer the weakling who couldn't handle a single pirate grunt.
Fueled by this awakening, Koby clenched his fists and proceeded to the next step of Conjuration.
"Now… imagine the object I know best."
Think… what am I most familiar with?
He pushed himself to remember… searching his memories for that one thing most intimate to him.
He thought of Zoro's majestic swords… Brook's elegant instruments… even the ornate jewelry worn by Nami and Robin…
But no, none of them resonated.
And then, he realized. The item most familiar to him… had been there all along.
He had just been avoiding it.
"No way… it can't be that," he muttered inwardly.
But the vow had already been made.
It was too late for second thoughts.
Nen surged, locking in his destiny. The item he knew best, the one most tied to his soul, responded to his call.
Bathed in glowing light, Koby's first Conjured Tool was born
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