"Scarlet Eyes?"
Hearing this word, the expressions before him became somewhat unpredictable. For them now, this word was like a keyword—once spoken, it triggered hidden memories.
Kevin looked at them, silently closing his mouth, waiting for them to digest first. The matter he was about to discuss was of utmost importance—something that had to be said, needed to be clarified. Though their mindsets had adjusted considerably, the massacre had only happened a few months ago. At this moment, when Kevin mentioned it again, they still couldn't help but become emotional.
Among them, the most emotional was Kurapika. Unconsciously, his eyes entered the Scarlet Eyes state, and at the same time, the Nen on his body began to change.
Seeing this, Kevin slightly narrowed his eyes and observed carefully.
Pairo and Rosana immediately noticed Kurapika's emotional loss of control and quickly stepped forward to comfort him. Fortunately, it was just a simple mention of "Scarlet Eyes," so Kurapika's emotional fluctuation quickly subsided. He returned to his normal state.
After adjusting their mindset, the three turned their gaze toward Kevin, waiting for him to continue.
"I'm sorry, Uncle. I... I still can't control my emotions well," Kurapika said somewhat dejectedly. Whether in the past or now, controlling his emotions was extremely important, but he still found it difficult. He thought of his mother and friends, who had witnessed that horrific disaster with their own eyes—their grief was no less than his own, yet they could control their emotions well. This filled him with guilt.
Kevin smiled, reaching out to gently pat Kurapika's shoulder. "No need to apologize. You still have plenty of time to train. I believe it won't be long before you can control your emotions well. Remember, being able to control emotions is an essential quality for a Nen user."
Kevin first comforted and encouraged Kurapika, then looked at the three, his expression becoming serious. "Next, I need to talk about how Mito and I met."
Hearing this, Pairo pricked up his ears curiously. Though Kevin had mentioned meeting his father before, he hadn't described it in detail.
"At that time, fighting in the arena, Mito could control his emotions at any time and enter the Scarlet Eyes state. I think you yourselves are well aware—in a state of emotional excitement, with your eyes turning Scarlet, your physical abilities significantly enhance. At this time, your strength increases dramatically, and you can do many things you normally cannot."
The three nodded slightly. For them, Kurta survivors, this was no secret. Any pure-blooded Kurta who could open their eyes had more or less experienced entering the Scarlet Eyes state due to emotional excitement. In that state, though somewhat difficult to control due to emotional excitement, they could still clearly feel the changes in themselves.
"When I first met your father, I discovered this change. On the surface, it seemed like simple physical enhancement, but in detail, it was not that simple. At that time, after Mito entered the Scarlet Eyes state, the Nen on his body clearly erupted. You should know that at that time, I hadn't helped him awaken Nen, nor had I taught him related knowledge and abilities."
Hearing Kevin's explanation, Pairo and Kurapika immediately realized a certain possibility. That is, their Scarlet Eyes were very likely related to Nen ability in some way. Or perhaps the strengthening of their physical abilities they felt was also due to Nen? Maybe Scarlet Eyes allowed people to possess more Nen? At least from Kevin's description, it seemed to be the case.
Kevin continued with a solemn expression. "At the end of last year, when I went to find Mito, I unexpectedly witnessed the scene of your clan's massacre."
As soon as he said this, the three couldn't help but fall into deep thought. In an instant, their eyes all turned red. Such memories could not be touched at all—once they touched upon the profound images, they immediately flooded their minds. Screams, terror, pain, bloodiness. And the cold, ruthless faces of that group of people.
Fortunately, they had some psychological preparation since Kevin began speaking, so although they became emotional for a moment, they quickly calmed down and continued listening. Since the massacre, they knew the Scarlet Eyes state had to be controlled properly, so they'd been training in this area.
"The tragic scene at that time kept Mito in the Scarlet Eyes state. Despite the critical situation, I still clearly noticed that after entering the Scarlet Eyes state, profound changes occurred in Mito. That was by no means a simple burst of power, but a more profound transformation of Nen," Kevin said to the three with a serious expression.
The change at that time was too obvious. Nen ability was, after all, a product of mental will and the body; extreme emotions might make Nen ability more explosive. But without imposing Restrictions and Limitations, Mito's Nen ability change was somewhat too great.
At that time, Kevin understood Nen ability more deeply, so he could perceive more through his eyes.
Now, all three of them were lost in thought. A deeper change? What kind of change was that exactly?
"Uncle, what kind of change can these Scarlet Eyes bring?" Pairo reached out and covered his eyes, asking thoughtfully.
Kevin shook his head. "I don't know either. Because I also have techniques that make Nen burst forth, I can only confirm that your Scarlet Eyes state is far more complex than what appears on the surface. To understand what changes it can bring, some experiments must be conducted. And now, you more or less have the conditions for that."
This was also why he hadn't mentioned it before—it would have been meaningless without a basis for experimentation.
Kevin looked at the three and pointed at Pairo. "Originally, I planned to tell you these things after you developed your own Nen abilities. But now Pairo already has one, so I can share this and let you try to see what changes occur."
Next, Kevin explained his thoughts and findings regarding the Scarlet Eyes state.
"How is the deeper change in Nen manifested? The most direct way is by developing a Nen ability. What's certain is that the Scarlet Eyes state is completely different from the normal state—the Scarlet Eyes state is an enhancement of the normal state. It's just that I currently cannot determine exactly what kind of enhancement this is. Is it overall enhancement, or enhancement targeting a specific trait? Is the enhancement effect different for everyone, or the same? These are all questions requiring deep thought. If Bisky were here, with her experience, she might see the root cause and specific changes in you at a glance."
After expressing his thoughts, Kevin gently patted Kurapika's shoulder. "Now we can conduct two experiments. Pairo has already awakened his Nen ability—he can activate his Scarlet Eyes while using it and see what effect occurs. Similarly, Kurapika, you can activate your Scarlet Eyes without having developed a Nen ability yet."
Kevin added, "Just now, when you entered the Scarlet Eyes state, I observed carefully again. This state should produce a deeper, more comprehensive effect." As his strength changed and with more experience, he could see more.
Kurapika nodded. "Uncle, what exactly should I do?"
"Simple. Do another Water Divination test. Depending on changes in your physical state, the Water Divination result may also change." Kevin emphasized this point.
The source of this idea was obvious—it came from Kevin's own experience. Kevin's special situation allowed him two different Water Divination changes and two different Nen types. Water Divination could be considered the best method for identification through external objects; its manifestation was clear and allowed for observation. Therefore, he planned to use the same method to verify changes in the Kurutas when activating Scarlet Eyes.
A new cup of water was placed on the table.
"Come on, Kurapika. Release the emotions you've been suppressing, and then test again," Kevin said.
Kurapika took a deep breath, and then his eyes instantly entered the Scarlet Eyes state. After all, he had been suppressing his inner emotions.
As Nen flowed into the cup, unusual changes appeared. First, the water in the cup began to churn and overflow, and the leaf floating on the surface swayed from side to side as if rowing, even slowly turning in circles. The liquid in the water became somewhat cloudy, and crystalline objects also appeared inside.
"It's different—could it have become Specialization?" Pairo said in surprise. He hadn't expected such significant change after activating Scarlet Eyes.
Kevin looked at this change, his brows furrowed. Then he reached out, dipped a little water, and put it in his mouth to taste. "A little sweet."
Kurapika stopped his ability output.
Several people reached out to dip and taste the water, finding that its taste had indeed changed.
At this time, Kevin had basically understood the reason. He said, "Without doubt, Kurapika, after activating the Scarlet Eyes state, entered Specialization. Moreover, this Specialization change is likely a special state that allows Nen to exhibit 100% efficiency across all categories."
Seeing everyone's confused expressions, Kevin pointed at Kurapika's transformed water cup. "Look at this water cup. Did you notice anything?"
Pairo stared at the cup, his eyes lighting up as he immediately reacted. "That's right—this Specialization change is different from my Specialization change. The leaf moved, water volume increased, water color changed, impurities appeared, and the taste changed. Doesn't this just happen to cover the different changes produced by every detail of the other categories?"
Hearing Pairo's observation, the others suddenly understood. Though this change differed from all standard categories, it contained the various change characteristics of every category.
"What kind of changes will this bring?" Rosana asked.
Kevin shook his head. "Though the specific impact can't be determined yet, it's at least certain this will allow your Nen to exhibit various effects. Understanding this point, when you construct your Nen ability later, consider potential enhancement effects that may occur in the Scarlet Eyes state."
He continued, "Nen ability construction is based on your category, your past experiences and thoughts, and then based on your will, constructing ability effects like superpowers. Some people's abilities extend single attributes; others with good technique may construct abilities mixing two adjacent categories plus their main category. But your main category is definitely the most important pillar, so this change will certainly affect the ability you construct. As for specific enhancements—that will depend on Pairo's subsequent experimental results."
Kevin's brows furrowed, his expression growing serious. "Regardless of this change's specific nature, what's certain is that this state is very powerful. Great power is often accompanied by risk—gain requires loss. Therefore, at this stage, you must completely control your emotions. The Scarlet Eyes state will inevitably have unknown changes and costs; you must thoroughly research this point."
A state that could directly exert 100% efficiency across all six categories must have powerful limiting factors—this couldn't be concealed by mere racial characteristics. This might also explain the scarcity of Kurta Nen users; perhaps their elders knew. Discarding such information likely indicated enormous costs—though it couldn't be ruled out that this was purely racial talent.
The three nodded in understanding.
Next, Rosana's test. The purpose: to see if changes produced by each person's Scarlet Eyes state were identical. As expected, Rosana's changes resembled Kurapika's—only the cloudy color differed slightly, and the water's taste became similar. Truly mother and son.
For comprehensive verification, Pairo was also tested. Besides previously appearing changes, Pairo experienced a situation similar to Kurapika's. However, the water's taste became a little bitter, like strong tea on first sip.
That is, the changes produced by Scarlet Eyes on each person were basically the same; the special state it brought was consistent. Unsurprisingly—100% across all categories, which could also be verified by observing their Nen directly. After all, Kevin himself existed outside the main category, with 80% across all categories.
Kevin looked at the three and fell into deep thought. At this moment, he somewhat understood why the Kurta had encountered such fate. If every pure-blooded Kurta who could activate Scarlet Eyes experienced this Specialization change, then the strength each Kurta could reach was simply unimaginable.
"Red-Eyed Devil"—such a legend might not be groundless. With a little thought, one could guess what experiences this ethnic group had undergone. Kevin didn't believe they were the first to discover that Kurta had this change after learning Nen.
"Red-Eyed Devil" was a legend spread throughout the known world. This meant the Kurta must have done something well-known in the past and existed for a long time. In the past, great nations and top human powers definitely knew about and mastered Nen—no doubt about this.
If they discovered the Kurta's special ability, what would they do? Simple: they would try to train the Kurta into the strongest blades, the strongest army. Anyone with ambition wouldn't give up.
To maintain the Scarlet Eyes state, Kurta had to keep their emotions in extreme states. The cruel killing on battlefields would gradually drive them insane. The Scarlet Eyes state would also make their strength exceed ordinary people. Perhaps it was precisely in such battles over thousands of years that "Red-Eyed Devil" became famous on the battlefield.
Such a legend had thus been passed down to this day.
As the era entered modern times, perhaps due to certain reasons, the number of Kurta became fewer and fewer. They finally chose to flee. Abandoning Nen ability, discarding their external identities, and hiding.
Of course, it was also possible they reached some kind of agreement with powers like V5. Otherwise, with the Kurta's reclusive lifestyle, there were too many flaws—finding them wouldn't be difficult. It's just that those capable of finding them didn't want to, and those who wanted to lacked the ability. Only after reaching such an understanding could they continue living in seclusion, until the Phantom Troupe's appearance broke this peace.
Regardless of past events, the Kurta now numbered only three.
Just as the previous prophecy indicated, the three indeed possessed talent difficult for ordinary people to match. The Scarlet Eyes state allowed them to potentially become leaders among Nen users. It's just that they didn't know what serious side effects this state would bring—they would have to explore this themselves.
After clarifying these thoughts, everyone's gaze fell on Pairo.
Next, he would conduct the final experiment: verifying how the Scarlet Eyes state would change Nen ability itself. The test subject was still Kurapika.
The two stood together again, preparing to look into each other's eyes. Before this, Pairo had released the connection previously left in Kurapika's eyes.
Pairo slightly built up his emotions, and his eyes instantly turned red. However, the red in his eyes appeared darker compared to others—not that vibrant fiery red, but a dark red similar to blood.
Pairo activated his Nen ability.
Just at the moment of activation, whether illusion or not, Pairo seemed to perceive the price he would pay for activating the Scarlet Eyes state. Lifespan? So that's it—this was indeed a significant price.
However, Pairo didn't dwell on it and continued focusing on experimenting with his Nen ability in the Scarlet Eyes state.
The first step was basic eye contact. This process became extremely fast—the marking was instantly successful. Almost the moment their eyes met, the connection was established.
Pairo immediately closed his eyes, withdrew his ability, calmed his emotions, and attempted to exit the Scarlet Eyes state. But he couldn't exit—the instantly marked Scarlet Eyes state had to be maintained while in the Scarlet Eyes state.
Kurapika hadn't expected such speed this time.
Kevin saw this scene and immediately understood: the Scarlet Eyes state indeed amplified and strengthened Nen ability. The two had just looked at each other for less than a second—let alone three seconds—the connection was completed with just a touch of their gazes.
Don't underestimate this enhancement. It caused the danger level of Pairo's Nen ability to increase sharply. This meant that in the Scarlet Eyes state, even Kevin would find it difficult to guard against. Because the entire process completed instantly, unless Kevin knew Pairo's ability from the start and avoided eye contact, during battle, being marked with just one look was absolutely unavoidable.
Patreon Seasay