A figure flashed. A girl with silky blonde hair and a pretty, cute face—who looked about eleven or twelve years old—appeared out of nowhere. Stood on the slope. Punched the air with her seemingly fragile slender waist. Pointed with one hand at Liam and Shizuku sitting next to each other by the river below.
Sure enough, it's Bisky!
Liam suddenly became energetic. There seemed to be a spring under his waist. His whole body bounced up.
Shizuku stood up as well, her expression unreadable. "It's you again. I thought you said we weren't going to talk until we actually secured the items?"
"Securing the items is what makes you qualified to speak to me," Bisky replied with a casual shrug. "But the rules work differently the other way around. Obviously, I'll talk to you whenever I feel like it."
Shizuku thought to herself: Our goal is to see you anyway. Whether we're looking for you or you're looking for us, isn't it the same?
Liam smiled relaxedly. "Aunt Bisky, since you gave us advice, you must have been secretly observing our practice for several days? So in the match between me and that Hunter this morning—how many points would you give me, Aunt Bisky?"
Bisky stretched out her little hand and waved at him.
Liam walked over.
Bang!
Bisky punched Liam away. Directly across the river. He landed on the other side with a crash, almost hitting the road outside the park.
"What did you call me?" Veins popped out on Bisky's fists. She sneered while grinding her teeth.
So fast. Shizuku blinked from the side. She didn't see how Bisky punched just now. She thought the same was true for Liam.
On the other side, Liam jumped up like a normal person.
He touched his chest and abdomen in surprise. Given Bisky's size in "little princess form," she could only hit him at this height. He looked at Bisky on the other side in surprise. Ran back quickly. When he got close to Bisky, he asked angrily, "Why did you hit me?"
Bisky looked at him sideways.
Liam said deliberately, "Aun—"
Boom!
Before he finished speaking, another heavy punch landed on his chest. When Liam felt the pain, he was already hanging on the park wall.
On the same spot, Bisky pointed at Liam sliding down the far wall. Asked Shizuku, "Does he like to be beaten?"
Shizuku Adjusted her glasses and spoke up, "He was likely testing himself to see if he could actually dodge your second strike".
"Hmph!" Bisky huffed, planting her hands firmly on her hips. "I've already consulted with Chairman Netero about him. I'm well aware that Liam is a kid with some decent talent, which is exactly why I threw punches designed to land even if he was good".
"Is the difference really that vast?" Liam asked, jumping back across the river and strolling toward them with the casual gait of an ordinary person. His demeanor, however, was noticeably more humble this time. "Master Bisky, what exactly did you mean by 'reality' a moment ago?"
"Who's your 'master'? Slow down there, boy—don't go rushing into a relationship you haven't earned yet," Bisky chuckled. "Just stick to calling me by my name".
Liam followed the flow. "Well, Bisky. What do you mean by 'reality' just now? The vacuum cleaner that Shizuku conjures is a space-rule type ability. No matter what, it can't be real."
"I said 'reality,' not 'truth.'" Bisky said. "Answer my question first—when did you know I was nearby?"
When Liam told her, she was quite surprised.
"I don't know." Liam said honestly. "I only know you must be in this city. But whether you're near us or not was really a guess. Fortunately, I guessed right."
Bisky nodded. "Is it the mark on your tiger?"
Liam smiled. "Yes."
Bisky said, "Mark attributes created by Nen abilities like Manipulation or Conjuration will usually disappear or go dormant temporarily when 5 to 10 kilometers away from the Nen user's body. If it exceeds 10 kilometers, most can barely even sense it. I put your tiger in a house 50 kilometers away. You can actually sense it. It seems your level of practice in Manipulation is very high."
Liam quickly asked, "So is this the criterion for judging Manipulation practice?"
Bisky curled her lips. Pointed at the distance markers erected on the side of the road. "Idiot, 'distance' is the standard for Emission. Haven't you already figured this out? For Manipulation-type Nen ability, what impact does distance have on the manipulation itself?"
Liam said clearly, "That's the intensity of the manipulation. Or the thoroughness?"
As he said that, he shook his head. "Manipulation Nen abilities can also be divided into completely mandatory type, semi-forced type, and even conditional type. The requirements for thoroughness of manipulation from the beginning aren't the same..."
For example, among those with Manipulation Nen abilities, some people had strong personalities and a strong desire for control. This would naturally lead to Nen ability that completely controlled the target. While some people were more compromising. More cooperative. People who liked to discuss and cooperate with others, or who liked to ponder strategies and enjoy the pleasure of formulating their own rules and regulations, then watching their opponents restrain themselves and become nothing more than objects in the palm of their hands. Then the Manipulation Nen ability developed by such people would inevitably prefer semi-mandatory and conditional types.
And this distinction in the nature of abilities was due to personality. If the Nen user deviated from their original intention and blindly forced the latter Manipulator to exercise their Nen ability in the direction of complete control, it would only be "a twisted melon is not sweet."
"It's quantity." Liam finally found the key word under Bisky's gaze.
Bisky nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, it's quantity. Although there are Nen abilities that don't require the number of targets that can be controlled, but..."
Liam smiled. "There may be people who refuse to completely and willfully deprive control of the target, but they certainly won't dislike the increasing number of targets they can control. The deeper a person's training in Manipulation, the more they master the essence of 'manipulation,' the more they'll be able to manipulate a single target with less resistance. Conversely, they'll have more energy to manipulate more targets."
Bisky raised a finger. "If the level of Nen practice is divided into five levels, the first level can be regarded as entry-level. Based on our current common standards, as far as Manipulation is concerned, if the number of controllable targets reaches more than 10, it can be considered second level. Can be said to have entered the hall."
Liam murmured in his heart: When he first traveled through time, as long as he had enough aura, he could get 20 Stars. Could play with them casually.
At this time, Shizuku asked curiously, "The second level may not be more powerful than the first level, right? Even if there are more targets that can be manipulated, if the power of Nen itself isn't strong, it seems to have no effect."
Bisky didn't seem to mind the interrogation; she simply nodded and spoke with calm authority. "When you compare different abilities across various Nen types, your logic holds up well enough. However, what we are discussing here is the internal depth of a user's practice within their own specific category. Technical proficiency isn't just a yardstick for the raw power of a single ability; it measures where a Nen user stands in their personal development."
She continued, "In the real world, you'll find 'entry-level' users who possess overwhelming amounts of aura or vast combat experience. Even if their technique is unrefined, if they develop an ability with heavy enough restrictions, the effect can be devastating once it lands. Many masters are formidable in a fight simply because they've mastered the art of killing, regardless of their 'spiritual realm' or formal rank."
Liam listened intently before posing a follow-up: "You mentioned 'heavy restrictions.' Does that mean as a person's training level increases, the need for those restrictions on their Nen abilities starts to decrease?"
Bisky offered a slight, knowing smile. "What do you think a restriction actually is? Think of a novice who barely understands Nen but demands a power that even masters struggle to achieve. Since they lack the skill, they must use conditions as a bargaining chip—compromising whatever they must to get the result they want".
"Who are you talking to?" Shizuku asked.
Bisky pointed her finger at her heart. The meaning was self-evident. Talking to your heart. Talking to your own Nen. Nen was the energy of life, spirit, subconsciousness, and even the ethereal soul.
Liam's epiphany about the nature of Nen mastery aligns perfectly with the philosophy of high-level practitioners like Chairman Netero, moving from "negotiated" power to "natural" power.
Here is a rephrased version of the discussion regarding the realization of Nen and the hierarchy of mastery:
From Restrictions to Natural Desire
Liam reflected on the evolution of an ability. "As training deepens, the compromises and treaties once made with one's own aura can be revoked piece by piece, like shedding shackles from the body. If I reach a certain level where I am the embodiment of Nen itself, restrictions become unnecessary. I can act according to my desires without overstepping boundaries".
Bisky savored the phrase, nodding in genuine praise. "Act according to your desires without overstepping boundaries... Yes, that captures the essence perfectly! That is exactly what it means to master the 'reality' of Nen".
Liam considered the "reality" of the Conjuration type. "Many Conjured objects are essentially fantasy props; it's useless to judge them by their 'truth' or whether they exist in nature. The core of Conjuration is taking something ethereal—aura—and manifesting it into a physical substance that even an ordinary person can see and touch. Therefore, the standard of a Conjurer's practice is how 'real' that object becomes".
He continued, "When a conjured object is so flawless that it forces people to doubt their own senses and common sense—making them wonder if the impossible is actually true—that is the Realization of Perfection".
Shizuku raised her hand, her aura surging as she manifested her vacuum cleaner, Blinky, with its glaring eyes and sharp teeth. "Are the standards for Conjuration also divided into five levels?" she asked curiously.
Liam added, "What defines the Entry Level, and what does it look like to truly Enter the Hall? And what exists beyond that?"
Bisky glanced at the main body of Blinky on the ground and the mouth of the vacuum cleaner in Shizuku's hand. "If you can successfully conjure it, make it stable, and use it normally without it collapsing casually, then it counts as entry level."
She pointed at her own eyes. "If ordinary people's naked eyes can't see anything abnormal, then it can be called entering the hall. Considered a standard for second level of Conjuration."
"Ordinary people can't see it, which means..."
"That's right. The difference between second level and third level is this. Nen users can see the flaws—that's second level. And if Nen users can't see the fluctuations in the aura of conjured items, then it can be regarded as third level realm."
"The concept of Nen users is too general. Different Nen users have different eyesight. Is Gyo included?"
"If you can't even see the flaw with Gyo, then it's fourth level."
"Level 5? Is this the highest level?"
"Boy, you're not a Conjurer. Why are you asking so much?" Bisky poked Liam's chest with her finger. "Where's the Blue Planet gem? Where's the JoyStation console? I haven't got what I want. You have quite a lot of problems."
This old aunt is quite arrogant. Liam chuckled. It was obvious she couldn't help but came all the way over, secretly trying to train these two talented people—himself and Shizuku—but she still refused to admit it half-heartedly. Really...
"Then I should be at second level." Shizuku said at this time.
The Gyo in her eyes dissipated. Just now, she'd carefully observed her Blinky. From the fanged mouth of the vacuum cleaner, to the vacuum cleaner pipes, to the main machine that may be the storage space. Sure enough, she could find some aura floating between the fangs of the vacuum cleaner's mouth and the two "bulging eyes" on the body. Of course, this was when Shizuku didn't extend aura from her body to cover the vacuum cleaner. This showed that Shizuku's current level of Conjuration couldn't perfectly materialize aura. Although Nen users, including those with Nen abilities, could no longer detect loopholes with the naked eye—even with the use of Gyo, it might not be possible to see the flaw at a glance—it could be seen after all.
Of course, it wasn't a big deal if a flaw was discovered. This wouldn't affect the normal performance of Blinky's Nen ability. Nor would it hinder Shizuku's use of Blinky. Even as long as Shizuku used Shu, covering Blinky with her own aura, even if the enemy used Gyo, there was no way they could see the loopholes. There was aura everywhere—how could there be loopholes?
However, just as Bisky said, this was a standard to measure Shizuku's progress in Conjuration practice. From then on, Shizuku had a goal to continue practicing.
Shizuku and Liam looked at each other. Both thought of the same thing.
If—if Shizuku could practice Conjuration to the so-called highest level, then the various conscious or unconscious restrictions of Blinky at present, such as being unable to inhale living things, being unable to exist alone away from Shizuku, unable to change shape, unable to accept instructions from people other than Shizuku... maybe they could be shaved off?
And this—wasn't it the meaning of practice?
Liam thought in his mind: I've never felt there's an upper limit on the number of Stars. Maybe... the highest level of Manipulation means there's no upper limit on the targets that can be controlled? And I... will reach full level as soon as I land?
As soon as he thought about it, the Death Energy Panel suddenly changed.
There was no abnormality in the little figure sitting with his sword horizontally. Liam's total aura was 30,906. Current stock of death energy was 0. There were no abnormalities in the hexagonal data. Transmutation was still 84.3%. Conjuration was still 96.4%. However, next to Enhancement, Specialization, Manipulation, and Emission that had been added to 100%, another line of words quietly appeared.
Enhancement: Level 2
Emission: Level 3
Manipulation: Level 4