Is it that boy Chilu?
Liam sensed the Star Mark signal location was in the southeast, about ten kilometers away from him. Judging from the strength of the signal, it was obvious that after being seriously injured, the Star Mark's healing ability was maximized—an activation process in full swing.
Is this kid really that unlucky?
Liam was speechless.
Liam had acted on a sudden whim the previous day. He realized that even setting aside Hisoka's erratic malice, simply being seen in the company of the two "Mystery Masked Healers"—himself and Shizuku—could paint a target on Chilu's back. To prevent any "accidents" after they parted ways, Liam had placed a Star Mark on the boy. Since Chilu had been seen walking with them the entire way, Liam didn't want him turning a corner only to be picked off by common gangsters; a pointless death like that would only damage Liam's accumulated merits.
Unexpectedly, early this morning, Chilu was the one who encountered an unexpected incident on his way over to learn. So pitiful.
However, Liam didn't project his consciousness to go find out.
He had no masochism. Nor did he like to bear pain on behalf of others. What happened would naturally be explained when Chilu came over after being cured by the Star Mark.
Sure enough, about an hour later, a pale-faced Chilu rushed to the hotel where Liam and Shizuku were staying temporarily. In shock.
There was no need for Liam to find an excuse to interrogate him. Chilu pointed at the blood stains on his collar and tremblingly talked about the strange things he encountered on the way here. No one might believe him—he seemed to have died suddenly. But was alive again!
Liam smiled and said nothing.
Chilu suddenly realized this miracle doctor must have done something!
Thinking of his father, who'd been bedridden for many years, was actually able to walk around and regain at least the ability to live independently. Today, the miracle doctor rescued him from the air and "resurrected" him. Chilu couldn't help but shed tears of gratitude. Said with tears in his eyes, "I really don't know how to repay..."
Shizuku suggested from the side, "Just tell us how you died."
Chilu was a little embarrassed to say it. Muttered, "Actually, I don't know what happened. I just vaguely remember when I took a shortcut through an alley, I suddenly felt cold all over. When I woke up again, I was already lying on the ground in a pool of coagulated blood... Oh, by the way, my neck seemed to hurt a little at that time."
He touched his neck where the wound was no longer visible. Swallowed. Said in fear, "Moreover, I found a blood-stained... playing card on the nearby wall. The playing card was almost completely embedded in the bricks. Only one corner with a diamond pattern was exposed..."
He didn't bring the "murder weapon." He couldn't pull it out. The playing card was embedded in the wall. If he pulled with brute force, it would only tear it apart. He couldn't even imagine how such an ordinary playing card could be embedded in the wall as tightly as cutting tofu.
Is it really Hisoka?
Liam was surprised. Immediately remembered the great achievements of that guy Hisoka—couldn't defeat Chrollo in a one-on-one fight, then went to the bathroom to kill Kortopi and Shalnark. However, that was the Phantom Troupe after all. Those above average level were all masters. And Hisoka really shouldn't be so cautious that he'd have to specifically target even a noob like Chilu.
It was a stroke of pure, wretched luck that Chilu happened to cross paths with Hisoka during the clown's early morning stroll. Hisoka likely didn't even have a specific motive; he simply caught sight of the boy and remembered him from before. From a distance, with practiced nonchalance, he flicked a single poker card like a dart. The edge caught Chilu's throat, the blood sealing his voice before he could even register a shadow in the distance. To Hisoka, it was a trivial distraction—he turned and vanished without a second thought. Had he been any more invested in the kill, he surely wouldn't have overlooked the Star Mark glowing faintly on Chilu's body.
In the world of Nen, noob really have no human rights!
Liam looked down at Chilu, who remained paralyzed by shock, and saw a reflection of his own early days after his transmigration. He recalled the sheer luck involved in surviving his encounter with the First Prince's subordinates on that ship. It was only because he had been pushed to his absolute limit in that life-and-death struggle—and had the clarity to adapt afterward—that he wasn't in Chilu's position now: a victim waiting to be snuffed out in a daze, without even the strength to offer a final resistance.
"If you want to become stronger, just follow me."
Liam left a message and went out with Shizuku directly to leave the hotel. The two of them wore sportswear suits of the same style and strolled toward a nearby park.
To them, it was just a stroll. But to Chilu, it was simply running at sprint speed. He had no time to say anything. Could only use all his strength to catch up behind them.
But these two people also took long detours. Zigzagging repeatedly on several streets. During the journey, they had to run for more than twenty kilometers before running from the main entrance into the park where there weren't many people. Chilu had already run until his forehead was sweating. Took off his shirt and tied it around his waist. However, the pace of the two people walking side by side didn't change at all. Didn't break out a drop of sweat.
The three of them walked all the way deep into the park, barely seeing anyone else. Shizuku lowered her head and found the mark she and Liam had left a few days ago on the grassy path. Found the prepared wooden sign in the nearby weeds. Went and stuck it to the ground. Stood it up.
"5000..." Chilu finally caught up, panting and sticking out his tongue. Looking at the handwritten numbers on the sign, he couldn't help but wonder, "Is this a distance mark?"
"There's more ahead." Liam greeted. The three of them walked forward along the path and crossed the river. Every 500 meters, they put up a wooden sign until they reached a straight-line distance of 5 kilometers. Sure enough, they stopped. Here it happened to be a scenic riverside slope. Although there was the exit on the other side of the park not far ahead, it was indeed inaccessible.
"Don't look at it. This is my practice. It has nothing to do with you." Liam put up an awning with his hands. Nodded. Retracted his gaze. Turned to Chilu, who'd recovered. "What you need to learn must start from the most basic level."
Shizuku had already entered cultivation state not far away.
Liam gave Chilu a simple demonstration of the Four Principles: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu. This was the foundation of foundations. No matter how advanced your skills were, you must practice more.
While Chilu lacked formal training, his time as a "wild" Nen user had forced him to adapt through trial and error. He had even managed to manifest a Nen beast—a half-baked monkey spirit—despite it being poorly suited to his natural attributes. His foundational skills were a messy, uneven patchwork of instinct and confusion, but he at least possessed the raw experience of how to circulate his aura.
As Liam patiently broke down the core principles once more, Chilu began to find the missing links. The scattered, rough lessons of his past finally began to align, allowing him to sort his chaotic experiences into a coherent system of power.
He practiced first. While Liam also sat down on his own. Blew the wind. Brought up the Death Energy Panel. Put the death energy that appeared yesterday into the Transmutation corner of the panel. The numbers in Transmutation changed from 83.3% and immediately increased by one level to 84.3%. This qualification was already higher than the 80% Transmutation qualification that Shizuku was born with in the Conjuration system.
Chilu combed through the four major principles. The first three—Ten, Zetsu, Ren—were okay and common to all. They were the basics of basics. However, the fourth principle, according to Liam, needed targeted training according to different Nen systems. And according to yesterday's Water Divination test, he was a Transmuter.
So, how to practice the Hatsu of Transmutation?
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not a Transmuter." Liam waved his hand. "I've only heard about the practice standards of Transmutation. In order to avoid misleading you, what I say next should be regarded as advice. Come and listen. Don't believe blindly."
If you knew everything, why would you want to go to Bisky to study?
"As far as I'm concerned, the essence of Transmutation is, of course, transmutation. You have to transmute your aura into the nature you want." Liam said slowly. "It's too difficult to transmute the nature, so let's start by changing form more easily. Do you think it makes sense to expand the plasticity of aura step by step and finally achieve qualitative change?"
Of course. Chilu nodded repeatedly. Looked down at the aura on his palms. Muttered to himself, "Changes in form..."
"The first step is to release your aura from your fingers." Liam raised a finger. The aura extended from his fingers and slowly twisted into a circle shape. "Release the aura and change it into numbers 0 to 9 one by one. The faster the switching speed, the higher the proficiency and the stronger the plasticity of aura. If the time is compressed to less than 5 seconds, the first stage is complete."
This was a rare exercise standard revealed by Bisky in the manga when she was instructing the two protagonists Gon and Killua. However, she only mentioned this Stage 1 of the Transmutation training standards. The subsequent Stages 2, 3, 4, 5 or more—Liam didn't know what they were like.
The rest of what Liam still remembered were the training methods of Enhancement and Emission. In Enhancement, you hold a stone to break stones. If the stone in your hand doesn't break, the more stones you break proves the higher the Enhancement training level. But Liam had long forgotten how many stones were required to be smashed with the same stone in Stage 1.
Emission was more direct and simple—releasing aura. However, Liam only remembered one of the stages, which was when Bisky asked Gon to stand on one hand and blow out aura under his palm to push back and lift his body. But what exactly this standard was called, he couldn't remember anymore.
Therefore, Liam thought about it on his own and set a standard for his Emission practice.
In Liam's view, the core criterion for Emission lay in "distance."
The farther you could release your aura, the more awesome you'd naturally be according to Emission standards.
Of course, it had to be an effective distance. The maximum distance that could guarantee the power of the aura. Rather than closing your eyes and throwing with your hands. As a result, after throwing the aura, not only could the shape not be maintained, but power couldn't be guaranteed either. Then it was meaningless.
The standing signs they erected along the way were used by Liam to practice his Emission.
To this day, Liam could throw a ball of aura up to 2 kilometers.
If it was further away, the power of aura would quickly drop, proving to be beyond Liam's current ability.
"Why hasn't it changed?" Chilu looked at the numbers on Liam's fingertips that were changing. He held it up for half a minute, but it was still the number 0.
Liam said with a straight face, "I told you I'm not a Transmuter. Shizuku!"
Teaching assistant Shizuku then raised a finger from a distance. The aura rising from the fingertip changed into a number 0. Under Chilu's stunned gaze, it quickly jumped from 0 to 9 in one second. Finally turned into a foreign symbol. She raised her other fingers in turn. Complex mystical characters appeared on her fingertips. She naturally raised the four fingers of her other hand. Four more symbols quickly appeared on the tips.
The complex "patterns" that changed in less than 5 seconds were exactly what she and Liam had on their masks. Chilu was amazed to see them.
"If you can achieve this speed, you'll be more than just a beginner." Liam said seriously. "Take your time, young man."
Shizuku had already been able to transmute the nature of aura into a form with the sharp cutting properties of a chainsaw. This wasn't only shaping, but also a qualitative change. This was undoubtedly a high-level Transmutation ability.
If it hadn't been so effective, it wouldn't have been possible to crush Hisoka's Bungee Gum so easily.
Liam's Yin Nen Sword was able to cut off Hisoka's chewing gum aura, relying on the "Yin Nen" characteristic of the Yin Nen Sword. While Shizuku relied on the sharp cutting property of the chainsaw. Otherwise, it was just a sharp saw-toothed form. She'd be afraid the chewing gum couldn't be cut off so simply, but would be "stuck" and "blocked" by the chewing gum. Actually restrained by Hisoka.
Needless to say, Shizuku's development results in Transmutation. Liam also had his own ideas for Transmutation development. But the road had to be taken step by step. Meals had to be eaten bite by bite. His development of Enhancement had initially achieved results. So what next? It should be Emission, which he was relatively good at and already 100%. Transmutation could wait.
In Emission, Liam already had "Spirit Gun." But this thing was achieved quickly with the help of restrictions. Liam felt dissatisfied.
In the development of Nen ability, first instinct was very important.
And Liam's strongest first instinct about Emission was undoubtedly "Nen beast," "teleportation," and the like.
Release a Nen Beast and perform a Flying Thunder God technique. How cool would that be?
Therefore, Liam patiently learned from the few experiences from Chilu's stumbling experience in developing Nen beasts.
So the three of them started practicing like this.
Chilu slowly started to learn Transmutation by the river alone. Holding back enough energy to let his aura tremble and twist into the shape of the number 1.
Shizuku was training with Liam. She took care of both the chainsaw and Blinky. Transmutation and Conjuration. Liam was the main trainer of Emission, taking care of Enhancement. As for Manipulation, he really felt it was already done. There was no way to practice it. Star Mark and Moon Mark were both very handy and smooth. As for the third mark that should be imagined—the Sun Mark—there was no clear idea yet. Let's not mention it for now.
The aura ball broke through the air. Passing the 500-meter, 1,000-meter, 1,500-meter, 2,000-meter signposts. Flew toward the 2,500-meter signpost with difficulty. As a result, it collapsed halfway. Drifted down and collapsed at about 2,222 meters. After disintegrating, Liam curled his lips from a distance and waved his hands. Such good luck!
Wonder what level more than two thousand meters is in the field of Emission?
"I think it's probably good to practice the distance of Emission. But for Transmutation, how about just practicing the speed of change?" Liam turned to look at Shizuku and considered. "I always feel something's not right. The practice standard of Conjuration—even more clueless!"
In the manga, Bisky guided Killua, who was a Transmuter. Logically speaking, according to the mountain character training method, Killua should major in Transmutation. His minors should be Enhancement and Conjuration. However, Bisky only let Killua and Gon smash rocks together to practice Enhancement. Didn't mention how to practice Conjuration. As a result, Liam wanted to give Shizuku advice but had no idea how to.
Only by having standards of practice could you know the core ideas of practice. Like the distance of Emission. The word "Enhancement" of Enhancement. The farther away, the more powerful. The stronger the increase, the more powerful. These weren't always wrong. But what about Transmutation and Conjuration? What exactly was the standard and the core idea?
Let's talk about the speed of change and switching.
However, Shizuku's chainsaw was one of those types that once it changed into shape, could be whipped up and danced like a whip. There was no need to pursue the speed of switching forms. Why continue to pursue extreme speed at a stage where it was already too fast?
As for Conjuration, not to mention. Shizuku's Blinky belonged to the space rule type. In Liam's opinion, if this function existed, it existed. If it didn't, it didn't. Once it was developed, it seemed there was no room for continued improvement and expansion. So how could they continue to practice? Even if he wanted to continue practicing deeply, he had no practical ideas.
Shizuku hugged Blinky the vacuum cleaner. "Just ask Bisky when the time comes."
"I'm really looking forward to it!"
Liam said enthusiastically that if he caught Bisky, even if he tried hard, he'd definitely ask the old aunt to reveal all the training ideas of the six major types. This setting wasn't completed. Always felt like a big shortcoming.
In this way, while Liam was practicing, he and Shizuku occasionally went to various local hospitals to show their faces and feel a little more present. Four days had passed before they knew it.
On this day, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the busy streets. Liam and Shizuku were followed by Chilu, who was as exhausted as a dead dog. They were finishing practice and planning to find food. Suddenly, Liam's expression changed slightly. He stopped.
He turned around and looked away. But a calm male voice came from behind him.
"You're looking in the wrong direction. We're here."