Chapter 37: Wing's Insecurities And Kai Ability

Feeling a sharp pain in his head, Wing slowly begins to regain consciousness, and when he tries to get up from the ground he feels more pangs of pain in the rest of his body.

"You're finally awake." Kai says, watching him sit on a nearby rock. "I was starting to worry that you wouldn't wake up and I'd have to take you to a hospital. I'm glad my first aid was effective after all."

Wing takes notice of his bandaged torso and arms, and after a few seconds of looking at Kai seriously, he starts to speak. "I would like you to answer me something. Why haven't you fought seriously?"

Kai blinks a few times in surprise before replying with a question. "Being badly injured after losing the fight, what makes you claim that I didn't fight seriously?"

"Satotz told me that you are a Emitter, and yet you only fought using Enhancement techniques. It is possible that you decided to spend your training time honing Enhancement skills to improve melee and did not develop Emission skills, or that your Emission skill is not suited for combat, but judging by your character those options don't seem plausible to me. The most realistic guess is that you have refrained from using your Emission skills. I repeat the question: Why?" Wing asks again, narrowing his eyes.

Kai gives a huff of defeat before answering. "I wanted to test your abilities as an Enhancer firsthand, as well as demonstrate my own to you. If I had used my abilities as an Emitter to fight you, then the fight would have been unbalanced and boring, and more importantly, I wouldn't have been able to show you the results of my Nen training."

"After all, you said that Nen requires preparation and constancy for those who are just starting out, so I have put all my effort and skill into proving to you that my methods have not made me fickle or careless, and that they have helped me to quickly and effectively develop my potential as a Nen user."

"Then, what's your assessment after fighting me, Nen teacher Wing?"

Wing thinks for a moment before giving his answer. "I've given my all in this fight, and yet I've lost to you, who only has three months of formal training. At first, I thought that this method of yours would be something that would allow you to gain great power quickly and neglect the basics of Nen... but your performance has shown me that your training method is not only thorough and efficient, but is also capable of taking someone's growth beyond their limits. This is something both amazing and terrifying at the same time."

"Even without the talent or dedication, a Nen user is always going to be a threat to the common people, and you not only know how to train them effectively, but you can also make a novice in the field capable of facing a professional Hunter with several years of experience in just three months. If such an individual were left to his own devices, who knows what damage he could cause." Wing states in a threatening tone in the last sentence.

"Hey, calm down please. I think you've misinterpreted it a little." Kai says waving his hands in worry at Wing's statements.

"First of all, I have no intention of using this particular training method on anyone I meet. I know very well the danger that a person with potential can represent, so I only intend to use this method on those I consider truly worthy of my trust, like Nicholas."

"Also, if you think that this method can make anyone this powerful in just 3 months, you are wrong. Every person has different potential and capabilities, and this method increases them accordingly. I was already an individual with outstanding talent in Nen from the start, so my method increased my capacity and limits much more as a result."

"For a moderately talented individual like Nicholas, it would still take him 6 months to reach your hand-to-hand combat ability, and that's not even taking into account that his training wouldn't be as strict as what I underwent."

"So you don't have to worry about me creating an army of super Nen users overnight or something like that. Okay?"

An awkward silence hangs in the air until Wing lets out a sigh of defeat. "If that's true then there's no point in arguing about it any further." He says, lying back down on the ground with his hands clasped behind his head and his eyes closed. "You know what, I'm very jealous of you."

"Sorry, what?" Kai asks, caught by surprise.

"When I became a Hunter many years ago, I found it really difficult to learn how to use Nen, having to train and practice intensely every day for several years until I managed to master it." Wing says.

"And now, not only have you managed to surpass me in just 3 months of training, but because of your intelligence and personality, you have the potential to be a much better teacher than I am despite your inexperience. Witnessing such exceptional talent for what I have dedicated all my efforts to is really something that I find worrying and frustrating at the same time."

"Does that mean you would like to have more talent now?" Kai asks, causing Wing to open his eyes to look at him.

"You talk about using your secret method? But I lost the fight." Wing says, standing up again supported on his elbows.

"I never said you had to defeat me for me to reveal it to you. What I asked of you was to face me with everything you had, and you did it." I respond with a playful wink.

"But what you said is that you only intended to use this method on those truly worthy of your trust. So why are you offering to use it on someone you just met today like me? Could it be that you didn't really mean it?" Wing asks with an angry and threatening tone and look, quite in contrast to his normally calm attitude.

However, Kai puts on a serious expression as he begins to explain. "I wasn't joking, and I haven't changed my mind either. Due to all the inconveniences that might come with making this secret public, I don't plan on using this method on anyone I don't completely trust. Wing, you are one of the few people in this world who falls into that category, and that is why I am offering it to you now."

"For what reason? We just met today, so you literally know nothing about me, and it's not like you owe me anything either. What reasons could you have for placing such trust in me?" Wing asks again, more curious than skeptical.

"You could say that's because of the impression your training methods have given me of you." Kai answers, further increasing Wing's confusion.

"Having Nicholas train alongside your students, and from the questions I asked you during that time, I have come to realize one key quality of your personality: you are overly cautious." Kai states, leaving Wing stunned by his sudden harsh words.

"Although your teachings are concise and clear, your methods are slow and too cautious, preventing your students from growing quickly to a higher level because of your fear of what that might mean for them or others."

"Someone who uses such an inefficient methodology to keep people from becoming powerful too quickly would obviously not reveal or abuse this method, and that is why I have no concerns about using it on you."

While Kai's claims of paying attention to Wing are not false, the opinion he has expressed about him was one he had already had since his experience in the other world, when he compared Wing's teaching methods to Biscuit and later Kurapika. In comparison to those two, Wing seemed like a hesitant and inefficient Nen teacher for him, and this became even more noticeable when he also compared him to Satotz, who despite not being as good an instructor as Biscuit, did prove to be more competent than Wing.

"Besides, the truth is that I do owe you something." Kai says changing into a gentle smile, snapping Wing out of his stupor.

"What?" Wing asks curiously.

"Thanks to you, I have learned several things about the teaching of Nen that I will be able to apply from now on, making sure that I give the people I trust a better preparation for the future." Kai starts to explain with a grateful attitude.

"On top of that, you also agreed to my sudden request to fight me seriously. If you hadn't, I'm sure the thought of having missed such an opportunity would have haunted me forever."

"As a proud warrior, I will not feel at peace if I do not somehow repay this debt I have incurred with you. That is why I offer you this opportunity to reach new heights as a fellow martial artist."

"And there you have it. I have already offered it to you, it's your decision whether you accept it or not. I remind you that how it affects your growth will depend on your potential and effort, so think carefully about what your goals are before accepting it or not accepting it." Kai says, finishing his explanation by changing from a serious and grateful attitude to a leisure and cheerful one.

The place falls silent as Wing begins to ponder Kai's offer. As Kai has said, Wing is a very cautious person. During his years as a young Hunter, he had witnessed on numerous occasions what Nen was capable of doing to people and society, gradually shaping a strong sense of caution and responsibility into his personality that he applied especially when exercising his role as Nen's teacher.

Because of this, the Enhancer is very reluctant to accept Kai's offer to gain greater power, fearing what it might mean for himself or others down the road. Especially for his students, whom he tries to instruct under an ideology of prudence and limits.

On the other hand, as much as he would like to overlook it, Wing is a martial artist at the end of the day, and that always comes paired with a desire to find new challenges and reach new heights. While he might have previously ignored it, after having fought Kai, that is no longer possible.

During his long confrontation with him, Wing had pushed his fighting skills to the limit as he attempted to dodge, block, and best the recently licensed Hunter, awakening in him an emotion that had long since lain dormant: the ecstasy of fighting with everything you've got against a truly formidable opponent.

Wing had long since hit a wall in his growth as a martial artist, causing him to forget his ambition and take a more supportive role in his career as a Hunter. However, now that he has been reminded of the exciting and addictive feeling of fighting with all your might, he can't just sit back and let the opportunity to break down that wall that has been standing in his way for so long pass him by.

"You know, part of the reason I decided to become a Hunter was to become stronger in this unfair and dangerous world." Wing starts to say in a griefful air.

"My teacher, who I still consider to be incredibly strong, told me many stories about the feats Netero had accomplished during his very long life, and when I saw him fight on one occasion, his performance forged in my mind the ideal that I wanted to achieve as a martial artist."

"At what point did I forget my roots as a martial artist? Was it something gradual, or did it happen when I decided to become a Shingen-ryu master? Whatever the reason, the truth is that I got lost somewhere along the way."

"But now, you have managed to awaken in me the flame of passion that I thought had long since been extinguished. So if your method is really so perfect that it can make me improve without any inconvenience, then not accepting it would be something I would regret later." Wing says smiling with a glint of ambition in his eyes.

Seeing his disposition, Kai gets up from the rock and approaches him. "Thank goodness you have accepted, otherwise I would have been left with that worry stuck in my head." Kai comments in relief as he carefully lifts Wing off the ground. "Now, it's time to reveal to you the secret behind my accelerated growth as a Nen user."

Saying this, the aura begins to form around Kai until 3 orbs roughly the size of a soccer ball are revealed hovering around him. "This is my Hatsu ability: Orbital Orbs."

"Using Emission, I project my aura outside of my body to create an orb into which I program specific inputs using other categories to give it a special function." Kai explains as one of the orbs is placed between him and Wing. "This is the Development Orb, the first one I created with this ability."

"When this orb is introduced into a person, it enhances all the innate qualities that cannot be seen with the naked eye. That is to say, it doesn't increase strength, toughness, speed or Nen ability, but everything else, such as senses, mental capacity or talent for anything you put effort into, including learning and growing Nen."

"Creating it was not a simple task, since in addition to Emission and Manipulation, I also had to develop a certain level of proficiency in Enhancement, which I don't have that much affinity for."

"I had to invest a month of exhausting training into perfecting my use of these categories, as well as the Hatsu, before I could create it. But even so, it was completely worth it, as once I integrated this orb into my body, my already high potential and growth speed skyrocketed to the point where even Satotz believed I was a different person."

"The extent of the effects varies from person to person as this ability is based on enhancing the maximum innate potential of each individual, but once you introduce this orb into your body you should feel more conscious and liberated, as if you have freed yourself from shackles you didn't even know you had."

"Well, having heard the explanation of how it works, are you ready for me to use this ability on you and help you reach new heights?" Kai asks, being answered by a serious nod from Wing. "All right, then let's go!"

With that, Kai inserts the floating orb into Wing's chest, and just as Kai had said, Wing feels a strange sense of liberation throughout his body. It's as if the wall blocking his path as a martial artist has collapsed, allowing him to once again advance in search of strength.

"It's incredible. I feel as if the nodes in my body had had a second awakening." Wing says in awe as he looks at the aura flowing in his hands. "No wonder you've become so skilled in using Nen in just three months of training."

"While this ability has certainly helped me a great deal, consistency and effort are the main reason I have grown to this level. Now that I have given you the opportunity to improve as a martial artist, you better strive to take advantage of it and not stagnate again." Kai says with an air of anticipation.

Wing nods at his statement with a pleased smile, and checking the current time on their wristwatches, both of them decide to return to the city together.

Shortly after beginning their walk back, Wing suddenly starts talking again. "By the way, there's something else I'd like to ask you. How did you know I was an Enhancer?"

This question catches Kai off guard, causing him to jump slightly, which Wing doesn't let go of.

"I had previously overlooked it because I was more focused on you and your secret training method, but now that my mind is clearer and sharper after clearing the whole matter up, that little detail has come to my mind." Wing begins to add.

"After all, we didn't know each other at all, so there was nothing that could tell you which Nen category I belonged to. So how could you tell from the start that I was an Enhancer?"

With each word Wing says, Kai feels more and more anxious, so taking a deep breath, he prepares to give an answer. "I knew this by watching your Ten's flow. For a while now, I've had the chance to see several Nen users belonging to different categories, and each one had a different Ten."

"Your Ten was quiet and soft, and it was slightly more concentrated on certain parts of your body. I've seen that same thing in some other Enhancers, so I assumed that was the category you fell into." Kai states, attempting to hide his canon knowledge with a realistic and convincing lie.

"Oh, I see. Well, I guess that makes sense. You certainly must have a lot of potential to notice that." Wing says, accepting the rationality of his explanation despite showing an obvious expression of disbelief at Kai's nervous words.

'Phew, it worked. Thanks Furykov, wherever you are.' Kai thinks, thanking the soldier of the Kakin Empire while sighing internally in relief.

Point of View Switch: Kai

Wing and I continue to chat for a while longer as we walk through the forest, and when we finally return to the city, we both give a friendly goodbye to each other and go our separate ways toward our respective places of stay.

By six in the evening, I finally make it back to Heavens Arena, finding Nicholas standing at the very entrance waiting for me to return. As soon as he sees me, he rushes over to me, concerned about my current appearance.

"Boss, what have happened to you?! You said you had some commitments to attend to, and you come back hours later covered in dirt and sweat and with your clothes in a mess! Did you perhaps run into a gang of dangerous criminals?! Or did you go hunting in the mountains near the city?! ANSWER ME, BOSS!!!" Nicholas hysterically screams with worry.

Touched by Nicholas' concern for my well-being, I let out a mellowed out smile before I begin to tell him everything that happened to me with Wing. Listening to me, Nicholas is shocked that I decided to face Wing the same day I met him, and once I manage to calm his nerves, I enter the tower with him to register for today's fights.

After a couple of matches, we both order dinner in Nicholas's room, taking the opportunity to let him inform me about the progress he has made in our agency during my absence.

"We currently have six property listings that meet the requirements we had set. Depending on how much funding we end up having in the tower, we should see how many to buy or rent based on other goods and services we may need later." Nicholas says cutting off a portion of his steak and putting it in his mouth.

"I also think we should put out some job offers so we have some staff to handle the more menial jobs, like cleaning the facilities and managing our communications with customers."

"I'm not against it, but it would be better to wait until we've finished some jobs first so we have the funds and notoriety necessary to justify hiring more people." I respond.

"By the way, did you do what I asked you to do on the Hunters' Website?"

"Yes, I went down to the city and used a library computer to check it with my Hunter license. Apparently, Hisoka is the one who attracts more attention in Heavens Arena, followed by Killua and Gon. Although they don't seem to give much importance to it either, since the information wasn't that expensive." Nicholas answers.

"As expected, we still don't have enough notoriety outside of this tower. What about Hisoka? Does the website say anything about anyone being interested in hiring him for something?" I ask, trying to get more information as I take another bite of steak.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone around. I guess the bad reputation he's earned with his bloody battles here deters anyone from wanting to associate with him." Nicholas answers.

"Should we already publish anonymous information that we are interested in getting clients?"

"Not yet. We'll wait until we win a few battles on the 200th floor first so we can attract the attention of some truly relevant people." I answer with the people I am most interested in contacting in mind.

After finishing dinner and discussing our agency's matters for the day, I leave Nicholas's room to head to my own, and once inside, I sit on the bed and flare my aura.

"Here we go." I say starting to project the aura out of my body through my open palms, staying focused in order to program its function as a Development Orb.

I continue projecting my vital energy with all the concentration and intensity I am capable of mustering until, after several minutes, my body falls exhausted onto the bed, sweaty and devoid of any hint of aura. Gasping for air, I try to raise my head to observe the result of my effort.

"Ugh, another failure. Looks like I'm not strong enough to do it all at once yet." I say, observing the deficient and incomplete orb that I have formed.

In order to ensure that my Orbital Orbs ability had the power and characteristics I desired, I had to set several conditions and vows. Among them is the requirement that the most powerful orbs require an unrealistic amount of Nen to be created and be truly functional.

The Development Orb in particular requires so much Nen that it took me five injections of my entire aura to create it in a first instance, leaving me so exhausted the first time I tried it that I decided to do it right before bed ever since.

"Well, at least it seems more complete than at the beginning of my training. I think that by injecting it with 80% of my overall aura tomorrow, it will be completed." I say before finally closing my eyes and falling asleep on the bed due to exhaustion.