Ten days had passed.
Kaizen had just begun to master the fundamentals of In and was already well-versed in Ken. With his foundation in Ren secure, he decided to focus his energy on En.
In the courtyard, Maha was absent. Gotoh stood guard at the door, keeping a watchful eye on the area.
Kaizen sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed, as he concentrated.
"Focus..." he muttered.
"Ren."
A surge of aura flowed outward from his body, radiating like a steady current.
"Aura is inherently gaseous," Kaizen reflected silently. "Through Ten and Ren, that gaseous form can be concentrated, creating a steady stream of energy that clings to the body."
He visualized the process.
"To create En, the net of aura binding my body must expand into a spherical shape. The size and density of the sphere depend on my control over Ren and Ten. This requires loosening the 'weave' without losing integrity."
Gradually, Kaizen's aura began to stretch outward. The invisible energy formed a sphere around him, its diameter slowly growing. After a few minutes, it measured about one meter—approximately his own height.
"Not bad," Kaizen thought. "Learning En is like flipping a switch. Once it clicks, the process becomes smoother."
With renewed focus, Kaizen opened his eyes, pushing his aura outward with greater intensity. The sphere's diameter expanded rapidly until it reached ten meters.
"Ten meters..." he mused. "This is using four-fifths of my total aura output. Let's test the limits."
Kaizen adjusted his posture and directed all his energy outward. The sphere surged in size, expanding until it reached nearly fifty meters in diameter.
"Forty-nine meters," he muttered with a small nod. "Not bad for a beginner Nen user at a C-level."
He withdrew his aura, letting the sphere collapse back into himself.
"It's not just about size," he reminded himself. "Precision and acuity are what really matter. I'll focus on refining that."
With his En practice complete, Kaizen moved to his next training goal: Shu.
Kaizen made his way to the Zoldyck family's armory. The room was stocked with all kinds of weapons—swords, knives, and guns, among other tools of destruction.
Maha stood nearby, his presence commanding as always.
"Kaizen," Maha began in his deep, gravelly voice, "you might think Shu isn't as critical compared to other techniques. But it can be a game-changer when used effectively."
Maha picked up a knife from the wall. Aura surged from his body, wrapping around the blade like a second skin.
"With Shu, you can enhance the durability and strength of objects," Maha explained. "Weapons, tools, even the environment around you—it's all fair game."
Kaizen observed closely, his sharp mind already working out potential applications.
"I understand, great-great-grandfather," Kaizen said respectfully. "I'll focus on mastering Shu next."
Maha nodded in approval. "Good. Keep practicing. This technique will serve you well."
As Maha turned to leave, he paused at the door. "Kaizen, when do you plan to contact the royal family of Fiora?"
Kaizen frowned slightly. "Not yet. I need to improve my skills further before meeting Nen users from the Taris Kingdom. Their techniques are said to be... unique."
Maha gave a small nod. "A wise decision. Build your strength first. Only when you're ready should you approach them."
Over the next month, Kaizen immersed himself in training. The days passed in a blur as he refined his Shu and honed his combat skills.
One afternoon, Zeno approached him with a request.
"Kaizen," Zeno began, "Silva plans to send Killua to Heavens Arena for training. Neither Silva nor I have time to keep an eye on him. Could you watch over him while he's there?"
Kaizen's brow furrowed as he recalled the details of Killua's time at Heavens Arena. At just six years old, Killua had fought his way up the arena, staying for two years before leaving after reaching the 200th floor—a remarkable feat for someone his age.
"Of course, Grandpa Zeno," Kaizen replied. "I'll take care of him."
"Good," Zeno said. "Killua is strong, but even he could use a little guidance from time to time."
Kaizen nodded, already preparing himself for the task ahead.
------------
+200 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub