Chapter 9: Training

Kai and Killua watch with heavy hearts as Kurapika walks away from them. They can sense the anger and pain that drives him to pursue his enemies, and they worry that he might lose himself in the process. They want to support him, but they also respect his choice and his need for solitude. They pray that he will come back to them in one piece, and that he will find some semblance of happiness and healing.

They also acknowledge that they have a long way to go in their own journeys, especially in mastering their nen powers. They know that there are many more secrets and mysteries of nen that they have yet to discover and explore. They know that there are many more enemies and dangers that they have yet to encounter and overcome. They know that there are many more goals and dreams that they have yet to achieve and fulfill. They decide to use this time of separation to push themselves to the limit and sharpen their skills, so that they can face any obstacle that comes their way.

They aspire to become stronger, not only for their own sake, but also for their friend's sake. They want to be able to protect him, to help him, and to support him. They want to be able to reunite with him, to share their experiences with him, and to celebrate their victories with him. They also acknowledge that they have a long way to go in their own journeys, especially in mastering their nen powers.

They know that they need a powerful and experienced teacher to help them improve their nen skills, and they can think of no one better than Zeno Zoldyck, Kai and Killua's grandfather and a legendary assassin. He is one of the few people who can match Kurapika's target, the Phantom Troupe, in strength and skill. He is also someone they trust and admire, as he has always been kind and supportive of them.

They contact him on the phone and ask for his assistance.

Kai: "Hello, grandpa. It's me, Kai. How are you?"

Zeno: "I'm fine, boy. How are you? And where are you?"

Kai: "I'm fine too, grandpa. I'm with Killua. We're in Yorknew City."

Zeno: "Yorknew City? What are you doing there?"

Kai: "We were together with kurapika but he left us a few weeks ago. He said he had something important to do."

Zeno: "I see. Then did you find him?"

Kai: "No, we didn't. We don't know where he is or what he's doing. We're worried about him, grandpa. He seemed angry and sad when he left."

Zeno: "I understand, boy. Kurapika has a lot of pain and hatred in his heart. He's on a dangerous path, one that could lead him to his doom."

Kai: "Is there anything we can do to help him, grandpa?"

Zeno: "I don't know, boy. Kurapika has to make his own choices and face his own consequences. You can't force him to change or stop him from doing what he thinks is right. You can only support him and hope for the best."

Kai: "I see, grandpa. But we still want to be there for him, when he needs us or when he comes back."

Zeno: "That's good, boy. That's what friends are for. But you also have to think about yourselves and your own futures."

Kai: "What do you mean, grandpa?"

Zeno: "I mean that you have to improve yourselves and your skills, especially your nen abilities. You have a lot of potential, but you also have a lot of room for improvement. You have to learn more about nen, its secrets and techniques, its applications and limitations, its risks and benefits. You have to master your nen abilities, your aura control and output, your nen type and category, your hatsu and condition. You have to become stronger and smarter, so that you can face any challenge or enemy that comes your way."

Kai: "I see, grandpa. But how can we do that? We don't have a teacher or a guide."

Zeno: "That's why I'm calling you, boy. I'm offering you my help and my teachings. I'm willing to train you and Killua in nen and martial arts, if you're interested and willing."

Kai: "Really, grandpa? You would do that for us?"

Zeno: "Of course, boy. You and Killua are my grandson, after all. I care about you both, and I want you both to succeed and be happy."

Kai: "Thank you so much, grandpa. We really appreciate it. We would love to learn from you."

Zeno: "You're welcome, boy. But don't get too excited yet. My training is not easy or fun. It's hard and painful. It will test your limits and push your boundaries. It will make you sweat and bleed. It will make you cry and scream. It will make you suffer and struggle."

Kai: "We understand, grandpa. We're not afraid of hard work or pain. We're ready for anything."

Zeno: "Are you sure, boy? Because once you agree to this, there's no turning back. You have to follow my rules and orders, no matter what they are or how they sound. You have to listen to my advice and criticism, no matter how harsh they are or how they feel. You have to trust me and respect me, no matter what I do or say."

Kai: "We're sure, grandpa. We trust you and respect you completely."

Zeno: "Very well then, boy. Pack your bags and get ready to leave Yorknew City as soon as possible. I'll send you the coordinates of my location soon. You'll have to find your own way there by yourselves."

Kai: "Okay, grandpa. We'll do as you say."

Zeno: "Good luck then, boy. And remember one thing: this is not a game or a joke. This is serious business. This is life or death."

Kai: "We understand that too, grandpa."

Zeno: "Goodbye then, boy."

Kai: "Goodbye then, grandpa."

They have to follow him to his hidden fortress, where they are subjected to harsh and demanding training under his watchful eye and strict discipline. The fortress is located in a remote and mountainous area, surrounded by dense forests and steep cliffs. It is camouflaged by a powerful nen barrier that conceals its presence and blocks any intruders.

The fortress is a large and ancient structure, built with stone and metal, decorated with various symbols and statues. It has many rooms and facilities, such as a dojo, a gym, a library, a laboratory, a kitchen, a dining hall, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a meditation chamber. It also has many traps and mechanisms, such as hidden doors, secret passages, moving walls, spikes, blades, nets, wires, lasers, bombs, and gas.

The fortress is Zeno's personal domain and training ground, where he lives and teaches his nen secrets and skills. It is also his testing ground and battleground, where he challenges and fights his students and enemies. It is a place of learning and growth, but also of danger and death.

They have to endure physical and mental challenges, such as running for miles on rough terrain, lifting heavy weights that strain their muscles, dodging traps that trigger their reflexes, solving puzzles that test their intelligence, and fighting against Zeno's trained assassins that measure their skills.

They also have to endure emotional and moral challenges, such as facing their fears, overcoming their doubts, accepting their flaws, following their principles, and respecting their opponents. They have to follow Zeno's rules and orders, such as waking up early, eating healthy, meditating regularly, training hard, and sleeping well.

They have to listen to Zeno's advice and criticism, such as learning from their mistakes, improving their weaknesses, enhancing their strengths, developing their style, and finding their balance.

After a sparring session in the afternoon,

Zeno: "Not bad, boys. You've improved a lot since you came here. But you still have a lot to work on. Kai, you're too reckless. You rely too much on your enhancer ability and your physical power. You need to be more careful and strategic. You can't just charge in and hope for the best. You need to observe your enemy, find their weak spots, and exploit them.

You also need to diversify your attacks and defenses. You can't just use your aura to punch and kick. You need to use it to block and dodge as well. And you need to use it in different ways, such as creating shockwaves or pressure points. You need to be more versatile and adaptable."

Kai: "I see. Thanks for the feedback, grandpa. I'll try to do better next time."

Zeno: "Killua, you're too cautious. You rely too much on your transmuter ability and your speed. You need to be more confident and aggressive. You can't just wait and see what happens. You need to take initiative, create opportunities, and seize them. You also need to strengthen your attacks and defenses.

You can't just use your aura to shock and cut. You need to use it to pierce and burn as well. And you need to use it in different ways, such as creating lightning bolts or metal blades. You need to be more powerful and decisive."

Killua: "I see. Thanks for the feedback, sir. I'll try to do better next time."

Zeno: "You're welcome, boys. Remember, nen is not just a power or a skill. It's an expression of your personality and your will. It's a reflection of who you are and what you want. You need to find your own way of using nen, one that suits you and your goals.

You need to find your own balance between offense and defense, between power and speed, between recklessness and caution, between creativity and efficiency, between emotion and logic, between yourself and your partner. You need to find your own style of nen, one that makes you unique and formidable."

They also have to learn the basics and advanced techniques of nen, such as ten, zetsu, ren, hatsu, gyo, in, en, shu, ko, ken, and ryu. They have to practice their nen types and abilities, such as Kai's enhancer and Killua's transmuter. They have to face Zeno himself in sparring matches, where he tests their limits and gives them feedback.

They have to train every day, from dawn to dusk, with little rest and no complaints. They have to prove themselves worthy of Zeno's teachings and respect.

They deepen their understanding of the advanced aspects of nen, such as the six categories of enhancer, emitter, transmuter, conjurer, manipulator, and specialist; the four principles of maximization, limitation, covenant, and risk; the five conditions of affinity, focus, emotion, talent, and training; and the eight applications of ten, zetsu, ren, hatsu, gyo, in, en, and shu. They also reinforce their fundamentals of nen, such as aura control, which is the ability to manipulate one's own aura; flow, which is the movement of aura within and outside one's body; output, which is the amount of aura one can produce and release; and quality, which is the purity and efficiency of one's aura.

They apply their nen skills in various scenarios of combat and assassination, such as stealth, which is the ability to conceal one's presence and intentions; detection, which is the ability to sense and analyze one's surroundings and enemies; offense, which is the ability to attack and damage one's targets; defense, which is the ability to protect oneself and allies from harm; and strategy, which is the ability to plan and execute effective tactics and maneuvers.

They face the ultimate challenge of surviving in the wild for a month, where they have to fight against different kinds of nen beasts and animals. They encounter fierce and cunning creatures, such as giant spiders that can weave nen webs that trap and drain their aura, venomous snakes that can inject nen poison that paralyzes and corrodes their flesh, flying bats that can emit nen sonar that disrupts and confuses their senses, and wolves that can form nen packs that coordinate and ambush their prey.

They also encounter rare and mysterious creatures, such as unicorns that can heal with their nen horns, dragons that can breathe fire with their nen breath, griffins that can fly and claw with their nen wings and talons, and phoenixes that can resurrect with their nen flames.

They have to fight against these nen beasts and animals, either to defend themselves, to hunt for food, or to complete Zeno's tasks. They have to use their wits and skills, as well as their nen abilities, to overcome these formidable foes.

They have to respect and learn from these nen beasts and animals, as they are also part of the natural world and the cycle of life. They have to face the ultimate challenge of surviving in the wild for a month, where they have to fight against different kinds of nen beasts and animals.

They have to use their nen abilities wisely and creatively, such as Kai's enhancer ability to increase his physical strength and speed with his aura, which allows him to punch harder, run faster, jump higher, and endure more pain; and Killua's transmuter ability to change his aura into electricity or metal wires, which enables him to shock his enemies, manipulate objects, cut through obstacles, and create traps.

They also have to combine their nen abilities with their martial arts skills, such as Kai's boxing and Killua's assassination techniques. They have to adapt their nen abilities to different situations and environments, such as using Kai's aura to break rocks or melt ice, and using Killua's aura to light up the darkness or conduct water.

They have to balance their nen abilities with their aura consumption and output, such as conserving Kai's aura for critical moments or increasing Killua's aura for stronger attacks. They have to coordinate their nen abilities with each other, such as using Kai's aura to boost Killua's speed or using Killua's aura to charge Kai's punches. They have to use their nen abilities wisely and creatively, as they are their most powerful weapons and tools in the wild.

They also have to use their survival skills and instincts, such as finding food and water sources, making shelters and fires, treating wounds and illnesses, and avoiding unnecessary risks. They have to overcome hunger, thirst, fatigue, injury, and fear. They have to work together as a team and support each other. They have to show Zeno that they have what it takes to be true nen masters and assassins.