Chapter 3: Farewell

Kaizen followed Maha into the yard.

"Show me what you've learned so far."

"Yes, great-grandfather."

Kaizen gave a respectful nod and closed his eyes, focusing his mind. After a moment, he opened them again.

"Ten."

Ten—the practice of wrapping aura around the body—was fundamental for any Nen user. It was a constant state, like breathing. You didn't need to think about it all the time, but it had to be maintained.

There were two types of Ten. One was the passive, everyday state, like the quiet hum of a heartbeat. The other was controlled, deliberate—a heightened state for combat. In a fight, Ten could shift into various advanced techniques: Zetsu (Suppress), Ren (Enhancement), or Hatsu (Release), depending on the situation.

But in most battles, a well-maintained Ten was often enough to handle opponents.

"Good," Maha said with a serious nod, his gaze sharp and analytical.

"Now, I'll teach you more about the fundamental principles of Nen."

He raised a bony finger.

"These principles are called the Four Major Principles. They are Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu."

Maha continued, "Ten ensures aura flows around your body, preventing its loss over time. Zetsu shuts off your aura nodes completely, making you invisible to other Nen users—perfect for stealth."

He paused, his sharp eyes gleaming. "Even non-living things can appear ordinary under Zetsu."

"Ren," he continued, "amplifies your life energy, pushing your aura beyond its limits for offensive and defensive power."

"And finally, Hatsu is your unique Nen ability—the expression of your will and spirit. It's like... the special abilities of characters in those video games you play."

Kaizen blinked, startled by the analogy. Maha Zoldyck wasn't exactly the type to reference video games. He had always seemed stuck in ancient traditions, uninterested in anything modern.

Yet here he was, casually drawing from Kaizen's world.

"You... play video games?" Kaizen asked hesitantly.

Maha gave him a sly smile. "Not personally, but I do know about them."

Kaizen found himself rethinking everything he thought he knew about his great-grandfather. Maybe the old man wasn't as disconnected from the present as he seemed.

"Think of Hatsu like the skills your favorite characters have," Maha explained. "Every Nen user develops their own unique abilities, shaped by both conscious intention and subconscious desire. Let it flow naturally. Most of the time, your abilities will align with who you are."

He leaned forward, voice low and firm. "If you've been training your body and mind properly, everything will fall into place in time."

Kaizen absorbed every word, finding new depth in what he had previously only read about. Hearing it directly from Maha made it resonate differently—more vivid and real.

"Now that you understand Ten, let's practice Zetsu," Maha said, his tone signaling the start of serious work.

"Yes, great-grandfather."

Maha shared his experience with calm precision, while Kaizen listened with rapt attention. Nearby, the servant stood stiff as a statue, and the maid beside him remained equally still, eyes alert to their surroundings. It was as if they couldn't hear anything being said—silent guardians of the Zoldyck estate.

After some time, Maha stepped back.

"Try it."

Kaizen closed his eyes, steadying his breath. He remembered how Gon Freecss had instinctively discovered Zetsu during his fight with Gido in Heaven's Arena. No one had taught Gon the technique—he just felt it mid-battle, like a switch flipping in his mind.

(T/N: Gido is one of the three fighters who challenge Gon and Killua on the 200th floor of the Heavens Arena.)

"The key to Zetsu," Maha's voice echoed in Kaizen's thoughts, "is shutting down your aura nodes, stopping the flow of life energy. First, calm yourself. Silence your mind."

Kaizen slowed his breathing, letting his heartbeats grow softer until his entire being felt still, like a stone resting at the bottom of a pond.

A sparrow fluttered down from a tree branch, landing on his shoulder. Kaizen didn't react.

Time slipped by in tranquil silence.

Using the same method he'd practiced with Ten, Kaizen focused on one area of his body at a time. He slowly suppressed the flow of aura, radiating outward from his core. His consciousness latched onto the invisible aura nodes scattered throughout his body.

One by one, he mentally "closed" them.

With each node that shut off, the life energy around him diminished. The aura surrounding Kaizen thinned until it was nearly gone, like fog dissipating in the morning sun.

Finally, the last of the aura evaporated, leaving Kaizen indistinguishable from an ordinary person.

"Zetsu," Kaizen whispered under his breath.

He opened his eyes and looked at Maha.

"I did it, great-grandfather."

Maha gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Now we'll move on to the next step."

The old man glanced toward the maid standing nearby.

"Lilith, bring me a glass of water with a leaf floating on top."

The maid gave a slight bow and disappeared into the house, leaving Kaizen with a sense of anticipation.