Not far off…
Aoki Hiroshi paid no attention to the confrontation unfolding nearby.
He glanced briefly at the cat-like girl, then calmly looked away.
With a single thought, the aura surging inside him erupted violently—rushing upward to shatter the Crown Gate and burst into the world outside.
The Crown Gate—the Aura Nodes.
In the original material, the concept of aura nodes existed, but their precise location was never mentioned.
Hiroshi had spent time researching this.
But supernatural systems—especially those dealing in life force—shared common underlying principles.
He soon realized: the "Crown Gate" was the key.
A biological switch that had briefly opened during infancy... only to seal itself shut again.
Now, it opened once more.
SHHHHH—!
As the node cracked open, a flood of pale white Nen burst forth like scalding steam, scattering into the air around him.
For a normal person, this would be the most dangerous moment.
Once open, the aura node couldn't be closed again. If one failed to rein in the leaking Nen, they'd bleed life energy until death—often in mere minutes.
But Hiroshi's expression remained calm.
"First-Stage Gene-Lock allows C-Rank enhancement with 80–100% efficiency."
"In the 'Infinity World' hierarchy: C-Rank means basic energy circuits; B-Rank means full energy channels; A-Rank means a complete qualitative shift in life tier."
"Nen doesn't form a full circuit. It's just a C-Rank system."
A gleam of awareness flashed in Hiroshi's otherwise unfocused eyes.
He had trained with his Gene-Lock many times in his home world. He'd already mastered the First Stage.
Which meant—he could fully command Nen from the moment of awakening.
…
The others, however, didn't see it that way.
"He's doing it!"
Kite's face darkened with worry as he saw Hiroshi's aura surge.
"This is the most dangerous moment!"
"No one can help him now—it's up to his own will."
"But can an untrained civilian really control his aura?"
The proper way to awaken Nen was through the Hunter Exam, followed by official training under the Shingen-Ryu school.
Even then, many failed.
Let alone someone who'd never trained.
"Come on, big bro!" Gon whispered, fists clenched tight.
He still remembered how hard it had been when he awakened.
Even his teacher, Wing, had told him he had talent—but many others had died at this very step, unable to control the surge of energy.
Among ten people who passed the Hunter Exam, maybe one or two ever became Nen users.
"So this is how humans awaken Nen?"
Neferpitou tilted her head, watching curiously.
But quickly, her expression soured.
"How annoying. What a hassle. Humans are too weak."
"True superior species should be born with Nen—like me."
"Ugh. Boring."
She yawned, clearly losing interest.
"Hey, you over there!"
Kite shot her a glance, then shouted to Hiroshi:
"Focus! Use your imagination and will—grasp your aura! Visualize it like a blanket—"
SWOOSH!
Before he could finish, Neferpitou waved a paw, releasing a blade of invisible aura straight at Hiroshi.
"You—!"
Kite and Gon's faces turned pale.
At this moment, any attack would be fatal.
"I told you—I'm bored," she said with a cruel smile. "So I'll just let him die."
But right then—
Hiroshi lifted his head and casually stepped aside.
WHOOSH!
The aura blade flew past, missing him entirely.
"Huh?" Neferpitou blinked, momentarily stunned.
"He moved… during the surge?" Kite gasped.
"Wait—Kite! Look at his aura!" Gon shouted, eyes wide.
In the stunned silence that followed—
Hiroshi's Nen abruptly contracted, gathering inward like a thick, woven blanket.
Ten!
He had seized control of his aura, wrapping it around his body, halting its flow with sheer will.
This was the critical step in becoming a Nen user.
"He did it, Kite!" Gon cried with joy.
"He really did," Kite murmured in disbelief. "Without any guidance… he discovered Ten all on his own?"
And so effortlessly.
Kite was in awe.
Most beginners performed Ten clumsily, their aura rigid and erratic.
But Hiroshi's aura swelled and receded smoothly with his breathing—gentle, natural, refined.
The sign of a fully initiated Nen practitioner.
"To think I'd meet a natural genius in the middle of all this…"
"He awakened under pressure, opened his aura nodes without error, and instinctively mastered Ten—while enduring Pitou's murderous aura."
"This one's going to be a powerhouse."
Kite's eyes lit up.
As a Hunter, he was required to mentor new Nen users to progress in rank. Until now, he hadn't found anyone worth teaching.
But this boy—this boy was different.
Sixteen? Seventeen at most? Perfect age to take as a disciple…
Kite stared at Hiroshi with growing interest.
…
"Well, now that's unexpected."
Neferpitou hopped down from her perch, tilting her head as she studied Hiroshi more closely.
Her usual lazy grin faded.
"You managed to awaken Nen under my interference," she said seriously. "That makes you… quite the gifted human."
"And that won't do."
"For the King's sake, any potential threats must be eliminated."
She licked her paw.
WHOOSH!
Her form vanished in an instant.
"DIE, HUMAN!"
She lunged, claws slashing at speeds no normal eye could follow.
"Damn it—!" Kite rushed forward, spinning the Crazy Slots to slot #2—a giant scythe with overwhelming destructive power.
This kid doesn't know how to use Nen in combat… how the hell is he going to survive that!?