"Linna, thank you for looking after us during our brief stay."
Today marked our temporary departure from the Kazama-ryu Dojo. There were still a few days before September, but accounting for travel time to Yorknew City, we had to leave today. We couldn't risk keeping Leorio waiting. It had been over six months since I last saw him during the Hunter Exam. I wonder how he's doing?
"Please do not speak of it as a burden! Sen… Aisha-san is welcome to stay for as long as she pleases! …And of course, your disciples as well. Thanks to you all, our headquarters has been invigorated. Sparring against formidable outside martial artists has sharpened the minds and bodies of all our disciples. We are deeply grateful."
"No, we are the ones who received invaluable training at Kazama-ryu," Kurapika bowed respectfully. "Lady Linna, thank you very much."
"Thank you so much!" Gon chimed in cheerfully.
Seeing Kurapika and Linna exchange cordial bows brought a smile to my face. The tension between them had completely softened. What once consisted of cold scowls and biting remarks had transformed into genuine martial mentorship.
"Hey, Aisha, I know my contract ended, so I don't really have the right to nag…" Bisky sighed, eyeing my clothes. "But won't you reconsider your wardrobe?"
"I refuse."
Finally! At long last, I was free to return to my comfortable, practical athletic gear! With our contract concluded, there was no longer any need to suffer through frilly dresses!
"Ah, what a tragic waste. You're missing out on so much, Aisha… Maybe I should tag along with you after all?"
Bisky had decided to remain at the headquarters for a little longer. The Greed Island player screening by billionaire Battera was scheduled after the Southernpiece Auction on September 10, so she was in no rush. We, too, would need to purchase an auction catalog to enter the venue once we arrived.
"Bisky is entirely correct!" Linna agreed fervently. "Aisha-san should cultivate her personal elegance—"
"I am cultivating myself plenty as a martial artist."
"You're over-cultivating…" Bisky deadpanned.
Nonsense. Even now, I still cannot guarantee absolute victory against Netero. Until I can beat him decisively, slacking on my training is out of the question! …Wait, did my Absolute Obedience / Geass truly dispel? Lately, I'm not even sure anymore.
Well, not that I have any intention of letting my skills rust anyway.
"Gon-kun, Killua-kun, farewell for now! Make sure you listen to Aisha-chan and do your best!"
"Shion-san, thank you! Take care of yourself too!"
"Stay healthy, Shion," Killua waved.
Shion and Kastro had also come out to see us off. Kastro had already earned immense respect throughout the dojo as Linna's direct indoor disciple—an unprecedented honor for someone from outside the school.
"Yes! When Wing and I hold our wedding, I'll invite everyone!"
"Thanks! I hope you get to see Wing-san soon!" Gon smiled.
"Hey, Gon, don't mention—!" Killua tried to warn him, but it was too late.
"…Ahhh, Wing! It's already been 68 days, 12 hours, and 32 minutes since we last met! I want to see him so badly… My Visual Memory / Treasure Folder is reaching its absolute limit!
…Should I invent a new Nen ability? What kind would work? Conjuring a duplicate Wing? No, my Manipulation affinity is too low to control him accurately, and besides, that feels like cheating on him! Telepathy for his voice? No, a phone call does that already… and a voice alone isn't enough! What I really need is a way to see him regularly—specifically, roughly twenty-four times a day!
If I could do that, all my worries would vanish! But to do that, I'd have to sneak out of headquarters… and if I get caught, I'll end up like Tonpa-san! I'd become a prisoner trapped in an iron dungeon… Gasp! A captive princess rescued by Wing! A prince upon a white steed?! C-Calm down, me! 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17… phew!"
"T-Too late…" Killua groaned, clutching his face. "You idiot! You've spent a whole month around Shion—you should know how to handle her by now! Gon, what did you even learn at Kazama-ryu?!"
"Nen training! Definitely not 'how to handle Shion-san'!"
"That's it! I just need to create a Teleportation Hatsu! Emission is slightly further from my category, but if I restrict the destination strictly to Wing's side, my burning love for Wing will blow right past the affinity penalty!"
"Hey, Linna-san," Killua whispered nervously. "Are you really sure this person is your top candidate to succeed you as head of the entire global dojo?"
"…I am beginning to suspect… that I may have acted somewhat hastily…" Linna muttered, looking away.
Good to see Shion operating in peak form as always.
As Shion continued her manic monologue and Killua fired off rapid-fire retorts, Kastro approached me with a calm, composed expression.
"Kastro-san."
"Aisha-san. I owe you a debt of gratitude that words cannot express. I intend to repay it in the only way a martial artist can."
His eyes held an unwavering resolve.
"I will become stronger. Stronger than anyone—stronger than Hisoka, and stronger than you! …So, Aisha-san, promise me that you will fight me again one day. When that time comes… I swear I will not disappoint you!"
"...! Yes! I look forward to that day!"
A genuine, fearless martial artist stood before me. He would not stumble again.
"Everyone, it's time!" Kurapika called out.
"Right! Next stop: Yorknew City!"
"Yeahhh!"
Farewell, Kazama-ryu. Farewell, Armstol!
◆
"So this is Yorknew City! Incredible! It's early morning, and the streets are already packed!"
"The Dream Auction officially begins today," Kurapika explained. "Between tourists and dealers, the city is far more bustling than usual."
"Is Leorio-san meeting us around noon?" I asked.
"Hehe, I wonder how he'll react when he finds out we've all been hanging out together without him," Killua chuckled.
"Killua, that is mean-spirited… Wait, did you not tell him we were together?"
"Huh? Oh, I thought it'd be funnier to surprise him."
"How could you?! He was worried about where I disappeared to after the exam—I asked you to inform him!"
"Did you? Sorry, forgot. But couldn't you have just called him yourself?"
"I didn't have his phone number or home address code! How was I supposed to call him without asking?"
"Couldn't you just ask me or Kurapika?"
"Asking for someone else's contact information behind their back is improper etiquette!"
"You're way too uptight, Aisha," Killua sighed. "Anyway, Gon, you really need to buy a cell phone. It's an absolute necessity for a Hunter."
"Oh, right! I totally forgot!"
"Then let's find a shop before Leorio arrives—wait."
A distinct, focused presence was heading straight toward us. The footwork… was extraordinarily refined. Far beyond what I remembered from the Hunter Exam.
"Hey! Over here! Long time no see, guys!"
"Leorio!"
"Whoa, it really is him!"
"Aisha, your sensory perception in this crowd is remarkable," Kurapika remarked.
"Wait… Aisha?!" Leorio blurted out, rushing over. "You're alive?! We searched everywhere for you after the exam! I was worried sick!"
"I am so sorry for disappearing without a word, Leorio-san. …And thank you for worrying about me."
"O-Oh, well, as long as you're safe, that's what matters!"
Leorio had clearly grown stronger. Though he wasn't maintaining Ten, his ambient aura flowed smoothly without turbulence. He must have undergone serious training. Yet his warm, dependable nature remained completely unchanged.
"So what were you doing all this time, Aisha? Did you know we were meeting in Yorknew?"
"Hey, Leorio, we can catch up at the hotel," Killua cut in. "Gon needs to buy a phone first."
"Oh? That's my specialty! Leave it to me, Gon. I'll haggle the latest model down to dirt-cheap!"
True to his word, Leorio's bargaining skills were terrifying. He bullied the shopkeeper from 200,000 Jenny down to nearly half price, haggling down to the single-digit Jenny place until the poor clerk was on the verge of tears.
"So, did you guys learn Nen?" Leorio asked as we walked out.
"Yep, totally mastered it!" Gon beamed.
"What about you, Leorio?"
"Naturally! I learned it too!"
Wait… who taught Leorio Nen? Shingen-ryu? Kazama-ryu? Or… GASP!
"L-Leorio-san!!"
"Whoa?! What's wrong, Aisha?!"
"Leorio-san! Do you happen to possess a book called… The Black Book?!"
"Huh? How do you know about The Black Book?"
"Wait, The Black Book? Sounds familiar…" Killua pondered.
"Kastro mentioned it when he fought Hisoka at Heavens Arena," Kurapika recalled.
"Please, Leorio-san! Will you transfer The Black Book to me?! I will pay whatever price you name!"
"C-Calm down, Aisha! I'd gladly give it to you for free, but… I don't have it anymore."
"...Wh-What?"
The world seemed to spin. Gone… again?!
"Where… where is it now?!"
"Let's head to the hotel first. I'll explain everything."
◆
Gathered in my hotel room, Leorio leaned back and began his tale.
"After we parted ways at the Zoldyck estate, I took a ship back home to study for medical school. Onboard, I noticed a handsome guy who looked severely ill. Disease is disease, so I examined him. Turns out he'd eaten a poisonous mushroom. I treated him with some medicine I had, and by morning, Kastro was completely recovered.
Grateful, he chatted with me over meals. When I told him I was a Pro Hunter, he got serious and asked: 'Do you know about Nen?'
He demonstrated abilities right in front of me—heating the air, burning paper without touching it, shattering a glass bottle from across the room. He told me Nen was essential for Hunters. When I asked him to teach me, he declined, saying he was too inexperienced to instruct others. But in return, he gave me The Black Book—a manual written by the legendary martial artist Ryusho Kazama.
Reading it, I found a section detailing various Nen abilities. And among them was… a healing ability."
"A healing ability?" Kurapika leaned in.
"Yeah. It described emitting aura to heal wounds. I was awestruck. If I could master that, I could save countless people from fatal blood loss and trauma before surgery. That thought lit a fire under me. I focused on meditation with everything I had, and within a week, I awakened my aura and learned Ten!"
"That is an incredible pace," I noted, a twinge of otaku jealousy flaring up. "Though having a clear, righteous purpose undoubtedly accelerated your awakening."
"So why don't you have the book anymore?" Killua pressed.
"Well, while I was training, an intruder broke into my house at night. In a flash, he had me pinned to the floor. But when he looked at my face, he went: '…Wait, Leorio?!'
It was Hanzo!"
"Hanzo?!" we all shouted.
"Yeah! Turns out Hanzo was searching for a stolen scroll called The Secret Scroll of the Hermit. Hearing rumors about The Black Book, he suspected it might be the scroll and tracked it to me.
When he realized it wasn't the scroll, he still wanted to study it. I refused at first, but he offered a deal: 'I'll train you until you're satisfied in exchange for the book.' I agreed. We sparred and trained together, and when we were done… I handed The Black Book to Hanzo. He took off to continue his search, and I haven't seen him since."
"Ahhh…"
My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor in sheer despair.
It's circulating like an incurable plague…
"Whoa! Aisha! Are you okay?!" Leorio caught my arm. "I'm sorry! If I knew you wanted it, I never would have given it away!"
"I-It's fine… You couldn't have known."
We exchanged phone numbers, bringing my total address book count to ten.
"Now then," Leorio crossed his arms, glaring at Kurapika and Killua. "Care to explain why the three of you have been traveling together this entire time without telling me?!"
Killua whistled innocently. "Well, Kurapika was busy training… and besides, Kurapika walked in on Aisha completely naked!"
...
...
...
"DIE, YOU PERVERT!!"
BAM!!
Leorio's aura-infused fist blasted Kurapika straight into the floorboards.
"That's for my envy—I mean, for your shamelessness! How dare you see Aisha naked, and why does she call you by name while I'm the only one stuck with '-san'?! As a representative of unloved gentlemen everywhere, I sentence you to death!!"
Killua grinned evilly, joining in to kick Kurapika: "I'll help you, Leorio! (Sorry Kurapika, better you than me!)"
After Kurapika was thoroughly flattened, Leorio knelt beside him, placing glowing green hands over his bruised body.
"Diagnosis complete. Let's do this—[Mystic Palm Technique / Hoimi]!"
Wait, what did he just call it?!
A gentle, soothing aura wrapped around Kurapika, instantly mending every bruise and contusion.
"You… you named it Hoimi?" I twitched, recognizing my past-life naming habits.
"Yeah! Direct touch boosts the healing output, and studying medicine increases its effectiveness on severe injuries."
The group went on to share their abilities: Gon explained his raw Enhancer strikes (Jajanken concept), Killua demonstrated turning his aura into lightning, and Kurapika showcased his Dowsing Chain while keeping his lethal combat chains secret.
"So," Leorio asked, "what's on the schedule for tomorrow?"
"Wait," I asked, "why did everyone agree to gather on September 1 specifically?"
"Hisoka told Kurapika that if he wanted to know about the Phantom Troupe, he should come to Yorknew on September 1," Killua replied.
—!!
A massive shockwave went through my memories.
Hisoka… Phantom Troupe… September 1st… Yorknew City!
The Phantom Troupe is targeting Yorknew City!
And their target on September 1st… is the Mafia's Underground Auction!
The Mafia… Dominic Cosa… My father!
"Kurapika! Where is the Underground Auction taking place tonight?!"
"What?! Aisha?!"
"Tell me! Where and when?!"
"It changes yearly, but the Hunter website should have the classified listing—"
Before he finished speaking, I slammed open my laptop, entered the Hunter Net portal, paid the information fee instantly, and pulled up the coordinates.
Location: Cemetery Building Underground Vault.
Date: September 1st, 21:00.
Current Time: 20:51.
Nine minutes remaining!
"Aisha, what's wrong?!"
"I have to go!"
Without waiting another second, I threw open the balcony doors, vaulted over the railing, and plummeted into the night sky, rocketing through the neon streets of Yorknew City at maximum speed!
Please… let me make it in time!
◆
[AN]
Leorio is back! Leorio is back! Leorio's training partner was Hanzo. It might have been a bit forced just to power him up, but... Also, it's blatantly obvious what [Mystical Palm Technique / Hoimi] is parodying. Leorio understood his natural affinity and created an Enhancement ability with full conviction. By the way, as for Leorio's offensive Nen ability... most of you can probably already predict what it is, lol. Here are the details for Hoimi:
[Mystical Palm Technique / Hoimi]
Type: Enhancement
Description: A restorative ability that enhances the target's natural self-healing capability to mend wounds. Direct physical contact provides the strongest healing potency, though it can be combined with Emission to heal targets from a distance (potency drops drastically, and since it heals anyone it hits, ranged use is rare).
Healing potency is further amplified if the user understands the nature of the injury and has studied the appropriate medical treatment for it. Because it doesn't align 100% with Leorio's innate affinity, it cannot reach absolute theoretical maximum power on affinity alone, but Leorio's personal resolve and medical dedication elevate its potency.
＜Restrictions＞
If not touching the target, healing effectiveness decreases drastically.
If not making direct contact with the affected wound, healing effectiveness decreases.
Healing effectiveness decreases against injuries the user cannot properly diagnose or comprehend.
Healing effectiveness decreases if the user has not studied the appropriate medical treatment for the wound.
＜Vow＞
None in particular.