Chapter 27: The Rental Demon
As he got closer to the destination, Kurapika began to feel hesitant.
He was terrified that he might hear something from Ronin that he didn't want to hear. The brilliant smile on the poster felt piercing, mocking his own despair.
After reaching the 50th floor, he heard news of Ronin crushing yet another opponent effortlessly.
Such immense strength... yet it hadn't stopped the Phantom Troupe from massacring their clan. This thought inevitably bred a seed of resentment in Kurapika's heart.
But reason quickly reminded him that Ronin was likely away from the village, just like him.
Images of the brutalized bodies of his people flashed through Kurapika's mind. A dark part of him felt relieved that Ronin hadn't been there. If he had, the death toll would likely have been 128 instead of 127.
Maybe Brother Ronin is so focused on fighting here that he doesn't even know about the massacre yet?
If that were true, then he, the bearer of this cruel news, would be the one to shatter that smile.
Kurapika spiraled into internal conflict, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.
Can I rely on Brother Ronin?
No.
He wiped his tears. I must become strong myself. I must avenge my clan. I will kill every single one of those monsters.
Ronin had no idea Kurapika was here.
He and Miria were currently in a private room at a high-end restaurant. The appetizers had just been served.
"So, you want to use a power boost to fight the Phantom Troupe?" Miria asked, skillfully cutting her steak.
"Correct. With my current aura capacity and mastery of Nen, I can't beat a Spider in a fair ring match," Ronin admitted bluntly.
He had a clear roadmap for his Nen training.
Currently, he was still mastering the basics—the Four Major Principles. He was practicing Ten, Zetsu, and Ren. He hadn't even started developing his Hatsu (Special Attack) yet.
As an Enhancer, he had prime examples to follow.
Chairman Netero pursued the pinnacle of martial arts, fusing gratitude with his punch to create the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Gon focused on charging and explosive release to create the Jajanken.
Uvogin pushed physical reinforcement to the absolute limit. Even Komugi pushed Gungi strategy to a supernatural extreme.
The common thread among the strong was specialization. They picked one thing and sharpened it to infinity.
Ronin was still in the "accumulation phase," broadening his horizons before committing to a path.
Especially since he had Ninjutsu and the Sharingan as his ultimate safety net, he could afford to be deliberate about his Nen development.
Therefore, to fight Uvogin in the ring without exposing his Ninjutsu, Miria's offer of external power was the perfect solution.
Miria gracefully ate a piece of steak, wiped her mouth, and looked at Ronin seriously.
"I can lend you my Nen."
"Conditions?" Ronin asked calmly.
Behind Miria, a small, pitch-black creature silently manifested. It looked like a cartoonish demon with bat wings—almost like a child's doodle brought to life.
As it appeared, Miria blushed slightly, seemingly embarrassed by its appearance.
"This is the Rental Demon," she explained. "We draft a contract specifying how much aura you need and when. Once both parties sign, the Demon follows you. It won't disappear until you return the borrowed aura."
She paused. "If the deadline passes and you haven't returned the aura, the Rental Demon will forcefully extract your aura to repay me."
A contract materialized in her hand as she spoke.
"The contract includes interest. For every minute you use my Nen, you must pay 5% interest on the principal amount. If the Demon calculates that you are nearing bankruptcy (aura depletion), it will forcibly extract your remaining aura to pay me back first."
She slid the contract across the table.
"Wait," Ronin said, looking at the contract. "You said you could lend me three to five times my own aura capacity?"
"Yes," Miria nodded. "That was based on my assessment of your aura before you went to Ochima. However, after your return, your capacity has increased significantly. Now, I can probably only lend you about double your current capacity."
She added a warning. "Borrowing double means the interest will be heavy. If you don't end the fight within 10 minutes, the Rental Demon might decide you're insolvent and drain you to the brink of death right in the middle of the match."
"So, your aura capacity is actually higher than mine?" Ronin was surprised.
Miria usually felt non-threatening, but this revelation meant she was a hidden powerhouse.
"You could say that. Oh, I forgot to mention," Miria smiled proudly. "I used to be a Floor Master here."
"If I borrow that much, will you be forced into a state of Zetsu?" Ronin asked curiously.
"If you borrow too much, yes, I might be left defenseless," Miria pushed up her glasses. "But the real question is: Can you afford the payment? Well? Want to rent?"
Ronin nodded thoughtfully.
Borrowing Nen came with risks.
If he borrowed Miria's aura and then killed her, would the Demon disappear, or would it continue to collect interest?
Without knowing the specific mechanics of her ability (likely a Nen Beast operating on strict rules), attacking her would be unwise. In fact, protecting her became a priority.
"One more question," Ronin said, holding the contract. "What is my current aura capacity in numerical terms?"
The risk was acceptable compared to the reward.
It also explained why Miria approached him. Her ability was tailor-made for Enhancers.
Only an Enhancer could take a massive influx of raw aura and immediately convert it into combat power without complex transmutation or manipulation.
For Miria, this was a high-yield investment. She lent aura, sat back, and collected massive interest.
She was literally a loan shark for life energy.