Please note: This story contains significant changes from the original source material.
***
Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss—aside from the Zoldyck family themselves, I can't bring myself to dislike their butlers.
After Kurapika announced his hatsu name "Link Chain" and explained each chain's individual abilities:
Inspire Chain Modeled after Leorio, this supportive chain strengthens the user, others, or other chains through binding. While it has no direct offensive power, its design for combination use provides enhanced strengthening effects. The chain ends in an arrowhead.
Assassin Chain Modeled after Killua, this chain drains life aura by wrapping around opponents or piercing them with its blade tip. Though the most fragile, it's correspondingly thinner than the other chains, making it easier to conceal with Zetsu. The chain ends in a knife.
Titan Chain Modeled after me, this chain has no special abilities but is incredibly durable and strong. Its power fluctuates based on the user's emotional intensity toward the target, against the Phantom Troupe, it could become nearly unbreakable. The chain ends in a weight.
Guide Chain Modeled after Ging, this chain uses dowsing and subconscious intuition to lead toward the correct path. It excels in precision control and maintains good durability, making it suitable for everyday use. The chain ends in a cone.
Ruling Chain Modeled after Kurapika himself, this chain can only be used during Scarlet Eyes state. It's driven into the opponent's head to impose rules upon them. During insertion, specific emotions or memories are designated—breaking the rules destroys the designated elements permanently. Depending on the rules, it can manipulate memories or force a single desired action. The chain ends in a key.
Each chain would be materialized connected to a bracelet at the base. While damaged chains could be repaired using aura, destroying the bracelet itself would prevent materialization for 24 hours.
Kurapika was attempting to materialize five chains total, and despite the complexity, he confidently declared it was entirely feasible based on his intuition.
"Initially, I considered recovery abilities or specialized powers using full constraints. However, since Leorio will handle healing, I simplified it to pure enhancement abilities. The specialized powers also worked out better when simplified."
After hearing Kurapika's explanation, everyone pondered the implications. Killua, the first to organize his thoughts, raised a fundamental question.
"Hey Kurapika, I'll be blunt—do you really intend to get revenge? None of these abilities have high lethality, and even that last Ruling Chain doesn't seem designed to kill."
From an assassin's perspective, Killua criticized Kurapika's abilities as roundabout and unsuitable for revenge. Understanding that this harsh but honest assessment came from concern and care, Kurapika smiled faintly.
"The reason is simple—while I intend revenge, I don't particularly want to kill."
This answer only deepened everyone's confusion, and they looked to Kurapika for elaboration.
"Of course, if push comes to shove, I won't hesitate to kill. But this is a matter of sentiment—my weak aversion to death means I can't see it as proper retribution."
Kurapika glanced at Leorio, then continued with a bitter smile.
"When Leorio urged me to think about revenge before, I realized that even if I eliminated every last spider, it wouldn't satisfy me. To me, death has aspects of salvation, so showing them a living hell would be more fitting revenge."
He then looked at Hisoka with a certain conviction and asked about the Phantom Troupe.
"There are battle maniacs and sadists among the spiders, right? Conversely, there are also those devoted to their comrades, but none possess normal sensibilities that would make them fear death."
"Kukuku, indeed—myself included, everyone's screws have come completely loose ♣ Battle maniacs, torture enthusiasts, the comrade-devoted, and leader supremacists ♦"
Hearing this reaffirmation of the Phantom Troupe's abnormality, Leorio—the only one present with truly normal sensibilities—grimaced deeply. Having received confirmation from Hisoka, Kurapika's smile turned unusually dark as he explained his intended revenge.
"Using Ruling Chain's rules, I'll impose penalties for using Nen. I'll steal the thrill of battle from the battle maniacs, and memories of companionship from the devoted ones. No human can remain unchanged after losing what drives them at their core. Whether they take their own lives in despair or continue existing in meaninglessness—wouldn't that be quite a spectacle?"
Watching Kurapika chuckle quietly to himself, Gon understood his resolve was firm and spoke with forced brightness.
"Then we need to train even harder! Hey Killua, if you have any extras, could I get some regular chains?"
"Hm? Sure, a chain or two is no problem, but what for?"
"From now on, Kurapika needs to immerse himself completely with chains to materialize them. To the point of hallucinations, even."
While Kurapika himself looked most apprehensive at this prospect, seeing Killua instruct a butler to bring chains made him steel his resolve.
"So I'll be pursuing chain materialization alongside regular training. How long might this take?"
"Hard to say without knowing your limits. But I thought I saw something faint earlier, so it might not take too long."
"Oh, Gon saw it too? It disappeared so quickly I thought I'd imagined it."
"I saw it too."
"Guma!"
"Then you might materialize them surprisingly fast. Hold onto those feelings from earlier and focus on the image."
The chains arrived with unexpected speed, and Kurapika returned to his room with them, looking somewhat bewildered.
"Hey Gon, I'm planning to work on increasing my electricity output, but got any other suggestions? Seeing Kurapika create so many abilities makes me feel like I could do more too."
After seeing Kurapika off, Killua asked this question, and Gon pondered briefly.
"Honestly, developing your electrical hatsu seems plenty, but if you want more, materializing a battery or capacitor to store electricity and aura could be interesting. It'd improve your sustained combat ability and let you boost power output in bursts."
"That's great! I'll start messing around with batteries now so I can make one when I have time."
"Also, this is pretty important—make sure to give your hatsu a proper name. Same with technique names. Having them versus not makes a huge difference in stability."
"Got it, I'll think of something. See you tomorrow."
Killua headed home with the butler who'd brought the chains. After Gon finished returning the butler's bow, Hisoka also departed, claiming he needed to adjust a new hatsu. Only Gon, Leorio, and the miniaturized Ging remained.
"Alright, let's work out the details of Leorio's hatsu."
"Yes sir! Please teach me, Gon-sensei!"
Though joking around, Leorio's eyes were serious. Gon nodded and first had him choose from three paths:
First: Medical specialization with no combat consideration.
Second: Medical abilities adaptable to combat.
Third: Combat abilities adaptable to medicine.
Each had advantages and disadvantages, and Gon assured Leorio he could excel with any choice. However, Leorio didn't hesitate to select the second option—medical abilities adaptable to combat. Always being protected didn't suit his nature, but he had no intention of abandoning medicine either. For Leorio, no other choice was possible.
"The abilities I'm about to suggest are just references—you can modify them or use them as-is. But if anything feels off, adjust it until it feels right. That's what matters most."
Gon offered two reference abilities:
First: Manipulating and enhancing viruses and bacteria. Mastered fully, it could create both poisons and medicines, making him a versatile medical Nen user.
Second: Using the advanced Nen technique En as an operating room. Medical procedures within the En would receive bonuses, and mastery would make him a highly adaptable medical Nen user.
"I see. I'm drawn to the operating room ability. By the way, how would it work in combat?"
"If opponents have even minor injuries, you could interfere under the guise of treatment. Like saying they need to stay still and then flooding them with anesthesia."
"Hmm, within the En I could probably do something like your muscle communication remotely, and I could create disinfectants through Transmutation too."
After continued discussion, they tentatively settled on Leorio's hatsu:
Ability Name: One-Man Doctor
Category: Balanced use of nearly all Nen types
Effect: Designates an area enclosed by En as an operating room, providing bonuses to medical treatment. Within the En, the user can manipulate others' bodies and, with proper knowledge, transmute aura into anesthetics and similar substances.
Restrictions: ① Cannot harm opponents through non-medical means within the En ② Cannot use aura for non-medical purposes within the En③ Maximum enhancement when the subject is unconscious or entrusts themselves to Leorio ④ Basic use enhances natural healing, but actual surgical treatment provides stronger effects
Having achieved a basic framework, they decided to refine it gradually while working toward hatsu mastery. Since Leorio wasn't weak with En, he would also focus intensively on En training to expand his ability's range.
"By the way, why 'One-Man'?"
"Eventually I won't need any medical equipment or drugs at all—it's the ultimate cost reduction, so 'One-Man' it is."
Leorio proudly declared himself a penny-pincher.
After returning home and finishing his poisoned dinner, Killua visited his father Silva, the head of the Zoldyck family. Silva's sharp, intense gaze and muscular frame radiated the authority befitting the family head, appearing even more terrifying to Killua now that he'd learned Nen.
"The butlers have reported—you plan to leave home again soon?"
"Yeah, this time I'm going with a real purpose. I won't be back until at least after September, no matter how fast things go."
Suppressing his urge to cower before that low, authoritative voice, Killua met Silva's eyes directly. Silva had been lightly pressuring him with aura, but seeing Killua's lack of trembling, he inwardly praised his son's growth. However, his expression and atmosphere remained unchanged as he had Killua explain the purpose himself.
"I'm helping a friend I made for the first time. And I'm going to catch up to Gon, who called me his best friend, so I can proudly call myself his partner."
"Then swear it, that you will never betray your comrades."
Silva cut his thumb and extended it toward Killua, but after brief consideration, Killua pressed his uncut thumb against his father's.
Looking puzzled at Silva's confusion, Killua spoke with slightly increased intensity.
"I've already sworn it—to myself, no one else. I won't let anyone interfere, not even you, Dad, especially if you're hiding something."
Silva nearly reacted to those words, but whether Killua noticed or not, he continued.
"I'm being manipulated by Illumi, right? I think some of my memories have been altered too. I didn't notice until recently, and I don't know how he's doing it."
Stating this with conviction, Killua stood and looked down at the seated Silva with a bitter smile.
"I don't really get Illumi, but I know you and Mom are thinking of what's best for me. I'm grateful for that, and I don't think I could ever hate you."
He turned on his heel and walked to the door, but before leaving, he looked back with the absolute zero expression of an assassin.
"I'll advance by my own will. If anyone tries to interfere with that, Zoldyck or otherwise, I'll slaughter them all."
The killing intent Killua left behind felt both ice-cold and burning hot to Silva. Silva continued laughing quietly, savoring his son's growth, until his wife Kikyo came to protest his failure to stop Killua.
Roughly a month after Gon's group began training on Kukuroo Mountain, with their tourist visas nearly expired, they held discussions about their next steps. While only Killua had mastered his hatsu among the four, all three had reached a level where they could graduate from beginner status in Nen fundamentals. The conversation moved toward gaining practical combat experience against other Nen users.
"So starting tomorrow, we'll depart for Heavens Arena, our next training ground. We'll also be distancing ourselves from our special advisor Hisoka, so if anyone has something to tell him, do it today."
Seeing Hisoka's unusually dejected state, Leorio took pity and asked why they needed distance. Gon's reasoning was simple—Heavens Arena was an extremely public place, so they needed separate actions to prevent any chance of the Phantom Troupe discovering Hisoka's betrayal.
"Once you reach the 200th floor of Heavens Arena, you can fight other Nen users. Most aren't impressive, but with luck you might face skilled opponents under competitive rules, good experience."
"If timing works out, you could even fight me, so try to climb up quickly ♥"
Even the dejected Hisoka looked forward to serious matches with all four under regulated conditions. Everyone grimaced at the sticky aura leaking from Hisoka, and Killua, having reached the 200th floor years ago, pointed out the low level of competition below that point.
"Since none of you would struggle now, I'm thinking we should climb to the 200th floor with Ten prohibited. For all of you who now maintain Ten unconsciously even while sleeping, fighting with pure physical ability while concentrating on staying unsealed should provide good handicap training."
They'd handle the rest after actually arriving at Heavens Arena. Since this would be their last meeting before separate actions, Hisoka had something final to give them.
"Since we don't know when we can coordinate again, I've compiled everything I know about the Troupe ♦ I don't know everyone's abilities, but I'm quite confident about the categories, so use it as reference ♣"
These were individual memos for each Troupe member, one sheet per person. Starting with precise portraits, they detailed projected categories, combat styles, and personalities—everything Hisoka knew. The leader Chrollo Lucilfer's memo was especially detailed, including hobbies and preferences. All eleven memos contained enough information to build a fortune if sold to information brokers.
"I'm just copying them with my Texture Surprise, so they'll all disappear in about two days ♠"
They passed the memos around for strategic discussion, and their last night on Kukuroo Mountain continued late into the evening.
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