"Of course, I believe it." Kyle's gaze was gentle and firm.
He looked past Gon, who was leaning forward slightly in his eagerness, and back at Killua. There was not only trust in his eyes, but also a heavy sense of expectation.
"It is precisely because I deeply believe in your potential, Killua, that I hope you can personally break the shackles that imprison you. It is not only a restraint, but it could also be your tempering. Killua, there are two paths before you now."
Kyle clearly extended two fingers, as if outlining two completely different trajectories.
"First, keep this Nen needle." He bent his first finger.
"Treat it as a whetstone. In every future encounter with a strong enemy, when you feel a shiver from the depths of your soul, actively confront this forcibly implanted fear."
"Use your will to wear it down, to overcome it, until its influence dissipates before your firm resolve."
"When you finally, by your own strength, remove it without being controlled by it, your character and Nen Ability will surely undergo a true 'molting,' a complete transformation."
He paused, letting the weight of his words fully settle, then bent his second finger.
"Second, remove it immediately. I will assist you, now, right here. Without its interference, your actions will regain their proper decisiveness and fluidity."
"But in return, you will also lose an opportunity to temper your spirit under extreme pressure and push yourself to break through your limits. This is a safer, more convenient path."
A brief silence fell in the cabin, the air seemingly congealed, with only the gentle lapping of waves against the hull outside the window audible.
Gon clenched his fists, staring tensely at Killua, his lips pressed into a thin line, but he forced himself not to speak, leaving the choice entirely to Killua.
Kyle, like a patient guardian, waited for the storm within the silver-haired youth to calm.
Killua hung his head low, his silver hair falling, casting a shadow that completely obscured his expression. Only his slightly trembling, slender shoulders silently spoke of the intense struggle and torment he was experiencing within.
Keep it? This meant that in every crucial battle in the future, even at the brink of life and death, this invisible thorn might act up again, making him instantly rigid, making him flee without a fight, or even… potentially making him abandon his companions and act against his true self.
But… remove it immediately? This was certainly easy, but it meant losing the courage to face him.
No, what he wanted was not just to get rid of it, but to overcome it! To completely, spiritually, defeat this fear that had been forced upon him!
Time ticked by, second by second, seemingly for a long time. Finally, Killua looked up.
In his azure eyes, the previous confusion and fear had faded, like a clear sky after a downpour, replaced by a resolute, tempered light, as if he had burned his bridges.
"I choose the first path." Killua's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear and firm, each word like a clang against the congealed air, echoing resonantly.
"I will face it head-on. I will use my own will to personally overcome the fear he implanted in my heart."
Upon hearing this answer, a relieved smile appeared on Kyle's face.
Gon, even more, cheered and jumped up, patting Killua's shoulder firmly and trustingly, flashing his characteristic brilliant smile: "This is the Killua I know! Calm and smart!"
Killua felt the solid strength on his shoulder and the unconditional support and trust of his companion. His cheeks flushed slightly, and he awkwardly turned his face away.
He habitually tried to hide the stirring within him, but the corners of his mouth uncontrollably, truly easily, turned upwards.
Yes, with such companions by his side, believing in him unconditionally, what shadow was there to fear?
Of course, facing fear, facing one's inner self, is easy to say, but to truly put it into practice is by no means easy.
It requires confronting it with reason every time fear descends; it requires forcing oneself forward with will again and again when wanting to retreat. This process is akin to a continuous inner war.
But Kyle deeply believed that once Killua made up his mind, then every successful resistance would be a weakening of the Nen needle's power and a tempering of his own will.
When he could finally completely ignore its influence and forcibly remove it by his own will, his strength, especially the cultivation of his state of mind, would surely leap to a new level that even he himself could hardly imagine.
That would be a true rebirth.
At this moment, Kyle turned his head, looking out at the boundless azure beyond the porthole.
The sky was clear as crystal, merging with the vast sea in the distance, seagulls soared, and the sun cast countless golden scales.
He took a deep breath of the salty sea breeze and, with a smile, suggested, intending to shift the somewhat heavy atmosphere to a lighter one:
"Such a good day, it's a waste to stay in the room discussing heavy topics. How about it, you two, want to have a fishing contest?"
Sure enough, as soon as he heard "fishing" and "contest," Gon's eyes instantly lit up, and his previous tension was swept away. He was so excited he almost danced:
"Yes! Of course, we'll compete! Let's set a rule: whoever catches the lightest fish, or catches no fish at all, will be responsible for tonight's dinner and washing the dishes, how about that?"
Kyle and Killua exchanged glances, and a competitive gleam instantly appeared in both their eyes. They said in unison: "Deal!"
Here, when it came to fishing skills, Gon was almost a master. Having grown up in mountain forests and streams, he had an almost instinctive intuition for fish behavior.
Kyle and Killua, theoretically, were about evenly matched—Kyle was a standard "fishing newbie" back on Earth.
Killua, on the other hand, was a complete novice, but exceptionally gifted and full of competitive spirit.
In other words, the key to victory in this three-person competition was almost certainly between Kyle and Killua: fiercely competing to "not come in last."
The three immediately took action, rummaging through the pirate ship's storage hold for suitable fishing gear.
Each chose their position, Kyle at the bow, Killua at the port side, and Gon at the starboard side, rubbing their hands together, ready to go.
Kyle knew that bait was crucial for catching big fish.
He carefully observed the shadows darting beneath the sea, his gaze fixed on a rather robust sea fish leisurely swimming.
He held his breath, his index and middle fingers of his right hand held together. The "Nen" within him was instantly mobilized and condensed, an invisible flow of aura smoothly moving to his fingertips.
At the moment of aiming, the aura from his fingertips shot out like a bullet from a barrel, precisely piercing the fish's body.
"Hey! Kyle!" Killua immediately called out in dissatisfaction, pointing over here, "We're having a fishing contest! Are you cheating?"