Several long minutes passed before Sylas finally stirred. He drew in a slow breath, then pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, fragments of shattered rock scraping beneath his palms. His muscles flexed as he rose, the movement fluid—far too fluid for someone who had been writhing in agony only moments ago.
He stepped toward a smooth slab of stone embedded in the cavern wall and angled his body toward it, studying the reflection staring back at him. The dim, flickering light traced the sharper lines of his jaw, the broader set of his shoulders, the clean definition of muscle now layered across his frame.
"Not bad," he murmured under his breath, turning slightly to examine his profile. His fingers brushed across his abdomen, then curled experimentally into a fist. "Not bad at all."
When he shifted his gaze away from his reflection, he found Nagumo staring at him as if he had just witnessed a resurrection.
"You just—but—how?" Nagumo stammered. His mouth opened and closed uselessly, as though the words refused to assemble themselves into a coherent sentence.
Sylas didn't answer. His thoughts were already moving elsewhere, analyzing, calculating.
"How long was I out?" he asked instead, turning fully toward Nagumo.
Nagumo hesitated. "…About five minutes," he said quietly. Even now, his hands trembled faintly at his sides, haunted by the memory of those inhuman screams echoing through the cavern.
"Five minutes, huh…" Sylas repeated thoughtfully.
He bent down and picked up what remained of his torn shirt and sweater, the fabric stiff with blood and dust. His eyes drifted toward the divinity stone embedded in the wall. Clear holy water continued to drip from its surface in a steady rhythm, splashing softly against the stone floor.
An idea sparked. "…Let's try it."
"Try what?" Nagumo asked, brow furrowing.
Sylas extended his arm forward, palm open. "You'll see."
When Sylas had awakened his gift, he hadn't merely gained Nen—he had understood it instinctively. More specifically, he had realized his affinity.
He was a Specialist.
Specialists were known as the wild cards of Nen. Their abilities defied conventional structure, bending rules rather than following them. Unlike Enhancers, Emitters, or Transmuters, whose paths were predictable, a Specialist's power was wholly unique—an expression of the individual's nature.
They were rare. Fewer than ten percent of Nen users fell into that category in the world of Hunter × Hunter.
While Specialists could technically learn aspects of other Nen types, their true strength centered around a singular, personalized ability—often governed by strict conditions in exchange for extraordinary returns.
Sylas had been thinking one about one question nonstop since his awakening: What does someone need most when stepping into a brand-new world filled with monsters?
The answer surfaced instantly.
'Adaptability.'
His gaze returned to the divinity stone, watching the holy water drip in a steady cadence. With his arm still extended, he reached forward and wrenched the stone free from the wall, fragments of rock crumbling away as it came loose.
"Come out," he said calmly. "Scale Exchange."
Golden light shimmered in the air before him. A radiant balance scale materialized—ornate, symmetrical, suspended in midair.
His Specialist ability.
Scale Exchange: Offer materials equivalent to what you desire. If the offering is sufficient, the scale will descend and grant the requested ability. If not, the scale will remain unmoved, and all offerings will be returned.
Sylas turned toward the corpse of the Abyss Bear lying several meters away. He approached it without hesitation, crouched, and gripped its massive head with both hands. Muscles bulged along his arms as he tore it free from the body with raw force. A wet ripping sound echoed through the cavern.
Next, he plucked each claw from its paws, one by one.
He returned to the scale and carefully placed the severed head upon one plate. The claws followed. Then the divinity stone. For a moment, he paused.
Then, without flinching, he bit into his thumb and let his own blood drip onto the offering.
Pressing his hands together, he lowered his head slightly as he began picturing what he desired. "Come on… give me something good."
The scale trembled.
A violent red flash erupted outward, swallowing the cavern in blinding light. Nagumo threw an arm over his face, staggering back. Sylas squinted through the brilliance.
When the light faded, a towering two-meter bear stood before them.
Black fur. Crimson eyes. A leather satchel strapped across its broad torso.
The creature stared directly at Sylas.
Then its body dissolved into translucent energy and surged forward, colliding with him in a wave of force.
The instant it entered his body, information flooded his mind.
It had become his Nen Beast.
Its primary ability: the manifestation of ten cups of holy water per day. Each cup required a moderate amount of aura to summon.
The holy water possessed immense restorative properties—capable of healing nearly any injury. Due to its slow production, it was among the most valuable substances in Tortus.
As the stream of knowledge continued, Sylas realized the Nen Beast had inherited fragments of the Abyss Bear's former power.
Bear's Strength.
The same monstrous physical might the creature had possessed in life.
Energy Sickles.
Green arcs of compressed energy launched from its claws as projectile attacks.
"…Healing supplies secured," Sylas muttered, exhaling slowly. In a world overrun by monsters, survivability was everything.
He summoned the bear again. The massive form reappeared in a ripple of light.
Sylas circled it once, studying its build, the satchel at its side, the faint intelligence behind its crimson gaze.
"Now… what to call you."
He considered for only a second.
"Kuma. That's what you'll be called from now on."
The bear gave a low rumble in response.
Sylas transferred a measured amount of aura into Kuma—just enough.
"Kuu…"
Kuma's body glowed softly. It reached into its satchel and withdrew a single bottle filled with shimmering holy water, placing it carefully into Sylas's hand before dissolving back into energy.
Sylas stared at the bottle briefly.
Then, without hesitation, he gritted his teeth and grabbed his left forearm with his right hand.
SNAP.
The sound echoed sharply through the cavern.
"Are you insane?!" Nagumo shouted, finally losing his composure.
Sylas's arm hung at an unnatural angle.
He ignored the pain. Ignored Nagumo.
Uncorking the bottle with his teeth, he tilted his head back and drank the holy water in a single gulp.
If he ever needed to heal mid-combat, he had to know.
The moment the liquid entered his system, warmth spread through his body. His blood accelerated unnaturally fast, heat pulsing along the fracture.
The bone shifted.
Mended.
Within a minute, his arm was whole again.
Sylas flexed his fingers experimentally. No pain. No weakness.
"Incredible," he whispered.
When he looked up, Nagumo stood frozen, his mind clearly struggling to process everything he had witnessed—the scale, the sacrifice, the bear, the self-inflicted injury.
Questions were written across his face.
"Nagumo."
The sound of his name jolted him back to awareness.
"What do you say," Sylas continued evenly, "to clearing this labyrinth with me?"
"I…" Nagumo faltered.
"Think it over before replying. I'll be staying here for a while."
Nagumo stared at him in disbelief. Why would someone like Sylas want him—a cripple—to come along?
"Why?" he finally asked. "Why would you want me to tag along? Wouldn't I just slow you down? Be a burden?"
Sylas studied him quietly.
"I figured," he said at last, "that you might want revenge on the ones who betrayed you."
A brief pause.
His expression darkened slightly.
"Believe me… there's nothing worse than being unable to control your own life. Only watching as something precious is taken from you forever against your will."
Sylas stepped back toward the Abyss Bear's remains, tore off another chunk of raw meat, and extended it toward Nagumo.
"So," he said calmly, "what's your choice?"
Nagumo closed his eyes as he started to remember what happened on the bridge. The grin on the perpetrator's face as he sent him falling into hell.
When he opened his eyes again, the hesitation was gone.
"This is my choice."
He grabbed the meat from Sylas's hand—and took a bite.
—
[Name: Sylas]
[Race: Monster–Human Hybrid]
[Age: 19]
[Job: Nen User]
[Skills: Energy Sickles, Threat Detection]
[Passive Skills: Iron Stomach, Enhanced Strength, Increased Regeneration, Pain Resistance, Enhanced Reflexes, Heightened Senses, Enhanced Durability]
To be continued…