"That's the Aoki Hiroshi the Chairman was talking about?"
Biscuit Krueger—Biscuit-shisho to many—rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She recalled the call she'd gotten the night before and couldn't help but scoff.
"Not only did he awaken Nen under pressure from malicious intent, he also immediately mastered the Four Major Principles and advanced techniques without a mentor... and then solo'd a Chimera Ant as strong as me?"
"That's insane, no matter how you slice it."
"Even that freak Gon Freecss doesn't have this level of talent!"
Biscuit found it almost impossible to believe.
When Chairman Netero had called her last night, she honestly wondered if he'd finally gone senile.
Even naturally gifted Nen users couldn't be this absurd.
And now this prodigy wanted tutoring?
Surely, he'd already self-learned all the necessary skills.
But Netero insisted: Aoki Hiroshi had yet to develop his Hatsu—his personal Nen ability—and needed guidance.
After a moment of thought, Biscuit agreed.
"Well... Hatsu isn't exactly easy to master," she muttered. "Even geniuses struggle without guidance."
"After all, developing Hatsu requires understanding your inner self. If you don't know your will, desires, or values, you'll never shape your aura properly."
She nodded solemnly, hands on her hips.
Among the Four Principles, Hatsu—the release of one's personal ability—was the most subjective. It required infusing your aura with your convictions, ambitions, and subconscious self to catalyze a unique transformation.
Those who feared self-reflection or ran from who they were could never fully unlock it.
And that was where a wise veteran came in.
"Heh, leave it to Biscuit-sama to lead this talented boy down the right path!"
Despite her doll-like appearance—golden curls, frilly dress, and petite figure—Biscuit was actually 57 years old and more than qualified to be Aoki's grandmother.
"Time to go!"
She replied to HQ's message with her acceptance, packed her bags, and headed straight for the NGL Autonomous Region.
NGL – Luxury Suite, Hunter Association Hotel
Aoki Hiroshi sat alone at a polished table.
Before him, a clear glass of water. He filled it to the brim, then carefully floated a leaf on top.
"Water Divination Test…"
"Used to determine which Nen category you're naturally aligned with."
"More water means Enhancement… change in taste means Emission… color means Transmutation… crystallization means Conjuration… leaf movement means Manipulation."
He placed his hands around the glass, channeling his aura into it.
In an instant—
The water level rose
It gave off a sweet aroma
The color turned golden
Crystals formed inside
The leaf began to swirl like a fish swimming
All five reactions occurred simultaneously.
"Just as I thought," Aoki said flatly. "I'm a Specialist."
If the water shows multiple simultaneous reactions, the user is not tied to one of the five basic types, but belongs to the elusive sixth:
Specialization.
His aura triggered all five effects at once—clear proof of his unique affinity.
"Also... peeking isn't a good habit, Biscuit-san."
Suddenly, Aoki looked up, turning his gaze toward the window.
Three hundred meters away, atop another building, Biscuit stood with a high-powered binocular.
She had only just started observing—when Aoki suddenly looked directly at her.
His lips moved.
She lip-read the words:
"Don't peek, Biscuit-san."
"Eh!?"
Biscuit stumbled back in shock.
"That's nearly 300 meters away!"
"His En reaches that far?!"
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
She was stunned.
But Aoki had clearly spoken to her. And he even called her name.
There was no denying it.
"He's a freak."
She sighed, putting down the binocular.
Originally, she just wanted to get a read on what kind of kid he was.
Instead, she'd been caught in less than ten seconds.
"Come on… even elite users have an En range of fifty meters."
"Zeno's range is 300… but he's trained his whole life."
"How the hell does a newbie like you have En on Zeno's level!?"
Muttering all the while, she marched straight toward the hotel.
"My En's just over a hundred meters! Where did this monster come from…"
Not long after—
Knock knock.
"Come in," Aoki said without turning around.
Creak…
The door opened, revealing a tiny, doll-faced blonde girl.
"Hey! I'm the tutor you hired—can't you at least answer the door properly?"
Biscuit pouted as she stepped in.
Aoki gave her a side glance and calmly said:
"I'll pay double."
"Really?" Biscuit's pout instantly vanished, replaced by a beaming smile.
Then, realizing her reaction was a bit too enthusiastic, she quickly cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Right, first let's check your Nen category…"
She walked to the table and glanced into the glass—then froze.
The water still showed all five reactions.
"A Specialist, huh…"
She nodded in realization.
"Makes sense. No wonder you needed guidance."
"Specialist-type Hatsu is notoriously hard to develop."
Everything suddenly clicked for her.
Even if Aoki had mastered all the fundamentals on his own, developing a personal Hatsu was a whole different beast.
"Actually, I don't need your help with that," Aoki interrupted.
"Eh?" Biscuit blinked. "Why not?"
"Because," he said coolly, "I've already developed my Hatsu."
"When?" she asked, blinking rapidly.
"Just now. While you were walking over."
"…"
Biscuit's eyebrow twitched.
This kid is so full of himself!
A thick vein popped on her forehead.