Chapter 302: Can You Keep a Secret?

“Hehe... I didn’t say a thing, alright?” Vanessa says, her Aura spiking, clearly intimidating the rookies into keeping quiet. “You heard... nothing!”

Is she now intimidating them because of her own mistake... so silly. It’s a little cute.

“If you think... you’re gonna get away with that... you are quite naive,” Auren says in an excruciatingly slow voice, pausing twice during the sentence.

“Hehe... it was nothing, nothing, let’s just move on,” Vanessa says, acting stupidly innocent.

“Master... you should let me speak for you in the future,” Leroute says, amused by Vanessa, tugging on her arm, her face flushing with delight.

Is she... someone like that? I guess I can understand; Vanessa better be careful, or she’ll become her pet... she thrives on manipulating people; she’s a gambler, after all. Though while Vanessa is silly and honest to a fault... she can be smart, deceptive, and incredibly intelligent... too if she truly wants to. She just chooses to live simply and she trusts us, which is why her guard is down.

Neffi, meanwhile, just nods. “It was bound to happen... after all, it’s Vanessa’s biggest charm point. In the end, I can’t imagine it going any other way. It’s our fault for not specifically warning her.”

“You might be onto something...” Auren admits. “It couldn’t be avoided...”

Seeing Vanessa smile awkwardly, Auren, whose mood has mysteriously improved thanks to the raincloud above him, smiles back at her. “It’s fine... by now, it’s just a word. In truth, I had already decided to tell you anyway.”

“Hatsu... Nen...” Auren says. “You four will most likely hear those words for the rest of your lives.”

“And what do they mean?” Kurapika asks curiously, the other three staring at Auren as well. “Surely they are related to these mysterious abilities. Not only your own, but also Miss Vanessa’s, the chairman’s... and even Hisoka’s and Illumi’s.”

“What do they mean, you ask?” Auren repeats. “For me... they are a large part of my motivation in life. I’ve been studying... Nen since I was six years old. It’s the reason I’m still alive... without Nen, I’d be nothing. A life without Nen is barely worth living to me. It’s similar to living a life without sight... then slowly but steadily obtaining it, only to lose it again. You can only appreciate it once you’ve experienced it yourself.”

“You can be honest,” Auren continues. “Surely that isn’t what you’re really after. What is it that you actually want to ask?”

“Indeed,” Kurapika says with a dry smile. “Can you teach us how to use it?”

“Why do you want to learn it?” Auren asks in return.

“... I have my goals... and if I’m right, my targets... can use that ability as well,” Kurapika explains.

“The Phantom Troupe... every single member is a highly skilled Nen user, among the best in the world. Every single one is highly skilled in a particular ability. I know almost all of their Hatsus, and they have a great balance of fighters and various support members. Combined, they’re almost unbeatable and a terrifying fighting force,” Auren says.

“You...!” Kurapika mutters, standing up. “You know them... and their abilities?”

“They meddled in my business... around three years ago. In the end, I killed one of them and made a peace deal with the rest. They wanted me to join, but in the end, I refused. I have a fairly amicable relationship with them, though.”

“You... I... how?!” Kurapika says. “Tell me! Everything!”

“And then? Will you take revenge?” Auren asks. “Hisoka... he’s one of them too, though his motives are unclear. He might just be playing games with them, but... officially... he’s a member. If you want revenge, simply start with him. If you can’t beat him, then give up.”

“Hisoka!” Gon yells. “He’s... one of them?”

“I can’t believe you killed one of them when you were just thirteen... that’s only a year older than us...” Killua, meanwhile, points out. “My dad killed one a long time ago, and he said it wasn’t worth it. That’s the highest praise he can give a target... he warned me against ever approaching them. Apparently, he really struggled during the fight.”

“To take down a Troupe member... at age thirteen... you are quite far ahead of us... there can only be one reason. You said you learned... Nen at age six... that must be the difference... without it...” Killua continues, carefully analyzing.

“I wouldn’t have stood a chance,” Auren finishes Killua’s sentence. “I’m telling you because that’s the reason Illumi freed you. Apparently, your family does not teach its heirs directly. They hope any heir will first learn on their own, experience new things, and then eventually improve the family’s knowledge. Later on, your brother, dad, and grandfather might teach you, if you’re interested... but for now... you’ll be learning from me... if you want to...”

“I’m not too keen on it, but I thought it was rather sad seeing you... controlled,” Auren admits. “It’s a painful and cruel way to live, which is why I’m going through this hassle in the first place.”

“Yes... that’s true,” Leorio says.

“Thank you for saving him!” Gon says, smiling widely.

“So you’ll... be teaching Killua?” Kurapika asks.

“If he wants to, yes,” Auren replies honestly.

“Teach me...!” Killua pleads, his desperation audible. “To be free... I need the strength to stand on my own.”

“Do you know why I interfered in the exam?” Auren asks, not waiting for the rookies to reply. “For a Non-Nen user... even the weakest Nen user is almost unbeatable. It’s a basic matter of fairness. I could deal with hundreds of fighters like you, Killua... just because of Nen. You are right... without it, you’ll be a pawn, incapable of doing anything. That also means... even if you learn Nen... it takes years of dedicated training to be able to measure up to true experts... like your brother. In a sense, you four are quite far behind. Dreaming of taking on the Phantom Troupe? Forget it... it’s not only unrealistic; it’s suicidal.”

“... There must be a way... I still need to learn it...!” Kurapika says, his eyes full of desperation. “You killed one of them when you were only thirteen... surely there are ways.”

“I’ve trained for seven years before that happaned... and I have risked my life so many times... my strength was earned by sacrificing twenty-three other kids, leaving me as the sole survivor. I also had my weapon with me.” Auren states, not feeling the need to hide anything. 

“...”

“...”

Realizing what Auren just said, Kurapika looks visibly stunned and frustrated. “How... can we already be this far behind?! I thought I could finally catch up... as a Hunter! Damn it...!”

Poor guy... but that’s the truth!

“...”

“...”

“So Illumi... is a strong Nen user?” Killua asks, cutting through the silence.

“I’d say one of the strongest. Easily as strong as the founding Troupe members. Even among them, he’d rank highly. About even with Hisoka... maybe just a little weaker... but it’s hard to compare them, as their styles are radically different,” Auren explains.

“Do you know who’s stronger than both of them?” Auren asks them, surprising the rookies.

“Heh, I won’t fall for it this time,” Leorio says. “You’re gonna brag and say it’s you, right?”

“Not quite... I’d say... I’m about even with them... though thanks to a couple of special items... I may very well have the advantage over them.”

“Your sword... your gloves, bracers, and boots,” Killua says. “Anyone who watched your Heaven’s Arena matches knows.”

And my necklace... but there’s no need to tell him.

“Exactly... but the one I was talking about... is your father... Gon!” Auren says, Gon’s eyes widening.

“My father... so he’s one of the strongest Hunters?!” Gon asks, his eyes lighting up.

“He’s probably at the very top... close to Netero,” Auren guesses. “Though I’ll get there... in a year, I’ll surpass him... and in two, I’ll surpass Netero!”

“... heh, and I’ll surpass you as well!” Vanessa declares. “And when I do...”

“It won’t happen,” Neffi says, smiling. “But you can keep trying.”

“If you do... you can wish for anything,” Auren says.

Might as well keep her motivated.

“Deal!” Vanessa says, her expression serious.

She’s taking it seriously... it won’t happen.

“Anyway... as for the items you mentioned. I’m mainly a Treasure Hunter; I collect rare objects, mostly gear and weapons that fulfill a special condition... maybe you’ll eventually learn about it,” Auren explains, grabbing the only Ben’s Knife he’s carrying with him, the very one he first collected together with Eren in Yorknew.

“A Ben’s Knife!” Killua says. “So they count? When you visited, you told us, and Dad gifted you one... he praised your collection.”

“They are special... not as much as my other equipment, but they’re definitely extraordinary,” Auren says, sliding the knife over to the rookies. “Even you, as someone uninitiated, should feel that. If you do, you have sharp senses and have good instincts. If you don’t... it doesn’t mean much, so there’s no need to be depressed.”

All four of them examine and touch the knife one after another, every single one of them except Leorio, who looks lost, feels something mysterious inside the knife.

“It’s super sharp... despite looking ancient. It also feels... heavy,” Killua says.

“Yes... like there’s something making it deadly. It feels like there’s something invisible around it,” Gon says.

Kurapika, meanwhile, stares at it. “It feels... slightly dangerous. Like it may contain a thousandth of your, Hisoka’s, and Illumi’s hostility.”

“That’s all correct, I guess,” Auren says.

“Not bad, rookies!” Vanessa says, clapping, then looking at Leorio. “Don’t worry about it, tough guy. I’m not too sharp with these things either. It doesn’t say much... there are different types of people.”

“Hehe... really?” Leorio says, rubbing his head awkwardly.

“...”

“...”

This guy is fun to play around with. Wasn’t he an Emitter? Just like Vanessa.

“Can you keep a secret?” Auren suddenly asks the group, before resting his gaze on Leorio.

“S... sure...” Leorio mutters nervously. “Believe me!”

“... That’s not quite convincing... Leorio!” Kurapika says, a hint of anger visible on his face, his eagerness to learn more quite apparent.

“Well, not that it matters at this point,” Auren says, smirking. “Nen is a secret... it generally isn’t allowed to be taught openly. Though there is an exception... a secret trial, so to speak... and to attempt it... to obtain the qualifications needed to be taught by someone qualified... you first need to become a Hunter.”

“A...”

“Hunter... I see,” Kurapika says, instantly realizing the meaning of Auren’s words.

“Hunter!”

“Hunter?!”

Gon and Killua realize it as well.

All three of them almost respond at the same time, with only Leorio lagging behind a little, not quite understanding.

“Huh? I don’t get it...”

“Meaning...” Auren says, smiling, having expected this result. “In theory... there is no need for me to teach you at all. In the end... sooner or later, someone will approach you. It could be one of the examiners you saw during your exam, it could be one of the assistants in the black suits who stayed in the background, it could be any random Hunter interested in teaching... as long as that Hunter has gathered enough reputation and the Association is aware that they are qualified to teach... you’ll be taught by a chosen Hunter... the very basics, at least.”

Realizing the hidden secret of the exam, all four of them nod, realizing the opportunity in front of them.