HxH: Noah’s Heart

Noah had been a novice butler in the Zoldyck Family for a week now. On this day, at 4 p.m., Noah smoothly transitioned from an inverted position while practicing his "Ten."

During this week, Noah not only became proficient in the use of "Ten," but he also learned one of the four major principles known as "Zetsu." Due to his Qi Refining, Noah could easily switch between "Ten" and "Zetsu" at will. Moreover, when he entered the state of "Zetsu," he could control the Nen within his body, integrating it into his muscles and bones, making his defense in this state stronger than other Nen users.

"Progress has been swift, but there's no room for complacency," Noah reminded himself. He hadn't forgotten what happened a week ago; his current strength was far from sufficient.

During this week, while Noah was "on duty," Illumi had come to visit him several times. He claimed it was to check if Noah was working diligently, but Noah was well aware that this mischievous character probably had ulterior motives, hoping to extract information about Nen abilities.

"Is this really the same Illumi I remember from the anime? Did his personality change so drastically from childhood to adulthood?"

Every time he thought about having to be cautious around Illumi, fearing that a slip of the tongue might cost him his life, Noah couldn't help but get a headache.

Could it be that in the world of anime, they didn't introduce a character like Noah precisely because Illumi would have killed him?

The thought was terrifying.

Noah rubbed his temples, sighing in helplessness.

"Noah."

Just as he stepped out of his room, he ran into Melkha.

"Melkha, good afternoon." These past few days, due to "work," Noah hadn't seen this senior who had provided him with a lot of experience. Meeting him now, Noah naturally greeted him warmly.

"Yeah, good afternoon. Your 'Ten' has become more solid, and your progress is truly astonishing." Melkha remarked after assessing Noah.

After mastering the technique of "Ten" to perfection, Noah could now maintain it at all times, even while eating and sleeping. Although this was a basic step that all Nen users should achieve, Noah was quite pleased with it. At least now, he didn't have to worry about being assassinated by someone like Illumi, who didn't even know how to use Nen.

"It's all thanks to your excellent teaching," Noah, with his previous life's experience, instinctively praised.

"Haha, I didn't teach you much. How's your mastery of 'stealth' coming along?" Melkha asked, waving off the compliment.

While Noah had made significant progress in Nen abilities, he hadn't made such notable strides in learning stealth. Currently, he could only move stealthily with minimal noise, but he couldn't achieve the same level of mastery as Illumi, who could appear and disappear behind someone in an instant. Noah was frustrated by this limitation.

Shaking his head, Noah sighed, "Still a long way to go."

"Don't lose heart. If you can master Nen, you can definitely learn 'stealth' with practice," Melkha reassured him.

"You're right. I won't let something as simple as 'stealth' defeat me."

"'Something as simple as 'stealth"? Haha, only you would say that. Oh, I almost forgot the important reason I came to see you today. You can take a one-week vacation now. Ashu will handle the guard duties for this week," Melkha said with a smile, recalling the purpose of his visit.

"A one-week vacation?"

There's this kind of perk?

Noah was initially surprised, then overjoyed. For him at this moment, this vacation was a huge surprise. What Noah lacked the most right now was time, and with this week off, he could focus on training and wouldn't have to endure Illumi's harassment anymore. Just thinking about it made him happy.

"Yeah, you and Ashu take turns. This week is his, and next week will be yours. Make good use of this week." Melkha blinked and then walked away.

Watching Melkha disappear at the distant staircase, Noah turned back into his room.

"One week, with this week's time, it's time to learn Ren!" He closed the door and walked into the bedroom, rubbing his hands together.

Ren, one of the four major applications of Nen abilities, involved expelling the Nen from the body's pores all at once, releasing more Nen than usual. It could be said that Ren was essential for Nen users and a crucial element.

A Nen user's strength could be judged based on three factors. First was the use of Nen, which included the four major applications: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu, as well as advanced techniques like In and En. The more proficient a Nen user was in these techniques, the stronger their abilities.

Second was the use of Hatsu, which involved manipulating and applying one's Qi in various ways, resulting in different abilities. Everyone's abilities were unique, and the strength of those abilities determined a Nen user's power.

Third, it depended on the Nen user's Nen capacity. Regardless of the application technique or special ability, they all relied on the Nen user's Nen as a foundation. When Nen was depleted, no matter how advanced the technique or ability, it would become meaningless.

For Nen users, Nen capacity was like the mana points in a game. The more mana points you had, the more spells you could cast. This concept applies to Nen users as well. The amount of Nen determined a Nen user's endurance in battle.

The only way to increase one's Nen capacity, aside from certain special abilities, was through Ren.

The method of Ren was simple. Control the Nen within the body and expel it to the maximum extent possible, similar to endurance training. Initially, you might only be able to endure for ten minutes before becoming fatigued, but with training using Ren, your endurance would increase.

Standing in the room, Noah closed his eyes tightly, slowly sensing and controlling the Nen within his body.

After a few seconds, Noah suddenly opened his eyes, and a hint of brilliance flashed in his sky-blue pupils. The Nen that had retreated from Noah's body suddenly erupted like a volcano, emanating an extremely powerful oppressive force from him.