HxH: Noah’s Heart

The immense aura surrounded Noah from head to toe, and an invisible pressure filled the room.

It was now Noah's second vacation, and he had been practicing for over half a month.

He had made significant progress in his aura capacity during this time. Not only that, but his previous training in Ren, Zetsu, and even Hatsu had become more proficient.

His mastery of stealth techniques had improved as well.

Reaching this level was not only due to Noah's innate talent but also his unwavering dedication to training, which earned him the admiration of Gatoh and others.

Except for mealtime, Noah had spent almost all his time in his room, tirelessly practicing.

Initially, he focused on Nen training. When he reached his limit and exhaustion set in, Noah switched to Qi Refining. After restoring his physical stamina through Qi Refining, he resumed Nen training.

This continuous cycle ensured that Noah's strength grew every minute and every second.

Noah opened his eyes and glanced at the clock on the table. The clock's hands pointed precisely at one o'clock.

"Phew, forty-five minutes. I should consider this time barely passable." Breathing slightly heavily, Noah couldn't help but smile.

"With this foundation in aura, it's time to start practicing more advanced techniques."

Muttering to himself, Noah didn't begin Qi Refining, as he usually did. Instead, he took off his upper garment, hummed an unknown tune, and walked into the bathroom.

Before he delved into more advanced Nen techniques, Noah needed to adjust his physical and mental state.

Prolonged training not only exhausted his body but also placed a mental burden.

While Qi Refining could alleviate fatigue and invigorate the spirit, it couldn't completely eliminate the accumulated exhaustion over time.

During such moments, Noah typically opted for a shower and a good night's sleep, followed by the next stage of training.

After coming out of the bathroom, yawning, Noah collapsed onto the soft, plush bed. Before long, the bed emitted a low, rhythmic breathing sound.

…

At this moment, just as Noah had drifted into slumber, in the nearby bushes close to the butler's quarters, Gatoh stood respectfully in front of a tree.

Before him, a handsome black-haired youth in a black and green short-sleeved shirt leaned against a tree trunk, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Illumi, is it your intention to have Noah accompany you on your next outing?" Gatoh inquired with a respectful tone, confirming the information he had received from Illumi moments ago.

"That's right, I need someone to assist me with the next target." Illumi said casually, gazing towards the direction of the butler's quarters.

"I told you this because Noah tends to disappear during his breaks. So, pass this on to him, let him prepare, and be ready to depart at any time, understood, Gatoh?" Illumi's gaze shifted back to Gatoh.

"I understand. I will inform him." Gatoh replied.

The Zoldyck Family members never asked for assistance on their missions unless they faced exceptionally challenging targets.

Even in such cases, the assistance typically came from within the family, not from the butlers.

So, Gatoh was skeptical about Illumi's statement.

Gatoh was aware of the complicated relationship between Illumi and Noah. He knew that Illumi had been seeking ways to learn Nen abilities from Noah.

However, Gatoh, as the head butler, had no authority to intervene in Illumi's affairs. He could only reluctantly accept Illumi's "notice."

"Ah, Noah, Noah, you better be prepared. I hope you can handle the pressure and not say things you shouldn't," Gatoh thought as he looked at the empty tree trunk in front of him.

At 8 p.m., Noah promptly opened his eyes, got out of bed, and stretched lazily.

He let out a satisfied yawn, not knowing that due to Illumi's influence, he was about to find himself in an extremely awkward situation.

However, he would soon find out.

"What did you say?" Noah, who had just finished dinner and was considering his next training step, encountered Gatoh on his way back to his room. Upon hearing Gatoh's words, Noah felt a sense of unease.

"Illumi… Young Master wants me to go on a mission with him in the next few days," Gatoh said. "He asked me to inform you, so be prepared."

Damn it! That annoying brat! Why does he keep clinging to me like this!

Noah shouted in anger in his mind.

However, even if he was reluctant, like Gatoh, Noah knew that this was unavoidable.

Since Illumi had already said it, and there were no specific instructions from the Zoldyck Family, this time, he had no choice but to go along as a "helper."

"Young Master has taken an interest in you, which could be considered lucky. Remember what a butler should do," Gatoh said as he left, just as he always did.

Lucky my foot! If you think it's lucky, why don't you go instead?

His good mood was completely ruined by this sudden "bad news," and Noah sighed as he returned to his room.

"Well, that brat just wants to learn Nen abilities from me. I just need to guard this aspect and not give him an opportunity."

"Moreover, this might be a chance to leave the Zoldyck Family."

"Ultimately, it's a lack of strength. I have to train and quickly get out of this passive position."

Having made up his mind, Noah pushed aside the distractions in his mind. His body shook, and a powerful aura erupted from him.

Apart from the four major Principles of Nen, Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu, Nen abilities also included advanced techniques derived from these categories.

In fact, one of the advanced techniques Noah had been practicing during this period was called "Ken."

Ken was a technique that combined Ten and Ren. While using Ren, it also employed Ten to envelop the body with a surge of aura, thereby enhancing both offense and defense.

Since maintaining Ken required continuously activating Ren, it consumed a significant amount of stamina.

However, in battles between skilled Nen users, both sides usually maintained Ken because it effectively defended against attacks from all directions.

So, from another perspective, if one of the opponents used Ken in the battle first, it could often determine the outcome of the fight.