Chapter 125: Chapter124
"Uh..."
Luzurus froze, his mind spinning quickly.
After a brief silence, he hesitantly pointed at himself.
"For... me?"
He spoke uncertainly.
"Not bad, you're not entirely clueless to the point of being utterly manipulated," Morin said, casting an appraising look at him.
Luzurus blinked.
"Even though you're complimenting me, why does it feel like you're mocking me instead?
"And since you're not here because of what happened that night, then you must be here for me personally, right?
"I'm not so dense as to completely miss that..."
His eye twitched slightly, but deep down, he felt uneasy about being alone with someone as ruthless as Morin.
Although Luzurus himself didn't value his life all that highly, someone else's life and his own were two entirely different matters.
"Can I ask what... you're here for?" Luzurus cautiously added honorifics in his speech.
"I'm here because I find you interesting," Morin said, glancing at him up and down. Then he suddenly smiled.
"I'll get straight to the point, so I don't scare you," he said casually. "Your personality suits me, and your talent meets my standards—barely. So..."
Morin's tone grew serious.
"I intend to take you as my disciple."
"...Huh?"
Luzurus's mind blanked for a moment.
Did I just hear that correctly?
This ruthless man wants to take me as his disciple?
He stared at Morin, dumbfounded. After shaking his head a bit and rubbing his face, Luzurus forced a stiff, mechanical smile.
"Apologies, I didn't quite catch that. Could you... repeat what you just said?"
"I said, I intend to take you as my disciple," Morin repeated, adding, "and as my second disciple at that."
Silence.
Suddenly, it all made sense to Luzurus.
A ruthless maniac like him, capable of playing such twisted games, couldn't possibly have a normal state of mind.
Now he's even coming to me with nonsense, trying to drag me into it.
"Taking a disciple is a serious matter. Can we... take some time to discuss this?" Luzurus suggested cautiously.
Like hell! Have I gone mad? Giving up my life as a prince to become some maniac's so-called disciple—and a second disciple at that?!
Outwardly composed and cautious, Luzurus was internally exploding with complaints. His mind spun with so many criticisms that he couldn't even focus on a single point.
"Oh? And what would you suggest?" Morin asked with a faint smile.
"At the very least, shouldn't we inform my family, especially my father, about this?" Luzurus said, nervously rubbing his hands and laughing awkwardly.
Seemingly able to see through Luzurus's insincerity, Morin didn't say anything but merely smiled.
Before Luzurus could react, Morin's large hand suddenly clamped down on his head.
Luzurus was alarmed.
'Is this it? Did my refusal anger him, and now he's going to kill me on the spot?'
'Damn it! Was it because he seemed less threatening for a moment that I let my guard down?!'
'This is a man who kills without blinking! How could I be so foolish as to negotiate with him?!'
'If I had known, I'd have agreed right away! Being his disciple is better than dying here for no reason!'
In that instant, countless thoughts swirled through Luzurus's mind.
Just as he was about to swallow his pride and agree in order to save his life, something unexpected happened.
A powerful force began surging from deep within his body, flowing outward!
"What... is this?!"
Having never experienced such a sensation, Luzurus was caught off guard.
"Focus your mind and guide that power properly!"
Morin's steady voice rang in his ears, grounding him. Luzurus immediately followed Morin's instructions.
"Not bad—your talent is real. Looks like I'm not dreaming," Morin murmured to himself as Luzurus gradually got the hang of guiding the energy within him.
The powerful force that had initially overwhelmed Luzurus was now becoming more familiar under his control.
"This isn't too difficult," Luzurus muttered, like a child discovering an exciting new toy, experimenting with the energy flowing through him.
"Already?" Morin raised an eyebrow, impressed by how quickly Luzurus was adapting.
"This is even faster than when Nobunaga first learned to control his aura."
Luzurus's learning speed surpassed Morin's expectations.
Initially, Morin had chosen Luzurus as his second disciple because of his straightforward character and simplicity, which made him easy to manage.
Luzurus had first caught Morin's attention when the Fourth Prince mentioned him during discussions. On the Black Whale, each prince could only bring 15 bodyguards. To expand their influence, they needed to infiltrate the Hunter Association with loyal followers.
However, Luzurus had carelessly leaked assassination orders against other princes to his subordinates without proper preparation. As a result, when Kurapika used his lie-detection abilities, Luzurus's unprepared subordinates failed and were disqualified.
This first impression painted Luzurus as someone a bit dimwitted.
It was precisely for this reason that Morin decided to plant Luzurus as a "sleeper agent" within the Kakin royal family, ensuring he had a pawn in place when the voyage to the Dark Continent aboard the Black Whale began.
Now, however, Luzurus's latent talent was proving to be a pleasant surprise.
"Well, it makes sense—the Kakin royal family isn't lacking in potential."
The First Prince, Benjamin, and the Fourth Prince, Tserriednich, both displayed exceptional talents.
Tserriednich, in particular, was deemed "someone who must never be allowed to learn Nen."
His extraordinary potential had manifested during his water divination test, where he turned the water filthy, identifying him as a Specialist. Within just a few days, he not only mastered the basics of Nen but also naturally developed the ability "Ten-Second Precognition," which could foresee the future!
As a direct sibling of Tserriednich, it was only natural for the Seventh Prince, Luzurus, to have considerable talent as well.
"Though he's not as monstrous as Tserriednich or Halkenburg, his talent isn't far off from Gon or Killua's."
Watching the aura emanating from Luzurus, Morin silently assessed.
Even if Luzurus wasn't on par with the story's main prodigies, his talent still ranked among the top tiers of this world.
Morin, initially intending to use Luzurus for a mere alliance, now found himself genuinely interested in teaching him.
Years down the line, when the Black Whale set sail, having such an outstanding disciple could not only aid in the Kakin succession war but also provide significant advantages during the journey to the Dark Continent.
"This... what is this energy?" Luzurus asked, staring at his hands in disbelief.
"This is the life energy sealed within your body, called aura."
"Aura?"
"And the power to manipulate aura for offense and defense is called Nen."
"Nen?!" Luzurus, hearing these terms for the first time, felt as though a door to an entirely new world had opened before him.
"So, this is what those bodyguards were using..." he muttered. "I thought it was just physical training that made them stronger than ordinary people."
Luzurus had been completely unaware of Nen's existence, as had most of the royal family. Only the First Prince, Benjamin, and the Second Prince, Camilla, knew of it. Even Tserriednich only learned about Nen after Kurapika explained it through a transmitter, prompting him to have Theta teach him.
"Right now, I feel better than ever!" Luzurus exclaimed, clenching his fists as his eyes sparkled.
"I wonder if my father and brothers know about this power..."
Morin saw through Luzurus's thoughts and spoke directly.
"I can't say whether your brothers have mastered Nen, but your father, Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, is indeed a Nen user."
"My father knows Nen?!" Luzurus was taken aback. He didn't doubt Morin's words but instinctively asked:
"Why would my father keep such knowledge from us and not teach us this power?!"
Subconsciously, Luzurus had already placed Morin on a pedestal, treating him as a mentor.
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