Chapter 347: Episode 4

The wilderness sky is gloomy. A cool, slightly damp breeze blows over the usually scorching Sun.

Under the cloud-covered sky, I am practicing "Burning."

"Burning" is a way for Shingen-ryu to explain the supernatural phenomena caused by Nen Ability to ordinary people who do not know about Nen. He explains the abnormal murderous intent and physical strength possessed by Nen users as the secret of a special martial art.

Use "Point" to concentrate consciousness, set a target, use "Tongue" to convert the target into words, use "Training" to elevate intent, and use "Fire" to put it into action.

This is a means to keep the true Four Major Principles—"Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu"—from being made public, and no matter how you practice "Burning," you cannot obtain the power of a Nen user...

However, it is also an effective method of mental unification, serving as training to master basic thought. Ordinary people are first awakened through meditation and "Burning" training.

I can already use the Four Major Principles, but I continue to cultivate this "Burning" every day without fail. It has the significance of returning to the basics, but for me, there is an even more important purpose than that.

Focus on "Point." Cast aside your senses and perception, and find your own world.

"Tongue" turns the world into words. In other words, words are frames, and by cutting into these frames, the world appears within my heart.

Who am I?

Use "Ren" to consolidate your intent. By questioning the existence of the self, one maintains the self after separating the self.

There is also "Departure." I hear the answer of "me."

Countless versions of me appear within my body. They are undoubtedly me, but at the same time, they are others. We are a group. A collection of consciousnesses that I create and manipulate.

This is the true value of "Spirit Synchronization"—

Raindrops hit my body. This sensation pulls me back from meditation. Starting from a single drop of rain, the blessings of the heavens pour down onto the parched earth.

The rainy season has arrived.

＊＊＊

This is my first time experiencing rain. The withered earth is being moistened. The torrential rain continues without interruption. The red forest is shrouded in the sound of rain.

At first, I was happy. After about half a day, the joy returned to normal. My nest was flooded. I had no choice but to add a second floor to evacuate.

Water, usually precious, becomes less valuable when there is so much of it. Besides, it tastes strange. No, it's strange, it has no taste. I feel dissatisfied because I always drink bitter juice containing concentrated Poison.

I learned that the sky is cloudy, I cannot sunbathe, and rain is not very good either.

But there is one thing I am very grateful for. With so much water, you can perform the mizumi ritual you have dreamed of. Until now, no matter how hard I tried to collect juice, it would evaporate the next day, so I could not perform the mizumi ritual.

The mizumi method is a selection method to distinguish the six major systems of Nen users: "Enhancement," "Transmutation System," "Conjuration System," "Specialization System," "Manipulation System," and "Emission System." You only need a cup of water and a leaf. It is said to be the easiest way to check the system.

I immediately brought the stone tray I made for this occasion. I have enough water. Float the withered leaf on it, and you can start the Departure. After that, I should prepare to practice holding the stone tray with both hands, but... it is hard to say it is an ant's body. I only have three feet. I have no choice but to do it that way.

The reaction is immediate. When the leaves are on the water surface, they begin to rotate. Indeed, the leaves move... this is a Manipulation System. The development is as expected. Rather, if it were different, I would feel uneasy because of my previous cultivation method, so this is fine.

However, the leaves rotate with great force. Does this mean the quality of the Manipulation System is very good? Of course, having quality is better than having none, so this is fine... Wow, the momentum of the rotation is too strong, and the water splashed. I stopped the practice, but it continued to rotate for a while. I already know.

According to the system, the practice of the water-style itself seems to be one of them, so I intend to continue it during the rainy season. Even inside the house, this might get soaked.

＊＊＊

Now that he has discovered he is a Manipulation System, there is another task to advance. It is the new idea of "Hatsu." Here, let's organize each lineage and the "gender chart."

All "Hatsu" are divided into six categories, represented by the hexagonal chart below.

Power

／＼

Change

｜｜

Manipulator

＼／

Special

For example, as a person with control-related abilities, I naturally find it easy to remember the words of the control type. But this does not mean you cannot create other strains. Looking at the chart, it is said that one's own lineage and the lineage next to it have good compatibility, making it easy to elicit one's own ability.

If it is a Manipulation System, it is an Emission System and a Specialization System. However, since the Specialization System can only be learned by people with a Specialization System, I don't remember it being a question of compatibility. In other words, almost no other system is as easy to use as the Emission System. The Manipulation System is a broken system.

After deciding which strain you are good at, you have to make a Departure that suits you. Inspiration is the key here. "Hatsu" is the realization of all personalization such as personality, physique, experience, goals, hobbies, etc., into abilities. No matter how much lineage you have, you cannot learn an ability that does not give you inspiration, and even if you learn it, the effect will be very low.

I think "Hatsu" is the "ability to realize dreams." Just in case, anyway, I don't have the ability to realize my wishes. However, it is certain that the true desire of "wanting to become like this" forms the foundation. That is why I think it is important to first find out what I am looking for in order to create a song that suits me.

I continued to train while thinking. What am I looking for, and what kind of person do I want to become? The answer narrowed down to one. Deep in my heart, I have a dream that I want to be as clear as possible.

I want to become human.

My ideal self is not this ant. Every day, when I meditate, I see a human figure inside me. And when he finishes meditating, he is tormented by the fact that he is far from human.

The discomfort is growing day by day. Is this wish really the answer I hope for, or is it an illusion shown to me by the memories in my heart? Regardless of the truth, I cannot continue to live my life while hiding my feelings.

"Hatsu" with the purpose of becoming human. The first thing I thought of was the Manipulation System ability, which is what I am best at. He manipulates himself to turn his appearance into a human shape.

However, we came to the conclusion that realizing this plan is almost impossible. The biggest problem is the principle of the Manipulation System ability, "You cannot superimpose a Manipulation System ability on a target that has already been manipulated."

In other words, even if I create a new Manipulation System, I must cancel "Spirit Synchronization" to use it on myself. You cannot use two skills at the same time. If I cut off "Spirit Synchronization," my body should start changing again to lay eggs. I cannot do that.

First of all, no matter how good the aptitude for the Manipulation System is, there is the question of whether it is possible to turn an ant's body into a human. The Manipulation System has the ability to manipulate the human body and has the effect of changing its appearance. But even this has its limitations. The body structure and size of ants and humans are very different.

My appearance now looks more like a bee without wings than an ant. I wonder if the size is around 20 cm. It is quite large for an insect, with a developed exoskeleton covering it like armor, but its basic structure is still the same as a bug.

If I forcibly create an ability to become a half-hearted monster with human characteristics, I will be even more desperate. I don't want to look like a half-human Chimera Ant. In this case, it is better to stay as I am now.

You cannot create the ability you want in the Manipulation System. I had to think of another way. What I came up with is "the ability to create the body I want from scratch." It sounds a bit exaggerated, and it seems to be a much more difficult ability than biochemical manipulation, but in reality, this is not something that requires such a high threshold.

Although "Departure" can create various abilities depending on the person, there is naturally a tendency for abilities that are easy to use to some extent. One of the formulas for creating this Nen Ability is "Nen Bead." It is the ability of a beast created using Aura.

Many of them appear in the form of creatures such as beasts, birds, and fish. It is not that rare, just an orthodox ability. It seems I can "just" create this ability.

However, in order to realize my dream, the minimum requirements must be met.

One, it must be a transformation-type Nen doll.

One, they have the special ability to share senses.

One, it must be able to remain in an activated state at all times.

Even if it is just a Nen Bead, there are types based on the user's system. It can be said that there are mainly three types: "Emission System," "Manipulation System," and "Conjuration System."

The glowing Nen Bead is a power type. People with Emitter abilities specialize in emitting Aura from their own bodies and can put a large amount of Aura into their own Nen Beads. With this, you can increase the output of the Nen Bead, extend the activation time and range, and create multiple Nen Beads at once.

Manipulator-type Nen Beads can be controlled precisely. They can issue complex commands, and even when out of the user's sight, it is easy to create an "Auto" that operates according to preset programs. Another advantage is that even if you create multiple Nen Beads, the operability does not deteriorate.

Materialization-type Nen Beads are incompatible with Manipulation and Emission, and their performance is low on its own. Conversely, it can reproduce Nen Beads made with Aura as the Material. The materialized object is no different from the real thing and can be seen by ordinary people who are not Nen users. Furthermore, it has the characteristic of being easily imbued with special abilities.

If you want pure combat power, you wouldn't dare to materialize Nen Beads. The damage dealt to an opponent is the same even for an Aura body. It is a Nen Bead often used as a "tangler," deceiving the enemy's eyes by materializing information to disguise them.

The type I am looking for applies to this "embodiment Nen Bead." This is because, first of all, he emphasizes the reproducibility of the human body. Combat ability is secondary. It is meaningful to materialize a human body that is exactly the same as the real thing.

The problem is that I am a Manipulator. There is no need to worry about the operability of the Nen Beads. It is compatible with the Emission system, so the power should be fine. However, it is incompatible with the Conjuration System.

It is said that when looking at the gender chart, for every line moved down the lineage, the ability acquisition rate for that lineage drops by 20%. As a Manipulator, I would be "Manipulation 100%," "Emission 80%," and "Conjuration 60%."

In other words, if I were a person with manifestation abilities, I could only reproduce the performance I could have demonstrated at 100% with about half the accuracy. This difference cannot be ignored.

The concept of "Memory" is one of the reasons why you cannot create the abilities you want at will. Everyone has a threshold for remembering Nen Abilities, which depends on their talent. If you try to memorize a powerful ability, you will use a certain amount of memory, and you cannot create an ability that exceeds this limit.

Talent has a direction, and it varies from person to person. That is the six lines; if you try to make an ability that deviates from your line, you must use more Memory. And once you create such an ability, you cannot forget it. If you waste Memory by creating inappropriate abilities, it will be irreversible.

One of the abilities I remember is called "Double." It is the ability to materialize a person who is exactly like oneself. This can also be called a type of Nen Beast. It is very similar to the ability I am trying to create. Or rather, I used this as a hint.

This "Another Self" ability user is an Enhancer. The mastery rates for the various systems related to Nen Bead manipulation for an Enhancer are "Conjuration 60%," "Manipulation 60%," and "Emission 80%." This is an ability that requires a high degree of accuracy between the Materialization system and the Manipulation system, which are incompatible, and it seems to be wasting a lot of Memory.

This situation can be called an "ability creation failure"; if he had created an ability that belonged to the Enhancer type directly, he would have become even more powerful. I know this, and I am about to make the same mistake.

Nevertheless, I still cannot give up. I cannot think of any other way. Even if your Memory runs out, you still have to create this ability.

The ability name is "Idolatry." Materialize the form I want and share that feeling with that Nen Bead. Materializing a human body and sharing feelings is not a very difficult ability for someone with Materialization abilities. The Obstacle to fully sharing the five senses would be high, but it should not be to the extent that it is impossible to achieve.

Just because it doesn't belong to your lineage doesn't mean you can't remember it. If it is an ability you strongly desire, it might be remembered, although the power and accuracy will decrease. I thought I would bet on this possibility.

In my daily practice, I spend more time on Meditation. There are two main reasons. The purpose is to increase the total amount of Aura in the body, for the sake of manifesting Materialization abilities.

The emergence of the Conjuration System is not because an ability is created and can be used all at once. Among the six lines, it is said to have the longest development time. Unless the object can be materialized, it is useless.

There is only image Training. It seems that actually touching and feeling what you want to materialize is also important, but unfortunately, the thing I am looking for is not here. I have to do something with the image.

Imagine and create a human body. I strongly desire for the boundary between dreams and reality to disappear, and I firmly believe it exists. Let the fiction created from nothing become reality. The route is too unacceptable.

No matter how hard you try to believe in it, there will always be a slight distortion. The distortion turns into slack, making my thoughts churn.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be human. I don't want to lose to anyone who has this feeling. Nevertheless, the doubt never stopped.

The materialized Nen Bead reproduces not only the appearance but also the internal structure. If you cut it, it bleeds, and it has internal organs. This is not a fake prop. There is a form as a living being.

That is why I don't know how to explain my own reproduction. I don't know the structure of the internal organs of the human body. I have simple knowledge, but no professional knowledge at a medical level. Shouldn't I study? If we don't read, don't research every function, don't look at the real thing, and don't look at the "contents" of a living person, is this okay?

Even if the real thing is in front of me, I have no confidence that I can understand everything about humans. How do Materialization-type ability users achieve the materialization of living things? If this is also a talent, then there is nothing I can do.

Hesitation, impatience, and the inability to admit one's own shortcomings hindered his Meditation.

We cannot spend all our time on Meditation for manifestation. There are many other things that need to be done. On the contrary, such Training is a salvation for me. If I only focused on the practice of manifestation, I would have gone crazy long ago.

Keeping up the switching between Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu, practicing the rapid use of Ryu, using Ryu to move attack and defense power, 5000 grasshopper jumps... even if I increased the time for Meditation, I have been practicing for a long time. Without reducing it, he shortened his sleep time and worked hard to practice.

Among them, what he actively adopted is the self-questioning Meditation of "Burning." This is the Training of "mental coordination." Through Training, this ability is rising to a new level.

You realize that this ability is not just an effect of manipulating a target. I realize that each of the hundreds of eggs I am manipulating has its own will. However, because he has been thinking the exact same thoughts as me until now, I cannot distinguish it from myself, nor can I be aware of it.

The self-questioning of "Burning" allowed that unified will to have a distinction. At first, we could only perceive one self, but now we recognize that there are multiple selves. I realize that each egg contains my consciousness.

The name "mental coordination" was not intentional, but it is the core of this ability. The mind of the manipulated target is completely synchronized with mine, recast into one.

The egg stuffed into my body is an independent life, and at the same time, it is a life that is with me. Every day when I wake up and perform Cultivation of my Aura, the eggs in my mind wake up as well.

That is to say, I am in the same state as having thousands of Nen users in my stomach. This is the reason for the explosive increase in latent Aura.

But I am still immature. I cannot say that I have mastered this ability. The fact that you cannot use the egg's Aura as your own Aura goes without saying. We cannot treat the egg as an independent life, nor can we utilize its Aura, because we think of ourselves as "one me."

In order to bring it out, the egg must be manipulated separately from the collective consciousness. I have to create the contradictory consciousness of "I am" and "I am not" at the same time.

To solve this problem, I am practicing bringing myself into the gap between consciousness and unconsciousness through Meditation. In the unconscious zone, the self can be recognized as having multiple selves. There seems to be an action that tries to correct it in the process of the contradiction appearing as consciousness. I managed to find this middle position.

The immediate goal is to extract Aura from the egg. If you can do this, you can obtain a large amount of latent Aura, and you might be able to cover the Aura consumed by "Idolatry."

I cannot let the Nen Beast created by "Idolatry" be easily erased. I hate that I can only be human for a set amount of time. I want to be like this all the time. If possible, I hope to be able to maintain it, even if it stays activated all the time.

Even if it is a Nen Beast I created, it is no longer suitable for the Incarnation System, and even if the activation is successful, it is very likely to consume a large amount of Aura. Even if it is not, the maintenance of the Nen Beast is accompanied by the consumption of Aura. Extracting Aura from the egg is a technique I want to learn no matter what.

Unified my mind for a few minutes with "Burning." I have not yet succeeded in eliciting the Aura. I realized the true value of my ability, but I could not fully exert it, and my impatience became even more intense.

Constraint and Contract. These are important conditions for making "Hatsu."

You can increase power and accuracy by adding conditions for activating skills, limiting the scope of effects, and limiting the use of skills. This is called a Constraint.

On the other hand, swearing to yourself when using an ability that "I cannot do this" or "I must do this" is called a Vow.

The stricter these conditions are, the more effective they are. However, because it limits the ability, there is a risk that the application will not work and it will be difficult to use.

In the case of Constraints, they are conditions for activating the ability, so even if they are broken, it will only end in failure or weakened effects, but a Vow is different. This is the effect of promising to yourself to protect and turning this determination into power. Even if you break it, you can use the ability, but you will be punished afterwards.

I also created some Constraints when making Idolatry. This is to improve accuracy and save Memory.

First, I decided that I could not make multiple Nen Beasts. One way to use Nen Beasts is to summon a large number of Nen Beasts at once. Numbers are power. Just by increasing the number of allies, the scope of tactics is greatly expanded. Gave up the benefits of that.

Second. The design cannot be changed. One of the advantages of materialization is that you don't know if it's something you conceived in your mind or something that actually exists. For example, Nen dolls can deceive opponents by using different appearances. This Constraint makes such information warfare impossible. However, I might not have been able to perform such advanced usage in the first place.

Third, once created, it cannot be erased. This is a very Heavy Constraint. Unless you lose consciousness or your Aura is exhausted and you can no longer maintain it, you will not be able to actively cancel the ability.

Even if the amount of Aura consumed in battle jumps, if you cannot freely release the skill, you may fall into a fatal situation. However, the purpose is to reduce the consumption of Aura by maintaining the consumption of Aura through restrictions.

I think these three Constraints are enough. Especially the third case is too risky. Considering the weight of the punishment, it can be said that it is already within the scope of a Vow. When I first did this, I thought I had gone too far.

But once I thought about it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I feel that it is easy to change my mind, which would shake my determination for this ability. I don't want to cool down the "heat" in my heart at all.

However, as I continued Training, my feelings gradually changed. I am not worried about the weight of the Constraints. It is the opposite.

This risk is not worth it. My dream is not cheap.

The impatience and frustration of not being able to materialize for a long time made my heart heat up abnormally. I made a new Vow.

A promise, not a Constraint. Half-hearted determination is not enough to take risks. That is why I cannot wake up my ability. Even I myself do not deny it; it has become a firm belief that binds me.

"One, you cannot block the feeling of pain."

"One, the ability must be kept activated under any circumstances."

"If the above oath is not kept, the user will surely die."

Rainwater flows down along the earth, making withered plants vibrant with life. Flowers that turn green in the blink of an eye wither the next moment. Dryness, heat, and Wind bring death.

One year or ten years. I have stopped counting time. Thirst remains unquenched; many dry seasons and rainy seasons have come and gone.

Spending most of the day in Meditation. It is as if I am having an endless dream.

Why do I not remember my abilities? Why can I not become human?

Those thoughts no longer exist.

"Ten/Zetsu/Ren/Hatsu"

The Meditation that initially took minutes to introduce now becomes murky in an instant. I constantly ask myself millions of questions.

The Meditation that was originally dual-purpose has now become a single path. It does not need to be split. I myself know all the answers.

Realize that you should not ask. You want something, and you suffer because it has not been realized. There is no path ahead. There is no other answer except that I refuse to be an ant.

I wish I had already acknowledged what it is.

Raindrops hit my body. This sensation pulls me back from Meditation. Starting from a single drop of rain, the blessings from the sky pour down onto the parched land.

I open my eyes, as if new life has sprouted.

I feel the chill of the rain hitting my skin. Feel the warmth of the breath you exhale.

Rainwater slides down her fair skin and silver hair.

My entire body feels the world outside of me.

――――――

"Idolatry"

Realization ability. A human who mimics the user's true desires is perfectly reproduced as a Nen-doll. This Nen-doll has a special ability to share all senses with the user.

【Constraint】

You cannot create multiple Nen-dolls.

The design of this Nen-doll cannot be changed.

Once the skill is activated, it cannot be spontaneously canceled.

【Oath】

In the shared senses, the feeling of pain must not be blocked.

This Nen-doll must remain activated under any circumstances.

If the user fails to keep the above oath, the user will die.