"You two can stay here for now. I'll let her use this cabin," the old man said. "I need to make preparations without any disturbances. If you need anything, just let my disciple know."
"You mean the young man outside?" Ron asked for clarification.
"Yes."
"Understood, Senior. Thank you for your help."
The old man waved dismissively as he rose to leave the cabin.
Ron turned to Lena. "Lena, you heard what he said. Just rest and recover over the next few days."
"Yes, big brother," Lena replied, her voice steady.
Ron left the cabin, watching as the old man entered another one, securing the doors and windows tightly behind him.
Outside, the young man who had been practicing on the sand looked at Ron with eager curiosity.
"Did you come here to have a curse removed?"
"That's right," Ron confirmed. "The Senior mentioned he needs time to prepare, and we're not to disturb him for the next ten days. We'll come to you if we need anything."
"No problem! Just let me know." The young man's face lit up, and after a brief pause, his eyes gleamed. "You're a Nen user too, right? How about a quick sparring match?"
Ron activated Gyo, assessing the young man's aura. Judging by his level, he seemed to be about D-rank.
When Ron didn't respond immediately, the young man quickly added, "Don't worry, I'll hold back a bit. After all, I'm older—wouldn't want to take unfair advantage."
"Alright, let's give it a try," Ron agreed. "I'm an Emission-type Nen user. If we fight, you'll be up against my Nen beast."
"That's fine. Bring it on."
A spark of excitement flashed in the young man's eyes; it was clear he had been looking forward to a fresh challenge.
Ron's gaze sharpened as he summoned his Nen. "Killer Queen!"
A pink figure appeared beside Ron, radiating fierce energy.
The young man's expression grew serious, though the anticipation in his gaze only intensified.
"Let's start!"
The two clashed in a series of intense, swift exchanges that echoed through the clearing. Each dodged, countered, and adapted to the other's moves, showcasing a balanced display of skill.
Eventually, they paused, with no clear winner emerging. The young man had held back as promised, and Ron had restrained Killer Queen's power, keeping the match evenly balanced. Neither pressed forward, maintaining a light, competitive level.
"That was fantastic!" The young man looked elated. "It's been ages since I sparred with someone like this! I hardly get to leave this place, and Teacher always says I'm not ready yet."
"Oh, by the way, my name's Kaiken. What's yours?"
"Ron," he replied.
"Ron, you're really impressive! At your age, I was nowhere near your level. I did hold back a bit, but your Nen beast is so powerful that I ended up trying a bit harder."
Kaiken, clearly enjoying the conversation, peppered Ron with questions about the outside world, especially Heaven's Arena.
"One day, I'd love to go to Heaven's Arena and watch a real tournament. That must be incredible."
But Ron couldn't help but think that Heaven's Arena might not suit someone like Kaiken. During their sparring match, he had noticed Kaiken's fighting style relied heavily on environmental factors. His abilities were tailored to complex terrains and obstacles, whereas matches in Heaven's Arena were fought on bare stages, where Kaiken's style would lose its advantage.
"It's a pity," Kaiken sighed. "Our Environmental Combat Style isn't suited for arenas like that."
The mention of style piqued Ron's interest.
Nen users often followed specific schools of combat. For instance, the Shingen-Ryu school founded by Netero was practiced by Biscuit, Wing, Zushi, and eventually Gon and Killua. The Zoldyck family, though they didn't have an official school, blended assassination techniques with Nen in their own distinctive way.
"Kaiken, is the Environmental Combat Style something your teacher created?" Ron asked.
"Yes!" Kaiken's enthusiasm reignited. "My teacher is amazing. Creating a new combat school requires incredible power. I've seen strong people come here to challenge him. They're formidable, but none of them last long against him. They're all defeated quickly—no exceptions."
"Some of those challengers were way stronger than I am," Kaiken added, looking hopeful. "One day, I want to be as strong as Teacher."
Ron smiled. "I'm sure you'll reach that level."
Ten days later, the old man emerged from his cabin, his aura noticeably transformed.
Previously, he had blended seamlessly with his surroundings. Now, his presence felt stark and intense, as if he were emerging from the depths of an abyss. A dark, foreboding aura surrounded him.
"Ron, come inside. It's time to begin."
"Yes, Senior."
Kaiken's curiosity was evident, but he refrained from asking questions, respecting his teacher's silence.
The door of the cabin closed softly behind them.
Lena looked up at Ron, anxiety visible in her eyes. "Big brother…"
"Don't worry. Everything will be alright."
The old man stepped toward Lena, placing a steady hand on her head.
Immediately, a dark energy began to flow from the old man, channeling through his arm and into Lena. Gradually, the dark aura enveloped her entirely, forming a sphere of black energy around her.
Minutes passed as the process continued, the dark aura intensifying.
Suddenly, the dark sphere began to split in two, one half shifting to the left and the other to the right, forming two separate, pulsing black orbs.
The old man reached for Lena's cloak, placing it gently over one of the spheres.
"The Nen curse removal is complete."
---
The old man looked at Ron, weariness evident in his expression. "The rest is no longer my concern. Once you're ready, it would be wise to leave."
With that, he turned and left the cabin, heading back to his own quarters.
Ron opened his backpack.
"Woof!"
From beneath the cloak, a fluffy head popped out—it was Little Gray, their loyal Nen beast.
"Little Gray, let's go outside," Ron said, stepping out of the cabin and glancing back.
"Lena, come out once you're ready."
"Yes, big brother," she replied.
He shut the door behind him, leaving Lena to gather herself.
Outside, Kaiken looked at Little Gray with open curiosity, but the wolf showed little interest in his attention. When Kaiken stared a bit too long, Little Gray bared his teeth in a warning growl.
Kaiken chuckled, unbothered by the reaction.
"Ron, are you leaving?"
"Yes," Ron nodded. "My business here is done, and I've already imposed on you long enough."
After a moment's pause, Ron added, "Kaiken, when you're able to leave this place, make sure to reach out to me."
"Absolutely!"
Not long after, Lena stepped out of the cabin, looking just as she had when Ron had first met her, but somehow more at peace.