Chapter 19: En
On Ghost Island's northern coast, near the wreck of a derelict small yacht, two birds with faintly green feathers perched on the ship's rusted railing.
The moment Haru's consciousness took over the birds' minds, he felt something intangible yet intrusive envelop him. It was like an invisible spiderweb or a fleeting cold breeze brushing against his presence.
"Could this be 'En'?" he wondered.
Using the birds' vision, Haru observed the yacht in the dark. Inside the ship, beams of flashlights occasionally cut through the night, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps echoing across the deck. Someone was conducting a search.
Among these people was a Nen user.
Moreover, this was someone who had mastered a rather extensive En, a skill wielded only by adept Nen practitioners.
En is an advanced application of Nen derived from its foundational principles—Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu. Simply put, it involves dispersing one's aura to encompass the surrounding environment, allowing for enhanced perception and detection.
Each user's En varies. For some, it only covers their immediate surroundings. For others, it can extend up to 300 meters, revealing the details of an entire building within its radius.
Even the shape of En can differ; it isn't always a perfect "circle." Neferpitou, one of the Chimera Ant Royal Guards, wielded a tentacle-shaped En. The most extreme example, of course, was Meruem, the Ant King. His En manifested as countless photons that spread outward in all directions. Any object touched by these photons would be immediately revealed to him, and the photons would linger on the target to guide him further.
The En user currently on the ship had expanded their range to encompass the entire yacht.
The manga never detailed how En was specifically trained. Haru had not yet added it to his practice regimen, relying instead on the birds for reconnaissance. This lack of experience and firsthand knowledge made it difficult for him to assess the strength and precision of this En or accurately gauge the user's capabilities.
It was a stark reminder of Haru's own limitations. He still had much to learn.
I need to keep training, Haru resolved, continuing to control the two birds as they silently observed. He considered sending one of them into the cabin to eavesdrop but hesitated.
He had a glaring disadvantage: he wasn't a bird.
A bird's natural movements, posture, and reactions were things Haru could never perfectly emulate. If he made even the slightest unnatural movement within the En's range, the Nen user would likely notice.
Then another realization hit him.
The Star Mark he had placed on these birds for control was on their beaks. If the En user had sharp enough observational skills to spot the golden pentagram symbols on their beaks, they might deduce that these were not ordinary birds but tools of an Operator-type Nen user.
Haru made the birds tilt their heads and chirp noisily, feigning the behavior of two squabbling birds.
Footsteps echoed closer within the cabin, and the all-encompassing En abruptly vanished.
The green birds turned their heads toward the source of the noise. A tall, well-built man with a "broccoli" hairstyle stepped out onto the deck, accompanied by several subordinates armed with flashlights.
What is this high-budget Hanamichi Sakuragi look-alike? Haru thought, observing the broccoli-haired man. Based on the disappearance of En, it was clear that this individual was its user.
Ignoring the birds, the man clasped his hands behind his back and turned toward the shore. His voice was calm but firm. "Mr. Sloane, didn't we agree that you would not interfere with our investigation on this island? In return, we agreed to tolerate Oucima's investigation of the island."
With a flutter of wings, the green birds took off.
Or at least pretended to. Haru had them land on a nearby coastal rock, carefully positioned to observe both the broccoli-haired man on the ship and the group onshore.
The man addressed as Sloane was a balding young official who appeared somewhat agitated. "I received a report from local fishermen about a suspicious vessel potentially linked to a crime. Are you saying that, as an official of the Oucima Federation, I have no right to investigate this?"
The broccoli-haired man, whose subordinates called him Babimyna, stood firm. "Mr. Sloane, please mind your words. Technically speaking, this island belongs to the Kukan'yu Kingdom."
What does that mean? Haru thought, puzzled.
Using the birds' vision, he studied Sloane's group more closely, particularly a short individual whose silhouette seemed oddly familiar. Unfortunately, the darkness obscured their features.
Haru's confusion deepened. Isn't this Ghost Island on Oucima's northwestern map? It's a sea away from the Kukan'yu Kingdom. How can this island belong to them?
Sloane's response was a dismissive chuckle that lacked sincerity. "And here I thought this issue could finally be settled with this investigation."
Babimyna remained unyielding. "Let me reiterate the terms of our agreement. Both parties agreed to suspend territorial disputes and conduct their respective investigations on this island for a period of 20 days, without interference."
Sloane frowned. "Most of this island is managed and operated by the Blanchett Corporation."
Babimyna replied curtly, "Negotiating with them is your problem. Now, if you'll excuse me."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the cabin, leaving two armed guards on the deck to keep an eye on Sloane's group.
"..." Sloane rubbed his balding head in frustration. "Let's go."
"What? We're just leaving? That's lame," grumbled the short man in Sloane's group. "I was hoping to chat with those guys."
One of the suited individuals turned to him, intrigued. "What would you even talk about?"
The short man replied earnestly, "I'm a bodyguard. Obviously, I wanted to ask if they needed to hire me!"
The suited individuals collectively facepalmed, wondering how this person could even be a professional Hunter.
The short man grew indignant. "Don't underestimate me! I'm strong enough to fire all of you and guard both sides myself!"
Sloane sighed, rubbing his temples. "Mr. Kanzai, we may not be enemies with the Kukan'yu team, but we're not allies either."
Conzel nodded in understanding. "Ah, got it. Guess it can't be helped."
One of the women in suits muttered, "So, he's not greedy—just an idiot."
The rest of the group silently agreed, although Kanzai was quick to protest, "Who are you calling stupid?! …Wait, what's your name again?"
The woman replied flatly, "I'm Shizuku. I only took this job because the pay is exceptionally high."
The group sighed collectively.
"Enough chatter. Let's head back to the western town," Sloane said, waving them toward two parked SUVs. "We've had a long day of traveling by air, rail, and sea. Tomorrow, we'll have to deal with the bloodsuckers at Blanchett Corporation."
He turned to Kanzai as they climbed into the vehicles. "Listen carefully. Your job is to protect me. Everyone else is either an enemy or a potential enemy. Understand?"
Kanzai gave a thumbs up. "Got it! Man, you're so much easier to talk to than these dimwits."
The vehicles roared to life, kicking up dust as they sped off into the night.
Unseen by the passengers, one of the green birds alighted on the roof of the rear SUV, its tiny shadow blending seamlessly into the darkness.
(Chapter End)