Chapter 10: Total Nen Amount
So, barring any surprises, Arthur's Hatsu training will focus on Manipulation Type, with Emission Type as a secondary focus.
Specialization Type, unless there's a special encounter, seems unlikely.
The saved effort can be redirected to Enhancement Type training.
Although Arthur's Enhancement Type training only yields 60% effectiveness and is more challenging than for those naturally belonging to Enhancement Type, it's better than wasting an attribute.
With this in mind, Arthur trained alone, alternating between wrapping aura around his body with Ten, sealing his aura nodes with Zetsu, and continuously improving his proficiency. Finding it relatively easy, he also practiced Gyo.
Gyo isn't one of the four major practices but rather a derivative technique. However, Arthur saw no fundamental difference; it's another method of using aura, between Ten and Zetsu: concentrating aura in specific body parts, known as Gyo.
By concentrating aura in the eyes, one can visually perceive aura.
Arthur quickly discovered that Gyo wasn't as difficult as he thought. In less than a minute, he could use it freely, constantly concentrating aura in his eyes, activating "Aura vision." Looking down, he could see a thin layer of white aura covering his body. Gazing into the depths of the forest, he noticed an improvement in his vision. He looked at the moon-white tiger Lumin, and from over ten meters away, he could clearly see each strand of its fur.
After about half an hour, Arthur decided to move on to the next training, Ren, or Ken.
He took a deep breath, opened all his aura nodes, and released aura at maximum output, which is Ren.
Maintaining this state is Ken...
Arthur gritted his teeth and persisted.
This array of terms may seem complex and dizzying, but it's easy to understand. Again, it's all about different ways of using aura.
Ordinary human bodies are fragile. Even trained assassins or martial artists do not stand a chance against a random Nen Ability user. Simply using aura can multiply or even increase physical attack and defense power by tens or hundreds of times. This is the chasm between mortals and superhumans.
Condensing and gathering aura released in its natural state is Ten, providing entry-level attack and defense enhancement, akin to jogging at a steady pace, sustainable for long periods, and with practice, even 24/7.
Condensing and gathering aura released at maximum power is Ken, providing a top-tier enhanced version of Ten's attack and defense, akin to sprinting at full power, difficult to maintain.
According to Biscuit Krueger, the Shingen-ryu master who guided the two protagonists in the manga, in real Nen Ability battles, one must maintain Ken for at least 30 minutes, or face certain defeat.
Arthur's Star Mark, if unable to break through an opponent's Ken defense and apply the Star Mark, could result in him being caught and countered with a Ken-strength punch, rendering even the most unsolvable ability useless.
Basic skills are of utmost importance.
It's not about stacking Nen amounts and basic attack and defense attributes to determine victory in battles, but... it can't be too lacking, right?
Speaking of values, in the Hunter World, Nen Aura can indeed be quantified.
The Hunter Association has a professional talent for quantifying aura, and according to his conclusion: when entering battle readiness, maintaining Ken at full power consumes about 1 aura per second.
Using this standard, one can extend Ken duration through training to increase total Nen amount and gain a basic understanding of one's total Nen amount.
For example, in the manga, after the Greed Island arc, Killua Zoldyck and Gon had a total Nen amount of around 3000 to 3300 aura. Killua Zoldyck could maintain Ken for 55 minutes, while Gon exhausted himself earlier. After a month of intense training with Biscuit Krueger, Gon's total Nen amount increased to 21500 aura, theoretically allowing him to maintain Ken for nearly 6 hours before collapsing.
With this in mind, looking back at Biscuit Krueger's basic strength for wandering the world: maintaining Ken for at least 30 minutes, equivalent to a total Nen amount of 1800 aura.
Below this level, encountering a skilled opponent could be dangerous. Even if their Nen Ability isn't as powerful, they could wear you down... In fact, this is true. After training with Biscuit Krueger on Greed Island, Killua Zoldyck and Gon, with around 3000 aura, were already high-level players on the island. Venturing out, as long as they didn't run into Phantom Troupe, Hisoka, or Chimera Ants, they were generally safe to explore...
"Damn..."
Arthur maintained Ken while counting in his mind. At 60 counts, the aura he released began to flicker like a short-circuiting light...
At 70 counts, Arthur was sweating, and the aura's range began to shrink...
At over 80 counts, Arthur was sore all over, with aura barely covering his body, resisting stubbornly...
"Ninety-seven... Ninety-eight... Ninety-nine..."
Arthur, drenched in sweat and weak-limbed, finally had his aura extinguished like a stove running out of fuel, struggling for a moment before going out completely.
"One hundred!"
With a thud, Arthur collapsed onto the ground.
"Huff... huff..." He panted heavily, exhausted, staring blankly at the blue sky through the trees. "So... huff... my total Nen amount is only 100..."
He recalled a set of data: when Gon's total Nen amount was trained to 21500 aura, his maximum visible Nen amount, or maximum Ken strength, was 1800 aura, roughly one-twelfth of his total Nen amount. This ratio seems to be a physiological mechanism of humans, like how even the seemingly endless stamina of Sakuragi Hanamichi couldn't be completely drained by a single sprint; it's physiologically impossible.
So, my current Ken is around 8 to 9 aura.
Considering I'm a Manipulation Type, and Ken's defense is actually in the realm of Enhancement Type, I can only exert 60% of the actual effect. In other words, my 8 to 9 aura Ken might only provide 4.8 to 5.4 aura of defense.
Thinking about it this way, the further I am from Enhancement Type, the less benefit I get from close combat.
"...I'm so weak."
Arthur lay on the ground, self-deprecating, as a tiger head suddenly appeared in his field of vision.
Lumin nudged Arthur's face, who had been lying there motionless.
"Did you think I was dead?" Arthur laughed, rubbing the tiger's head. "I'm just resting."
After playing with the big tiger on the ground for about ten minutes, Arthur finally got back up.
"Even with the Star Mark's recovery ability, it takes me 10 minutes to recover. Without it, I can't imagine how long I'd need to rest after 2 minutes of training..." he muttered to himself. "If only I had Biscuit Krueger as a training partner. Her Nen Ability 'Cookie Lady' is a godsend for training."
Arthur's Star Mark primarily heals injuries, with stamina recovery as a secondary effect. Biscuit Krueger's massage lady, on the other hand, specializes in relieving fatigue and restoring energy.
"Anyway, let's set a small goal first, raise my total Nen amount to 1000!"
Arthur took a deep breath, releasing aura at full power and maintaining it, diving back into training.
Meanwhile, in the Kakin Empire's palace on the Azian Continent to the north, First Prince Benjamin Hui Guo Rou looked at the newly appeared five-pointed star in his palm from last night, signifying Musse's sacrifice.
After a long pause, he picked up the phone, "Send Babimyna over."