The small courtyard was enveloped in a profound silence. Only the high-pitched, surging whistle of the uncontrolled energy escaping Neji's body was audible.
Hiashi Hyūga, the elders, Tsunade, Hinata, and Hanabi all watched Neji intently, their expressions a complex blend of tension, curiosity, and fear.
Shen Mo was also observing. While he had stressed the danger, he hadn't genuinely expected the process to be overly difficult for Neji. After all, the main protagonists of Hunter x Hunter seemed to master Nen with relative ease upon first awakening.
However...
Despite Neji's desperate attempts to relax and mentally control the energy, the airflow around him continued to surge outwards at an alarming rate, making him look less like a focused shinobi and more like a glowing, dissipating Super Saiyan.
The process was proving far more arduous than Shen Mo had anticipated.
The problem, he quickly deduced, lay in the sheer quantity of power. Neji was not starting from scratch. Years of relentless training, substantial natural Chakra reserves, and the numerous enhancement Jars he had just consumed meant his life energy was several times greater than that of the original Hunter x Hunter protagonist when he first awakened Nen.
This massive initial energy load exponentially increased the difficulty of control, akin to a single person trying to plug countless breaches in an enormous, pressurized dam. The surging Nen carried immense internal force, and as his life energy rapidly depleted, Neji's fatigue mounted, making control progressively harder.
This has genuinely become dangerous. Shen Mo felt a slight pang of guilt. When he initially spoke of danger, he meant it as 80% intimidation; now, the risk was at a very real 50%.
Neji was fully aware of the crisis. This Nen energy, while inherently controllable, was currently far more volatile than Chakra. If Chakra was a smooth, flowing river, Nen was boiling, pressurized steam.
"Control... I must control it..."
Neji stabilized his mind and poured every ounce of his mental power into the task.
The effort yielded a result. In his visualization, a portion of the surging internal energy gradually coalesced into a flowing, shimmering armor that sheathed his body, attempting to plug the constant leaks. Externally, this manifested as a layer of dense white mist, dramatically slowing the escape of the Nen.
"Now, it's a test of attrition," Shen Mo remarked slowly, observing the strain on the boy. "It's a race to see whether his resolve breaks first, or if the Nen yields to his command."
As minutes bled into seconds, the visible gaseous energy around Neji slowed down noticeably.
But his body began to sway precariously. Weakness—absolute, crushing weakness—set in. His consciousness blurred, waves of profound drowsiness washing over him, and the mental force he used to cap the Nen instinctively wavered.
"This is the most critical moment."
Shen Mo said the words with calm detachment, his face revealing nothing. But internally, he was poised to intervene covertly. He had no intention of allowing a paying customer to die at the checkout counter.
At that exact moment, Hinata cried out, her voice trembling slightly but carrying a clear, piercing conviction:
"Brother Neji can succeed! He is the genius of the Hyūga Clan!"
The words seemed to breach the fog of Neji's exhaustion.
His weak, powerless fists clenched. He still had a mission! He could not surrender now!
The physical weakness could not override the sudden surge of iron will.
Driven by this renewed determination, the 'armor' he had visualized solidified further, seemingly responding to his sheer refusal to fail.
He succeeded.
Shen Mo relaxed, a peculiar warmth filling his chest. This Neji... he still denies being a sister-complex. It seemed some core personality traits, no matter how much the plot or destiny shifted, were simply immutable.
The volatile airflow around Neji's body gradually stabilized, leaving only a visible sheen of Nen—now fully contained—on the surface of his skin. The dissipation had stopped. The control was achieved.
He opened his eyes, his body drenched in sweat, utterly depleted.
"Congratulations," Shen Mo smiled faintly. "You have successfully mastered a completely new power."
"I still need to confirm whether the Main Family is worthy of the name," Neji managed a weak grin, glancing at Hinata. "I won't die easily until then."
His obsession remained his anchor. He had to know if his father's ultimate sacrifice was justified.
"Stop speaking for now; conserve your strength," Tsunade commanded, rushing over to support him. She examined him carefully, breathing a huge sigh of relief. "You are lucky. You still have a minimal amount of Chakra left. No permanent bodily damage."
She quickly administered several Chakra Recovery Pills. The immediate medicinal effect was potent on Neji's drained state.
His eyes rapidly regained focus. Soon, he could stand unsupported.
Hiashi Hyūga watched with a complex mix of relief and gravity. The elders, though smiling superficially, were inwardly troubled.
Only Hinata's joy for Neji was unfeigned.
"You now have the qualification to open Nen Ability restricted Jars," Shen Mo announced, raising an eyebrow. "However, before you purchase, I am curious: what Nen ability system do you specialize in?"
"Which system?" Neji asked, confused.
He perceived the Nen within him as simply a dominant, powerful energy source, seemingly capable of immense destructive power if unleashed.
"Nen is a highly versatile power," Shen Mo explained. He extended his hand, and a glass cup filled with water floated before Neji, a single leaf resting on the surface.
This was the famous Water Divination method for determining one's Nen type.
"Just as most shinobi cannot master every nature transformation in their lifetime, everyone possesses a most suitable Nen system that maximizes their power," Shen Mo instructed. "Now, extend your hands and channel your Nen into the water."
Shen Mo was curious. Nen felt like an omnipotent power, but the differences between the six resulting systems were vast. Based on Neji's personality...
As Neji channeled his energy, the water level in the cup began to slowly rise and eventually spilled over the rim.
The increasing water volume was a strange sight that widened everyone's eyes. It vaguely resembled Water Release Ninjutsu.
"You are an Enhancement type?" Shen Mo's expression was one of mild surprise.
"Sir, is there an issue?" Neji asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice at the merchant's reaction.
"No, Enhancement is an excellent system," Shen Mo shook his head, a playful smirk touching his lips. "However, Enhancement specialists are typically straightforward and often simple-minded. Their combat style is highly direct."
He genuinely hadn't expected Neji, the genius strategist, to fall into the most direct, physically-oriented category.
But upon closer reflection, Neji's personality did harbor a deeply simple, obsessive core. From his initial, rigid belief in the immutability of fate to his willingness to sacrifice his life to protect others, his actions were driven by a single, immovable conviction that, for him, transcended pure reason.