Inside the garden, Kevin and Bisky sat facing each other in the courtyard. The maid beside them finished arranging the tea and snacks, then quietly excused herself and withdrew.
"Tell me, what confusion do you need me to help resolve?" Bisky took a light sip of red tea and smiled. She was ready to fulfill her duties as a Master, addressing her disciple's doubts.
Kevin nodded and began unhurriedly, as if engaged in casual conversation. "Master, you know my Nen Ability has now eliminated its side effects and can be used by others. To earn sufficient funds, expand my network, and obtain ample materials, I plan to sell the potions I create to the public."
Bisky nodded thoughtfully. In her view, this was a sound choice. Kevin's ability was fundamentally supportive in nature. With the side effects removed, its value had instantly risen several levels—this was how such an ability should function all along.
Selling the potions made strategic sense. Creating them required special materials—some expensive, others difficult to obtain. If Kevin personally tracked and hunted for every ingredient across the world, how much time would that consume? How much would efficiency suffer? The issue wasn't whether materials could be obtained, but the time wasted in the process.
Earning resources by selling potions, then using those resources to acquire new materials, then creating more potions—this formed an ideal virtuous cycle. The connections and wealth accumulated along the way were merely incidental benefits.
Kevin seemed to have planned his path clearly. That was good.
Honestly, when Bisky had first taught Kevin half a year ago, her greatest concern had been that he might lose his way. She didn't know what he'd experienced, but during those early lessons, the confusion in his eyes—that uncertainty about what to do—had nearly consumed him. If he'd suddenly given up back then, she wouldn't have been surprised at all.
Now, Kevin hadn't taken the dark path she'd feared. Instead, he grew steadily stronger. That relieved her deeply. In her view, a gem didn't just need someone like her to polish it—it also needed to condense and emit its own brilliant light.
Her tone carried quiet satisfaction.
"A good idea," she said. "You seem to have a rough plan already. So you're hoping I can offer suggestions regarding your approach?"
Kevin nodded. "Essentially. You've seen the potions I make. Their main audience will undoubtedly be Hunters, followed by those with power and influence."
He briefly elaborated on his ideas, including matters related to suppliers—the crucial element. Everything else was secondary.
"Master, you have deep seniority in the Hunter Association and unique insights into the Hunter community. I'd appreciate your advice. Do you have suggestions I should consider?"
Bisky let the "seniority" comment pass without remark. After some thought, she offered valuable observations.
"First, I must remind you—the Hunter community is diverse. Among them are many who are stubborn, flawed in character, and willing to use dirty methods."
Kevin nodded. He'd anticipated this.
"However, you can take comfort in one point: for most Hunters, contracts carry tremendous weight. They value the spirit of contract highly. Having developed Nen abilities and become Hunters, they more or less adhere to certain principles."
Bisky highlighted something Kevin hadn't fully considered.
"Value the spirit of contract?" He hadn't expected that Hunters, despite their many flaws, would share this trait.
Bisky nodded. "Consider this a major advantage of Hunters. Otherwise, how could the Hunter Association maintain its current status and privileges? If they lacked this trait, why would so many people hire them?"
She continued, "You should know—a considerable portion of Hunters rely on being hired by those with power and influence as their main income source."
Not all Hunters possessed unique money-making abilities. Many, aside from strength far exceeding ordinary people, had no other outstanding advantages. Becoming bodyguards or accepting commissions became their primary work—and their main income, far greater than wealth obtained through other channels.
Because those who hired Hunters were invariably the top powers and decision-makers of the current era.
Coupled with their status as Nen users, the income earned through employment was considerable.
After a moment's thought, Bisky drew on data she'd encountered through the Hunter Association. "Take bodyguard work, for example. Many Hunters accept long-term commissions—often calculated in years. A significant portion of Hunter casualties and accidents stem from this line of work. Many are severely injured or killed during missions. There have even been cases where, after the protected target was killed, the hired Hunter sought revenge out of unwillingness to accept failure."
The root cause, she explained, was often the Hunters' own nature. Nen users carried a certain extremism that set them apart from ordinary people. For some protectors, failing to safeguard their charge represented a profound humiliation. These Hunters might act primarily for themselves, but their pursuit of vindication also served justice for the victims.
Kevin found these cases genuinely surprising. He had to admit—the spirit of contract was a commendable trait.
Can Hunters really possess such noble character? he wondered, scratching his head.
"Of course," Bisky continued, "I'm describing the majority. Every group contains a small number of bad actors—scumbags who lack even basic principles."
Still, Kevin felt this was remarkably good. In any community, if most members embraced the spirit of contract to the point of risking their lives, that was rare and valuable. No wonder the Hunter group had grown and expanded, enjoying numerous privileges. Such a community was practically tailor-made for those with power and influence.
"So your idea of using contracts and agreements to establish the supplier system is sound," Bisky concluded. "There won't be major loopholes. Even if problems arise, they won't cause you excessive trouble. It's a solid approach."
She nodded approvingly, then her expression turned serious.
"However, your understanding of the Hunter group isn't deep enough. Based on your current price list, what profit margin do you estimate?"
Kevin answered openly—there was no reason to hide things from his master. "Excluding labor costs, I sell at least ten times the basic material cost. For particularly specialized or practical potions, I increase the price accordingly."
A clear monopoly industry. Massive profits.
And this excluded labor costs—which would rise as Kevin's own strength increased. The stronger he became, the higher his personal value.
Bisky nodded, approving the pricing strategy. Labor costs should naturally account for a significant portion. Given her disciple's talent and growing power, such pricing was reasonable and fair. If anything, she thought he might be underselling himself.
"Does creating these potions consume much time? Approximately how long per batch?" Bisky continued her inquiry, planning ahead for her disciple. Having come to understand Kevin's personality, she no longer hesitated to ask questions she might have previously avoided.
"More expensive potions require more time. But as my strength increases, production time decreases accordingly. At my current level, a potion worth around 100 million takes about ten to twenty minutes." Kevin paused, recalling something. "Also, based on recent experience, the more I produce the same potion, the faster the process becomes—though the reduction is modest, around ten to twenty percent. This effect only appears after making at least thirty or more units."
The first instance had been the Digestive Potion he'd made days ago—the one he'd consumed most frequently.
Bisky immediately straightened, lightly slapping the table. "Then why haven't you set quantity limits when selling?"
She leaned forward. "You underestimate Hunters' purchasing power—and you underestimate how much your potions can help them. Don't dismiss those fifteen minutes. In a Hunter's battle, fifteen minutes can determine victory or defeat. What's more, your potions can be stacked—used in multiples. Yes, layering them might cause some discomfort, and excessive use creates problems. But compared to potential battle injuries? Those risks are acceptable. As long as daily limits aren't exceeded, they can be used continuously in bursts."
She fixed him with a serious gaze. "In the field of medicines, your Nen ability has reached an exceptionally high level—especially after removing the side effects. Its value has multiplied accordingly."
Kevin absorbed Bisky's words, the implications settling into place.
With Hunters' economic strength, they would certainly buy in large quantities—and reselling would inevitably emerge. Looking at the current potion lineup from Bisky's perspective, if no limits existed, she herself would stockpile multiple backups. When sales opened, she could single-handedly empty Kevin's inventory.
And Kevin was selling openly within the Nen user community. The pool of willing buyers was substantial; customers would be endless. Since only Kevin could produce these potions, even working twenty-four hours a day, supply would fall drastically short of demand.
Kevin fell into deep thought.
He hadn't entirely overlooked this issue—he was still in the preparation stage, hadn't yet developed countermeasures for when business exploded. Besides, he made the potions; he opened the shop. If such a situation truly occurred, he could simply close up and rest. He was a Hunter, after all—Hunters were naturally free-spirited and unrestrained.
But Bisky, an experienced veteran Hunter, had specifically raised this concern. That meant these potions might genuinely cause market sensation. The matter deserved serious consideration.
Seeing him contemplate, Bisky added quietly, "You need to understand—for you, customer quality matters far more than quantity. Don't forget why you're building this system through potion sales. That's crucial."
The words struck like a flash of insight.
Right. Customer quality was more critical. What he needed were materials, and the accompanying connections and wealth. Only high-quality customers were likely to provide the resources he sought. Those Nen users with mediocre strength and no special skills offered little value.
And wealth itself wasn't something to worry about excessively. Once Red Stone Pharmaceuticals gained traction, money would flow naturally.
"Thank you, Master. Your words have greatly benefited me." Kevin nodded gratefully.
Bisky took a sip of black tea and waved dismissively. No need for formality.
The topic shifted.
"Those Kurta survivors—and that girl Neon—are they under your wing?" A hint of teasing colored her voice.
Kevin smiled. "If you put it that way, yes. They're working for me now."
"Then train them well." Bisky's expression grew slightly serious. "They're good seedlings—fine aptitude. Worth your careful polishing."
As a Gem Hunter, nothing distressed her more than seeing high-quality rough stones wasted. And if a jeweler with poor skills produced low-quality gems from fine material? That was unbearable.
Kevin's eyes glinted mischievously. "Master, have you considered personally guiding their training? You're the most amazing Gem Hunter. Only with your polishing could these 'gems' shine with their most dazzling light."
"Hmph. Don't even think about it." Bisky saw through him instantly. "My enthusiasm for polishing rough stones is pretty much spent—on you and Mori. I won't have that hobby again for a while. They're good seedlings, yes, but not enough to make me want to cultivate them at all costs."
She gestured toward him. "Nen talent matters, but personality, physique, experience, age—all are necessary conditions for becoming a perfect 'rough stone.' Someone like you doesn't even meet the standard, you know?"
"Yes, yes, yes." Kevin chuckled. "But occasional pointers, as appropriate—that should be fine, right?"
"Possible." Bisky conceded. "And you can let me see the results of Mori's teaching."
In her view, Mori possessed the gentleness and patience of an excellent teacher. She could teach him—impart techniques for guiding talented Nen-user children. Consider it overtime tutoring for her graduated disciple.
She fixed Kevin with another look. "Teaching one is teaching; teaching a few makes no difference. You'll join too."
In her assessment, Kevin's growth rate had accelerated too quickly—largely thanks to his own potions. She needed to test whether he could fully utilize his increased strength. His physical capabilities had expanded rapidly, nearly reaching limits. Could the Digestive Potion truly be that powerful?
"No problem, Master. I can't wait." Kevin's smile held genuine anticipation. More training? He had no complaints whatsoever.
"However, I have to deal with Pairo's matter first."
Bisky waved dismissively. "That's fine. Your training will be supplementary at most—won't delay you much." The time-consuming foundational work was behind him; novice Kevin had needed those hours. Now he'd matured, found his footing.
She wanted to better understand his current state. In her view, the growth framework she'd built for him had taken initial shape. Whether he would bloom with dazzling light depended on Kevin himself now. She didn't mind using her experience and skills to make that light burn brighter.
They chatted a while longer before parting.
Kevin found Menchi and Buhara by the training ground. They stood watching Mori guide Kurapika through exercises while Neon sat nearby, already showing signs of fatigue.
Menchi waved as Kevin approached. He settled beside her.
"I didn't expect you and Mori came from the same school," Menchi remarked.
"You know him?" Kevin was surprised.
"We're Hunters from the same period. Got our licenses together." Menchi explained.
Understanding dawned. Come to think of it, that made sense.
Kevin shifted topics. "Either of you have pressing matters? If not, you might stay here a while longer."
Menchi and Buhara exchanged glances, some silent communication passing between them. Menchi turned back. "No special arrangements lately. Staying here a while sounds good." She paused. "Truth be told, the people here are interesting."
She'd keenly sensed the unique atmosphere. Setting aside famous figures like Bisky and Kite, even the young trainees showed exceptional potential. Menchi was only two or three years older than them, but in her eyes, their promise was clear.
"Good," Kevin said. "I've roughly outlined the potion shop's development and operations plan. I'll refine it over the next few days—then we can officially sign partnership contracts. I'll want your input then."
Menchi nodded, no objection. They needed rest anyway, and time to gather information about their next destination. Why not do it from a comfortable manor?
The three sat together, chatting while observing the training ground.
Mori's approach divided into three stages: basic conditioning, meditation, and combat training. In his view, meditation was crucial for young Nen users, followed by physical fundamentals.
Kevin noted that despite being away nearly a month, Kurapika and the others had visibly improved. When to guide them toward awakening their Nen abilities—and how to help them construct unique techniques—all required careful consideration based on individual circumstances.
Mori handled it methodically. Good.
For now, Kevin simply watched, letting the afternoon unfold.