Chapter 7: Madou's Special Training
Over the next few days, Mord followed Madou's advice and stayed in the tavern's backyard.
After no longer having to work as a waiter, Mord could devote more time to developing and training his Nen abilities. Aside from secretly preparing to leave Meteor City, he threw himself almost entirely into his training.
After several days of experimentation, Mord finally fully grasped the new power he had obtained.
The cost was a backyard in complete disarray, as if ravaged by a thunderstorm, with scorched marks from lightning strikes everywhere.
Now, he could truly call himself a man who commanded lightning.
Mord stretched out his hand in a grasping motion, his eyes gleaming. Everything that had happened these past days felt utterly miraculous.
"Mord!!!" Madou's voice rang out sharply. "I'll say it one more time—if you keep messing around in my yard, I'll throw you out myself." She had come to deliver food and immediately spotted Mord testing his Nen abilities, her anger flaring up instantly.
These past days, she had gone to great lengths for his sake. Couldn't this guy just behave himself for once?
The more she thought about it, the darker her expression grew.
She tossed the food box down and turned to leave.
...
Meanwhile.
Meteor City, District D.
For days now, the streets had been bustling with heavily armed men dressed in uniform—black combat suits with a white inverted cross on their backs.
The atmosphere was tense.
Even Madou's tavern had almost no customers left.
The grand mansion that once belonged to the Rory family had now been taken over by these men. The leader standing at the center of the hall would have been instantly recognizable to Mord if he were here.
It was the same man who had stood atop the high building that night, overlooking the Rory family estate.
"What did that woman say? Still refusing to join us?" The tall, imposing man spoke.
...
After being scolded, Mord put on a convincingly chastened expression.
He had looked exactly like this a few days ago too.
Ah, I know I was wrong.
I won't do it again.
And then the cycle would repeat.
He stepped forward and opened the food box. The rich aroma wafted out—all of it was high-energy meat, perfect for quick replenishment. Though Madou's words were sharp, her actions toward him were nothing but kind.
Mord grabbed a large, glistening chicken leg with his hand and was about to take a big bite when Madou suddenly reappeared.
"Madou, haven't eaten yet? This chicken leg is really good—want it first?" Mord, as if possessed, held out the drumstick toward her.
Madou stared at him, veins nearly popping on her forehead. I'm the one who just brought you this food!
"If it's good, then eat more." She glared at him, her words gritted between clenched teeth.
"Really not having any?"
"Then I'll dig in." Mord grinned and began devouring the meal. Training consumed a lot of energy, and this was exactly what he needed right now.
After finishing, he even let out a satisfied burp.
Madou had watched him eat the entire time, the aura around her growing increasingly terrifying.
Mord knew perfectly well that her sudden return meant she had something important to discuss. Though he had been holed up in the backyard these days, that didn't mean he was oblivious to what was happening outside.
He knew District D of Meteor City had undergone a drastic change.
He had assumed Madou wanted to talk to him about it.
But he was wrong.
"Do you really want to become stronger that badly?" Madou looked at Mord and spoke.
Seeing her unusually serious expression, Mord wiped the smile from his face and nodded solemnly.
Though he didn't know the reason why the original owner of this body had been willing to pay the price of his life just to grow stronger, he himself now had his own reasons—reasons that made strength an absolute necessity.
Recalling that life-or-death moment from that night,
Mord understood clearly: in a world like this, survival demanded strength.
After all, this was a world where simply attending a match could get you inexplicably turned into a human bomb.
And then there was the Chimera Ant incident yet to come—one that would claim the lives of over two million civilians.
All just to satisfy the selfish desires of a few.
Weakness was the original sin.
This is the cruel world of hunters.
"Originally, I didn't want to teach you Nen, thinking it was for your own good. Staying in Meteor City with me around, at least you wouldn't be in mortal danger."
Madou glanced at Mord before continuing, "But I never expected you to be so persistent and eventually learn it on your own."
"Looking back now, perhaps if I had taught you myself earlier and let you leave to chase after that girl, the outcome might not have been as bad as it is now."
"But it's still not too late."
"Huh?" Mord was momentarily stunned.
So, the original owner of this body had wished to leave Meteor City to pursue someone—someone who must have been extremely important to him.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Mord anymore.
He had no intention of carrying that burden.
"You're still too weak right now." Madou looked at Mord and suddenly raised her right hand, curling her index finger in a beckoning motion. "Try treating me as an enemy and attack me with everything you've got."
Though he didn't know what Madou was up to, no man could stand being told by a woman that he wasn't good enough to her face.
Mord casually wiped the grease from his hands, lifted his head, and fixed his gaze on Madou, his expression turning serious.
The next moment—
His figure vanished from where he stood, and a heavy fist shot toward her with full force.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out.
The feedback from his fist told him he hadn't struck a woman's delicate body but something as hard as solid steel.
In the instant he froze, a powerful force slammed into him, sending him flying backward until he crashed hard into the distant courtyard wall before finally stopping.
As the dust settled, Mord climbed out of the rubble.
"The foreigner must have already taught you the basics of Nen, right? You know about the six categories?" Madou's voice carried over from afar.
At that moment, Mord was still thinking—shouldn't Madou be a Transmuter? How was her strength so overwhelming?
Hearing her question, he nodded and replied, "Enhancement, Emission, Transmutation, Manipulation, Conjuration, and Specialization."
"From your training these past few days, you should belong to the Conjuration category. That sword is your Nen ability."
Mord didn't deny it.
Madou continued, "And the finishing move you developed—releasing Nen in the form of lightning—is an application of Transmutation and Emission."
"To master such a complex technique so soon after learning Nen, even I have to admit you're a genius."
"But you've overlooked the most crucial point."
"Just now, were you wondering why I, a Transmuter, possess such overwhelming strength?"