Chapter 4: Special Training
Just as their conversation was getting lively, a crisp knock on the door cut them off.
Gon practically leaped to his feet and ran to open it, his face still flushed with excitement.
The door swung open to reveal Wing, with Zushi standing beside him.
"Mr. Wing! Zushi! You're here!" Gon exclaimed, stepping aside to let them in.
Wing didn't enter immediately. His gaze scanned Gon like a searchlight. Only after seeing that Gon was full of energy and his eyes were clear did Wing's tense shoulders finally relax, if only slightly.
He was well aware of the potential risks of Kyle's ability. A heavy weight had been pressing on his heart, and only now did it feel a little lighter.
"Mr. Wing." Killua and Kyle also stood up to greet him.
Wing nodded in acknowledgment and walked into the room, followed by a somewhat reserved Zushi. As soon as Zushi entered, his eyes couldn't help but dart curiously toward Kyle, his hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
Wing skipped the pleasantries and looked directly at Kyle, his expression grave. "Kyle, can you tell me in detail about this other world?"
Kyle seemed to have expected this. He didn't hide anything, explaining the landscape of the One Piece world, its power systems, and the cruelty that came with them.
As he spoke, Killua leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes flickering as if imagining that vast ocean. Gon listened, rapt, his fists clenched unconsciously, a mix of longing and tension.
After Kyle finished, Wing fell into a long silence, rubbing his chin absently.
Finally, he looked up, his gaze sharp and fixed on Kyle. "Can I ask you to promise me one thing?"
"What is it?" Kyle sensed the weight in Wing's tone and sat up straighter.
"Do not make contracts with the people of that other world." Wing's voice was low and firm.
Kyle heard this and immediately understood his concern. He nodded solemnly. "Yes. I understand. I promise."
Hearing this firm answer, Wing let out a long breath. The deep worry on his brow dissipated. The unknown was the most frightening thing. If human desire was unshackled, it could easily lead to disaster. This promise was, at least, a safeguard.
"We'll be going, then. You all should get some rest," Wing said, turning his gaze to Zushi.
But Zushi's feet seemed nailed to the floor. He looked at Kyle, then at Gon and Killua, his lips moving slightly, his face a picture of longing and hesitation.
"Master..." Zushi's voice was as faint as a gnat, full of pleading.
Wing looked at his student and understood completely. He sighed, didn't force the issue, and just added, "Don't be too late," before turning to leave by himself.
The moment the door closed, the calm on Wing's face vanished, replaced by a much deeper gravity.
Kyle's ability was a double-edged sword. It held infinite possibilities but also immense uncertainty. Should such a power really be allowed to exist? The more he thought, the more his mind churned. He couldn't help but give a bitter smile. What luck, to run into three "monsters" with such terrifying potential all at once.
Back in the room, Zushi, seeing his master leave, seemed to summon all his courage. He walked up to Kyle and looked up, his eyes filled with a final sliver of hope. "Kyle, I... c-can I also..."
Kyle looked at Zushi, not at all surprised. He clapped him on the shoulder, his tone gentle but firm.
"Zushi, my contract slots are limited."
"Besides, if a contractor dies in the other world, I don't just lose the training results I gained from them. I'll suffer a backlash myself... The consequences are unpredictable."
The light in Zushi's eyes instantly dimmed.
He looked down, blinking hard. When he looked up again, he had forced a strained smile onto his face.
"I-I get it! It's not like I really wanted to go anyway, a dangerous place like that... I need to focus on my Nen training right now! My goal is to become a Floor Master at Heaven's Arena!"
He said it all in a rush, as if slowing down would let his real feelings leak out.
"It's getting late! You guys should rest. I should get to bed, too!"
With that, he practically fled the room, his hand trembling slightly as he pulled the door shut.
Gon watched him go. His superhuman intuition clearly felt the disappointment Zushi was trying to suppress. He turned to Kyle, his brow furrowed, his voice holding a mix of confusion and frustration.
"Kyle, can't we really take Zushi? We can protect him!"
Kyle sighed and put his hands on Gon's shoulders, making him look him in the eye.
"Gon, listen. It's not a game. The Pirate World is far crueler than you can imagine. The path to strength is full of thorns; it requires incredible talent and survival instincts."
"Zushi works hard, but he might not have the potential to grow quickly and survive in that environment. Forcing him to come wouldn't be helping him, it would be endangering him."
Killua walked over, lazily slinging an arm over Gon's other shoulder, but his tone was uncharacteristically serious. "Idiot. Kyle's right. The best gift we can give Zushi is to come back and tell him all about our adventures."
Gon looked at the serious expressions on his friends' faces, then thought back to Zushi's forced smile. Though he still felt a knot in his stomach, he finally nodded heavily.
"...Yeah."
"Alright," Kyle clapped his hands, pulling their attention back. "Right now, we have only one priority: Gon's fight with Hisoka. We only have fourteen days left. You don't have time to worry about other people."
Gon took a deep breath, his focus and determination returning. "Right!"
"For the rest of our time, we have to focus on strengthening your Nen basics, especially your use of Gyo. Hisoka's [Bungee Gum] uses a perfect In. You have to maintain Gyo at all times during the fight, or you won't even know how you lost."
"Right!" Gon and Killua said in unison.
"Okay, special training starts now." Kyle raised his index finger, his gaze sweeping over them. "Listen. From this moment on, whenever I point my finger at the ceiling, you have to use Gyo as fast as you can and correctly read the number I've written on my fingertip with Nen. We're going to drill this until using Gyo becomes a combat instinct, burned into your very bones!"
"Yes, sir!"
Kyle had barely finished speaking when his finger shot up.
Killua's reaction was like lightning. The instant Kyle's hand moved, his eyes flashed, and Gyo was already active.
Gon, however, was half a beat slow. He froze for a second, as if just remembering the rule, before scrambling to focus Aura in his eyes.
"Seven!" Killua reported instantly.
"...Seven!" Gon followed, his voice rushed.
Kyle looked at Gon and shook his head in frustration.
And that was with Killua providing a benchmark. If he were alone against a chaotic opponent like Hisoka, the results would be disastrous.