How? Are you interested in Nen…?"
As soon as Rimo's voice fell, the eyes of the three people in front of him instantly became burning hot.
Needless to say, both Uvogin and Nobunaga were people who pursued strength almost instinctively.
For them, Nen was a power that had always been monopolized by the elders of Meteor City and their direct guards, a forbidden force that ordinary people were never allowed to touch, let alone understand.
It was precisely because of this that Nen carried an irresistible temptation.
Machi was no exception.
Growing up in a place like Meteor City, where people devoured each other to survive, she understood better than anyone how important strength was.
No, it was not just important.
Strength was everything.
Especially after personally experiencing a life-and-death crisis just moments ago, after seeing Rimo pierced through and nearly losing him right in front of her eyes, Machi no longer wanted to experience that kind of helplessness again.
That suffocating pain, the fear of losing someone, was something she never wanted to feel a second time.
"Really?" Uvogin stared at Rimo with wide eyes, his voice trembling slightly.
"Rimo… can you really teach us Nen?"
He could hardly believe what he had just heard.
Not long ago, he had asked Rimo about Nen, and Rimo had honestly said that he didn't even understand what was going on with his own power.
And now, after just one trip out to fight, after stretching his muscles and coming back, Rimo was suddenly telling them that he could help others awaken Nen?
For a moment, Uvogin even wondered if he was dreaming.
Looking at the three pairs of eyes filled with expectation, excitement, and a trace of cautious disbelief, Rimo couldn't help but feel a little amused.
"Of course it's true," Rimo said calmly.
"I just fought Os, who had already awakened Nen, and during that fight, I figured out a lot about how Nen works. Among those things… there are methods that can allow others to awaken Nen as well."
"But—"
Rimo deliberately paused mid-sentence.
That single pause instantly made the three people anxious.
"But what?"
"What's the problem?"
"What's the condition?"
The three voices overlapped almost at the same time.
Rimo smiled in satisfaction before continuing, "But forcibly awakening Nen is dangerous. You need to be mentally prepared."
As soon as he finished speaking, Uvogin slapped his chest without hesitation.
"Tch, what's there to be afraid of?" Uvogin said loudly.
"If I can't endure it, then it just means I'm only worth this much."
"We've lived with danger our entire lives. The more dangerous the power is, the more it's worth mastering."
Nobunaga nodded heavily in agreement, his hand subconsciously tightening around the katana at his waist.
Rimo then turned his gaze to Machi.
"I want to learn," Machi said without hesitation, her eyes firm and unwavering.
None of the three people said thank you.
But that did not mean they felt entitled to Rimo's help.
In Meteor City, words of gratitude were unnecessary between companions.
From the moment they accepted Rimo's food, shelter, and protection, they had already acknowledged him in their hearts.
Rimo was their core.
Their pillar.
Their boss.
Of course, Machi's feelings were slightly more complicated than those of Uvogin and Nobunaga, but the conclusion was the same.
No matter what Rimo needed in the future, the three of them would repay it with their lives if necessary.
Seeing their resolve, Rimo smiled faintly.
To be honest, he never thought they would really be in danger.
Almost everyone in Meteor City who had the will to survive and the talent for battle could forcibly awaken Nen.
The fact that Machi, Uvogin, and Nobunaga later became Nen users in the original timeline already proved that they were qualified.
Results could not exist without causes.
"In that case," Rimo said, "before we begin, I'll explain what Nen actually is."
"Wait!" Uvogin suddenly interrupted and rushed back into the house.
Rimo stared at his back in confusion.
Is he… going to the bathroom?
A moment later, Uvogin returned, dragging a single-seat sofa and placing it behind Rimo.
"Uvogin… what are you doing?" Rimo asked.
"You've been standing all this time," Uvogin said with a grin.
"I was worried you'd get tired, so I brought you a chair."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Even Nobunaga, who had known Uvogin for years, stared at him in disbelief.
Uvogin… you actually know how to flatter people?!
Rimo reacted a second later and kicked Uvogin lightly.
"Alright, alright. Let's go inside and talk properly. There's no need to stand."
"Oh."
Uvogin obediently carried the sofa back.
Back in the living room, the four of them relaxed on the sofas.
A can of cold soda was placed in front of Rimo.
This time, it was handed over by Nobunaga.
After taking a comfortable sip, Rimo's expression finally turned serious.
"Alright, let's get to the point. You've heard of Hunters, right?"
To his surprise, the three of them shook their heads at the same time.
"I haven't."
"Never heard of it."
"No idea."
Rimo slapped his forehead.
He had almost forgotten.
This was Meteor City, a place abandoned by the world.
Outsider common sense simply didn't apply here.
"Is that important?" Uvogin scratched his head.
"It's fine," Rimo sighed.
"It doesn't matter."
"That's good," Uvogin breathed a sigh of relief.
"I almost thought I couldn't learn Nen if I didn't know what a Hunter was."
In a way… that wasn't entirely wrong.
"Nen," Rimo began, "is the power used by Hunters and the elders' direct guards. It is also the source of all superhuman abilities."
"Every person has life energy flowing through their body. Nen is the technique used to control that life energy and apply it to attack or defense."
As he spoke, Rimo picked up a blank sheet of paper, imitating Wing's demonstration to Gon and Killua.
He poured Nen into it.
Instantly, the paper stiffened, standing upright like steel.
With a flick of his wrist, the paper shot forward like a blade, embedding halfway into the wall.
When the Nen dissipated, the paper softened again and fluttered to the ground.
"Like this," Rimo said.
"No matter how fragile something is, once Nen is attached to it, it becomes hard and sharp."
"It can turn paper into a blade… or turn the human body into armor."
The bodies of Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Machi trembled simultaneously.
If Nen could do this to paper…
Then what would happen if it was applied to fists, swords, or steel wires?
"This is Nen," Rimo continued.
"As long as someone trains step by step, anyone can learn it."
"And that is exactly why the elders hide it."
"Because once this power spreads, everyone can become strong."
"And strong people… don't bow so easily."
"So whether it's Meteor City or the outside world," Rimo concluded,
"Nen has always been a power deliberately concealed from the masses."