“Of course I trust you.”
Kael’s gaze was gentle yet unwavering.
He looked past Gon, who had leaned forward anxiously, and focused once more on Killua.
There was more than trust in his eyes.
There was also a heavy sense of expectation.
“It’s precisely because I believe so strongly in your potential that I want you to break the shackles restraining you with your own hands.”
“That needle isn’t merely a restraint.
It could also become a trial that tempers you.”
“Killua, there are two paths before you.”
Kael clearly raised two fingers, as though outlining two completely different roads.
“The first is to leave the Nen needle where it is.”
He bent down his first finger.
“Treat it like a whetstone.”
“In every future battle against a powerful opponent, whenever that terror rises from the depths of your soul, actively resist the fear that was forcibly implanted within you.”
“Use your will to wear it down and overcome it until its influence disappears completely before your unwavering resolve.”
“When you finally remove it through your own strength, without allowing it to control you, both your mentality and your Nen will undergo a true transformation.”
“You’ll shed your old self and be reborn.”
Kael paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle.
Then he bent his second finger.
“The second option is to remove it immediately.”
“I can help you do it right now, aboard this ship.”
“Without its interference, your decisions and movements will regain their proper decisiveness and fluidity.”
“But in exchange, you’ll lose an opportunity to temper your mind under extreme pressure and force yourself beyond your limits.”
“It’s the safer and more convenient path.”
The cabin fell silent.
The air seemed to solidify, leaving only the gentle sound of waves striking the hull outside the window.
Gon clenched his fists and stared nervously at Killua.
His lips were pressed into a tight line, but he forced himself not to speak, leaving the decision entirely to his friend.
Kael waited like a patient guardian, allowing the storm inside the silver-haired boy’s heart to settle.
Killua lowered his head deeply.
His silver hair fell across his face, and the shadows completely concealed his expression.
Only the faint trembling of his slender shoulders silently revealed the fierce struggle and torment taking place within him.
Leave the needle in place?
That meant it could activate again during every important future battle, perhaps even at the boundary between life and death.
It could make his body freeze.
It could force him to flee without fighting.
It might even make him abandon his companions and betray his true feelings.
But remove it immediately?
Yet doing so would mean losing the courage to confront Illumi himself.
No.
He did not merely want to escape from it.
He wanted to defeat it.
He wanted to completely crush the fear forced into his heart, not only physically but spiritually.
Second after second passed.
It felt as though a very long time had gone by.
At last, Killua raised his head.
The confusion and fear that had previously clouded his blue eyes were gone, washed away like a clear sky after a violent storm.
In their place burned a desperate, tempered resolve.
“I choose the first path.”
Killua did not speak loudly, but his voice was exceptionally clear and firm.
Every word seemed to strike against the frozen air with a ringing impact.
“I’ll face it directly.”
“I’ll use my own will to defeat the fear he planted inside me.”
Hearing his answer, a relieved smile appeared on Kael’s face.
Gon cheered and jumped into the air.
He struck Killua’s shoulder firmly, his movement filled with complete faith, and revealed his signature brilliant smile.
“That’s the Killua I know!”
“Calm, clever Killua!”
Killua felt the solid force of Gon’s hand and the wholehearted support and trust of his companion.
His cheeks reddened slightly, and he turned his face away in embarrassment.
He instinctively wanted to conceal how deeply moved he was, but the corners of his mouth rose into a genuinely relaxed smile despite himself.
That was right.
With companions like these beside him, believing in him without reservation, what shadow was there to fear?
Of course, confronting one’s fears and inner self was easy to describe but extraordinarily difficult to accomplish.
Every time the fear descended, Killua would have to oppose it with reason.
Every time he wanted to retreat, he would have to force himself forward through willpower alone.
The process would be nothing less than a continuous war within himself.
But Kael firmly believed that once Killua made his decision, every successful act of resistance would weaken the power of the Nen needle and temper his will.
When Killua could finally ignore its influence completely and tear it out through sheer determination, his strength—especially his mental state—would rise to a new level that even he could hardly imagine.
It would be a true rebirth through adversity.
Kael turned toward the porthole and gazed at the endless blue outside.
The sky was clear and spotless, merging with the vast ocean at the distant horizon.
Seagulls soared overhead while sunlight scattered countless golden scales across the waves.
Kael inhaled the salty sea breeze and smiled, attempting to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
“The weather is far too good for us to stay inside discussing depressing things.”
“How about it, you two?”
The instant Gon heard the words “fishing” and “competition,” his eyes lit up.
All his previous tension vanished, and he became so excited that he nearly began dancing.
“Of course!”
“Let’s establish a rule.”
“Whoever catches the lightest fish—or fails to catch anything at all—has to prepare dinner and wash all the dishes tonight.
How does that sound?”
Kael and Killua exchanged glances.
Competitive sparks immediately appeared in both their eyes.
“Deal!”
When it came to fishing, Gon was practically a master.
Having grown up among mountain forests and streams, he possessed an almost instinctive understanding of fish and their habits.
Kael and Killua, on the other hand, were theoretically about equal.
During his previous life on Earth, Kael had been a standard fishing novice.
He possessed plenty of theoretical knowledge and enthusiasm, but because of his financial situation, he had never experienced sea fishing.
It had always been one of his regrets.
Killua was a complete beginner.
Fishing had never been included in his assassin training.
However, his talent and learning ability were extraordinary, and his curiosity and competitiveness made him eager to master anything new.
In other words, there was almost no uncertainty about the outcome of the three-person contest.
Gon would be the nearly unbeatable champion.
The real battle would take place between Kael and Killua as they desperately competed to avoid finishing last.
The three immediately got to work.
They searched the pirate ship’s storage compartment and found suitable fishing equipment.
Each selected a position.
Kael stood at the bow.
Killua chose the port side.
Gon positioned himself along the starboard railing.
All three rolled up their sleeves and prepared to begin.
Kael understood that bait was essential if he wanted to catch a large fish.
He carefully observed the shadows moving beneath the surface.
His gaze locked onto a large, well-built sea fish swimming leisurely below.
He held his breath and brought the index and middle fingers of his right hand together.
The Nen inside his body instantly gathered and flowed smoothly toward his fingertips.
The moment his aim aligned, the aura shot from his fingers like a bullet.
It pierced the fish’s body with perfect accuracy.
“Hey, Kael!”
Killua immediately shouted in dissatisfaction and pointed toward him.
“This is supposed to be a fishing competition!”
“You’re cheating!”
(End of Chapter)