Between Two Worlds: Nen and Haki

He could definitely sense it now.

Before, he had always believed that distancing himself from danger was an act of self-preservation, but now he realized it wasn't his own choice; it was the Nen needle in his head forcing him to act that way.

At that thought, Killua instinctively looked at Gon, who was watching him with concern.

'If I encounter danger while I'm with Gon, would I abandon him and run away on my own?'

No!

He would never do that.

"Zane, help me take this needle out!" Killua said, pointing to his forehead with a look of firm determination.

If he abandoned Gon the moment things got dangerous, what right did he have to be Gon's friend?

He wanted to know if he truly was someone who feared danger.

He wanted to escape his brother's—no, Illumi's—control.

He wanted to take charge of his own life.

"Alright!"

Seeing Killua's resolve, Zane didn't waste any words.

The third eye on his forehead slowly opened.

'This is...'

'An eye?'

'A Nen ability?'

Just like Killua...

Wing and the other two had originally thought the golden dragon pattern on Zane's forehead was just a scar or a tattoo.

When that third eye opened, all three of them were instantly drawn to it, struck with amazement.

Ignoring their reactions...

Zane briefly stared at Killua with his third eye before swiftly pressing his hand against the boy's head.

BOOM!!!

A terrifying surge of Nen aura erupted from his palm.

Zane moved with lightning speed. At the exact moment the aura exploded, he performed a rapid snatch-and-pull motion.

By the time his palm left Killua's head, a long needle—its Nen aura rapidly dissipating—was already held in his hand.

Phew...

Zane's swift removal of the needle snapped Wing out of his shock over the third eye.

Seeing the Nen needle in Zane's hand, Wing breathed a sigh of relief.

As Killua's teacher, even though he trusted his own judgment, he couldn't help but worry about something going wrong during the actual procedure.

Fortunately...

Thanks to Zane's overwhelming Nen aura and rapid technique, the process of removing the needle went perfectly.

"Eh? It's out?"

Gon, also coming to his senses, hurriedly looked at Killua.

Wing did the same.

Both of their expressions shifted as they saw Killua's reaction.

After the needle was removed, Killua seemed dazed for a moment before covering his face with his right hand; tears were visible at the corners of his eyes.

"I remember... I remember everything!" Killua whispered to himself. Looking like a man reborn, he tilted his head back, letting the tears stream down his cheeks.

"Killua, are you okay?!"

"Do you feel unwell?"

"Killua..."

Gon, Wing, and Zushi all crowded around him anxiously.

Closing his third eye, Zane watched Killua's reaction thoughtfully.

Besides manipulating Killua's behavior, Illumi's Nen needle had also sealed away his memories of the fourth Zoldyck child, Alluka.

Now that the needle was gone, Killua had clearly regained those memories of Alluka.

"I'm fine. I just remembered a few things," Killua said, wiping his tears to reassure the group before turning back to Zane.

"Zane, there's something I want to ask you."

Killua pointed toward the nearby balcony where Zane and Wing had just been talking.

"Sure," Zane nodded slightly and walked toward the balcony.

Killua followed after giving a quick word to Gon and the others.

Although Gon was curious, he held back.

He believed that if something were really wrong, Killua wouldn't keep it from him later.

The sliding door closed once more.

"I really have to thank you. If not for you, I'd probably still be living like a puppet," Killua said as he leaned his arms against the railing, gazing up at the starry sky.

"While being friends with a kid might be a bit childish, I suppose I'm just a childish person myself," Zane replied, resting his elbows on the railing as he looked at Killua with a faint smile.

"What's wrong with being childish?"

In the past, Killua would have bristled at being called childish, but now he seemed exceptionally cheerful.

He turned his head, resting his cheek on his arms, and looked at Zane seriously. "Zane, if you found out one day that one of your family members was being imprisoned by your own family, would you find a way to rescue them?"

Zane understood what he was getting at. After a moment of thought, he said, "That depends on two things."

"First, the reason for the imprisonment. If they're innocent, then of course you save them."

"Second, whether or not I have the strength to actually save them."

'Is Alluka innocent?'

Killua asked himself.

Alluka's wish-granting ability was incredibly dangerous, but that was never Alluka's fault; it was the fault of the people making the wishes.

To the first question, Killua had an answer almost immediately: yes, he had to save them.

But as for the second question...

"Yeah, I understand!" Killua looked back up at the sky.

He was currently too weak.

Given how much his father and the others valued Alluka, he had no chance of a rescue with his current level of strength.

If he rushed back recklessly, that bastard Illumi might even plant another Nen needle in him.

Staring at the stars, Killua unconsciously clenched his fists.

'I need to get stronger.'

A longing more intense than anything he'd felt before surged within him.

Whether it was to permanently escape control or to save Alluka, he needed to become incredibly powerful.

*

*

Zane left.

He didn't stay the night.

After dealing with Killua's situation and having a long chat with the two boys, Zane said his goodbyes and departed.

Killua and Gon had their own lives to live.

He was willing to help, but he wouldn't over-interfere.

He checked into a high-end hotel.

After freshening up, Zane stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in his bathrobe, looking down at the bustling streets.

'The development of the third eye is nearly complete. I'll rest for a few days, then I can head back to the One Piece world and set sail once more,' Zane thought.

During this time, he hadn't stayed exclusively in the Hunter world; he occasionally returned to the One Piece world.

For instance, when he couldn't find any prey to hunt, he would return to the One Piece world to use Sea Kings as a backup.

There was also the matter of relaxation.

One should train hard when it's time to train, and relax properly when it's time to relax.

It was mostly because he was a gentleman who cared for his women, plus he wanted to give Baby 5 time to focus on her own training.

Otherwise, given the time difference between the two worlds...

Baby 5 wouldn't have been able to get out of bed at all.

Thinking about the results of his recent training, Zane touched the third eye on his forehead, a smile spreading across his face.

After this period of refinement, the development of the third eye could be called a massive success.

'It might be a bit flashy, but from now on, I'll call you the God's Eye!' In high spirits, Zane couldn't help but give his successfully developed third eye a name.

God's Eye.

The name was a bit chuunibyou.

But there was a reason Zane chose it.

In his mind, the current state of his third eye truly deserved the title of "God."

The nourishment of Nen aura.

The awakening that perceived the essence of all things.

The integration of the Glare-Glare Fruit's power.

The combination of these three was like a trinity, forging a pair of eyes with unparalleled ocular power.