Chapter 52: Nen Training – Cheating to the Very End
"Getting a Hunter License is only the first step to becoming a true Hunter. In this world, there exists a mysterious power—only by mastering it can one be considered an official Hunter."
"That power is called 'Nen'!"
Since Yamcha had already figured it out, Menchi decided to start teaching him seriously.
And at that moment, Yamcha officially began his Nen training.
There are two main ways to learn Nen. One requires a long period of consistent training—like practicing martial arts step by step in a novel. It cannot be mastered overnight.
The other involves receiving a "Hatsu" from a Nen user to forcibly open one's aura nodes and learn Nen.
The first method requires great effort and time, usually beginning from a young age. The time it takes depends on individual talent, and even with immense effort, one might never master it.
The second method allows for immediate Nen use—if one can retain the aura. But it's extremely dangerous and painful; the slightest error can lead to death from aura depletion.
Aside from the differences in process—gradual vs. risky—there's no distinction in the Nen acquired from either method.
Compared to slowly learning Nen, forcibly awakening it undoubtedly saves a lot of time.
So...
"I choose to learn it slowly," Yamcha said.
The latter is risky. Just because no failures are shown in the anime doesn't mean there aren't any. It's too unstable.
In reality, the failure rate is very high.
"Are you kidding me? Do you know how long it takes to train Nen from scratch? Even the fastest learners take at least three years!"
Yamcha had patience. Menchi, on the other hand, wasn't so calm. She waved a finger at him.
"One week. I'm going to teach you Nen in one week!"
Yamcha: "..."
'I don't know where you get the confidence to teach me Nen in one week.'
'Good thing I have a Plan B.'
A week flew by.
Under Menchi's intense cram-style instruction, Yamcha had already absorbed a ton of theoretical knowledge.
But only theory...
"In just one week, you've pretty much grasped the fundamentals of 'Ren', one of the Four Major Principles of Nen. That's all thanks to me," Menchi said proudly, like a hen that just laid an egg.
"Seems like I'm really cut out to be a teacher."
'...'
Yamcha rolled his eyes inwardly. Aside from letting him feel Nen up close during demonstrations, Menchi's theoretical teaching was just her reading out of a book.
'Even Netero's calligraphy was more useful than you.'
"By now, you should already have a decent understanding of Nen and might barely sense the aura in your body."
"But that's far from enough."
"Now comes the most important part. I'll open all your aura nodes and use Hatsu on you. I've already shown you how powerful Hatsu can be. But don't worry, I'm not trying to hurt you—just awaken all your Nen."
"You must immediately use the 'Ten' technique to contain your aura and form a circulation."
"This is the crucial part. If you fail... you'll die. No one can help you during this step—only you can save yourself."
"You may be a bit dumb, but if you die, I'll be sad. After all, you're the first disciple I've ever taught."
"Relax. As long as you follow my instructions, you'll definitely master Nen."
Yamcha quietly made his preparations, stuffing one item after another into his mouth until he couldn't fit any more.
Menchi didn't pay attention to what he was doing. She simply placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Alright, here I go."
A white aura began to radiate from Menchi's body—like the explosive energy bursts seen in Dragon Ball. A powerful presence surged outward.
If there had been a scouter around, it definitely would've shown her power level increasing by several ranks.
Yamcha felt a hot wave surge from Menchi's palm. Then his body began heating up, like something was about to explode from within—like a boiling kettle.
Suddenly, his body was covered in a visible white aura, streaming out from every pore.
That was aura—his life energy.
'Here it comes.'
All of Yamcha's aura nodes were opened, and his energy was visibly dissipating into the air.
"This is the moment—quickly use Ten to contain the aura within your body!" Menchi shouted. Yamcha immediately calmed his mind and focused on controlling his aura.
'First, use Ten to contain the aura. Second, circulate it through your body like blood.'
'Start from the top of the head, to the shoulders, right arm, right leg, thigh, tailbone, left leg, left arm, left shoulder… step by step, forming a loop.'
'Slowly stop the flow and imagine the aura settling around you.'
Following Menchi's guidance—and the material he'd studied at the Hunter Association—Yamcha controlled his inner aura.
Time passed. He gradually stopped hearing Menchi's voice. His mind emptied, fully immersed in the aura circulation, forming loop after loop.
Thin layers of aura formed membrane-like sheaths around Yamcha's body.
In the Hunter x Hunter world, anyone who becomes a Nen user is undoubtedly a once-in-a-generation talent.
Just because many Nen users appear in the manga doesn't mean they're common. Considering the world's massive population, Nen users still make up a tiny elite group at the top of society.
Even though Yamcha was a Dragon Ball Z warrior, and one of the top-tier Earthlings in terms of talent in that world...
He didn't dare bet on whether his Nen aptitude in the Hunter world was any good.
That's why...
What he stuffed in his mouth earlier was the key.
This time, it wasn't some kind of sports drink—it was...
Senzu Beans!
From the Dragon Ball world, senzu beans instantly replenish energy and heal injuries. Other than viruses or genetic issues, they're the ultimate healing item—a literal bug-tier cheat.
Just one bean could revive someone from near-death to peak form. So what's a little aura loss?
Senzu beans were part of Yamcha's contingency plan—his greatest trump card.
So he would absolutely not die from aura depletion.
If one bean wasn't enough, he'd use ten. If ten weren't enough, he'd use a hundred. If a hundred didn't cut it—he'd use more.
At this level of support, even a pig could learn Nen.
Cheating!
But this time, Yamcha wasn't cheating with money—he was cheating with senzu beans.
(End of Chapter)