Arin trained with his white-life forms in the Numere Wetlands for about three days.
After he trained for some time, he decided to go back to the Heavens Arena to fight for real.
He believed he would be leveling up himself to the two hundred floors in one or two weeks at the very most, as he believed he needed Nen battles to improve himself even further.
The problem was simple.
All the training was good and increased his basic capability and reflexes a lot.
But it did not change anything, as there was no real sense of danger and puzzle to solve in a new battle.
In no time, he went back to the Heavens Arena.
-
He entered his room and poured himself a cup of whiskey and then drank as he massaged his temples.
"Let's fight a little," he said to himself and then started battling.
The battles were simple and easy; the enemies were no Nen users, and at this point fighting against ordinary fighters gave him no experience or anything that can be said to be useful.
After three fights, he went back to his room and sat down.
At that time, someone knocked on his door.
He opened the door and smiled.
One brow slightly raised as he saw Agris standing there, calm and casual.
The man was in the same outfit from their first encounter: dark trousers and a sleeveless combat shirt.
"Agris," Arin said with a faint smile.
"Didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Thought I'd drop by."
Agris replied.
"Mind if I come in?"
Arin stepped aside without another word, gesturing him in.
"Make yourself comfortable," Arin said.
"You want something to drink?"
"Sure," Agris replied, sitting on the couch.
His eyes lingered on Arin's body and hair for a moment as he commented.
"You have changed a lot; your aura and your energy are powerful..."
Arin poured two glasses of whiskey, handing one over before taking the seat across from him.
"I've been working," Arin said simply. "Training."
Agris took a sip and leaned back, legs crossed.
"I can see that. Your Nen… It's like being in the same room as a wild monster that's about to hunt me down, but it's just you.
"Thank you for the compliment." Arin said simply and smiled.
A moment of silence passed between them.
Then Agris exhaled slowly.
"Listen, I didn't just come to visit. I've been watching some of your fights lately. The way you move."
"The way you avoid overusing aura. You're playing this game smart. That's rare."
Arin didn't respond right away.
He simply drank, letting the words roll over him.
Agris continued.
"I wanted to talk to you about something. Something serious."
"I figured," Arin said.
"What is it?"
"There's been talk going around."
Agris said.
"About a group. Hired fighters. They're here for someone."
Arin set his drink down.
"And you think that someone is me?"
"I don't know."
"But someone with your profile new, powerful, rising fast, showing signs of unconventional Nen usage that's the kind of person these people look at."
Arin let out a soft breath.
"What do you know about them?"
"Not much. Only whispers."
Arin then added.
"If they were after me, they would've already made a move."
"Or," Agris countered,
"They're watching. Learning. Nen users like that don't act rashly."
Arin gave him a sideways glance. "You want to help me?"
"I want to offer advice," Agris said.
Arin smirked.
"Thanks. But I'm not worried. Not yet."
Agris looked at him for a long moment, then said,
"You should be. Power doesn't protect you from ambushes. Or poisons. Or people smarter than you."
Arin stood up, walking over to the window.
"I appreciate the warning. Really. But I don't run from fights. If someone's watching me, let them watch. When they come, I'll be ready."
"Even if they come with abilities you've never seen before?"
"I've studied," Arin said. "And I adapt fast."
Agris let the silence stretch again before finishing his drink and setting the glass on the table.
"I had a feeling you'd say that. In that case… maybe there's something I can show you. A technique."
Arin turned slightly. "I'm listening."
"It's a movement technique. Close quarters. Built to counter multiple attackers."
"What's the catch?"
Agris smiled.
"You have to spare me. Tomorrow. Full contact."
"I have created my own hatsu, and I need to try it in real combat."
"Preferably against an opponent that is strong enough to battle and not die..."
Arin grinned back.
"Deal."
Arin poured another splash of whiskey into Agris' glass and let the bottle rest on the counter.
"I'm glad we're going to spar, but that wasn't all you came to say, was it?"
Agris gave a short laugh, shaking his head as he set the glass down with a clink.
"I did not think I was such a person that could be read like a book."
He reached into his side pouch and pulled out a folded piece of paper, sliding it across the table.
"There's a job."
Arin didn't reach for the paper.
He simply raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of job?"
"A battle job. Hunting, combat, infiltration. You know, the good stuff."
Agris smirked.
"It's not public, not something you'll see on any hunter board or guild mission."
"It came through one of my contacts. Trusted guy. He's hiring a small team."
Arin finally picked up the paper and unfolded it, skimming the basic outline, location, timeframe, and partial payment note.
He looked up.
Where?"
"The city of Cherova is just outside of Yorknew City; it's more like a town than a city, I would say."
Agris said, relaxing into the couch again.
"A palace. Owned by the Burnous family. They're a mid-tier mafia group, mostly dealing in underground auctions, trafficking, and counterfeit relics."
Arin nodded once, committing the name to memory.
"The client wants the head of the family. Man named Dargos Burnous."
Agris continued.
"But we're not responsible for that part."
"Our objective is to deal with the Nen users guarding him."
"Apparently, two, maybe three, of them. No confirmation yet. Could be more."
Arin leaned forward slightly, interest sharpening in his gaze.
"What kind of Nen users?"
Agris shrugged.
"No specifics. But the fact that the client's offering five hundred million Jenny for the job should say enough."
"That's the base reward. If the team completes it without losses, he'll pay a bonus. And here's the part that caught my ear…"
He paused, letting the tension build.
"The client told me: if I know another Nen user who's strong and combat-capable, he wants to see what they can do."
"Said he'd consider paying more depending on the performance of the combatant."
Arin didn't speak immediately.
He folded the paper again, placed it on the table, and took a slow sip from his own drink.
"I don't like the mafia," Arin said at last.
"And I have no loyalty to people who manipulate power from the shadows."
"But that doesn't mean I work for just anyone."
Agris nodded.
"Neither do I. But this job has structure."
"A goal. A team. It's clean for our part. We eliminate their Nen users, secure the location, and get out."
"Who's the third man?" Arin asked.
"Don't know yet. The client said he'll introduce him before the operation starts."
"He's supposed to be a conjurer. I'm guessing some kind of support role."
Arin rubbed his chin, then glanced at one of the life-forms standing motionless at the wall.
"What's the timeline?"
"Two days. We meet in Cherova at a safehouse near the outer district wall. Operation starts sometime after midnight."
A spark flickered in Arin's eyes.
"And you want me in?"
"I do. You're strong."
Arin chuckled softly.
"High praise from a man who couldn't land a hit on me."
"I will tomorrow."
Agris replied smoothly, lifting his glass in a mock toast.
Arin raised his own glass and clinked it against Agris's.
"We'll see."
They both drank. Then Agris stood, stretching slightly as he moved toward the door.
"Think it over," he said as he opened the door.
"We spar tomorrow, like we agreed. After that, give me your answer."
Arin followed him to the door but didn't reply.
Agris offered a short nod, and then he was gone, the heavy click of the door echoing behind him.
Left alone, Arin returned to his seat, swirling what was left in his glass.
He walked over to his desk and pulled out a black notebook.
Inside were his early thoughts on investments, stocks, and properties, but now, on a fresh page, he wrote:
Mission: Burnous Family
Location: Cherova, Burnous Palace
Objective: Neutralize Nen users (2–3 expected)
Client payout: 500M base
Bonus: Performance-based
Team: Arin (?), Agris, Unknown (Conurer), The Head (unknown)
Risks:
– Mafia retaliation
– Unconfirmed Nen abilities
– Possible trap
He stared at the page for a while, then flipped it and wrote a single word:
He closed the notebook and set it aside.
"I'll go," he whispered to himself. "Not for the money. Not for the client. But to learn."
He took a sip and smiled.
"Let's see what kind of monsters this world really hides."
"I am also sure that this will be beneficial to my specialist ability coming from the system."
"A new battle mission will increase my Nen points to some degree."
"Much more than just training."
"In the end, when I reach 40.0 points, I can create another Nen ability without the side effects of overloading my memory."