Among the Nen abilities that could transform into others, as far as Morrow knew...
There were Bonolenov, Illumi, Morel, and Shaiapouf of the three Chimera Ant Royal Guards.
Among them, Morel transformed "smoke" into the appearance of others. While it was called transformation, it was actually a form of mimicry ability.
Bonolenov's transformation and Illumi's disguise, however, were exceptionally powerful transformation abilities.
The former, despite having physical limitations, excelled in being seamless.
The latter, without the use of Nen needles, could only maintain the disguise transformation for a few hours.
Compared to these transformation abilities created through the Nen System, magical beasts like Kiriko relied on innate abilities to achieve transformation.
What Morrow was curious about was how creatures like Kiriko and the Man-faced Ape mobilized their innate abilities, and whether there was any involvement of "aura" in the process.
The original work had very little detail on these specifics.
With few references available, Morrow naturally wouldn't pass up the opportunity when a research subject presented itself so readily.
The unidentified creature disguised as a delicate woman was startled by the aura Morrow suddenly released, panicking and turning to flee.
But in the next instant, Morrow's figure flickered like a ghost as he flashed forward, grabbing hold of it.
"Squeak!"
The woman, who was the disguised unidentified creature, let out a sharp cry in terror as it was restrained, its entire face contorting and visibly changing at a rapid pace.
Seeing this, Morrow immediately intensified his bloodlust.
In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
The sounds of insects and other noises that could be heard moments ago fell into dead silence.
The intense bloodlust emanating from Morrow, amplified by his aura, pierced into the mind of the disguised creature like countless sharp needles.
Its ability to think was instantly stripped away, leaving only primal fear, so overwhelming that even its voice caught in its throat.
Seizing the moment, Morrow observed its transformation.
He saw that not only its face but the skin all over its body gradually began to emit a faint layer of Nen.
Or rather, it was the creature's own aura.
Under the influence of this energy, the human-like face began to twist and dissolve like fading canvas, eventually revealing its true appearance: a stark white monkey face.
This monkey face had almost no visible nose, with crimson patterns encircling its eyes, and an unusually wide mouth that, when slightly parted, revealed densely packed, needle-like fangs.
Not a Man-faced Ape?
Morrow was slightly surprised.
He had initially thought it was a Man-faced Ape, but it turned out to be another creature.
However, he could at least confirm one thing.
Such creatures normally maintained a state of "Zetsu," but once they used their innate abilities, they instinctively mobilized the aura within their bodies.
Yet, despite the involvement of aura, the transformation ability just witnessed seemed to rely more on shifts in muscles and bones.
To be more precise, it was the aura that drove the changes in muscles and bones.
Doesn't matter...
Morrow didn't care about the species of the creature before him. Having discerned the nature of its innate ability, he now intended to replicate it.
"Starlight Convergence."
Under the white-faced monkey's terrified gaze, Morrow's aura shattered into starlight.
Immediately under his conscious control, the starlight grew dense and encircled the white-faced monkey's body.
"You should understand human speech, right? Then... I'll trouble you to change your face again. Hmm, not the previous face."
Black smoke seemed to swirl in Morrow's eyes as he spoke, emanating an inexplicable aura that made one tremble with fear.
The white-faced monkey's eyes widened, its mouth unconsciously agape, its entire body trembling like a sieve, with liquid seeping from its lower body.
It had eaten many humans.
In its understanding, humans were indeed powerful, but they were merely the most delicious food.
Yet now, feeling the aura of this human before it, it realized that the humans it had eaten before were utterly unqualified to represent the strength of an entire species.
"If I'm not mistaken, that previous human face belonged to a female human you ate. And these clothes you're wearing are mixed with a man's watch and belt, which means you've eaten more than one human."
Morrow stared at the white-faced monkey's face and said calmly, "Then just pick any other face. My patience is limited."
...
The white-faced monkey had completely lost its ability to think. Suppressed by Morrow's suffocating, terrifying aura, it could only stare blankly with wide eyes, instinctively activating its innate ability once more.
A thin aura like mist appeared on its body surface, its facial muscles and bones twisting and deforming accordingly, its skin wriggling and restructuring like melting wax.
After a moment, a young man's face with a scarred lip replaced the previous monkey face.
Meanwhile, Morrow used his Starlight Convergence ability to read the information from the white-faced monkey's facial transformation.
Looking at the final results, the previously planned one-year ability improvement project still hadn't met expectations.
Ultimately, the ability effect of replicating aura control precision was still too conceptual.
To imbue this conceptual ability on the original foundation simply couldn't be achieved through effort alone.
However, the improvement process wasn't without gains.
The reading precision of Starlight Convergence had been elevated to an unprecedented level.
Like now, every fiber contraction of the white-faced monkey's facial muscles, every minute restructuring of its bone structure, appeared in Morrow's mind like slowed-down footage.
Strictly speaking, even techniques like the Zoldyck Family's limb manipulation that could transform hands into sharp claws, or the Kiriko's innate ability to strengthen claws and fangs...
Morrow could now completely read the transformation process through Starlight Convergence.
Let's give it a try.
After integrating the read information, Morrow withdrew his Starlight Convergence ability and instead, under the enhancement of his aura output, began controlling the muscle fibers and bones of his face.
Crack, crack-crack...
Unlike the white-faced monkey's silent facial transformation, Morrow's manipulation of muscles and bones produced grating sounds that set teeth on edge.
These sudden sounds made the white-faced monkey's blank gaze gradually focus.
When it clearly saw the scene before it, the human face immediately displayed a distorted expression mixed with horror and disbelief.
!!?
The white-faced monkey's throat emitted trembling, incoherent sounds.
In its gradually dilating pupils was clearly reflected Morrow's current appearance.
It was exactly the human appearance it was currently using.
Just... The face Morrow had transformed into clearly appeared strange. His left eye was slightly higher than his right, the corner of his mouth unnaturally twisted, and the muscles of his entire face displayed a bizarre, distorted pattern.
Though it was recognizable as the face currently used by the white-faced monkey, it looked like a human skin mask haphazardly pieced together by a child, exuding an unsettling incongruity from every angle.
Crude and unrefined, but it's the first attempt at imitation after all.
Through the reflection in the white-faced monkey's pupils, Morrow saw his own unnatural face but felt no disappointment.
Being able to replicate this technique already satisfied him greatly.
His only concern was whether the differences in biological structure would prevent this face-changing skill from being mastered precisely through practice.
If that were the case, it wouldn't be perfect.
However, Morrow planned to study the Kiriko next, hoping for new insights.
"Good work."
Morrow collected his thoughts and looked down at the white-faced monkey in his hand.
Sensing the change in Morrow's tone, the white-faced monkey thought it might be spared, a flicker of hope appearing deep in its eyes.
Yet, a crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out.
The white-faced monkey felt a sharp pain in its neck, and the budding hope in its eyes instantly froze.
Morrow had crushed its neck and casually tossed the corpse to the ground.
Hmm? After death, it maintains the altered muscles and bones from when it was alive. This resembles the lingering nature of Post-Mortem Will.
Observing the white-faced monkey's scarred human face, Morrow felt a slight surprise, and a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes as he considered a possibility.
If Nen ability were used to alter appearance or physique, it might persist after death under the influence of Post-Mortem Will, maintaining the changed form.
Never mind, no point dwelling on this now.
Morrow withdrew his gaze from the white-faced monkey and looked ahead at the Milsy Wetlands shrouded in thick fog.
Pale mist drifted slowly among the treetops, breathing damp air like some living creature.
After familiarizing himself with the terrain of the Milsy Wetlands, his next destination was a river called Serpent River in Visca Forest.
This season, that river would welcome the spawning migration of Silver-Scaled Fish.
These sea fish would swim upstream for thousands of kilometers to spawn in the river.
Menchi had chosen sushi as the second exam topic precisely with this in mind.
Although... She certainly hadn't expected any examinees to actually know this.
Since Morrow possessed this information, he naturally made preparations in advance.
If familiarizing himself with the Milsy Wetlands was preparation for killing Illumi, then learning about the Serpent River was to ensure passing the Hunter Exam.
These preparations were all necessary.
Morrow stepped forward, his figure gradually disappearing into the thick fog.
—--
Several days later.
Somewhere along the Serpent River.
Morrow held a sea fish covered in silver scales.
Using information he'd gathered beforehand, he quickly cleaned it, extracted the roe, and ate the fish raw with the eggs. The flavor was sweet and fresh, with a hint of saltiness.
"Using this fish for sushi should be enough to pass."
Morrow thought to himself as he tossed the remaining fish into the air.
A dark shadow swiftly shot out, instantly swallowing the fish; it was Chimera's tail mouth.
Chimera devoured the Silver-Scaled Fish, likely because it rarely had the chance to eat sea fish, causing it to gaze longingly at the river not far away, where flashes of silver light shimmered on the water's surface.
"Eat something else."
Morrow leaped onto Chimera's back and gave it a pat.
He understood Chimera's appetite and, just to be safe, couldn't let it gorge on Silver-Scaled Fish.
Chimera let out a low, aggrieved growl but suppressed its cravings, flapping its wings as it soared into the sky.
—--
December 15th.
A full moon hung high in the sky.
On a mountain near Saba City.
Chimera's massive body slowly descended, its enormous fleshy wings casting a shadow that swallowed the silvery light filtering through the forest like a tidal wave.
As it approached the ground, the creatures in the forest seemed to sense the scent of death.
In an instant, flocks of birds took flight in panic, and beasts fled in all directions.
Even insects cowered in the soil, too afraid to chirp.
As the rulers of this territory, the Kiriko were the first to detect the anomaly.
Several ghostly shadows darted through the trees, silently weaving through the branches as they converged toward the source of the disturbance.
What is that creature, and...!?
One Kiriko crouched in the canopy, its narrow beast-like pupils contracting into slits as it stared intently at the terrifying giant beast in the clearing ahead and the figure leaping down from its back...
A human?!
On the flat ground, Morrow, who had just jumped off Chimera's back, scanned the treetops where the Kiriko were hiding with a direct, unwavering gaze.
He could clearly sense the hostility emanating from these magical beasts.
His blatant scrutiny also served as a clear signal to the Kiriko that they had been exposed.
The Kiriko tensed their muscles, bracing for a confrontation.
After about a minute or two.
An elder Kiriko stepped forward cautiously, its eyes fixed warily on Morrow.
Morrow, in turn, studied the Kiriko.
It stood upright like a human, with lean and well-defined muscles.
Its face was distinctly fox-like, as its name suggested, with two feather-crown-like ears standing erect on its head and sharp, hook-like claws.
Morrow recalled that Kiriko possessed the ability to enlarge their bodies and extend their claws; a technique strikingly similar to the hand-transformation skill Killua had demonstrated in the original story.
His purpose in coming here was not only to replicate the Kiriko's transformation ability through Starlight Convergence but also to master that limb-altering technique.
If he succeeded, his lethality in close-quarters combat would see some improvement.
Of course. If conditions allowed in the future, he would still seek a cold weapon imbued with aura.
After all, when using Starlight Convergence, he could only retain a portion of his aura.
In such cases, Nen-imbued objects like the Poultry Scarlet Knife, which carried their own aura, would hold greater value.
After a brief silence in the clearing.
The elder Kiriko detected something in Morrow's probing gaze and quickly suppressed its inner turmoil, demanding bluntly, "Human, what are your intentions?"
"No need to be tense."
Morrow met the Kiriko's wary gaze, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable weight. "Since you've accepted registration and management under human society, you're naturally protected by the law. I have no reason to harm you."
As he spoke, he noticed the Kiriko's expression remained unchanged, so he paused briefly before getting straight to the point.
"I came specifically to find you, with the goal of asking for your help. Of course, I will offer appropriate compensation in return."
His words hung in the air.
Morrow directly unleashed his maximum aura output, causing an astonishing aura to erupt around him. A wave of aura swept out, sending fallen leaves swirling into the air.
This action was meant to lend weight to his words.
Feeling the powerful aura emanating from Morrow, the elder Kiriko's pupils contracted sharply. The other Kiriko hidden in the treetops grew restless, all involuntarily revealing human-like expressions of terror.
No wonder that fearsome beast... had submitted to this human.
The Kiriko were deeply shaken.
Morrow observed the elder Kiriko's reaction and patiently waited for a response.
A moment later.
The elder Kiriko asked in a low voice, "What if I refuse?"
"I'm sorry, but this isn't a request."
Morrow replied calmly, "And what I can guarantee is that your lives won't be harmed."
...
The elder Kiriko fell into silence.
Clearly, he had no right to refuse.
Half an hour later.
Morrow left the forest.
The Kiriko clan watched as Chimera and Morrow disappeared into the distance. On their fox-like faces, they all wore expressions of disbelief.
"Just who is this human...?"
The elder Kiriko thought back to the terrifying learning ability Morrow had just displayed, his heart unable to calm for a long time.
—--
Two days later.
In the outskirts of a small town stood an abandoned train station and a post office overgrown with vines.
Morrow pushed aside the hanging branches and entered the dilapidated post office, approaching a tilted mailbox. He opened the lid.
Inside was a brand-new letter.
"Finally, some news."
Morrow took out the letter.
This letter had been placed by Ging.
Morrow opened the letter; the page contained only a few lines.
「Gel.」
「Commission-related information: A Nen Beast formed from Post-Mortem Will, possessing a petrification ability.」
「Contact code: XXXXXXX.」
Seeing Gel's name, Morrow raised an eyebrow slightly and tucked the letter into his pocket.
Regardless of who the client was, his only thought was to gather enough energy for the third Tree Ring before the Hunter Exam began.