Nen is an ability that anyone can master; it lies dormant within everyone.
However, most people in the world are unaware of Nen's existence.
Even so, some individuals who have delved deeply into their respective fields and shone brightly can unknowingly use Nen abilities.
This seems to be a manifestation of extreme focus, or perhaps the pouring of intense emotion into masterful skill...
Therefore, any object created personally may be imbued with Nen by its creators.
Moro collectively referred to these objects as Nen objects.
The residual aura on Nen objects is mostly very weak, requiring "Gyo" to be seen clearly.
But what's miraculous is—
Even such a faint aura can resist the erosion of time, persisting for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Even if the person who released the aura has been erased by time, and even if the medium has long since decayed, it still persists.
They are like the natural enemies of time, a truly astonishing thought.
Moro stroked the scabbard of the katana.
Shinra is the name of this sword.
Among the Nen objects he had encountered, Shinra's Nen intensity could rank in the top three.
Even without Gyo, the fluctuations of Nen could be seen directly.
If he hadn't learned the full story of Shinra from a colleague before his rebirth, he wouldn't have been able to seize this opportunity at such a low price.
If he remembered correctly, Shinra's final transaction price reached a staggering 1.26 billion Jenny.
If it weren't for Shinra being involved in a murder case, which made selling it much more difficult, it should have fetched an even higher price.
Moro didn't immediately try to absorb the Nen; he rewrapped Shinra in the black cloth.
The masked man roughly verified the authenticity of the banknotes, then, without counting them, closed the briefcase and looked at Moro.
"Everything okay?"
He held the briefcase, his eyes darting around with his peripheral vision as he spoke, his other hand placed behind his back.
Moro observed the masked man's actions, unconcerned.
Because Shinra's origin was inherently on the 'red line' (legally ambiguous/dangerous), the masked man was overly cautious.
Moro nodded, indicating everything was fine.
"Alright."
The masked man faced Moro, took a few steps back, then turned directly into an alleyway.
Moro watched, then heard the rapid footsteps fading into the distance; the masked man was likely worried about complications and was sprinting away from the scene.
The masked man's thief-like actions and his overly cautious reaction seemed normal to Moro.
This was a characteristic of Yorknew City.
Although opportunities abounded everywhere, they were also accompanied by all sorts of human malice.
The footsteps quickly faded and disappeared. Moro, carrying Shinra, left from a different direction.
Back at his hotel, Moro unwrapped the black cloth covering Shinra.
Shinra's scabbard was entwined with red and white stripes, its hilt and handguard were off-white, and overall, it faintly showed signs of age.
Moro pushed up the handguard with his thumb.
As the blade was drawn, a smoky cloud of Nen surged out, quickly dispersing and flowing to every corner of the sword.
The blade was clear and bright, reflecting Moro's face.
But this was an unsharpened katana.
Moro, in his capacity as an appraiser of miscellaneous antiques, admired the blade for a moment before slowly returning it to its scabbard.
Unsharpened, unsullied by blood.
Yet, a distinctly palpable Nen was attached to the sword.
It was hard to imagine the intensity of emotion the person who forged this sword must have poured into it at the time.
Moro gazed at the sheathed Shinra, and with a thought, attempted to absorb the Nen attached to it.
Instantly, the Nen surged towards Moro's right hand at a visibly rapid pace.
In just a few seconds, all the Nen was absorbed by the "tree rings" (or "annual rings", referring to Moro's ability).
Moro looked down at the back of his hand gripping the sword; he could see a small segment of a green energy bar growing within the second "tree ring."
Judging by the length of the energy bar, it was probably around 3-4%.
Previously, absorbing this amount of energy would have required five or six Nen objects.
This showed that Shinra's Nen intensity was indeed outstanding, making his special effort to intercept it worthwhile.
"The function of the 'tree rings' to absorb Nen is still active, but..."
Moro released Shinra, then raised his hand to his face, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
After the first "tree ring" was fully charged, it allowed him to temporarily escape death, return to his original starting point, and loaded some relevant information into his consciousness.
But that information was limited to the first "tree ring" and did not reveal anything about the other rings.
Therefore, it was only now, after absorbing Shinra's Nen, that he truly confirmed the "tree rings'" ability to absorb Nen was still active.
So he actually couldn't be sure...
Whether, after the second "tree ring" was fully charged with energy, it would still grant him another chance at rebirth from death?
Moro lowered his hand, shaking his head slightly.
Compared to the still-unknown nature of the "tree ring" charging, other objectives ultimately held a higher priority.
However, as long as he could successfully sell Shinra, he could continually collect various Nen objects while accumulating funds.
This way, he could also naturally increase the efficiency of the "tree ring" charging.
Thinking of this, Moro began to consider selling Shinra.
Currently, he only knew that Shinra was involved in a murder case, and after disappearing for some time, it suddenly fetched a transaction price of up to 1.2 billion.
As for what happened during that period, he knew nothing.
What was certain was that selling it would inevitably come with risks.
Moro knew this but wouldn't be overly conservative.
The bold thrive, the timid starve.
To gain substantial returns, one must face equivalent risks.
Having delved deep into the antique and miscellaneous items industry for over half a year, he understood this principle best.
"Hm?"
Moro suddenly looked up, staring at the door.
At the same time.
In the hallway outside the room, two burly men crept along the wall.
They stealthily positioned themselves on either side of the door, first exchanging glances, then simultaneously looking at the door.
...
A brightly lit kitchen.
Where the light converged, a naked boy lay on the kitchen counter.
Beside him stood a handsome man in a white suit.
The man held a scalpel, his expression focused as he cut open the boy's chest cavity.
As skin and blood vessels burst open, blood under pressure spurted towards the handsome man.
In an instant, the man's white suit was stained with large patches of crimson blood, appearing exceptionally stark.
If Moro were here, he would surely recognize the boy on the kitchen counter as one of the "piglets" (trafficked individuals) who had been locked in the cargo truck cage with him.
The man in the suit suddenly stopped, asking,
"How many are still not retrieved?"
"One."
Not far away, a group of people stood by, and one of them spoke to answer the man in the suit.
The man in the suit looked up and asked,
"Number 11?"
"Yes."
The person bowed slightly, showing respect.
The man in the suit narrowed his eyes slightly and said flatly,
"If you can't retrieve him, commit suicide."
"Understood."
The person calmly assented, as if unconcerned about his own life.
...
Hotel room.
A corpse lay on the floor beside the room door.
Correspondingly, another burly man, still alive, was by the living room sofa.
Moro half-crouched, looking at the burly man whose face was covered in blood, toying with the handgun he had just confiscated.
"Bloodhounds, huh... You pick up the scent and come running."
Pausing, a chilling glint flickered in Moro's eyes.
"Perfect, there's something I need your help with."
"!!!"
Hearing the coldness in Moro's tone, the burly man's eyes immediately showed a look of terror.
(End of chapter)
---------------------
Support me on P@treon
[email protected]/charaz
$10 -> 200+ chapters in advance
Check my pinned post on P@treon