The next morning, Conrad woke up earlier than usual.
He did not linger in bed.
He stood, went straight to the bathroom, and took a quick shower.
After drying off, he ordered breakfast to his room.
He ate in silence while his mind worked.
The night before, he had spent several hours thinking, dismantling his ideas, and rebuilding them again.
Even after sleeping, those thoughts had not settled.
"A defensive ability,"
His eyes drifted to his right hand.
"Black Ring—State of Calm,"
The conditions were pretty easy to fulfill for what he gets in return for it.
The ring must be worn.
If the ring was taken, the ability was gone.
If the finger was lost, the ability was gone.
If the ring was destroyed, the ability was gone, and he would need to create something similar from scratch.
After the ability is deactivated, all the emotion and feelings will return to the user.
He tapped the ring lightly with his thumb.
"Linking abilities to items is dangerous," he said. "But it's also the simplest way to amplify power."
Conrad closed his eyes for a moment, visualizing a new ability layered onto the same ring.
The thought was tempting.
"If I link another ability to the Black Ring," he thought, "and apply the same condition…"
The reward would be enormous.
Two abilities tied to a single object.
Two multipliers stacked together.
"The risk would be losing both abilities at once."
He opened his eyes and slowly shook his hand, as if physically dismissing the idea.
"Nah," he said flatly.
"That's too risky. Even for me."
"A defensive ability must be reliable," he continued. "It must exist when I need it most."
Losing an offensive option was acceptable.
Losing a utility option was painful.
Losing defense?
That was death.
He did not want to lose his defensive ability at all.
Especially an ability that he wants to create for saving his life; a life-saving ability is more suited for his plans than just a defensive ability.
At least in the name of it.
"I can't risk that," he said.
After a moment, Conrad stood up, grabbed his jacket, and left his room.
The streets outside Heaven's Arena were already active.
Many people were living their usual lives.
Conrad sometimes watched ordinary people living their lives, and sometimes he wanted to know and understand what kind of lives the people of Hunter x Hunter lived.
The people who were not shown in the series and were different from the main cast and other prominent characters.
Other than some emotional changes in these people, they were actually pretty similar.
It's just that people of Hunter x Hunter are more accepting of the traumatic events and the supernatural things, and also, "magical beast" was a term here.
Conrad walked as he thought.
He did not head toward a weapons market.
He did not look for armor.
Instead, he walked toward general markets.
Antique shops.
"A defensive Nen ability doesn't need to look defensive," he thought.
Often, the strongest Nen abilities were hidden behind ordinary appearances.
He stopped in front of a stall selling bracelets.
He picked one up, turning it slowly in his hand.
"A bracelet," he thought.
But he shook his head and set it down.
He moved on.
A few stalls later, he found necklaces.
Chains. Pendants. Amulets.
He lifted one with a small, flat charm.
"A necklace," he considered.
But again, he frowned.
"A clean cut," he thought. "One blade. One bullet."
He passed through an area where old items were sold.
Leather. Reinforced at the knuckles and palms.
Conrad picked one up.
"A glove," he thought.
His gaze sharpened.
Hands were always involved in combat.
"A defensive ability tied to gloves…"
Still, something felt off.
"Too limiting," he said softly. "Defense shouldn't depend only on my hands."
He returned the gloves and continued walking.
Minutes passed.
Then, at the edge of the market, he noticed a stall that sold scarves.
Conrad stopped.
He picked one up and wrapped it loosely around his hand.
"A scarf," he thought.
"A scarf isn't meant to protect," he said. "Which makes it interesting."
He held the scarf tighter, imagining aura flowing through it.
"Flexible," he said.
He lowered the scarf slowly.
"This could work," he admitted.
But he did not buy it.
Not yet.
He needed to think more.
Conrad left the market and found a quiet place to sit.
He leaned back and closed his eyes.
"A passive defensive ability," he thought. "Like State of Calm."
"But layered with small conditions," he continued. "Not one big risk."
He opened his eyes.
"The object should be replaceable," he said. "Not unique. Not irreplaceable."
That ruled out antiques.
"If it breaks," he said, "I should be able to get another."
He stood up again.
"I don't need the final answer today," he said to himself.
"This ability will decide whether I live or die later."
With that thought, Conrad turned back toward Heaven's Arena.
In the end, Conrad knew that what he was thinking and feeling now might change.
He might create a big and harsh ability for the purpose of saving his life.