By the time I turned nine, the changes in my body were impossible to ignore.
Years of training had built a foundation that most adults in the clan didn't even possess. My strength had increased steadily, my stamina rarely failed during sparring, and my breathing method kept my energy stable even during long training sessions.
But the most important part of my preparation had always been something else.
Awareness.
Meditation had trained me to feel my body clearly—heartbeat, muscle tension, breathing rhythm. Over time that awareness sharpened until even small changes became noticeable.
Which meant when something new appeared, I noticed it immediately.
It started as a faint sensation during meditation.
A thin pressure around my skin.
Almost like a layer of air slightly thicker than normal.
At first I ignored it.
The body produced many strange sensations during deep breathing or intense training.
But the feeling returned again the next day.
And the day after that.
Each time it appeared during moments when my breathing and mind were perfectly calm.
The sensation felt… alive.
Like something was flowing just outside my skin.
Aura.
The word surfaced immediately in my mind.
Nen.
I had expected this moment eventually, but I hadn't expected it to appear naturally like this.
Most people awakened Nen through direct training from someone who already understood it. Sometimes they were forced into awakening through dangerous methods.
But occasionally people discovered it through extreme physical conditioning and meditation.
It seemed I had accidentally followed that path.
Instead of trying to force anything, I decided to observe.
During meditation I focused on the space around my skin.
Breathing slowly.
Relaxing completely.
At first the sensation came and went.
But with practice it became clearer.
It felt like energy flowing outward from inside my body.
Uncontrolled.
Scattered.
But definitely there.
Which meant the next step was obvious.
Control.
From what I remembered, the first step in Nen training was learning Ten.
Containing aura close to the body instead of letting it leak away.
So during meditation I tried something simple.
Instead of letting the sensation spread outward, I imagined pulling it inward.
Keeping it close to my skin.
At first nothing happened.
Then gradually the pressure around my body became more stable.
The feeling stopped dispersing as quickly.
My breathing slowed further.
The sensation wrapped around me like a thin invisible layer.
It was subtle.
But unmistakable.
That was Ten.
Not perfect.
But functioning.
Once I realized what was happening, excitement bubbled up inside me.
Nen.
I had actually awakened Nen.
But excitement made the sensation unstable, so I forced myself to calm down.
Focus.
Control.
Over the next several weeks I practiced every evening.
Maintaining Ten while meditating.
Maintaining Ten while standing.
Maintaining Ten while walking.
Eventually I could keep the aura layer stable even during light movement.
Once that became possible, the next step came naturally.
Experimentation.
One evening after training I remembered another method used to determine someone's Nen type.
Water Divination.
Mizu Shiki.
If my memory was correct, the test required a simple setup.
A glass of water.
A leaf floating on the surface.
Aura directed into the water.
The reaction would reveal the user's natural Nen category.
The clan didn't normally keep glass cups, but after some searching inside the house I found a small clear container Dad had obtained during one of his trade trips.
That was enough.
I filled it with water from the river and placed a small leaf gently on the surface.
For a moment I simply stared at it.
This test would reveal something fundamental about my abilities.
Slowly I placed my hands around the container.
Breathing steadily.
Maintaining Ten.
Then I directed my aura downward.
The reaction was immediate.
The water inside the container began to move.
Not violently.
But enough that small ripples spread across the surface.
The leaf began rotating slowly.
Then something unexpected happened.
The water level rose slightly.
As if something was pushing upward from below.
At the same time the water's color shifted faintly, becoming slightly darker.
Then a faint sweet smell filled the air.
I blinked.
Several different reactions were happening at once.
Water overflowing.
Leaf spinning.
Color change.
Scent.
That shouldn't happen.
Normally Water Divination only produced a single reaction.
But here multiple effects appeared simultaneously.
I stared at the cup quietly.
Specialist.
The conclusion formed almost instantly.
Only Specialists produced unpredictable reactions during water divination.
I leaned back slowly.
A small smile formed on my face.
This world never did anything halfway.
But that wasn't the most important part.
Now that I had confirmed my ability to use Nen, a much larger question appeared.
What would I do with it?
For years I had been building the perfect foundation.
Strength.
Balance.
Breathing.
Awareness.
Now the real journey could finally begin.