Time passed in the blink of an eye, and today marked the third birthday of Ryker and Illumi. After today, the two would officially begin their rigorous training as members of the Zoldyck assassin family.
"Enjoy this final day of peace," Silva said during the birthday celebration. "Starting tomorrow, you'll face the harsh reality of what it means to become a true assassin."
.......
The next morning, Ryker was summoned alone to Silva's chamber.
"From now on, your training will be under my personal supervision," Silva declared.
"What about Illumi? Isn't he going to train too?" Ryker asked, feigning innocence.
"You and Illumi are different. You must have realized this by now. Reality is cruel, Ryker—natural talent determines everything. In this world, the strong devour the weak, and it is up to you to make the most of your gifts."
Silva extended a finger. "Now, look at my hand. Tell me what you see."
Ryker immediately noticed the shimmering aura on Silva's finger, which had formed into the shape of the number "1." He realized this was a test.
'Is he testing my ability to see aura, or does he suspect something about my Sharingan?' Ryker wondered.
'If he's merely showing me aura, there's no issue—I'm a natural-born Nen user, so seeing aura is expected. But if he's using advanced techniques like In to conceal it and I still notice, that could expose the Sharingan's abilities.'
After a brief internal debate, Ryker decided it was better to reveal a fraction of his powers than risk Silva's suspicion. "I see a number one," he answered.
Silva's gaze sharpened. "Why did you hesitate before answering? What were you thinking?" His tone carried a weight that pressed down on Ryker like a physical force.
Ryker quickly responded, "I was just amazed at how incredible it was! I've never seen anything like that before."
Silva's intense gaze lingered for a moment longer before he nodded. "Fair enough."
'That was close,' Ryker thought. 'I didn't realize how terrifying Silva's intuition could be. I'll need to be even more cautious moving forward.'
Silva, meanwhile, analyzed Ryker's response. 'His reaction seemed genuine. It's unlikely he knows advanced techniques like In or Gyo without any formal training.'
'Still, his eyes clearly possess a natural ability to see through aura concealment. This alone gives him a significant edge in combat.'
"Let's continue," Silva said. "Keep watching my hand."
Silva began rapidly cycling through numbers with his aura. The changes grew faster and faster until the movements were almost imperceptible. "Now, tell me how many numbers you saw and what the final number was."
"I saw 16 numbers," Ryker replied confidently. "The last one was 6."
Silva's eyes narrowed slightly, though a flicker of approval crossed his face, "Incredible dynamic vision. He's far beyond ordinary humans. That ability alone makes him an exceptional talent."
'But I wonder what other powers those eyes of his might hide.'
"Now, Ryker," Silva said, "I'm going to explain the abilities you just witnessed, as well as the powers you were born with. This is called Nen..."
.......
Silva gave a detailed explanation of Nen, covering the basics and its applications. He then placed a glass of water with a leaf floating on top on the table before them.
"This is a water divination test. Pour your aura into the water."
Ryker recognized the test immediately. 'A water divination test? I've always wondered what my Nen type would be. My Sharingan is a cheat, but my personality from my past life was more suited to Enhancement...'
With some curiosity, Ryker channeled his aura into the glass.
At first, the water overflowed slightly—a clear sign of Enhancement. But then, something unexpected happened.
The leaf on the water split into several parts as though sliced by an unseen force.
One section of the leaf vanished into thin air.
Another piece hovered unnaturally, as though controlled by an invisible hand.
A different fragment showed strange engravings that resembled ancient symbols.
One fragment was covered in what looked like skeletal plating.
The final piece burst into black flames, which consumed it entirely before extinguishing themselves.
The room fell silent.
Unbeknownst to Ryker, Zeno had been observing from behind. His eyes gleamed with intrigue as he studied the bizarre phenomenon. Silva, too, was momentarily speechless, though his mind worked furiously to process what he had just seen.
'Multiple reactions? This defies all known logic about Nen. Just what is this child capable of?'