Somewhere deep in the mountain forest...
Aoki Hiroshi sat calmly atop a boulder, a thoughtful expression flickering across his face.
"So... what was missing was malice."
He could feel it clearly.
After his summoned wolf had torn through the three assault teams, a deep black hue began creeping across its body—darkening its fur like ink bleeding on a canvas.
No, wait—
It wasn't after the kill.
"It began changing the moment I intended to kill."
From the moment he harbored murderous intent, the lightning had started shifting—morphing.
"So imbuing malice changes the nature of Nen? I see."
Everything clicked into place.
With a single thought—
Far away, the wolf howled at the sky.
Its body pulsed wildly with lightning, sparking like an unchained storm.
From its core, a jet-black current spread outward, consuming it.
Like a child scribbling in black crayon, the entire beast turned pitch-black—its outline sharper, its form more vicious and tangible.
Its aura tripled in strength.
The blackened lightning surged with ferocity and bloodlust.
"Hiroshi."
Biscuit Krueger returned, dragging a corpse behind her.
"V5 elite operatives," she reported, frowning."Looks like they were sent for you."
"Shame you moved too quickly. No survivors to interrogate."
She shook her head, a bit disappointed.
"Doesn't matter," Hiroshi replied with a smirk."There's still one left—their commander."
"Wait, really?" Biscuit blinked."They're still coming even after all that?"
"Don't worry. I'll find him."
Hiroshi raised his head, his eyes turning hazy and glazed.
A black spark flickered deep in his irises.
First-Stage Gene Lock – Manipulation Branch – Mind Web (Shinmō)!
Inspired by Enel from the world of One Piece, Hiroshi used his internal lightning to scan for biological currents around him—pinpointing life signatures by their electric fields.
At the forest's edge...
A dark, malformed wolf—larger and far more monstrous than before—suddenly stiffened.
Its cold eyes flickered as if awakening.
Then, it rose onto two legs.
Manipulation-Type – Divine Descent (Kōshin)!
Hiroshi's will descended like a god, taking direct control of the Nen Beast.
Zzzzt.
The lightning surrounding it dulled—not weakening, but becoming tighter, more controlled.
Under Hiroshi's command, the beast's entire form solidified—fur now intricately defined, its muscles coiled like steel cables.
"Where are you hiding?"
The beast raised a paw, picked up a dropped radio, and spoke.
Zzzzt...
Invisible electromagnetic waves radiated into the air, traveling through circuits toward its pair.
To the average human, these signals were invisible.
But to a creature born of pure lightning, they rippled like waves across water.
The wolf's jaws twisted into a grin.
Beyond the trees…
Pariston Hill, dressed in a tidy suit, walked up the slope when he noticed the signal light flash on his radio.
He flipped the switch.
"Where are you?"
A grating, guttural voice echoed—like a beast trying to speak.
Pariston's brow twitched.
That overwhelming bloodlust—so intense it cut through the airwaves—made his spine go cold.
What terrifying pressure...
His cheerful mask cracked slightly.
How could a mere rookie create something this dangerous?
"Heh… why don't you guess?" he replied, trying to sound unfazed.
"Found you."
He didn't even finish.
Zzzzt...
Pariston heard the hum of electricity, and the air around him instantly dried out. His hair stood on end. A tingling sensation pricked across his skin.
Before he could even react—
That same beastly voice sounded again.
"There you are."
A massive wolf cloaked in jet-black fur and veined with lightning stood ten meters away, upright on two legs.
So fast—when did it get here?!
Pariston's pupils shrank. His thoughts spun wildly.
I didn't sense it at all!
He scanned the beast, then froze.
A terrifying realization hit him.
"A Nen Beast made entirely of lightning...?"
"Transformation-Type and Emission-Type combined?"
"No, that black lightning… is there Enhancement-Type too?"
"Wait—this thing is speaking. It's you, Aoki Hiroshi, isn't it? Are you using Manipulation-Type as well?!"
The conclusion burst into his mind:
[Mastered Rensanzan] — Complete mastery of the three-branch Nen system!
The mark of a world-class Nen user.
Pariston's face turned ashen.
"Not even a week…You awakened Nen, mastered the Four Major Principles, developed a personal Hatsu…And now full Rensanzan mastery?!"
"You're a monster, Aoki Hiroshi."
"There won't be anyone stronger than you. You'll become the greatest Nen user alive."
He exhaled slowly.
Swish!
Then he turned and ran.
No hesitation.
There was no fighting this monster.
V5 had underestimated him.
Even Pariston had underestimated him.
In fact, looking back—he now saw it clearly.
From the moment Hiroshi survived Neferpitou on the day he awakened Nen, his rise had become unstoppable.
"Lightning Strike."
Hiroshi raised one clawed finger toward Pariston's fleeing form.
He pointed—gently.
Zzzzzzzt!
A jet-black bolt ripped through the air, screaming like a banshee.
Twenty meters ahead—
Pariston's instincts flared. Every nerve in his body screamed.
I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!
Cold sweat drenched his back.
I have to block it!
He spun and threw both arms up, channeling every last bit of Nen into a single point.
Lightning can't be dodged.
It's faster than your nerves. By the time you see it, you've already been hit.
Only preemptive defense could work.
The next second—
CRACK!
The black bolt struck with pinpoint precision.
It shattered his Ken like dry parchment—piercing straight through his arms and chest.
Splat!
Pariston vomited blood and collapsed.
His body spasmed violently, twitching on the forest floor.