My name is Wilhelm, and I am one of the Floor Masters of Heaven's Arena — a true powerhouse among fighters. The Hunter Association recently entrusted me with an unusual task: to personally guide a newly licensed Hunter in the art of Nen. Honestly, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have accepted. I'm too busy, and frankly, I don't enjoy wasting time on talentless brats.
But that kid Robson… he made a personal request — and backed it up with a hefty offer. More than the money, what intrigued me was his belief that this kid, Jon, could inherit my legacy. That claim piqued my interest. Still, when I first observed Jon, I didn't see anything particularly special. His physical fitness was above average, sure, but hardly worthy of such high praise.
Then came the match against that Zoldyck kid — a humanoid Nen beast. I watched closely. Jon held back at first, but then something stirred. That was the moment I saw it: an invisible force, raw and violent, coiled within him like a serpent waiting to strike.
That must be what Robson meant.
So, for today's match, I bet everything on Jon. I heard Robson did the same — went all in. Either we're both fools, or we've found a diamond in the rough.
As expected, Jon's Nen beast—Stone Free—was extraordinary. Blinding speed, overwhelming power. That wasn't something a novice could summon without insane potential. If that old muscle-bound hag Bisky were here, she'd try to snatch this kid from me in a heartbeat. But she's not. This one's mine.
I made my decision. I'll take him under my wing.
Jon sat stiffly on a cushion in his room, still reeling from the revelation that the hulking man sitting across from him — the one who nearly flattened him in the corridor — was not just a Floor Master, but his designated mentor.
No wonder Stone Free's barrage barely fazed him. Jon realized that his Stand's destructive power, which had become comparable to a seasoned Enhancer's strikes, wasn't enough to intimidate someone like Wilhelm.
Wilhelm pulled out a small, intricately carved iron box and fished out a cigar. He lit it with a flick of his fingers — a casual but elegant display of Nen application.
"You already know about Nen, right?" Wilhelm asked, exhaling a smooth smoke ring.
Jon nodded silently. He still didn't understand why Wilhelm had let him undergo the baptism unprepared.
Wilhelm chuckled, clearly reading Jon's thoughts. "You're wondering why I didn't come to teach you before your baptism on the 200th floor, right?"
Without waiting for a response, Wilhelm popped a disc into the DVD player on the desk. The screen lit up with footage from Jon's fight against Killua. He paused the video precisely when Jon summoned Stone Free — it only lasted a second.
"That brat Robson kept yammering about how 'special' you are," Wilhelm muttered. "Now I see what he meant."
He burst out laughing. "Pfft— Hahaha! You really made me a fortune, kid!"
Then, the mood shifted. Wilhelm's eyes narrowed. The smoke from his cigar seemed to freeze in the air.
"Anyone can learn Nen. But becoming my disciple? That's a whole different story."
His voice turned cold and low.
"Let me make one thing clear: dozens have begged to become my apprentice. Every single one of them died within a week."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"Your choice."
Wilhelm stood, circling behind Jon. He rested a hand on his shoulder.
Jon gulped. But after a moment of reflection, his expression hardened.
"Coach—no, Master. I want to learn Nen."
Jon was no fool. He could tell Wilhelm was an Enhancer, and thanks to the Lover's Body card, his physical durability was monstrous. Unless Wilhelm unleashed some ridiculous, one-shot technique, Jon could take a few hits and still run. Between Stone Free's threads, his ability to erase time, and his sheer mobility, he had safety nets.
Wilhelm led him down a hallway into a spacious training chamber. As a Floor Master, Wilhelm had designed his own school here.
"Alright," Wilhelm said, cracking his neck. "We'll begin by forcibly opening your Aura Nodes."
He sat cross-legged and motioned Jon to sit across from him.
A bespectacled young man — maybe sixteen or seventeen — rushed in. "Acting Master Wilhelm, this is too dangerous!" he warned.
The boy wasn't Wilhelm's student, but the pupil of one of Wilhelm's old friends. He was currently staying here to continue his own training.
"Gungi, calm down," Wilhelm said flatly. "If he dies, he wasn't worth teaching."
Gungi's mouth opened to protest, but Wilhelm silenced him with a look.
There were multiple ways to awaken Nen. The slow, safe way — through meditation — required patience and spiritual awareness. It could take weeks, even months. It's how Chairman Netero opened his own Hatsu, deep into his sixties. Then there were strange relics or elixirs that could awaken Nen, but they were rare and unreliable.
The fastest — and most dangerous — method was to forcibly open the Aura Nodes using another person's Nen.
Jon, unaware of the risks, nodded.
Wilhelm took a deep breath, pressed a hand against the back of Jon's neck — and released a surge of energy into him.
Jon's body seized up. Heat radiated through his limbs. Then, a scream.
"Ah—ee—ya—ah—yaaaahhh!"
A wave of white vapor burst out from Jon's body. Aura — raw and untamed — gushed from his pores like steam.
"Stand still," Wilhelm said calmly. "Close your eyes. Visualize your aura as a river, flowing from your head to your limbs, down to your toes."
Jon followed the instructions.
It took him eight minutes to stabilize the surge. The aura wrapped around him like a thin membrane — sticky, yet protective.
Ten.
It wasn't anything flashy, but it was the first step — and a vital one. Ten stabilized the aura, forming a protective layer against enemy attacks. Without Ten, Jon was nothing more than a naked target.
Wilhelm stepped back, a smirk on his face.
"You've done it. Now, let's test your resistance."
Without warning, Wilhelm unleashed a surge of murderous intent — thick and suffocating like a tidal wave. Jon instinctively raised his arms, but noticed something: he wasn't sluggish anymore.
Wilhelm laughed and pushed harder. The room darkened with his malicious aura. Ten faltered. Jon's protective layer flickered, destabilizing.
"Hah! Still too green, kid."
Wilhelm retracted his Nen.
"From now on, you'll maintain Ten at all times. Day and night. In battle. While you sleep. Once you master that, we'll talk about Zetsu and Ren."
Then, he pulled out a glass of water and placed a leaf on the surface.
"This is the Water Divination technique," Wilhelm said. "A Nen classification method from the Shingen-ryu school."
He placed his hand over the glass, letting his aura flow. The water overflowed slightly.
"Your turn."
Jon nodded. He mimicked the motion, focusing his Nen into the glass. The curled leaf began to straighten… and then, faint golden sparks danced across its surface.
Then nothing.
Wilhelm's eyes gleamed.
"A spark, and no other physical change... Seems like we've got ourselves a Specialist."
He leaned back, puffing his cigar again, as if savoring both the smoke — and the incredible potential sitting in front of him.