Hunter x hunter: I’m interested in Nen abilities

Chapter 46: Playing Cards

Outside the cabin, Menchi sighed, exasperated. "Are you seriously going to spend the entire day without relaxing?"

Inside, Haru sat cross-legged on his cabin bed, feeling the ship's subtle rocking as it sailed across the waves. Through the round porthole, he gazed at the undulating sea.

"Dead aura..."

Haru frowned slightly, realizing he had been careless.

Just moments ago, a faint yet familiar trace of dead aura—both cold and hot—had entered his chest.

For a fleeting second, he thought someone aboard the ship might have been murdered.

But as he focused, he realized the aura came from beneath the ship, aligning with its movement.

"It came from the sea."

Haru imagined a dramatic underwater scene: a shark tearing into a massive octopus with its razor-sharp teeth. As the octopus died, ink spilled into the water, and a pure trace of dead aura—imbued with both negative and positive energy—shot upwards, piercing through the ocean surface and converging on Haru's chest as he practiced Nen.

"My absorption range is about a kilometer. Is this ocean even that deep?" Haru thought. "With the ship's speed, for me to randomly absorb dead aura, some sea creature must have died at just the right moment, directly beneath the ship."

He waited in silence, but no more dead aura came. This relieved him somewhat.

After tidying up and grabbing his new phone along with some cash, Haru left the cabin.

Outside, his two ravens roamed freely on the deck, mingling with the occasional passenger offering them crumbs. Meanwhile, his gray sparrow, locked inside the cabin, chirped indignantly, pecking furiously at the door.

In the nearby rooms, Haru's neighbors were mostly familiar faces. To his right were Menchi and Shizuku's quarters. To his left, Dago and his crew shared a cabin, while the farthest cabin housed Sloane and other members of the Ochema delegation.

Finding Dago's door shut and silent, Haru turned his attention to the common area—a mix of a shop, bar, and social lounge.

---

"Hahaha!"

"I saw a Crescent Tiger with my own eyes! Alive! It was magnificent. Totally worth the trip."

"Crescent Tigers are rare, but check this out. I bought a 'Blue Moon Gem.' Supposedly, each Crescent Tiger produces only one of these gems in its lifetime!"

The common area bustled with energy, a stark contrast to the ghostly serenity of the island they'd just left behind. Haru was greeted by the heat of crowded bodies, the smell of food and alcohol, and a cacophony of voices in different languages.

From whispered conspiracies to bold exaggerations, the travelers shared their stories.

"I'm telling you, Osjesky is the killer! Those corrupt judges and lawyers are a disgrace!"

"Such a beautiful wife, and that pig Osjesky had the nerve to..."

Even with the noise, Haru found his way to the small onboard shop. Pulling out a bill, he asked the clerk, "Do you have a world map? And two decks of playing cards."

"Playing cards?" The elderly shopkeeper adjusted his glasses and leaned forward, sizing up the young boy. "What's a kid like you doing with playing cards? Where are your parents?"

Haru sighed, debating whether to flash his Hunter License. Doing so might attract unnecessary attention on this crowded ship. He wasn't in the mood for trouble—especially the kind that couldn't simply be beaten into submission.

"Is there a problem?" Dago's voice interrupted as he appeared beside Haru.

Haru glanced at him. "Buy me the cards and the map. Here's the cash." He handed over the bill.

Dago hesitated, but he couldn't refuse. With a sheepish smile, he purchased the items and handed them to Haru.

"We're chatting over tea nearby. Join us if you'd like," Dago offered, gesturing toward a group of people seated around several pushed-together tables.

Haru pocketed the cards and map, responding nonchalantly, "Nah, I don't want to steal your spotlight. Have fun."

With that, he wandered off, hands in his pockets. Outside on the deck, passengers fed scraps to the ravens, which Haru watched lazily.

Back at the table, someone asked Dago, "Who's that kid? Your son?"

Dago's face darkened. His companions quickly shook their heads, signaling the questioner to stop talking.

"There are some things you shouldn't joke about," Dago said seriously. The weight of his tone startled the group into silence.

---

Knock. Knock.

"Door's unlocked. Come in," Menchi called out lazily, eyes still half-closed as she meditated on Shizuku's bed.

"Why are you here?" Haru asked as he entered the cabin.

Menchi opened one eye and glared. "Am I not allowed to be here?"

"I mean, this saves me a trip. I was about to call you over anyway," Haru said, holding up a new world map and two decks of playing cards. "Let's play cards."

Shizuku looked up from a worn book on the cabin's small table, her curiosity piqued.

"Weren't you training?" Menchi huffed.

"Even I need a break sometimes," Haru said as he pulled out a folding stool and set it beside Shizuku. "C'mon, Shizuku, let's play."

Shizuku tilted her head. "Okay."

"Shizuku!" Menchi protested.

"What are we playing?" Shizuku asked, ignoring Menchi and leaning closer to study the map Haru had spread on the table.

"Well, we'll plan our next destination too," Haru replied, meeting her gaze. Her usual calm expression and sliding glasses made her violet eyes appear even clearer.

As she watched him, Haru reached over and slid her glasses off her nose, placing them on his own. "Let's just say we're exploring famous sites."

Truthfully, Haru had other reasons for sticking with Shizuku and Menchi. He wasn't ready to explain the strange transformations triggered by absorbing too much dead aura. Staying close to his companions gave him some peace of mind, should anything go awry.

"Fine, let's play cards!" Menchi relented, sitting cross-legged on the bed. She patted the space beside her. "There's more room here. Forget that tiny table."

---

And so, the trio passed the time playing cards and planning their next adventures. Shizuku's quiet demeanor and lack of strategy earned her the most penalties, with her face covered in sticky notes by the end. Menchi's laughter filled the cabin, and even Haru relaxed more than he had in weeks.

Hours later, as the ship approached its destination, Haru noticed several faint traces of dead aura had passed through him during the journey. He dismissed them without much thought—his companions had kept him too entertained to care.

As the ship docked at the port of Grellborg, Haru joined the others on the deck. The orange hues of sunset reflected on the water as they gazed at the modern city ahead, far livelier than the eerie island they'd left behind.

(End of Chapter)