As Gon and Killua learn Shu, Raphael tries to breach his limitations.
The next day began as normal, the two boys continuing to dig straight to Masadora, while Raphael was forced to refashion the rocks for their nightly training. He was being forced to build their sleeping torture devices.
While he did feel a little exhausted from a few mishaps during their nightly training, it's Gon he's truly felt sorry for. The boy's constant screaming well into the night… suffering after every mistake from this training.
He's heard it so many times, that he had accidentally gotten used to it. Subtle sounds failed to register in his ears, like the knife slashing across his rope.
His barely groggy mind reacted to the action of the weight attached to the rock being released. His eyes only snapped open when the rock slammed against his head.
Both he and Gon had unfortunately dropped that rock that night. Still… It was amazing how Killua managed to sleep through two screaming boys in agony.
However, rebuilding the torture devices isn't the only thing Bisky was making him do. She was keeping him on his feet, forcing him to retain his En for prolonged periods.
She whacked him across the back of the head with a roll of paper if he failed to hold it for even a second. She was such an aggressive trainer.
Sure, his father was similar. But he didn't smack him across the head whenever he made a mistake. He would flick him on the forehead whenever he lost focus.
Although, he supposes how his father and Bisky train him, is far better than how Killua was trained. He was an enigma. No matter if he's smacked, punched, or knocked out. He got up like it was nothing. He'd complain about it. But he never showed signs of agony.
He knows he should be wary of Killua, but he finds himself being a little intrigued about the boy's history. But surely, he'll be willing to tell him something… eventually.
Other than his thoughts of curiosity and Bisky's requests, whenever he wasn't helping her prepare stuff for the boys, she had him practising another way. Retaining his En field while swinging his weapon.
She was trying to make sure he was learning to maintain En and Ryu, or Shu simultaneously. Like the other training, she hit him.
It'll take a bit of time to not only survive Bisky's training but also get used to the expectations. At least he has others along his side who weren't faring so well…
"~"
Night soon came, and the three were thoroughly exhausted.
Killua let out a groan of annoyance, smacking his head against the wall behind him. This is taking so long… "This is going to take forever! What are we supposed to learn anyways…"
The teen remained silent, barely reacting to the boy's presence for the moment. He was lost in his issues.
Killua looked at the teen, frowning when he failed to respond. He looked at Gon, equally frustrated that his friend was silent. Maybe he was thinking of a way to speed up their so-called training.
It gets tedious whenever they run into those heavy rocks that take a while to dig out of the wall.
"How about you Raphael?" Gon was quick to change topics. He was equally frustrated about the situation. But not because it's taking forever, but rather due to them being unable to discover what Bisky expected from them, "Are you learning anything?"
The teen hadn't responded, simply lost in his thoughts.
"Earth to Raphael!" The white-haired boy raised his voice.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when someone was yelling at him "Huh?"
"Are you learning anything? Or is she letting you loose like a dog at the park?"
"I'm not a loose dog in a park."
"I didn't call you a dog. I'm not even asking you to bark…"
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he was met with a sly grin. Was Killua expecting him to woof? Was he teasing or insulting him, "Well, I have no clue about what she's expecting from me, so why would I know what she wants from you?"
"You're lying…"
"Huh?"
Killua pointed a finger at the teen, "You know exactly what she's expecting from us."
"Besides getting stronger?" He was quick to deflect the conversation, "Not a clue…"
Killua's eyes narrowed. The way he was acting dismissive gave away that he knew something. He always had an idea, a solution to a problem in this game. There was no way he didn't know or had pried out of Bisky what she was expecting out of them. He just wasn't saying anything. "What did she tell you? I'm sick and tired of digging tunnels!"
Raphael blew out an annoyed huff. Covering his face he peeked at the boy who had his arms crossed in response to his action.
"Well…"
"Nen…" He paused for dramatic effect, barely glancing in his friends' direction "It involves Nen."
"Everything involves Nen… what is it she wants from us?"
"She expects you or rather us to know what she wants. And honestly, that's all I can say."
"Damn it…" Killua felt more frustrated than ever. Raphael's clue was they should already know. They were no closer to figuring out what she wanted.
"At least you have it easier. I gave you a clue…" Raphael had complaints of his own on the matter "Sure I only told you it has to do with Nen, but that's more than what I have."
He sighed in defeat, dropping his head in shame. Complaining will get him nowhere. But at this moment all he cared about was venting his frustrations to those in a similar position "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Let alone how I can improve. I know she wants me to micromanage how I'm utilising my aura… but splitting it from myself is one thing. Dividing it between tasks is another. Day in and out, She has me using En and some other Nen-related abilities. Whenever I make a mistake, she straight up hits me… she never tells me where I'm going wrong."
"Yeah." Killua crossed his arms, "At least give us a hint you cranky old bat…"
"She's certainly cranky…" Raphael offered a small chuckle, "But she wants us to figure things out on our own. She's probably thinking if we're given the answers all the time, we'll never try to figure things out on our own. Sometimes we just need a shove…"
"Here's the shove." Killua playfully shoved Raphael, causing the rock on the rope he was holding to bounce in place. He burst into laughter from the teen's shocked expression, amusement betraying his thoughts.
"What's that for?"
"Well once we figure out what she wants from us, we're going to leave you in the dust again."
"Oh, wise guy huh…" Raphael sat up, "I bet even if you learn what you need to do, I'll still be stronger."
"Fat chance!"
Raphael took in his friend's unique smile, the way he was so easily able to poke and prod a reaction out of him. The boy must get a kick out of teasing his friends. He thought about whether he saw the boy tease Gon at some point… he could think of a handful of times, but there are moments of genuine concern he does direct at his best friend, that he doesn't do for Bisky or himself.
It was annoying at times being teased. He could see the appeal considering it always brought a smile out of Killua whenever he prickled at the insults.
But he despised being teased about being weak. He didn't like the idea of being weaker than someone who only just started learning advanced techniques.
He was almost ready to lay an insult at Killua, to point out how many times he's gotten his ass handed back to him.
However, Gon had a different idea. Before either one could get into a spitting match he piped up "Have you thought about observing yourself?"
The teen furrowed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"You know… look at yourself like you would in a mirror."
"Huh…" Raphael never felt so stumped in his life. He's usually so frustrated at being hit by Bisky, that he never stopped to consider looking at himself. Although by the time he had been hit, the distraction probably would've made it impossible to see his mistake, "I'll remember that."
"Why did you have to give him a hint like that?!"
"Because he gave us a hint."
"Use Nen is not a hint, Gon."
"A hint is a hint." Gon reaffirmed his thoughts. Raphael didn't have to say anything… he could've outright ignored Killua's probing for more information, "We should be helping each other out. It's more fun when it's difficult to beat each other, right Killua?"
A flush betrayed his cheeks. Gon was right. It did feel better when things were difficult… but that didn't mean he wasn't going to stop teasing Raphael at every chance he could get.
Puffing up his cheeks, he turned away with a pout "Whatever…"
"~"
The next day continued onward, Raphael listening to his friend's advice. He paid close attention to what his aura did, the motion as it remained static when he extended his En.
Besides his circle not remaining perfect, it had some major flaws. It acted more like a mist covering a forest. Mainly when he held his hand out to use Gyo as an example. As it extended to his fist, it wasn't that the circle of En surrounding him had shrunk, it was more like a chunk of aura was missing.
His aura distribution was… off at least in terms of how he was using it.
That's probably why Bisky was smacking him… because he was randomly leaving himself wide open for an easy attack.
Pulling back his fist he hummed to himself, wondering what he could do to remedy the situation. First, he probably needs to refocus his aura, to control how and what changes with every fluctuation between tasks.
The second is constant practice of course. He needed to make sure he watched what he was doing, to adjust his aura on the fly and to micromanage how he does anything.
Bisky watched the boy from afar, smirking after he had finally noticed the issue he was creating. Now that he's realised his mistake, it'll be a matter of time before he corrects himself.
Turning to face the cave the boys were digging through, she wondered how long it would take before they learned Shu.
"~"
It had been a few days since he noticed the abnormalities. He had been making a few breakthroughs here and there, but nothing too concrete.
He has an idea of how to fix some of the glaring issues. He can shift his aura around with ease, fixing up those patches as they come. But his major problem comes when it comes to doing two tasks simultaneously…
It's like whenever En is active, he's using 100% of his aura. Then he draws upon that when fighting. He needed help and there was only one person he could get guidance from right now.
That was Bisky… hopefully, she'll be willing to offer him some advice "Hey, Bisky…"
"What can I do for you?"
"I have a problem…"
Bisky hummed at the boy's acknowledgement. Hopefully, it wouldn't be a 'how do I fix it' kind of question. She's not one to give answers since that would only hinder the teen's talents in the long run. She expects them to learn on their own, to push their current talents to the limits and try new things as they learn.
When they have freedom, they'll try things they would've never thought of otherwise. Explore ideas that would expand their repertoire of skills to new levels.
"So I've found a way to stop myself from drawing chunks out of my En field. The problem is… it's still reducing how far I can use En."
"So you just solved one of the main issues."
"Yeah…" As Bisky crossed her arms, Raphael bit his lip out of frustration "I need a hint… or rather an expert's opinion."
Bisky frowned. He was doing so well, exploring new ideas. Now that he ran into a ditch he was seeking answers "Sometimes we have to figure things out on our own and not expect answers all the time."
"I'm just asking for some guidance…" Raphael didn't like the way she was looking at him. She wasn't being judgemental. It was more like she was disappointed.
"Look, Raphael…" Bisky sighed. She doesn't want any of the boys to become dependent on her advice. Especially, whenever they hit a ditch "You already have a solution. Put your current knowledge to the test. If you feel stunted in aura management, look at Gyo. If it's a strength limitation, try Ren. Find out where you're lacking and refocus on the basics. Only you know which area you're lacking."
"I guess…" He felt deflated because a part of him lacked the knowledge on which area he needed the most improvements. But she did drop some possible solutions.
He doubts he wouldn't get stronger whichever path he decides to take. But if he does focus on the wrong thing, he might ultimately create a bottleneck of issues later down the track.
He doesn't want to fail… not when he's come so far, "But I don't know what the exact problem is. It could be Gyo… Hell, it could be that I've hit my maximum aura capacity without even realising it."
"You would know if you've hit your maximum potential…" She held a finger to her chin, "You would've felt exhausted all the time after your training." The boy had thought about his issue. At first, she would've assumed, given his question, that he had no idea why he was struggling.
The fact is it was the opposite. He has tried multiple avenues and managed to get stumped in the process. A little assistance wouldn't hurt.
Besides, she wants to see the gemstone flourish and twinkle under the light, not be dulled from being misdirected.
Pulling her hand away from her chin, she addressed his concerns "If it's an unknown issue, hit every avenue. Whichever one gives the most benefits, focus on that. There is no perfect solution. Just like how you got through these game's mechanics, it's just about learning to explore through trial and error."
"Thanks, Bisky…" The boy mustered up a meek smile. He'll try everything to improve his skills.
Even if there were no major improvements in the weeks to come while he's still in Greed Island, he'll make sure he continues to improve. It's the least he can do. If it's not for Bisky, it's to make sure he's still able to help his new friends.
He wants to be a pinnacle that guides their growth, not hinder theirs… let alone his.
"~"
The teen felt exhausted, mostly from overexertion. He has gotten a little better but nothing too extreme like when he first discovered En.
He probably hasn't found the right avenue to improve… or had the right motivation. He couldn't rule out that possibility.
Before he could mull over the possibility, Raphael heard something hard and heavy hit dirt, a chunk of carved rock lying at the impact. He raised an eyebrow, unsure what he was expecting to come next.
Another came flying out of the cavern, hitting close to the previous rock. More crap followed rocks and clay following with every mass. The pile grew rapidly, faster than when one of them was wheeling it out with a wheelbarrow.
He got up moving in the direction he was sure they'd tunnel through. Sure enough, he heard an unmistakable sound. A section of the mountainside crumbled, the two cheering loudly from their latest tunnel.
They discovered what Bisky was hoping they'd learn.
The two clanged their shovels together before moving forward, onto their next tunnel.
As they started digging through the next section, the teen watched them with a smile. Rather than spending time to celebrate, they were eager to continue to explore their new skill.
Bisky snuck up behind the teen, eyeing his faraway look. He was happy, but his look betrayed a little of the disappointment in himself. Hopefully, he wasn't fixated on that sense of disappointment "So they finally discovered Shu?"
"Yup…"
"You better be careful or they might leave you in the dust again."
"I doubt that…" Raphael leaned over to pick up a nearby stick. Aura flowed from his fingertips through the weapon, drenching it in Nen. He waved it around, watching his aura cling to the meagre object "Shu is easy for me."
More aura flowed forth into the branch, strengthening further. Raising the branch, he slammed it into the ground, knocking up dust and dirt, the stick remaining intact "It's nothing I can't do…"
"Good. But your application is a little flawed if you've been training for a while." She could see where the boy was going wrong, so maybe he could see it too.
Raphael frowned, "I know experience comes with training. It's not perfect, but…" the aura extinguished from the makeshift weapon, "I'm still trying to improve. I'm not giving up…"
"Good!" She grinned at the teen's determination. He wasn't going to give up from a minor setback. He was still going to keep moving forward, "I expect great things for you so try not to disappoint me too much."
"Hah…" He mocked the situation with fake laughter, offering a grin to rival her mocking tone "I can still beat them."
"Oh, if you think Shu is going to help them beat you, you haven't been paying attention to how I train people. You're not as smart as you think."
"Huh?"
"Discovering Shu is the first step. Which means…" Bisky's smile grew wider, eyeing the boys with a challenging gaze "I hope they can keep this up for a while…"
"~"
The boys fell to the floor exhausted, limbs tense and sore from constant shovelling through the mountains. The night was still early, but neither he nor his friend could move right now.
Given Bisky's request, she was bound to show up right now to force them to hold a rope with a rock bound to one end, hanging dangerously over their head.
But he just wanted to sleep peacefully right now, in a bed preferably.
But that old hag won't let that happen.
Sure enough, her head poked through their vision, arms pressed to her side as she stood over their head, "Are we resting right now?"
"We just dug several tunnels." The boy rolled his eyes at the older woman, irritated that she was already on their case when a minute hadn't even passed. "Don't we deserve some rest?"
"Should I extend that consideration to the other?" She offered her hand in the direction of the third.
Killua groaned when he turned to look at the teen. And sure enough, he was still going. Show off… "Fine. Where's those damn rocks?"
"Wonderful! Now get up you lazy bones it's just over here…"
The two groaned, forced to move when they clearly, just wanted to continue lying on the floor.
"~"
Raphael was now alone, the two boys sleeping while Bisky watched them. She was accessing their growth, checking for any issues that could pop up like they had for him.
When she could see no glaring issues, she turned to him "Are you planning to exhaust yourself like the others?"
"No, I just noticed something with Shu…"
"Besides your application being terrible?"
"No… Well, that too. But the way I apply it is similar to how I use Gyo alongside En." He extended his aura through his fingertips, focusing on trying to extend it through the small stick, "I think my main issue is Gyo, with Ren coming in as a second issue."
"Alright…" The older woman took a step closer to the boy, "So what's your plan to solve it?"
"I'm trying to focus aura at two points at the same time, to a fifty-fifty degree… or at least as close as possible." His eyes flicked between his empty hand and the one holding the stick, using sight to gauge the difference.
When one side fluctuated, stealing from the other, he'd equalise the levels between them.
It was a difficult task given he was trying to micromanage everything on his own. But if he can do this flawlessly, he can learn to do the same thing unconsciously.
"I may be able to help you with that when it comes to the boy's next part of their training. But no spoilers for me. So, what's your problem with Ren then?"
"I'm hitting my limit threshold."
"Then I suggest you start practising in preparation for Gon and Killua's part of their training."
A/N: Leave a review, it helps inspire me.