The intent training was fruitful. After just four months of intent training, the results were clear. My control over nen has increased drastically. The previously unrefined aura was slowly but surely gaining elegance. If I made my aura follow any subconscious whim, I would be easy to read in a fight, which was not wanted. I wanted my aura to be both a hammer and a scalpel. Versatility is the whole point of this power system. If I went down the Gon-route it would be the same as throwing away half of my power. I need every speck of it if I want to succeed in this world. I have no doubt that there are monsters living in the known world that make Isaac look like a joke. If not by their raw power, by their means. And I have to be ready.

Speaking of intent training, I am performing an interesting exercise. The gist of it is that I manipulate a candle flame with my intent alone. After being able to do it with transmutation, I stop using it consciously and after that increase the distance. My current range is about 4 meters and it is already really difficult. I can make the flame flicker, grow in size or change color, all in order of increasing difficulty. For now, my [EN] isn’t concentrated enough to manipulate the flames, so I have to bend it. It is an upgrade to the basic [EN], because I shift it’s field of effect. Instead of the sphere centring on me, I shift it towards the candle and turn it into a cone-like shape. Its range doubles, while the volume decreases by 4 fold. It is far more difficult, but I managed. The ‘basic’ version of [EN] allows me to sense up to 25 meters away, while the ‘advanced’ can only project up to 50 meters away. I haven’t mastered it yet by any means, but I am well on the way there. 25 meters might seem a lot, but it is only 1/8 or 12.5% of the way towards true mastery.

[AUTHOR NOTE: Formula for the volume of a sphere is 4/3*PI*r^3. If the ‘r’ doubles, the volume increases by 8 times. END OF AUTHOR NOTE]

But the aura density and control [EN] provides isn’t enough. Both need to increase by at least 100 fold to work. Insane.

Just as I was finishing with the exercise for today, I started hearing something. Something interesting. A suppressed panicked breathing. I hid my presence and approached the source. It was an inconspicuous man. Looking from the path he had taken, it appeared he came through the Farfalla town. Since it was night time, there was a low chance that anyone saw him coming here.

“I must escape from them. I am not sure if my faked death will fool them. Damn that Preston Hill! I will kill him one day, I swear.”

Preston Hill? Is he somehow related to the future Pariston Hill? Who knows.

“The only place I can go is the Myriad islands archipelago. But I need supplies. And money. I guess I’ll have to play the old bandit again, huh.”

How awfully convenient. He told me his entire plan. Now I know I have to deal with him. Well I would have anyway, I need a test subject.

[Change of POV - The criminal]

‘Where am I?’ I think as I feel myself bound. My instincts, sharpened through the years of thievery tell me all I need to know. I am bound in a dark room. I am gagged so there should be some introductions first.

“Hello! We will have a nice and fun talk!.” A deranged childish voice resounds in the room. I can feel it, this man is insane.

“So now let me introduce myself! You can call me Manuel. What is yours? Oh right you can’t talk yet. Isn’t that funny?” A loud and creepy laughter echoes through the chamber.

My pupils contract as I hear my instincts screaming at me from incoming danger. But by that time the danger is already gone. I could feel a savage aura right behind my head, promising a painful death.

“I- I am Penhwa. But I swear I didn’t kill Hiamond! I was framed! It was all Prest-” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I was overwhelmed with fear. The man was going to kill me.

“DID I ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK?”

I looked down in fear, only to notice a flickering candle in front of me. It flickered rapidly. Is there wind in this room?

“Good… Now, you can forget the name Penhwa. From now on, you will be called ‘Subject #017’. And just so you know, you are Preston’s gift for me. He is such a kind man, letting a noble researcher like me do some science!.”

I feel cold sweat forming everywhere. It is not scary to be captured. You can still wiggle your way out of it. The scary part is being in a room with someone deranged. Someone who you can’t predict, someone who doesn’t stick to the rules.

“So what is my fate, noble sir?” I ask with a trembling voice.

“Good, you know your place. I guess I will have to find someone else for the dissection. Someone less willing to listen… like #016. Ohhh he was so fun to cut”

A huge weight leaves my shoulders.

“You will be used to test something. Your survival depends on the results. You will be given instructions. Follow them to the letter. Any mistakes and you will have a pleasant meeting with a whip.”

“Now, I have to say goodbye. Enjoy your stay. And remember: there are fates worse than death! Especially in the world you are about to enter”

As the voice echoes through the room, the candle in front of me erupts in a massive flame scorching me. The now purple flame burns the candle to the ground in seconds. A sigh escapes my mouth as I fall unconscious.

[Change of POV - Alan]

It was a difficult act to perform. So many variables to consider and manipulate. The candle slowly synchronized with Penhwa’s. Once he saw that it was a normal candle, he focused on other things, ignoring the psychological suggestions I forcefull implanted into him. I synced the flickering with the candle. After his brain saw this, it followed the flickering and adjusted the heartbeat. I slowly changed the colors of the flame, so he would get a subconscious feeling that something was off but unable to pinpoint it.

The second thing was using the pendant knife to project sinister intent onto him. My [REN] isn’t vicious enough to work well.

Naming Penhwa ‘Subject #017’ will give him some ideas. Firstly, he isn’t the first subject in the line. He doesn’t know what happened to the previous few. I talked about how I cut up #016 so he should have some ideas about what is the price of failure.

The last part was acting deranged and projecting my intent onto him. I was so loud because I wanted him to show that screaming was useless. I don’t have perfect sound insulation in the underground chamber I dug, so some sound would escape. I don’t need anyone from the town finding out about it.

I guess it is a perfect time to use the island I found. I will have to prepare.

Meanwhile, Subject #017 was reading a paper titled: ‘INTRODUCTION TO NEN’.