"However… as long as it's sealed with Nen, its influence can be contained."
Vega watched Kevin calmly. Now that the fragment was suppressed under a Nen barrier, Kevin's eyes had cleared up—his will no longer distorted by its dark allure.
Strangely, Vega himself didn't feel any compulsion from the fragment. Why? Was it the effect of his system? Or simply due to his own Nen control?
He made a mental note to test this anomaly later.
"Master," Kevin said, bowing again, "please forgive my earlier lapse."
Vega chuckled. "It's fine. That wasn't your fault. It was the fragment's influence."
He then held the glowing shard aloft. "Are you ready, Kevin?"
"This is your reward—and your burden."
"This fragment will grant you immense power… but once it becomes part of you, there's no going back."
Kevin stepped forward without hesitation. He extended his arms, gaze unwavering.
"I trust you, Master. I know you would never harm me."
Vega smiled. "Very well. Let's begin."
The moment the shard touched Kevin's chest, a torrent of malevolent energy surged through his body. Darkness, desire, death—raw emotions twisted with resentment flooded his aura.
Kevin cried out, his muscles seizing and veins bulging. His body trembled violently.
Vega observed closely. A swirling black Nen cloud had formed around Kevin, tainted with dark energy—but still, unmistakably, it was Nen.
Resentment-type aura… Vega realized. Just like the Nen that manifested in the Phantom Rouge movie—it was Nen, born from pure negative emotion.
The Jewel shard seemed to catalyze this transformation. Vega watched as Kevin's new Nen slowly stabilized and sank into his body, reshaping his presence.
When the process ended, Kevin collapsed.
"Bring him to his quarters and monitor him carefully," Vega instructed the approaching servants.
They obeyed swiftly, carrying the unconscious Kevin away.
So the Jewel fragment can awaken Resentment-based Nen... Vega mused.
A weapon with incredible potential—and dangerous consequences.
Meanwhile, in an Abandoned Church Outside Nacro City...
A dragon-like beast descended from the sky.
From its back leapt a silver-haired man in a traditional assassin's robe—Silva Zoldyck.
An elderly woman followed, descending gracefully behind him.
"You're looking rough, Silva," said Zeno Zoldyck, the current head of the family, casting a glance at Silva's injured arm. "I take it this target was stronger than expected."
Silva nodded. "Yes, Father. His conjured armor was extremely durable—ordinary attacks barely scratched it. And… he did something during the fight. His power surged all of a sudden. I suspect an oath or a Nen condition was triggered, but I couldn't confirm it."
zeno listened silently, piecing together the puzzle in his mind.
Then Silva turned toward the old woman. "I'll leave it to you, Xion."
"Of course, Master Silva," the Nen healer replied gently.
As Xion placed her hand over his wound, her healing aura seeped into Silva's damaged arm. Slowly, the injury began to knit back together.
"Your arm is restored," she said. "But you should still avoid overexerting it for a few days."
"Understood."
zeno's gaze turned toward Nacro City. "In that case… we'll move again in three days."
"You're coming with me. Our new target is Vega Pengellet."