NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The Year 1994 Is Over
Chapter 27: The Year 1994 Is Over
"Authentic 'Blue Moon Beads'! Don't miss this chance! Each Crescent Tiger produces only one in its lifetime—one bead, one tiger, one life!"
Under the night sky, the bustling fountain square in the amusement park saw an increasing number of visitors drawn to this enthusiastic sales pitch.
The so-called Blue Moon Beads were also sold at souvenir stalls in another part of the park. While not everyone believed the story, the beads were a popular local keepsake. They did appear particularly stunning under the moonlight, emitting a soft blue glow. However, the crowd's attention wasn't solely on the bead but on the young boy hawking it—he looked no older than five.
The boy grinned. "For just 1,800 Jenny, arm wrestle me! Win, and the bead is yours!"
The crowd murmured in amusement. A woman in the group smiled and asked, "So cute! Where are your parents?"
"This little guy is so serious. Makes me want to pinch his cheeks."
"Is the bead even real? They sell for 40,000 Jenny at the souvenir stands."
"Even if it's fake, it's still free entertainment."
"Forty thousand? The guy who sold me mine claimed it was 100,000!"
"Ha!"
Many were entertained by the spectacle. After all, what kind of arm wrestling challenge could a five-year-old possibly pose?
Haru swatted away a hand trying to pinch his cheek and scowled. "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm working here! Want to arm wrestle? Step up and pay the 1,800 Jenny fee!"
The woman chuckled. "Here's 5,000 Jenny, sweetheart. If I win, the bead is mine, okay?" She pulled out three crisp bills and waved them teasingly.
"Thank you, ma'am," Haru replied, accepting the money. He hopped onto a borrowed stool, positioned himself, and extended his hand. "Let's go, sis."
The woman giggled as she took his tiny hand. "Oh, honey, you don't stand a chan—huh?"
She stopped mid-sentence. Whether she applied pressure or not, the boy's arm didn't budge, locked in place like an iron bar. Even as she strained, sweat forming on her brow, it was clear she couldn't move his hand. Exhausted, she finally let go, still puzzled. "Is this real?"
Cheers and laughter erupted from the onlookers. Some even suspected the woman was in on the act.
"Fake! She's probably his mom!" someone joked.
"I'll go next!" A muscular man in a tank top shoved his way through the crowd. He cracked his knuckles, glaring at Haru. "I can't stand bratty kids. Cost me a fortune to bring my family here. Let's see how you do against me, kiddo."
"Sure." Haru waved his hand. "1,800 Jenny."
"Two thousand for a Blue Moon Bead? Why not?" The man slapped a bill onto the table, only to have his arm slammed down in seconds. He staggered back, staring at his hand in disbelief.
Haru, clearly enjoying himself, made no effort to hold back his strength. Everyone—young, old, male, or female—fell to his arm in under three seconds. With over 1,400 units of Nen at his disposal, even though he wasn't a Reinforcement user, his physical power was overwhelmingly superior. To him, this was child's play. Literally.
Before the amusement park security could intervene, Haru casually packed up and disappeared into the crowd.
As the crowd dispersed, some still marveling at the boy's feats, a wiry young man with a shifty demeanor sighed heavily. A passerby recognized him and shouted, "Hey, aren't you the guy who sold me a Blue Moon Bead for 100,000 Jenny?"
"Yeah, and now I'm the one getting scammed!" the merchant grumbled. "The kid borrowed that bead from me and vanished!"
"So it's real, huh? What a riot."
Satisfied with the spectacle, the tourists wandered off, leaving the vendor fuming.
Haru soon returned, casually tossing the bead in his hand. "1,000 Jenny, and I'll buy it from you."
"1,000?!" The merchant's eyes bulged. "Kid, you're worse than me!"
"900…"
"Deal!"
---
After a night of performing, Haru pocketed 26,700 Jenny. Subtracting the 900 Jenny he spent to keep the bead, he netted a tidy profit of 25,800 Jenny—roughly 1,200 yen.
Placing the Blue Moon Bead on his bedside table, its soft blue glow catching the moonlight, Haru collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.
The next day, his routine resumed. Morning was dedicated to Nen training, focusing on refining his Hatsu techniques. Afternoon was reserved for building up his aura reserves and honing basic skills.
Menchi stopped showing up as frequently. Likely preoccupied with perfecting her conjuration ability, she seemed determined to prove herself. Even Ginta left Haru alone to focus on his own work.
Meanwhile, Haru pushed himself relentlessly. His aura capacity continued to grow incrementally as he cycled between depletion and recovery. He'd even given himself a self-sustaining command through the star mark on his neck, effectively training on autopilot.
His focus wasn't solely on his physical body, though. Through the crows shadowing Shizuku, he maintained a passive presence, hoping to guide her to him eventually. Simultaneously, another group of birds monitored the movements of Kakin agents along the northern coast.
By evening, there was a development. Babimyna, the stern leader of the Kakin team, had uncovered the burial site of Haru's foster mother and the hired hunter.
Through his crows perched on nearby branches, Haru watched as the Kakin team unearthed the graves.
---
"There are two bodies here. This one is the disgraced queen, and that one is the professional hunter she hired."
"No sign of… the child's remains."
"Possibly taken by the grave digger, or scavenged by wild animals earlier…"
Babimyna stood tall and impassive near the open grave, listening to his subordinates' reports while gazing at the decayed remains of the queen.
"Photograph the evidence and send it to Prince Benjamin," he ordered.
"What about the bodies?" someone asked.
"Unless you have a fetish for desecrating corpses, rebury them," Babimyna replied coolly. "Mark the location."
"Yes, sir."
As his men began refilling the graves, Babimyna's gaze shifted to two crows circling above before flying off.
"Two at a time, rotating shifts. Six in total…" he muttered under his breath. "Hardly a coincidence. Controlled birds, perhaps? An operator-type user?"
He didn't alert his team but made a mental note: If the manipulator is watching us, they may also have the prince.
---
Back at his training ground near East Town, Haru clenched his fist, forming a dense orb of aura at his fingertips.
That guy might've noticed the pattern of my birds, he thought grimly. Can't play games with someone that sharp.
He released the orb, and with a loud crack, the energy shot forward, splintering tree after tree before dissipating.
Though powerful, the attack left Haru with enough energy to spare. His Nen capacity had grown significantly.
"It's time to focus on training," he muttered, recalling the birds shadowing Babimyna.
---
A few days later, as Haru continued his relentless training, Menchi finally returned, brimming with excitement.
"You're still at it?" she teased, watching him from a distance.
"Have something to say?" Haru shot back, unimpressed.
"Well, duh!" Menchi grinned. She extended a finger, a faint aura swirling at its tip. "My Nen ability is complete! No way I'm losing to you now!"
Her confidence was palpable as she gestured dramatically.
Haru rolled his eyes. "1994 is over. Time to move on."
Menchi froze. "Huh?"
"It's 1995 now. New Year's Day," Haru said, waving her off. "Let's celebrate. Feed me."
Menchi brightened, following him eagerly. "Oh, just wait till you see my new ability. I'll show you once we eat!"
(Chapter end)