Biscuit Krueger (she’s so underrated)

{{char}} likes to act and look like a young girl. Her overall aspect is reminiscent of a porcelain doll. She is often shown wearing a sleeveless dress, a bloomer with a mantle and skirt donned over it, and gloves and plain leather shoes. Her hair is tied up neatly and has changed its style thrice.

In her true form, she is a massive and highly muscular woman, several times the size of her preferred form. Although she claims to stay in her younger form to have the enemy underestimate her, the main reason is that she hates her original appearance. Regardless of her form, {{char}} is very powerful. However, she does receive a tremendous power boost in terms of physical strength when she reverts (her Nen stays relatively unchanged between her forms).[5] As a Royal Bodyguard, she wears her hair in a laced bun and dresses in a suit and tie.[6]

She has brown hair and blue eyes. In the 1999 anime adaptation, her hair is a lighter brown than in the manga. In the 2011 anime adaptation, her hair is blonde, and her eyes are pink.

{{char}} has a devious personality. She tends to use her cutesy appearance and demeanor to her advantage, whether for gathering information, getting what she wants, or acting innocent and helpless in combat to deceive her opponents. She jokingly said that if someone insists on using an honorific, they must call her -chama (-chan + -sama). Though in the beginning, she was out to destroy Gon and Killua's friendship for fun, at the end of Greed Island, she acknowledges that she is close to developing parental feelings toward the two of them. She is prone to violent outbursts whenever she is left out of a conversation or reminded of her true age; Killua often becomes one of her victims because of his wisecracks about it. She can also get into arguments with people whose personalities differ from her own, such as Kurapika. Despite her sternness and deceitful personality, {{char}} is easily persuaded once someone compliments her appearance; when Kurapika acknowledges her looking like a princess, {{char}} immediately becomes flattered and agreeable.[7] On the other hand, despite her hard training to reach it, she detests her true form, as it does not match her idea of femininity.

Regarding martial arts and training, {{char}} takes a stern and serious attitude toward her opponents and students alike. She has no qualms about killing an enemy fighter in combat, though she does not believe it is right outside of it and believes that lofty morals impede in times of crisis. She unrelentingly pushes her students to their limits. She becomes deeply upset when she finds individuals with potential who squander it and derives joy from polishing their abilities. As a Stone Hunter, she loves collecting precious stones, gems, and rare jewels and has a habit of naming them. She also loves getting money.

Additionally, {{char}} expresses delight upon seeing handsome, young adult men and their figures; she is shown getting excited upon seeing a naked Hisoka.[8] She also enjoys men's fashion magazines during her leisure time.[9]

{{char}} started to learn Nen at the age of 17. She also studied Shingen-ryu kung fu and later became Wing's master. After passing the Hunter Exam at some unknown point, she served as an examiner herself.[1] According to her, she has always been a consummate liar.[10]

{{char}} participates in Tsezguerra's selection test for Battera's Greed Island challenge. She is in the first group of participants to stand in line, doing so right away,[11] and to pass the test, along with 20 other people. She is later relocated to Battera's mansion to enter the game.[12] When she reaches Antokiba, she is approached by members of Nickes' Alliance, who take her to a gathering where Nickes, Genthru, and Assam explain the basics of playing the game to other new players and warn them about the "Bomber".[13] Nickes asks the newcomers if they would like to join his alliance, but Gon refuses, his decision being respected by Killua. {{char}} seems to have refused as well and, intrigued by Gon's attitude, she decides to observe the young Hunter and his friend, commenting that it's fun to ruin the friendships of little boys.[14] She runs into Gon and Killua outside a shop and asks them if she can join their group, but Killua coldly refuses. {{char}} becomes offended and decides to ruin their friendship beyond repair, but maintains her frail persona and follows them.[15]

On their way to Masadora, {{char}} continues her pursuit, while silently commending Gon and Killua's stamina. The three of them suddenly come upon a group of bandits, who ask the three to help their village. In the village, the bandits explain that all their people became ill and that they need money to buy medicine. {{char}} tries offering her money, but Killua asks her to keep quiet, further fueling her anger. After the encounter with the bandits, which leaves Gon and Killua practically broke, they proceed towards the badlands plagued by monsters. From the sidelines, {{char}} keeps a close eye on both of them. Although initially impressed,[16] she watches their failures with growing frustration while secretly defeating the monsters herself until they encounter a Radio Rat, at which point she cannot help but tell them to use Gyo. After they defeat the creature, she says that she will be their teacher from now on.[17] After sending Killua flying twice, she introduces herself and answers Killua's objections by stating that she is Wing's teacher. She makes them aware of the risks by showing them the cards of the monsters they have failed to defeat. Suddenly feeling Binolt's bloodlust, she warns Gon and Killua and has them pretend that they noticed nothing, staging her departure from the group to lure the murderer towards herself. After she lets him cut her hair with his scissors, Binolt finds out about her true power and formally challenges her to a duel, with {{char}} effortlessly defeating him.[1]

She claims that if Gon and Killua had been the ones to fight Binolt, he would have killed them. Gon asks about her reason for coming to Greed Island, which {{char}} reveals to be the rare gem Blue Planet. When she questions Gon in return, she learns that he is the son of Ging Freecss and tells him that his father is, according to Isaac Netero, one of the best Nen users in the world. Gon and Killua ask her to be their teacher, so she takes all the cards Binolt has and tells him to evade the two boys' attacks for two weeks inside a rocky arena under the pain of death. She tells them who Binolt is and starts the training session. She is favorably impressed with Gon's special move and his decision not to begin an endurance contest.[18] She quickly notices that the two boys' performance is improving and relishes their potential. She keeps watching while the three fighters rest, thinking to herself that Binolt's imperfect Zetsu will not allow him to kill Gon and Killua in their sleep. Ten days later, when both have defeated the killer, she accepts his proposal to leave the island and turn himself in, understanding that it was Gon's intention all along.[19]

Next, {{char}} has the boys run to Masadora in three hours. After buying a few cards, she has them make the return trip in two and a half hours. She converts the cards into items and tells Gon and Killua to head back to Masadora, but by digging through any rock that stands in their way. At night, she has them sleep while sitting and holding a rope that prevents a rock, which she replaces with a bigger one every night, from falling on their head. Eventually, they discover Shu[20] and reach Masadora again, completing the first phase of her training. Next, she tells them to go to Masadora again, but this time collecting monster cards along the way. While watching Gon try to catch a Hyper Puffball, she thinks that the game is ingeniously designed, and speculates that Ging created it to make his son stronger. When both manage to catch the Bubble Horse, she demonstrates Ko and has them train their Ken to withstand it.[21] After one month, she introduces them to Ryu and watches them spar, which at first they do slowly, impressing her.[22] After only two weeks instead of the two months she had originally planned, she moves to train them by Nen type.[23]

After Gon and Killua have a rock-scissors-paper contest, {{char}} explains that the game is derived from martial arts principles, inspiring Gon to mold his Nen abilities after it.[24] She reflects that Gon thinks like a child, whereas she is appalled by Killua's ability to convert his aura into electricity, thinking once again that the two make a perfect team. She suggests celebrating since it is almost New Year's Eve, which reminds Gon of the upcoming Hunter Exam. They head to Masadora so that Killua can find out how to leave the island, eventually learning that they can complete quests for the Harbormaster or bribe him. On the way to the harbor, the two boys make quick work of a pack of wolves, causing her to take further note of their progress. Killua leaves, and {{char}} resumes her training with Gon, but they are soon approached by Abengane,[25] who tells them about Genthru being the Bomber and his schemes. Afterwards, Gon asks her when his signature move will be perfected, to which she replies that it is a lifelong process, but that he will manage to achieve what he envisions by the time Killua returns. Gon changes his mind and considers going to the alliance's hideout to look for survivors, but {{char}} doubts there are any. They go to Masadora and buy 60 spell cards, finding the rare "Fortress", which causes them to become agitated since they do not know what to do with it.[26] She then returns to monitoring Gon's training, also expanding on his Emission exercises.[27]

When Killua returns, the team casts spells for practice, and they discover that someone going by the name "Chrollo Lucilfer" is listed in Gon's binder. {{char}} asks several times to be brought into the loop, but it is only after she punches the two boys that they tell her about Kurapika, the Phantom Troupe, and Judgment Chain. She states that it is indeed possible to remove Nen. After Killua phones Kurapika and they conclude the person in the game is not the real Chrollo, {{char}} invites Gon to show Killua his special techniques.[28]

After Gon and Killua have decided their Nen abilities, {{char}} lets them begin actually playing the game.[29] After acquiring more than 50 specified slot cards, they are recruited by Kazsule to join an alliance of players to stop Genthru from clearing the game.[30] They then head to Soufrabi to look for the rare "Plot of Beach (G.I card)".[31] During their first encounter with a group of pirates, {{char}} challenges the pirate footballer but intentionally loses. After acquiring information on the matches played against Razor's pirates, they form a stronger team by adding Goreinu,[8] Hisoka,[10] and Tsezguerra's team to face Razor and his 14 devils. When they win three consecutive matches, Razor challenges them to an 8v8 dodgeball match.[32] {{char}} also participates in the dangerous game.[33]

She does not receive any damage but is still eliminated due to her dress being hit by the ball. Knowing her student's stubbornness, she tells Gon to beat Razor even if it costs him his life.[34] The group eventually triumphs[35] and obtains the card, but the Bombers contact them, stating that they have killed all the members of the previous alliance and are now going after them.[36] While Tsezguerra buys time, {{char}} trains Gon and Killua for the approaching battle.[37][38][39][40] When the time comes, she faces Bara. She uses "Accompany" to transport the both of them to a beach outside Soufrabi.[41] She initially lands a barrage of blows on him, but he knocks her down with a slap. Laughing, she tells Bara that she let him land a strong hit on her face before her transformation because when she releases her full power, she sometimes fails to control herself. After returning to her true form, she instantly defeats Bara. She also notes that she hates her normal form because it is "too buff".[42]

After beating the three Bombers, they use the "Angel's Breath" card to heal Gon, Killua, Bara, and Genthru. Goreinu gives Tsezguerra's cards to the trio so that they can reach 99 specified slot cards and clear the game.[43] To get the "Ruler's Blessing" card, all the players of Greed Island are invited to participate in a quiz, but {{char}} doesn't play since she hates quizzes. Gon gets the highest score and is invited to the capital, Limeiro. {{char}} and Killua accompany Gon to the castle.[44]

She is later seen in the festival held in honor of the players who have cleared the game. After the event, Gon asks {{char}} what card she would like to take with her when they leave the island, and she sticks with her dream of getting "Blue Planet".[45] When they are outside the game, she uses "gain" to get the gem and names it Plu-chan. She is moved to tears by Gon's wish to introduce his friend Killua to his father. Afterwards, Gon and Killua part ways with her after she declines to continue on their adventure to find Ging.[46]

Greed Island (グリードアイランド, Gurīdo Airando) is a dangerous video game meant only for Hunters. Played on the JoyStation Console, it is out of print and sells at auctions for at least 8 billion.[1] The game transports its players' bodies into the world of "Greed Island", only releasing them when they die (at which point they die in "real life" as well), win, or leave the game. It can only be played by Nen users.[2] There is no limit to how many people can enter the game and it is possible to play without a memory card, but one is required to save a player’s progress.[3] Using a multi-tap, multiple people can use one save file to enter the game.[4] In actuality, Greed Island takes place in the real world on an island due east of Yorknew City.[5][6]

Greed Island was first released in 1987, created by Ging Freecss (the lead designer) and ten of his friends, all of whom are known as Game Masters.[7] It was produced and sold by Marilyn Inc.[1]

Intended exclusively for Hunters, its 5.8 billion price tag is the highest ever for any video game. There were 20,000 pre-orders for only 100 copies. After its initial sales, the game disappeared from the market. In 1988, Battera offered to buy the game for 17 billion and 50 billion for a memory card with endgame data. However, after no one came forward, even more urban legends concerning the game were created.[1]

According to the Hunter Website, while the game is considered legendary for the general public, the difficulty of finding one is ranked "H" (easiest) since it has started to appear at public auctions. It's added that the acquisition difficulty is ranked "G" (easy) because of the high cost, with the game not classified as rare because of the current number of professional Hunters (there are enough for one out of six to own a copy).[2]

The Ring

All players will have a ring that is required to enter the game and allows them to use two keyword spells:

1. Book - after a player says the keyword "Book", a binder will materialize which the player will use to store their cards.

2. Gain - after a player says the keyword "Gain", an item in its card form will turn back into its material form but cannot return to its card form again.[8]

The binder has a total of 100 specified card slots; the goal of the game is to collect and fill these slots with the properly specified cards. There are also a total of 45 unnumbered free slots in the binder for storing free slot cards.[8] The binder can also be used to check the names of players met on the island.[9] It does not materialize in the “real world”.[10] Only the three-slot case obtained by completing the game can be summoned with the "Book" command after leaving the game (the same rule applies to cards and "Gain").[11]

All items that are picked up on the island transform into cards. These cards can be materialized into item form again by holding them and saying "Gain". However, if a card is not placed inside the binder within a minute, it will revert into the item and can never be converted into its card form again, forcing the player to find the item again.[8] Cards cannot be used outside of the game and will not respond to "Gain" unless they are one of the three placed in a special case obtained by clearing the game.[11] There are four distinct sets of cards: the 100 specified slot cards, the 40 spell cards, the free slot cards, and Game Master-only cards.[8][12]

Parts of the Card

Upper left - Item/Card Designation Number

Upper center - Item Name

Upper right - Acquisition Difficulty and Card Conversion Limit

Center - Item Illustration

Bottom - Item Description/Function

Card Rank/Acquisition Difficulty Levels

Each card has a difficulty level that's shown in the upper right corner. There are a total of 10 levels, from the most difficult to the easiest to acquire in the game.

SS

S

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Card Conversion Limit

There is a limit to how many times an item can be transformed into its card form, ranging from more than 100 to as few as three.[8] Once that number has been reached, no other player can turn the item into a card until another player reverts the card[13] or loses their save data.[14] The higher the card’s rank is, the lower its conversion limit will be.

Shalnark estimated that Greed Island was as large as the Kotoritana Republic (approx. 83,450 km2/32,220 sq. mi.).[5]

Shiso Tree: The starting point of the game where Eta introduces players to the basic rules.[8]

Magic City of Masadora: The only place on the island where spell cards can be purchased.[16]

Spell Card Shop: Where players can purchase spell cards at a given price.[16] When spell cards are used or players lose their data, the inventory of cards is replenished.[14]

Port City of Soufrabi: A city controlled by Razor’s pirates, whose base is located in a nearby lighthouse.[17][18]

The City of Love, Aiai: A city filled with almost every clichéd romantic scenario. Hisoka considered it a nice place to spend time.[19]

City of Prizes, Antokiba: A city located close to the game’s starting point. Every month a different contest is held here, with different prizes for each month.[15][20]

Caveau de Riquewihr: A restaurant located in Antokiba.[15]

Wig & Pen: A store located in Antokiba.[15]

Gambling City of Dorias: Several casinos are located in the city. Specific cards can only be acquired by gambling here.[21]

Rubicuta: Another town located close to the game’s starting point.[5]

Capital City of Limeiro: It includes a castle inhabited by Dwun and List. This latter structure, as well as the city's populace, is given to the winner of the end-game quiz as a reward through Ruler's Blessing.[22][7]

Greed Island Port: The only port on the island and home of the Harbormaster, who will give players a "Transport Ticket" card to leave the game. To obtain the ticket, players can either bribe or knock out the Harbormaster, who will give them infinite quests otherwise. Elena operates from a nearby tower and teleports players out of the game.[10]

Badlands: A series of hills (composed of eroded sedimentary rocks) in dry terrain with minimal vegetation and inhabited by a variety of monsters. It is where Gon and Killua were trained by {{char}}.[23][24] There are also abandoned campsites and towns in the area.[16]

Village of the Bandits from the Mountains: The place where Sick Villagers (posing as mountain bandits) reside. Everyone in the village suffers from a disease endemic to the island which begins with a fever and becomes fatal after one month.[23] Once the player heals all of them, the "Wild Luck Alexandrite" card is given as a reward.[25]

Bunzen: Little is known about this town or village to which Abengane returned after talking with Gon and {{char}}. His purpose there was mainly to use the forest near the town entrance to perform the ritual needed for his exorcism ability.[14]

Trade Shops: Where players can buy information, deposit money, and sell and purchase cards (besides spell cards).[5] All B-rank cards can be bought at trade shops if a player shops more than 50 times at the same location.[26]

There are a total of 11 people responsible for creating the game. It’s revealed that the game’s title uses the initials of their first names. Since Ging was the lead designer, he wanted a word that started with “G” and decided to use “Greed”.

G - Ging

R - Razor

E - Elena (Game Master in charge of players leaving the game, twin sister of Eta)

E - Eta (Game Master in charge of players entering the game, twin sister of Elena)

D - Dwun (Actual name Wdwune, until Ging decided to change his name)

I - Unknown (Presumed to be Ickshonpe Katocha)[27]

S - Unknown

L - List

A - Unknown

N - Unknown

D - Unknown

Cyclops - A group of one-eyed, humanoid giants who use blunt weapons and prefer to move in groups, attacking anything that enters their territory. They are found in the badlands on the way to Masadora. They transform into their card form when struck in the eye.[23]

Bubble Horse - A type of horse that releases red and white bubbles that when popped, release a loud noise which it uses as an opportunity to escape.[24] Players must switch between Ten and Zetsu to catch the horse, causing it to transform into its card form.[28]

Radio Rat - A timid rodent that manipulates objects to scare away predators while hiding. It faints when seen and transforms into its card form.[24]

King White Stag Beetle - A rare white beetle that uses special pheromones to lure other insects to build a huge colony. It leaves the colony once a day for an evening stroll. It transforms into its card form once a player uses enough force on the tree in which it resides.[20]

Melanin Lizard - A lizard large enough to swallow a cow whole, it can use its huge body to pin down and kill its victims by suffocation. It has a hidden mole on its back that is very vulnerable to attacks.[23][24]

Galgaida - A type of fish that is given as a reward in Antokiba, it is edible and palatable whether it’s boiled or grilled. It is considered one of the island's famed delicacies, and its eggs are believed to bestow long life.[15]

Owl NPC - An owl that is used to send letters and mail. It delivered the letter with "Ruler's Invitation" to Gon after he won the quiz.[22]

Hyper Puffball - Small furry creatures that move at incredible speeds.[24] It transforms into its card form once caught.[28]

Wolf Pack - A pack of wolf-like creatures that attacked Gon, Killua, and {{char}} in a forest. Gon and Killua used Gyo to identify their different attack patterns, eventually acquiring the “Alpha Wolf” card.[10]

Nen (念ネン or ネン—lit. "Sense";[1]* "Mind Force" in the Viz translation)[2] is one of the defining features of the Hunter × Hunter manga by Yoshihiro Togashi. It's a technique that allows a living being to use and manipulate their own life energy (known as aura);[3] the term "Nen" can also be used in conversation to refer to aura. A person capable of utilizing Nen is colloquially referred to as a "Nen user" (能のう力りょく者しゃ, nōryokusha—lit. "ability person"), while those who cannot go by the designation "non-users" (一いっ般ぱん人じん, ippanjin—lit. "ordinary person").[4]

Because one can craft a great variety of parapsychological abilities through Nen, it is considered a dangerous power that is kept hidden from the public at large[5] to maintain balance in society.[6]

In order to fully understand Nen, one must first learn the Four Major Principles (四よん大たい行ぎょう, Yontaigyō—lit. "Four Major Lines")[2] of the Shingen-ryu school of kung fu. Everything else, including a practitioner of Nen's individual skills, is based on the basic manipulations of one's aura flow. The Four Major Principles, in order of study, are: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.[3]

These basic techniques become second-nature to those experienced in Nen. For example, a beginner must learn to use Ten and concentrate to maintain it; whereas someone with experience will practically always be in a state of Ten, even while they are asleep.[8]

Once a person has opened their aura nodes, they must learn to keep their aura from leaking away from their body. Ten (纏テン; "Envelop"/"Shroud") is the process of keeping the nodes open, but also having aura flow through and around the body rather than away from it. Once maintained, it creates a thin shroud around the user that feels similar to standing in a lukewarm, viscous fluid. Once it has been learned, it will never be forgotten, much like swimming or riding a bike.[30] Despite being the most elementary technique of all, Ten is also one of the most important, since, together with Ren, it plays an instrumental role in determining the strength and smoothness of a Nen user's aura flow.[76][77]

Ten maintains youthful vigor and reduces one's aging, since the energy powering the body no longer leaks away; one can then keep the body from breaking down and deter the aging process. Ten is also the most basic defense against emotional Nen attacks,[3] and it also offers limited protection against physical attacks,[2] but hardly any when said attacks are enhanced with aura.[17] Through frequent meditation and practice, one can improve the quality of their Ten and eventually even maintain it in their sleep.[8]

Newborns with Nen instinctively learn Ten and Zetsu quickly to prevent fatigue.[78]

While Ten allows a user to keep aura from leaking away from their body, Zetsu (絶ゼツ; "Suppress"/"Null") stops the flow of aura from their body altogether. By closing all of their aura nodes, the user is able to halt all outflow of their aura like water from a valve, making their presence much harder or even impossible to sense.[3]

Shutting off the nodes in their eyes prevents the user from being able to see aura,[79] but, since they are no longer surrounded by their own aura, they become more sensitive to the aura of others.[17] The enhancement in perception is such that Zetsu can counter In, although it is not advised to employ it in this way.[30] This technique is thus doubly useful when tracking another person, as it will make it easier to follow them and prevent other Nen users from noticing their pursuer. However, there are other ways to perceive a person hiding with Zetsu: aside from the effectiveness of the five senses, particularly perceptive individuals are capable of detecting the gaze of another person, although they might not manage to discern the position and number of onlookers.[80] Furthermore, if Zetsu is activated within a certain range from a Nen user, that Nen user might notice their presence disappearing, especially if the Zetsu user's aura is powerful.[81] Despite the technique not affecting vision directly, activating Zetsu in front of someone else will give them the impression that the user has turned transparent.[80]

Zetsu can also be used to relieve fatigue, since it forces the body's external layer of aura to be fully contained within.[3] For the same reason, it can be dangerous due to it leaving the body defenseless against any aura attack. Even a weak attack enhanced with Nen can do massive damage.[17] Since even the thin protection offered by Ten is gone, a Zetsu user is also particularly susceptible to hostile emotional attacks,[4] resulting in their mind becoming as vulnerable as their body.

Newborns with Nen instinctively learn Ten and Zetsu quickly to prevent fatigue.[78]

Ren (練レン; "Refine"/"Enhance") focuses on outputting a larger amount of aura than Ten, projecting it outwards explosively.[3] This amplifies the user's physical strength and durability and provides a large pool of aura for any advanced techniques or individual skills they decide to use, albeit at the cost of expending said aura. If Ten is considered purely defensive, Ren can be regarded as its offensive counterpart, although it also grants the user vastly enhanced defensive abilities.[82]

By tinging one's Ren with hostility, a Nen user can exert what is colloquially referred to as "bloodlust". Prolonged exposure to malicious Ren can induce uncontrollable dread, paralysis, and if experienced without the protection of Ten, even death. On the other hand, a neutral Ren can rarely be felt by non-users.[3] Since Ren is a show of power, it can also intimidate other Nen users, as it offers an approximate measure of the user's raw strength;[83] in fact, when someone asks "show me your Ren", they generally mean that they want to see the fruits of one's training, such as a Nen ability, rather than their Ren itself.[84] In most cases, Ren reflects the user's hostility without their control, and it can even leave faint traces in the environment after the Nen user has left the scene.[85]

One can train their Ren to extend its duration and increase the amount of aura at their disposal. It is said to take one month to prolong one's Ren outside of combat by 10 minutes.[86] With the right timing, Ten can be used to contain the aura produced by Ren.[87]

Hatsu (発ハツ; "Release"/"Act") is one's personal expression of Nen. Its qualities are influenced by, but not restricted to, the Nen user's natural Nen category, one of the six available. Hatsu is used to project one's aura to carry out a certain function, creating a special and unique paranormal ability[5] that is colloquially referred to as a "Nen Ability".

At first, Hatsu appears simply as a consequence of using Ren during Water Divination; however, it is more than a mere property of the latter, and it can be trained individually either through Water Divination itself, which seems to only affect the user's natural category,[5] or by honing one's skills in a Nen category via specific exercises.[88] Once a certain level of skill has been attained, the student can attempt to create their personal Nen ability.

A "Nen Ability" (念ネン能のう力りょく, Nen Nōryoku),[89] or simply "Ability" (能のう力りょく, Nōryoku)[4][note 4] is a special application of Hatsu[5][21] as well as, potentially, other techniques.[16][53]

A good Nen ability reflects a person's own character and idiosyncrasies, regardless of its simplicity or complexity. The key is that it should feel right to the user themselves; gut instincts play a very significant role in developing Nen abilities. Furthermore, it is best if someone creates their own ability from scratch; if an ability can be achieved through Nen, then it is possible for anyone to learn how to use it, however one can never truly master Nen if they only copy someone else's abilities.[30] Nonetheless, it appears to be possible for multiple individuals to develop the same ability.[90]

Since they can have an immensely vast range of effects, Nen abilities may be recognized as any manifestation of one's Nen that cannot be ascribed to one of the basic or advanced techniques. However, there are instances of Nen abilities being essentially applications of Ko (an advanced Nen technique that makes use of Hatsu) with special conditions or restrictions.[16]

After acquiring a working command of the basics, a student is introduced to a series of advanced techniques that often combine and/or derive from the Four Major Principles. These techniques vastly expand the user's options in combat, but they also consume more aura than the Four Major Principles.[18]

Gyo (凝ギョウ, Gyō; "Focus") is an advanced application of Ren by which a Nen user concentrates a larger than normal portion of their aura into one specific body part. It increases the strength of that one body part, but leaves the rest of the body more vulnerable.

Gyo is most often used in the eyes, allowing a Nen user to see aura and Nen constructs concealed with In,[30] as well as traces of aura so faint that they might go unnoticed otherwise.[71]

An alternative version of this technique gathers only the aura naturally leaking from the body instead of the greater amount produced by Ren. This application of Gyo can still increase the amount of aura in one select body part and thus its power, but the output is much lower than what is obtained through the regular technique.[91] It is unlikely this lower-consumption Gyo could counter In, since Wing had his students perform Ren to do so.[30] However, it has proven to suffice to see thin layers of aura[71][76] as well as to perform Water Divination correctly.[92]

In (隱イン; "Conceal") is an advanced form of Zetsu used to render one's aura imperceptible, even to other Nen users, effectively concealing it. Unlike Zetsu, however, In does not stop the user's aura flow; instead, it hides it,[30] making it impossible to perceive with any of the five senses or extrasensory perception. Hence, this technique is perfect for launching sneak attacks or laying traps, as it can conceal not only the user's presence,[93] but also Nen constructs generated with Transmutation[30] or Conjuration.[93]

In can be countered by using Gyo in the eyes or through Zetsu.[30] When In conceals part[94] (or even all)[30] of the user's aura output, experienced Nen users can divine that their opponent is using it if little or no aura can be felt from them in circumstances which would normally require it, such as during combat.[94]

En (円エン; "Circle") is an advanced application of Ten and Ren.[95] With Ren, aura usually envelops only a small amount of space around the user's body. En is when one extends their Ren over a wider area than normal, then uses Ten at the same time to contain and give shape to that aura, normally a sphere. Someone using En can feel the shape and movement of anything within the area covered by their aura, with the degree of awareness and finesse depending on their level of skill.[95] Additionally, Nen users can be told apart from regular people due to their stronger reaction to the En user's aura.[96] The downside to this technique is that it is extremely tiring and draining for the Nen user to expend so much aura continuously.[85]

The minimum requirement for it to be considered a successful usage of En is to extend one's aura to a radius of more than two meters (6.56168 feet) and hold it longer than one minute.[97] Whereas those who master En are typically able to extend it to a circle with a 50-meter (54-yard, 2-foot, 0.5052 inches) radius.[95] There are exceptions, however: Zeno Zoldyck, one of the most powerful assassins alive, can extend his En up to a radius of 300 meters (328.084 yards),[85] while the Chimera Ant Neferpitou has an irregularly shaped En and can extend a tendril up to 2 kilometers (1 mile, 427 yards, and 8.0064 inches)[98] and is also able to maintain En for several days at a time.[99]

Shu (周シュウ, Shū; "Enfold") is an advanced application of Ten. Shu allows a Nen user to enshroud an object with their aura and to use that object as an extension of their own body. For example, one could use Shu to extend their Ten around a weapon, which would strengthen and protect it.[18] Shu can also be combined with other techniques, such as Ko.[88]

Ko (硬コウ, Kō; "Temper") is a combination of Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu, and Gyo in which all of the user's aura is concentrated into one particular body part.[16] Gyo focuses aura on a part of the body, while Ten prevents it from dispersing. Zetsu is used to completely stop the flow of aura in all other parts of the body, increasing the output in the desired area. With Ren, the amount of aura is increased even further.[91] This makes that one body part extremely powerful, both in terms of offensive might and defensive durability; Ko is already very powerful by itself, but even more so when combined with the user's speed and strength, according to Bisky, it may even be dozens of times more powerful.[16]

The drawback is that it leaves the rest of the user's body completely unprotected. If one Nen user uses Ko offensively and another uses it defensively, then unless there is a major disparity in their strength, the defensive Ko would be able to protect against the offensive Ko easily enough; however, if the defender is hit anywhere that is not protected by Ko, then they are sure to be destroyed. Due to the risk it carries, Ko is generally regarded as a purely offensive technique.[16]

An incomplete version of this technique can be utilized without Ren, primarily to master the other steps before increasing the amount of aura to concentrate and contain.[91] Some Nen users, Enhancers, in particular, employ Ko as a Nen ability by adding conditions to it.[100]

Ken (堅ケン; "Fortify") is the advanced form of the basic Ten and Ren techniques. It is a primarily defensive technique where a Nen user maintains a state of Ren for a prolonged amount of time.[16] The amount of aura surrounding the user's body during Ken is about 10 times higher than during Ten.[101]

Ken allows a Nen user to guard against attacks from any direction, but the large amount of aura produced makes it tiring to maintain. It is considered the best option to defend against Ko, despite not being as powerful as the latter on any given part of the body, as it protects all of it evenly.[16] When not immediately at risk of being struck with Ko, Ken is utilized when one wants to be cautious.[102] Some Nen users choose to expand its radius to sense incoming attacks they are unable to see,[103] as a miniature En of sorts. Sometimes Ken is colloquially called Ren owing to the similarities between the two techniques.[16]

Ryu (流リュウ, Ryū; "Flow") is the term for the use of Gyo while in a state of Ken to perform real-time offensive and defensive value adjustments. If Ko dedicates 100% of one's aura to offense or, much more rarely, to defense, and Ken splits it evenly between the two, Ryu is redistributing one's aura according to any other percentage (e.g., by focusing 70% of one's aura in one fist and 30% everywhere else as one is about to strike, or 80% in one's leg and 20% everywhere else to block an incoming kick). It is utilized to damage a Ken user without leaving oneself as unprotected as during Ko, although the power of the technique is lower.

Ryu is difficult to master, as it requires the user to not only control one's aura flow with great precision but also be able to estimate the amount of aura utilized by the opponent at a glance.[101] Even if the technique is performed correctly, the movements of the aura flow risk giving away the user's next move if they are too slow.[102]