Hunter X Hunter

Aura (オーラ, Ōra) is the life energy produced by all living bodies, it is vital for survival and directly linked to one’s stamina. The points on the body from which aura flows out are called “aura nodes” (精しょう孔こう, Shōkō). Additionally, aura is invisible to non-Nen users, it can only be seen after the aura nodes in the eyes are opened. Nonetheless, sensitive individuals can feel its presence without being aware of its existence.[3]

In normal conditions, the aura from all parts of the body tends to flow together, producing one mass of energy. This happens without the individual’s awareness, typically resulting in aura slowly leaking away from the body constantly without exceedingly harmful consequences[3] and stemming up and off the top of the head.[7] On the other hand, if someone whose aura nodes are fully open doesn’t attempt to close them or control the flow of their aura, they’ll soon grow so exhausted that they’ll be unable to stand[8] or even lose consciousness.[9] Learning to control one’s aura nodes is the first step to becoming a Nen user.

People who have not trained in Ten will leak aura similar to water vapor boiling out from a kettle. It has been described as feeling like a warm, viscous fluid at rest,[8] whereas powerful, refined auras produce a sensation that feels akin to needles pricking into the skin.[10] Hostile aura generates extremely unpleasant sensations, which can cause a non-user to halt in their tracks and be unable to walk towards the source as if a wall had been erected in front of them.[8]

Since every living being emits aura subconsciously, learning to sense aura is a useful skill for those who are trying to track down living things or searching for non-living things that have been infused with aura. An experienced user of Nen can judge the location and relative strength of their opponents by reading the output of their aura.[11] On the other hand, skilled Nen users can also regulate the flow of their aura, so they appear to be beginners or regular individuals.[7]

Grave wounds such as mutilations can disrupt the flow of aura in the affected body part and even stop it altogether.[12]

A student learning Nen trains to manually open and close their aura nodes so that they can control the flow of their aura. There are two ways to achieve this; one is the slow and careful way, in which one gradually learns this process through meditation. The other method is the fast and risky way, colloquially called Initiation (洗せん礼れい, Senrei—lit. “Baptism”), achieved by forcing the aura nodes to open via an influx of external aura, such as by having someone who is already able to control their aura channel a light burst of aura into the students body. Despite being much quicker, this method is typically frowned upon by Nen instructors due to the danger it poses to the student if the user is inexperienced or has malicious intent,[8] and it is not considered a standard teaching method.[13] To convey the taboo of it, it is referred to as an “attack”, which it might as well be, since non-users who awaken this way without having received an appropriate amount of training to control their aura nodes might suffer from exhaustion for a long time due to being unable to control the aura leakage, though the rarest of prodigies might be able to quickly get a grasp on controlling their aura.[14][8] It is also possible that the recipient might take damage from the process itself, which could result in serious mutilation. While all living things possess aura and all humans (as well as possibly beings of other species) can master Nen, some excel at its usage more than others. What exactly factors into potential is, for the most part a mystery, but it appears to be predominantly a congenital factor, since statistical estimations about its rarity can be made and evidence points against it changing over the course of one’s life. The rubric of “potential” or “talent” entails both the maximum degree of mastery that one could achieve and the speed of one’s learning, which seem to be directly proportional: the faster one learns, the higher their upper ceiling is assumed to be.

Ten (点テン, Ten; “Point”): Focus the mind, reflect upon the self, and determine the goal.

Zetsu (舌ゼツ, Zetsu; “Tongue”): Put it into words.

Ren (錬レン, Ren; “Temper”): Intensify your will.

Hatsu (発ハツ, Hatsu; “Release”): Put it to action.

The death of a Nen user does not necessarily result in the cessation of their abilities; on the contrary, it may cause pre-existing abilities to become even more powerful. The most common reason for this phenomenon to occur is a dying user harboring a strong grudge, which will cause their Nen to seek out the object of their hatred and cling to it. This makes curse-type abilities much more difficult to remove, to the point that fewer than ten exorcists in the whole world were deemed capable of lifting a curse left by the deceased.

Although the production of aura is unconscious and constant by all living beings, it is not only life energy. Aura carries with it the desires and emotions of the one who utilizes it, which is what allows for Nen to have incredible versatility for those who develop their skill at using it,[30] and it is also heavily influenced by the user’s mental condition and emotional state.[31]

A basic application of this phenomenon is that one can channel their aggression or malice into their aura and direct it towards another person (i.e., bloodlust). The antagonized person will then be able to feel that bloodlust as if it were physically palpable; if unable to keep it from their own body by utilizing their own Nen, the user may be psychologically as well as physically harmed by it.[8] In certain instances, emotional factors may even lead to one exceeding their current ceiling. This could potentially prove advantageous, but in general, using one’s powers beyond their capacity entails a great risk and will ultimately cause strain. Affinity with nature is connected to sensitivity for aura.[38] Wild animals are more perceptive in that regard than humans and may learn Zetsu spontaneously.[39][40] However, only humans and certain Magical Beasts have displayed the ability to open their aura nodes and use Nen. Honing one’s Nen abilities has the side effect of attuning them with nature to a greater degree, enabling the user to detect sounds, scents, and tracks that non-users would miss, as well as to attract wildlife. This has led to the belief that good Hunters are well-liked by animals.

Ten: 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.

Zetsu: 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,[76] 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.

Ren: 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.

Hatsu: 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” (念ネン能のう力りょく, Nen Nōryoku),[85] or simply “Ability”

Gyo: 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.

In: 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,[89] but also Nen constructs generated with Transmutation[30] or Conjuration.[89]

En: En (円エン; “Circle”) is an advanced application of Ten and Ren.[91] 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.[91] Additionally, Nen users can be told apart from regular people due to their stronger reaction to the En user’s aura.[92] The downside to this technique is that it is extremely tiring and draining for the Nen user to expend so much aura continuously. 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.[93] Whereas those who master En are typically able to extend it to a circle with a 50 meter (54 yard, 2 foot, 0.5052 inch) radius.

Shu: 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.

Ko: 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.[87] 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.

Ken: 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.[97]

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.

Ryu: Ryu (流リュウ, Ryū; “Flow”) is the term for 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.

Nen types:

Enhancer: are simple and determined.[60] Most of them never lie, hide nothing, and are very straightforward in their actions or in their thinking. Their words and actions are often dominated by their feelings. They are generally very selfish and focused on their goals.[102] This is reflected in their Nen as Enhancers typically rely on simple and uncomplicated Nen abilities.

Transmuter: are whimsical, prone to deceit, and fickle.[60] They have unique characteristics; many are regarded as weirdos or tricksters. They often put forth a facade while hiding the truer aspects of their personalities. Even when they don’t hide their personalities, they rarely reveal their true intentions.[102] Many Transmuters rely on techniques that give unique and unpredictable properties to their Nen that reflect their personalities.

Emitter: are impatient, not detail-oriented, short-tempered, and quick to react volatilely.[60] They resemble Enhancers in their impulsivity, but the difference between them is that Emitters tend to calm down and forget more easily.[102] Because of the nature of Emission, many Nen abilities created by Emitters are primarily long range.

Conjurer: are typically high-strung[60] or overly serious, stoic, and nervous. They are often on guard as to be cautious. They are very observant and logical, rarely falling into traps. Being able to analyze things calmly is the strength of Conjurers.[102] Many of the items that Conjurers create are often used by them deliberately, practically, and logically.

Manipulator: are argumentative and logical. They advance at their own pace[60] and tend to want to keep their families and loved ones safe. On the other hand, when it comes to pursuing their own goals, they do not listen to what others might have to say about it.[102] While Manipulators often use techniques that allow them to control their opponents, some choose an inanimate medium to control.

Specialist: are independent and charismatic.[60][103] They won’t say anything important about themselves and will refrain from making close friends. However, because of their natural charisma that attracts others, they are always surrounded by many people.

The most popular way (and the only sure-fire way seen in the series) of determining one’s aura type is through Water Divination (水みず見み式しき, Mizumishiki).[note 6] This divination requires one to float a leaf atop a glass of water. A student of Nen will place their hands around the glass and perform Ren[5] (or focus a greater than normal amount of aura in their hands, such as through Gyo).[88] The resulting effect from one’s aura contacting the glass will identify a person’s aura type.[5]

If the volume of the water changes, then the user is an Enhancer.[5]

If the taste of the water changes, then the user is a Transmuter.[5]

If the color of the water changes, then the user is an Emitter.[5]

If impurities appear in the water, then the user is a Conjurer.[5]

If the leaf moves on the water’s surface, then the user is a Manipulator.[5]

If a completely different change appears, then the user is a Specialist.[5]

A person’s Nen category can be determined through some habits of theirs and the flow of their Ten:

Enhancers and Transmuters, depending on their level of skill, have a soft, quiet Ten that shrouds the part of their body that activates their favorite attacks.[19]

Emitters and Manipulators generally have a broader Ten, and if they attempt to shrink it, their aura will appear darker. Manipulators also tend to want to keep their dominant hand free, as it is generally the one used for their abilities.[19]

Conjurers have strong Ten around the body part that activates their favorite abilities and a much gentler flow everywhere else. Like Manipulators, they will also prefer to keep their dominant hand free.

If a student increases the quantity of water in the glass during their Water Divination, then that student is an Enhancer (強きょう化か, Kyōka). Enhancement (強きょう化か系けい, Kyōka-kei; abbrev. as 強) is the ability to use aura to strengthen or increase the natural abilities of an object or one’s own body.[5] Enhancers are able to increase their physical attack and defense greatly and are best suited for melee combat.[31] In fact, one’s affinity for this category plays a crucial role in combat at all times, even when a Nen ability is not being used.[31]

A proficient Enhancer who also takes good care of their body can make it far more durable than a tank[105] and generate the force of a missile with one blow.[106] Enhancement is also the most balanced category. It allows users to spread themselves evenly between offense and defense and become very powerful using only simple abilities.

If a student changes the taste of the water in the glass during their Water Divination, then that student is a Transmuter (変へん化か, Henka). An affinity for Transmutation (変へん化か系けい, Henka-kei; abbrev. as 変) means a person can change the properties of their aura to mimic something else or replicate specific attributes.[5] Transmuted aura can be made to take on the properties of natural elements, man-made substances, and even animals, among other things. Altering the shape of one’s aura also falls in this Nen category.[110]

Transmuters are not limited to mimicking the properties of solid matter. For example, Killua uses his aura to mimic the properties of electricity.[81] Transmuters can also give their aura certain properties instead of replicating the characteristics of a substance in their entirety.

If a student changes the color of the water in the glass during their Water Divination, then that student is an Emitter (放ほう出しゅつ, Hōshutsu). An affinity for Emission (放ほう出しゅつ系けい, Hōshutsu-kei; abbrev. as 放) means that a user has an easier time separating their aura from their body.[5] Due to its properties, Emission is typically employed in abilities with an emphasis on range and/or those that have long-lasting effects. Basic applications include shooting out projectiles or beams of aura at high speed.[5] Aura usually decreases in intensity very quickly when it leaves the source body, but adept Emitters can separate their aura from their body for long periods of time, over long distances, and still be able to maintain it and its functions.[75] Interestingly, it seems that the default shape of emitted aura that has not been reshaped by Transmutation, Manipulation, or some other medium is a sphere.

While Emission is primarily used to attack, it can also be used to propel oneself,[113] or to cast an effect pertaining to another Nen type remotely.[4] Advanced applications of this Nen category include teleportation[114] and enabling one’s aura to phase through non-living matter.[25] Emission can also be combined with music to achieve surprising effects, such as relieving fatigue[80] and transfixing the listeners.

If a student creates impurities in the water in the glass during their Water Divination, then that student is a Conjurer (具ぐ現げん化か, Gugenka). In most cases, Conjuration (具ぐ現げん化か系けい, Gugenka-kei; abbrev. as 具) involves creating a physical, independent, material object out of one’s aura;[5] however, users of this category can also create laws and principles and affix them to a specific area,[114] or even create their own pocket dimension. Though a Conjurer has to undergo a lot of visualization training, once they have mastered the materialization of a certain object, they can conjure it and dispel it in an instant, whenever they want.[122]

Constructs created via Conjuration have a subtle “independence” to them: under certain circumstances, they can continue existing even at a considerable distance from the Conjurer,[123] or even if the Conjurer themselves are not aware that they have yet to be de-materialized.[90] Furthermore, the durability of a conjured object can generally be taken as a measure of the user’s skill, although conditions can be used to strengthen it.

If a student moves the leaf floating on the water in the glass around the water’s surface during their Water Divination, then that student is a Manipulator (操そう作さ, Sōsa). Abilities belonging to Manipulation (操そう作さ系けい, Sōsa-kei; abbrev. as 操) allow the user to control living or non-living things, including aura constructs. The main advantage of this category in combat is the ability to manipulate the enemy themselves.[5]

Abilities of this type are especially feared since the fight can be brought to an end as soon as the conditions are met.[62] The aura of the ability’s user mixes with the target’s, although it is not normally noticeable.[14] Manipulation of the highest class can semi-force the aura nodes of a non-user to open.[14] However, taking control of a target that another Nen user is already manipulating is impossible.

If a student causes any other effect than those previously stated during their Water Divination, then that student is a Specialist (特とく質しつ, Tokushitsu).[5] Specialization (特とく質しつ系けい, Tokushitsu-kei; abbrev. as 特) can be broadly defined as any abilities that do not belong to any of the other five categories, making it the most vague Nen type. Specialist abilities also tend to have more steps and conditions than abilities of other Nen types.

In accordance with its nature, its effects are wide-ranging. Some influence Hatsu itself (e.g., by appropriating others’ Nen abilities[74] or altering affinities),[31] while others allow the user to garner knowledge that would be unattainable through other means, such as about past[132] or future events.[133] Others Specialist abilities have completely different effects.[134] Consequently, Specialists are not as much at a disadvantage as users of other Nen types if their category is revealed.

A Nen Beast (念ネン獣じゅう, Nenjū) is an artifact made from the user’s Nen.[147] The term is often used to refer to constructs summoned generally through Conjuration,[144][126][85] although that is not always the case, as Morel has shown the ability to produce automated Nen constructs without the need for Conjuration.[148] Their abilities and degree of autonomy vary greatly depending on the Nen ability that created it and the user’s skill.[149] Nen beasts generally have anthropomorphic or animal appearances, but that is not always the case.[126] Some Nen beasts have the ability to multiply themselves. Broadly speaking, this serves one of three goals:

Increase the number of allies and control them;

Decrease the number of enemies;

Steal something from those who are affected by the Nen beast in order to strengthen it or its creator.

The creator of a Nen ability can include Conditions (条じょう件けん, Jōken) in it to increase its power or to make the ability feasible in the first place, whether because the user lacks the degree of skill otherwise required,[100] or because the effects of the ability exceed what can be achieved with Nen without a trade-off.[82] Conditions are based on the principle of equivalent exchange, but may occasionally be rendered redundant by high proficiency in Nen.[100] The three categories at the bottom of the Nen chart—Conjuration, Specialization, and Manipulation—are the ones that appear to rely on conditions the most. It does not appear to be possible to violate the conditions of an ability.[65]

The ideology, world outlook, and sense of right and wrong of the ability’s creator plays a fundamental role in determining the exact circumstances and boundaries of a condition. The Manipulation ability, Order Stamp only works on puppets, which the ability’s creator defined as “non-living objects with a discernible head”; vice versa, this means that if the puppet’s head is removed, it ceases to be counted as such and the ability terminates. Additionally, since the creator did not view human corpses as mere objects, despite them otherwise fitting the definition of a puppet. Chrollo, who stole the ability, had no such views and considered corpses perfectly acceptable as objects, however he was still unable to manipulate corpses with Order Stamp. Although the ability could still be used on artificial replicas of corpses.

Many Nen abilities can be activated only after fulfilling certain conditions, which are known as Activation Requirements (発はつ動どう条じょう件けん, Hatsudō Jōken):[161] Most activation requirements are tasks that are simple to carry out; Shalnark and Illumi are Manipulators who need to stick a specific object into the target to be able to control them,[129][130] whereas Knuckle and Cheetu simple need to strike their opponent in order to put them under the effects of their respective abilities.[99][117] Other abilities might require outside circumstances that the Nen user has no control over, Inamura can only be used when it’s raining outside.

Some abilities have multiple activation requirements.

Being a product of the mind, Nen responds to individual users’ goals, strengths, and desires. As a result, a student of Nen can increase the overall power of an individual skill by stating a self-imposed restriction that forces even more conditions on it. For example, if one consciously decides something like”I will only use this skill on Thursdays” or “I will only use this skill against short people” and manages to abide by that rule, that particular skill will become stronger. These restrictions are called “Limitations” (制せい約やく, Seiyaku, or 制約ルール, lit. “Rule”), and the act of swearing to respect them “Vows” (誓せい約やく, Seiyaku) or “Contracts”. The stricter the limitation, the stronger the user’s resolve, and thus the more their ability is strengthened. Limitations seem to strengthen an ability to a greater degree than Conditions.[167] However, limitations are also considered liabilities, since the power they grant is inconsistent.[31]

Unlike normal conditions, which establish the general parameters of an ability, and activation requirements, which determine the circumstances in which said ability can be used, a limitation can be broken; however, doing so not only entails the loss of the ability it was used on, but it also carries the risk of obliterating one’s capacity to use Nen altogether. Limitations that contain some sort of punishment (e.g., “I will die if I break this rule”) will strengthen the ability even further.

Together with emotion, Risk (リスク, Risuku) is one of the factors which has a remarkable effect on Nen. Self-imposed stipulations that are harmful or potentially so to the Nen user, such as willingly limiting the use of their senses, can increase the power of their Nen, and of their Nen abilities in particular.[168] This is because Nen is an expression of willpower, and willingly taking extra risks confirms the Nen user’s resolve.

Enhancement Nen plays a crucial part in combat; as such, one’s affinity for said Nen category is paramount. For example, while a skilled Conjurer may be unable to fully block 9mm bullets with Gyo,[19] some master Enhancers can utilize Ten or Ren to resist sniper bullets without a single scratch, as well as to come out of a head-on explosion from an anti-tank bazooka with only minor burns.[105] When two Nen users clash, it is possible to make predictions about the outcome through a simple equation. Physical strength is represented by the acronyms AP (Attack Points; アタックポイント) and DP (Defense Points; ディフェンスポイント[inference 🖱]), depending on the action of the Nen user, while the proficiency in Enhancement is expressed in SP (Spirit Points; センスポイント, lit. “Sense Point”). These two factors indicate the value of one’s offensive or defensive capabilities.

If an Enhancer and a Conjurer who possess equal physical strength and have maximized Enhancement Nen were to clash, and the Enhancer was the one attacking, his attack power would be expressed as:

AP + SP → 100AP + 100SP = 200

For the Conjurer, who has the same physical strength but whose proficiency in Enhancement would not exceed 60% even if maximized, his defense power would be:

DP + SP → 100DP + 60SP = 160

The equation representing the action would be:

(DP + SP) - (AP + SP) → (100DP + 60SP) - (100AP + 100SP) = -40

Thus, the Conjurer would suffer 40% of the damage even if he managed to block the attack correctly. This method is a simplification, since physical strength and aura output differ from person to person, and the location, environment and moment of the attack are fundamental variables in an actual fight. Nen itself is much more complicated since its power varies depending on the user’s mental state. Because of this, it is possible to use a limitation to strengthen one’s will and thus one’s aura, exceeding the normal limit. If in the same instance as before the Conjurer used a limitation worth 2 MP (Mystery Points; ミステリーポイント), his defense would become:

DP + SP × MP → 100DP + (60SP × 2MP) = 220

As a consequence, the equation would be:

(DP + SP × MP) - (AP + SP) → [100DP + (60SP × 2MP)] - (100AP + 100SP) = 20

In this case, the Conjurer would be able to block the Enhancer’s attack without suffering any damage. However, due to the inherent risks of a limitation and exceeding one’s 100% limit, not all Nen users decide to resort to this method.

A Nen user’s “Level” (レベル/ＬＶレベル, Reberu) in a Nen type determines the abilities that they can learn. It could be tentatively defined as one’s degree of proficiency in a Nen type which translates to the creation of a specific ability. A Level 10 Conjurer can only master Conjuration abilities that require an amount of skill equal to or lower than Level 10. The level of one’s natural category determines the ceiling for all others, which can be calculated by applying the rule of affinity: a Level 10 Conjurer can master Transmutation abilities only up to Level 8, Enhancement and Manipulation abilities up to Level 6, and Emission abilities up to Level 4, unless he raises his level in Conjuration by training in it[100] (or by training other types, which would cause his skills, and thus his level, in Conjuration to increase as well).

The Phantom Troupe (幻げん影えい旅りょ団だん, Gen’ei Ryodan), sometimes just called the Troupe (旅りょ団だん, Ryodan), is an infamous band of diabolical thieves[note 1] with Class-A bounties.[1] The group is also known as the “Spider” (蜘蛛クモ, Kumo) and its members the “Spiders”,[2] most of whom hail from Meteor City. During their mission in Yorknew City, the group consisted of thirteen members,[4] but it currently has only ten.[5] Each member has a numbered tattoo of a twelve-legged spider on their body.[6] Those wishing to join the group can do so by killing a current member, thereby replacing them. The group’s leader fills other vacancies,[7] and members can offer nominations.[8][9]

Although they occasionally do philanthropic work, the Troupe mainly steals and kills.[10][7][11] After the leader revels in the group’s spoils, he sells everything.[12] Among their crimes is the genocide of the Kurta Clan and the stealing of their Scarlet Eyes.

Monsters and creatures:

Noggin Lugging Tortoise - is a giant man-eating tortoise that only move in foggy days, they use the strawberry-headed tufts that grow on their back which can be mistaken for people in the thick fog to lure their prey closer.

Frog-In-Waiting - is a large carnivorous species of frog that camouflages itself beneath the ground and waits with its mouth open, When potential prey walks over their hiding spot their mouths snap-close swallowing their prey instantly.

Man-faced Ape - are a race of carnivorous primates which has a body of an ape and a face of a human, they are capable of disguising themselves as humans and are capable of human speech to trick people into coming with them and prey on them when their guards are down. They resort to this trickery because they are not very strong physically.

Ruse Raven - are a species of bird capable of mimicking the voices of humans. They can lure unsuspecting humans with their voice into falling to their death, then scavenge on their corpses.

Hypnosis Butterfly - are a species of butterfly capable of performing a flight pattern that puts its prey to sleep and then places its larvae in the victim’s body.

Claymore Mushroom - are a species of fungi that explodes upon being stepped on, spreading their spores and use the decomposed bodies of the victims to grow on.

Foxbear - are large and aggressive territorial beasts that have a hybrid appearance of a head of a fox and a body of a bear, they reside in the forests of Whale Island.[1]

Master of the Swamp - is an incredibly large fish that’s about a size of a car and has legs similar to a crustacean, it is found in a swamp of Whale Island.

Speckled Squirrel - is a type of squirrel native to the Snakebeech Forest.

Great Stamp - these carnivores are the most dangerous pig in the world and it is known for its aggression, speed, and powerful snout that it uses to bash its enemies or prey. Their gigantic snouts mask a soft spot on their foreheads; a blow to the soft spot kills it instantly.

Spider Eagle - a type of bird that builds their nests between the cliffs on Split Mountain. They build it in deep ravines in order to protect them from predators, where they hang them in webs.

Big Horn Bear - is an endangered horned bear species.[3]

Big Horn Bear Moss - is a type of moss that primarily grows on the horns of a Big Horn Bear.

Kiriko - are shape-shifting Magical Beasts that can change physical appearance to look like humans, if they stood upright an adult Kiriko is about twice as tall compared to an adult human. They have long pointed snouts that’s like a canine’s with very long ears and their arms are longer than their legs which they can use the former to grow wings similar to that of a bat’s. Kirikos are fully capable of human speech and flight. A family of Kiriko outside of Dolle Harbor serves as navigators to the examination hall for the Hunter Exam where they live in a house fit for humans.

Six-Legged Flying Beast - are large, aggressive and carnivorous beasts, that reside near the Trick Tower and eat every human outside the tower.

Hemotropic Butterfly - a crimson-colored butterfly found on Zevil Island. Attracted to the scent of blood, they habitually feed off the open sores of bigger creatures.

Fisher Bird - it is a small blue bird that stalks the fish on the bank of a river.

Eight-legged dog - a multiple legged animal that looks like very small bear with a dog’s head. It is seen walking through shrubs and is mostly harmless.

Cyclops - a group of one-eyed humanoid giants who use blunt weapons, they prefer to move in groups and will attack anything that goes inside their territory. They are found in the mountains on the way to Masadora city. They collapse when they are hit in the eye.

Bubble Horse - a type of horse that releases red and white bubbles that when popped, releases a loud noise which it uses as an opportunity to escape.

Radio Rat - a timid rodent that manipulates objects to scare away predators while hiding. It faints when it is seen.

King White Stag Beetle - a rare white beetle in Greed Island, it uses special pheromones to lure other insects to build a huge colony. It leaves the colony once a day for an evening stroll.

Melanin Lizard - a large lizard that can swallow a whole cow, it can use its huge body to pin down and kill its victim by suffocation. it has a mole on its back that is very vulnerable to attacks that is hidden by camouflage.

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

Owl NPC - an owl that is used to send letters and mail.

Hyper Puffball - are animals that move in incredible speeds, it’s body’s hardness is similar to that of a rubber ball so it does not do any serious damage.

Mike - a gigantic guard dog that serves the Zoldyck family. It is as big as a two-story house and kills unwanted visitors in the estate.

Chimera Ants - a dangerous species of insects that have voracious appetites, normal Chimera Ants are the size of large insects (with a queen capable of growing to a maximum length of 10 centimeters). The Chimera Ant queen can impart the characteristics of ingested creatures onto the next generation of Chimera Ants it gives birth to, hence where they got their name.

Chimera Ant Queens possess an entirely unique method of reproduction known as Phagogenesis (摂せっ食しょく交こう配はい, Sesshoku Kōhai), a term meaning reproduction through devouring. By eating other creatures, a Chimera Ant queen can impart the characteristics of ingested creatures onto the next generation of Chimera Ants it gives birth to. For example, if the Queen were to eat a butterfly, the offspring might be born with butterfly wings. Furthermore, if the Queen devours multiple different species in a single sitting, then the offspring will have the genes and characteristics of those multiple species. If the Queen devoured a butterfly, a crab, and a fish, the offspring might have butterfly wings, crab claws, and a fishtail. Though, regardless of what traits they possess, Chimera Ants are still ultimately insects. The Queen can produce up to five eggs with one meal. Chimera Ants have been known to feed until the fodder species is driven to extinction in its ecosystem to take full advantage of the genes of a particular species. Humans, in particular, are known to be extremely nutritious fodder for Chimera Ant Queens, Due to this unique method of reproduction, each generation of Chimera Ants is profoundly different from the one that preceded it (to the point of incompatibility for organ and blood donation), and even individual Ants from the same generation exhibit profound genetic differences,[5] which are expressed by their unique appearance: a fodder species/Ant hybrid, the former component depending on the Queen’s diet. Notably, regardless of their non-insect genes, many of them retain arthropod legs. Thanks to the unique reproduction method of the species, Chimera Ant soldiers often inherit advantageous traits of the fodder species the Queen fed on. Should the prey in question be humans, the resulting Ants will be more intelligent than those born from wild animals to different extents, stronger, able to talk, learn and operate machinery such as firearms, and even the potential to use Nen. Conversely, some of the more primitive ones are capable of feeling aura without seeing it,[6] possibly due to their superior affinity with nature. Higher-ranked soldier Ants are born with the ability to see aura.[4]

Chimera Ants can survive decapitation for a whole day, so long as the head remains intact after it has been removed.[7] However, this is not always the case for those born with human genes,

A Chimera Ant colony is organized into a military-like chain of command. At the top of the hierarchy is the Queen (女じょ王おう, Joō), who hunts on her own until she produces a sufficient amount of soldiers to procure food in her stead. These soldier Ants hunt larger and stronger fodder species for the Queen to devour, allowing her to spawn stronger soldiers as a result. In the meanwhile, she keeps moving until she finds a suitable location to build a nest, at which point she spawns a horde of Construction Ants (建けん築ちく蟻あり, Kenchiku Ari) to build a nest out of mud and dung. The Queen will most likely remain inside this nest until her death.[9]

As the Queen continues to produce more soldiers, she will divide them into three ranks, their numbers being inversely proportional to their degree of strength and authority; the few strongest ants become Squadron Leaders (師し団だん長ちょう, Shidan-chō), the vast majority of weaker Ants become Peons (戦せん闘とう兵へい, Sentō-hei—lit. “Combat Soldier”) and Drudges (雑ざつ務む兵へい, Zatsumu-hei—lit. “Chores Soldier”), and the remaining Ants who are somewhat strong become Officers (兵へい隊たい長ちょう, Heitai-chō—lit. “Chief Soldier”), higher up than the Peons and Drudges, but below the Squadron Leaders.

Later on, the Queen will spawn a small group of elites known as the Royal Guards (直ちょく属ぞく護ご衛えい軍ぐん, Chokuzoku Goei-gun—lit. “Immediate Guard Force”), higher up than the Squadron Leaders and below the Queen herself. At that point, the Queens moves on to her ultimate goal, to spawn an Ant known as the King (王おう, Ō). The Queen’s appetite drastically increases while she prepares to give birth to the Royal Guards, at this point, she stops spawning Soldiers, and it peaks while she is pregnant with the King.[13]

Once the King is born, the Royal Guards will completely disregard their loyalty to the Queen and go into the King’s service, at which point, the Squadron Leaders will answer directly to the Queen once more. The King and his Royal Guards will then leave the nest to establish their own territory.[14] It is the duty of the King to mate with females of other species to breed the next generation of Queens, ensuring the species’ continued survival.[14] Over time, the Queen will spawn more Royal Guards and more Kings who will repeat the process. This will continue until the Queen’s death.

After the Queen’s demise, her underlings, starting from the Squadron Leaders, then spreading to the Officers as the chain of command breaks, become copycat Kings and leave the nest to conquer their own territory and spread their own seed.[15] Some ants may become copycat Royal Guards instead and continue to serve under the higher ranked ant they served under while the Queen was still alive. A Chimera Ant’s life starts from an egg, which the Queen hangs from the ceiling of her shelter. When it hatches, a Chimera Ant will emerge in full adult form ready to work for the Queen.[1] The Queen is the center of reproduction. In the event that she should die, reports state that male soldier Ants will break from the colony and become copycat Kings, trying to forcibly mate with females of other species to give birth to a new generation of Ants.

Herb for All-illnesses - is a plant found that can cure all kinds of diseases.[10]

Nitro Rice - is a food able to extend one’s life.[10]

Metallion - is a plant with unknown properties designated as the “Alchemy Plant Metallion”.[10]

Pap - is a mysterious beast that feeds on humans and keeps them as pets. One of the Five Threats.[11]

Brion - is a mysterious botanical weapon and one of the Five Threats.[11]

Hellbell - is a snake-like being[11] that infect its prey with homicidal desire.[10] One of the Five Threats.[11]

Ai - is a mysterious gaseous life-form and one of the Five Threats.[11]

Zobae Disease - is an incurable sickness with high fatality rate. Its survivors obtain the capacity to live self-sufficiently for many years, becoming immune to death. One of the Five Threats.

Mandragora - A frog-like creature residing in the Wollow Forest. When slain, they provide Mandragora Meat.[12]

Strange Chicken - A bird resembling a chicken with peacock feathers. They can be found in the Crystal Cave area. When slain, they provide Strange Chicken Meat.[12]

Flying Lizard - As the name implies, a lizard with bat wings. They can be found both in the Underground Ruins and Crystal Cave. When slain, they provide Flying Lizard Meat.[12]

Amami Herb - A leaf plant found in the Wollow Forest.[12]

Hinobori Herb - A plant resembling holly. Found in the Forest Ruins.[12]

Mitsuhoshi Herb - A plant with three white flowers.[12]

Tsukiyomi Herb - A white flower with purple tints at the ends. Found in the Crystal Cave area.

Albino Ponytail Cat - mentioned by a curator of the Southernpiece Auction House.

Panda Frog - a type of frog whose body is covered by black spots just like the coat of a panda. Once grilled is considered a delicacy on Zaban City.[13]

Small-billed Swan - a type of waterfowl that only lives around the environment of certain mining areas, it’s still unknown why they do so.

Two-headed Wolf - is an endangered species.[14]

Deodorosaurus - is an extinct creature.

Like other Chimera Ants, the Royal Guards are born through phagogenesis, but are genetically stronger than any other soldier Ant due to their position on the Chimera Ant hierarchy, and hatch with the ability to use Nen. The Royal Guards are designed to protect and serve their King, and to enforce this, they require more power than common Ants. The Chimera Ant Queen in NGL devoured hundreds of normal and Nen-using humans, and gave birth to Ants far stronger than average ones. Their genetic destiny gave the Royal Guards more strength, aura, and talent in Nen than their subordinates. As a result, dozens of other Chimera Ants refer to them as ‘special beings’, because of the power they possess.