c4: Improve Your Physique
Successfully escaped via the oldest Hunter trick in the book: the bathroom excuse.
Once inside, Maud locked the door with precision befitting someone who'd once used Zetsu to vanish mid-exam.
[Hunter Notes]
Black as inked jade, the rich and ominous notebook appeared from the air like a conjured item from a Conjuration-type Nen user.
The quill, lodged at the spine, trembled slightly as if imbued with In and awaiting orders from its master.
Originally, Maud had envisioned a black military-style fountain pen as part of the ability. But much like how complex Nen constructs like Knov's Hide and Seek required simpler architecture to reduce risk, Maud compromised trading elegance for stability. Hence, the crude but stable quill design.
Without hesitation, he drew the quill from the spine and wrote the Chinese character for "physique" on the notebook's first silver line.
That stat came first.
There was no internal debate.
Only with a sturdy base could one seek greater heights. In One Piece, that meant surviving an elbow from a Yonko or taking a Mihawk slash to the ribs without splitting in two.
The monstrous vitality of Big Mom or Kaido wasn't just biology it was trained, layered resilience. The kind Luffy built through war and suffering.
Maud, as he was now, couldn't even tank a pistol round.
Once he wrote down the priority, he turned to the first page.
Snow-blank. Empty.
For a moment, he saw distorted, cramped writing appear like Ren traces dense like the scribbles of a desperate soul.
Then, just as suddenly, it vanished. Like a mirage burned away by Hatsu.
Maud stared, stunned.
"Start over…"
It was like watching a Nen baptism a mental washing, followed by the donning of a clean robe.
All things must reset before they rise.
Maud resumed writing, and while holding Watt's face in his mind's eye, jotted down what little information he had.
[Evan Watt]
[Proficient in bladed combat]
Intel courtesy of Sunny. Basic, bordering on useless.
Still, even tiny pieces mattered. Even Leorio's scalpel had value in the right hands.
And given how frail his current body was, even a weak enhancement could yield notable results like enhancing aura output via Ten in HxH.
Having recorded the data, Maud shut the Hunter's Note with reverence.
A nod of thanks to Watt. A side salute to Kidd for dragging this NPC in.
He dismissed the note and turned to face the mirror.
Raising a finger, he lightly tapped the blood-soaked bandage on his temple.
Pain pulsed.
If the notebook functioned like a Transmutation + Enhancement hybrid, then the wound's recovery speed might offer the first visible proof of effect.
A pity that Watt wasn't a physical-specialist. Someone like Garp or Uvogin would've offered far better returns.
"Time to work."
He picked up the knife on the sink and stepped back into the shop.
Sol and Sunny had been waiting. Quiet. Calculating.
But he'd only been gone a few minutes.
Knife in hand, Maud approached the unconscious pirate.
Under the stoic gazes of Sol and Sunny like being watched by Kite and Biscuit during training Maud crouched without a word.
He stabbed the blade toward Watt's chest, aiming directly for the heart. His motion was deliberate.
Puff
Blood sprayed over his knuckles.
Embarrassingly, the knife went only halfway in. It nearly slipped from his grip.
Sol's brow creased.
Sunny's gaze dipped.
"Tch."
Maud cursed under his breath.
But then remembered the strength scaling of this world was brutal. Even random brawlers in bars had iron-plate abs.
This body was feeble. A blade going halfway in? Honestly, not bad.
Without wasting time, Maud drew the knife again and made several rough, quick incisions.
Watt bled out fast. Mercifully unconscious.
The whole thing felt awkward like chopping poultry, not killing a human.
But Maud had done worse.
In his former life, his Hunter's Note had logged nearly a thousand names.
Most had been executed via official channels. He'd wormed his way into judicial positions like the World Government's CP agents or the Royal Guards of Kakin where he could legally carry out executions.
Those kills were clean, sanctioned.
And all those names… their essence had made him stronger.
In the world of One Piece, when Maud thinks of a high-security prison, only one name surfaces: Impel Down.
However, unlike the absolute finality of executions in the world of Hunter x Hunter, where the most dangerous Nen users are silently erased by Zoldyck butlers or publicly judged in Kakin's death arenas, this world's punishment systems seem oddly lenient. Even criminals in Level 6 of Impel Down worthy of at least a dozen death sentences are simply locked away.
Maud released the handle of the knife, rose, and closed his eyes.
In the blackness behind his lids, the Hunter's Note floated silently. Its edges shimmered like Nen aura under Gyo a halo reminiscent of a total eclipse's sun-ring.
The aura-like rim slowly merged into the notebook's body, visible even without using Ken.
A small, pale-white star then appeared on the matte black cover faint, but alive.
The light soon dimmed. Vision faded back into darkness.
Blood crept subtly onto Maud's pale face, like an internal backlash from a poorly balanced Nen contract.
When he opened his eyes, he felt an itch on his healing forehead wound.
More importantly, the frail fatigue like he'd collapse from a Gum-Gum Jet Pistol's breeze was easing.
These were subtle benefits: foundational boosts from prioritizing physique.
As for obvious gains like improved muscle tone or defense against blunt trauma? Watt's rating and the shallow intel Maud had wasn't nearly enough to trigger such growth.
Still…
The Hunter's Note worked!
Maud's eyes gleamed.
Saul and Sunny, having watched him finish Watt without hesitation and bathe in blood, showed no concern.
From their perspective, pirates were parasites who looted traders dry. A corpse was just overdue justice.
Besides, Maud's property had come at the expense of pirates. It made sense for him to vent rage and reclaim some clarity.
Still, Saul didn't want this potential right-hand man to spiral into something monstrous like Magellan drowning in venom, or an Enhancer losing self through constant aggression.
He stepped forward, drew the knife from Watt's corpse, and wiped the blade on the dead man's ragged coat.
"Look at you, all fired up," Saul said, calm but firm. "I told you to put the past behind you. Don't let it trap you in a mental dead end."
"…Understood."
Maud lowered his head.
He understood every word.
But this ability, this second chance how could he explain the mechanics without sounding insane?
All he could do now was cling to Saul like an apprentice clinging to Wing in Heavens Arena.
Survival meant blending in fast with Mad Hatter Town a place where Bellamy-style violence and chaos were just street decor.
Saul's gaze shifted to Maud's blood-caked fingers.
"Wash your hands."
Then he turned to Sunny. "Nini, call Arthur to handle the body."
"Got it."
Sunny disappeared into the back.
Maud reentered the bathroom, twisted the faucet, and rinsed away the blood.
The water ran red. Then clear.
After drying his hands, he stared at his reflection again.
His fingers pressed against the forehead wound. The pain that had throbbed earlier was now dulled, almost nonexistent.
It was a promising result proof the note offered real, tangible healing acceleration.
Part of that was likely because this body was still at rock bottom, physically speaking.
He had no idea how many hunts he'd need to complete before his regeneration approached Luffy's monstrous endurance, or even half of Zoro's post-Marineford tolerance.
"Whew…"
A slow breath. Calm body. Settled mind.
He'd completed his first kill a successful test run. Confidence flickered.
But reality hadn't changed. His power was still tiny, and his next target felt distant.
"Mad Hatter Town…"
"Dangerous, yes… but also a perfect hunting ground."
"Steady steps."
Maud scooped cold water into his palms and splashed his face.
Then dried it with his sleeve ignoring the temptation to peek under the bandage.
With renewed focus, he exited the bathroom.
When he returned, a broad-shouldered outsider had arrived.
The man wore a sturdy, almost industrial suit something between a mechanic's uniform and a bouncer's gear. A black armband read "Death" in bold lettering. His face was mostly concealed behind a white half-mask, leaving only his eyes and part of his jaw visible.
Maud figured this must be Arthur the one Sunny had summoned to collect the corpse.
Arthur was studying Watt's body. At the sound of Maud's steps, he glanced up.
His gaze lingered for a secondsurprised.
"Oh. Still conscious, are we?"
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