LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 28: Piyon
On the third day of his stay, Larry found himself wandering through Antique Street, a bustling market known for its rare collectibles and historic artifacts. The street was lined with quaint stalls, each offering a variety of treasures—old coins, relics from past civilizations, and even mysterious items rumored to have Nen properties. Larry's eyes fell on a white porcelain plate, its surface adorned with intricate patterns resembling frost-covered branches. "Boss, I'll take this one," Larry said, pointing at the plate after careful inspection. The elderly vendor beamed and wrapped it up carefully.
Larry had learned that many of the so-called "antiques" in the market were nothing more than clever fakes, but something about this plate intrigued him. Perhaps it was just an instinct honed through his travels, or maybe his Nen sensitivity was picking up on something unusual. Either way, he decided to trust his gut.
Holding the delicate white plate he had just purchased. The intricate patterns on the surface resembled frost-covered branches, and under his focused gaze using "Gyo," a faint white Nen aura enveloped it.
***
Rhodes Memorial Plate
Crafted by Rhodes Company in 1655, extremely rare.
***
Larry's eyebrows raised slightly. He remembered reading about these plates in the Hunter Association archives—there was even a collector in the original Hunter x Hunter series who was obsessed with collecting plates from Rhodes Company, specifically from the years 1655 and 1657. As he examined the plate more closely, a soft, sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. "Excuse me, could I take a look at that plate?"
Turning around, Larry was met with the sight of an adorable figure dressed in a pink rabbit-themed outfit. Her golden blonde hair complemented her white and pink rabbit ears, which twitched slightly as she leaned forward eagerly. The oversized, fluffy sleeves of her outfit and the tiny rabbit tail swaying behind her left no room for doubt—Piyon one of the Twelve Zodiacs of the Hunter Association, stood before him.
Larry instantly recognized her. She was a renowned ancient document hunter, linguist, and translator. Always seen with her phone in hand, she had a reputation for being extremely meticulous in her research. Despite the sudden approach, Larry remained calm and handed the commemorative plate over without hesitation. He couldn't imagine someone of Piyon's stature trying to scam him out of an antique. If anything, her presence here only confirmed the authenticity of the plate.
Piyon's eyes sparkled with excitement as she examined the plate closely, running her fingers along the edges with a delicate touch. Her rabbit ears twitched rapidly, indicating her deep focus. Without missing a beat, she pulled out her phone—a pink device adorned with rabbit ears, perfectly matching her outfit—and snapped several quick photos of the plate.
Larry's sharp gaze caught the unmistakable glow of Aura surrounding her phone.
***
Name: Piyon
Strength: B
Nen Ability: Materialization
Abilities: Allows the materialization of a phone with self-determined appearance. Functions as a normal phone even without a network. Any photographed object can be analyzed by consuming Nen. The more mysterious the object, the higher the Nen cost for analysis.
***
'So that phone is materialized by her Nen ability…' Larry thought, watching her closely.
This ability was a perfect match for her profession. It provided an edge in her field of historical research while also catering to her constant need to stay connected. As Piyon eagerly tapped on her phone screen, presumably analyzing the plate, Larry considered how the Hunter Association selected their Zodiacs. Unlike conventional Nen users, strength wasn't always the determining factor—it was their contributions and knowledge in their respective fields.
Although Piyon's strength was rated B, the same level as the ill-fated Neguro from the Karym Ruins, Larry understood the distinction. Piyon's Nen skills were vastly superior in their own right but lacked direct combat applications, unlike Neguro's aggressive swarm-based abilities.
'In a straight fight, Piyon wouldn't pose much of a threat, but underestimating her would be a mistake.' Larry recalled Hisoka's assessment from the manga—Piyon was given a respectable score of 77, which spoke volumes about her potential despite her seemingly soft appearance.
A moment later, Piyon's eyes widened, and she let out a small gasp. "This... this plate is authentic! It's a 1655 Rhodes original!" she exclaimed, barely containing her excitement.
Larry smiled knowingly. "I thought it looked interesting. Seems I picked up something valuable."
Piyon nodded enthusiastically, still tapping away on her phone. "Do you have any idea how rare this is? These plates are part of an extremely limited collection, and I've been looking for one for ages!" She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Larry with a pleading expression. "Would you consider selling it to me? I'll pay handsomely, of course!"
Larry chuckled. "Sorry, I'm not really looking to sell. I bought it because it caught my eye, and now I'm even more curious about it."
Piyon pouted slightly but nodded in understanding. "Well... if you ever change your mind, let me know. I'd be willing to trade something valuable for it."
Larry couldn't help but wonder why Piyon, one of the Zodiacs, was in Solvren City. "Are you here for the ruins?" he asked casually, observing her reaction.
She blinked in surprise but then smiled. "You're sharp. Yes, I came to investigate the Solvren Ruins. There's been talk that a relic connected to one of the Seven Beauties of the World—Water Glaze—might be hidden inside."
Larry's interest was piqued. He had heard similar rumors and was already planning to explore the ruins himself. "Well," Larry said with a smirk, "looks like we have the same destination."
Piyon's eyes lit up. "Really? Are you planning to explore the ruins too?"
"I might be," Larry replied nonchalantly, slipping the commemorative plate into his bag.
Piyon pondered for a moment before offering, "If you don't mind, maybe we can work together? I specialize in deciphering ancient texts and identifying relics, while you… seem pretty competent yourself."
Larry weighed his options. Having Piyon on board would undoubtedly make navigating the ruins easier, especially if they stumbled upon ancient inscriptions or traps. Her expertise could save him a lot of guesswork. "Alright," he finally agreed. "Let's see what the Solvren Ruins have in store for us."
Piyon beamed. "Great! But, uh... one condition."
Larry raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—you'll need to take pictures of everything, right?"
Piyon grinned sheepishly. "Of course! How else am I supposed to document my findings?"
Larry laughed and extended his hand. "Deal." As they shook hands, a sense of anticipation filled the air. With Piyon's intellect and Larry's strength, they were bound to uncover something remarkable in the ruins.