DXD: Table for one - Chapter 7

The restaurant had settled into its usual after-hours stillness. The scent of grilled meat lingered faintly in the air, mixing with the sharper aroma of cleaning supplies. Tables were wiped spotless, chairs stacked neatly on top, and the last clatter of dishes had long since faded into the back.

Only two people remained inside. Merlin sat at a table near the counter, posture relaxed but eyes sharp. Across from him, Menchi leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching him with an expression halfway between casual and serious.

Everyone else had already returned to their own business. The SAO players were scattered across the fields, busy gathering the first batches of ore so Lisbeth could level her blacksmithing and get their shop running. The sooner they had reliable weapons and armor circulating, the better their collective survival chances would be.

“Well,” Menchi said at last, breaking the quiet, “I did promise to teach you. No reason to put it off any longer. Tonight’s as good a time as any.”

Merlin straightened slightly, meeting her gaze. “That would help a lot. I could use a trump card—something beyond just having a stronger body.”

It was true. For all his improvements since arriving here, his physical strength was nothing compared to high-ranking devils. They had decades of advantages—better food, superior training methods, and refined tools. He was still playing catch-up.

Menchi tilted her head. “Do you trust me?”

He blinked at the sudden question but answered without hesitation. “Yes. You’ve been nothing but helpful to me, and there’s nothing you could gain from harming me. So… yes. But what does that have to do with Nen?”

“It’s simple,” she replied, leaning forward slightly. “There are basically three methods to awaken Nen. Technically four, but two are close enough that they might as well be the same.”

She rose from her seat, stepping around to stand in front of him. “The first way is… well, the technical one. Being so skilled in something that you naturally awaken Nen, even if only in a limited form. Like a martial artist whose talent is so high they accidentally trigger it. Sometimes, people in other fields—artists, writers, even gamers—develop a very specific ability tied directly to what they’re a genius at. That’s still Nen, just narrow in scope.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow. A unique ability tied to one’s own talents? That sounded far more versatile than Touki. If the right conditions were met, even something unrelated to combat—like art—could become a weapon in its own way.

“So what are the more… reliable methods?” he asked.

“The most common is through a special meditation routine. You open your aura nodes one by one over time. For someone average, it could take months or even a year to fully awaken. It’s slow, but safe. Plus, it gives you a better grasp of one of Nen’s fundamental principles right from the start.” She gave a short sigh before continuing. “But that’s probably not the approach you want.”

“Not really,” Merlin admitted.

“Then there’s the method you already know about—being attacked with Nen. Dangerous, unpredictable, and not something I’d recommend unless you have no other choice. The last method is similar but controlled. A skilled Nen user forces their aura into you, but without harmful intent. It still forces your aura nodes open instantly, but the risk is minimal… if you trust the person doing it. Which is why I asked earlier.”

“I see…” Merlin said thoughtfully, then gave a small grin. “Like I said, I trust you, Menchi. Hurting me would just mean losing a customer, and I doubt you’d want that. So…” He straightened in his chair, determination settling in his expression. “Let’s get this started.”

“Not so fast,” Menchi interrupted, shaking her head with a mix of amusement and seriousness. “Before I force your aura nodes open, you need to understand the basics of Nen. Otherwise, you won’t have any clue what to do when it happens.”

Merlin’s confident expression faltered just a little. She wasn’t wrong—jumping in blind could be dangerous.

“Nen is generally the term for manipulating life energy,” Menchi continued, “but it’s made up of several different techniques. Everything in Nen is based on four major principles—the core basics: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.”

Thanks to his innate ability to comprehend all languages instantly, Merlin heard the original terms and their translations clearly in his mind: “Shroud, Suppress, Refine, and Release or Act.”

“Exactly,” Menchi nodded approvingly. “Those words describe the fundamental techniques you need to master. Today, though, we’re going to focus only on Ten.”

“That’s the technique that keeps your aura flowing calmly around your body, right?” Merlin asked, eager to confirm.

“Yes,” she said. “Ten is what lets you keep your aura close, like a protective shield that never fades. It’s the foundation. To truly learn Nen, you need to master all four of these techniques, but Ten is the starting point. Without these four, you won’t be able to learn anything advanced, since all other techniques build on these four.”

Merlin absorbed this carefully. “I understand. So, how do I begin learning Ten?”

Menchi crossed her arms and leaned against the table, thinking for a moment. “Aura manipulation always starts with the right feeling, but before that, you need the right mental image. Whatever you want to do with Nen begins in your mind. Your aura responds to the images you create inside. When you practice enough, you won’t need those mental images anymore—you’ll be able to manipulate your aura instinctively, without thinking.”

“So today, we start by creating the mental image for Ten and getting you to hold it steadily,” she explained. “Once you get the feel for it, you won’t need to focus so hard every time.”

Merlin nodded thoughtfully. Sounds a bit like devil magic if you had perfect control.

“What kind of image should I use? How do I get into Ten?”

“Your mental image will be unique to you,” Menchi said. “The basic idea behind Ten, just like the word suggests, is to have your aura flow gently and continuously around your body, like a layer of liquid. A soft but firm shield that moves with you.”

She glanced at him seriously. “When I force your aura nodes open, you’ll be able to actually see your aura for the first time. It will flood out of your body uncontrollably, since all the gates will be wide open. That’s one of the risks of this method—if you can’t hold your aura with the right mental image, you’ll exhaust yourself and collapse. If you stay in that state too long, it could even be fatal.”

Merlin swallowed but kept listening.

“That’s why as soon as your aura awakens, you need to find an image that feels comfortable—one that helps you keep your aura wrapped tightly around you. Ten is the easiest of the four principles to learn, but only if you have the right image and the right feeling. Once you get it, it’s like riding a bike—you’ll never forget it, and it will become your default state.”

She gave a small, encouraging smile. “Try to come up with an image that fits you, then practice holding that image in your mind. Tell me when you’re ready.”

Merlin closed his eyes and thought carefully. After a moment, he pictured a slow-moving, clear liquid wrapping gently around his body like a soft shield that shifted with every breath. Holding that mental picture steady, he tried to feel the aura flowing softly and constantly in that form.

Opening his eyes again, he said, “I’m ready to begin.”

Menchi nodded once and stood up. Positioning herself behind him, she placed her open hand just a few centimeters from his back—not touching, but close enough for her aura to reach him.

A strange sensation pressed against Merlin’s skin—like a gentle push from an invisible force.

‘She’s pushing against me without even touching me,’ he realized. The sensation was Nen.

“Here it comes,” Menchi said calmly.

In the next instant, everything shifted. A sudden jolt ran through Merlin’s body, as if electricity sparked beneath his skin. The world around him blurred for a moment, then snapped back—only now everything seemed brighter, sharper, almost alive with light.

A faint glow began to leak out from Merlin’s body, shimmering like an aura surrounding him. It reminded him of those epic scenes in Dragon Ball where the fighters burst into energy, except this wasn’t controlled—it poured out wildly, spilling into the air around him.

Menchi watched silently, then spoke with steady confidence, “This is your aura.”

Merlin blinked in surprise, his eyes wide. “I can see it?”

“Thanks to the opened aura nodes in your eyes, yes. You’re now able to see your own life energy spilling out.”

She took a step closer and instructed, “Close your eyes again. Find a comfortable stance. Relax.”

Following her guidance, Merlin shut his eyes, breathing slowly and loosening the tension in his shoulders.

“Focus on the aura flowing through your body,” Menchi’s voice softened. “It’s your own. You are in control of it. It’s a part of you.”

She continued patiently, “Start at the top of your head. Feel it move down your neck, across your shoulders, flowing through your arms and torso, then down your legs, all the way to the tips of your toes.”

Merlin concentrated, imagining a gentle stream of energy sliding smoothly along that path. “Wrap it around you,” Menchi instructed. “Let it flow like a calm liquid layer hugging your body.”

Gradually, the wild energy leaking from him began to slow. The chaotic glow pulled back, settling into a steady, shimmering shield that clung to his skin without spilling away.

Menchi’s eyes sparkled with approval. “Impressive. You managed it on your very first try.”

Merlin opened his eyes and noticed something new—a steady, faint light outlining his form. He could also clearly see Menchi’s aura now, a soft glow wrapping around her like a second skin, something he had only barely sensed before.

“Your aura is massive,” she said, clearly impressed. “I’ve never seen someone freshly awaken Nen with this much energy. You’re close to the Chairman of the Hunter Association in sheer quantity—and he’s trained for decades. You’re definitely talented.”

Probably because he was a devil. Since Nen is manipulation of his life force, it had to be related to his own lifespan. Devils with lifespans above 10000 years definitely had an advantage here. And even that lifespan was debatable since he never heard of a devil that died of old age.

A sense of pride warmed Merlin’s chest as he bowed respectfully. “Thank you for teaching me.”

Menchi laughed, brushing off his sudden politeness. “Don’t get awkward on me now! I’m learning just as much from training you.”

She clapped her hands together and said, “Next, we’re going to practice holding your Nen in the Ten state until it becomes second nature. That usually doesn’t take too long.”

Curious, Merlin asked, “Do you think I feel different already?”

“Definitely.” He paused, thinking it over. “It’s like I have a protective layer around my body—something shielding me.”

“That’s exactly what it is,” Menchi explained. “Ten protects you from indirect Nen attacks and even softens the impact of direct ones. It also slightly boosts your physical defense. It’s the most basic state of Nen, but very important.”

She leaned in, studying the soft glow around him. “With continued meditation, you’ll be able to refine it. Your aura will become smoother and stronger. I recommend adding one or two meditation sessions into your daily routine.”

Menchi glanced at the clock. “Now, practice keeping your Ten going without needing a mental image. We don’t have all day.”

———

From that day onward, Nen training with Menchi became a fixed part of Merlin’s routine. Every night, after the restaurant closed, they would meet for another round of lessons. The results spoke for themselves—his progress was fast, almost ridiculously so.

The reason was obvious. His body naturally held a massive amount of aura, far beyond what most people could dream of. That raw energy meant every training session had a huge impact, rapidly boosting his personal strength. In just a short span, he had climbed to the level of a competent middle-class devil—without relying on any magic at all.

But Nen wasn’t the only reason for his growth. With his first official Nen fight in Heaven’s Arena scheduled for three months later, he had paused his daily combat matches there. That freed up a significant amount of time, and most of it went straight into Aincrad.

The best part? He was no longer stuck hunting low-level mobs.

With two newly acquired fishing rods at the player base, everyone gained access to higher-level monsters—around level thirty. Fishing could pull up rare items and fish for cooking ingredients, but sometimes it also reeled in dangerous monsters far beyond the capabilities of any normal Floor 1 Sword Art Online player.

Fortunately for the general player base, the anti-griefing mechanics from the beta carried over to the official release. Any monster caught through fishing came with a massive movement speed debuff and lost the ability to use its special skills. They still took some effort to kill, but with throwing knives it became more tedious than dangerous—at least for players without high stats.

That was, however, only true when Merlin wasn’t nearby. His presence removed the debuff entirely, forcing him to personally step in against every monster pulled up. Luckily, they automatically targeted him thanks to his being the highest-level player in the area.

Level thirty monsters were no joke. Against them, he had to stay sharp—they weren’t weaklings he could brush off. In fact, without unlocking Nen beforehand, he would’ve had to fight for his life every time. Ten made a huge difference, granting a natural boost to his defenses so he could take hits without dodging constantly.

Each monster he defeated rewarded him with noticeable experience gains. The difference was big enough that, over the next few days, he leveled up several times just from fighting these “fished” mobs. Daytime was spent battling them; nighttime was for Menchi’s lessons.

Their training soon moved beyond Ten. Merlin learned Zetsu, the ability to suppress his aura and presence. In combat it didn’t change much, but it allowed for stealthy sneak attacks when used at the right moment. Then came Ren—this was the real game changer. If Ten was the default everyday state of Nen, Ren was the standard combat state. By amplifying his aura, it boosted all of his physical abilities—strength, speed, and defense—to an impressive degree.

With Ren in his arsenal, fighting level thirty mobs became almost easy again. The difference from low-level enemies was that these ones could still hit hard enough to matter, forcing him to pay attention.

Time passed quickly. Before he knew it, the day had come to learn the last of Nen’s Four Major Principles: Hatsu.

Once again, Merlin sat inside Menchi’s place after closing hours. A wine glass filled with water sat on the table before him, a single leaf floating on the surface.

He leaned back, a curious smile tugging at his lips. “What’s the plan today, Teach?”

Menchi raised her chin with mock pride. “This, my incompetent student, is the Water Divination Test.”

Merlin tilted his head, glancing between her and the setup in front of him.

“Hatsu,” she continued, “is the personal expression of Nen—abilities shaped uniquely by the user. These abilities can take countless forms, but most fall under one of six categories. Today, we’re going to find out which one you have the greatest affinity for. That result will help guide the development of your own Nen ability.”

“My own ability, huh? Does it have to stick strictly to the category I’m most suited for?” Merlin asked.

“No,” Menchi replied, shaking her head. “Your ability can combine multiple categories if you want. However, you should focus on building it around your main category. The reason is simple: your body can only use the category you belong to with 100% efficiency.”

She grabbed a sheet of paper and quickly sketched a hexagonal diagram. “These are the six: Enhancement, Transmutation, Conjuration, Specialization, Manipulation, and Emission. Let’s say you’re an Enhancer—your efficiency with Emission and Transmutation would be 80%, Manipulation and Conjuration would drop to 60%, and Specialization would be 0%. Unless you’re a specialist, that last category is always zero.”

Merlin studied the chart closely. “So… efficiency means both how easy it is for me to learn a category and how well I can use it in combat?”

“Exactly. Both matter, but the second is the bigger limitation,” Menchi explained. “If you and someone with the same talent trained equally, but you were an Enhancer using an Enhancement ability while they were an Emitter trying the same thing, your attacks would be 20% stronger. There’s also something called dual affinity—having a strong secondary category alongside your main one. The test won’t reveal that; we’d only notice it through practice. A perfect dual affinity means you can learn both categories at the same speed, even if efficiency stays the same.”

Merlin nodded slowly, absorbing the details. “I see. And the categories mostly do what their names suggest? What about specialization? Sounds… well, special.”

Menchi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Specialization covers abilities that don’t fit into the other five. Every specialist is different. One might copy any Nen ability regardless of category. Another might wield all categories at 100% efficiency. It’s tricky—you sometimes can’t even figure out what a specialist can do, and it can take time to truly discover his ability. It often goes that far, that specialists never reach their true potential because they have been forced to focus on something else all their life.”

“I get it now,” Merlin said, sitting forward with interest. “So, what do I have to do?”