Joey's little experiment had been just a brief detour. After he nudged the conversation back on track, Palm began laying out the basic information on Knuckle and Shoot.
"Knuckle and Shoot are both apprentices of Morel. He gave them conditions as well—I don't know the exact terms, but either we go into NGL, or they do," Palm said with utmost seriousness. "The deadline is one month."
While listening to the discussion, Joey's mind was fully focused on the stream of aura being drawn into him from the leather wallet.
He concentrated on channeling that thread of energy into the glass of water in front of him. In that instant, he noticed the leaf in the water beginning to change.
The snapped end began to rapidly extend and grow, and in the blink of an eye, roots dipped into the water below.
"Hm? Specialist?" Killua's eyes darted to the changing water. "How is that possible?"
"That's the aura from the wallet," Joey replied calmly, removing his hand. A genuine smile spread across his lips.
Specialist.
A certain name sprang to Joey's mind—
Giorno Giovanna. Protagonist of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 5, the son of DIO and his... bread.
And his Stand: Gold Experience.
Gold Experience had the power to breathe life into anything—turning objects into living organisms, often ones that inherited unique traits or returned to their user. Some were loyal, some useful, but the true value of Gold Experience was its ability to regenerate.
That's what mattered most to Joey now.
Giving life to objects, transforming them into living body parts, and using them to heal or replace injuries. Gold Experience could create limbs.
If he could refine this aura into something like Gold Experience, Joey could forge himself a new arm.
All he'd need to do is reopen the wound—then attach the artificial piece.
But... how?
Would he need to create a Stand too?
Joey frowned. While Emission types often conjured nen beasts, were they really the same as Stands? Could he truly create something like Gold Experience?
Maybe not. Maybe he didn't need a Stand at all. If he could use the wallet's life-rich aura to form living components, then perhaps he could skip the whole Stand step.
Just focus on awakening a Specialist nen ability with regenerative traits.
He didn't need to simulate Giorno entirely—just borrow the function.
But that raised a critical problem: the aura filled with life energy… wasn't his. It came from the wallet.
Meaning step one would be finding a way to store that foreign aura in his body.
Only then could he start developing it into a technique.
Still, because it required constant intake, Joey knew he couldn't put all his eggs into this basket. He'd focus most of his growth on Killer Queen and training his innate Emission-type abilities.
After all, the wallet's aura wouldn't recover like his own did. Once used, it was gone.
So how could he store it?
He guided the life-charged aura through his body, mulling over the issue—until a spark lit up in his mind.
Kurapika.
Normally a Conjurer, but when his Scarlet Eyes activated, he became a Specialist.
Could Joey imitate that?
Stay Emission type by default, but shift into Specialist when channeling the wallet?
Kurapika's switch was triggered by his unique physiology. Would Joey need to embed the chimera skin into himself to mimic it? That felt… extreme.
He shook his head.
Maybe he should first try to absorb all of the aura from the wallet—make sure it wasn't dangerous.
He didn't want to end up mutilated trying to grow back a hand.
"It's a shame that aura doesn't belong to you," Killua mused, watching. "If it did, a life-rich Specialist ability would be pretty damn cool."
"Yeah… it really is a shame," Joey agreed.
Because the wallet's aura, once inside his body, just turned into generic stamina.
"Let's go. I'll show you where we're staying," Palm said as she finished her tea in one gulp.
Joey passed her a napkin. Her mouth was dripping tea—no, with that much sugar, it was practically syrup.
Palm blushed. "Are you coming with us too?"
"Sorry to impose. I don't plan on returning to NGL, but if Kite does come back... I'll probably have to follow him in again," Joey shrugged.
"Kite, huh... If he wants to bring someone along, there's got to be a good reason. You're lucky," Palm said with a tinge of envy.
Having a one-star Hunter vouch for you wasn't something to scoff at.
She glanced at Joey again, recalling the water divination—clearly reevaluating him.
"Let's just hope Kite makes it back safely," Joey murmured. The moment his name came up, the air turned heavy.
Palm's house was a standalone villa at the north end of town.
According to her, it was one of her beloved (and respected) Master Knov's properties.
After confirming their rooms, Gon and Killua headed back out to gather intel on Knuckle and Shoot.
That left only Joey and Palm inside.
At some point, her cheeks had started flushing again, though Joey was too busy obsessing over the wallet to notice.
It wasn't until he looked up and caught her staring that he blinked. "Oh. Is it dinner time? I can help you cook if you want."
"T-t-together?" Palm's head shook like a maraca. "N-no, no! I'll do it myself!"
With that, she bolted into the kitchen like a startled rabbit.
Joey scratched his head, smiling faintly.
Was it his imagination, or did Palm kinda… like him?
Or maybe she was just the shy type, flustered by attractive people in general?
After all, she had once arranged a date with a 12-year-old Gon.
That... said a lot.
He recalled her ability: Black Widow's Solitary Deep Sea Fish.
Something about a crystal ball that could observe people she'd seen before.
Shaking off the thought, he spoke louder. "If you don't need help, I'll go rest in my room."
"Okay! I'll call you for dinner!"
"Thanks."
Once inside his room, Joey locked the door and shut the curtains.
He pulled the wallet from his pocket, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began absorbing its aura in earnest.
If Kite were here, Joey might've asked him to supervise—sure, it risked exposing the wallet's secrets, but at least he'd be safe in case of emergency.
But Kite was gone. Killua and Gon had their own paths. Joey couldn't drag others into this risk.
So he'd do it himself.
After two days of passive absorption, the wallet's aura had thinned considerably.
Now, with full focus, Joey drank it in. In just over half an hour, it was completely drained.
And then—something changed.
The wallet stuck to his palm.
And on its surface…
a black mouth full of jagged fangs slowly surfaced.
Joey's eyes widened.
And in the next moment—
that maw bit deep into his hand.
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