#chainset

What is a SPECIALIST/comparing them to the other aura types (misconceptions of NEN)?

SPECIALIZATION as a nen type is defined by concepts outside of the other 5 nen types. Basically their main abilities/hatsu’s would concoct anything except the 5 nen types. Many people seem to think that being a SPECIALIST means that they can use all the nen types to their full capabilities (as if they were born with that nen category). This is most likely because of EMPEROR TIME which has caused a lot of misunderstandings in the fandom because of how it functions, which makes sense, Kurapika was the first (temporary) Specialist they revealed and explained outright. Anyway this is false, SPECIALIZATION still abides by the aura category rules, specifically they have the potential to use SPECIALIZATION up to 100%, MANIPULATION and CONJURATION up to 80%, EMISSION and TRANSMUTATION up to 60% and ENHANCEMENT up to 40%. Another misconception is that people have an automatic mastery of their nen category as well as mastery level of the given percentage of the other nen categories that correlate with your own. You don’t, a person still has to train to work up to your potential in the main nen category, as well as the other nen categories. "There are numerical approximations to indicate just exactly how efficient one would be at using aura abilities that one is not born into. Starting at one's own aura type, one has the potential to be 100% efficient at using abilities based in that category alone." ("Nen and Individuality" Nen, Hunterpedia)

Explaining EMPEROR TIME and why it is a hatsu not Kurapika becoming a SPECIALIST.

Now let's discuss EMPEROR TIME. My main argument is that EMPEROR TIME isn’t Kurapika becoming a SPECIALIST, but it’s a SPECIALIST hatsu with a hefty restriction, that one second using EMPEROR TIME takes away one hour of his life. My main reason for believing this is because of what SPECIALIZATION nen allows and what EMPEROR TIME actually does, recounting from the description and labeling of EMPEROR TIME in Kurpika’s wiki page. It is listed as only SPECIALIZATION ability, (this may not seem important but it will come back to it when we discuss how Kurapika actually becomes one, as it is listed as only SPECIALIZATION.) EMPEROR TIME allows Kurapika to utilize all the nen categories to 100%, but specifically for a CONJUROR. Meaning by activating EMPEROR TIME, Kurapika’s nen categories are automatically mastered in correlation to his CONJURATION status, not SPECIALIZATION. Which means his percentages are the following, 100% in CONJURATION, 80% in SPECIALIZATION and TRANSMUTATION, 60% in MANIPULATION and ENHANCEMENT, and 40% in EMISSION. So unlike other Specialists (and other nen users) Kurapika can automatically master all of his nen as a conjuror with EMPEROR TIME. But that's not all, while EMPEROR TIME can only master his Nen level to that of a CONJUROR, it also allows the force and accuracy of each nen category up to 100%. “This ability allows him to utilize all the types of Nen to 100% efficiency (for a Conjurer*). Kurapika explains this using the terms ``Level", "Force", and "Accuracy": his "Levels'' in the various Nen categories remain the same during Emperor Time, but his "Force" and "Accuracy" for every category are raised to 100%. Thus, if Kurapika's "Level" in Conjuration was 10, his "Level" in Emission (the polar opposite aura type) would remain 4 at the most, but his "Force" and "Accuracy" in any Emission ability would increase from 40% to 100%, making him evenly matched against a Level 4 Emitter.”* ("Abilities and Power" Kurapika, Hunterpedia). Wow what an OP ability, yeah but we know the heavy drawbacks of the ability. Now why would an ability that is said to turn Kurapika into a SPECIALIST be set to the standards and conditions of a CONJUROR? Because it doesn’t turn Kurapika into a SPECIALIST, it's a hatsu that is SPECIALIST in nature/creation that he can only use when he is a SPECIALIST (Scarlet Eyes) to boost his aura/nen abilities as a CONJUROR since 5 out of his 7 are CONJURATION (with 2 of them being couple with others).

How Kurapika actually becomes a SPECIALIST.

From what we’ve seen during one of the first scenes of Kurapika’s nen training, his aura changes (spikes) automatically once his eyes turn Scarlet. In Izunavi’s own words he said “When your eyes turn Scarlet your aura spikes. Could that mean . . . Let’s try water divination again!” Aura/nen spiking to the point that a New teacher wants their student to retake the water divination test again. This makes me theorize that Kurapika can transition into a normal Specialist once his eyes turn Scarlet (as it is a bloodline ability it wouldn’t follow the rules of nen) to which he created the Hatsu: EMPEROR TIME, meaning he can be a normal SPECIALIST (not forever as having his eyes scarlet does take an effect on his physical and mental health.) So if we're following my theory, Kurapika can transition into a normal SPECIALIST automatically once his eyes turn scarlet, from then on he has a choice if he wants to activate EMPEROR TIME.

Discussing all Kurapika’s Hatsu’s and their aura types.

A lot of people might be thinking. Does that mean that Kurapika does not need EMPEROR TIME to activate his other abilities and could just train his Nen categories?

Yes and no. DOWSING CHAIN, CHAIN JAIL and STEAL CHAIN don’t need EMPEROR TIME to work normally, but they are most likely enhanced minimally (DOWSING CHAIN) by EMPEROR TIME. Neither does HOLY CHAIN for small injuries or slow recovery time, but EMPEROR TIME allows Kurapika to heal serious and severe injuries in seconds (I’ll explain why). JUDGEMENT CHAIN specifically states that it needs EMPEROR TIME (I’ll explain why). Let's discuss the rest of Kurapika’s Hatsu’s, specifically why STEALTH DOLPHIN is a SPECIALIZATION hatsu and doesn’t really need EMPEROR TIME.

The DOWSING CHAIN is just a CONJURATION ability and is used for defense and offense. It’s main ability is dowsings, specifically it allows Kurapika to use the chain as a lie detector but only for one person at a time and if he is right in front of them, it’s unlikely that the ability will work efficiently if more then one person is talking. The chain can also be used to look for a missing individual if Kurapika has met them previously, I’m assuming. EMPEROR TIME allows the lie detection to increase in versatility and efficiency to the point that Kurapika can tell if someone is lying through video recording with the only requirement being that he has to have met the person beforehand. This is most likely because EMPEROR TIME would increase Kurapika’s CONJURATION to 100% mastery, thus his DOWSING CHAIN would become more powerful/useful. (which also means Kurapika hasn’t reached 100% in CONJURATION)

CHAIN JAIL is a CONJURATION ability and it is specifically designed/restricted to being only usable towards the members of the Phantom Troupe or the limitation Kurapika put on the ability would kill him. The abilities of the chain are simple, its function is to envelope the members of the Phantom Troupe and force the captee into Zetsu, forcing the prisoners to only be able to break out of the chain with their natural strength, which is impossible for the Phantom Troupe. The ability is very versatile as Kurapika can ensnare someone from a long distance, as seen with Uvogin’s first capture. This is probably the only ability that doesn’t have any need for EMPEROR TIME at all. If it was activated the only thing I can see it adding to is forcing the prisoner into zetsu the moment the chain touches them. Being Kurapika’s most unused ability it is unlikely it will see anymore updates on the 100% CONJURATION until the Phantom Troupe take more then one trip upstairs, for all we know the restriction Kurapika put on the ability has already pushed the ability to be 100% in CONJURATION.

STEAL CHAIN is a CONJURATION ability that allows Kurapika to drain his target's aura (which is said to be extremely painful to them), putting them into a similar state to Zetsu, allowing Kurapika to steal/borrow the targets hatsu. Because of this the target is unable to use their ability until Kurapika gives it back, if the target dies Kurapika can still hold onto the ability, but once Kurapika uses the ability it automatically goes back to the original owner. Similar to CHAIN JAIL, I don’t really know what EMPEROR TIME could do to upgrade this ability. Although I thought about it, other than forcing the target into a zetsu like state faster, EMPEROR TIME would make Kurapika’s CONJURATION to level go up to 100%, allowing him to conjure up collection tubes (where your blood goes into when the doctor draws blood) so that he can keep more then one hatsu/ability with him at a time if he doesn’t want to use the stolen ability at that moment.

HOLY CHAIN is CONJURATION and ENHANCEMENT ability that allows Kurapika to heal wounds and injuries through its ENHANCEMENT category, if the injury is more severe it could take the chain a longer time for his injury to heal. Because EMPEROR TIME levels Kurapika’s ENHANCEMENT to 100%, Kurapika can heal critical and severe injuries within seconds. So it can be assumed Kurapika’s level in ENHANCEMENT is good enough for him to at least heal average injuries, meaning he’s probably done some training in ENHANCEMENT as well. While he doesn’t fully need EMPEROR TIME full time (As Kurapika is pretty skilled and doesn’t get injured that much) the ability is pretty useful for those rare times Kurapika or someone else is heavily injured.

JUDGEMENT CHAIN is a CONJURATION, EMISSION and MANIPULATION ability and unlike his other chains, it is stated on Kurapika’s bio that he needs EMPEROR TIME to use this ability as his affinity and mastery over EMISSION and MANIPULATION is low, or low enough that he can’t use the ability efficiently yet. (IDK the percentage he needs for JUDGEMENT CHAIN) Which also makes sense why Kurapika didn’t realize when his chain around Chrollo was removed. This also makes me wonder if Kurapika even bothered to train with EMISSION and MANIPULATION, or if he decided to focus more on CONJURATION, SPECIALIZATION and ENHANCEMENT?

STEALTH DOLPHIN is a SPECIALIZATION ability that allows Kurapika to summon a Dolphin-like construction that is only visible and audible to himself. STEALTH DOLPHIN has so far been used in conjunction with EMPEROR TIME, the main function is to analyze whatever ability STEAL CHAIN has stolen, informing Kurapika of the abilities name, function and conditions, STEALTH DOLPHIN can also hold onto a stolen ability that Kurapika doesn’t need/want to use at the moment. Kurapika can then use the ability on himself or loan the ability to someone else by stabbing/pricking them with STEAL CHAIN, if that person is a non-nen user it will cause them to have their aura nodes open up. If Kurapika loans an ability to someone else, a listening device will appear on their ear allowing them to see and communicate with STEALTH DOLPHIN, who will then counsel them on the newly acquired ability. The ability that is loaned by STEAL CHAIN is fueled by the aura of the original owner. No matter who has ability equipped, the stolen ability can only be used once and then it’s returned to their owner.

If Kurapika equips the dolphin with a stolen ability, then he is able to use STEAL CHAIN again, but even if he transfers the second stolen ability he won’t be allowed out of EMPEROR TIME until all the stolen abilities have been used, thus EMPEROR TIME will remains active until all the stolen abilities are returned. Because STEAL CHAIN has so far been used in conjunction with EMPEROR TIME, I think the ability means to say that if Kurapika steals abilities and transfers them to STEALTH DOLPHIN then he’d eventually have to use those abilities or else STEALTH DOLPHIN won’t deactivate as it is technically still in use. During this time, the dolphin will regularly notify Kurapika how long EMPEROR TIME has been active if it is activated, Kurapika can make the dolphin disappear if it is put on standby. If Kurapika faints from EMPEROR TIME overuse than anyone else that is using an ability loaned to them by him will pass out as well. If we were to use my theory on Kurapika being able to be a SPECIALIST without EMPEROR TIME, then many would want to know why Kurapika activated it in the first place.

Other than EMPEROR TIME, STEALTH DOLPHIN is Kurapika’s only other SPECIALIZATION ability, the main reason that EMPEROR TIME is so powerful is because Kurapika put a heavy restriction on it, just like CHAIN JAIL. Well as I discussed previously about EMPEROR TIME’s actual abilities relating to a CONJURER nen percentage mastery. Then you know that Kurapika can only master up to level 8 of SPECIALIZATION, but we don’t know what level he is at right now, EMPEROR TIME would increase the Force and Accuracy to 100%. Therefore it would make sense for Kurapika to activate EMPEROR TIME to allow him 100% efficiency in using STEALTH DOLPHIN. You have to evaluate the situation that Kurapika has found himself in as well. He’s posted to take a position on as a bodyguard on the Black Whale that is literally goes in to a continent that is full of the darkest and unidentified creatures, he has Beyond Neterou to worry about, add into the fact he’s trying to figure out how to take the last of the Scarlet eyes from Tserriednich. It’s revealed that the voyage was a ploy for the King of Kakin to declare a succession war that includes the heirs killing each other and Kurapika is one of the two bodyguards left for the most vulnerable prince, 2 of which have already been murdered, and he’s had previous bodyguards betray and spy on him as well. He then manipulates the whole war to a stalemate by revealing nen, teaching Oito nen and then putting his life on the line by opening nen lessons to all the Prince’s guards of choice. The point is Kurapika is stressed, anxious and nervous, he doesn’t know if his baseline abilities will be enough to keep Oito and Wobble safe, so in his eyes it's best to go 100% at the moment.

Comment your thoughts on my theory and if you think I have a point or if you think I'm nuts! LOL

Here's a link to another doc where I was writing all my thoughts out of order. - Rough Copy

Nen | Hunterpedia | Fandom

Kurapika | Hunterpedia | Fandom