Reincarnated in Hunter x Hunter

Over the next week, I settled into life aboard the ship.

Despite being forced to take me, the crew has welcomed me with open arms, willing to show me everything they can, and in return I offer to help in any way I can.

Apart from the basics of navigation and seamanship, they also taught me about the Hunter x Hunter language and currency. All people in the known world talked the same language, even in on an isolated island like mine, and according to canon, the monetary value does not differ much from the Japanese yen, but the written language is a different matter. Having been an American reincarnated in an island where no one needed to write, whenever I wrote something, I always did it in English, so I had to learn everything from zero.

Captin Bone let me some logbooks to practice with him and the rest of the crew. I used some of them to write everything that I could muster of the Hunter x Hunter world of my previous life, which took away a worry I had had for years and gave me more time to invest in other things.

Captain Bone shared stories of his adventures, each one more fantastical and exciting than the last. I absorbed everything, eager to learn and grow.

To my suprise, it turns out that Captain Bone is a Sea Hunter, and that my island is an uncharted area in the sea west of the Kukan'yu Kingdom. I assumed it must be near the Untamed Waters of Lake Mobius, but I kept quiet about it.

Captain Bone advised me to become a Hunter too so that I would have more freedom and benefits in the outside world, and offered to instruct me in proper Nen training, but I declined.

My goal is to become strong enough to be able to face any kind of situation and be able to safeguard my life and that of my loved ones. One might think that developing Nen is the best way to do it, but rushing to gain great power hastily would dull my instincts, making me more cocky and less careful. That was the same reason why the Chimera Ants lost out in the canon story. That's why I think it's best to train my natural abilities while trying to refine my current applications of Nen, making sure I hit certain physical and mental markers and having a good base to build up my skills with.

I also planned to take the Hunter Exam next year, so being weak would help me enjoy it more and not attract unwanted attention (Hisoka and Illumi).

When I gave my reasoning to Captain Bone, he instead decided to give me guidance on how to improve my control of Ten and Ren, and he taught me a game called Pip-Play. Although it was considered useless by people in general, it was good practice for improving aura control and flow, so I learned it.

And that's how I spent the week; helping the crew, studying about the world I was in, and training my Nen control and capacity. The only thing that broke the monotony was a small storm on the second day, and the attack of a huge sea serpent on the fifth, which Captain Bone defeated using his ability, "Spectral Arsenal", summoning the ship anchor chain and smashing its head in one blow.

My Ten skills improved as I practiced daily, honing my ability to sharpen my aura and maintain focus.

One evening, as the sun dips below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sea, Captain Bone calls for a meeting. The crew and I gather on the deck, anticipation in the air.

"We're heading to the mainland," he announces. "There's a port town called Carthis on the coastal border of Kukan'yu Kingdom. Kai, it's a good place to start your journey in the real world, as it's a town full of opportunities and information. But you need to be careful. Not everyone there is friendly, and you may end up involved in dangerous situations."

The name Carthis sends a thrill of excitement through me. This is it—the start of my journey into the real world of Hunter x Hunter.

Date: December 12th, 2010

When we dock at Carthis, the town is bustling with activity. Market stalls line the streets, merchants shouting their wares, and townsfolk moving about their daily lives. The smell of exotic spices and fresh seafood fill the air.

Captain Bone claps me on the shoulder. "This is where we part ways, kid. We've got our own business to attend to. But remember what I told you—keep your wits about you and sign up for this year's Hunter Exam to get a license, it will be very useful to you in the future."

"And if you ever need help, you have written my number in your notebooks. So when you get a mobile phone you will be able to contact us. We'll be around."

I nod, feeling a pang of sadness at leaving the crew that had become my second family. "Thank you, Captain. For everything." With that, I take my bag and step off the ship and into the throng of Carthis.

My heart races with a mix of fear and excitement. It's something natural taking into account that this is the first town I visit since my reincarnation. I have a mission to fulfill and a world to explore.

"And Kai," Captain Bone yells from his ship, causing me to turn around to watch him leave, "If you ever meet my daughter, you have my blessing!" Feeling a little confused by those parting words, I wave goodbye before setting off on my way into the town.

My first stop is an inn, where I rent a small room. I needed a base of operations, a place to rest and plan my next moves. Captain Bone had left me 20.000 jenny to help me get through, but that isn't going to be enough. Just the inn cost 5.000 jenny a day, meals included, and if I want to get to Zaban City where the Hunter Exam will take place, I need much larger funds.

After settling in, I venture out into the town, keen to gather information.

I find a tavern bustling with life and decide it's a good place to start. The interior is dimly lit, filled with the murmur of conversations and the clinking of mugs. I approach the bar and order a drink, listening to the chatter around me in hope of finding money-making opportunities..

"…did you see those strange lights in the forest last night? Spooky stuff…"

"…heard there's a tournament coming up, big prize for the winner…"

"…new gang in town, causing trouble for the merchants…"

I perk up at the mention of a tournament. Winning a tournament could be a way to prove my skills and earn some money. I lean closer to the man speaking. "Excuse me, did you say something about a tournament?"

He turns, sizing me up before nodding. "Yeah, a fighting tournament. Big prize for the winner. It's held in the town square in a few days. Anyone can enter, but it's a competition."

"Thanks," I say, feeling a surge of excitement. This could be my chance to test my abilities and make a name for myself.

The next few days were spent preparing. I trained hard, honing my Nen and physical skills. I knew that compared to the standards of my old world, I was considerably stronger than a normal person, being able to kill a boar larger than me with my bare hands on one occasion. This tournament was a perfect opportunity to see what I was capable of without Nen.

Date: December 15th, 2010

The tournament day arrived quickly, and I make my way to the town square, which is buzzing with activity. A large ring has been set up in the center, surrounded by eager spectators.

I register for the tournament and wait for my turn. The fights are intense, each combatant displaying impressive skills. Well, that's what other people think. To me, the contestants look crude and unskilled, showing that they are just normal people.

When my name is called, I step into the ring, my heart pounding due to public expectation.

My opponent is a burly man with a menacing grin. The referee signals the start, and we begin. I focus on my rival, ready to read his movements. He charges at me with a flurry of punches, but I dodge and counter with swift, precise strikes. The crowd roars as the fight intensify.

In a moment of clarity, I see an opening, and deliver a powerful blow that send my opponent crashing to the ground. The referee raises my hand in victory, and the crowd erupts in cheers. I just keep an apathetic face now. This fight was not a challenge at all.

The other fights were easier than I thought. They were all non Nen users after all, so I was able to win very easily.

Winning the tournament brought me a sense of accomplishment and recognition. As I collect my prize, I know this is just the beginning. I have proven myself, but there is still so much to learn and achieve. I have to keep improving.

With 500.000 jenny in my pocket, I head to a store to buy a cake to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. I've had other birthdays here, but this will be the first time in my life that I've spent it eating a cake.

As I head back to the inn, I notice that several people are following me, so I decide to head down an uncrowded alley to deal with them.

Soon, the man I first defeated in the tournament and four other participants emerge from the shadows of the buildings, surrounding me.

"Well, it seems we meet again." The burly man I defeated first says stepping closer, holding a crowbar over his right shoulder.

"I brought some friends with me this time. They're looking for that money that is bulging in your pockets as well. So, seeing that you're outnumbered, how about you just hand it to us, and there won't be an issue?" At his words, I begin to hold my cake with only my right hand.

"I'll tell you something. If you leave right now and not appear before me again, I'll let you go unharmed" I reply with a slightly annoyed tone.

After hearing my words, the men burst out laughing.

"This guy's got a couple of screws loose. You should be worried if you don't listen to our request," One in the group says.

While the men laugh at my warning, the burly man I fought first take a step forward "Listen, you may have won that tournament, but now you're surrounded and we're armed, unlike you. So be sensible and we won't have to hurt you. Don't make it harder than it has to be." He sneers hitting his palm with the crowbar trying to look menacing.

"Yeah, we don't want to hurt you. Just give us the money, and we'll go easy," Another adds.

"It seems you don't want to accept my offer. Then I'll have to get rid of you by force." I say assuming a fighting stance, seeing that they won't back down.

Point of View Switch: Reader

"Well, forget the money. After that humiliation, the only thing I really care about is getting back at you." The burly man says holding the crowbar with both hads, "DIE!" He yells running towards Kai while swinging at the left.

Kai ducks down and lands a punch to his throat, followed by a kick to the man side, sending him tumbling across the ground until he comes to a halt. He then dodges a stab in the back, grabbing the man by the wrist, breaking it and knocking him to the ground with a swift kick to the knee.

Two other men reach him, one throwing a flying kick from his right and another trying to hit him with a bat from the left. Kai dodges them by moving backwards towards a muscular man who tries to restrain him, but Kai quickly avoids it by backflipping above, kicking the man's head and launching himself at the two other men immediately after, giving an elbow in the solar flexor to the one on the right, a precise punch in the face to the one on the left that sends him flying, and taking advantage of the inertia, finishing off the one on the right with a kick with his right leg to the face, tumbling him to the ground.

The burly man watches from the ground in shock. Five men were swiftly knocked out by Kai, without breaking a sweat and with one hand busy holding a cake.

Point of View Switch: Kai

"That's enough. I'm leaving now. If you waste my time again..." I say while taking my short sword and stabbing it next to that guy's hand "... you will not return home in one piece. Understood?" The man nods with tears of terror in his eyes.

Having solved that minor inconvenience, I sheathe my sword and continue my way, unaware of the pair of eyes watching me from a distance.

That night, back at the inn, when the clock on the wall has already struck 12 at night, I take the cake out of its box to start celebrating my birthday on my own.

It is the first time I have eaten a cake in this world, and its sweetness and flavor make me feel happy and ecstatic, tasting for the first time in this life a cooked food other than boiled or grilled. However, amidst the pleasure of the sweet, my mind wanders back to the situation before I returned to the inn.

'I took the correct decision leaving those guys with a beating, because otherwise I would have been labeled a murderer, and without even being a Hunter I would have had to face the legal consequences. I couldn't have hidden the evidence either, so I did the right thing by letting them go.'

'The real problem is that after that, for a very fleeting moment, that feeling crossed my mind: I am glad I didn't need to kill them.'

'In this Hunter world, killing isn't a big deal, and in order to survive, you must be able to kill without doubts or conscience. Even the cute and innocent Gon had to kill in the canon story.' Thinking this, I finish my cake and lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

'Like with killing an animal, my regard for human life mustn't be as high as it was in my past life. I don't intend to be a cold-blooded killer, but death is just a normal occurrence in this Hunter World, so it'd be better if I wasn't affected by killing someone I don't care about. Well, I can't know for sure until I'm in the situation where I actually have to do it.' With this last thought I fall asleep.

My journey is just starting, and the world of Hunter x Hunter is vast and full of challenges.