Nen, the unique power of the Hunter x Hunter world.
From the moment Barn first saw Luci, he knew Luci couldn't be an ordinary person.
A newborn, only a few days old, already possessed Nen aura and could actively maintain the state of Ten.
It was utterly unbelievable.
In this world, all living beings possess something called "aura," and Nen is the ability formed by mastering this aura.
While humans are born with aura, most can't sense it, let alone train it.
Only a small minority can awaken Nen through training, with the Shingen-ryu school being the most famous for this, though other martial arts schools have similar methods.
Forcing someone to awaken Nen is considered an unorthodox path.
Additionally, some "masters" who are extremely dedicated to a specific craft might use aura passively, but they can hardly be called Nen users.
Their use is passive, and once they leave that state, they blend back into the crowd—like the fortune-tellers Gon and Killua met in Yorknew City in the anime.
Beyond that, some awaken Nen through a strong will or obsession, but this is mainly limited to using Hatsu.
They can only use their ability without understanding Nen itself, let alone training or using it in combat. A typical example is Neon.
Finally, there are the rarest of geniuses, one in a billion, born with mastery of aura.
These are often called "immortals."
Luci was one such being.
When Barn first encountered this legendary "immortal," he was utterly shocked.
Seeing such a myth come to life was simply too incredible.
So, he immediately decided to adopt Luci and bring him to Sky Arena.
Luci also proved he was different from ordinary children. Whether hungry or needing a change, he would actively cry out.
His physical growth was rapid, allowing him to learn to walk and talk quickly.
But most importantly, Luci was born with mastery of Nen.
Too many unbelievable things were happening with Luci.
In Barn's mind, Luci was destined to become one of the world's most powerful Nen users.
In raising Luci, Barn focused on training him in martial arts, ensuring he could protect himself.
He could "see" that someone as extraordinary as Luci would one day make waves across the world.
Though the era was different, with Hunter x Hunter having traces of a "modern" world, it was completely unlike Luci's previous life. It was more like a fantasy world—highly unsafe, where chaos was the norm and order was the exception.
"With your current strength, reaching the 200th floor would be no problem. Why make this choice?" Barn asked.
He knew Luci's strength well. Born with Nen, Luci would hardly find a true opponent on the 200th floor.
Moreover, Luci had his own Nen ability.
As early as age six, Luci had the strength to reach the 200th floor, but he chose not to.
Instead, he focused on learning about this world while continuously training his Nen.
Barn respected these choices.
"It's not yet time for me to grow through fighting. I still need to learn," Luci said, revealing his Sharingan.
The Sharingan was hard to conceal, and since Luci wasn't sure if contact lenses existed in this world, he needed to rely on his adoptive father's influence.
"Your eyes—are those the Crimson Eyes?!" Barn exclaimed in shock.
The Crimson Eyes were no ordinary thing; they were one of the seven most beautiful colors in the world, fetching high prices at underground auctions.
"They're not Crimson Eyes. This is a new ability I developed, called the Sharingan. It has the ability to copy fighting techniques," Luci explained, also revealing why he wanted to become a referee.
Barn closely examined Luci's eyes, noticing the tomoe.
Luci demonstrated in front of Barn, changing his eye color from red to black and back to red.
"You developed a new ability?!" Barn had been shocked too many times and was now calming down.
There was no need for surprise. Nen users weren't limited to a single ability. With enough energy and aura, they could develop multiple abilities.
Barn understood why Luci wanted to become a referee.
He couldn't help but think of his own past. He had started as an ordinary referee, but after witnessing the dangers of the job, he resolutely studied martial arts, growing stronger step by step, which changed his path as a referee.
This led to his current status. Back then, he too had "learned" by observing as a referee, integrating those experiences into his own fighting skills.
He hadn't expected Luci to choose the same path.
His heart was filled with joy and approval.
With Luci's strength, being a referee would pose little danger.
"I'll agree to your request, but you should still conceal your eyes. Even if they're not Crimson Eyes, they'll attract unwanted attention," Barn cautioned.
"Wait here. I'll see if there's a way to hide your eyes."
"Thank you, Father."
Over the next few days, Luci returned to his routine, with the only difference being that he watched more matches.
From the audience's perspective, he used his Sharingan to copy the martial techniques of fighters.
A week later, Barn returned.
"Here. This cost me a lot to have made by a specialist."
The concept of contact lenses didn't exist yet, but Barn had found a solution.
Luci opened the box to find "contact lenses," faintly imbued with Nen aura.
They were crafted by a Nen user!
Luci tried them on. With the lenses, even when using his Sharingan, no one could tell. Nen users would only notice aura in his eyes, assuming he was using Gyo.
"If you want to be a referee, start from the first floor. Get familiar with the job and work your way up," Barn said, choosing not to place Luci directly on the higher floors.
Being a referee wasn't just about strength.
Starting tomorrow, Luci would begin work, with a referee guiding him to learn the ropes.
Luci also received Sky Arena's referee uniform, complete with a fist emblem on the clothing and hat.
However, at his age, Luci caused quite a stir.
Despite being born with Nen, Luci didn't grow to be exceptionally tall or imposing. At twelve, he still looked like an ordinary boy, easily recognizable as a youth.