Hunter Association – Local Branch
The regional branch had just received a special directive from HQ: A Hunter License was to be issued to Aoki Hiroshi.
"Here's your license, Aoki," said Kaitō, handing over a blank hunter card. "It grants you access to nearly all public facilities for free. But—if you lose it, we don't reissue."
"Your personal info's been fully logged, including the kill report on the Chimera Ant. That counts as a completed Association task."
"You've been awarded 3 billion Jenni and 300,000 internal points."
Aoki nodded as he took the license.
He had heard of the famed Hunter License—an item with privileges rivaling royalty.
Normally, one had to pass the rigorous Hunter Exam to earn it. But his contributions had been so overwhelming that the Association had fast-tracked a blank license just for him.
"The money is great, but 300,000 points?" Kaitō sighed with envy. "Most Triple-Star Hunters never even get that many."
Still, he didn't dwell on it long. He figured HQ was just showing how seriously they took the Chimera Ant threat—and how highly they valued the first intact Royal Guard corpse.
"I'll be heading to HQ with Gon to escort the body," Kaitō added. "You coming with us?"
"I can teach you more about Nen on the way. Could help you develop your personal ability."
Aoki paused to think.
He could feel it in his bones—his time in the Hunter World was limited.
Kaitō's guidance was tempting… but what he really needed was to alter the plot and harvest fate.
As for Nen knowledge?
The Gene-Lock system is highly self-optimizing. I don't need a formal teacher, he thought.
What mattered more right now was the incoming major event:
The Ant King's Invasion.
If he could defeat the Ant King—and change the fate where Netero dies—he'd gain a massive surge of fate energy.
That was far more valuable.
"I'll stay here," Aoki replied calmly.
"Alright." Kaitō nodded without pressing him, then began passing on useful info.
Thanks to the life-saving favor, he was meticulous—even pointing out which local grocery store had the cheapest eggs.
Aoki didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Once the preparations were done, Kaitō took Gon and set off for HQ with the body in tow.
With the danger level rising, it wasn't safe for Gon to tag along anymore.
The Next Day
Aoki checked into a small inn near the Association's branch HQ. After a solid 12-hour sleep, he woke up feeling totally refreshed.
He ordered a high-tier meal from a Gourmet Hunter, savoring the dish while browsing the Association's internal exchange list.
The exchange was exclusive to licensed Hunters and included everything:
Weapons, artifacts, pets
Potions, minerals, ancient texts
Medical certificates, cultivation scrolls
...and much more.
All purchasable only via internal points.
"Found it."
His gaze locked onto a specific listing:
→ Nen Knowledge TutoringAvailable instructors:
Isaac Netero
Biscuit Krueger
Wing...and more.
Each entry came with a profile and power summary.
Without hesitation, Aoki chose Biscuit Krueger.
What he really wanted was her Nen ability: "Magical Beautician – Cookie-chan."
Cookie-chan was a unique Nen beast that could perform a 30-minute massage equivalent to 8 hours of deep sleep.
It could also rejuvenate the body, cleanse fatigue, and boost physical and mental health.
Basically, a softcore version of "Full Divine Repair."
Perfect.
He had two major reasons:
He had just awakened Nen and was entering a rapid development phase. Paired with Cookie-chan, his potential could be fully realized.
He needed to get stronger fast—or he wouldn't stand a chance against the Ant King.
"As for my Hatsu... I've already got an idea," Aoki murmured to himself.
He submitted the tutoring request.
Ding!The Association quickly replied—they were contacting Biscuit to see if she'd accept.
Aoki glanced at the screen, then set his phone down.
"Time to train."
He headed to the hotel rooftop and began practice:
Ten. Ren. Zetsu...Shu. Gyo. In...Ko. Ken. En. Ryu...
He activated his aura and repeatedly cycled through both the basic and advanced Nen techniques.
His stamina burned quickly—but the high-end Gourmet Hunter meal he ate earlier transformed into radiant energy, surging through his limbs and reinforcing his physique.
This was no ordinary food—it had been infused with Nen by a Culinary Master.
Only nobles and ultra-wealthy could normally afford it.
But now? Aoki had 3 billion Jenni and 300,000 points.
He could afford to burn through it all.
I'll spend it all before I leave this world.
Crack! Crack!
His joints popped as his skeleton shuddered.
Filthy sweat and dark impurities oozed out of his pores.
He was cleansing his bones and tendons—true body refinement.
At the same time, Aoki began modifying advanced techniques to suit his own fighting style.
For example, the sensory technique En—
Even without Gene-Lock, Aoki's base perception radius was 50 meters.
The standard 4-5 meter En was useless to him.
So he began rewriting it—trading precision for range, altering its core mechanics.
Meanwhile…
Next to a mountain waterfall—
"Aoki Hiroshi wants me to tutor his Nen?"
A small, cute girl stared at her phone, reading the Hunter Association's message.
She had flowing blonde hair, wore a red frilly dress, and looked like a porcelain doll.
But that was just a disguise.
Her true form? A ripped, muscle-bound Amazon powerhouse.