I woke up with a pain in my neck, like I had slept on a rock.
Which, apparently, was exactly what had happened.
"Ow! Damn it... what kind of ground is this?!"
I jumped to my feet, rubbing my head while cursing. I froze as I looked around.
Trees. Weird birds. A moldy wooden sign that said:
"Dolle Harbor – 3 km."
My heart skipped a beat.
"... Dolle Harbor?!"
That's when everything exploded in my mind. I looked at my hands. I yelled a little. I checked my reflection in a puddle. I was younger. Like… 12 or 13 years old. Hazel eyes, messy black hair, a red headband I didn't remember putting on. But that wasn't the craziest part.
It was the blue message that popped up in front of me.
Hunting System Activated
Welcome, Akira.
Initial mission: Reach Dolle Harbor and board the ship to the Hunter Exam.
Reward: Base stats, access to System Menu.
Time remaining: 02h14min
"What?! Wait, wait, wait... Is this really the world of Hunter x Hunter?!"
I started running. Not thinking. Just running.
Not because I was ready. Not because I had a plan. But because I'm Akira now, and if I have a weird system like in Solo Leveling and I'm really in this world… then I better hold on or die.
I reached the harbor out of breath, legs shaking, but the ship was still there. A crowd of candidates—strange, scary, or overly confident—were boarding. I took a deep breath and jumped onto the deck.
Mission Complete
Reward obtained: Base Menu Unlocked
New: \[Stats] – \[Inventory] – \[Quests] – \[Skills] – \[Bestiary]
I almost yelled "WOOHOO!" but managed to hold back. Barely.
I found a quiet corner on the ship, half-hidden behind a pile of bags. I opened the menu in my mind. A blue translucent screen appeared in front of me.
\[Stats]
Name: Akira
Level: 1
Race: Human
Nen: Not unlocked
Strength: 7
Agility: 9
Endurance: 8
Intelligence: 10
Perception: 12
Charisma: 4
Luck: ???
Available points: 0
I stared at "Nen: Not unlocked." Of course. That would've been too easy.
Then another panel appeared.
New Quest
Quietly observe 3 interesting candidates during the trip.
Reward: Nen Flow Detection (passive).
Failure: Persistent nausea for 24 hours.
"Seriously?! Nausea? I'm not in a video game, this is a real boat that actually moves!"
But hey. I wanted to survive, right? So I had to do the work.
I spotted Kurapika immediately. Calm, blond hair, serious gaze. Too neat. Too composed. He stood like a statue.
Second target: Gon. Little guy with spiky hair, naïve smile, too kind to be in this world. He was talking to a sailor, asking a million questions. He practically glowed.
Third one… hmm. A guy with a scar and a spear strapped to his back. I didn't trust him. He smiled all the time, but his eyes said something else.
I started observing them quietly, noting their movements, reactions. The system blinked now and then:
Progress: 54%... 72%... 98%...
And finally:
Mission Complete
Reward obtained: Passive Nen Detection – Level 1
Everything became slightly… sharper. I could feel a presence around Kurapika. A calm tension, like a sleeping storm. Gon... his aura was softer. Like gentle light. That other guy? Poison waiting to strike.
I didn't understand how I felt this. But I felt it.
And then, the storm hit.
The waves went wild. People screamed. The ship rocked like crazy. Some guy was throwing up. Another one passed out. I slipped and hit my hip on a wall.
And I laughed.
"Hahaha! Now this is a real test! Come on, bring your tsunamis, I'm ready!"
I ran to help a sailor. Carried crates. Did whatever I could. Not because I was a hero, but because I refused to fail in this world. I was born for this now.
When the storm finally calmed, half the candidates were gone. Unconscious. Sick. Stunned.
Me? I was standing. Soaked. Smiling. More alive than ever.
Secret Quest Completed: Stay strong during the sea trial
Reward: +1 Endurance | +1 Luck
Title unlocked: Born to Hunt
I wasn't in my world anymore. But now, I wanted to be here.
And I had a long road ahead of me.