Chapter 1: Kai Vexley — Awakening in Meteor Street
Boom!
A dull thud echoed as a heavy object hit the ground.
"Are you trying to kill him?"
"You're really too much. The mission only said to dump him here."
"Killing without permission? Those guys are brutal."
"Hard to say what'll happen to a kid that young being tossed out on Meteor Street."
"Forget it. It's none of our business. Let's go."
The garbage truck roared to life and rumbled away, disappearing into the wasteland of refuse.
Silence settled.
Then—
The boy on the ground, motionless like a discarded corpse, twitched faintly.
"Where… am I?"
Kai Vexley groaned as he clutched his aching head, confusion painting his pale face.
Just moments ago, he'd been sitting at his office desk, enduring yet another pointless post-shift meeting. His boss had a knack for stealing their off-hours with endless, mindless briefings.
And now… he was here.
Hiss—
A sharp wave of pain crashed over him, bringing clarity along with agony.
Then, in an instant, his mind was flooded with information that wasn't his. Names, places, terms he'd only seen in manga panels or anime episodes: Meteor Street, Chimera Continent, Republic of Rabii…
Kai froze.
"This… this is the world of Hunter x Hunter?"
The realization struck him like lightning. He wanted to scream.
Why a Hunter x Hunter world of all places? Why not something simple, something safe?
If there was a hell mode in the multiverse, this was it.
No massive wars like in other anime worlds. But that didn't make this place any easier. Here, danger was subtle, and death was quiet.
Monsters, cursed artifacts, Nen users with powers beyond logic—any of them could kill an ordinary person in an instant.
And the worst part?
The original owner of this body had left behind a trail of problems. Enemies. Debt. A reputation tainted by unknown crimes.
"Great. I woke up in nightmare difficulty," Kai muttered.
Still dazed, he forced his bruised and bleeding eight-year-old body to its feet.
His instincts screamed at him.
"Stay away from the garbage mounds."
In this toxic graveyard of a city, those towering heaps weren't just unsanitary—they were likely radioactive, or worse. The residents of Meteor Street didn't wear protective gear for fashion; they wore it to stay alive.
Kai, who had grown up as an orphan in his previous life, was no stranger to hardship. He'd clawed his way through the system to earn a degree, driven by sheer determination.
But this…
This was another level.
Ten minutes later, he collapsed again, gasping for air.
"No… can't… losing too much blood."
Even with a strong will, his body had limits. And this one was already half-dead when he arrived. The only reason he remained conscious for so long was sheer defiance.
"Heh… am I really going to die again, so soon?"
"Would I… time-travel again if I died now?"
Darkness crept into his vision.
And then—something stirred.
In the deepest part of his soul, a golden light shimmered.
> "Host is dying. God-Level Deduction System activating…"
"Initiating soul scan…"
"Data acquired. Compatible energy framework discovered."
"Translating to localized system… Nen compatibility confirmed."
"Optimal development path deduced… Execution commencing."
Unseen to any passerby, Kai's body entered a miraculous state—Zetsu, the first step in mastering Nen.
The Aura Nodes across his body flickered to life, then sealed shut.
His life energy, his aura, was now contained.
Even in a comatose state, Kai's survival time was extended through forced control of his Nen. But this wasn't a permanent fix. Without medical help, even this miracle would fade.
Hours passed.
The sun glared mercilessly from above.
In the sky, vultures began to circle.
Death loomed.
But fate had other plans.
From beyond the junk heaps, two sets of footsteps echoed—approaching, loud and careless.
"Oi, Nobunaga, look over there. Someone's lying on the path."
"I see him, you idiot. Don't yank me."
Two boys emerged—both around their teens, ragged, hardened by the street.
One of them—Uvogin, a tall, wild-haired brute—kicked Kai lightly with his foot.
"His clothes… they're too clean. He's not from around here."
In Meteor Street, even the idea of 'new clothes' was a luxury.
Nobunaga crouched beside the boy. "He's lost a lot of blood. Might not make it."
"Then let's take him," Uvogin said, shrugging.
"Why? You planning to save him?"
"Nah," Uvogin said, grinning. "If he dies, we can trade his gear for food. Might be enough for a whole week."
Nobunaga rolled his eyes. "Idiot foodie…"
Still, they lifted the unconscious Kai and carried him toward the only semblance of shelter Meteor Street offered.
And as they walked, the vultures above scattered.
Because death, for now, had missed its chance.