1 January 1999
Time passed, and I grew even taller—over two meters now. My muscles had hardened, veins visible beneath the skin, and my strength, speed, and durability likely surpassed even Uvogin's. I had also been using the weapon and armor I forged years ago—the Dragonslayer and the Berserker Armor from Berserk. I made them partly because I was a fan, and partly because a massive sword felt right for me. The armor was for protection… and power.
Forging the sword took over a month of nonstop work, never losing focus even once. Now, naturally infused with my aura, it felt unbreakable. I was pretty sure it could cut through diamond if I tried and maybe even slice through certain Nen abilities. I carried it everywhere, even in public—no one ever attempted to stop me. They were probably too scared to.
The Berserker Armor was the same. Of course, normally it'd be impossible to recreate the actual "Berserker" ability from the manga, but I decided to try hiring a Nen user who could grant abilities to objects. I didn't know if such a person existed… but I hoped. And my hope was answered. And they were trustworthy enough to keep everything strictly secret.
It cost a ridiculous amount of money, but it was worth every cent. The armor now possessed a true Berserker ability, and I shaped the helm after Guts' wolf design from the manga—though with several key improvements. Thanks to my mind immunity, I could fully control the ability, the side effects were far less severe, the armor could retract and reshape itself to match my size, and it could auto-repair as long as I fed it aura.
The sword had a similar property: if I infused it with aura, it could repair itself—though honestly, I doubted it would ever break. Just like the sword, I wore the armor everywhere, even in public. Much like Goblin Slayer, I was extremely paranoid and firmly believed a full-body suit of armor was necessary to guard against ambushes, even from threats that seemed minor to everyone else.
I didn't forget the cape (cloak), either. It was incredibly durable and could repair itself as long as I infused it with aura. Unlike the armor, the cape wasn't just for defense or style—it had a special ability of its own: it allowed me to fly. Running was still much faster for me, but the cape was undeniably useful in certain situations. Even though I could fly with it, I still preferred to travel normally when going overseas; flying for too long was exhausting, especially since it constantly consumed aura.
The cape also had a invisibility ability when using advanced Nen In. Still, it was nothing like Meleoreon's perfect invisibility—it could be detected through sound, smell, Gyo, En, and some detection techniques without much trouble.
I also carried a secondary weapon: two daggers like Thorfinn's from Vinland Saga. Though, to be honest, I doubted I would ever use them—my fists were far more effective. With a body this large, daggers didn't make much sense, but I kept them on me just in case.
I also carried several sets of throwing weapons—specialized needles and poker cards similar to Hisoka's, except mine were slightly larger and forged entirely from metal for greater efficiency and razor-sharp cutting power. Some were even coated with different types of poison. I kept a few normal poker cards as well, since they were cheaper, and there were always plenty of pebbles or rocks around if I needed improvised projectiles. I only planned to use the specialized ones when the situation truly called for it.
I also carried a few bombs—Molotovs, flashbangs, and smoke bombs. Not just ordinary smoke bombs, but poisonous ones and sleeping-gas variants as well. I didn't bother with grenades; they're too weak for most opponents I might face. Part of me wished I had a compact bomb like Netero's… but on second thought, if something like that accidentally went off, it would be the end of me.
My body had improved as well. I had built resistance to many poisons, and the "steroid-like" enhancers I used earlier had long since stopped having any effect—nothing stronger existed, even on the black market.
The training itself was brutal, pushing me to the brink of death more times than I could count, but it was worth it.
Some of the people I hired for training were individuals I already knew from the story.
The first was Biscuit Krueger. I hired her for combat training—promising her rare gemstones and constantly complimenting her beauty was enough to convince her, though her fee was still expensive. In the end, she said I barely needed her training at all, but I thanked her regardless.
The second was Bill—I didn't expect to find him. I hired him to use his ability on me and paid a considerable amount for it. He mentioned that his ability would only have a small effect since my growth rate was already unusually high, but I thanked him anyway.
Between the training, the equipment, and the people i hired, my fortune of over 10 billion Jenny had been reduced to just a million. Still, I was satisfied with the results.
Even so, I never underestimated this world. There was always someone stronger. That's why I continued training relentlessly. But I had no intention of fighting without a reason. Unlike many people in this world, I preferred to avoid unnecessary battles. I trained because being strong was fun—and because strength made life in this world far less frightening.
I didn't just train to grow stronger—I studied as well. After all, how else do you think I managed to craft my own weapons and armor? But I'm not obligated to learn everything. I only study when I feel like it, even though I've already picked up a lot of knowledge along the way.
With that handled, I turned my attention to my next goal: the Hunter Exam. If I remembered correctly, it would start on January 6 or 7. I had already submitted my application and begun packing my things.
I decided to start from Whale Island. That meant I would likely meet the protagonist and the others. I could've headed straight to the exam site, but I figured I might as well take it easy for once.
After buying a ticket, I boarded the boat. People stared as I walked past—some intimidated, others avoiding eye contact entirely. Whether it was my size, the massive sword strapped to my back, or the armor I didn't bother retracting so I was covered from head to toe except for my mouth, I couldn't really blame them. With the aura I naturally gave off, I probably looked like I'd stepped straight out of a nightmare.
2-3 January 1999
Once I arrived on Whale Island, I spent some time sightseeing. I didn't visit the protagonist's house or try to meet him—there was no real reason to. After exploring the area, I decided to stay at a nearby inn for a while.
I didn't expect to run into Kurapika and Leorio there. Kurapika glanced at me for a moment before quickly looking away. Well, I was still wearing my helmet, and even without it, I doubt he'd recognize me. Leorio, on the other hand, froze the moment he saw me, then slowly stepped back. I could almost hear his thoughts: "Why is that guy wearing full armor and carrying a giant sword like he preparing for war? What is this, the medieval era?"
Anyway, the inn served fish—naturally—since this is whale island and it was the best I'd ever tasted. I kept ordering plate after plate until I was finally full. The owner just laughed; he had probably seen big eaters before, so my appetite didn't surprise him much.
The people here were surprisingly friendly too, even though I must've looked intimidating.
Honestly… once I'm done with everything, maybe I'll move here. A peaceful life on Whale Island doesn't sound so bad. Well let's think about it later.
4 January 1999
It was time to leave Whale Island, so I boarded the ship headed for Dolle Harbor. Many villagers had gathered to bid farewell to the passengers. Among them, I finally saw the protagonist—Gon. He waved back at the crowd, smiling brightly. Clearly, he had made a lot of friends here.
I didn't speak to him; I only watched for a moment before turning my attention back to the scenery, softly humming a song—"Bink's Sake" from One Piece. While I hummed, someone nearby subtly backed away. Was I really that intimidating?
Not long after, I heard Gon shout to the captain that a storm was approaching. Moments later, the sky darkened, and we were all told to head inside the ship for safety. Honestly, I didn't even need to take shelter—but I went in anyway.
As the waves grew rough, many passengers panicked or collapsed from seasickness. Only Gon, Leorio, Kurapika, and I remained completely steady.
After the storm passed, we were summoned to the captain's room to introduce ourselves. I decided to use fake name.
Gon: "Gon."
Leorio: "Leorio."
Kurapika: "Kurapika."
Kairo: "Ken"
The captain continued, asking why each of us wanted to become Hunters. Gon explained he was searching for his father. I answered honestly: for money, power, and the benefits of a Hunter License.
Leorio refused to answer, and Kurapika agreed with him. Leorio was clearly irritated that Kurapika didn't use honorifics, especially since Kurapika was younger. But everything changed when the captain revealed he was actually an agent of the Hunter Exam. Both of them were caught off guard, and with no other choice, they finally gave their reasons.
Leorio was about to speak first, but Kurapika cut him off. Just like in the original story, he declared his intent to become a Blacklist Hunter to take revenge on the Phantom Troupe and recover the stolen scarlet eyes of his clan.
As expected, he didn't mention anything about searching for me.
Kairo (thought): Makes sense. There's no reason for him to look for me he doesn't even know whether I'm alive or not. Besides, we barely knew each other in the first place. He tried talking to me once back then, and I ignored him. That was the only interaction we ever had. Still… this is the guy who remembers the exact number of Kurta clan members and every single name, even those he never spoke to. Impressive, really. Meanwhile, I only knew him and Pairo. I didn't even know the others—not their names, not my own parents' names, not even the elder's. I never bothered to ask. That's exactly why I used a fake name—I don't want him to know I'm alive. But I can't hide it forever. I'm only avoiding it because it would be annoying to explain everything; he'd probably bombard me with so many questions.
Leorio then questioned whether revenge really required becoming a Hunter. Kurapika called it a foolish question but still answered—again without using honorifics—annoying Leorio even more.
Gon then asked why Leorio wanted to become a Hunter. Leorio answered simply: money, because money can buy anything. Kurapika mocked him, saying money couldn't buy class or honor. That pushed Leorio to his limit. Insulted and angry, he told Kurapika to step outside and fight—even in the middle of the storm—and even went so far as to insult Kurta clan.
Kurapika demanded he take it back, but Leorio ignored him and marched out. Kurapika followed.
The captain hadn't finished his questions yet, but Gon urged him to let Leorio and Kurapika go, so the captain relented. A moment later, a crewmember rushed in to report a waterspout approaching.
The captain ordered the sails lowered. Gon immediately volunteered to help, and the captain accepted. I joined in as well—if I did nothing, I probably wouldn't pass this part of the exam. While Leorio and Kurapika were fighting, we got to work.
I told Gon and the crew that I would handle one of the sails myself and instructed them to lower the others. Gon agreed, and although the crew hesitated, they changed their minds when they saw me lower an entire sail with ease. I finished mine quickly and moved to help with the others, but the ship suddenly shook violently as the storm intensified.
One of the captain crew, slipped and fell overboard, passing right by Leorio and Kurapika. They both stop fighting and tried to catch him but failed—until Gon jumped after him and grabbed hold. Leorio and Kurapika managed to catch Gon, and I pulled all of them up with ease while the rest of the crew continued lowering the sails.
After some time, we successfully avoided the waterspout and the storm finally calmed. Kurapika and Leorio scolded Gon for being reckless, but Gon simply pointed out that they helped catch him, so it all worked out. The two of them ended up apologizing to each other afterward. When Kurapika tried using honorifics, Leorio quickly told him to stop because it was embarrassing.
They also thanked me. I simply nodded.
The captain thanked us as well and confirmed we had passed his test. He promised to drop us off at the closest port to the Hunter Exam site. Kurapika and Leorio sighed in relief, Gon jumped with excitement, and I just nodded again.
After a while, we finally reached the harbor.