You had to admire anyone who put in the effort to achieve something. Jett could certainly relate to those who said, "Do you think getting my body this strong was easy?" Building strength wasn't easy at all. It required countless hours of hard work, enduring the heat that caused sweat to soak through clothes—definitely not a pleasant experience. Despite this, Jett never gave up.
In a small clearing at the edge of the forest, a small boy was doing a handstand. This might not have seemed unusual, as many children play like that, performing cartwheels and other feats. However, it was a sight that would make anyone question their eyes: the boy had a small boulder resting on his feet while doing the handstand.
Jett was actually doing handstand push-ups while holding the boulder. To the average observer, it was just Jett and the rock. Yet, if a Nen user were present and activated their Gyo, they would see Jett using Nen to cloak his body. He was determined not to give up on controlling his Nen; he incorporated it into every aspect of his training. While this approach left him more exhausted than a regular workout, the difference was only noticeable to those who practiced Nen. His training was not just about making his muscles stronger; it also enhanced his endurance and stamina. Jett had to admit that the training plan devised by his other self was indeed effective.
Now, Jett could maintain his Ren for much longer than before. Initially, he struggled to hold Ren for even a minute, but now he could manage it for thirty minutes. Jett wasn't sure if that was a significant improvement, as he had no one to compare himself to. He was doing everything alone, without a teacher, following only the training methods established by his other self.
Holding your Ren for thirty minutes was the standard for a genius who had awakened their Nen for only a few months. While he couldn't be directly compared to Gon or Killua, who were geniuses in their own right, the body Jett inhabited was not far behind them. With the training method he was using, Jett would soon close that gap. However, he failed to realize that he was consistently using Ren daily, which left him more fatigued during training. What was becoming common sense to him would eventually be considered a crazy training method by others, particularly those who were not geniuses.
Jett also overlooked certain aspects about himself. Although his thinking and rationality remained intact, his emotions and personality had gradually changed since he entered this world. It was said that the body and soul were two halves of the same coin; the body influences the soul, and the soul influences the body, particularly the brain, which contains all the information about the human body.
Over the years, as he inhabited the body of the now-deceased Jett, his tiny form began to affect his personality. His emotions, which he had been able to control during the first year, gradually became more pronounced over time. Though he hadn't interacted with anyone but his grandmother, her affection for him began to influence his emotions. Children are naturally more susceptible to influence from their surroundings and often emulate their parents. True to this, he was becoming more emotionally childlike. While his way of thinking remained unaffected, anyone who interacted with him would see him as an intelligent child. In many ways, he truly was a bright child, as he did not know about his own past or even his age. Even if Jett had recognized these changes, it wouldn't have bothered him; he was still focused on becoming stronger.
Jett had been following his training routine for four months. As dusk approached, he was in the middle of his stretching exercises. He aimed to build muscle, but not bulky muscle, as he wanted to maintain his speed and flexibility. Stretching was a regular part of his workouts, and he could see the results. Though his body still resembled that of a child who hadn't worked out, people would be surprised by his strength if he were to lift a boulder, as his appearance didn't seem to match the muscle mass required for such a feat. This approach allowed his muscles to grow steadily as he approached adulthood.
Although he had only been working out for four months, his strength had not increased dramatically like some heroes who could effortlessly send opponents flying with a punch. However, he felt that he was finally strong enough to begin practicing the flash step. Meanwhile, another boy in a different part of town had come to his own decision; he remembered his grandmother mentioning a boy his age on the other side of the island.
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The reason Jett and the main character, Gon, had not met was simple. Jett wanted to train for the Hunter Exam, while Gon was excited to hear that someone his age was also taking it. He had considered visiting Jett when he first heard about him, but when he learned that Jett was focused on training to become a hunter, he decided against it.
Gon had his own task to complete: catching the Master of the Pond. His aunt had told him that he could forget about taking the Hunter Exam if he couldn't capture it. So far, he had been unsuccessful; every fishing rod he had tried to use ended up breaking, or the line snapped. After breaking yet another rod, Gon realized he needed to go into town to buy a new rod and some fishing line.
While in town, Gon remembered his grandmother talking about Jett. The sun was beginning to set, and his aunt, Mito, had instructed him to return for dinner. On his way home, he decided to stop and talk to Jett. He didn't have any friends his age, so perhaps Jett could offer him some ideas on capturing the Master of the Pond, although that was just an excuse to visit.
Gon ran confidently, following his great-grandmother's directions until he found the house where Jett, the only other boy on the island, lived. He knocked on the door, and an elderly woman opened it.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Hi, Granny! I'm Gon Freecss. I'm looking for Jett," Gon said with an innocent child's smile.
"Oh, Gon! Hello, hello! Come on in. Jett isn't back yet. Would you like to wait for him? He won't be back for a while," she replied.
"Is that so, Granny? Do you know where he is?" Gon asked.
"Yes, that child doesn't come home until midnight, which makes me worry. You can find him inside the forest in a clearing out back, not far from the edge; you can't miss it," she told him. With a destination in mind, Gon ran to the back of the house and into the forest. It didn't take long for him to locate the clearing that the old granny mentioned. Gon had heard that Jett was training, so he expected to see him practicing. Instead, he found something unexpected.
The sun had set, and the shadows of the island claimed their territory. The only light illuminating the scene was the moonlight. Gon saw a boy standing on a small boulder, facing a creature that looked up at him.
The boy, about Gon's age, wore a torn red shirt over white pants and was barefoot, balancing on the boulder. His appearance might not have attracted much attention; he was cute, like any other child. However, for some reason, this boy captivated Gon more than he expected. His hair danced in the light breeze, so dark that it seemed to blend with the shadows. His eyes, devoid of emotion, resembled silent, empty darkness. Gon had never seen anything like it before. If it weren't for the thin, slight smile on the boy's lips, Gon would have thought him unable to express any feelings.
In contrast to the boy, the creature facing him was terrifying. Animals were naturally drawn to Gon, and it was said that this ability made one a good hunter. However, as Gon looked at the beast confronting Jett, a chill ran down his spine. The creature was a bipedal lizard, something Gon knew was not native to Whale Island, as he had never seen it in the forest before.
The bipedal creature had eyes similar to Jett's, but Gon could tell they were different. When he looked into the creature's eyes, the only emotion he felt was fear. They were cold and lifeless, like marbles. Though they possessed emotions, those emotions were driven solely by hunger—a hunger that viewed everything as potential prey.
[An hour before Gon arrived]
Jett had already begun training to master the flash step. His first attempt, however, had not gone well; he crashed to the ground immediately and slid for several feet. Even after an hour of practice, he kept experiencing the same failure. On his last attempt, just before Gon arrived, Jett felt a strange sensation in his back. His body instinctively reacted, allowing him to land softly on the rock he had been using for training.
Jett spun around quickly as all the hairs on his neck stood on end, warning him of danger. Fifteen feet away stood a peculiar bipedal lizard. This creature lacked scales and was instead covered in fur. Its cold, reptilian eyes darted around, scanning the area. Jett couldn't help but smile bitterly. If he hadn't been prepared to execute the flash step, he would have been in serious trouble. He hadn't heard it approach or felt its presence until it was right behind him, already attacking.
"Was it Zetsu?" Jett thought, and with some effort, he activated Gyo, an advanced form of Nen. While it took some concentration to channel Nen into his eyes, it wasn't overly challenging since he had been training that aspect of Nen nonstop. As Gyo activated, he noticed that there was no Nen aura around the creature.
"Then it must be its instinct as a predator," Jett deduced. By this point, Gon had arrived, and Jett caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, but there was no way he could afford to take his eyes off the creature standing before him. All his senses were screaming for him to run for his life. However, he couldn't do that; turning his back on this creature would mean certain death. He felt helpless; this creature was too significant. Jett had no experience in fighting, let alone using Nen. It felt like a stroke of luck that he had escaped its sneak attack.
He noticed that the creature had also spotted Gon, yet it remained focused solely on him. Why was that? The only explanation that came to mind was that he had Nen, while the boy who had just arrived did not. While Jett was lost in thought, he blinked, and in that brief moment, the creature vanished. Panic set in as he frantically searched for it, unsure of its whereabouts—until he heard Gon shout.
"Above you!" Gon screamed, bravely and recklessly trying to warn him.
"I'm in danger even before the plot starts," Jett said with a wry smile. Time seemed to slow as he watched the creature's fist shatter the rock he had just jumped away from. In that same instant, he noticed the beast spinning around, ready to strike with its tail. Jett raised his arms and activated his Ren to protect himself. But while he was still mid-air, the tail slammed into him with full force, sending him hurtling across the small clearing.
Jett crashed into three trees and slid on the dirt for twenty feet before finally coming to a stop. He coughed, struggling to catch his breath, which had been knocked out of him upon impact with the trees. His vision was blurry, but he was still conscious, unsure why—perhaps due to adrenaline or something else entirely. He sensed something inside him beginning to awaken, as if it had been dormant until this moment.
As Jett stood up, he noticed the creature charging toward him. It raised its fist, preparing to throw a punch at his face. In that precise moment, a burning sensation ignited in the back of his right shoulder, causing his Nen to explode. His body felt lighter, and his mind became incredibly clear. Suddenly, flashes of information filled his thoughts—images and techniques from the anime he'd watched, along with details about Nen and martial arts. He realized that he could replicate any of the moves he had seen. Among the visions that surfaced were those of a voluptuous blonde ninja and a plump blue fish man.
With a surge of determination, Jett allocated his Nen to his right fist and took a karate stance, pulling his arm back. He whispered to himself, "Five Thousand Tile True Punch." Although this technique was initially performed with water, the underlying principle remained the same. Jett applied the dispersion of Nen into a single point, just like Tsunade's punch that could shatter the Earth.
The lizard creature, sensing impending danger, instinctively raised its hands to guard itself at the last moment. However, it was too late—this time it was Jett's turn to strike. The creature was sent flying along the same path Jett had just taken and crashed-landed on a destroyed boulder, creating an explosion upon impact.
Jett felt a surge of pride, believing he had inflicted some damage. However, he soon realized that not only had the creature suffered no injuries, but he could also sense that it had awakened its nen from the punch he had just thrown.
"Damn, I haven't even done anything, and I think I'm about to die today," Jett said as he watched the creature explode with a killing intent directed squarely at him.