"Aoki-sensei, your manuscript payment has been transferred to your account. Please check it."
"Got it."
In his room, a black-haired teenager responded indifferently into his phone.
"Then I won't disturb you further. Enjoy your vacation." With that, Sonoko Machida hung up.
The boy set down his phone and turned toward the full-length mirror in his room.
Reflected in the mirror was a body of well-defined muscles—sleek, powerful, and exuding an overwhelming sense of strength.
It was hard to believe such a physique belonged to a 16-year-old.
This was the kind of body one would expect from professional boxers, martial artists, or extreme athletes!
Without years of rigorous training and strict dietary control, it was impossible to develop such refined musculature.
Yet, Aoki Hiroshi had achieved it.
Because he had a cheat—the Gene Lock.
"Transmigrating into a slice-of-life crossover world, only to be given a combat-oriented cheat... I'm speechless!" Aoki sighed, shaking his head as he examined his reflection.
Originally a corporate drone on Earth, he had miraculously transmigrated to an alternate version of Japan.
At the same time, a near-death experience had unlocked his first-stage Gene Lock.
Aoki gained abilities akin to a minor superhuman.
Combat instincts encoded in his genes...
Superhuman intuition...
Millimeter-level precision control...
Nerve reflexes sharp enough to track bullets...
In the original lore (Super Gene), first-stage Gene Lock users could punch through thick walls, lift small cars with their bare hands, and even tear steel plates apart with their fingernails—absurd feats by any measure.
And Aoki could do all of it.
Globally, he had no equal.
But the problem was—this was a world with no supernatural elements!
"The Gene Lock is like beauty."
"Paired with anything else, it's a trump card. But alone, it's a dead end."
"I've never heard of anyone reaching the fourth-stage Gene Lock in a zero-supernatural environment."
Aoki couldn't help but roll his eyes.
The Gene Lock only underwent a qualitative transformation at the fourth stage, granting power capable of rivaling armies or even nations.
Before that, it was purely an amplifier—compatible with any power system, capable of multiplying strength a hundred or a thousandfold.
But the current issue was that he had no supernatural power system to amplify.
"What a joke."
Aoki turned away, put on his clothes, and decided to treat himself to a feast to lift his spirits.
The first-stage Gene Lock wasn't enough to dominate the world.
To survive, he had no choice but to turn to literary plagiarism.
"Even if I can't dominate the battlefield, at least I can dominate the entertainment industry—becoming the so-called 'Light Novel King' who debuted as an unstoppable force..."
Aoki chuckled softly and murmured to himself, "This feels pretty good."
Ding dong!
At that very moment, a mechanical-like sound suddenly echoed in Aoki's mind.
It resembled a system notification, yet wasn't quite the same.
It felt more like an invitation.
Appearing in his consciousness in a manner transcending all text, images, language, and symbols, it extended an invitation to him.
[Would you like to begin world traversal?]
Aoki was momentarily stunned.
Without hesitation, he answered in his heart.
'Yes!'
In the next instant, a blinding white light surged before his eyes, engulfing him completely.
...
...
In the blink of an eye.
Aoki found himself in a dense forest.
He looked around in astonishment.
He was standing on a large mountain, surrounded by lush vegetation and fresh air, completely free from industrial pollution.
"This feels somewhat familiar."
Aoki surveyed his surroundings, raising an eyebrow slightly.
He had the vague feeling that he'd seen this place long ago.
"Moreover, there seems to be something stirring within me..." Aoki Hiro muttered, narrowing his eyes.
He could sense a surging power emerging within his body.
The abstract concepts of energy and stamina from before had now materialized into tangible vitality, restless and ready to erupt like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"Vitality?"
"Ki?"
"Psychic powers?"
Aoki had his guesses but wasn't certain.
Therefore, he didn't rush to release this 'vitality,' instead calming it and keeping it locked within his body.
After all, different supernatural systems had different methods of utilizing vitality.
"Hmm? Someone's there?"
Aoki suddenly looked in a certain direction, his eyes flickering.
His instincts told him there were two humans in that direction.
After mastering the First Stage Genetic Lock, even without activating it, one would possess sharp instincts and intuition.
Or perhaps, the Genetic Lock was simply one's own power.
It was just that the frail body couldn't withstand it.
Hence the need to open it repeatedly, gradually adapting until complete mastery was achieved.
...
Aoki didn't have to walk far before he spotted two familiar figures.
A spiky-haired boy in green clothes; and a tall, slender man wearing a blue baseball cap with long white hair.
Gon!
Kite!
Aoki's gaze sharpened as these two names instantly flashed through his mind.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
'So, this is the world of Hunter x Hunter?'
'This scene... it must be the Chimera Ant arc, the death of Kite.'
'In that case, the vitality stirring within me must be the "nen" of this world's system!'
With this realization.
Aoki didn't hesitate to activate the First Stage Gene Lock, his eyes losing focus and becoming blank.
Then, he stopped suppressing the power within.
Instead, he gave it a forceful push, releasing this energy outward!
Simultaneously.
Ahead, Kite also sensed Aoki's presence.
'An ordinary person who wandered in by mistake?'
He merely glanced sideways, paying no further attention, instead solemnly warning Gon: "I sense a terrifying enemy approaching."
"Gon, go back now."
"I'll hold them off!"
Hearing this, Gon clenched his fists.
He was too weak.
So weak that Kite had to sacrifice himself to buy time for his escape.
"Take that ordinary person with you when you leave," Kite pointed in Aoki's direction.
"Ordinary person?"
Gon turned to look, surprised to see Aoki.
This area is clearly blocked off by V5, yet you still came in. Aren't you afraid of death?
Both of them regarded Aoki as an ordinary person.
Because Nen users can gather their aura and use the "Ten" technique to envelop themselves with it.
Whereas ordinary people cannot perceive their own aura.
They simply let their aura slowly dissipate from the top of their heads in wisps.
Nen users can easily distinguish between ordinary people and fellow Nen users using the "Gyo" technique.