Meteor City...
A sprawling, lawless settlement built on the ruins of discarded trash and debris.
It is home to society's outcasts, fugitives, and those rejected by the outside world.
Known for its anarchic structure and mysterious culture.
This place has its own rules and governance, largely independent from the rest of the world.
Inside the Nen space.
Two people with identical features engaged in their usual sparring match.
These two have been fighting for weeks without taking a proper break.
The pink-haired girl Machi kept charging fiercely.
Each of her strikes carried high-level mastery, yet the black-haired boy Ron avoided her attacks with ease.
The difference in their skill was clear as day, almost like an adult playing with a child.
Seeing her movement getting sluggish, Ron chose to end the match.
"This should be enough."
He dodged her roundhouse kick with extreme precision.
Then, taking advantage of her vulnerability, he drove a straight counter into her shoulder.
Damn, his punch was densely packed!
Upon landing, the aura surrounding Machi's body flickered and vanished.
Showing his superiority in aura.
Machi groaned in pain as she staggered backward.
She collapsed on her knees and glared at Ron with resentment.
"You could have avoided it!? Was that counter necessary?"
"Sorry, I reacted on instinct."
That's an instinctive reaction?
What a liar!
Machi didn't believe his words, especially seeing him look away.
Living with her brother for a long time, she knew his behavior, perhaps even better than he did.
Ron smiled wryly and scratched the back of his head.
"My bad... I guess."
Machi sighed and chose not to pursue the matter. Not that she hated him, but it was a good thing to gain some insight. After all, weakness was considered the greatest sin in this world.
Machi relaxed her posture and looked at him expectantly.
"Anyway, how is my progress compared to before?"
Ron paused for a moment, thinking...
"I'd say it's not so bad. However, you could barely keep up with me at 1%."
Machi rolled her eyes and stood akimbo.
"That part was unnecessary—braggart!
Besides, the amount of aura reserves doesn't entirely dictate a match—that's what you said."
Ron retorted inwardly but didn't refute it.
It's true... But I don't want to hear that from someone with over 40,000 aura at such a young age.
To be honest, Ron was taken aback.
It's normal for him, as someone from Earth, to have immense aura reserves. He had some cheat, which was being a reincarnator. But for Machi to have twice the amount of Gon's aura at the same age...
It was truly surprising and beyond his comprehension.
Seeing him dazed, Machi scoffed and said nothing.
She still remembered.
Normally, Ron would spoil her with everything, but after she asked about Nen, his response was, "Focus on physical training first; the time isn't ripe yet."
As for why?
He wanted Machi to achieve the peak of her physical state to maximize her potential and avoid early growth limits.
She understood his intention clearly but didn't stop nagging him.
Her reason?
It was fun to mess with him!
Ron sat comfortably and then gave Machi a furtive look.
She obviously noticed his inner turmoil but chose to ignore it.
Meanwhile, Ron was thinking...
He considered this the perfect time to bring up the topic and no longer hesitated.
"Machi, I'm thinking of leaving Meteor City tomorrow.
I already have a plan in mind and just need to talk to the elders about our departure."
Hearing the familiar words, the corner of her mouth slightly rose.
I knew it!
Machi faced Ron, raising an eyebrow.
"Leaving? Then we can leave. I don't see the issue. Why do you have to report it to me?"
Ron, who was carefully observing her reaction, fell mouth open, forming a small "o." He never expected this to go so smoothly.
Was it really this easy? Normally, she should have had more demands.
Just to be certain, Ron asked again.
"Are you sure you're not against my decision?"
Machi looked at Ron with a provocative smirk.
"Yes. Do you want me to disagree?"
Ron waved his hands, stammering.
"No! If you're fine with it, that's all I need to know.
To be honest, I'd have been stressed thinking about what to do if you refused... Sigh."
He only felt at ease when the tension in his chest was released.
Machi's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she continued teasing him.
"Why would I refuse? I'm not that excessive, am I?"
Ron was lost for words. He remembered.
Whenever they had a short-term fight, Machi always displayed her not-so-excessive but super-demanding side.
In order to avoid further conflict, Ron reluctantly agreed to any of her requests, assuming they were within his capabilities.
Machi smiled meaningfully, ignoring his subtle reaction.
Got you, fool.
Machi stretched her slender arms and sat on his lap, comfortably leaning her head on his chest.
Since Ron was resting his back against the wall, she willingly slumped her body.
"Brother, I'm sleepy... Let's take a rest."
Ron didn't think much of her intimate gesture. Their relationship has always been close.
Despite living in a harsh environment, where people have low moral standards, Ron has never been affected.
He considered their behavior normal, but only due to several factors:
One, Machi was always clinging to him.
Lastly, Ron never had a sibling in his previous life.
Although he understood and respected the bond of people in Meteor City.
Ron placed great importance on Machi as his only blood relative.
A thin smile formed on her lips as she felt him scoop her up and carry her like a princess into their bed.
"Good night, brother."
Ron smiled and replied.
"Yeah, good night."
After a minute—
Machi slowly opened her eyes into thin slits.
Seeing Ron sleep peacefully, she sat up on the bed and folded her arms.
"Same as usual. He always sleeps like a log."
Ron didn't follow a strict schedule, but his life was systematic:
Sleep when it was time to sleep and wake when it was time to wake.
Machi's lips curved into a doting smile as she gently fixed his hair.
"I've known your plan of leaving this place, and not only that but also the plans you've kept hidden.
I just didn't bother asking because I wanted you to tell me yourself—but look what we have here."
She pinched his cheek lightly while grumbling in dissatisfaction.
"You didn't tell me a single thing—what a scoundrel! Although I said we shouldn't be secretive...
You deserve some punishment for dishonesty. Oops, maybe it's more like a reward for me~ He he."
Machi giggled sillily as she put her plans into action. With his strict sleep schedule, regardless of what happened, Ron wouldn't wake for the next eight hours.
***
The next morning—
Oblivious to yesterday's events, Ron woke up feeling an ache in his waist.
"My back is sore. Did Machi pounce on me while I slept? No, that's very unlikely... Probably my posture was bad."
It was surprising how accurate his guess was. Unfortunately, the thought came as fast as it went. He dismissed the idea, which kept Machi's secret safe.
Ron lightly held a silver pocket watch in his right hand.
There was an engraved message, "Don't forget," alongside a specific date.
"They said a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step.
We've been through a lot of hardships and become what we are now.
Ready to embrace the meaning of life and seize what the world has to offer..."
Looking at the pile of garbage that had been built over their house...
Ron threw an ignited lighter.
The flames erupted quickly, sending ashes into the sky alongside thick grey smoke as the fire devoured the structure down to cinders.
The house could be rebuilt anywhere within this place, but this was special. And by using this method, Ron expressed his resolve of no return.
"...I'm going now to fulfill your dreams for us, Mother."
When he turned his back, as if it came to life, the smoke formed the image of a woman. She watched his departing figure with a thin smile across her face.
***
After walking far away—
Ron crouched and picked up a can of beer.
Simultaneously, with his other hand, a small flame-like aura erupted on his index finger as he drew a circle with scribbles on the ground. The void center blackened after a single tap, which was only visible to him.
This action was nothing but a sort of misdirection.
Ron opened the can, and a faint "fresh" scent lingered in his nose.
"This beer has gone bad..."
He poured the contents out and tossed the can aside before kicking it away.
The can flew into a mound of garbage. It bounced several times before crashing into the stagnant water.
The small ripples reflected the silhouette of a man hidden behind the mound.
A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he silently slipped out of the site, mumbling.
"Was it a coincidence, or did he notice me? Heh... interesting."
Once his figure disappeared, Ron glanced sideways and sighed.
"A sneaky rat from the mafia. Did he think I wouldn't notice his movement with that clumsy Zetsu?
Anyway, should I do them a favor and eliminate this rat?"
The thought didn't last long before Ron dismissed the idea.
"No, that can wait. I think they still have a purpose. I'll need them for that..."
***
[Kirimori Valley]
Ron rode the bus to the small town—Misty Town—and got off.
Instead of heading straight to the valley, he took a detour, navigating a secret passage that led to Misty Forest.
True to its name, the forest was shrouded in thick, twilight fog, spinning in a perfect circle like the eye of a storm.
From a distance, it could easily be mistaken for a stationary typhoon...
However, Ron knew better; this phenomenon was the residual aura saturating the entire forest.
According to local lore...
Thousands of years before Meteor City was established, the valley was said to have been inhabited by a god.
The stories claimed that the god once blessed this place by planting a tree and assigning an ancient being to protect it.
Ron had heard the tale from wanderers and residents:
Misty Forest was supposedly a trial, granting eternal life to anyone who could survive it.
Many dismissed the story as a hoax or simple entertainment. But some claimed it was real.
One desperate woman named Kaguya was terrified of dying and apparently entered the forest, determined to take the risk. Since she was already near death, there was nothing left to lose.
After several months of being missing, everyone thought she was dead.
However, Kaguya reportedly returned, claiming the story was true.
People were skeptical about immortality, while others were wary of Kaguya.
Many thought she had been dead and speculated that she might be a witch in disguise trying to lure them.
During this time, people had a sense of clinging to their own beliefs.
Attempts were made to kill Kaguya, but they failed to do so.
Fearing she was truly evil, they rallied together to eliminate her, but she vanished mysteriously.
Still, was immortality real?
To some, it seemed possible but not proven.
Rumors about Misty Forest and the so-called immortal woman became a daily topic in their time and were sometimes even used to scare children.
However, never underestimate people's curiosity.
Some began to believe in the god and the legend of eternal life, while the majority dismissed the topic as nonsense.
Still, human greed is persistent.
A few dared to take on the trial, gambling with their lives—yet no word returned from them.
The remaining residents assumed the others had succeeded and chose not to return.
Some speculated the woman was seeking revenge for their attempt to kill her.
Everyone became wary and considered Misty Forest a cursed place.
Several years had passed...
An invasion reshaped the lands, and new nations were born.
With the establishment of strict hierarchies, ruthless nobles separated royal blood from commoners.
The current king believed those outside the royal line were undeserving of his empire, casting them out into a vast wasteland.
Over time, they settled in a place that would later become a garbage dump of industrial waste—the foundation of what would be known as Meteor City.
Still, the tale persisted through time. However, the details had grown vague.
Some said the god was dead; others claimed he had vanished from everyone in the area.
The truth could no longer be verified.
Regardless, no one dared to enter Misty Forest—though the nearby town remained inhabited.