A Gentleness Never Seen Before

Ian noticed something.

The boy before him had light purple hair and a face covered in dirt, and Ian couldn't help taking a few more looks at him.

The boy paid Ian no attention.

After getting to his feet, he glanced at the wolves surrounding him, a trace of fear appearing in his amber eyes. Then... he tightened his grip on the thing in his hand.

He seemed to be struggling over something.

Ian didn't mind his cold attitude.

In a hellhole like this, it was good enough to see another person.

He glanced at what the boy was clutching and said softly,

"Don't worry, I won't take your things..."

"You can tell, can't you? If I wanted to rob you, you wouldn't have a chance to resist..."

With that, Ian pointed at the eight dogs nearby!

Seeing their master point at them, the eight vicious dogs hurried to back him up. Though every one of them was skin and bones, they still tried to straighten their postures.

In the gentle breeze, they looked quite dashing.

"Th-thank you..."

The purple-haired boy thanked him in a low voice, then hesitated before opening his small hand to reveal what he was holding.

Ian took a closer look. It was a long, slender sweet potato. It didn't look rotten, but it certainly wasn't fresh, either...

Ian was a little puzzled.

The purple-haired boy said quietly,

"I found this food first. If you need it, I... we can split it evenly..."

Ian was taken aback, his expression complicated.

It was just a rotten sweet potato.

The boy hadn't offered to give him the sweet potato... He had offered to split it with him...

What kind of place was this!?

The child before him had it... even harder than the people in the refugee camp...

Ian wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. He took a deep breath, forced down the turmoil in his heart, and slowly said in a calm voice,

"I'm not hungry right now, so you can keep it for yourself..."

"But in return for saving you, I'd like you to tell me where this is."

The boy was taken aback and looked at Ian in surprise.

At that moment, he saw the noticeably fair, delicate face of the boy, who was about his age, and those... bright, gentle eyes.

"This is... Meteor City..."

Hearing that, Ian frowned slightly.

"Meteor City?"

"That name feels familiar..."

Ian pondered in silence. Finally... a flash of inspiration reminded him where the name came from!

His pupils contracted sharply!

He understood!

He understood completely!

He knew what world he was in now...

Hunter x Hunter, an anime world full of adventure and the unknown, where the most famous thing was its Nen Ability power system!

Because of that, Ian understood what the power inside him was!

"Aura..."

Ian muttered to himself, and when he looked at the boy again, he couldn't help feeling a trace of pity.

"If this is Meteor City, I think I understand why something like that happened..."

This was a land that had been abandoned.

One could search the entire world map and never find this country.

And the child before him was probably a poor soul who had grown up here...

In the anime, the members of the Phantom Troupe had been born here.

In any case, this was a very dangerous place.

Ian didn't know, either.

Was it good or bad... that he had appeared here?

"Thank you. From here on, be careful on your way back..."

"That guy probably won't let this go!"

"You'd better find a few companions. Otherwise, being alone in a place like this is just too dangerous..."

But as soon as Ian finished speaking, he felt he had said too much.

The boy had already grown this old here. He had long since experienced whatever dangers he was bound to face, making Ian's words completely pointless.

He couldn't help giving a bitter laugh inwardly.

Am I just a fool who can only spout nonsense, too...?

He wanted to help the boy, but the circumstances weren't right. He had to find a chance to leave this place.

A place like Meteor City...

It didn't suit him...

Hearing his words, the purple-haired boy hesitated, then said quietly,

"I have companions..."

"But my companion is injured, so I have to bring food back as soon as possible..."

Hearing that,

Ian was taken aback.

Is this... fate...?

His gaze sharpened as he made up his mind, and he said softly,

"Come on. At least let me escort you to your companions. I wouldn't feel very reassured letting you go back alone..."

The boy froze for a moment at Ian's words.

Clearly... this was a warmth he had never felt in Meteor City before!

Ian... Ian was nothing like someone from Meteor City. No, perhaps he wasn't from Meteor City at all!

He hesitated for a while, but chose to trust his instincts.

Ian didn't look like someone who had designs on them...

"Then... sorry for the trouble..."

Soon, the boy led the way, while Ian followed with the eight vicious dogs, heading toward the purple-haired boy's home along a road lined with countless piles of garbage.