Netero

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Early life

Netero challenged martial arts schools in his forties and became the foremost martial artist among them. After feeling that he had reached his physical and martial limits, he began his daily gratitude-punch regimen, eventually developing the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva 106 168.

He later explored the Dark Continent with companions and V5 personnel. After encountering unusual circumstances, the expedition withdrew, and Netero concluded that humanity was not yet ready to venture there 316.

Ejin City and the Gandor Ruins

Netero visited Ejin City and invited Ian to join the Hunter Association, impressed that Ian and his young companions had awakened Nen. He later offered to take Uvogin as a disciple and told the group they would still need to pass the Hunter Exam 100 101 108.

Using Gyo on Elina’s Aimon, Netero noticed unusual Nen connected to a source beneath the city. He subsequently joined the investigation of the Gandor Ruins, where Ian and Ging fought beside him against the revived king Sashado. Netero rejected the king’s offer of a new life and opposed his attempt to restore the dynasty 109 140 160.

After learning of the Fear-Eaters beneath the ruins, Netero supported Aimina’s plan to uncover the Xie Tools and reseal them. He believed the creatures likely came from the Dark Continent 174.

Battles with Sashado

At Feilieka, Netero faced Sashado again, hoping the challenge would let him break through his limits. His full-strength assault injured the king but did not defeat him. Ian supplied Performance-Enhancing Liquid, then healed Netero with the Time Cloth after he escaped Sashado’s attacks 216 219 220 222 226 227.

Netero later sought help from Maha and Zeno for another mission. A fight with Sashado’s human-hosted clone left him fatally injured, but Ian restored his organs with the Time Cloth. After awakening, Netero recognized Cat Teacher’s extraordinary martial attainment and received guidance that led to a breakthrough 325 326 351 353 354.

Departure from the chairmanship

After another encounter with Sashado’s forces, Netero judged that pursuing him was futile because his Nen had transferred to an unknown Host Body. Following the Hunters’ return, Netero announced that he would step down as chairman and devote himself to practicing his punches 367 368.

Appearance

Netero initially appears as an energetic, ordinary-looking old man whose movements conceal his martial skill 101.

• Graying hair and beard: He is frequently seen stroking his beard 101.
• Battle clothing: At Feilieka, he wears a short blue outfit marked with a large character meaning “heart” 214.
• Rejuvenation: Performance-Enhancing Liquid restores his youthful body; after his later breakthrough, his body is described as being in the condition of a fifty-year-old 222 354.

Personality

Netero is playful and curious, readily teasing Ian and encouraging a continuation of Ian’s fight with Knov. He treats Ian’s copying of his ability with delight rather than anger, and later permits Ian to borrow it again 105 106 149.

A devoted martial artist, Netero welcomes powerful opponents as opportunities to test himself. He is nevertheless capable of recognizing when a fight is unwinnable: after exhausting himself against Sashado, he intended to ask Ian to help him retreat 154 216 221.

Cat Teacher’s guidance prompted Netero to reconsider the fears and responsibilities that had restricted his martial path. He chose to set aside those restraints and pursue martial arts wholeheartedly 353 368.

Abilities & Skills

100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva

Netero’s signature Nen ability manifests a golden, many-armed Guanyin. It arose from his prolonged practice of gratitude and his understanding of compassion 104 106.

• Palm techniques: Its jointed arms deliver rapid, powerful strikes. Netero can manifest individual arms rather than the entire figure to conserve Nen 168.
• Full assault: Against Sashado, he combined rapid movement with successive palm strikes, culminating in a barrage from hundreds of golden palms 219.
• Transformed form: After his breakthrough, the Bodhisattva’s arms gained weapons and spiked knuckles. Its attacks became precise enough to strike their target without disturbing surrounding dust 353 354.
• Limit: Even his full-strength assault at Feilieka failed to kill Sashado and left Netero exhausted 220.

Martial arts and perception

Netero founded Shingen-ryu and developed exceptional speed through decades of training 101 106.

• In the Extreme Realm, he evaded Sashado’s barrage with his eyes closed, relying on bodily perception rather than sight 218 219.
• He used Gyo to inspect Aimon and detected Nen that did not belong entirely to Elina 108 109.
• He defeated five Special Forces members outside Gugurian 188.

Equipment and Items

• Performance-Enhancing Liquid — Ian’s item restored Netero’s youthful body and boosted his strength and Nen during the fight with Sashado. Netero later accepted six bottles from Uvogin and shared some with Maha for testing 222 230 325.

Relationships

• Ian — An ally whose resourcefulness and potential fascinate Netero. Ian copied his ability with permission, supplied him with enhancement liquid, and saved his life with the Time Cloth 106 149 222 351.
• Uvogin — Netero offered to take him as a disciple; Uvogin later left with him to train 108 230.
• Beans — Netero’s longtime secretary, who handles much of the Hunter Association’s operations and worries about his safety 101 351.
• Biscuit — Netero’s student. She tried to stop him from facing Sashado but ultimately understood his desire to fight 216 219.
• Cat Teacher — A martial arts senior whose guidance helped Netero recognize and break his self-imposed limits 351 353 354.
• Ging Freecss — A fellow Hunter who investigated the Gandor Ruins and fought alongside Netero 140 154 160.
• Zeno Zoldyck — A longtime associate who joined Netero’s later mission and witnessed his martial breakthrough 81 326 354.
• Sashado — The revived Gandor king and an overwhelmingly powerful opponent whom Netero repeatedly sought to challenge 160 216 354.

Notable Quotes

“Nen Abilities are powers of miracles to begin with...” 101

“For a person, it is enough to cherish the present while they still have all of this...” 168

“Striving to advance is what the martial path is all about.” 354

“Practice my punches.” 368