Initial Contact

Although Leo knew Satotz from the manga, he had to pretend not to recognize him.

He quickly organized his thoughts, putting on an appropriate look of confusion and caution.

"Hello," he said evenly.

"I'm an ordinary person who accidentally entered this place, not a native. As for how long I've been here... almost seven months, I think."

He paused, his gaze settling on Selena as he showed just the right amount of hesitation.

"By the way, ma'am, could you tell me what year and month it is? I suffered a blow to the head and lost a lot of my memories."

Half-truths were the most effective kind of truth.

Amnesia could explain his vague sense of time and lay the groundwork for any gaps in his knowledge later on.

Selena did not answer immediately. She turned to look at Satotz.

The professional Hunter gave a slight nod, so subtle it was nearly imperceptible.

Only after receiving permission did Selena look back at Leo, though the hand gripping her knife remained in a guarded position.

"It's January 10, 1996."

As Selena spoke, her gaze swept over Leo's crude beast-hide clothing.

"Judging by your appearance, you seem to have had a hard time."

1996.

Leo calculated quickly. He vaguely remembered that Gon took the Hunter Exam in January 1999, which meant the story had not begun yet.

He wanted to learn more, but he could not appear too eager.

"Yeah, more or less."

Leo scratched his head awkwardly, making him look a little younger.

"I have some hunting experience, so I haven't starved to death."

Kaspar smiled kindly and stepped forward.

The young scholar was clearly intrigued by encountering a living person in this hidden realm.

"Hello, I'm Kaspar." He pointed to his companions. "She's Selena, and this is Mr. Satotz."

Satotz said nothing, merely nodding at Leo. His eyes beneath his purple hair watched him calmly, as though trying to see through appearances to his true nature.

Selena simply waved, considering that a greeting.

"Since you've lived here for half a year," Selena said, getting straight to the point.

"Can you tell us what is special about this hidden realm? Ruins, unusual areas, or... dangerous zones?"

Leo weighed his options quickly. Taking them directly to the palace was risky, but it was also an opportunity.

Satotz was a Ruins Hunter with an interest in ancient civilizations. If Leo could establish a cooperative relationship with them, perhaps he could use their strength to leave this hidden realm.

He could leave on his own eventually, but reaching level 25 to lift "Zetsu" would take another month or two. He had been trapped in this hidden realm for too long, and leaving early was exactly what he wanted.

For now, the most important thing was earning their trust.

"My name is Leo. Nice to meet you all."

Leo nodded to the three of them, his tone becoming warmer.

"No problem. I know this hidden realm well. There's a palace ruin at its center, and it's still fairly intact. I can take you there."

"Really?!" Kaspar brightened instantly, his eyes shining behind his glasses.

"That's wonderful! We'd appreciate it, Mr. Leo!"

Selena shot Kaspar a glare, clearly dissatisfied that her companion trusted a stranger so easily.

But she said nothing, only watching their surroundings with even greater vigilance.

"It's nothing. Follow me." Leo turned and took the lead toward the palace.

The four began making their way through the forest.

Leo led from the front, with Satotz close behind. Selena and Kaspar followed a little farther back, forming a loose formation.

After walking for a while, Leo felt this was a good chance to test them.

He slowed his pace and asked casually.

"By the way, how did you enter this hidden realm?"

"We used—" Kaspar began without thinking, only for Selena to cut him off midway.

"We used certain special methods to get in."

Selena spoke first, her tone calm but clearly guarded.

Kaspar realized he had nearly let something slip and awkwardly adjusted his glasses.

Although the Hunter Association did not forbid revealing the existence of Nen to ordinary people, Hunters generally did not explain it voluntarily, especially when the other party's identity was unknown.

Leo understood. As expected, they were still wary of him.

That was perfectly normal. If their positions were reversed, he would be just as cautious.

But Leo had no intention of dancing around the issue with them. Time was precious. He needed information as soon as possible, and he also needed to demonstrate his value.

Rather than suspecting each other, it was better to take the initiative and break the deadlock.

Leo stopped and turned to face the three of them. He wore a gentle smile, but his eyes were serious.

"You mean Nen, right?"

The air froze instantly.

Kaspar's eyes widened in shock. "You actually know about Nen?!"

"You idiot!" Selena slapped the back of Kaspar's head hard.

She immediately turned toward Leo, her right hand once again resting on her sword hilt as her gaze sharpened.

Even Satotz, who had remained silent all this time, narrowed his eyes slightly beneath his purple hair, revealing clear surprise.

He looked Leo over again, this time with much greater scrutiny, as though he had only now truly noticed the young man dressed in beast hides.

Leo met the gazes of all three without flinching.

"Rather than guarding against each other, we should be honest," he said slowly.

"What I said about my experience was mostly true. I really did accidentally fall into this hidden realm. I'm not a native, and I've lived here for over six months. But I didn't tell you every detail."

He paused, watching their reactions. Selena remained guarded, Kaspar was curious, and Satotz gave nothing away.

"I found something in the palace," Leo said, selectively revealing information.

"That was how I learned of Nen's existence. So I understand why you were cautious just now. Nen really shouldn't be revealed to ordinary people lightly."

He looked at Satotz, who was listening quietly without any intention of interrupting.

"I also know how you got in," Leo continued.

"The exit—or rather, the entrance—is in a cave at the end of the eastern forest. It needs Nen to activate it before it can be opened. That's why I've been trapped here for over half a year."

He spread his hands to show that he had no weapon and no hostile intent.

"For some reason, I can't use Nen for the time being."

Leo decided to offer more information in exchange for trust.

"So even though I know where the exit is, I have no way to leave."

"But if your goal is also to explore this hidden realm, perhaps we can cooperate. I know the terrain here, where it's safe, and where the dangers are. In exchange..."

He looked at Satotz. "When you leave, I hope you can take me with you."

The forest fell silent for several seconds.

Selena and Kaspar both looked toward Satotz, waiting for their team leader's decision.

Satotz remained silent. His purple eyes fixed on Leo, as though evaluating the truth of his words.

A moment later, Satotz spoke, his voice calm but carrying unquestionable authority.

"You said you found something in the palace and learned of Nen. What exactly was it?"

"A stone."

Leo answered with a mixture of truth and falsehood.

"It was dark gold. When I touched it, it merged into my body and gave me some information—about the origins of this hidden realm, the basic concepts of Nen, and this on the back of my hand."

He raised his right hand and displayed the dark red spiral tattoo. It stood out sharply beneath the dappled forest light.

Satotz's gaze fell upon the tattoo and lingered there for several seconds.

Leo could feel a professional scrutiny in his eyes. As a Ruins Hunter, Satotz had clearly seen many ancient relics and unusual things.

"Some kind of treasure from the ancient Cape Kingdom," Satotz said slowly. It was not a question, but a statement. "The Eternal Dimension... the legendary trial hidden realm."

Leo's heart jolted. Satotz really did know this place!

"Yes." He nodded.

"The hidden realm is called the Eternal Dimension. It was built 2,200 years ago. There's an altar in the palace, murals, and some... things I still haven't fully figured out."

Satotz fell silent for a moment before making a simple decision.

"Take us to the palace," he said. "If what you say is true, we can consider cooperating. But before that—"

He stepped forward.

It was an ordinary step, yet Leo instantly felt an invisible pressure.

It was not killing intent, but a pure and powerful sense of presence.

"I need to confirm your condition," Satotz said calmly. "You said you cannot use Nen. Is that true?"

Leo nodded. "I can neither sense nor use Nen at all."

"Hold out your hand," Satotz ordered.

Leo obediently extended his right hand. Satotz did not touch him. He merely held his palm around ten centimeters above the back of Leo's hand.

Several seconds later, he withdrew it.

"Zetsu. A forced Zetsu that has sealed your body."

There was a nearly imperceptible easing in Satotz's voice.

"It isn't an act."

That conclusion made Selena relax slightly.

If Leo truly could not use Nen, then his threat level was greatly reduced. No matter how strong his body was, there was a fundamental gap between him and a Nen user.

"Then the foundation for cooperation is in place."

Satotz said, "You will guide us through the hidden realm and provide information. When we leave, if circumstances permit, we can take you out."

"Thank you," Leo said sincerely.

Though Satotz had added the condition of "if circumstances permit," this was already the best promise Leo could receive at this stage.

"Let's go. The palace isn't far." He turned to lead the way again, his steps lighter this time.

The group continued onward.

The atmosphere had eased considerably, though the wariness remained—especially for Selena. She still maintained a combat-ready posture, but she was no longer prepared to draw her weapon at any moment.

Unable to restrain his curiosity, Kaspar moved closer to Leo and asked quietly.

"Mr. Leo, you said you've lived in this hidden realm for half a year... Are there any unusual creatures here? We saw very few animals on the way in."

Leo's heart stirred. This was an important question.

"There really aren't many," he chose to answer honestly, though he adjusted his wording slightly.

"There were quite a few when I first arrived, but over the past six months... maybe I hunted too often. It's hard to find large animals in some areas now."

He paused before adding.

"But I know a few relatively safe routes that avoid the territories of dangerous creatures. Once we reach the palace, I can draw you a simple map."

"That would be wonderful!" Kaspar said happily.

Satotz followed behind, listening to their conversation as his eyes beneath his purple hair flickered slightly.

Hunted too often?

Could an ordinary person without Nen really cause the creature population of an entire hidden realm to decrease noticeably within half a year?

This Leo... was probably not as simple as he appeared.

But Satotz did not expose him.

Everyone had their own secrets. As long as they did not affect the team's goal, he had no intention of prying.

A Ruins Hunter's primary task was exploration and documentation, not interrogation.

After another twenty minutes or so, the trees gradually thinned. Ahead, the outline of an ancient palace emerged among the forest.

"We're here."

Leo stopped and pointed at the structure.

"That is the core of the Eternal Dimension—the palace ruins of the Cape Kingdom."

Under the sunlight, the weathered stone structure stood silently, its partially collapsed dome telling of the passage of time.

Satotz raised his head, and for the first time, his eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses revealed obvious interest.

"The Cape Kingdom..." he murmured. "The legendary ancient civilization."

He looked at Leo. "We're going inside."

Leo nodded, though his mind was racing.

No matter what happened, he now had hope of leaving this hidden realm.

He led the three toward the palace entrance, its stone steps covered in moss.