On the plain west of the forest, the setting sun turned the grass golden.
Seven or eight Red-Haired Armored Boars grazed at ease. Each was the size of a young cow, covered in tough, dark-red fur, with bony plates jutting from its back that could fend off ordinary attacks.
The creatures were wary. As they ate, they took turns raising their heads to scan their surroundings.
Leo hid behind a bush downwind and waited patiently.
About twenty minutes later, a younger boar strayed from the herd toward a berry bush at the edge of the plain.
There's my chance.
Leo approached as silently as a shadow. His level-23 physique let him move almost perfectly unseen—his steps as light as falling leaves, his breathing barely audible.
Five meters. Two...
The boar seemed to sense something. It stopped eating and raised its head.
Leo moved that instant.
He used no weapon and made no wasted movements.
He sprang like a leopard, driving his left fist into the weak spot behind the boar's ear. He judged the force perfectly—enough to stun it without shattering its skull and ruining the meat.
The boar gave a muffled grunt and collapsed.
Leo followed with a knife-hand strike that shattered its neck vertebrae. The whole thing took less than three seconds. Clean and efficient.
[Life Energy +13] [Level: 23 (18.4%)]
Not bad. Leo hoisted the roughly two-hundred-pound carcass onto his shoulder as easily as a sack of cotton.
He turned back toward the palace, his stride steady.
On the way, he thought about the future.
According to Selena, it was January 1996.
The Hunter Exam storyline would begin in 1999. He had three years, and he needed to make full use of them.
First, escaping his Zetsu state was urgent.
He was two levels short of level 25. At his current rate, it would take about another month.
But what then? What should he do after leaving the hidden realm?
Leo thought of the Chimera Ant Incident in NGL, the disaster that would occur around May 2000.
The Ant King and his Royal Guards were terrifyingly powerful, but ordinary Soldier Ants and Squadron Leader-level ants would make excellent prey.
Hunting them would yield enormous amounts of life energy. It was his chance to grow stronger fast.
At his current strength, though, even a Squadron Leader would be a struggle, let alone a Royal Guard or the Ant King. He had to improve quickly.
Learning Nen Abilities was the key.
He knew Nen's basic theory from the manga—the Four Major Principles, the six categories, Vows and Limitations—but figuring it out alone could never compare to having a teacher.
His lack of combat experience was another critical weakness.
Heaven's Arena seemed like a good choice.
He could earn Jenny to support himself and gain experience fighting Nen users.
Once he reached the hundredth floor, he could even get a private room and time to train.
But that could wait. For now, he needed to build a good relationship with Satotz and his team.
An archaeological Hunter's connections and resources would help him in the future.
As his thoughts wandered, the palace came into view.
Leo stopped in the open ground below it and began dressing his kill.
Six months in the wild had made him adept. He drained the blood, skinned the boar, removed its organs, and cut up the meat in one fluid sequence.
He took care to keep the hide intact. Once treated, a Red-Haired Armored Boar's hide could make excellent leather armor.
Then he lit a campfire, set up a spit, and began roasting large cuts of pork.
From his pack, he took several small leather pouches containing natural seasonings he had found in the hidden realm: powder ground from a dried, pepper-like berry, salty mineral crystals, and several herbs.
Flames licked the meat. Fat dripped and sizzled, and the tempting scent of spices gradually filled the air.
As dusk fell, Selena and Kaspar emerged from the palace.
"That smells amazing!" Kaspar's eyes lit up as he hurried over. "That boar's huge. Thanks for the effort!"
Selena sniffed, a flicker of appreciation in her eyes. "Well, I didn't know you could cook."
Leo turned the meat on the spit and smiled. "It's nothing. Some plants here work as seasonings. I found them by chance. The meat's just done, so come eat."
"Don't mind if we do!" Kaspar sat down at once, plainly unable to wait.
Selena shook her head at her companion's embarrassing behavior and sat down too.
She looked casual, but she had chosen a spot that let her watch both Leo and their surroundings.
"Where's Mr. Satotz?" Leo asked, cutting off a large piece of golden-brown meat for Kaspar.
"Oh, he's still busy." Selena accepted another piece from Leo.
"He'll come down in a bit. Once he starts working, he gets very serious. He won't rest until he's finished what he's doing."
Kaspar nodded around a mouthful. "Mm-hmm, don't worry. He'll be down soon. This is delicious! Crispy outside, juicy and tender inside..."
As he spoke, Satotz appeared on the palace steps.
He still wore his suit, but he had taken off his white gloves. His purple hair looked softer in the firelight.
Leo stood. "Mr. Satotz, thanks for the effort. I saved the best cut for you."
He pointed to a large piece of tenderloin near the center of the fire, roasted just right.
Satotz looked at Leo's warm welcome. The corners of his eyes lifted in an almost imperceptible smile. "Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Leo."
He descended the steps and accepted the wooden plate and roast meat Leo offered. With the other three gathered around the fire, Satotz sat down as well.
"About this visit to the hidden realm," Satotz said, cutting off a small piece of meat with elegant precision.
"We expect to stay around ten days for an initial survey. Will that be a problem?"
"Not at all," Leo replied warmly. "I've been here more than six months. Another ten days won't matter. I'll wait until you've finished."
Satotz nodded and began to eat.
His table manners were impeccable, a stark contrast to Leo in his animal skins, eating with his hands. Yet he didn't seem superior. Somehow, the contrast felt harmonious.
The fire crackled and the smell of roasted meat filled the air. The four ate and talked, and the mood gradually relaxed.
Kaspar volunteered amusing stories from his archaeological work—being chased through one ruin by ancient traps, and finding a stone tablet at another site that recorded a ridiculous legend.
He spoke vividly, waving his hands as he went, and Leo couldn't help smiling.
Leo shared a few stories of daily life in the hidden realm: how he had found the seasoning plants, evaded a dangerous creature tracking him, and discovered shelter during a downpour.
He deliberately left out the details of his hunts and his growing strength, speaking only of survival skills.
Selena told Leo some basic facts about the outside world, since he had told her he had lost his memory.
She named several major continents, outlined the current international situation, and mentioned the Hunter Association, though she did not explain a Hunter's work in depth.
Her explanation was concise and practical, clearly focused on what Leo would need to know after leaving the hidden realm.
Satotz listened quietly most of the time. Now and then, when Kaspar exaggerated too much, he calmly corrected a detail or two, or supplied a key fact Selena had overlooked.
He spoke little, but every word was precise.
Leo took the opportunity to ask, as casually as he could, about the date, the level of technology, and the currency system outside.
That information was crucial to planning his future.
During the conversation, Leo also said he hoped to find a way to study combat techniques systematically once he left.
It laid the groundwork for a future trip to Heaven's Arena without revealing that he knew more about Nen Abilities than he should.
Dinner lasted over an hour.
By the time the last piece of meat was gone, the fire had begun to die down.
"I'll take the first watch tonight." Selena stood and brushed crumbs from her hands.
"Kaspar, relieve me in two hours. Mr. Satotz needs a full night's rest."
"Got it." Kaspar nodded.
Satotz turned to Leo. "Mr. Leo, keep to your usual routine. But I suggest sleeping inside the palace. The forest isn't safe at night."
"All right. Thanks for the warning," Leo said.
He had intended to return to the palace anyway. After all, it had been his "home" for the past six months.
The four quickly cleared away the plates and food scraps.
Satotz and Kaspar went back into the palace to continue organizing the day's data. Selena leaped onto a nearby boulder and began her watch.
Leo lay on the "bed" he had made from dry grass and animal skins. Listening to Selena's faint breathing outside, he turned things over in his mind.
Ten days. Satotz's team will be here for ten days.
I have to make those days count.
I need to help with their survey and earn their trust, while keeping up my hunts and gaining levels.
Then I'll leave the hidden realm with them and enter that vast, dangerous world.
The world of Hunters.
Leo closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.
Before you continue