Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a high-rise apartment in Yorknew City, spilling across the living room's hardwood floor. Outside, traffic filled the bustling metropolis, pedestrians crowded the streets, and the neon lights of the distant commercial district stirred awake. Compared with the desolate, deathly silence of Meteor City more than four years ago, it seemed like another world. Lin Ye stood before the windows and slowly settled out of his stance. His black training clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging to the sleek contours of muscles brimming with explosive power. In four years, the boy who had been eleven had grown into a sixteen-year-old. He was tall and lean, nearly 1.8 meters in height. The youthful awkwardness had faded from his features, leaving them increasingly composed and sharp, though deep in his eyes, an edge remained that time had never worn away. Throughout those four years, he had never stopped training. In the four years since leaving Meteor City, he had honed the foundations of Nen that Fei Lan had taught him to perfection. He had long since mastered the Four Major Principles—Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu—and the advanced techniques Shu, Ken, Ko, and Ryu had become second nature. Even in his sleep, Ten steadily covered his entire body without allowing the slightest trace of aura to escape. He had developed his Enhancement Type Nen to its utmost limits. Combined with Armament Haki, it allowed him to cover his entire body in Ryuo without a single gap, providing both internal and external defense while adding penetrating internal destruction to any attack. Even with an alloy steel plate ten centimeters thick, he could deliver a punch that left its surface untouched while Ryuo shattered it from within. His Observation Haki, too, had grown beyond recognition. At its greatest extent, his perception could reach a hundred kilometers in every direction, precisely detecting every trace of flowing aura and every creature's emotional fluctuations within that range. His predictive ability had also reached its peak: he could foresee an opponent's attack trajectory and next move eight seconds in advance, and even faintly sense their intent to attack. Combined with Kami-e: No-Mind, it allowed him to evade every line of fire the instant the bullets left their barrels, even if over a hundred sniper rifles had him in their sights at once. He had completely mastered the Six Powers. Flash Shave could carry him a hundred meters in 0.1 seconds, and even ten consecutive uses would not cause the slightest disruption to his aura expenditure; Sky Step allowed him to fly for hours at an altitude of ten thousand meters, freeing him entirely from the constraints of terrain; Diamond Body Iron Body could withstand a direct hit from an antitank rocket without a scratch; No-Mind Kami-e let him stroll leisurely through dense showers of Nen Bullets; Dragon Tempest's slashes could reach up to five hundred meters, enough to cleave a skyscraper in two; and Emperor Pistol delivered the ultimate single-point penetration, capable of piercing even a top-tier Enhancement Type Nen user's Ken with a single thrust. Meanwhile, the Conqueror's Haki that had been on the verge of awakening during the explosion four years earlier had gradually begun to take shape. When his emotions reached their limit, or his determination to protect others erupted, that invisible Willpower Pressure could burst forth in an instant, knocking out the weak-willed and suppressing the flow of their aura. But he still could not control it precisely. Every release affected his surroundings indiscriminately, so he would never use it unless he had no other choice. He had not spent those four years training in isolation. Yorknew City housed the world's largest underground trading market, a place where all sorts mingled and formidable figures lurked unnoticed. Relying on his solid strength, he had taken on some low-level bounty hunting jobs and captured wanted criminals. He had not only accumulated combat experience but also built up considerable wealth and learned how this world worked. At the same time, he had continued investigating the remaining accomplices in the betrayal of Fei Lan. Karen was dead, but he had not been the only traitor. Of the five members of Fei Lan's squad, two brothers had died in battle, Karen had betrayed them, and one other man had vanished without a trace after the ambush. His name was Morin. He had handled intelligence for the squad and had been the key figure who passed Fei Lan's route to Karen. Lin Ye had spent those four years following leads, but all he had discovered was that Morin had joined a transnational underground Mafia after the incident, and that this Mafia had extensive ties of cooperation with the Phantom Troupe. This was one of the main reasons he had resolved to take the Hunter Exam. Only by obtaining a Hunter License could he access the Hunter Association's intelligence network, discover Morin's whereabouts, uncover the links between the underground Mafia and the Phantom Troupe, and fully settle the debt owed to Fei Lan and the two uncles who had died so brutally. The other reason was Fei Lan's final wish. Fei Lan's greatest regret had been never becoming an official Hunter. He had spent his entire life as a bounty hunter, yet had never taken the Hunter Exam or obtained the license that symbolized a Hunter's status. Lin Ye intended to fulfill that wish for his master. "Big brother, breakfast is ready." A gentle female voice came from the dining room, interrupting Lin Ye's thoughts. He turned toward it, a warm smile immediately spreading across his face. Lina emerged from the kitchen carrying breakfast. At fourteen, she had shed her former timid, frail appearance and grown into a graceful young girl. Her features were gentle, yet held a barely perceptible sharpness. The fear that had once filled her eyes in Meteor City was gone, replaced by calm and resolve. During those four years, Lina had never stopped growing either. Together, she and Lin Ye had developed her Manipulation Type Nen Ability to its utmost limits. Her Nen Ability, Thousand Threads, allowed her to control her own hair. Once infused with aura, each strand could become tougher than steel wire and finer than spider silk. Besides attacking and defending, she could use it to eavesdrop, track targets, and lay traps. She could even sense every movement within several kilometers through the vibrations of her hair, making it a top-tier intelligence and support ability. Even facing an ordinary Nen user alone, Lina could now handle herself with ease. She was no longer the little girl who needed to hide behind Lin Ye, trembling in fear. "How long did you train today? Were you up before dawn again?" Lina set breakfast on the table and, seeing the sweat covering him, handed him a towel with a helpless look. "There are only three days left before registration for the Hunter Exam closes. You should get some rest. Don't wear yourself out before you even get there." Lin Ye took the towel, wiped the sweat from his face, and sat down at the dining table with a smile. "Don't worry. This much training won't wear me out." He picked up a sandwich, took a bite, and looked at Lina seriously. "Lina, are you really sure you want to stay here alone after I leave? Maybe I should take you with me after all?" This had been weighing on him lately. The Hunter Exam was extremely dangerous, with an exceptionally high death rate. He could not guarantee that he would be able to protect Lina at every moment during it. Yet he could not help worrying about leaving her alone in Yorknew City either. Lina sat across from him, took a sip of milk, and shook her head with a smile. "Big brother, don't worry. I've lived in Yorknew City for four years. I know it very well. And don't you trust my ability? Ordinary small fry can't even get near me." She paused, her gaze turning serious. "Besides, while you take the Hunter Exam, I can stay in Yorknew City and keep investigating Morin's whereabouts for you. I've already found a few leads lately. He might show up at an underground auction in Yorknew City soon. You go take the exam, and I'll keep watch here. Once you come back with your Hunter License, we can find him together." Looking at the resolve in Lina's eyes, Lin Ye felt a rush of warmth, tinged with guilt. For four years, Lina had stayed by his side, helping him organize intelligence, taking care of their daily life, and quietly supporting every decision he made. When he went on bounty hunting jobs, she used Thousand Threads to locate his targets and warn him of danger, helping him out of peril countless times. He had long since stopped being alone. "All right." In the end, Lin Ye nodded and reached out to ruffle Lina's hair. "Then make sure you stay safe after I leave. If you run into any danger, message me immediately. Don't try to tough it out. And if anything happens with Morin, don't act on your own. Wait for me to come back." "I know. You've told me eight hundred times already." Lina smiled and stuck out her tongue, then took a tiny communicator from her pocket and placed it on the table. "Take this. I modified it myself. You can contact me even somewhere without a signal. There's also a tracker I made inside, so I'll be able to find you no matter where you are." Lin Ye picked up the communicator. It was only the size of a fingernail, its interior filled with sensing devices Lina had made from strands of her hair. He carefully put it away close to his body, just as he had once kept Fei Lan's Revolver close. After breakfast, Lin Ye packed his things. A simple backpack held a change of clothes, first-aid supplies, Fei Lan's Revolver, and the various emergency tools Lina had prepared for him. There was nothing unnecessary. Traveling light, he had enough to handle any unexpected situation. The night before his departure, Lina prepared a table full of his favorite dishes, just as she had always prepared piping-hot meals after his training in the little courtyard in Meteor City. Throughout dinner, she kept adding food to his plate and reminding him to stay safe, not to act recklessly, and not to put himself in danger to help others. Lin Ye agreed to each reminder. Looking at the girl before him, he silently swore to himself. This time, I'll come back safely. I'll become stronger—strong enough to protect the people beside me forever, so my master's tragedy never happens again. Early the next morning, before dawn, Lin Ye shouldered his backpack and left the apartment. Lina stood by the window, watching his figure disappear into the morning light. She clenched her fists and silently said to herself, Big brother, please come back safely. Standing on a street in Yorknew City, Lin Ye glanced back at the high-rise apartment building, then turned and looked into the distance with determination. The Hunter Exam venue was on Dole Island. He would first take a train to the port city of Dabo City, then board a ship bound for Dole Island. The journey was destined to be anything but peaceful. What he did not know was that this Hunter Exam would not only bring him face-to-face with those destined to become his lifelong companions, but also with that mad Magician who lived for battle. More than that, it would bring him into direct contact for the first time with the organization he was destined to remain entangled with for the rest of his life—the Phantom Troupe. In the morning light, Lin Ye's figure joined the stream of people heading toward the train station. His Hunter Exam had officially begun.
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