Chapter Summaries

Baishi woke up in the Hunter Exam after being struck by a truck, retaining his memories but inhabiting a younger body. After Illumi’s Nen pressure triggered his talisman wheel, it copied Illumi’s Needle-Person Control ability, leaving Baishi facing a dangerous new power.

• Baishi recognized Gon, Kurapika, Killua, Hisoka, and Illumi among the Hunter Exam candidates and realized he had traveled to another world in a younger body.
• Baishi recalled buying the Twelve Talismans and their wheel at a comic convention before a truck hit him.
• Baishi collided with Illumi, apologized, and watched him walk away toward Killua.
• The talisman wheel activated under Illumi’s Nen pressure and selected his Manipulation-type ability for copying.
• Baishi’s wheel generated the purple Needle-Person Control talisman, which could grant absolute control through specialized Nen needles.

Baishi’s Talisman Wheel loaded a set of restrictions and began forcibly awakening his Nen after slotting the Needle-Person Control Talisman. He hid in a forest to contain the surge of life energy and tried to recall how to control it.

• Baishi watched the Talisman Wheel copy Needle-Person Control and load restrictions, including a mandatory quest to recover lost Talismans.
• The Wheel’s rules restored Baishi’s youth to age eighteen, set his attributes to standard values, and required weighted missions for future copying attempts.
• When the Talisman was slotted, Baishi saw a thirty-second countdown to a forced Nen awakening and ran into a nearby forest for cover.
• Black-purple aura burst through Baishi’s aura nodes, causing his life energy to pour out and drawing the attention of the other examinees.
• Baishi calmed himself and tried to remember the Nen principles, deciding to use Ten to control his life energy by joining his will with it.

Baishi learned to maintain Ten and discovered that conjuring the Talisman Wheel activated its Advent Emulation Talisman. He examined the wheel and wondered whether its spare sockets could also activate Talismans.

• Baishi concentrated his life energy into a rough layer of controllable Aura and realized he had learned Ten.
• Baishi considered keeping Ten active during the Hunter Exam, despite how conspicuous it would make him to Nen users like Hisoka.
• Baishi wondered whether he could conjure the Talisman Wheel as a Conjuration Nen Ability and willed it to appear in his hand.
• Baishi conjured the stone wheel, causing the remaining Aura around him to turn black and purple as Illumi's beginner-level memories of Needle-Person Control entered his mind.
• Baishi inspected the wheel's open and sealed sockets and wondered whether placing a Talisman in a spare socket would make it work.

Baishi tested how the Talisman Wheel stored and switched Talismans, then explored the wheel’s conjuration limits and how aura could keep it away from his body. He projected his status panel and discovered his Aura attribute had a range of 5–100.

• Baishi removed the copied [Needle-Person Control] Talisman from the front socket and found he had to reactivate it with aura before he could remove it from a spare socket.
• Baishi repeatedly conjured and dismissed the Talisman Wheel, then confirmed it could grow or shrink at the cost of aura but returned to normal and vanished when it left his body.
• Baishi wrapped the wheel in black-purple aura and stretched it away from himself, confirming the aura temporarily prevented it from vanishing.
• Baishi projected information about [Needle-Person Control] and his own status, then reacted with surprise to his [Aura] range of 5–100.

Baishi tested the Needle-Person Control Talisman by trying to manipulate a tree with a Nen-wrapped twig, then discovered that the attempt still increased the talisman’s proficiency. He drew the blade from his sword cane and considered strengthening it with Nen aura.

• Baishi concluded that the large gap between physique, spirit, and aura might be making Nen aura difficult to control, though he could not determine how the panel calculated its figures.
• Baishi shrank the wheel to a palm-sized form and prepared to test the Needle-Person Control Talisman, which required a Nen-bearing medium and a target.
• Baishi wrapped a twig in Nen aura and threw it into a tree, but the manipulation had no effect because the tree was inanimate.
• Baishi saw that the failed attempt increased the Needle-Person Control Talisman’s proficiency and wondered whether performing related actions caused the gain.
• Baishi drew the blade from his sword cane and considered wrapping it in Nen aura to improve its penetrating power.

Baishi tested [Shu] and learned how to raise [Needle-Person Control] proficiency by presetting trigger conditions, which unexpectedly strengthened his Essence and body. After inspecting the Talisman Wheel’s quest to recover the lost Talismans, he discovered that the wheel could give him vague directional impressions to help locate them.

• Baishi wrapped his cane sword in [Shu] and found that presetting trigger conditions while thrusting let him increase [Needle-Person Control] proficiency.
• Baishi’s proficiency increase activated [Essence +1], restoring his stamina and noticeably strengthening his body.
• Baishi checked the Talisman Wheel and saw that its mandatory quest required him to recover the lost Talismans for a chance to transmigrate.
• Baishi wondered how to find the Talismans, then asked the wheel for a hint and received vague directions in his consciousness.

Baishi tested the Talisman Wheel’s ability to sense other Talismans, then hurried to the Hunter Exam’s second-stage gathering point and assessed the Nen users there. He noticed Leorio injured beside Gon and Kurapika and went over with a thought about Weighting.

• Baishi found that the Talisman Wheel intermittently gave him a crude radar-like sensation and decided to search for the Talismans in this world.
• Baishi learned the second stage of the Hunter Exam was about to begin, steadied his Aura with a Binding Vow method, and headed for the warehouse.
• Baishi joined the examinees while disguising his strength as a beginner Nen user and noticed Illumi and Hisoka watching him.
• Hisoka grew interested in Baishi, who had apparently awakened and learned Ten quickly.
• Baishi heard Gon checking on the bruised Leorio, saw him with Kurapika, and approached with Weighting on his mind.

Baishi used Kurapika’s questions about Hisoka to test a newly triggered weighting task, then presented himself as an information broker. He explained why Hisoka had spared the group and left Kurapika asking how they could deal with being marked as prey.

• Kurapika checked Leorio’s injuries while Baishi helped Kurapika regain his balance after he stumbled.
• Baishi asked about Hisoka, triggering a temporary task to answer Kurapika’s requests for information three times.
• Baishi introduced himself as an information broker and offered the group three free pieces of information.
• Kurapika asked why Hisoka had spared them, and Baishi said Hisoka viewed them as promising prey he wanted to nurture for later fights.
• Kurapika asked whether there was a way to deal with Hisoka’s interest.

Baishi explained that Hisoka’s strength came from mastering Nen and demonstrated how Aura was invisible to ordinary people. Kurapika asked how to become a Nen user, but Baishi left the question unanswered as he showed the group the power of Aura.

• Baishi told Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon that they could avoid Hisoka or become strong enough to face him, then Gon asked why Hisoka was so powerful.
• Baishi revealed that Hisoka was a veteran Nen user, and Kurapika urgently asked how he could learn Nen to avenge his clan.
• Baishi explained to Gon that Nen users could vastly outmatch ordinary people and introduced Ten as one of Nen’s basic techniques.
• Baishi demonstrated invisible Aura around his finger; Gon sensed something there, but Leorio and Kurapika could not see it.
• Baishi said they would see Aura after opening their Aura Nodes, then wrapped Aura around his cane and bored a smooth hole into the hard ground.

Baishi explained Ten and Nen to Gon, then used his analysis ability to inspect Gon’s talents and learned that world rules limited his power. After Gon gave him a hair in exchange for information, Killua reunited with Gon, and Baishi offered Kurapika a chance to ask about Nen.

• Baishi explained that Ten kept aura from leaking and strengthened a Nen user’s body, helping Gon understand why Hisoka was so strong.
• Completing the weighting task gave Baishi one blue Advent Emulation use, and he analyzed Gon’s talents while touching his head.
• Baishi discovered that Gon had several exceptional talents, but the world’s restrictions prevented him from analyzing Gon’s purple-grade Enhancement Vessel.
• Baishi asked Gon for a hair in exchange for information, and Gon handed one over despite Leorio and Killua’s attempts to stop him.
• Killua reunited with Gon and apologized for what had happened in the wetlands, while Gon reassured him and praised Baishi as an information broker.
• Baishi refused to answer Killua’s question about Nen and asked Kurapika whether he wanted to use his free question to learn about it, prompting Leorio to protest.

Baishi explained ways to awaken Nen and offered to assess Kurapika’s aptitude, while secretly collecting another of his hairs. Kurapika learned that his aptitude was extremely high and asked Baishi to take him as a disciple.

• Leorio apologized to Baishi, and Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua introduced themselves.
• Kurapika chose to use his final free question to ask how to learn Nen.
• Baishi explained that Nen could be awakened naturally or through training, and offered to test Kurapika’s aptitude.
• Baishi analyzed Kurapika and found several talents, including Scarlet Eyes, which he could not analyze.
• Baishi told Kurapika that his Nen aptitude was extremely high, and Kurapika asked to become his disciple.

Baishi refused to train Kurapika in Nen, instead explaining that passing the Hunter Exam could lead to safe instruction or even forced awakening by experienced Hunters. After earning a purple Advent Emulation reward, Baishi analyzed Leorio and collected a strand of his hair as the exam’s entrance opened.

• Kurapika asked Baishi to become his master, but Baishi warned that he lacked the experience to teach Nen safely and explained the danger of forced awakening.
• Baishi told Gon and Kurapika that passing the Hunter Exam could earn them instruction from veteran Hunters, and the group agreed to keep the hidden benefit secret.
• Baishi completed his task of answering Kurapika’s requests and received a purple Advent Emulation reward.
• Baishi analyzed Leorio, discovered his purple Unhewn Core talent, and chose not to emulate it.
• Baishi used Aura-covered fingernails to cut several strands of Leorio’s hair as the entrance door opened.

The second phase of the Hunter Exam began with Menchi and Buhara announcing a cooking test, starting with whole roast pig. Baishi followed the examinees into the forest at an unhurried pace, while Menchi and Buhara discussed the test and argued at the warehouse.

• Baishi watched as Menchi and Buhara introduced themselves as the joint examiners for the cooking test.
• Menchi explained that examinees had to satisfy the examiners in both halves of the test, and Buhara announced whole roast pig as the first challenge.
• The examinees rushed into the forest to hunt pigs, while Baishi followed the main group at a leisurely pace.
• Menchi took Baishi's slow departure as arrogance, but Buhara suggested he might simply walk slowly.
• Menchi and Buhara noted that only one kind of pig lived in the forest, and Menchi struck Buhara after he began to ask whether she had premature menopause.

Baishi used Advent Emulation to turn Gon’s [Dynamic Copy] talent into a Talisman, but the process consumed a large amount of his Nen Aura. The Talisman Wheel revealed the conditions for evolving, leaving Baishi to recover his aura and raise another Talisman’s mastery.

• Baishi traveled deeper into Viscon Forest Park, avoided the other examinees, and watched a group of Great Stamps pass.
• Baishi used Gon’s hair to emulate the [Dynamic Copy] talent and began forming a blue Talisman.
• The Talisman Wheel extracted Baishi’s Nen Aura, forcing it through his aura pathways and widening them as the Talisman solidified.
• Baishi realized the process had consumed over a third of his potential aura, so he put away Kurapika’s and the remaining hair and decided to wait for recovery.
• The Talisman Wheel displayed its evolution restrictions: Baishi needed one talent Talisman and one Nen Ability Talisman, plus proficient mastery of two Talismans.

Baishi socketed the [Dynamic Simulation] Talisman and tested its ability by studying and imitating the Great Stamps’ movements. His practice raised its proficiency to proficient level, fulfilling both evolution conditions and starting the Talisman Wheel’s evolution and unsealing.

• Baishi removed [Needle-Person Control] and socketed [Dynamic Simulation], discovering that the talent Talisman steadily consumed Nen Aura while enhancing his perception and thought.
• Baishi observed six Great Stamps and realized that the apparent slow motion came from faster mental analysis of their movements, not improved physical vision alone.
• Baishi imitated the Great Stamps’ running techniques, adapting their charging movements to his own body and increasing the Talisman’s proficiency.
• [Dynamic Simulation] reached proficient level, fulfilled both evolution conditions, and triggered the Talisman Wheel’s evolution and unsealing.

Baishi completed the Talisman Wheel’s evolution into black iron, gaining two newly unsealed slots and improved functions. After installing Needle-Person Control, he found his Nen Aura control had improved and began training Zetsu to recover his Aura.

• Baishi’s Talisman Wheel shattered, then reappeared in his consciousness as a black iron wheel with two unsealed slots and a new evolution restriction.
• Baishi activated Dynamic Simulation and placed Needle-Person Control in the wheel’s one o’clock slot, boosting his Nen Aura.
• Baishi tested the wheel and found it still appeared and vanished at will, while its size-changing functions used half as much Nen Aura.
• Baishi formed numbers from Nen Aura and found his control had become more precise, especially with Needle-Person Control active.
• Baishi reviewed how Zetsu stopped Aura loss and began sensing his Aura’s circulation as he prepared to train the technique.

Baishi improved his perception of Aura Nodes and practiced [Zetsu], discovering that the Talisman Wheel vanished when he shut off his Aura. He used [Zetsu] to approach a Great Stamp, implanted a manipulation command with a Nen-coated twig, and rode it into the forest, where he discovered a key limitation of [Needle-Person Control].

• Baishi perceived the Aura Nodes and channels throughout his body and gradually closed most of the Nodes to practice [Zetsu].
• Baishi realized that the Talisman Wheel had vanished when he entered [Zetsu] and decided not to set restrictions to keep conjured objects in place.
• Baishi returned to the Great Stamp herd while maintaining [Zetsu], then used a Nen-coated twig to pierce a Great Stamp's forehead and trigger a manipulation command.
• Baishi rode the controlled Great Stamp toward the warehouse, directing it into the forest as it crashed into trees and forced him to replace the twig.
• Baishi discovered that [Needle-Person Control] required him to implant a clear command before controlling a target.

Baishi tested the limits of his Nen commands, killed and prepared the Great Stamp, then joined Gon and the others to roast it. He teased them about trading for information and left Killua stunned by revealing he knew about Killua’s tendency to flee from danger.

• Baishi experimented with commands implanted in the Great Stamp and concluded that his manipulation could not control it in real time.
• When the Nen commands ran out, Baishi killed the Great Stamp, drained its blood, and prepared its meat.
• Baishi reached the warehouse clearing, where Gon and the others had saved him a grill, and began roasting the pig with them.
• Baishi told Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio that further information would require a trade or a special condition.
• After Killua questioned whether Baishi knew everything, Baishi asked why Killua always ran away when he faced danger, leaving Killua shocked.

Baishi analyzed Killua and discovered that he possessed the gold-grade Pure Asura Heart talent, while Killua pressed him for answers about Nen. Baishi withheld the explanation and warned Killua to speak with him privately, leaving Killua to suspect a dangerous enemy was among the exam candidates.

• Killua grabbed Baishi and demanded to know whether his urgent predicament was related to Nen.
• Baishi’s task system triggered a weighting task and analyzed Killua, revealing his talents and a gold-grade Pure Asura Heart that the available emulation attempt could not access.
• Baishi considered using his purple Advent Emulation attempt on Killua’s talents but decided to save it for a more valuable opportunity.
• Baishi whispered that Killua should meet him alone because discussing the matter openly could get them killed.
• Killua returned to grilling and wondered whether Baishi’s warning pointed to an enemy among the examinees who triggered his instinctive fear.

Baishi passed Buhara’s roast-pig test and, while caught in the crowd of examinees presenting their dishes, analyzed Buhara’s Nen ability and unusual digestive talents. The chapter ended with Baishi considering whether to use an Advent Emulation Talisman to copy Buhara’s ability.

• Killua searched the examinees for the person Baishi had warned him about, wondering whether Nen could conceal someone’s presence.
• Baishi led Gon and the others to present their whole roast pigs after realizing the examinees were waiting to see how Buhara judged the food.
• Buhara devoured Baishi’s roast pig and declared it delicious, passing Baishi.
• The examinees surged forward to present their dishes, and Buhara continued eating and passing them as the crowd squeezed Baishi and Gon’s group.
• Baishi analyzed Buhara and discovered his extraordinary appetite, food-analysis talent, life-storage potential, and Metabolism Paradise Nen ability.
• Baishi’s analysis display offered him one purple Advent Emulation use and asked whether he wanted to use an Advent Emulation Talisman.