Jack's arrival in HxH world - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Arrival

The first thing Jack noticed was the smell of saltwater. It was sharp, tangy, and carried with it the faint scent of fish and seaweed. He blinked, disoriented, as his vision adjusted to the bright sunlight reflecting off the waves. He was standing on a wooden dock, the planks creaking softly beneath his feet. The air was warm, and the sound of seagulls filled the sky. To his left, a small fishing village sprawled out, with quaint houses and bustling people. To his right, the endless expanse of the ocean stretched out, its surface shimmering like liquid glass.

“Where… am I?” Jack muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves. He looked down at himself, half-expecting to see something out of place, but he was wearing the same clothes he had on before… before what? He couldn’t remember. His last memory was of falling asleep in his apartment after a long day of work. And now… this.

As he stood there, trying to make sense of his surroundings, a sudden notification appeared in his vision, glowing faintly like a holographic screen.

—

Welcome to the World of Hunter x Hunter!

System Initializing…

HP: 50/50

AP: 1000/1000

Level: 1 (0/3)

Aura Control: 10%

Affinity: Specialization

—

Jack froze, his eyes widening as he read the words. “What the hell?” he whispered, reaching out to touch the screen. His hand passed through it as if it weren’t there, but the text remained, clear and unmoving.

Before he could process what was happening, another notification popped up.

—

Passive Skill: Gamer (Level Max)

Active Skills: Ten (Level 1), Zetsu (Level 1), Ren (Level 1)

—

“Gamer? Ten? Zetsu? Ren?” Jack repeated, his mind racing. He recognized those terms. They were from *Hunter x Hunter*, a manga and anime he’d read and watched countless times. But that was fiction. This… this couldn’t be real. Could it?

As if in response to his thoughts, another notification appeared.

—

You have 5 Free Stat Points to distribute.

Strength: 0

Agility: 0

Vitality: 0

Intelligence: 2

Senses: 0

—

Jack stared at the screen, his heart pounding. This was insane. It had to be a dream. But the smell of the ocean, the sound of the seagulls, the feel of the wooden dock beneath his feet—it all felt too real. He pinched himself, hard, and winced at the pain. Not a dream, then.

“Okay,” he said aloud, trying to steady his breathing. “Okay. If this is real… if I’m really in the world of *Hunter x Hunter*… then I need to figure out what’s going on.”

He glanced around, taking in his surroundings more carefully. The fishing village looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite place it. The people going about their business seemed ordinary enough, but something about the place nagged at him. Then it hit him.

“Whale Island,” he murmured. “This has to be Whale Island. Gon’s home.”

As if on cue, a loud cheer erupted from further down the dock. Jack turned toward the sound and saw a crowd gathering around a young boy with spiky black hair. The boy was holding up a massive fish, its scales glinting in the sunlight. The crowd was clapping and cheering, and Jack’s breath caught in his throat.

“Gon Freecss,” he whispered.

There was no mistaking it. The boy was Gon, the protagonist of *Hunter x Hunter*. Jack’s mind raced as he tried to recall the timeline. If Gon was here, and he’d just caught the Swamp King… that meant he was about to leave for the Hunter Exam. Which meant…

“I’m in the story,” Jack realized, his voice trembling with a mix of excitement and fear. “I’m actually in the story.”

Before he could approach Gon, another notification appeared in his vision.

—

Quest Alert: Speak to Gon Freecss

Objective: Introduce yourself to Gon and learn more about your situation.

Reward: 10 Points

—

Jack hesitated for a moment, then nodded. If this was real, then he needed to play along. He took a deep breath and made his way toward the crowd.

As he got closer, he could hear Gon’s voice, bright and cheerful. “Thanks, everyone! I couldn’t have done it without your support!”

The crowd laughed and clapped, and Jack felt a strange sense of awe. Gon was just as he’d imagined—energetic, kind, and full of life. But there was something else, too. A faint aura surrounded him, almost imperceptible, but there. Jack’s eyes widened as he realized he could see it. It was faint, like a shimmering haze, but it was definitely there.

“Is that… aura?” Jack muttered. He glanced at the others in the crowd, but none of them had it. Only Gon.

As the crowd began to disperse, Jack stepped forward. “Hey,” he called out, his voice slightly shaky. “Gon, right?”

Gon turned to him, his eyes bright and curious. “Yeah! Who are you?”

“I’m Jack,” he said, forcing a smile. “I just… arrived here. This is Whale Island, right?”

Gon nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! Welcome to Whale Island! Are you a traveler?”

“Something like that,” Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I heard you caught the Swamp King. That’s amazing.”

Gon grinned. “Thanks! It was a tough fight, but it was worth it. Aunt Mito said if I could catch it, she’d let me take the Hunter Exam!”

Jack’s heart skipped a beat. So it was true. Gon was about to leave for the Hunter Exam. Which meant the story was just beginning.

“That’s great,” Jack said, trying to sound casual. “I’ve heard about the Hunter Exam. It’s supposed to be really tough.”

Gon’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Yeah! But I’m ready for it. I’ve been training for years!”

Jack nodded, his mind racing. If he was going to survive in this world, he needed to get stronger. And if Gon was about to leave for the Hunter Exam… maybe he could go with him.

“Hey, Gon,” Jack said, trying to sound confident. “Do you think… I could come with you? To the Hunter Exam?”

Gon blinked, surprised. “You want to take the Hunter Exam too?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, nodding. “I mean, I don’t know much about it, but… I want to become a Hunter.”

Gon’s face lit up. “That’s awesome! We can go together! But… you’ll have to ask Aunt Mito first. She’s the one who decides.”

Jack nodded. “Right. Of course.”

As Gon led him toward the village, Jack couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. This was it. He was really in the world of *Hunter x Hunter*. And if he played his cards right, maybe he could survive—and even thrive.