Republic of Padokea, Dentora Region, Kukuroo Mountain—home of the Zoldyck Estate.
In a tranquil courtyard, an old man and a young boy sit across from each other.
Between them sits a chessboard, starkly divided into black and white.
The old man plays black; the young boy is white.
Nearby, a middle-aged man stands guard by the doorway, looking every bit the part of a butler. A maid approaches with freshly brewed coffee. A breeze drifts through, carrying the rustling of leaves and the aroma of coffee.
The young boy was fixated on the chessboard. After a long pause, his eyes suddenly brighten.
A white piece dropped onto the board. The old man glances down, his brow lifting slightly as the chessboard seems to come alive.
Phantom forms, one black and one white materialize on the board and transform into fierce miniature beasts, clashing upon the chessboard. At first, the struggle was even, but gradually, black gained the upper hand, poised to overwhelm white.
But unexpectedly, white seizes an opportunity of weakness, striking a powerful blow and turning the tide.
The black creature shatters, and the white one flickers briefly before fading. The chessboard returns to calm as the pieces automatically settle back into their container.
"Great-grandfather, I won."
The boy smiles, looking up at the old man. He's been waiting a long time for this moment.
The boy was a transmigrator. His name from his past life no longer matters. In this world, he is Ron—Ron Zoldyck.
This is a world known as Hunter x Hunter. The Zoldyck family, to which Ron belongs, is the foremost assassin family here. The family may be small, but each member wields immense power. The location of their manor is no secret, as no one dares challenge the Zoldycks.
Many have been drawn to the manor, some out of curiosity, others hoping to earn fame by taking down the family. Yet none have succeeded, and over time, the manor's entrance has become a strange sort of tourist attraction.
Currently, there are ten main family members: Maha, Zeno, Silva, Illumi, Milluki, Kikyo, Kalluto, Alluka (also known as Nanika), Killua—
And then there was Ron.
However, Ron's situation differs from that of Illumi and the others. Both he and Illumi refer to Maha as "great-grandfather," but Ron's grandfather was Zeno's younger brother, who passed away years ago. Ron's parents left him when he was still young, so he has been under Maha's guidance since childhood, living a secluded life within the Zoldyck Manor. Many of the butlers and even some family members are unaware of his existence.
Because of his past life, Ron understood how this world functions. It is no ordinary place; here, extraordinary beings possess powers known as Nen.
At nine years old, Ron has trained under Maha's guidance since he was very young. In terms of physical strength, he's already among the best of non-Nen users. However, Maha has not yet taught him Nen, instead setting a condition: Ron must first defeat him in a game of Chess.
Three years of playing Chess, and today, for the first time, Ron had won. This victory means he can now learn Nen—a moment he's long-awaited.
"Great-grandfather, will you teach me Nen now?"
Maha just nodded and rose. "Come with me."
"Yes, great-grandfather."
Soon, they enter a secret chamber.
The door closes, and a dim yellow light flickers.
"I know you've been waiting for this day a long time," Maha says.
"Yes, I have" Ron replies.
Maha looks at him seriously. "Nen is a form of energy, combining both physical and mental strength. Once you master it, you'll enter an entirely new level of power. But Nen is as dangerous as it is powerful."
He pauses. "Before learning Nen, a solid foundation is essential to ensure you can fully harness its power. You've now reached that point."
Ron understood what he meant. It's similar to how the Zoldyck family approached Killua or how Ging Freecss trained Gon. Neither was taught about Nen or even made aware of its existence until they reached a certain standard. Even Gon's encounter with Wing at the Sky Arena was not coincidental; it was arranged by the Hunter Association, specifically by Netero, who saw promise in Gon. (T/n Has Gin ever trained Gon? Other than Biksy and Wing I don't remember anyone else teaching him)
The Zoldyck family had a close relationship with Netero. These events were carefully arranged by both parties.
"The first step to learning Nen is opening the Nen pores," Maha explains.
In the next moment, Maha's eyes narrow, and a strong aura begins to emanate from him. Ron feels intense pressure building around him.
A sound reverberates through Ron as if something has been unlocked. He sensed energy pouring out from within, enveloping him in a warm, comforting aura. He looked down at his hands, astonished.
"So, this is what it feels like to open the Nen pores…"