As always, Jon stared out the window, quietly admiring the passing scenery. His fingers danced in a cup of water on the seat tray—practicing Ripple. Even while resting, he kept training.
A man with a mature face and fake friendliness approached.
"What a coincidence, young man!"
Jon turned his head slightly, glancing at the man with polite confusion.Who?He didn't recognize this guy at all.
After all, Jon was still young. Whether in his past life—where he'd just graduated and hadn't fully stepped into society—or in this one, where he was only twelve, he couldn't hide his thoughts well. His expression practically said Who the hell are you?
That look irritated the man instantly.This little brat... acting like he's better than me? Selling his body in the exam, and now he's playing innocent?
Of course, Jon wasn't looking down on him—he genuinely had no idea who this guy was. The Hunter Exam had hundreds of participants. Who remembers a nobody who got eliminated early?
Still, the man kept up a professional facade, his anger buried under a fake smile.
"I've got some snacks. Want some?" he said, grinning like a goldfish trying to lure in a guppy.
Jon raised an eyebrow, eyeing the man warily.
Wait... is he trying to Kidnap me? I am not going to your ice cream truck bro!
The disgusted expression on Jon's face nearly made the man snap. This damn brat! What's with that look?!
But the man kept smiling. He wasn't giving up.
Jon, feeling guilty for judging based on looks again, hesitated. The snack did smell good...
Just to be safe, he summoned [Atum].
"Is this bread safe?" he asked mentally.
[Atum] gave him a firm nod.
"Alright." Jon took a cautious bite. Seems like there are still decent people in this world after all.
"We have a vacant shop nearby," the man said casually. "Wanna come hang out?"
Jon's eyes sharpened instantly.There it is.That tone, those words... way too familiar.
"May I ask your esteemed name, sir?" Jon asked, smiling politely.
The man's tone suddenly shifted. "You'd better come quietly, brat."A cold, metallic pressure jabbed Jon's abdomen.
A gun.
Without flinching, Jon dissolved his body into threads with Stone Free, and summoned King Crimson, ready to erase time the moment things got messy.
"Don't make a scene," the man whispered. "Walk."
Jon complied.
He could take this guy out in seconds, but the man said we. If there were others, taking him out now could alert the rest. Better to draw them all out first.
The man led Jon to a sleeper car, where two bulky thugs stood with baseball bats. They leered as Jon entered.
"You trash," Jon muttered coldly. "I haven't even cross-dressed, and you're already drooling over me?"
"Relax," said an older bald man, stubble covering his face. "We're not into that. We just want your Hunter License."
Jon blinked.Wait. What? How do they know I passed the exam?
He mentally ran through the list of finalists. He remembered every face from the last round—these guys weren't among them.
Did someone sell my info? No... if they knew I had powers, they wouldn't be dumb enough to use guns.
So they were bluffing.
"Hand over the license, kid," growled one of the goons. "Or things get rough."
Jon's voice was flat. "Who told you I passed?"
"Hah! So we guessed right!" one shouted triumphantly.
"Boss is a genius!" another cheered.
"With that license, we'll live easy for half our lives!"
Jon's expression darkened.
These idiots. They guessed. And I fell for it.
Fury boiled inside him. He summoned King Crimson—then instantly canceled it. No, too flashy. Instead, he brought out Stone Free and strode forward silently.
"Don't move! I'll shoot!" one thug screamed.
The other lifted his bat and grinned at Jon like he'd won the lottery.
Jon's face twitched.
A fake gun?
Thanks to Epitaph, he'd already seen it—just a toy that shot BB pellets.
Although the security of this world is not as strict as that of America in his previous life, these bums who have no money, no power, and no strength can't hide from the Train security personnel.
I got kidnapped by a guy holding a toy gun. I'm so stupid.
With quiet shame and rising annoyance, Jon muttered, "I'm such an idiot."
Then he exploded into motion.
Stone Free blocked the incoming bat with one hand and drove the other into the man's gut—one down. A BB pellet harmlessly bounced off Jon's shoulder.
The remaining two thugs rushed him.
Two minutes later, the bald man was clinging to Jon's leg, sobbing.
"Please! Stop! You'll kill me!"
Jon kicked him away with a sigh. "Fine. I won't kill you."
His fists didn't stop.
Luckily, Ripple healing could fix most damage. A kind person like me wouldn't kill. He nodded to himself.
The thugs, of course, had no clue Jon was practicing his healing techniques on them while pummeling their faces.
Five minutes later, Jon sat cross-legged while the three knelt in a row, their faces swollen like overripe fruit.
"Joseph-sama," one of them whimpered (Jon's fake name), "please take all our money..."
Jon's eyes landed on the bald man's jacket.
"This is... for our return trip," he said tearfully.
Jon stared at him.
"Hmmm♦."
The man gritted his teeth and produced a wad of cash from a hidden pocket.
Jon initially refused. But they cried. And cried. Threatened to die if he didn't accept. So, reluctantly, he took the money.
His budget had suddenly improved.
Two days later.
Jon stepped off the train, waving at the three bruised and broken men in the distance. As soon as he was gone, they collapsed into each other's arms, weeping.
"He's finally gone... that demon..."
"I'm never taking the Hunter Exam again."
"I'm going home to farm. The Hunter Life isn't for me."
Jon, of course, remained blissfully unaware of the mental trauma he'd left behind.
He was too busy strolling through the city, full of excitement.
The Heavens Arena towered over everything—the tallest building in the city, visible from miles away. At its base, a massive market bustled with life. Shops crammed every corner, vendors hawked strange goods, tourists jostled shoulder to shoulder.
Jon explored the stalls with curiosity. This world's unique culture offered foods, weapons, and trinkets he'd never seen in his past life.
By the time the sun set, he found himself standing before the Heavens Arena's entrance.
Jon smiled, heart pounding.
He pushed open the towering doors.
"Hunter World… Jon has arrived!"