"Only 8 months left…"
In a large room dimly lit by the silvery rays of the moon, a young boy murmured, eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of him.
"What a terrible situation."
He closed the laptop, then let out a long sigh. Slowly rising, he walked to the window, trying to clear his foggy mind with a breath of fresh air.
Bathed in moonlight, he could fully observe his plump body. He was dressed in overly tight dress pants, a shirt, and suspenders—clothing that only emphasized his chubby frame.
This wasn't his body.
In truth, he was a young man in his early twenties, but for the past few hours, he had been occupying this body—the body of a well-groomed 11-year-old boy who could only be described as fat for his age.
"What a terrible situation."
Repeating his complaint once more, he returned to the desk and reopened the computer, hoping the information on the screen might have changed. But no miracle had occurred: the bold words "Hunter Exam 287th Edition" still glared back at him.
The situation truly was bad. He clearly understood what those words meant—they came from an unfinished manga where death could strike at any moment, for any reason.
Whether in battle, devoured by ants, or targeted for assassination… there were countless ways to die in that world.
"On top of that, it seems like whoever sent me here didn't exactly have good intentions."
Looking once more at his body, he couldn't help but sigh. As a huge fan of Hunter x Hunter, and with the information at hand, it was easy to identify whose body this was: the very first disqualified candidate of the Hunter Exam shown in the manga.
"This body's name is Nicholas, the same name I had on Earth… Let's see that as a blessing in disguise. What if my name had been Meruem—would I have become the King of the Ants?"
Shuddering at the thought, Nicholas was already thankful to still be human.
He looked up at the clock above his desk. It read 11:45 PM. It had already been two days since he'd taken over this body and shut himself in the bedroom.
"In two whole days, no one has wondered where I've been. What kind of life did Nicholas lead before I took over…"
He was currently living in a grand mansion, and three times a day, a butler would kindly deliver meals. Yet no one had questioned his self-imposed confinement.
Internally deciding to start exploring the next day, Nicholas headed for bed. The room was massive—fit for a king in his eyes. Once he lay down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep immediately.
The next morning, Nicholas didn't wait for the butler to bring breakfast. He stepped out and began wandering through the long corridors of the mansion. As he admired the architecture and wondered about his newfound wealth, he spotted the butler approaching with a breakfast tray—likely his own.
Upon seeing him, the butler, a man in his fifties with graying hair, gave a slight, respectful bow. "Good morning, sir. Did you sleep well? Would you like to have your breakfast in the dining room?"
Without having prepared any excuse, Nicholas simply nodded. "Good morning. Yes, please guide me."
Still unfamiliar with the layout of the mansion, he decided it was better to follow the butler than get lost.
"Of course. Right this way," the butler replied politely before turning around and leading Nicholas through the mansion.
After walking through a few hallways, they finally reached the dining room. The butler opened the door, revealing a large table filled with fruit, bread, and all sorts of cold cuts.
At the end of the table sat a man even fatter than Nicholas. He glanced at him with surprise, swallowed the rest of the toast in his mouth, and spoke. "Nicholas, you came to have breakfast with your father. That's rare… Are you here to beg me not to make you take the test?"
Nicholas quickly examined the man, whose body bordered on obesity. His slicked-back hair mirrored his own. Even if the man hadn't called himself his father, Nicholas would've guessed easily.
It seemed like something had happened between them. For now, best not to dig too deep.
Nicholas shook his head and answered as naturally as possible, "No, I just came to have breakfast today."
The man looked at him for a moment before pointing to a chair, toast in hand. "I see. In that case, have a seat."
The butler stepped forward and gently pulled out the chair, gesturing for Nicholas to sit. Once seated, he glanced at the man claiming to be his father and then at his massive belly before choosing a simple apple for breakfast.
With food like this available every day, it's no wonder I ended up in this body… I need to start eating healthy from now on.
As he bit into the apple, his father suddenly spoke. "So, how's your research on the Hunter Exam going?"
Cough cough!
Nicholas nearly choked on the apple, casting a baffled look at his father. What the hell is he talking about? Why would I be doing research on the exams?
"Don't tell me you still have no leads? Do I need to repeat my threats? With your talent and the family you come from, there's no reason you can't become a Hunter easily. Hurry up and find information about the next exam and pass it like you promised me. If you succeed, I'll officially name you my heir. Don't disappoint me like your older brother—or I'll have to deal with you the same way I dealt with him…"
Nicholas stared, dumbfounded. Did this guy seriously think the Hunter Exam was that easy? Even with all this fat, this body was clearly above average—several times better than his old one. But still not enough. After all, he'd been the first to be eliminated in the original exam!
Faced with his silence, his father suddenly lost patience and raised his voice. "Well? Are you going to answer, or do I have to beat it out of you?! You still have no information about the exam?!"
Suddenly, Nicholas felt a cold hand land on his shoulder. He looked up to see the butler, now wearing a chilling smile. "Please answer the master."
At that moment, a wave of sheer terror overwhelmed Nicholas, robbing him of breath. Every pore on his skin opened, and cold sweat poured down like a waterfall. He instinctively blurted out the information from the computer screen when he first woke up in this body.
"Th-The next exam is in 8 months… I've already located the exact place."
The butler's smile softened. He withdrew his hand, and the terrifying aura instantly faded. Nicholas took several deep breaths, gradually calming down, though his clothes were already soaked in sweat.
What the hell was that? Was that… bloodlust?! That guy's no ordinary butler—he might even be using Nen!
Mentally categorizing the butler as extremely dangerous, Nicholas was suddenly interrupted by the sound of his father clapping.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"As expected of my son! You've already gathered all that information. Well, looks like there are only 8 months left until our family has an official Hunter. Isn't that great news?"
What kind of crazy family have I ended up in…?