On The Roads

'Fucking Old Bones,' he seethed. 'Who in the freaking fuck abandon their grandchild, naked, in one of the deadliest forests of the world?!'

It was a cloud above that reminded Chang-Lee of the predicament he found himself in half a year ago when he woke up with only his skin amidst solemn trees and feral gazes.

He had failed to remain calm as It had been an eternity since someone had the drop on him in his sleep and when he realized that he couldn't use his Aura, in that same forest where Nen Beasts were common, the sixteen years old teen had freaked out.

Lee had eventually taken hold of himself and finally noticed the briefcase beside him and the note laid on it. He picked the card.

[Since you have time to fool around with your 'Waifus' you surely have time to get your license. You should have noticed by now, but you won't be able to use Nen.

[I have put a curse on you that sealed some of your nodes and disrupt the flow of your Aura. While It don't force you in a state of Zetsu, the curse turned you into someone who has yet to awaken his life force. The Exam will put up a challenge this way.

[And If you want to get your Nen back you will have to become a hunter! Simple as that. Good luck 'Lee-nou', you will need it.

[Ps. Piece of advice, stop sleeping so soundly, bad things might happen. Haha!]

The card was obviously signed Feng-Chang.

Since that day, any thoughts of the Old Geezer had choked him with vexation and as he sat at the back of the pickup, staring at that lonely cloud who took the features of his Master and Grandfather by the seconds he slammed his anger on the side of the car, unable to reach the cotton face.

"Something up young'un?" Asked the Pickup driver, a man who was also in his late years.

Lee sobered. "Nothing Mister, my bad."

"You hang it there? Sorry for the inconveniences."

"Don't be. I'm grateful for the ride and it's not that bad." The pickup was loaded with packaged items and goods of all kinds. As it was the same with the passenger seat, Lee could only make himself comfortable on the car railing.

The ride was bumpy, but it was hardly an issue for him. He only wished for Chuni to be beside him; He knew she would have loved the road trip with the wind against her hair. The thought of it deepened the longing in his chest.

"I shall be the grateful one." said the man. "If it weren't for you my wheel would have been stuck in that nasty mud pit! This dirt path was already treacherous and now, with the past rains it got worse... You don't look like it, but you are pretty strong."

Lee only smiled.

The Grandpa went on. "If it's not much, why are you traveling to shizen? You are going to look for work? A relative or maybe... A lady?"

This got a snort out of him. "Old in body but a man at heart huh?" And the two shared a laugh. "No, I'm not going to settle in the city. There, I will take a boat to Hanzi."

"Hanzi? Are you perhaps planning to take the Hunter exam?"

"... Yes, how do you know?"

"On this side of the river, Shizen is the closest harbor if you came north. At this time of the year, you can see all sorts of people passing by these greenwoods to get there.

If you ask, they will always tell you the same thing, I'm going to become a hunter! Because of them, fools back home got funny ideas. They will be missed. I deduced by your wear that you are some kind of martial artist. Thus, the assumption."

The dress Lee was wearing was a one of the few items that were inside the briefcase. It was a traditional Tang suit with a black trouser and Beijing shoes of the same color. The suit was half white-half black, the contrasting colors separated by bright red knot buttons.

While the white sleeve ended with golden fish scale pattern, the other one ended with black scales on a white background. And on the same left black sleeve, there was a golden embroidery, A descending dragon in all its mightiness.

The old villager who went by the name of Yang Zhou couldn't help but to find the boy dashing. "Why do you want to become a hunter young'un?" He asked. "I know the title bring fame, glory and riches but is it worth your life? Even a bumpkin like me understands how terrifying the exam is.

"You know, I had a friend who couldn't be any prouder because of his son, a good lad I tell ya! He was barely in his 20's but big as a mountain with thick muscles. The giant of a boy could have easily moved my truck as well. You should have seen him with an axe. Trees were falling with only a swing!

Yang Zhou sighed. " If someone could pass the exam, it should have been him. Unfortunately, he never came back… we didn't even have a body to mourn. I can tell this won't dissuade you from carrying on, but you shall see it again if you can't do without a license, young'un. It'll be a pity for a good kid like you to meet such an end. I'll be sure to let some prayers for you."

"Thank you, mister Yang. I'll take your warning and goodwill to heart." Lee will put them right beside the others he received from the various encounters he had during his journey. While he will hope for the prayers to increase his luck, their advice will be left out.

It wasn't arrogance; Lee had to get his license if he ever wanted to hear those giggles, feel those kisses, and... have their intimacies again. There were ghosts in his head –wisps of voices, curves, and feels– that tormented him for the past six months. But now, at last, the voyage was coming to an end.

The first weeks had been rough to him. He had barely put on the dress his lovely Han had made by herself that the forest had bared its fangs to him. Three Shadow Wolfs, as he called them for their ability to use Zetsu, had tracked and pursued him for hours before he adjusted to his new situation –The curse– and riposted. He had been fortunate, they weren't true Nen Beasts.

Lee exited the dreadful forest a week later. During his time in the wilderness, he had attempted to circulate his Aura, counting on Nen's mysticism and his reincarnated status to get around the restrictions imposed on him, and ended up squirming in pain on the ground. Chang-Feng did a thorough job.

If we were to liken aura paths to a pipe system, it was as if mud, grasses, and limes were clogging strategic points of the network, preventing Lee from wielding his life force but allowing a leakage to pour out of him like any other regular person, the same kind that were known to die early in the exam if they weren't called Leorio Paradinight.

He didn't despair tough; There was a reason twelve-year-old Gon could toss around your typical big guys despite his small frame. In this world, through hard training or sheer talent, any non-user could use the leaked aura to be a step above the mass whatever the discipline and for Lee who was already an adept, accomplishing feats greater than his body weight was as easy as breathing.

The only thing that had troubled him, beside the ghosts, were the withdrawal symptoms. Nen was a drug, and it was as addictive as they come. He'd spent another week in the first village he came across, nursing himself and making plans for the journey. First, he would go to 'heaven arena' to make some money, then find a broker to get the exam location, and finally make the trip.

His plans changed with the first city he visited.

He successfully accessed the internet and found all the information he needed on the Hunter's official website: There was an agency in Hanzi, half a country down south, and the exam would take place in months.

Lee could have taken a plane and directly waited there, but he chose to go on foot, passing by remote villages and small roads. Sometimes, he would even cross woods, mountains, and plains empty of human presence and full of nasty surprises. A kind of training.

For him who rarely left the corner of his street in his past life, it had been a blast to see so much landscapes while meeting all kind of cultures and people and... women. Guilt had gnawed at him, but some nights were just too cold. Many times, Lee had been the hero who saved the day, whether against rampaging beasts terrorizing localities, cultists kidnapping daughters and bandits like the men who suddenly appeared after a turn.

One of them pointed his guns upward and fired five shots, then came the shout. "TURN OFF THE ENGINE, NOW!!!"

The Pickup slowed down and came to a stop. "Y-young'un..." The panic in Mr. Yang was evident. He looked at his rear-view mirror and saw the collected expression of the young martial artist. It eased his worries a bit.

What he didn't know was that behind the stoic facade, Lee was full of incredulity. He couldn't see aura but had retained some of his senses despite the curse and the prickles on his skin was clear.

One of them was a Nen user.

Lee instantly identified the man. He had a punk-like hairstyle and when the other three thieves wore flak jackets with assault rifles in their hands, he stood a head taller among them with only his skin-tight T-shirt showing off powerful abs and muscles. His arms were crossed confidently across his chest and far from the handgun holstered at the side of his military trousers. He was sporting a little smile.

"GET OUT OF THE CAR!!!" Shouted the same goon. He raged as there was inaction." What are you doing?! I SAID OUT OF THE FUCKING CAR!!!"

"Mr. Yang," Lee called quietly, "do as they say and trust me."

The old man nodded, failing to stop the slight shaking despite his resolute expression. He was excited by the pickup and immediately put his hands up when one of the bandits aimed at him. "Don't shoot!" He cried " Don't shoot! I surrender!"

Lee grabbed his leather briefcase and jump down the railing where he sat. He followed behind Old Yang, but contrary to him, he didn't look a bit stressed. He was in fact walking with steady steps, a leisurely smile on his lips, and scratching his chin in contemplation with his free right hand.

It didn't please the goon. "You! Put those hands up if you don't want to kiss a bullet!"

Lee's ignored his warning and those coming from the other two. The goons looked at each other uncertain and turned towards their boss, the Nen User, who had an amused expression on his face. "Stay put." he told them, "The kid is confident. I want to see what he is planning."

"Maybe he will buy his way out? He looks like a young master." Replied one of the goons. He was the only brown skin of the group. He shot a bullet inches away from Lee and Yang's feet when they were a few paces from them. Zhou was trembling like a leaf. "Look at that Fucker! Doesn't even break a sweat!" He said.

"We will see if that smile remain when I put a hole through his heart" said the shouting thief.

"Don't, you will ruin that dress. That's good stuff." the third one chose to aim at the head.

Lee couldn't be bothered by the three of them like all the bandits he met on the road. Firearms were indeed mortal to him and even to Nen users if caught unaware but the tang suit, he was wearing was bullet proof.

It was made with composite fibers derivate from two specials materials. The first one was a Nen conjured thread. It was product of the spider Queen, a Nen beast back at the temple's surroundings Forest.

The giant spider he gave that name had been able to awaken her life force and transmute her aura by giving it the stickiness of a regular spider thread and the resistance of a steel cable. She could even conjure minions which could spit acidic substances and explode upon destruction.

The Queen was the first ever Nen beast he confronted. He was ten, and Chang-feng had tasked him with bringing back some of those threads materialized with another conjuration ability. The mission was another training exercise, for he couldn't defeat her at the time.

Lee had to use Zetsu to evade the attention of the blind minions who hunted to feed their master, and he had to constantly use Gyo on his eyes to evade the wide En of the Queen, designed into a vast spider web and invisible to the naked eye. He had returned half conscious; pieces of skin, flesh, and muscles consumed.

The second material that made up his Tang suit was also conjured. It had the property of carbon fiber, and clothes made of it could enhance the concealment of the wearer in shadowed spots. The carbon-structured substance was the main ability of another of his waifus.

With that technological marvel on him, the only damage a bullet can cause him is the impact. That's if it was fired at the dress. A bullet to the head right now would be the end of him, thus the hand on the chin. Lee could position it between himself and the greedy thief in a fraction of a second if needed. He would survive the shot by sacrificing his hand.

Despite the confidence he was exuding, the situation was dangerous. A faux-pas could mean death, and fleeing meant leaving Old Yang to his fate and putting himself at a disadvantage in the event of pursuit.

If Lee decided to bluff his way out, it was because of a lesson he had burned into his head after four severed arms and three lost legs: in a fight or flight situation, if you can't escape, make the first move.

So he did. He let his smile widen. "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but what a surprise. You really are a Nen user." He proceeded by using Ten with his leaked aura, giving the illusion of a confirmed adept.

The reaction was instant. The punk's cocky smile evaporated, and he hastily brought his left hand onto the holster by his hip, at the ready.

The goons became confused, but none of them had missed the brief shock phasing through their leader's eyes. They strengthened their aims, and silence descended amidst a nervous gaze, an amused look, and tense forms.

The stare down ended with the leader. "You... who are you?" He asked with an obvious caution in his voice.

Lee answered. "Just a passing traveler, and you?"

He didn't get a reply, so he went on with the discussion. "Perhaps a passing thief? I guess not. You seem too well prepared for this to be your first hit. Tell me, buddy, why is a Nen user, a person belonging to the top 1% of humans in this world, reduced to robbing people on a forgotten road."

The punk stayed silent again, as did Lee, who let out a mocking smile at the man's badly restrained anger.

"That's none of your business." He finally answered. "And aren't you yourself on this forgotten road, relying on old people's cars to travel, you mighty Nen user?"

"Do you have lead in your ears? I'm just passing through, not roaming around bullying the surrounding villages. Tell me, do they make you feel strong, those old and frail farmers? How weak must an adept be to be leading this kind of life?"

"Careful Brat... You don't know me."

"But I do know that small fish prefer to live like kings in their little bowl rather than swim with the big ones in the pond."

The leader's hand tightened on his holster but ultimately didn't draw it out. Lee didn't miss the display of hesitation and got surer in his act.

"Exactly." He snorted. "And what were you going to do with that handgun? Shoot me? Oh! Is that your ability? A conjuration with special ammunition? That would be interesting."

"Step down your high horses, kid. You wouldn't be able to fathom the boss's mystic power. He isn't human anymore. He had long surpassed the limit of the mortal body, and his mind is so powerful it can create bullets out of thin air. I would beg for my life if I were you." The shouting thief had wanted to uplift the group spirit, which took a hit with Lee's assurance and succeeded as their leader stood stronger. However, he didn't know how much he had messed up.

First came the chuckles. "Wait, wait. If I understand it clearly, you actually conjure bullets?"

Then the chortle. "People can teleport, design pocket dimensions, and blow fireballs while you... create bullets?"

Next came the laugh. "Haha! Infinite ammo! Is that what your ability is called? Please don't be a disappointment and tell me you can emit your aura to them."

Lee became baffled as he noticed the minute confusion on the man's face. It was then that he knew who he was facing.

A crook who had somehow awakened his life force.

He had been playing mind games, planning, tensing his muscles at the ready, and he even used 'it', all for a clown. The realization made him break out in a deep laugh, which was not faked this time.

"You are asking for it!" The leader finally drew his gun and aimed it at his head.

It didn't stress him. Not anymore. "Tsk. Let's end this joke." He took a step.

"Stay right there!" warned the bandits' boss.

He took another step.

"Stay. right. there!"

Lee took a third step.

"Don't come any closer! I will fire!!!"

"Please do." And with that, he made one more step.

Mr. Yang closed his eyes in fright and flinched when he heard the shot, followed by others. He hastily lay on the ground as the fires multiplied and shouts resounded.

The subsequent silence filled with agonized groans prompted him to open his eyes, and he found himself dazed by the scene before him. Two of the goons were on their knees, holding bloodied hands, while the third, the greedy thief, was aiming his gun at his boss's head.

He saw Lee crouched over the leader, who had his back against the ground and his own handgun smashed through his bloody and broken teeth. "You did well surviving that first bullet. We will see if you're skilled enough with enhancements to survive this. — Pang!— Guess not. Sigh, what a trash. Couldn't even use Ryu properly. I should have just confronted him from the beginning— Oh! Are you okay, Mr. Yang?"

He barely nodded.

Lee got up and looked over the kneeling men. "What am I to do with you?"

"P-please spar us!" said the brown skinned thief. "We-we will leave and get out of your way."

"So you can rob others? Or worse. I know you guys well."

"We will stop! We will live an honest life from now on! Please believe me. I-I am ashamed of my deeds. Please let me be a better man."

Lee turned towards the shouting thief, who was staring daggers at their turncoat friend. "And you?" He asked.

The raging man ignored him and reached for his gun. He tried to aim at the greedy thief, who took their leader off guard with the first shot. "MIKE YOU FUCKER—" but ended with a bullet in his head. Courtesy of Mike.

Jamal, the now last of the goons, took off, fearful for his life. He, too, got himself a bullet.

Lee looked reproachingly at his new ally. "Why did you shoot? He wanted to be a better man."

Mike shrugged, met the befuddled gaze of Mr. Yang, and gave him his prettiest smile. The old man sucked in cold breaths as he saw the face stretched in an inhuman way, the grin literally splitting it from ear to ear and wide enough to reveal all of his teeth in a gummy smile. His knee gave out when the pupils dilated and completely blackened the eyes.

"Geez." Lee smacked whatever was beside him. "Stop scaring the poor man and see if you are able to access his memories. You can? Then bring me to their base."

"Hihihihihihihihi!" The... thing went ahead, but not before a final wink to Yang Zhou. The chill couldn't be any colder. He witnessed his passenger toss the bodies behind some bushes after taking whatever of value they had on them, even the guns.

"Take these, Mr. Yang. They will be more useful to you than to me. Well... It seems it's here we part way. I know things are a little... weird, but it is what it is. Take care, and don't forget to pray for me!"

"W-wait! Wait young'un! Can I... come with you?"

"Hum?"

"There... might be other bandits on the road or... other mud pits." He said, embarrassed by his lame excuses.

"Are you sure? We might walk a bit. If you are ok, let's hide your pickup first."

It took them two hours to get to the bandit base. They stopped behind a small boulder and spied the lonely sentinel dozing at what Lee assumed to be the entrance of a cave. There was another boulder that partially covered its mouth, allowing an entry wide enough for one person. Lee judged that only the leader was able to completely close it.

Mike was the first to reveal his presence. He approached the unsuspecting thief and thrust a knife in his throat after a warm greeting.

Yang Zhou groaned at that. He didn't like 'Mike' very much.

"Stay here, mister, it won't take long." Said Lee as he followed the manipulated bandit, who had charged in like Rambo, a gun in each arm.

The silence of the rocky forest broke with more shots, panicked screams, and angry shouts. Zhou saw a bandit who tried to make a run for it, but the moment he left the cave, his right foot vanished in a mush of blood, bones, and flesh.

"Wait!" The man cried. "Linda Wait! I'm sorry! W-wait! Hear me out—" His upper head vanished too. The magician? A mess of a girl with a big shotgun in her frail arms.

The old farmer finally revealed himself when Lee appeared and took the weapon from the girl, who had been carrying on with her magic, unconcerned by the man's death.

The day was coming to an end; the sun was deeply settled in the west. The bandits had been annihilated, seven girls saved, and Mike killed in action. Zhou wouldn't miss him. They decided to pass the night in the cave, which was very modern despite its rocky exterior. As he saw Lee's bruises —left by the bullets he took— vanishing after applying his miraculous ointment to them, the grandpa finally shared what was on his mind.

"Where did you get these? The ointment and that potion you gave the girls. One minute ago they could barely stand, and now each of them is eating like ten."

"You shouldn't ask a man his secrets, Mister . I don't mind telling you, though. I know someone; she is moody most of the time but can do miracles with her pretty hands."

"Is there a way to... get some?"

"I would gladly share, but I don't have enough on me. I gave most of what I had to friends I made on the road. Now tell me what you truly want to know."

He gave Lee an apologetic look and forced himself to ask the questions he had. "Is... Nen some kind of mystic martial art? During your conversation with that punk, you said there were people able to teleport, breathe fire, and create their own world. Is that a result of Nen? Is it the same with your potion and 'Mike'?"

Lee smiled. "Who knows?"

The reply couldn't pass for validation, but it was good enough for him. He nodded and looked at him hopefully. "Can you... teach me? No? I guess I'm too old for this but... can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure."

"I have a... grandchild. The little bugger is young and learns fast. I'm sure..."

Yang Zhou left his sentence incomplete, but he was sure that he was clearly understood. He didn't get discouraged by the frown that appeared on Lee's face and added piteously.

"Please... I'm just a worried grandfather. There are only the two of us, and if it weren't for you... if I died today... I know I'm asking you a lot while I have nothing to give back but..." He got up and slowly prosternated himself, much to the shock of everyone present in the room. "I can only hope a grandfather's worries and love for his grandchild can move you."

"Mr. Yang... you are playing on my feelings."

"... I won't move until you concede." He stated obstinately.

Lee guffawed and help him up. He had made his mind. "You know what? Fate had brought us together, Grandpa Yang! Let's do this. I will take your grandson as my disciple if I return alive from the exam."

"I'm sure you will."

"You wish!"

The two shared another laugh and went back to their dinner. The night was calm and peaceful. Lee awoke from his light sleep when he felt something and took the item from his Tang suit. It was a small doll, a shibi version of his baby girl Nana.

He tried to feel for the presence inside and sighed deeply when he didn't get any feedback. Whatever the entity was, it had dissipated.

Lee cursed in his breath. 'I wasted such an advantage on a clown.'

He had instructed the ghastly being to go around and possess a goon before getting down the truck. Until then, he would distract the Nen user and wait for the signal to strike. It was a wink from Mike that set things in motion.

The conjured ghost could have been seen by any adept with just a little bit of Gyo and now Lee came to doubt if the gangster was even cautious enough to use it when he began his bluff.

He sighed again in frustration. "Better be safe than sorry." He gave a sweet kiss to the doll and went back to sleep.