Leonard awakens with a start, his breath shallow and his body stiff. His eyes flicker open, adjusting to the dim light seeping through the cracks in the wooden walls.
He blinks a few times, disoriented.
The air is thick and musty, carrying the scent of damp wood and old dust.
"Did I drink too much yesterday night?" Leonard asks himself.
Slowly, he pushes himself up, feeling the rough texture of the floor beneath him. His limbs protest with soreness, but he ignores it, taking in his surroundings.
The shack is small, barely more than a few planks hastily thrown together.
The ceiling sags, and a beam in the corner looks ready to give way at any moment.
The only furniture is a rickety chair leaning against the far wall, its legs uneven on the dirt floor.
"Where am I?"
"This is not my home..."
Leonard's head pounds as he stands, wobbling on unsteady legs. He takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the haze clouding his mind.
Where am I? The question echoes in his head, but there are no answers.
His hands tremble as he brushes the dirt from his pants, and he stumbles toward the door. It creaks loudly as he pushes it open, the hinges protesting with a groan.
Outside, the world is bleak. The sky is overcast, and a chilly wind sweeps through the barren landscape. Sparse trees, twisted and gnarled, dot the horizon.
A sense of isolation settles over him as he steps out onto the uneven ground.
He turns slowly, scanning for any sign of life, but there's nothing—just an endless stretch of desolation.
Leonard's chest tightens. He doesn't know how he got here, but he knows one thing: he needs to find out. He starts walking, his feet dragging across the dirt, every step pulling him further into the unknown.
As Leonard trudges forward, lost in thought, a sharp voice cuts through the stillness.
"Hey! You there!"
He stops abruptly, his heart skipping a beat. His eyes snap toward the sound, and he sees a woman standing a few yards away, her stance wide, arms crossed over her chest.
Her hair is pulled back into twin ponytails, and her eyes narrow as they lock on him.
"You can't just wander around here like that," she calls out, taking a few steps closer. "Whoever you are, you can't live on Black Island alone."
Leonard blinks, trying to process her words. Black Island?
He looks around, but nothing about this place seems familiar or makes any sense.
His voice comes out hoarse as he replies, "Black Island? What... what are you talking about? Where am I?"
The woman's brows knit together in confusion.
"You don't know? What, did you just wash up here or something?" She lowers her arms but keeps her distance, still eyeing him with suspicion. "This is Black Island. And unless you've got a death wish, you don't want to be here alone."
Leonard steps forward, his mind spinning.
"Look, I don't know how I got here. I woke up in that shack back there."
He gestures vaguely behind him.
"I don't even know where 'here' is! What is this place? What's happening?"
The woman's expression softens slightly, but there's still a guarded edge to her voice.
"You seriously don't know? Black Island... it's not a place for people who want to live. It's a place for people who have nowhere else to go. It's dangerous. Considering that you do not have "Nen," it is even more dangerous for you..."
Leonard's chest tightens. "Dangerous how?" He swallows, trying to push back the rising panic. "And why can't I be here alone?"
"And "Nen," what are you mean by "Nen."
The woman sighs, shaking her head.
"You must be new, or you've got the worst luck imaginable. This island... it's cursed. People come here, but not all of them make it. Weird things happen at night, and if you don't have people around, well..." She trails off, her eyes darkening with unspoken fears.
"This place is an open prison for the Kakin Empire."
Leonard takes a breath, his mind racing. "Kakin Empire?, Nen"
"Oh..."
"Did I get transmigrated to Hunter x Hunter...?"
Leonard asks as he looks around again and smiles helplessly.