Under the clear sky, deep within a dense forest, a man walked along a narrow path. He was strikingly handsome, with a medium-length beard and messy hair that hadn't been tended to in quite some time. He wore loose blue and white clothes with a hooded cloak, attire suited for both labor and combat.
The man carried a bamboo basket filled with fruits, mushrooms, and other things he had picked from the forest.
Following him was a little boy, dressed in similar clothing—also with a hooded cloak, though his was primarily orange.
"Little Rocky, walk faster. Don't stray too far ahead, or you'll get lost," the man called back, his voice carrying a note of concern.
Hearing this, Rocky looked up, tossed the small branch he'd been twirling aside, and quickened his pace, eager to catch up.
Soon, they reached a clearing, where the trees were less dense. Rocky spotted a stone nearby and plopped down, sitting on it as he propped his hands on his knees, watching as the man began washing the freshly picked items in the river.
"Uncle! Can't you teach me how to draw that barrier trap?" Rocky asked, his voice full of curiosity and determination.
The man, who had been rinsing fruit, paused and turned to look at him. "You're a strange kid. You don't want to play, but you're always asking about things like that."
He sighed, wiping his hands on his clothes. "I've told you a hundred times. That's something you'll learn when you're older. The tribe leader will choose someone to teach you then. It's not up to me."
The man tossed a peculiar green fruit at Rocky, one that tasted like a mix between an apple and a peach.
"Teach me, Uncle, I promise I won't tell anyone!" Rocky begged, his eyes wide with sincerity.
The man snorted in amusement. "Hmph! Who would believe the promise of a kid?"
He stood up, securing the basket with water on his back and shook his head. "You're really a peculiar one, Rocky. A real freak of the Kuruta tribe!"
**Kuruta Tribe...**
Rocky felt a pang of helplessness. It was because of his status as a member of the Kuruta tribe that he was so eager to learn the barrier techniques.
While the term "barrier" was used, it was actually referring to Nen.
The Kuruta tribe was a rare and secretive group within *Hunter x Hunter*. Their most distinct feature was their crimson red eyes, which would appear when their emotions surged. Known as the Crimson Eyes, they were considered one of the most beautiful sights in the world. Because of this, the tribe had to keep their identities hidden, living secluded in the mountains to avoid detection.
But for Rocky, there was an added reason for his anxiety. Being a member of the Kuruta tribe meant that at any moment, the Phantom Troupe might come to annihilate them.
"I don't want to die..." he thought to himself, a sense of dread sinking into his chest. But at this moment, there was no way to escape.
The Kuruta tribe had developed a unique form of Nen that allowed them to set up intricate barrier traps around their homes. These barriers were linked together, creating something similar to a magical circle, which had thwarted Rocky during his first escape attempt.
In the end, Rocky was found by the tribe leader. This revelation made him realize something—*the Kuruta tribe can use nen!*
He had always assumed they couldn't, but it turned out he was wrong.
However, Rocky couldn't bring himself to express his desire to learn Nen, especially since the tribe consisted of only a little more than a hundred members. The Kuruta tribe's culture was deeply rooted in secrecy and tradition. It would have been impossible for an eight-year-old to know such a complex art.
For the past few days, Rocky had been pestering his uncle—the younger brother of his deceased father—asking him to teach him the Nen technique known as "Barrier Style."
But the rules of the Kuruta tribe were strict: *Nen could only be taught once a person turned 18.*
And there was an even more critical prerequisite—one had to have control over their emotions.
The reason was simple. If someone who couldn't control their emotions attempted to use Nen, and their power went berserk, the results could be catastrophic.
Rocky understood this, but the problem was that he didn't have the luxury of waiting until he turned 18. The Phantom Troupe could show up at any moment, and if they attacked before he was ready, the consequences could be fatal.
Rocky hadn't even found Kurapika yet, and he had no idea if Kurapika had even been born.
If not, there was still a chance the boy would be born soon. And if that happened, the timeline of the Kuruta tribe's destruction would continue to tick down. The tribe would be wiped out when Kurapika was 12, and Rocky would already be 20 years old by then.
At twenty, he would finally be able to learn Nen, but it would take time to master it. The urgency was real: *How could he protect himself against the Phantom Troupe if he wasn't prepared in time?*
Even more troubling was that Rocky didn't even know how talented he was at practicing Nen. What if he was terrible at it?
The clock was ticking, and he needed to act fast.
"Uncle, please, just teach me!" Rocky pleaded. "No one will find out. It's just you and me here. If you don't tell anyone and I don't tell anyone, no one will know!"
The uncle shot him a disapproving look. "Stop dreaming, kid. I won't risk breaking the clan's rules and getting expelled from the Kuruta tribe just to teach you!"
Expelled from the Kuruta tribe?
Rocky's eyes suddenly brightened at the thought. That... might not be such a bad idea after all.
At that moment, another member of the Kuruta tribe appeared, interrupting their conversation.
"Satsuki, the clan leader said that the barrier in the west was hit by wild beasts and has been damaged. He wants you to take a look and repair it."
The Kuruta member spoke briefly to Rocky's uncle and then disappeared into the distance.
Satsuki glanced back at Rocky and sighed. "Boy, it's impossible for me to teach you. At most, I can let you watch me. But there's one condition: once you've seen it, don't bother me constantly after that."
"Okay!" Rocky agreed without hesitation. Even if he might not see anything, he had to try.
Soon, under Satsuki's guidance, they arrived at a location deep in the western forest. Rocky looked around as they walked, but there was nothing unusual to notice.
However, when they reached a certain tree, Satsuki stopped.
"Hmm, it's indeed a bit damaged, but it can be repaired soon," Satsuki said, inspecting the tree.
He then turned to Rocky and added, "Alright, little Rocky, watch closely while I fix this. But remember, once you've seen it, don't bother me again!"
Rocky nodded eagerly.
Satsuki chuckled. *How could a little kid possibly turn the world upside down?* he thought. This wasn't something most people could see in the first place.
He had no issue performing Nen in front of Rocky, knowing he wouldn't be able to perceive anything.
And in fact, that was the truth.
But Rocky wasn't entirely unprepared. While it was true that, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be able to see Nen, this was a special situation.
As a member of the Kuruta tribe, Rocky had the ability to activate the "Scarlet Eyes," the condition for which was an emotional fluctuation strong enough to trigger the change. For Rocky, anger was the key.
Though only eight years old, his emotional maturity was beyond his years. He could already access the Scarlet Eyes for brief moments. But maintaining the anger necessary for this transformation was far more difficult than he had imagined—it could last only two or three seconds at most.
Taking a deep breath, he focused all his energy.
The next moment, his eyes began to glow with a deep red light. Sweat poured down his forehead as he fought to hold on to his anger.
Meanwhile, Satsuki was too focused on repairing the barrier to notice the change in Rocky.
In that brief window, Rocky did notice something strange. The light around Satsuki's hands seemed to shift, and it appeared as though his fingers were slightly out of focus—like astigmatism.
Suddenly, a system notification flashed before his eyes.
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**[Added in personal panel]**
**[Added successfully]**
**Host: Rocky**
**Race: Human. Kuruta**
**Nen Talent: Intermediate**
**Bloodline Ability: Low**
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