In the Moonlight Tundra, the early morning light filtered through the glowing canopy, casting dappled shadows across a forest clearing.
Deep within the dense forest lay a pool in a relatively open area. Its surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the surrounding moss and ferns that emitted a faint, ethereal blue light.
Biscuit stood by the pool, leaning over to stir the water with her finger. Ripples spread out, startling several phosphorescent insects into flight.
"There's a type of fish in this pool called the Twin-winged Flying Shuttle Fish."
She straightened up and looked at Leo with a beaming smile.
"Go down and catch one. No Nen allowed."
Leo rolled his shoulders and cast his gaze into the crystal-clear water of the pool.
"Is there anything special about this fish?"
"It's incredibly fast and very agile—"
Biscuit paused, her smile widening.
"—and also, very delicious! Off you go!"
Leo asked no more questions. He took off his shirt, shoes, and socks, took a deep breath, and plunged into the water.
Splash—
Water sprayed everywhere as a refreshing coolness instantly enveloped his body.
The pool was deeper than it looked; Leo had to dive seven or eight meters before he touched the bottom.
Sunlight filtered through the surface, casting shimmering patches of light on the bottom. Visibility was excellent.
The pool water was astonishingly clear.
The bottom was carpeted with fine white sand and gravel, interspersed with a few moss-covered rocks.
Glowing algae clung to the water plants and stones, illuminating the underwater world in shades of deep blue.
Leo suspended himself in the middle of the water, holding his breath as he observed.
Half a minute later, he spotted his targets near a dense patch of water grass to his left—three silver-white fish.
Each was about thirty centimeters long with a perfectly streamlined body. Most peculiar were the pairs of transparent, membrane-like wings on either side of their bodies, which fluttered gently in the water.
These were the Twin-winged Flying Shuttle Fish.
Leo adjusted his posture and slowly approached.
He tried to minimize his movements, careful not to startle these seemingly alert creatures.
One meter away.
Leo's legs suddenly surged with power, propelling his body forward like an arrow. He spread the fingers of his right hand and lunged for the nearest one—
Just as his fingertips were about to touch the fish's body, the Shuttlefish gave a slight quiver.
It vanished.
No, it hadn't vanished—it was just so fast that it left a silver-white afterimage in the water.
Leo hadn't even clearly seen its movement; he only felt the impact of the water being rapidly churned.
He raised an eyebrow and quickly turned his head.
The Shuttlefish had reappeared three meters to his left, leisurely fluttering its wings as if that sudden burst of speed had never happened.
The other two fish had also swum further away, seemingly mocking this clumsy predator in silence.
Leo turned around, his legs surging with power once more.
He had learned his lesson this time. He no longer chased with maximum speed but approached at a relatively steady pace, his eyes locked onto the target and his muscles taut, ready to react to any sudden change in direction.
The Shuttlefish seemed to sense his intent.
When Leo got within two meters, it gave its tail fin a gentle flick and glided away diagonally, its movements as elegant as a dance in the water.
Leo immediately adjusted his direction and accelerated in pursuit.
For the next two minutes, an underwater chase ensued.
Leo tried to approach from every angle, but each time he missed by a hair's breadth.
The Shuttlefish displayed incredible athletic ability—accelerating instantly to speeds difficult for the naked eye to track, stopping abruptly, changing direction, and sliding sideways... all movements were executed in one fluid motion without any warning.
What Leo found most difficult was that these fish seemed to anticipate his movements.
Whenever he changed his strategy, they would always react in advance, weaving through the water with an air of ease, almost as if they were toying with him.
But Leo did not lose heart.
He gradually cleared his mind, no longer deliberately planning his actions, but letting his body react instinctively.
His eyes followed the fish's trajectory while his brain worked at high speed, attempting to find a pattern within the countless failures.
Ten minutes later, a burning sensation filled his lungs.
Leo shot upward, breaking the surface and gasping for fresh air.
Biscuit was sitting on a flat stone block by the shore, holding her fashion magazine. She only looked up when she heard the commotion.
"Didn't catch one?"
She asked with a smile, her tone as casual as if she were chatting about the weather.
"Then you'll have to work harder. Otherwise, today's lunch... will be non-existent."
Leo took several deep breaths and dove back down.
This time, he changed his strategy.
Instead of actively chasing, he floated in the middle of the water, quietly observing the movement patterns of the three Shuttlefish.
He noticed that these fish weren't moving at high speeds all the time. They would also swim slowly and gather together every so often, as if communicating.
But as soon as a threat approached, they would accelerate from a standstill to their limit within 0.1 seconds.
"The key is the timing..."
Leo thought to himself.
"I have to strike at the moment they lower their guard, and I need to predict the direction they'll likely flee."
The second attempt began.
Leo waited patiently for five minutes until the three fish finally gathered near a rock.
He approached slowly, narrowing the distance to three meters, and then—
Burst!
This time he didn't rush straight at the target. Instead, he predicted the gap to the right where the school was most likely to flee, intercepting toward the front-right the moment he launched.
Sure enough, the fish in the middle bolted to the right the instant it was startled!
Leo's hand grabbed toward that space—
He touched it!
But the sensation was wrong. He hadn't caught the body, but the tail.
The Shuttlefish struggled violently. Its slippery scales and surprising strength allowed it to break free instantly, leaving only a few silver scales in Leo's palm.
"Still too slow..."
Leo watched the fish quickly hide in the water grass after its scare, but a spark of excitement rose in his heart.
At least he had touched it.
For the next hour, Leo cycled repeatedly between touching and chasing.
Sometimes he could touch the fish's body, but more often than not, he couldn't even manage that.
His physical strength was being rapidly consumed.
Underwater activity was already more energy-intensive than on land. Combined with the high-intensity chasing and frequent breath-holding dives, Leo felt a distinct fatigue by around ten in the morning.
At noon, Leo swam ashore exhausted, collapsing onto the bank with his chest heaving violently.
Biscuit put away her magazine and walked over to squat beside him.
"Well, how do you feel?"
"...The resistance in the water is too great."
Leo panted, his voice a bit muffled.
"That fish's agility is insane. I can't react to its sudden stops and turns during high-speed movement at all."
Biscuit nodded, her expression becoming uncharacteristically serious.
"That is the purpose of this training. On land, your speed and reactions already surpass most people. But in the water, the environment has changed and the resistance has increased; only this way can you achieve further improvement."
She stood up and clapped her hands.
"That's all for this morning's training. Rest for half an hour, then we'll begin another part of your special training."
Half an hour later, Biscuit led Leo to a wasteland on the edge of the Moonlight Tundra.
This place was completely different from the glowing forest—the ground was cracked and barren, with only scattered rubble and exposed rock layers.
The sun beat down without obstruction, baking the ground until it was hot to the touch.
Biscuit leaned down and picked up a fist-sized stone, weighing it in her hand.
"Next is reaction training."
She pointed to the fifty-meter-wide open space in front of her and said to Leo.
"You must dodge my attacks as much as possible—while also noticing the numbers that may appear on my fingers. Shout them out immediately when you see them."
Leo understood immediately. He condensed his Nen and activated 'Gyo,' focusing his Qi intensely on his eyes.
His vision instantly became clearer.
He could see the Nen flowing around Biscuit's body, and then he noticed the tip of her raised right index finger—
A clear number '5' emerged, composed of Nen and glowing slightly.
"Five!" Leo shouted immediately.
"Too slow."
Biscuit's voice grew cold.
The number on her index finger dissipated, replaced by a stern look in her eyes.
"From the moment I saw you use 'Gyo' to the moment you shouted the number, 1.2 seconds passed. In a real battle, 0.5 seconds is enough to decide the outcome."
She pointed to the ground.
"Go, do a thousand push-ups. Now."
Leo did not argue and dropped down to begin.
The cracked ground was rough and scorching; a stinging pain shot through his palms as soon as he touched it.
But his form was perfect and his pace steady, one after another.
Biscuit watched from the side, nodding inwardly.
No complaints, no slacking—this level of discipline was indeed impressive.
After finishing the thousand push-ups, he stood up and faced Biscuit again.
"Pay attention this time."
Biscuit raised her hand again, but the number didn't appear immediately.
Leo maintained his 'Gyo,' his eyes fixed on her finger while his body lowered slightly into a stance ready to dodge at any moment.
"Begin."
The moment the words left her mouth, Biscuit flicked her left hand!
A stone shot out with incredible speed, aimed straight for Leo's left shoulder!
Leo twisted his body to dodge. The stone grazed his clothes and smashed a shallow crater into the distant rock wall.
And at the same time he dodged, the number '3' appeared on Biscuit's right index finger.
"Three!"
His reaction was much faster this time, but Biscuit had already thrown the second stone.
The training had officially begun.
For the next hour, Leo shifted and maneuvered across the open ground, dodging stone attacks coming from every angle.
Biscuit's throws followed no pattern—sometimes she attacked in rapid succession, sometimes she paused for several seconds; sometimes she aimed for his torso, sometimes for his legs; sometimes the speed was extreme, and sometimes she deliberately slowed down to disrupt his rhythm.
Meanwhile, the numbers on her right hand appeared randomly, staying visible for anywhere from one second down to 0.3 seconds.
Leo had to divide his attention: he had to judge the stones' trajectories and dodge, while also using 'Gyo' to constantly monitor the changes on her finger.
At first, Leo could barely manage.
But as Biscuit gradually increased the speed and force of her throws, the situation began to deteriorate.
Thud!
A stone hit Leo's right ribs. He let out a muffled groan and staggered a couple of steps.
Biscuit's force was controlled with extreme precision—it was enough to cause pain and bruising, but not enough to cause fractures or serious internal injuries.
"Two!" Leo shouted through gritted teeth, calling out the number he had just seen.
"Slow. One thousand push-ups."
Biscuit's voice was devoid of emotion.
Leo dropped down and started again.
Sweat dripped onto the scorching ground, evaporating instantly.
The training continued.
Stones rained down like hail.
More and more red marks and bruises began to appear on Leo's body: shoulders, arms, thighs, flanks... Every time he was hit, the pain made him suck in a breath of cold air.
But he did not stop.
His eyes always kept part of their attention on Biscuit's finger, and his brain maintained high-speed operation through the pain, calculating the stones' trajectories and the timing of the numbers.
Thud! Another hit, this time on his left shoulder blade.
"Seven!"
"Correct. Continue."
Three hours later, Leo could barely stand.
His body was covered in bruises, and his breathing was as heavy as a broken bellows.
But he still stood in the middle of the field, his eyes still fixed on Biscuit's finger.
Biscuit finally stopped throwing.
She walked up to Leo, looking at the young man who was covered in injuries yet still standing tall.
"That's enough for today."
She offered a rare, gentle smile.
"You're tougher than I imagined."
For the next half month, Leo's life fell into a fixed pattern:
In the early morning, he chased Twin-winged Flying Shuttle Fish in the pool to train his endurance and reaction speed.
At noon, after a brief rest, he underwent dual training in dodging and observation on the wasteland.
In the evening, under Biscuit's guidance, he performed basic Nen training, focusing on strengthening his Nen's duration and fine control.
Every day was a dual challenge to his physical and mental limits.
But progress was gradually becoming evident.
On the seventh day, Leo successfully caught a Shuttlefish for the first time—although he only held it for a second before it broke free, it was a milestone.
On the tenth day, he could chase fish underwater for twenty minutes straight without coming up for air, and he had gained a deeper understanding of the fishes' movement patterns.
On the twelfth day, he successfully dodged seventeen consecutive stone attacks from Biscuit during reaction training while accurately calling out all the numbers.
On the fifteenth day, in the afternoon.
Leo floated quietly in the pool.
The Shuttlefish swam around him, seemingly accustomed to this persistent predator.
Leo moved.
His movements were not as frantic as before; instead, they appeared more composed.
His body traced a graceful arc through the water, and his right hand reached out seemingly at random—
He accurately grabbed the middle fish by its gills.
The Shuttlefish struggled violently, its transparent wings flapping frantically, but Leo's fingers were like iron pincers, unmoving.
Ten seconds later, the fish gave up its resistance and went still.
Leo surfaced and held the Shuttlefish, which was still faintly flicking its tail, toward the shore.
Biscuit put down her magazine, looked closely at the fish, then at Leo, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Not bad. To reach this level in half a month is considered passing."
She took the fish and gently touched its scales.
"Let the fish go."
Leo was taken aback, but he did as he was told.
Once in the water, the fish quickly swam away and vanished.
"And now."
Biscuit pointed to the weighted equipment on the shore.
"Put on the weights, dive back down, and catch that same fish again."
The small spark of joy Leo had felt instantly froze.
He looked at Biscuit and, confirming she was serious, could only give a bitter laugh and walk toward the 100-kilogram set of equipment.
Once fully equipped, he entered the water again.
A familiar heaviness enveloped his body; every movement was several times more laborious than before.
The underwater environment that had felt manageable moments ago now became exceptionally difficult.
The released Shuttlefish seemed to have learned its lesson and hid in a rock crevice, refusing to come out.
It took Leo half an hour just to flush it out of its hiding spot before beginning a new round of chasing.
One month later.
By the pool, Leo gently placed the Shuttlefish back into the water.
His movements were smooth and steady; it was impossible to tell he was still wearing 100 kilograms of weights.
Biscuit, sitting in her usual spot, watched this scene and finally revealed a truly satisfied smile.
"That will do."
She stood up, walked over to Leo, and patted his shoulder.
"Your talent is formidable; you haven't disappointed me."
Biscuit spoke with a rare, serious tone.
"Alright, no more catching fish. Rest tonight; tomorrow we move on to the next stage of special training."
"Understood, Master Biscuit."
Leo finally removed the weights and let out a long breath.
For over a month, his nerves had been constantly taut as he dealt with Biscuit's hellish training.
Now that he had been granted a brief permission to rest, fatigue washed over him like a tide.
But he could feel the changes in his body—sharper reactions, stronger physical stamina, and more refined control over his Nen.
The light of the Moonlight Tundra glowed softly, illuminating the pool in a dreamlike blue.
Leo lay on the glowing moss, gazing at the starry sky through the gaps in the canopy.
There would be new training tomorrow.
But tonight, he could finally relax for a moment, letting both his body and soul find some respite.
Biscuit started a campfire nearby and set up a small pot to begin cooking soup.
The aroma wafted over—it was the first decent meal he'd had in a month.
Leo closed his eyes and drifted into a brief moment of peace.