On the outskirts of Yorknew City stood an old school building.

Its weathered walls rising against the backdrop of a gray sky. In the courtyard, a group of teenagers played together, their laughter and shouts filling the air. The lively energy of youth radiated from the bustling crowd, a chaotic scene brimming with passion and vitality. Yet, off to the side, apart from the others, was a lone figure.

A young boy balanced upside down, his hands pressing into the dirt as he performed handstand pushups. Sweat trickled from his brow, running down the length of his face and dripping onto the dusty ground, forming a small puddle beneath him. His breathing was controlled, steady, even as he whispered under his breath, "Five hundred and thirty... huuh."

He pushed his body to its limit, the strain evident. As he lowered himself back onto his feet, his breath came in heavy gasps, his chest rising and falling as precious air filled his lungs. It was a small victory, but one that marked progress. "Almost two weeks now," he muttered to himself. It had been that long since he found himself in this world—two weeks since he had been reborn, and not just anywhere, but into the world of Hunter x Hunter. He was in this world almost a Year before the canon events were going to unfold. Every detail of what would happen after a year from now was etched in his mind, provided he chose not to interfere with the natural course of things. But that choice could wait.

For now, it wasn’t something he needed to decide. The excitement at the possibilities and thrill of adventure had been overwhelming, but as the weeks passed, that initial rush gave way to a quiet acceptance. He had integrated seamlessly into this new life.

Leaving the courtyard behind, he stepped into the building. The lively chaos outside quickly faded, replaced by a quiet, disciplined atmosphere. The school catered to underprivileged students, its halls echoing with the whispers of a strict order. The body he now inhabited belonged to a boy named Cade, an orphan who had led a relatively stable life until one fateful day. His death hadn’t come from bullying or some tragic revenge—no, it was far more mundane. During a cricket match, he had caught a ball, tripped, and fallen. The back of his skull had struck a protruding brick, and that was it.

Simple, unceremonious.

As Cade walked through the halls, his hand instinctively rubbed the back of his head, recalling the final moments of cade from the memories he inherited. When he first arrived in this body, his mind had raced with questions: Why him? How was this possible? He entertained countless theories—cosmic entities, gods, devils—or maybe he was in a coma, trapped in some fever dream. But in the end, none of it mattered so he let go of his concerns about reincarnation and focused on the here and now.

Entering the locker room, Cade noticed groups of students chatting in pairs and small clusters.He deliberately ignored them and fished out a key from his pocket to open his locker.

He could be polite and approachable to the friends the previous Cade had known, but only if it wasn’t too bothersome. A week into his time here, it became clear to him that no one really gave a shit about the old Cade. Not a single person seemed to notice the shift in his personality after what had happened.

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Inside the locker was unremarkable—a mirror on the door and a neatly folded towel.

As he glanced into the mirror, his reflection stared back: intense green eyes with a tint of blue eyes on an oval face, a narrow nose, and a sharply defined jawline. His dark, thick hair framed his forehead. Over the past two weeks, the changes were noticeable—his freckles and baby fat had almost disappeared.

After wiping the dust from his face and hair, Cade closed the locker and headed to class for subsequent lectures.

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"What is the largest animal in the world?" asked the biology professor, Mr. Carl placing his leather briefcase on the table. Cade never cared enough to learn his full name. The man’s bald head gleamed under the classroom lights, and his thick white mustache, paired with an equally dense goatee, gave him an air of eccentricity. Among all the professors, he was the only one who managed to hold even a sliver of Cade's interest, mostly because of how he taught.

Mr. Carl scanned the room, waiting for a response. One boy raised his hand, his voice clear, "A whale."

"Yes, good answer," Mr. Carl nodded. "Did you know that a blue whale is so massive, you could fit three entire school buses inside the space it occupies? Truly a marvel of nature."

His voice had a calm, almost soothing quality. Then, after a brief pause, he asked, "And what's the fastest animal in the world?"

"A cheetah, Mr. Carl!" shouted one of the backbenchers, brimming with confidence.

"A goose," another voice called out from the middle row.

The entire class erupted in laughter, hurling insults at the poor kid. But Mr. Carl raised his hand, and the room quickly fell silent.

"Very close, very close," he said with a small smile. Then, turning his gaze toward Cade, he asked, "Mr. Cade, would you like to try your luck?"

Cade sighed, already bored with the familiar routine. "I believe a peregrine falcon, reaching speeds of over 350 kilometers per hour, would leave most animals and birds in the dust," he replied, his voice tired.

The class murmured in approval as Cade yawned, indifferent. Everything the professor taught felt like old news. His memory, sharp even before his rebirth, had only grown stronger. And sometimes, it just made everything feel... tedious.

"Excellent! That was spot on," Mr. Carl said, his face lighting up with approval. "I can tell you've been keeping up with your studies."

He smiled, "Now, for the animal with the strongest bite force—it’s the crocodile. Specifically, the saltwater crocodile, with a bite force exceeding three thousand pounds."

He paused, letting the information settle in. His eyes scanned the room, waiting for reactions before continuing with an air of excitement.

"As human beings, we're neither the fastest, nor the strongest, nor the largest animals in the world.Yet, we’re at the top of the food chain. Why is that? " His gaze swept across the room, a certain intensity in his eyes. "The answer lies in our genes, in our DNA."

He continued, "Within this double-helix structure is a history, one that spans as long as humans have walked this Earth. This genetic information, when compared to other species, tells us how we got here. As we evolved, we made a trade. We gave up physical power and instead embraced intelligence and adaptability. And, well, the rest is history."

The room was hooked now, every eye following Mr. Carl's every word. Cade listened, feeling a pang of nostalgia. I wish I had a teacher like this when I was learning. Shame I already know all of this.

Near the end of the lecture, the professor shifted his tone slightly, preparing to wrap up. "One last interesting fact before we finish," he announced. "The difference between human DNA and a chimp’s is only 1.2 percent. Which means that just a small tweak in our genetic code is what separates us from being mere primates to becoming the most intelligent species to ever walk the Earth."

He spoke with such conviction that even Cade couldn’t help but believe every word.

"Adios, gentlemen!" Mr. Carl said with a light, casual tone, picking up his briefcase with one swift motion. As he turned away, he waved back at the class, a brief, confident gesture that seemed to linger in the air.

' Tweaking the genes. huh '

Cade watched him go, not knowing the changes this simple idea would bring to his future.