Between Two Worlds: Nen and Haki

"Wow, that's a massive tiger!"

"It's Zane! Kid, you're really something. You've been catching big ones like this every day lately."

"Life really isn't fair. You're already so handsome, Zane, and yet your strength is this incredible too. How are the rest of us supposed to survive?"

"Hey, hey, speak for yourself. Personally, I think my looks are still holding up just fine."

"Zane, how much are you looking to sell this tiger for? You know my prices are always fair; I'd never rip you off."

"..."

Though he had been in the small town for less than a week, most of the residents greeted Zane warmly as he made his way back through the streets.

While the sight of the giant tiger was certainly an attraction, it also showed that in just a few days, Zane had earned the approval of most residents and integrated smoothly into the community.

After successfully selling the tiger at the market, Zane took the money and headed toward a private clinic in town.

"Zane's back! So, how was the haul today?"

Inside the clinic, Angus, wearing a white lab coat, greeted Zane with a smile as he entered.

Zane nodded. "Not bad. I caught a big one."

With that, he handed a black plastic bag filled with the tiger's sale price to Angus.

Angus was the owner of the clinic and the doctor who had been treating Zane's injuries over the past few days.

"Stop that. Didn't I tell you? Your medical fees are already paid in full. You don't need to give me any more money."

Looking at the black plastic bag, Angus knew from experience that it was filled with cash and immediately waved his hand in refusal.

"Medical fees are one thing, but gratitude is another. When I first arrived penniless, you were willing to treat me. That kind of kindness isn't something that can be settled by a medical bill."

"Besides, didn't you say some of the clinic's equipment was getting outdated? Think of this as my sponsorship. With new equipment, you'll be able to better treat the people of this town."

Zane spoke with a serious expression as he grabbed the doctor's waving right hand and forced the plastic bag into it.

"You... alright then, I'll take it. I'll also count this toward your food expenses, since you eat like a horse anyway. I'll head out and buy some extra groceries later so we can have a feast tonight." Seeing Zane's insistence, Angus knew he wouldn't be able to turn the money down.

After thinking it over, he finally accepted the bag and couldn't help but chuckle.

He continued to marvel, "Seriously though, you're quite something. When you first arrived, your injuries were quite severe, yet you were able to go out and catch a giant boar in the forest the very next day. And now, just a few days later, your wounds have almost completely healed."

Zane could fully understand Angus's amazement.

It couldn't be helped; after all, his body possessed the constitution of someone from the One Piece world.

Never mind minor injuries—even if he were heavily wounded, some supreme bandages and a massive meal would usually be enough to get him mostly back on his feet.

Not to mention he had received effective medical treatment over the last few days.

So Zane just smiled and said, "Well, people always say you need to eat well to have strength. You've seen my appetite; with a stomach like mine, it's not that strange for my body to be tougher than average, right?"

"When you put it that way, it actually makes sense," Angus agreed.

Tap, tap, tap...

As Zane and Angus were chatting, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the clinic, and someone rushed in impulsively.

"Zane! I heard you caught a giant tiger today. Is it true?"

The newcomer's eyes lit up when he saw Zane in the clinic. He jogged over, sounding quite excited.

"I say, Leorio, didn't you say you wanted to become an excellent doctor? Always rushing around like that... it won't do," Angus said, resting his head in his hand with a sigh.

Leorio, with his short black hair and small sunglasses, scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I just got too excited! Zane caught an exceptionally large tiger this time, after all."

He was currently working as Angus's assistant, partly to earn money and partly to learn medicine more effectively.

To him, Angus was not just his boss, but also his mentor.

"Leorio, did you finish the registration?" Zane asked.

It was quite a coincidence.

When he first sought out Angus's clinic for treatment, Zane hadn't expected to encounter a major character from this world's story so soon—especially one as central as Leorio.

Hearing Zane's question, Leorio's attention shifted instantly. He nodded confidently. "It's all set! Our applications have been submitted to the Hunter Association's website and successfully approved. Now we just need to reach the nearest boarding point within the next two weeks."

"Good job. I'll head back to the forest this afternoon and see if I can catch another big one to reward you," Zane said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.

"You said it! I'll be looking forward to it then," Leorio laughed.

Seeing that neither of them seemed nervous about the Hunter Exam, Angus said worriedly, "Are you two really going to take that test? I've heard it's incredibly dangerous."

Leorio waved his hand, acting nonchalant. "Danger? You can find that anywhere. Compared to the risk, the rewards are what matter. If we can get a Hunter License, we'll never have to worry about food or drink again."

Zane reassured Angus, "It'll be fine. I'll look after Leorio during the exam."

"Hey, who are you looking after? I admit you're strong, but I'm not so weak that I need your protection," Leorio protested.

But unfortunately...

Neither Zane nor Angus paid him any mind.

Angus nodded solemnly at Zane's words. "Then I'll leave it to you. Leorio is often impulsive and reckless. I'll feel much more at ease knowing you're watching his back."

"Got it," Zane replied with a slight nod.

Leorio had also put in a lot of effort during his treatment.

Besides, they had gotten along very well over the past few days, so he was willing to look after him as much as he could.

As for the Hunter Exam...

Now that his injuries had healed, Zane wasn't in a hurry to return to the One Piece world. He wanted to use this exam as an opportunity to see if he could learn Nen.

According to the original story, the key to learning Nen lay in one's aura nodes.

Zane wasn't sure if his One Piece constitution possessed aura nodes, but he had to try.

As a member of the Three-Eye Tribe, the dangers he faced in the One Piece world far exceeded those of an average person, so he needed to be even more focused on the pursuit of strength.

As for why he would go out to sea rather than stay in hiding...

It was simple. What could possibly stop a man's longing for the ocean?

A past life was a past life, and this life was his current one.

The awakening of his past memories had simply added another layer of experience to his journey.

There was no hierarchy between his two lives; his growth in this life would have a significant impact on him as well.

He absolutely refused to live a pathetic life, hiding away just to survive.