How could a Nen ability like that even exist? Jon had watched Hunter x Hunter, and even though the anime barely scratched the surface of its vast world, this guy definitely wasn't in it. No mention in the story. No hints. He still had no clue what the Dark Continent was supposed to be about, let alone all the other unknown Hunters wandering around.
He didn't look back—just kept running.
How the hell was he supposed to fight that? Even Jon had to admit it—this ability felt busted. There had to be some kind of drawback. No power was perfect. Not even this one.
And if Chrollo ever found out about this guy… he'd 100% try to steal this Hatsu.
Behind him, Jackman stood tall with a wicked grin, the flames still dancing across his armor like it was nothing. To anyone watching, he probably looked like some off-brand Human Torch who'd taken a wrong turn and stumbled out of a Marvel movie.
Jon had struggled to suppress him before, and now? Now the guy had a permanent fire buff stacked on top of invincible defense. It was like fighting a final boss who turned on every cheat code. Full damage immunity, health lock, self-igniting armor, and probably a thorns effect to boot. Hit him? You get hurt. Punch him? Your hand catches fire. Who could deal with that?
There had to be a catch. Some kind of limit.
Jon kept running—he was faster than Jackman, and thankfully the guy wasn't an Emitter, so he couldn't snipe him from a distance. That gave Jon just enough breathing room to think.
As he turned onto a new road, the setting sun cast long shadows through the city. Fewer people were around, but it was still evening rush hour, and pedestrians still dotted the sidewalks.
"Yo, what the hell?"
Several passersby stopped and stared—then pulled out their phones, recording everything. Normally, Nen abilities couldn't be seen by ordinary people… unless it was something like Conjuration. Jackman's [Indestructible Armor] had to be a Specialization-type Conjuration. And since his armor was real, tangible… everyone could see it.
"Breaking news! Some flaming magical man is chasing a middle schooler!"
"Bro, is that a cosplay or a crime?!"
Jon ignored them, and so did Jackman.
They veered off the main street, tearing down a narrow path beside a creek. If they stayed on the main road, they'd eventually attract cops—or worse, other Hunters. More trouble wasn't on Jon's to-do list.
The creek widened, the trees thickened, and the trail thinned out. The city was slowly being swallowed by nature again.
Jon glanced back.
The flames on Jackman's body were starting to flicker out.
Jon leapt into the creek.
As his knees dipped below the surface, his descent stopped abruptly. He stood—firmly—on the water.
This was Ripple. An ancient art. A lost technique from another universe.
Through precise breathing and internal control, Hamon energy surged through Jon's body and into the water beneath his feet, allowing him to walk on its surface like a ninja from Naruto. His Ripple mastery wasn't quite on par with Joseph Joestar post-Lisa Lisa training… but it was close.
More than enough for this.
Water was Jon's stage.
On land, Jackman had every advantage—defense, strength, and durability. But in water? The rules changed. Water resisted movement. Vision was limited. Most people couldn't even exert half their strength submerged. Meanwhile, Jon stood tall, calm, untouchable on the surface.
Jackman stayed at the edge of the creek, glaring from the road.
"You little brat… did you forget something?" he said darkly, then turned and sprinted back.
Jon's heart dropped."…No."
"I remember now—there was another kid with you. He didn't run far. And… he didn't have Nen, did he?"
He figured it out.
Jon's stomach twisted. Of course it couldn't just be a normal boss fight. No training arc. No XP farming. Just a high-difficulty encounter with an enemy who had no chill and no limits. This was hell mode for a beginner.
Other protagonists got to fight giant bugs or crazy clowns. Jon got armor man with fire buffs.
Wait.
Armor… invincible defense… fire… and now water…
It hit him.There was something familiar about this.
A memory surfaced: a lazy afternoon, years ago, when a friend had tried to get Jon into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He'd scoffed at first. "Musclemen posing like peacocks? I'll pass. Bring on the edgy emokids and cute anime girls." He even remembered muttering, "I'd rather starve and jump off a building than watch this…"
Yet here he was.Standing on water. Breathing like a warrior. Facing down a monster in armor. Channeling Ripple.
Jackman, unaware of Jon's epiphany, jogged onward. Confident. Focused. Betting everything on one last gamble—that Jon would chase him. That he wouldn't retreat.
He wasn't completely wrong.
Jackman's ability, [Unbreakable Armor], drained both aura and stamina. He'd already burned through most of it in a prior battle with a Hunter Association member. His right arm was broken. He had one last Strengthening-type burst left in him, but he was nearly tapped out.
He was praying for a final blowout.
"[Stone Free]!" Jon shouted.
Suddenly, Jackman felt hands grab under his armpits, yanking him back.
[Stone Free] had manifested behind him, arms looped around his torso like an overly affectionate wrestler. The pose was awkward—maybe even suggestive—but it worked. Jackman was caught, restrained, unable to swing his arms.
Jon tugged on the threads linking them.
Jackman snarled, spun, and lashed out with a wild kick. No technique. Just raw strength—his signature style, forged by the belief he couldn't be hurt.
The distance was too close for Jon to dodge.
He braced. His body unraveled into strands.
The kick slammed into him and sent him flying. He skidded across the water's surface, finally splashing down.
But thanks to Stone Free and his thread-body, he avoided serious injury.
He inhaled sharply—then stood on the water once more.
"Armor Man," Jon said coldly, "this is my battlefield."
Jackman staggered forward, thrown off-balance by his own attack. That was all Jon needed. He didn't let go of the threads.
Instead, he stepped back and pulled hard.
Jackman's footing gave way.
He fell—headfirst—into the water.
"How does it feel?" Jon asked. "Still feel invincible underwater?"
If Jackman's armor could generate oxygen, then Jon would be out of luck.
But he was gambling too.
This wasn't just about strength now. It was strategy.
He remembered Star Platinum vs Yellow Temperance—another so-called "invincible" opponent defeated not by force, but by drowning.
Now, it was Jon's turn.
Jackman thrashed beneath the surface, panicking. He tried to swim. Tried to push off the bottom. Tried to surge upward. But underwater, his strength was useless. And worse—
Silver ripples spread across the creek's surface, like sonar pulses.
Jon was using Ripple Life Detection. Jackman couldn't hide.
The moment he broke the surface, he would be met with—
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA~!"
[Stone Free] appeared with blinding speed, fists raining down.
Jackman was forced back beneath the surface, again and again. [Stone Free] followed, wrapping threads around his throat.
Jon didn't even blink.
Jackman fought. Struggled. Screamed.
Then he stopped submerged in the water.
Ripple Life Detection showed his presence dimming… fading…
Gone.
Jon's shoulders sagged with relief. His knees wobbled. He nearly lost focus and dropped into the water himself.
But he steadied.
The last rays of the setting sun shimmered across the creek. Gold and orange danced on the water's surface like a curtain falling after a play.
Jon waded to shore—slow, calm, victorious.
"Next… I need to find Danai."