Isaac Netero

''When? When did I start waiting for my opponent to make the first move? When, indeed? It became a routine. The loser held out his hands in gratitude for the lesson and I graciously accepted without skipping a beat. As if that was what I wanted!! That's not how it should be!! For so long, I sought the height of perfection. I dreamed of giving my heart and soul to battle an unstoppable adversary!! I'm a lucky man. I'm thankful for everything that led me to this point...that led me to you!!''

Isaac Netero (ネテロ, Isaku Netero) is the 12th chairman of the Hunters Association and the chairman over the Hunter Examination Selection Committee. He is one of the oldest and most powerful characters in the Hunter × Hunter series.

Personality
Netero is at first characterized as an energetic, playful, and at times seemingly absent minded elder. But Netero is slightly insane; he enjoys challenges and is thrilled by the prospect of a formidable enemy. This strange passion affects the way in which he governs the Hunters Association, frequently testing the physical limits of those attempting to become Hunters. Biscuit Krueger even calls Netero a "twisted individual," as he often enjoys giving Hunters he trusts impossible assignments that would take years to complete. Netero has dedicated his life to the martial arts and prayer. He displays a great deal of pride when it comes to his own abilities and has no respect for the weak. His goal in life is to find a worthy adversary against whom he can fight with his all.

Background
Not much is known about Netero's past. He was trained in the martial arts of Shingen-Ryu Kung Fu. Some years later, at the age of 46, he went to train in the mountains. During his time there he showed his gratitude to the martial arts and would do a set of ten thousand punches and prayers daily. On the first day of his training, it took him over eighteen hours to complete ten thousand punches. After completion of the ritual, he would collapse from exhaustion and fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken and repeat the ten thousand punches the next day. This would become Netero's daily routine for the next two years. One day after that time had passed, he realized that although he had completed his ten thousand punches, the sun had not yet set. Three years later, at the age of fifty, Netero had become capable of doing the ritual in under an hour. As a result, he spent the extra time in prayer, a development that led him to enlightenment. Some time later, Netero descended from the mountain, returning to the dojo he had begun his training in, and demonstrated his new strength. His time on the mountain had allowed him the ability to strike faster than the speed of sound, to the astonishment and amazement of his onlookers. Among his audience was the Grand Master of the dojo, who was moved to tears by the raw power and grace brought about by Netero's training. The man broke down at Netero's feet, begging to be trained, and offering the title of Grand Master in his stead. Netero accepted, under the lighthearted condition that he would be brought some food first.

Years later, Netero, now in his mid-sixties, sought challengers at his dojo, fighters from places far and wide, determined to defeat him. Each challenger was defeated in turn, humbled by his amazing power, never failing to show their respect with a bow. Some years later, Netero would eventually fight Zeno Zoldyck's grandfather, Maha Zoldyck, and live to tell the tale. In addition, Netero eventually became the 12th Chairman over the Hunters Association. He was also a former member of the Seirin Group.

Abilities & Powers
As one of the strongest characters in the series, Netero displays incredible strength and stamina for his age, shown in his first appearance when he makes a 60-foot free-fall jump from the Judging Committee's blimp without a parachute and lands without incurring any harm. He is also a very powerful hand-to-hand combatant, capable of unleashing punches reported to be as fast as the speed of sound. Netero has excellent control over his muscles as well, being capable of preventing blood loss from a severed leg, and great coordination, judging by his proficiency in using a 100-armed Nen construct as mean of offense.

Enhanced strength: Netero has incredible physical strength as he could jump from a 60-foot free-fall jump from the Judging Committee's blimp without a parachute and lands without incurring any physical harm.

Immense speed and reflexes: Netero's speed is considered to be the greatest of any character seen thus far in the series. Example of this is that he could run by Gon and Killua without them even seeing him come by,also dodging all of their attacks rather easily and tiring them out quickly. He is arguably faster than Neferpitou and, even more remarkably, Meruem, as he could launch an attack on Meruem with his 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva with the King unable to see the attack coming. It took him many minutes of incessant fighting to grow used to Netero's speed. He can also deliver punches as fast as the speed of sound.

Immense stamina: When Netero was younger, he performed ten thousand punches in only 18 hours, and when he had continued to do this, the sun had not yet set. He also then fought many different kinds of fighters for the dojo for days on end. He took two fatal wounds from Meruem, fought him for a long period of time while exchanging thousands of blows, and spoke to him normally even after exhausting all of his aura and despite the seriousness of his injuries, showing his stamina is top-notch even in his old age.

Strong Muscle Control: Netero is capable of preventing blood-loss from a severed leg and continue battling without relenting.

High pain resistance: Netero is very resistant to pain as Meruem severed his left arm and right leg without him even flinching, though his sweating rate increased slightly.

Master in hand-to-hand combat: Being the grand master of Shingen-ryu kung-fu, and also being able to deliver thousands of different attacks with the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva with it following his own hand motions on Meruem, Netero is displayed as being the best hand-to-hand combatant seen in the series. More examples of this is when Netero was 46 years old, he did 10,000 punches a day and it took 18 hours to finish 10,000 punches on his first day. After two years, when he completed the 10,000 punches, the sun had not yet set. And at the age of 50, he completed 10,000 punches in less than one hour and more time to pray. Because of this, Netero can also deliver punches as fast as the speed of sound. He also defeated any fighter who would come to fight him in his dojo no matter how powerful proving his skill.

Nen
Netero is an extremely powerful practitioner of Nen, claiming the title of the most powerful Nen user fifty years prior to the series. It is said that, because of the extremely quiet flow of his aura, one cannot read his next move. While his amount of aura is immense, impressing seasoned Hunters like Morel, who commented it felt like being pierced by needles, Colt stated it is incomparable to that of the three Royal Guards; still, he managed to dispose of Neferpitou in an instant and injure Meruem himself, demonstrating his superior mastery over the art.