(Sorry guys, a thief broke into my house and stole a lot of stuff, please be a little patient until i recover a bit. thank you)
"Yes, I understand."
"I'll be careful."
"Killua? He's here."
"Should I bring him home right now?"
"No need? Alright."
"Goodbye, Father."
"Beep."
In a deserted corner of the Hunter Exam site, a man with his face full of pins hung up the phone, looking slightly dazed.
He was dressed in green, with an odd blue mohawk, and his skin was a strange purple. His fingers were extended, his nails as long and sharp as knives. His stiff face, perhaps due to the Nen pins, was frozen in a constant smile.
Gittarackur—the mysterious examinee number 301. No one knew his origins, only that this guy was probably also dangerous, because he was currently staying with a universally acknowledged pervert—
Examinee number 44—the mad magician, Hisoka!
"Oh-ho-ho-ho... your absent-minded look is so thrilling, Illumi."
"Swish, swish." A deck of cards spun and flipped in Hisoka's hands.
The magician's hair was spiked up, styled like an adult's, and his face was painted with light makeup in the shapes of a teardrop and a star. His chest bore large "Hearts" and "Diamonds" symbols, just like his unpredictable and fickle personality.
Illumi seemed to have no intention of hiding it from his friend, nonchalantly revealing a piece of news, "I just got a call. That bastard from my family is coming too."
"Are you referring to... Killua over there?" Hisoka's eyes curved, his mouth splitting into a wide arc, his expression looking bizarre and terrifying.
He waved his hand exaggeratedly.
"No... no. A green apple would be too sour to eat. Of course..."
He then paused, stuck out his tongue, and licked his lips, looking "infatuated" at Illumi. "If that's your request, I'd eat him even if he's sour."
"If you dare touch him, I'll kill you!" Illumi said without even looking at Hisoka, as if stating something trivial.
But the killing intent that suddenly erupted from him was so thick it was tangible, impossible to disperse.
"Is that so? How scary." Hisoka squinted, his body beginning to tremble, unable to stop himself from wanting to laugh hysterically.
'Ah, as expected of the red apple I've set my sights on, so tempting. I really, really want to eat him right now!'
"Swish, swish, swish." The cards flipped faster and faster, finally snapping shut with a "slap." The magician took a deep breath and finally calmed down.
He cupped his chin with one hand and hummed, "Since it's not Killua, it can only be the one you're obsessed with, Sean Zoldyck."
"So? I can't kill Killua, but I can kill him, right?" Hisoka hooked an arm around Illumi's neck, blowing a breath of air by his ear, his smile growing more perverted.
Illumi gave him a flat look. "Of course. If you can manage it."
"Oh-ho-ho-ho... that's something to look forward to."
"Swish!" The deck of cards was fanned open again, their edges sharp, surpassing a steel blade and glinting with a deadly light.
Hisoka released Illumi, stuck out his tongue to lick his lips, and squinted into the distance.
Leaving the quiz town behind, in the tunnel leading to the mountaintop cedar tree, two full hours had passed since Sean's group had left, and they still hadn't emerged.
Leorio was already exhausted, panting like a dog. He immediately went on strike, squatting on the ground, hugging his briefcase.
"How much longer until we get there? I'm dead tired. Why don't we... take a break."
Who knows what this guy ate growing up. He looked tall and imposing, but he was the one with the worst physical fitness in the group.
Thud, thud, thud. Two wind vortexes were attached to his feet. Sean moved effortlessly. It looked like he was walking, but he was actually flying using his "Wind" trait.
Strolling leisurely, he glanced at Leorio. He had already thoroughly assessed the physical conditions of the three kids back when they first met.
Gon's constitution: 75. Kurapika's constitution: 61. Leorio's was absurdly low, not even 30, just a pitiful 15. Just as he said... he was nothing more than an ordinary person.
In the original story, after the exam, when they visited the Zoldyck estate, they couldn't even push open the first of the seven Testing Gates and needed Zebro to train them. This just showed how incredibly weak they were right now.
"We're almost there, Leorio. Hang in there a little longer." Kurapika and Gon stood side-by-side, following closely behind Sean. Kurapika said in a low voice, "The Hunter Exam is held in a different location every year."
"If we want to pass through here, we must find the guide the old woman mentioned."
"Only they can lead us to the exam site."
At this, Gon asked curiously, "What do the guides look like? Will they give us a hard time like that old woman did?"
"Well..." Kurapika didn't know.
He secretly glanced at Sean. Sean felt the heat on his back. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
He cast a sideways glance and said flatly, "Just a reminder, the Hunter Exam is timed."
"If you don't reach the exam site within the specified time, you'll be eliminated."
With that, Sean's figure flickered, and he suddenly vanished from the sight of Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio. The next second, he was already out of the tunnel, standing by a lake shimmering with rippling light.
"Hey? Mister... wait for me!"
Light spilled out from the tunnel entrance. Gon shot off after Sean, the fishing rod on his shoulder bobbing up and down, lively and playful.
"Damn it, don't you two even think about leaving me behind!"
'I don't want to be eliminated before I even get to the exam site.' Spurred by Sean's words, Leorio was alarmed and seemed to regain some energy. He slapped himself hard, then scrambled forward on all fours. His speed was so fast that he left Kurapika behind in an instant and vanished in a blur.
Kurapika pursed his lips and smiled. 'He can run pretty fast when he wants to.'
He too sped up and followed.
Splash! The four met by the lake, found a small boat, and climbed aboard. The oar parted the water, pushing the small boat toward the opposite shore.
Sean sat cross-legged at the bow, admiring the lake's scenery with great interest. He flipped his hand, and the fishing rod appeared again as he began to temper his "Water" trait.
Leorio copied him, sitting cross-legged at the stern. Thanks to Kurapika and Gon, he didn't have to row. He rested his chin in his hand, resting idly, when he suddenly noticed a wooden sign floating on the lake. He looked closely and made out the words on it.
"Beware of Magical Beasts?"
"Tch! What's so scary about Magical Beasts!"
Leorio scoffed disdainfully.
"This great man doesn't have many virtues, but he's got guts to spare!"
'The familiar bragging session has begun.' Next up should be that giant snake popping its head out of the water.
Sean's ears twitched as he listened to Leorio. Being familiar with the original plot, he spotted the snake before anyone else. What followed was witnessing Leorio's bluff being called as he paddled frantically toward the shore—
Splash! The giant snake appeared. Leorio was scared out of his wits. He snatched the oar and paddled desperately toward the bank.
The oar cut two long lines through the water, and they were just about to reach the shore.
At a certain moment, Sean opened his eyes and said to Gon with a smile, "I'll give you another chance. Sniff carefully. Do you smell a certain musk?"
Gon obediently twitched his nose, closed his eyes, and sniffed hard. A few seconds later, his eyes lit up. He pointed to a nearby forest and shouted excitedly, "Mister, there really is a musky fox!"
"You really weren't lying!"
The voice carried far into the distance.
The fierce fox father, hidden in the woods and peeping at them, was suddenly alarmed, then immediately enraged!
'What the hell "musky fox"!'
'Your whole family is musky! Damn brat, just wait and see how I'll mess with you!'
A plan gradually formed in his mind. Knowing he had been exposed, the fierce fox father pushed off a tree trunk with his powerful hind legs, leaping to dive deep into the forest.
But he never expected—
Swish! A black line suddenly shot through the moonlight, binding his hind leg with lightning speed, silent and unseen, and yanked him flying toward the boat!
"What the hell is this thing!" The fierce fox father was greatly alarmed!
Feeling himself being pulled backward, his two yellow fox eyes widened, and he roared, "Break!"
His sharp claws suddenly extended, swiping at the black line.
Screech!
Sparks flew. A teeth-grinding sound of metal striking metal exploded.
The expected break didn't happen. Instead, the fierce fox father's indestructible claws cracked on the spot!
It had been snapped by the black thread's rebound!
'Holy crap!'