Chapter 7: Target X Tool
Sinbad was losing his mind.
He didn't have the capacity to be sitting around in the boring, bland, and brick room. After waiting for almost three days, he was close to bashing his brains into the wall.
Sinbad spent most of his time sleeping and talking with Yama once she calmed down. They talked about their childhoods and homelands. Yama mentioned having a friend who was cursed and was also seeking out a cure for her and then they taught each other simple stances for their respective weapons. She also didn't have any information about Heavens Arena.
Staring at the clock on the wall, Sinbad watched as the Third Phase was soon coming to an end. Right before the buzzer, one of the doors opened and then Killua, Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and Tonpa reached the destination.
Sinbad's attention zoomed in on Killua and Gon's laughing faces, sensing their closeness and the bond they formed over the Third Phase. He watched from his seat as they celebrated together in completing the Phase at the last second. They had become great friends in his absence.
A door opened and a blinding light infiltrated the room, a silhouette of a small man entered through the exposed light. He commanded the applicants to leave the room and step outside. They all stood with Trick Tower looming behind them and they faced roaring waves, looking at a body of water and far on the distant horizon was an island.
The man wore glasses, a collard black jacket and gray pants, and stood behind a box with a square opening at the top. "I am Lippo, the Examiner for the Third Phase. Congratulations on you twenty-four successfully passing my exam, now all that remains is the Fourth and Final Phase of the Hunter Exam."
Some of the applicants sighed in relief and others tensed up as they neared the finish line.
Lippo pointed to the island behind him. "The Fourth Phase will take place on that island, Zevil Island. Before we begin, I need each of you to draw lots now. In this box, there are exactly twenty four cards. This means, each card will represent one of you. We will proceed in the order of finishing the Third Phase. Would you please, number eleven?"
Even though Sinbad and Yama crossed at the same time, the tie went to the smaller badge number.
All eyes fell on Sinbad as he calmly approached the box, stuck his hand and retrieved a lot number. He returned to his spot and then Yama and the rest of the remaining applicants followed after.
"Now would you please remove the sticker on the lot," Lippo advised. The applicants did as they were told and ripped off the sticker, revealing a number. "The number you see will be your target."
The applicants gasped in shock, coming to the realization of the person they must Hunt. He stared at the number in his hand, fifty-three. The short dude with the bow and arrow.
Quickly, most of them grabbed their own numbered badges and concealed them. Sinbad, who had his number badge hidden in his pocket, took it out and pinned it on his chest, exposing his number.
Lippo continued to explain the rules of the Fourth Phase. Steal the target's ID badge and hold onto your own, the goal is to achieve six points by the end of the week. The target and own badges are worth three points while any other badge is only worth one point.
After Lippo explained the rules, Sinbad and the rest of the applicants boarded a ship which took them to Zevil Island. Sinbad, Killua, and Gon sat together in silence on the wooden ship. All three of them wore their own badges pinned on their chests. An awkwardness loomed over them.
"Okay, let's just show each other our targets," requested Sinbad.
Gon nodded. "On three?"
"Yup," agreed Killua.
Gon counted down from three and then they revealed their target number. Killua's target was 199. Gon's target was 44, Hisoka. Sinbad revealed his 53.
Sinbad and Killua's attention lingered on Gon's target number. An uncomfortable silence loomed over them.
"Are you scared?" Killua asked.
Gon squeezed the lot, staring at the number. "Yes, but I am also excited. This is what it takes to be a Hunter and this will prove that I'm ready."
"Good," Sinbad said, patting Gon's shoulder. He gained the boy's attention. "Remember. You only need to steal the badge, avoid combat at all cost. I have faith in you."
Gon nodded, enthusiastically. "Right!"
The rest of the ride to Zevil Island was done in idle chit chat but as the boat neared the dock, it was completely silent. Every applicant was focused and determined to successfully pass this Exam and reach the Final Phase of the Hunter Exam.
They docked the boat on Zevil Island and the lady overseeing this transition departed the ship. "Okay, everyone! You all will disembark the ship and head into the island in order of finishing the Third Phase. After an interval of two minutes the next applicant will depart. You will be on the island for exactly a week to collect the six points and return to this location. Everyone! Good luck!"
Sinbad rose from his seat and disembarked the boat. He winked at the beautiful lady.
"Wish me luck," teased Sinbad, blowing a kiss. He watched the woman nod and blush before turning away and headed into the woods.
Immediately, Sinbad sprinted through the woods, putting a safe distance between him and the boat. He ran at top speeds for about ten minutes straight, heading for what he believed to be the center of the island. Noticing the island begin to narrow, on Sinbad's left and right, he saw a beach shore.
'Hisoka would have been on the island for six minutes now,' Sinbad thought, activating Ten and taking a sharp left after entering a different section of the strange dumbbell shaped island. With Nen pushing his body even faster, he zoomed through the island. After another five minutes, Sinbad slowed down and entered into a state of Zetsu. He found a nearby bush to hide into to regain his breath and relax his strained muscles. 'I can't stay long.'
Knowing he couldn't stay in the area of where his Nen disappeared, Sinbad pushed out of the bush and began wrapping back around to the starting point. Hopefully, Hisoka couldn't track him or anticipate his unpredictable plan of returning to the boat.
He did this for three simple reasons. The first was the arrow guy finished the Third Phase in the middle of the pack, so he was still waiting on the boat to leave and once he did he wouldn't travel too far from the beginning and Sinbad could cut him off. The second helped from escaping Hisoka's grasp by having more applicants near the start, Sinbad could use them to his advantage. The third reason was to find his helping tool for the Exam.
For about another thirty minutes, Sinbad dashed through the tree tops as he travelled back toward the boat. He wrapped the back side of the awkward shaped island and was another twenty minutes from the starting boat. And in his peripheral vision, he found his first victim.
A man wearing clothes wrapped around the top of his head, a purple scarf and loose clothes that hung from his body. He was applicant number 103, Bourbon the Snake Charmer. He was walking toward a large cave carved into the mountain.
Without any hesitation, Sinbad fell from the tree tops and blitzed the man. Bourbon the Snake Charmer heard the threat and turned but Sinbad moved too quickly. He unsheathed his blue ornate sword and thrusted his blade deep into the man's chest.
Instantly, a large green snake flashed its fangs and lashed out at Sinbad. His hand caught the snake's neck, stopping it a few inches from his face and with brute force, he crushed the snake in his hand. Sensing the dozens of other snakes on the man's body, Sinbad leapt backward, pulling his blade free of Bourbon's body.
The furious dozens of snakes followed to attack Sinbad.
"I respect your loyalty," Sinbad mumbled., gripping his blade with both hands and executed hundreds of slashes in seconds, cutting the snakes into ribbons. Carefully he approached the dead man's body, watching the protective snakes slither on their master's corpse, refusing to leave him. Cautiously, Sinbad's left hand reached out toward the Snake Charmer. "I will not further disgrace your master beyond death. I will do no harm."
His hand slipped past the snake's scales and stole Bourbon's ID badge.
Simultaneously, Sinbad sensed an incoming threat, quickly he snapped around and swung his sword upward. He swatted the arrow out of the air and beyond the trajectory of the arrow was player number fifty-three, Sinbad's target.
Player number fifty-three's eyes widened in horror and regret but the alluring idea of being the one to kill possibly the strongest applicant in the Hunter Exams overruled his thought process. Instantly, he gave up on trying to prolong a fight or stay, he turned to run.
Sinbad chased, catching up in five seconds. He grabbed the smaller teen's hair and threatened the fatal edge of his blade against his exposed neck.
"You will do. Hand over your badge." Sinbad demanded. The boy did as commanded and carefully pulled out his badge and handed it over to Sinbad. "What's your name?"
"Pokkle," he said nervously. "Please don't kill me."
Sinbad steadied the blade, keeping it firm against Pokkle's neck. "Only if you help me."
"Yes, of course," Pokkle agreed, frantically. "How can I assist you?"
"You are going to be my helpful little servant for the entire Phase," Sinbad replied in a serious manner. "Every morning, we are going to have a chat," Sinbad pointed at the large cave inside the mountainside. "You will meet me there and if you fail to arrive I will kill you. Do you understand?"
Pokkle nodded.
"Good," Sinbad answered, happily. He released Pokkle and sheathed his blade. "What I need you to do is easy, run around and collect information for me. Your main objectives are 44, 294, and 405."
Pokkle nodded.
'I found a good tool. He listens well,' Sinbad thought and then relaxed.
"I know, I came off a little serious and scary," Sinbad said with sympathy. "But, when you are done succeeding at helping, I will make sure you make it to the next Phase."
"Seriously?" Pokkle couldn't help but feel hope, inspiration, and relief.
Sinbad nodded vigorously. "Who's your target?"
Pokkle smiled. "Hmm, it's that pretty girl carrying that long silver spear, number 105."
Sinbad restrained himself from showing any concern. 'Of course she is. Well, looks like I got to find six unlucky applicants.'
"I will keep an eye out for her," replied Sinbad, truthfully.
Pokkle's eyes bounced around in worry and concern.
Sinbad read Pokkle's nervous expression and wished to put him at ease by lying. "Don't worry, you weren't my target."
Pokkle sighed in relief, fooled by Sinbad's ability to act and then left to start his duties as Sinbad's tool.
However, Sinbad spent the rest of the first day sleeping inside of the large and deep cave.