The two boys, Killua Zoldyck and Gon Freecs, continued exploring the ruins of a battlefield. They were amazed by the sheer extent of the damage, speculating that the combatants must have been exceptionally powerful Nen users.
They spotted another vending machine, this one colored red. Killua dismissed it, assuming it was probably filled with mock-ups again, but Gon disagreed. Due to his keen sense of smell, he immediately deduced that the products inside were real, or at least some of them were.
Killua grinned before delivering a roundhouse kick to the vending machine, shattering the protective glass.
The displayed products tumbled out, and the two hurriedly picked up some candy bars. They unwrapped them and were overjoyed to discover that the contents were real rather than plastic imitations.
"This is my first time eating this kind of candy bar. It's so tasty but I cannot read the labels. Are we even eating chocolate, Gon?"
"Sure we are, they taste and smell like chocolate."
"Well, if you say so."
Killua replied, shrugging off his concerns. He took off his shirt, revealing his toned torso despite his young age. He then fashioned it into an improvised sling bag, gathering as many treats as he could carry. Gon did the same.
They resumed their exploration. Their initial amazement had gradually subsided, but the moment they entered the next room, their astonishment returned in full force. It was as though they had stumbled into the greatest playground imaginable. Killua's candy bar slipped from his hand and fell to the ground as he stared at the sight before him.
"Gon, you are seeing what I am seeing right?"
"So you see it too, Killua?"
Slides.
An entire collection of slides stretched out before them.
There were both open and enclosed slides, each sporting its own color. Some were red, others blue, and a few were green. They twisted and turned through the air, many of them extending over considerable distances and forming elaborate loops. A veritable carnival of pool slides lay before the two boys, and both of them desperately wanted to try them out.
Some slides rose so high and featured such lengthy drops that they resembled roller coasters. The two boys could barely make out the ceiling above them. The structures were almost as tall as the skyscrapers in Yorknew City.
"Yahooo!"
They shouted in unison as they rushed forward, leaving their improvised sling bags behind. They climbed onto the nearest slide, which had a small but steady stream of water flowing through it.
Killua wrapped his arms around Gon from behind, allowing the warmth of their bodies to mingle.
Gon bent his arms backward, gripping the edges of the slide before thrusting himself forward and letting go. Their bodies shot ahead, and they glided along the twisting structure as though riding a Ferris wheel.
Eventually, the slide enclosed them before they reached a steep drop. The two screamed with delight as they plunged downward.
"OHHHHHH SUGAR HONEY ICED TEA!"
Killua screamed as he embraced Gon tightly from behind, burying his face against Gon's rear. After consuming several unfamiliar chocolate bars and the sudden drop, his stomach was beginning to rumble...
"Waaaaaaaaaaaait, Gon! Aren't we going to get lost!"
"Don't worry, I can track your scent from that shirt you left behind!"
"My scent!? What about yours!?"
"Your scent is stronger Killua and I can't sniff myself. My nose is used to my stench!"
"Are you calling me smelly!?" Killua groaned before pinching Gon's cheeks. Gon turned his head and sniffed Killua, but his expression immediately soured.
"AH! You little brat!" Killua grumbled.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They both screamed as the slide got faster.
The slide looped around before opening up again, leading into another drop. The two continued laughing as they traveled farther and farther through the twisting structure. After some time, however, the slide eventually looped back into the room filled with slides.
They spotted their improvised bags where they had left them. Exchanging glances, the two boys burst into laughter.
"Say, let's take another slide!" Killua said, pointing toward another one.
"Sure!" Gon happily agreed.
With that, they both leaped away from the previous slide and entered another. This time, the slide was green and wider than the one they had just ridden. The current was also considerably stronger. They raised their arms as they let the flowing water carry them along, shouting with excitement as their speed increased.
...
...
...
Eventually, the two boys grew tired and decided they had experienced enough excitement for the time being. They came across another vending machine, this one stocked with frozen treats. This time, Gon shattered the glass with a single punch.
The frozen treats hadn't melted, despite the vending machine not being connected to any electrical outlet. Furthermore, it stood in the middle of a shallow pool, partially submerged in the water. Neither boy questioned it. They had long since stopped questioning the strange place they found themselves in.
They each enjoyed a cold vanilla popsicle before heading back toward the spot where they had left their improvised bags.
Gon suddenly stopped and glanced to his left, where another corridor stretched into the distance. At its far end, he could just barely make out a person's hand resting on the floor, with the rest of the body concealed around a sharp bend.
"Killua, look." Gon said, nudging his head toward the end of the corridor.
Killua noticed the hand as well and cautiously approached it.
As they drew closer, the stench of death gradually became stronger. One thing was immediately apparent to both boys: whoever the person was, they had been dead for quite some time.
They paused briefly when they realized the hand belonged to a woman before continuing forward.
Peeking around the bend, they discovered the rotting corpse of a woman. The stench was even more overwhelming up close. Both boys were accustomed to death, but they weren't necessarily used to witnessing the slow process of decomposition. Nevertheless, they approached the body and began examining it.
Her skin had turned purplish-black, and despite the extensive decomposition, the color of her hair remained relatively prominent. It was red, though the boys couldn't tell whether it was dyed or natural. There were no obvious signs of a struggle or evidence of an attacker. Killua searched the surrounding area but found nothing else of interest.
Gon's animal-like senses hadn't picked up anything unusual either. After examining the scene, the boys reached what seemed to be the only reasonable conclusion.
"She likely starved to death. Water is extremely abundant here, clean even." Killua reasoned, clicking his tongue. He then turned to Gon.
"Yeah, I don't see any other reason. Her skin doesn't show any signs of harm." Gon muttered, humming in agreement.
"She's a student too, it seems." Killua added.
"A student?"
"Yeah, look at her uniform, it's very high-school like."
With that, the two left the scene, allowing the girl to rest in peace.
"Killua, do you think we'll be like her too?"
Gon softly asked. Killua remained silent.
(The next chapter is futa.)