Time flies when you're exploring something interesting.
Yuu discovered that delicious food... especially sugary sweets, was incredibly tempting to his Nen beast.
In that regard, they were exactly alike.
"I guess that makes sense. It is a manifestation of my 'Id', created from my true nature..." Yuu thought, mentally roasting himself.
Beyond its sweet tooth, Yuu also noticed a capacity limit. Once the beast hit its daily intake cap, not even candy could tempt it to eat more.
"That counts as a Restriction... but it makes sense."
After all, a Nen beast is essentially a living creature made of Aura. It was only natural that it had an appetite limit like any other biological entity.
However, Yuu hadn't tested what else it could eat.
What if it devoured something dangerous, like a raw Nen attack, a Curse, or a poison? Would there be side effects or penalties?
Also, whether it could consume someone else's Nen was still a mystery. After all, he hadn't actually fought a Nen user head-on yet.
That thought brought a specific image to mind: a clownish figure who loved building towers of playing cards.
Hisoka.
Yuu had a hunch...
If he made it to the final round without any accidents, he'd almost certainly end up clashing with Hisoka.
"But beating that guy in a fair fight... won't be easy."
Yuu sighed.
Just as he was about to continue experimenting with his ability, the airship's PA system crackled to life with an announcement regarding the Second Phase.
"We have arrived at the site for the next phase. All candidates, please proceed to the exit immediately."
"The exam begins in thirty minutes. Please manage your time wisely. Anyone late will be disqualified. That is all."
"..."
With the announcement over, Yuu reluctantly dismissed his Nen beast.
"I'll have plenty of time to figure it out later. Priority one is getting that Hunter License."
---
Twenty minutes later.
Yuu and the other candidates changed into heavy winter gear and disembarked from the airship.
They had landed on a wide, flat mountain pass located halfway up a ring of snow-capped mountains. A thick layer of snow covered the ground.
Not far away, the gathering point for the Second Phase was visible.
"Second round... mostly familiar faces now..."
Yuu silently activated "Ten" to shield himself from the biting wind while scanning the crowd.
Aside from the concerning presence of Hisoka...
There was Number 215, the wrestler Todo.
Number 301, the martial artist Bodoro.
Number 93, the snake charmer Bourbon.
And about forty other candidates he didn't recognize from the original series.
Of course, there was also the annoying Number 16, Tonpa the "Rookie Crusher."
Yuu couldn't figure out how that guy passed, but it wasn't worth dwelling on.
---
"Yo~"
Hisoka appeared right next to Yuu, initiating the conversation.
"Long time no see, little fruit... You look like you've grown quite a bit."
Yuu didn't need to look to know who it was.
He turned around, tilting his head slightly to look at the face wearing that trademark provocative smile. He frowned.
"Hisoka... of course I ran into you."
"Ooh~ You remember me."
Hisoka smiled playfully. "Seems I was right. We really have been keeping eyes on each other, haven't we? It wasn't just my imagination..."
Yuu couldn't help but retort. "With that outfit and your weird personality, you'd stand out in a clown convention. It's hard not to notice you."
"Fair point," Hisoka admitted, showing a rare moment of self-awareness.
"So, what do you want?" Yuu asked. "We aren't exactly on 'casual chatting' terms."
"Also, stop calling me 'little fruit' or 'kid.' My name is Yuu. If you don't use it, I'm ignoring you."
"Hehehe... You were the one who caught my eye first, yet now you act so cold. How heartless~" Hisoka chuckled.
"But... I like that about you."
"..."
Seeing that smile—which contained a lethal dose of perversion—Yuu was speechless. He instantly regretted looking at the guy back on the boat.
One wrong look, a lifetime of regret.
Fortunately, Hisoka dialed it back a notch and started explaining himself.
"You know... I have a hobby. I love finding high-quality, unripe fruit. Then, I wait patiently for that fruit to ripen... until the day it's finally worth crushing."
"The ecstasy of the harvest... nothing gets me more excited~"
Yuu understood immediately. He asked back, "So... I'm the fruit?"
"Indeed. And a very promising one at that," Hisoka smiled.
"You're still green, but my intuition tells me... your potential goes far deeper than what you're showing."
"To be honest, I'm dying to fight you... especially once you've fully matured."
As he finished the sentence, Hisoka habitually licked his lips. A wave of disgusting malice radiated from him.
Killing intent.
A chill ran down Yuu's spine. He shuddered for a second, but quickly shook it off.
"Being targeted by a dangerous psychopath like you... I guess I should be honored..."
Yuu composed himself and gave Hisoka a meaningful look.
"Truth is, I want to fight you too... but not yet."
"Heh... I'll be looking forward to it~" Hisoka grinned.
"Don't disappoint me now."
"Seeing talent go to waste... breaks my heart."
With that, Hisoka turned and walked away.
"..."
Yuu silently watched Hisoka's retreating figure.
For some reason, a buried desire deep within him began to stir.
Thinking back on the last decade...
He had fought powerful Cursed Spirits, but fighting mindless monsters was like animal control. There was no thrill in it.
As for humans?
The sorcerers back home—both the old geezers and the new generation—were cowards.
Most lost the will to fight the moment they saw him.
But Hisoka...
He was different from those sorcerers. Even when facing a powerhouse like Netero, Hisoka would still feel the urge to fight and provoke him.
He was a pure battle maniac.
"But clashing with a guy like that... that's the only way I'll evolve..."
Without realizing it...
Yuu wore a smile just like Hisoka's.