《Hunter x Hunter - To Adventure》


 1 Yuuki

    Yuuki regretted her life. She had never left her box and simply stayed in the comfort zone that others provided her with, never trying very hard with anything. Sports, academics, music, art. She didn''t really work on any of them. Of course, she regretted this now as she lay in a bed in a sterilised room, hanging onto her life thanks to tubes. Yet those regrets were nothing compared to what she felt in her heart right now. She was only still alive due to a charity feeling sorry for her and paying her hospital bills. Nobody cared about her, she heard no screams of worry, nobody begged to come see her. Just the constant beeping of the machines.


    Yuuki had been in the hospital for six weeks now. She was going to die. She had long since accepted that. Yet not one of her ''friends'' had come to see her. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. What was she expecting? They weren''t really her friends, were they? They were just people she hung out with so she wouldn''t be alone at lunch. Yuuki couldn''t even remember having a personal conversation with even one of them.


    She knew nothing about them. They knew nothing about her.


    As she had been alone in life with no hobbies or friends, Yuuki had immersed herself in other worlds. Anime, manga, books, films, everything. Her immense knowledge of these worlds is all she has achieved in her mere fourteen years of life.


    So this is how she would die. Alone. Ha, pretty fitting.


    Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.


    Please God, to be honest, I never really believed in you but if you are real and can hear me, would you mind putting me somewhere nice in my next life. Somewhere less boring, filled with adventure. Surrounded by people who love me. Ok, maybe surrounded is a bit too much. Just one person then. Yuuki thought.


    Ha, why was she even doing this? Even if God was real, why would he listen to her? She stared up at the white ceiling and bright lights. Tears now blurring her vision. I''m pretty stupid, aren''t I? Hey God. I know I said I was ok with dying but would you mind letting me live a bit longer? You see I did a pretty stupid thing. I haven''t been anywhere in over a year. It made me feel really sad. How they could go through so much trouble to protect something. I would really like to see one of my precious worlds just once more. I would really like that. Yuuki thought.


    She let out a small smile as the tears now flowed heavily down her cheeks. That would be really nice.


    Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beeeeeeep. Silence.


    Darkness. Was she finally gone? Finally free? That was nice.


    "You are quite pathetic you know that?" A quiet, soft voice spoke. The voice was gentle and seemed to lull her into a trance.


    She tried to open her eyes before realising they were already wide open. Yet she could not see a thing. Yuuki was confused, was this death?


    "You''re not as pathetic as others, though." The voice continued, "Many die younger than you, and live in much worse places. However, I do feel some pity for you. Somewhere filled with adventure, right? Ok then."


    The darkness around her slowly began to transform into light.


    "Look, our little girl just opened her eyes honey!" A male voice spoke out.


    "Really?" A tired female voice asked, "That''s good. Very good."


    A different female spoke out next, "So, have you two decided what you would like to call her?"


    Yuuki looked down at her now chubby little hands confused. What had happened? Was she reborn? She looked up at the woman holding her.


    "Yes!" The woman spoke confidently, "Her name is Yuuki!"


    Yuuki looked up at the woman who was now her mother. She saw the obvious fatigue in her face but that only made her more beautiful in Yuuki''s eyes. My mother, huh? Yuuki thought, and tears began to fall from her eyes.


    "Ah!" The woman yelped in surprise, "Honey, she''s crying! Did I do something wrong? Maybe I held her wrong? Did I hurt her? I knew it, I''m going to be a horrible mother!" She began to cry too.


    The man looked in confusion at his wife and new daughter crying and sighed.

 2 A New Life

    Yuuki was bored. She had been tasked with the extremely menial task of laundry and she was very upset about it. She didn''t want to do this, her mother was practically a slave labourer making her perform these boring chores at the age of five. She should be out having fun.


    Yuuki heard a laugh come from behind her. "Don''t look so grumpy, Yuuki, a few chores won''t kill you!" A female voice said.


    Yuuki looked at her, it was her mother. Her words obviously did not make Yuuki feel better about having to work. Yuuki pouted. In the five years of her new life, she had only left the house and the small area of forest surrounding it twice. What was the point in getting reborn if she wasn''t even allowed to do anything? She didn''t even have her precious anime and manga to entertain her.


    Whilst Yuuki was busy pouting, her mother came up behind her and squeezed her cheeks. "What''s my baby thinking about?" She asked.


    "Mum! Don''t call me a baby! I''m just bored! It''s so boring up here, I have nothing to do!"


    Yuuki moaned. I was fourteen when I died and now I''m five, that means I''m an adult, got it! Yuuki thought.


    "You can talk to me, baby!" Yuuki''s mother replied.


    "Please stop calling me baby! Talking to you is boring." Yuuki said.


    Her mother laughed. "Ok when we''re finished with the laundry, we''ll go down into town." She said.


    "Yay!" Yuuki yelled. Finally, something to do, I haven''t even managed to figure out where I am yet. Yuuki thought. Acting like a child is the best way to get what you want after all. I''m only an adult in theory. Yuuki let out a little giggle. Her mother smiled at her and gently shook her head.


    After they finally finished the laundry, Yuuki''s mother took her hand and they started the walk down to the village.


    "Hey, mum?" Yuuki said.


    "Yes baby?" Her mother replied.


    Yuuki scowled when she heard her mum call her baby again, but she ignored it. "How come we never leave the house, why aren''t there any other people my age for me to play with?" She asked.


    "Oh, " Her mum said, "Well we live on quite a small island you see, there aren''t that many children here, in fact apart from you there are only two other children."


    She ignored my first question, Yuuki thought. Anyway, I''ve been too lazy, I don''t even know what kind of world I''ve been reborn into. If I''ve even been reborn into another world and not just back into my own. She sighed. Only two other kids, huh.


    Yuuki''s train of thought was interrupted as the sunlight from above started to become brighter. They had made it through the forest and ahead of them was a stone pathway.


    They followed the pathway and soon they were making their way through a small town. They passed a few small houses until they found their way into a small market in the centre of town. From what Yuuki could see the town was a small fishing port, there were very few people actually living here.


    "Hey there, Aiko!" A female voice spoke out. Yuuki turned to look at her, it was a woman with short, orange hair who was working at a fish stand. "I haven''t seen you in a while."


    Yuuki''s mother turned to look at the woman. "Yes it''s been a few years, I''m sorry I should''ve come and talked to you." She said. Yuuki guesses that this was one of her mother''s old friends, she rolled her eyes, this would probably take a while. Adults talked for forever.


    The woman turned to look at Yuuki. She smiled and said, "This must be your daughter." Great, Yuuki thought, now I''m involved.


    "Yes, this is Yuuki." Yuuki''s mother replied.


    "Ah, hello there Yuuki, you must be pretty bored here, right?" The woman asked. You have no idea, Yuuki thought. "You should come over and play with Gon sometimes."


    Yuuki''s brain stopped for a second, Gon? Before she had time to think properly, her mother started to speak. "Right Mito, how is Gon doing? I haven''t seen him since Ging showed up with him three years ago."


    Gon, Mito, Ging? Yuuki was very confused now. She stopped for a second to look carefully at the woman talking to her mother. Fair skin, orange should length hair slicked back at the front, hazel eyes, a blue ring-like necklace. She was the spitting image of Mito from Hunter x Hunter.


    Yuuki tried to hide her excitement. She had been reborn into the world of Hunter x Hunter, and right on whale island, the home of the protagonist Gon. She let out a smile. This was going to be so exciting.

 3 Pretty Useless

    "You must be happy right?" Yuuki''s mother asked her. Yuuki looked at her mother in confusion. "Am I wrong? You were smiling stupidly all the way as we walked back home earlier so I assumed you were happy to be able to play with someone."


    Urgh, Yuuki thought, I guess I''m not very good at hiding my emotions. Yuuki wasn''t just happy, she was ecstatic. She had just discovered she was in the world of Hunter x Hunter. A world full of magical beasts and special abilities. Perfect for adventure.


    There was just one problem. The hunter exam. There was no way she could pass it. Yuuki was extremely weak. According to what she saw in the anime she probably wouldn''t even make it to the exam site. Only around five hundred of the tens of thousands that entered could.


    She thought about the kiriko''s test. Yeah, there was no way she was smart or perceptive enough to pass that. Of course, only she could be reincarnated and still be useless.


    "What you thinking about baby?" Yuuki''s mother asked, interrupting her train of thought.


    Yuuki turned to her mother and sighed in her mind, there was no way with how protective she was that her mother would let her take the exam anyway.


    "Baby?" her mother asked again.


    Oh right, what did her mother ask her again, Yuuki thought. "Hey mum, how old it Gon?" She asked.


    "Umm, around five I think." Her mother replied.


    The same age as me, Yuuki thought, That means if I want to take the 287th hunter''s exam, the exam in which I have the highest chance of passing. I have seven years to train.


    As Yuuki''s mother prepared dinner, Yuuki''s mind was wandering. What could she do to train and become strong enough to pass the exam? She was useless right now and in her previous life she probably she didn''t think she could even run one kilometre let alone eighty.


    Yuuki wondered how Gon even became so strong before he entered the exam. For Killua at least there was a reason, his assassin upbringing, but Gon was just a bit of a wild child. Maybe it was just his good genes.


    After Yuuki''s mom finished preparing dinner and lay the table. Yuuki sat opposite her. She began to examine her mum. With her long blond hair and bright green eyes, she was quite attractive. Yuuki''s dad was lucky to have her. At least Yuuki might be pretty, not that that was super helpful.


    "Hey, mum?" Yuuki asked.


    "Yes baby?"


    "Where''s dad?" Yuuki asked. She couldn''t remember the last time she saw her dad but she was sure that it was over three years ago.


    Her mothers face changed momentarily when Yuuki asked that question before returning to normal. "He''s doing his job baby." She replied hesitantly.


    "When is he coming back?" Yuuki asked


    "Baby, after you''ve finished eating, it''s time to go to bed." Yuuki''s mother said, avoiding Yuuki''s question.


    "What? No, it''s not that late, " Yuuki moaned.


    "It is already dark out, so it''s time to go to sleep," Her mother replied.


    "That''s only because it''s winter, it''s not actually that late," Yuuki said.


    "You know that no sun means it''s sleep time baby."


    "That''s not what you say in the summer," Yuuki muttered under her breath.


    "I heard that!" Yuuki''s mother yelled after her as Yuuki shoved the remaining food into her mouth and began to scurry away.


    Yuuki lay down on her bed and began to stare at the ceiling. She wondered why her mother avoided her question.


    Yuuki heard footsteps coming from outside her door.


    "Hey baby," She heard her mother say. Her mother paused for a while, "I''m going to take you to Mito''s house tomorrow okay?"


    So soon, Yuuki thought. Maybe I''ll be able to figure out how he got so strong. Also, I''ll finally have someone to play with. This island is super boring.


    Hopefully, I''ll get strong enough to take the hunters exam. It would be so much easier if I got a system or special ability though, right? Well worth a try.


    Yuuki heard her mother leave the door and Yuuki slowly began to fall into a deep sleep.


    "It''s not my fault you''re useless you know, " a familiar sounding soft voice spoke.

 4 Gon

    "Thanks for calling me useless, " Yuuki spoke.


    "Well, you were thinking it, " the voice replied.


    "What am I supposed to think? I am useless, couldn''t you have slipped in a special skill or something into my reincarnation?" She asked.


    "No can do, I did all I could do just to reincarnate you, and anyway you got reincarnated into a pretty good body."


    "So does that mean I''m like super talented or just that I''m pretty? What am I supposed to do? Seduce everyone?"


    "You also have a good pain tolerance due to fighting your illness"


    "Great so I''m made to be a masochist."


    The voice chuckled, "You have a lot more than you think you have. Oh and if you think you can''t succeed using your body, try using your brain a little."


    "Hey baby?" Yuuki heard her mother''s voice speak, "Wake up, we need to leave for Mito''s"


    Yuuki shot up. That''s right, her mother said they were going to visit Gon and Mito today. As soon as her mother left the room, Yuuki quickly got changed and rand downstairs.


    "Well that was quick," her mother laughed, "let''s get going."


    Yuuki was very excited to meet the protagonist, Gon. She hadn''t really spoken with anyone in her five years other than her mum and although she loved her mum, only having her for company could be a bit of a nightmare.


    Besides, she had the luck to be reincarnated next to the main character, so she might as well use a bit of his luck. Maybe he would help her improve since she was really weak right now.


    Yuuki and her mother reach Mito''s house and her mother knocked on the door. The familiar looking orange haired woman opened the door.


    "Hello Aiko," Mito said, "Come on in."


    Yuuki felt pretty weird as she walked into the house. She could recognise the room as she had seen it in the anime. When she thought about the fact that everything here was real, it hurt her brain. She turned to look at Mito. The fact that she actually existed weirded Yuuki out.


    How did reincarnating into an anime world even work? Yuuki decided not to think about it anymore as it really hurt her brain.


    Mito yelled up the stairs, "Gon, they''re here!"


    Quickly, a young boy with black-green spiky hair came running down the stairs. Yuuki had no idea how his hair was actually like that.


    "Be careful Gon, you''ll trip!" Mito said worryingly.


    Gon ran straight up to Yuuki, "Hey there, I''m Gon, I heard we''re gonna be friends!" He said.


    "I''m Yuuki, nice to meet you!" Yuuki replied.


    "I''m happy to get a new friend, I hang out with Noko sometimes but she doesn''t like to go into the woods or anything and I''m friends with lots of the animals but they can''t talk to me!" Gon said.


    "I don''t have any friends at all I just have to hang out with my mum all the time and she''s no fun,"Yuuki said.


    "I hang out with Mito a lot too but she is fun!" Gon replied. "So..." he leaned in and smiled, "do you wanna go have some fun?"


    Yuuki laughed, "Sure!"


    Yuuki could barely keep up with Gon running through the forest. He was already much fitter than her, she was very out of breath by the time Gon stopped by a lake with a big tree next to it.


    Yuuki thought it looked familiar.


    "This is where I hang out most of the time, if I''m lucky some of the animals will play in the water with me!" God said, "There are quite a lot of them around here, some of them don''t really like humans though."


    Yuuki still hadn''t caught her breath. I''m really unhealthy she thought.


    "So, " Gon said, "You wanna play hide and seek?"


    "You know the island way better than me, there''s no way I could find you!" Yuuki replied.


    "Ok, I''ll be the seeker then." Gon said.


    "Find then but you have to give me a whole minute before you start seeking, I can hide anywhere on the island right?" Yuuki asked.


    "Sure!"


    "Okay I''m going, close your eyes and turn around!"


    "1, 2, 3..."


    "What don''t start counting yet!"


    "4, 5, 6..."


    "That''s cheating!"


    Yuuki turned and began to run through the forest.

 5 My Brain?

    Yuuki was exhausted. Gon had way too much energy for his own good. She was still pretty upset about how quickly he found her too. As soon as she got home she went upstairs and collapsed on her bed.


    Yuuki couldn''t help remember her dream last night. She wasn''t sure if she actually talked to the person who sent her here or if she just imagined it but whatever it was, it was right. It was entirely her own fault she was useless, unlike those other reincarnates she wasn''t super talented or good at a particular skill. She simply slacked off in her old life.


    All she had was her knowledge of the main story. This was definitely a major advantage, but it could also be a disadvantage. If she relied to heavily of her plot knowledge to advance she would come at a loss if she somehow changed it or when she reached the end of it.


    Besides the plot of Hunter x Hunter was very much Gon''s story. Although she really loved it, it would be such a shame if she just followed it through instead of exploring a bit on her own.


    Yuuki sighed. What did that guy say? Try using my brain a little? I wonder what he was saying? I guess I am a little too focused on strength. I am only five right now, of course I will be weak. She should really stop comparing herself to Gon too, he was a little monster.


    You''ve got your own strengths too Yuuki! She thought encouragingly, like... umm... well I bet you can do mental math better than Gon. The guy said you had good pain tolerance too... that''s something.


    My brain, huh? Although the Hunter exam mainly tested strength there were lots of examples where it tested your intelligence instead. Such as in the gourmet hunters sushi test of the second stage in the manga and parts of the third stage, trick tower. There were ways to pass the fourth stage without possessing great strength like the ones Pokkle used.


    Yuuki stopped herself. The Hunter exam won''t happen for seven years. Stop thinking about it. She needed to focus on herself now.


    Hanging out with Gon would definitely make her stronger and besides it was quite fun. Yuuki couldn''t remember the last time she properly hung out with a friend.


    I should work on increasing my knowledge for now. Use my brain. After all I actually know very little about this world. I only know what was presented in the manga and anime which was surprisingly little. Of course there were definitely little details about the world but she always found stuff like that hard to remember.


    There was no school on Whale Island, the children were sent work to complete. Yuuki hadn''t started yet, but she was pretty sure she would start later this year. That wouldn''t be enough though. Yuuki already knew basic knowledge, what she needed to learn was knowledge of the language, the world and the creatures that inhabited it.


    Yuuki was so excited to find out about the magical things that inhabited the Hunter x Hunter world. It was hardly learning at all. There was no way she would get work on those, however. She would need to ask her mum about them.


    She should also try to learn some of the stuff she neglected in her previous life, art, music etc. Yuuki had really slacked off in her previous life, but this was her second chance. There was no way she would die alone and forgotten again.


    "Yuuki, it''s time for dinner" she heard her mother yell from downstairs.


    Yuuki ran down the stairs to the kitchen and sat down at the table.


    "Hey mum, I need to ask you something." She said.


    She was going to become an amazing hunter and live her life to her absolute best.

 6 9 years old

    "Hey Yuuki!" A cheerful voice sounded out behind her.


    Yuuki turned to look at the person, it was Gon. "Oh, Hey Gon, why are you here?" She asked.


    "You wanna come play with me? Noko doesn''t want to come." He asked.


    Yuuki looked down at the stack of books she had been getting through. She should probably take a break for a bit.


    "Come on, Yuuki all you''ve been doing is reading." Gon whined.


    "Ok then, I''ll take a little break where are we headed?" Yuuki replied.


    "Thank God, I have no idea how you get through so much, I can barely handle the work they set me," Gon said. "Just follow me!"


    "It''s definitely because you have a low attention span," Yuuki said. You also can''t seem to use your brain for work, she thought. Well, she already knew he was terrible at math. "Besides I said I''d help you out!"


    Gon laughed, "the only way you could help me out is by giving you your brain."


    Gon and Yuuki continued to chat as they made their way through the island and into the forest.


    After hanging out a lot with Gon, Yuuki had started to know her way around the forest more. She still didn''t know her way around as well as Gon though.


    Yuuki wondered where they were going, they were already quite deep into the forest, she looked around her and almost stopped in her tracks when she saw the tree with crossed claw marks scratched into it.


    Foxbear territory. That''s right, they were nine right now, that was the age that Gon met Kaito. The age that Gon decided he wanted to become a Hunter.


    Should she stay with Gon? Should she warn him about the foxbear? Probably not. If she stayed would Kaito still tell Gon about his father? Let''s just hope so, it would be really weird if she just up and left right now.


    "Hey, you okay Yuuki?" Gon asked.


    "Umm... yeah, I''m fine just saw something weird," Yuuki replied. What was weird is that Mito never told Gon about the foxbear''s territorial mark, sure he had no parents but Mito was definitely a mum to Gon.


    Gon stopped moving. He was staring at a little foxbear cub. Crap, that soon, Yuuki thought. She quickly stood in front of Gon and soon a giant adult foxbear appeared and slashed her.


    She fell back onto Gon, who hit the ground behind her. Come on Kaito, she thought. She got up and grabbed Gon''s hand, trying to pull her up behind him. He was almost paralysed, staring at the giant foxbear.


    "Come on Gon!" Yuuki said, "We need to go!"


    Quickly the foxbear approached them once again and a massive claw attack came down upon them.


    Faster than Yuuki''s eyes could follow, Kaito appeared in front of them and blocked the attack with his sword. He looked unhappy about what would occur next and she heard him mumble about the fact that the foxbear could cause serious harm. Kaito slashed the monster and it fell to the ground.


    He turned to look at Yuuki and Gon. A bit of confusion filled his eyes when he looked at Yuuki but soon he switched his gaze to Gon.


    "Can you stand?" Kaito asked.


    God nodded and began to stand but quickly Kaito hit both Gon and Yuuki on the head.


    "Are you two idiots?" He asked, "You could have been killed, no one should enter this deep into the forest at this time!"


    He turned at pointed at the mark in the tree. "That is a territorial mark, any animal would''ve run immediately after seeing that and you should''ve too!" He continued to yell at them. "Did your parents never tell you this?"


    Yuuki looked down at the floor, that foxbear was way more dangerous than she thought, reading about these things was very different from seeing them. Maybe she should''ve warned Gon.


    Kaito continued to mumble himself before Gon spoke out, "I''m sorry this is my fault, I don''t have a mother or a father either, I didn''t recognise the mark."


    Kaito looked down before turning to the baby foxbear. "I''m sorry about that." He said.


    "They both died in an accident after I was bored and my aunt is now taking care of me." Gon said, he soon followed Kaito''s eyes to the baby foxbear, "What are you going to do with that?" He asked.


    Yuuki smiled slightly, it looked like her being here didn''t change much. She began to shuffle away backwards.


    "Eliminate it!" Kaito said firmly.


    A shocked look appeared on Gon''s face.


    "Without his mother, he will die of hunger and if he lives he will surely develop hatred towards humans and be a danger to people..." Kaito stopped his speech in shock as the baby foxbear jumped into Gon''s arms.


    "I''ll take care of it!" Gon stayed firmly.


    "Impossible!" Kaito stated, "foxbears cannot be tamed by humans..." Kaito stopped his speech once more as he looked at Gon''s face.


    "Are you? Is your father named Ging?" He asked uncertainly.


    Yuuki smiled, looks like it was all happening, she thought. She stopped shuffling backwards and turned and quietly walked away.

 7 What?

    "Wow Yuuki, did you hear that, it''s amazing right?" Gon asked, turning to look behind him.


    Kaito looked confused. Yuuki, he thought, oh right there was another one. Did she sneak off? I was too focused on Ging''s son. He looked down at Gon now with Ging''s Hunter''s licence in his hand and smiled.


    "Well Gon, I have to go, " Kaito said, before standing up and leaving. Be careful Gon, he thought, the last test of being a hunter, finding Ging is the most difficult test of all.


    Yuuki was making her way back through the forest. She was lost. She guessed she didn''t know the forest as well as she thought. Yuuki regretted leaving Gon behind. She signed. Hopefully, he would find her when he was done talking to Kaito.


    Yuuki suddenly stopped and turned around. Standing behind her was Kaito.


    "I knew you seemed strange, you sensed me?" He asked.


    Yuuki was surprised, she didn''t know how to reply. She tried to think if a reason to why she knew to turn but there wasn''t one. She hadn''t even heard a sound.


    Kaito looked at her. "Nevermind, " he said, "I needed to talk to you."


    "About what?" Yuuki asked.


    "First, " Kaito pointed his finger up at the sky, "can you see this?"


    Yuuki looked up at the sky, confused. She was unsure what Kaito was pointing at, she looked back at him.


    "Okay, so you can''t, " he said.


    "Weird, " he muttered, "very weird,"


    "Anyway, " Kaito continued to speak, "I need you to promise me something."


    "What?" Yuuki asked.


    "Look after Gon for me, okay? He probably doesn''t need it but he seems a bit reckless, " Kaito said, "and don''t let him walk into foxbear territory when you know what it is."


    Yuuki shuffled uncomfortably and nodded. The spot where Kaito had hit her on the head earlier began to hurt.


    "Oh, one last thing!" Kaito continued, "Take these." He passed her a small piece of paper and a braided bracelet.


    Yuuki looked at him with confusion.


    "It is my contact, you can only use it when the bracelet breaks, okay?"


    He turned and began to walk away, "Remember to keep an eye on Gon. Oh... and the way out is that way, " he stated pointing to Yuuki''s side.


    Yuuki was incredibly confused about what had just happened. She looked at the bracelet in her hand, it was covered in strange markings. Oh well, she thought, I''ll look at it properly later. She then placed the bracelet on her wrist and stuffed the paper in her jacket pocket.


    Yuuki started to walk off in the direction Kaito pointed and soon found herself outside of the forest.


    I guess I was kind of close to the exit, she thought. Yuuki began to walk through the town heading back to her house.


    When she reached her house the door was left open. Yuuki was confused, there was no way her mum would leave the door open like that. Yuuki stood to the side of the door, wondering whether she should enter. Soon she heard a conversation.


    "I couldn''t find them again!" A loud male voice said angrily.


    "Calm down honey, I''m sure you''ll find them soon." Yuuki heard her mother reply.


    "I''ve been searching for two years and I haven''t even found a trace of them. It''s frustrating."


    "You shouldn''t get so angry, honey"


    "Shouldn''t get angry? They killed all of them! If only I was there, I could''ve helped!"


    "Even if you were there, there was nothing you could''ve done, I''m just glad you''re safe."


    "I''m a blacklist hunter, I should be able to hunt these criminals down easily!"


    "Ok honey, I know but at least stay home for a while this time, even before this you were out hunting, It''s been seven years."


    "I only came back because you asked, I can''t stay. I''m not coming back again until every one of those bastards is dead!"


    "Honey..."


    "No Aiko, you can''t stop me, I have to get them!"


    Yuuki then heard heavy footsteps and soon a tall man with messy black hair stomped out of the house. Yuuki quickly looked down so she would not make eye contact with them. She saw them linger for a while before their feet disappeared from her view.


    She slowly looked up to see her mother staring at her worryingly.


    "Yuuki..." Her mother said.

 8 Okay?

    Today had confused Yuuki greatly. She needed to think about it all. First, there was Kaito, at least she had kind of expected him but her conversation with him and the bracelet confused her greatly.


    Next, there was the man talking to her mum. Yuuki guessed that he was probably her dad. Their conversation really confused her though. She couldn''t remember a lot about her dad but he didn''t seem like an angry person.


    The final part of this crazy day was what her mum had said to her afterwards.


    "Hey Yuuki, I am going to have to go for a while. I am going to ask Mito if you can stay with her."


    Yuuki was very unsure about all of this. It was very confusing. She guessed that her mum was probably going after her dad. If she''d done this another time Yuuki would be fine with it, but after hearing him yesterday she wasn''t sure if her mum should. He seemed determined and very, very angry.


    Yuuki decided to stop thinking about that for a while. She was sure her mum would give her a proper explanation later.


    Yuuki decided to take a more detailed look at the bracelet. She observed the markings that lay on the bracelet. She felt that she had definitely seen these markings before somewhere. She tried to remember.


    What had Kaito said again? When it breaks. Ah! That''s right! She remembered about the thread that Wing had given Gin that broke when you used nen. She thought about Kaito pointing to the sky. So he was forming something with nen.


    Why did he think I could use it though? Yuuki wondered. Was he just checking? There must have been a reason. Oh well, nevermind. I should contact him when I can use nen, huh?


    "Hey, baby?" Yuuki heard her mother say.


    Yuuki looked up at her mother, "Yes?"


    "I''m going now, I''ve told Mito that you''re going over later." Her mum said.


    "Mum..." Yuuki started. She stopped when she saw her mum''s face, she looked determined. It was weird to see her mum who was usually very relaxed and easy going be so serious.


    "Baby, I need to go!" Yuuki''s mother said, "I''ve been too relaxed about him, he was always a bit crazy about his job but these past two years he has become obsessed. I need to stop the idiot before he gets himself killed."


    Yuuki nodded.


    "Don''t worry baby, hopefully I''ll be back soon." With that last sentence, her mother left the room.


    Yuuki sighed. She then picked up a bunch of her stuff, flung it in a bag and started to walk off to Mito''s house.


    Yuuki was definitely worried about her mum but she doubted that she would go unless she held some degree of confidence in herself. Her mum didn''t seem reckless.


    She soon arrived at Mito''s house and knocked on the door. Mito opened it and invited her into the house.


    "Hey Yuuki, you shouldn''t worry about your mother, " Mito said, Yuuki looked up at her. Was the worry on her face that obvious.


    "Back before she had you, your mother was one of the strongest people I knew, I would wager she''s even stronger than your father," Mito said.


    Yuuki was surprised by this information but before she could get over her shock and ask more, Gon entered the room.


    "Where did you go earlier?" He asked.


    "Umm..." Yuuki responded. "I was just leaving you to have a private chat?"


    Gon looked at her. "Nevermind, " he said, "come upstairs?"


    They both went upstairs into Gon''s room and he sat down on his bed. "Want to know what Kaito told me?" He asked eagerly.


    "What did he tell you?" Yuuki asked.


    "He told me that my father wasn''t dead! He''s actually a hunter!"


    "That''s pretty cool!"


    "Yeah, and he gave me his hunter license!" Gon said, showing her the license. "Being a hunter sounds pretty amazing!"


    "It sure does..."


    "I wonder how you become a hunter."


    "You have to take an exam."


    "Really? Well I''ve decided. I''m going to be a hunter!"


    "Really, well if you''re going to take the exam I will too!" Yuuki said firmly.


    "You''ll take it with me?"


    "Sure!"


    "Pinky promise?"


    Yuuki laughed and brought her pinky out, "Pinky promise!" she said. "You have to help me train though Gon"


    "Okay!" He said and smiled.

 9 Leaving Whale Island

    Yuuki was excited. Today was the day she finally left Whale Island to take the Hunter exam.


    A few months after her mum had left the island Mito had become her legal guardian. She was still worried about her mum but once she had finished the exam Yuuki would go find her.


    Luckily Mito had been willing to sign for her after she agreed to let Gon take the exam because of him catching the king of the lake. Although Yuuki could tell she was very reluctant to do so.


    Yuuki was waiting for Gon by the docks. Soon he and Mito arrived and they boarded the boat.


    "Don''t worry Mito! I''ll become a great hunter and come back!" Gon yelled at her as the boat left, waving at her.


    As soon as he yelled that, Yuuki could feel the whole boat staring at them. She felt pretty embarrassed, she decided to quickly move away from Gon and below deck. As she was leaving the deck she could hear the laughter of the men on board.


    Yuuki felt they were stupid for laughing at Gon. After all none of them even made it to the exam getting disqualified because of a storm. They looked and acted tough but in reality, Gon was a lot stronger than all of them.


    I just hope I''ll be able to stomach the storm, though Yuuki. She hadn''t ever been on a boat before so she didn''t know if she would get seasick or not.


    Yuuki looked around the room and quickly found Kurapika and Leorio in the corner. Yuuki decided to go talk to Kurapika, she had always loved his character and, well she didn''t really like Leorio. She walked up to Kurapika who was laying on a hammock and reading.


    "What you reading?" She asked.


    Kurapika looked up at her, he seemed to be quite annoyed at the fact he was interrupted. Yuuki was surprised by how feminine he looked. She was, of course, one of the many people who had mistaken Kurapika for a female at the start of the anime.


    "You''re really pretty you know, I might even be a little jealous," Yuuki said


    Kurapika looked back at her in confusion. "What?"


    Before Yuuki could respond the boat began to rock. Yuuki guessed that the first storm had hit. Yuuki stumbled a little and decided to sit down. When she looked back at Kurapika he had gotten back to reading his book.


    Yuuki sighed and took her small bag off of her shoulders, she took out a small notepad and pencil and began to doodle. The rocking of the boat really didn''t help but she needed to do something. Maybe she should have brought a book like Kurapika.


    She liked doodling characters from the mangas she enjoyed reading. They weren''t the best though, especially when she started drawing. Now they were recognisable. She kept doodling until the boat stopped rocking and looked up. The captain should be coming down soon.


    Yuuki looked around her at all the seasick men who had acted so tough when her and Gon came on the boat, they were really quite pathetic. She saw Gon leave and go up on deck. Should I follow him? I am really bored. How long will this trip take?


    She looked at Kurapika who still had his head stuck in his book. Boring. She then turned to Leorio who was munching on an apple. Before she could decide if she wanted to talk to him a voice echoed throughout the boat.


    "We are going to enter a greater storm than the last one, if you fear for your life please take the rescue boats and leave!"


    Quickly a stampede occurred as everyone began to pour out of the room. Soon only her, Kurapika and Leorio were left.


    "Anyone who is left head to the captains quarters!"


    The three of them stood up and made their way to the captains quarters where Gon was already standing. He waved at her.


    "Only you four left, huh?" the captain''s booming voice sounded out. "What are your names then?"


    "My name is Kurapika!"


    "I''m Gon!"


    "I''m called Leorio!"


    "Yuuki!"


    "Nice to meet you!" The captain said, "so why do you guys want to become hunters?"

 10 On the boa

    Yuuki wondered what she should say. I thought it would be amazing in my past life. That didn''t really work well. It doesn''t need to be a good reason, I mean Leorio''s was literally money.


    "My dad is a hunter and I want to know what my dad''s work is like!" Said Gon.


    "You shouldn''t have answered that!" Leorio said.


    "Yes, that man is not an examiner," Kurapika said.


    Maybe Yuuki should just give the same answer as Gon. Her dad was a blacklist hunter after all.


    "My reason is the same as Gon, my dad is a hunter!" Yuuki said.


    "What really Yuuki?" Gon asked, "I didn''t know that."


    "Yep, he''s a blacklist hunter!" She proclaimed.


    "Why did you tell him too?" Yelled Leorio, "Don''t you have any team spirit?"


    "What, Gon already said his answer, I might as well say mine too," Yuuki replied.


    "You just shouldn''t!" Leorio continued to argue, "It''s a matter of honour!"


    "I agree with him, " Kurapika stated.


    "Hey, am I not older than you kid? It should be Leorio-san!" Leorio yelled.


    Kurapika ignored Leorio and continued to speak, "I don''t wish to lie to you and my reasons for being a hunter are personal. I do not wish to speak them in front of people I have just met. It is impossible for me to answer."


    "In that case..." The captain said, "You guys should just get off my ship!"


    Leorio and Kurapika gasped.


    "Do you guys not understand? The Hunter exam has already begun!" The captain boldly proclaimed.


    Kurapika and Leorio still looked confused.


    "There are as many competitors as starts in the sky, it is simply impossible for the examiners to judge all of them." the captain explained. "So the exam committee hires people like me to get rid of the weak ones, diminish the numbers."


    "Apart from you four, everyone else has already been withdrawn from the exam! If they can''t even handle a storm there''s not a chance they would pass the hunter exam." He said, "So think about it carefully. Whether you make it to the exam is up to me!"


    Kurapika looked very reluctant but he began to speak, "I am the only survivor of the Kurta clan. My whole family were killed by thieves five years ago. I want to become a hunter to capture the Phantom Brigade."


    "Just to avenge yourself?" Leorio asked, "That''s stupid! Me, I want money! With money, you can buy everything!"


    "Except for class Leorio," Kurapika said.


    Leorio looked angry, "Leorio-san! Come to the deck, I''ll spill the last blood of the Kurta clan!"


    "Take back what you said!" Kurapika yelled angrily.


    Yuuki observed his face, she could see his eyes beginning to turn scarlet. The anime and manga really couldn''t show how beautiful the colour was. She could almost even understand killing to obtain them.


    "Come." Leorio started walking out of the room.


    "Right behind you!" Kurapika snarled.


    "I''m not finished!" The captain yelled, "Do you guys not want to pass the exam?"


    "Let them fight!" Gon said. "If you want to know someone start by finding what makes them mad! My aunt Mito said that. Besides, they both have good reasons to be angry, it''s better to just let them fight!"


    Yuuki wasn''t so sure about that. They did end up making up in the end but resorting to fighting when you got mad wasn''t the best idea. Leorio shouldn''t really be that mad either, although he looked a lot older he was still a teenager. I guess it was about respect.


    "Are you sure Gon?" Yuuki asked, "We could stop them."


    "Yeah, I''m sure!" Gon said.


    "Okay but if it gets too bad I''m going to stop them and you are going to help," Yuuki stated


    They aren''t friends yet so I''d don''t really have a reason to argue with Gon about them fighting.


    "Captain!" A sailor came down, "The wind is a lot stronger than we expected!"


    They went above deck, sailors were running around frantically and yelling at each other. Kurapika and Leorio simply stood there, staring each other down in the wind and rain.


    "Tell me your excuses and I''ll take them Leorio!" Kurapika yelled, his eyes bright scarlet.


    "I have no intention of taking back what I said!" Leorio yelled back.


    They both drew their weapons and charged at each other but before they could fight a sailor flew past them to the edge of the boat.


    The sailors began to yell and Kurapika, Leorio and Gon all ran towards him. Kurapika and Leorio tried to grabbed his legs but missed. Gon jumped off the edge and grabbed the sailor and Kurapika and Leorio grabbed his legs and pulled him back on the boat.


    Yuuki knew this would happen but her heart still skipped a beat. She was worried for Gon.


    "Good job kid! " The sailors laughed and said.


    Yuuki ran up to Gon and fiercely karate chopped him on the head, "Why are you an idiot!" she yelled.


    "She''s right, the ocean currents are very strong, its very dangerous!" Kurapika said worriedly.


    "If we hadn''t caught your feet you would have drowned for sure!" Leorio yelled.


    "But you guys did catch me right?" Gon laughed and said.


    Both of them smiled.


    "Forgive me Leorio-san!" Kurapika said.


    "I''m the one who should take back what I said, you can call me Leorio Kurapika," Leorio replied.


    The Captain laughed loudly. "I''m in a good mood today, I''ll take you to the port closest to the testing place!"

 11 Exciting quiz

    When they reached the port, the captain gestured to Gon and Gon went to talk to him. He probably was going to tell Gon about the tree.


    Yuuki ran up behind Leorio and Kurapika as they approached the map. Soon Gon ran up behind them.


    "The tree on the top of the hill," He said.


    "What?" Kurapika asked.


    "The captain said it was a shortcut to the testing point." He replied.


    "That''s weird," Leorio said, "The testing point is Zaban if we look on this map, the tree is in the complete opposite direction. We should just take the bus directly there!"


    "Did he point in the wrong direction?" Kurapika asked.


    "Or he just outright lied!" Leorio yelled.


    "I doubt it, why would he lie to Gon after he helped save one of his sailors?" Yuuki said.


    "Doesn''t matter if it''s wrong or not," Gon stated, "I''m still going that way!"


    "You should be so much more suspicious of what people tell you Gon!" Leorio said, "I''m going by bus and I advise you to come too!"


    Gon began to walk off and Yuuki and Kurapika followed him. Yuuki could have just walked directly to the exam site as she knew the building and the password but then she would have to wait for hours for the test to start. It would be much more fun to go with Gon.


    "Kurapika?" Leorio asked, "The kid I understand but why are you going too?"


    Kurapika turned to look at Yuuki and Gon, "Those kids interest me, I think I''m going to stay with them for a little while." He then walked off, following them.


    "Is Leorio not coming?" Yuuki asked.


    "No he''s taking the bus," Kurapika replied.


    "That''s stupid," Yuuki said, "There''s no way the examiners would let you get to the exam site that easily, the buses are definitely trapped."


    "Why didn''t you tell Leorio that?" Kurapika asked.


    "If he''s stupid enough to think that he can get there by bus let him." Yuuki shrugged. He was going to find out anyway, she thought.


    Sure enough soon they could hear Leorio yelling behind them, "Hey wait for me! I missed you, you wouldn''t leave without me right?"


    "I think we should run away from him," Yuuki said. Gon laughed.


    Soon Leorio caught up and they all walked down the path together to the abandoned village.


    "I don''t like this place," Leorio said, "Its abandoned, there''s nobody here!"


    "There are a lot of people here!" Gon said.


    "Yes," Kurapika agreed, "Can you not hear the movement?"


    "Yup, someone has been following us the whole time too," Yuuki said. "They''re quite far behind us so they are probably trying not to be sensed." In reality, Yuuki felt for Leorio. She could hear some stuff but couldn''t really tell that they were surrounded by people. Guess her senses weren''t up to scratch.


    "Wait someone is following us?" Leorio yelled.


    "Shh!" Gon and Kurapika both silenced him.


    Soon out of the buildings creeped out a group of robed people. The grouped up in front, blocking the way forward and rang their variety of makeshift instruments.


    "Are you ready for?" The old woman said, "The exciting two answer quiz!"


    "Two answers?" Kurapika asked.


    "That''s not a lot..." Gon continued.


    "You are heading for the tree on the mountain right?" She asked, they nodded, "Well to get up there you must succeed in getting out of this town, to do that I will ask you one question with two answers and you must answer correctly in five seconds."


    "I see..." Kurapika said, "Another test."


    "If you fail you will be disqualified!" The woman said, "and you may only answer with one or two!"


    "Wait only one question for all four of us?" Leorio asked, "That''s not fair! Does that mean that if Kurapika answers wrong I will be eliminated?"


    "Not likely, " Kurapika said.


    "You would definitely be the one who answers wrong Leorio, " Yuuki said, "Or maybe Gon would I guess."


    "Yeah I''m pretty terrible at quizzes, " Gon said, "Its good that if one of us gets the answer right we all pass."


    Soon a man sneaked up behind them, "Well I guess I''ll answer before you!" He said.


    "Yuuki you were right, someone was following us." Gon said.


    Yuuki gasped in fake shock, "You doubted me?"


    "A little..." Gon replied.


    "Rude!" Yuuki said.


    "Sorry boy, I heard everything at the port." The man asked.


    "Oh it was because you were being loud then Gon," Yuuki said.


    "He can go first if you allow it!" The old woman stated.


    "I guess if he goes first we would get an idea of the question she asks, " Leorio said. "He can go first."


    "Here is the question, " The old lady began, "Your mother and your true love have been captured and you may only save one of them, one for your mother, two for your girlfriend."


    "One!" The man said.


    "Why?" The old lady asked.


    "A mother is irreplaceable, I may find another love!" The man said.


    The old lady conversed with the other figures. "Very well, go that way," she said pointing to a tunnel uncovered by the figures.


    "That''s not fair!" Yelled Leorio angrily, "The answer is different for everyone! This quiz is not fair!"


    "Leorio!" Kurapika yelled.


    The woman yelled quickly, "STOP! I don''t want to hear anyone speak. You will fail if you do so! So here''s the question: Your son and daughter have been captured and you may only save one of them. One for your son, two for your daughter."


    The woman began to count down from five and Leorio began to get a plank as a bat testing it out.


    Is punching him unnecessary, Yuuki thought. She got ready to help Kurapika stop Leorio from being an idiot.


    "It''s over!" The woman yelled.


    Leorio attacked and Kurapika blocked his attack. Yuuki grabbed the wooden plank and yanked it out of his hands.


    "Why did you stop me?" Leorio yelled.


    "Because you''re an idiot..." Yuuki muttered.


    "You were about to ruin our right answer!" Kurapika yelled. "Silence was the right answer, you can only answer with one or two and the quiz has no right answer to you must respond with silence."


    "But, but the other guy..." Leorio said.


    "Nobody told him that he answered correctly, he was simply told to go." Kurapika said, "I heard him yell moments ago, I bet that path was trapped."


    "Exactly!" The old woman said, "This path is the correct one, it will take about two hours to reach the tree!"


    "Ah!" Gon yelled, "I really can''t think of an answer!"


    Leorio and Kurapika laughed. "We already gave the correct answer, " Leorio said, "you can stop thinking!"


    "Yeah but if that really happened? What would I do?" Gon asked.


    They responded in silence.


    "I might have to answer that question one day!" Gon said.

 12 Monsters!

    They passed another beware of monsters sign.


    "Another sign..." Leorio said, "We''ve been walking for way more than two hours too."


    "I wonder what kind of monster it is?" Yuuki said, "I hope it''s something terrifying, I''m bored!"


    "There''s no way you would be able to deal with it if it was that bad," Leorio said.


    "You''re just making assumptions, I could be incredibly strong, you haven''t seen me fight!" Yuuki replied.


    Soon they reached the house on the top of the hill, Leorio knocked on the door but nobody answered. Soon strange noises came from inside the house.


    "I bet the monsters are eating them," Yuuki said.


    "Don''t joke about that," Leorio yelled, he began to open the door, "I''m coming in!"


    "I wasn''t joking..." Yuuki muttered.


    All of them gasped as they entered the house. A kiriko was grabbing a woman and a man lay on the ground before them. Yuuki examined the kiriko, it was really quite amazing with its yellow fur and humanoid figure. There was nothing in her previous world even like it.


    The kiriko charged at the group, Leorio grabbed a knife, Kurapika pulled out his wooden swords and Gon brandished his fishing pole. Yuuki dodged out of the way at the kiriko knocked all of them over. It was incredibly strong.


    Gon and Kurapika began to chase after the kiriko and yelled at Leorio and her to look after the wounded.


    Leorio opened his suitcase and began to use its contents to tend to the man''s wounds.


    As he did this Yuuki began to examine the man. The female kiriko had given Kurapika a hint to her identity using the tattoo so this one should have something as well. Yuuki wanted to see if she noticed it first instead of just questioning the man''s identity.


    Although she already knew the man Leorio was healing was one of the kiriko if she just pointed that out she would ruin Leorio chances of passing the test due to his kindness and healing ability. It also felt like cheating. She wanted to pass the kiriko''s test with her own ability not the knowledge of her past life.


    "My wife..." the man groaned, "Is she ok?"


    "Don''t worry sir," Leorio said, "My friends will surely get her to safety."


    Yuuki continued to look suspiciously at the man. She tried to find something wrong with his disguise but she simply couldn''t. Was she that useless? Did she really not deserve to pass the exam.


    Leorio had finally finished his first aid. The man began to speak once again asking about his wife. Leorio began to respond but Yuuki grabbed his shoulder and turned to the man.


    "Who are you?" She asked.


    "What do you mean?" The man asked, "I am a navigator to the exam site, I live here with my wife."


    Yuuki moved and grabbed the knife from Leorio''s open suitcase on the floor. She was pretty angry with herself for not being able to notice anything but she still needed to get to the exam.


    "Yuuki, what are you doing?" Leorio asked angrily."


    She began to run at the man with the knife.


    "He''s injured, what are you doing?" Leorio yelled.


    As Yuuki approached with the knife the man began to transform into a kiriko and looked over her. He swiped at her with his claws and Yuuki ducked downwards and moved the knife to stab him in the knee. She quickly stopped herself. He was one of the navigators she shouldn''t hurt him. She moved backwards and stood in a defensive position.


    The kiriko began to laugh but before he could attack again Kurapika, Gon and the three other kiriko appeared.


    Soon the kiriko had lined up in front of the group.


    "It''s been forever since anyone has been able to tell me and my wife apart!" The father kiriko stated. He laughed. "Me and my wife are the navigators!"


    "I am their son!" The kiriko who Yuuki had been fighting said.


    "I am their daughter!" The kiriko who played the role of the wife stated.


    "Kurapika was able to recognise my tattoos that swore me to eternal maidenhood even though he merely got a glimpse of them," the daughter said, "without excellent knowledge, he would not have been able to recognise them, this makes his worthy of taking the exam."


    "Leorio understood nothing until Yuuki pointed out my ability, he even tried to defend me from her as an injured man," the son said, Leorio scratched his arm nervously, "However he was extremely kind to me and gave me better first aid than a doctor. He also consistently assured me that my wife was alright. His kindness means he passed."


    Leorio gave a sigh of relief.


    "Yuuki however, managed to discover my identity," the son continued, "she also stopped herself from injuring me as she realised I was part of the test."


    Yuuki simply felt downtrodden, she didn''t deserve this praise. "Yeah well, the old lady said the couple at the top of the hill would guide us to the exam site." She said giving herself a reason for her actions.


    "As for Gon," the father said, "He showed extraordinary movement and observation, being able to even tell us apart which like I said hasn''t happened in some time."


    "We will guide you to the exam site!" The father stated.


    The father picked up Leorio, the mother carried Leorio and the children took Yuuki and Gon. They sprouted wings from their arms and began to fly to Zaban city.


    Yuuki was still feeling terrible with herself, she couldn''t even bring herself to admire the kiriko''s abilities.


    "Yuuki are you okay?" Gon asked.


    "Yeah... I''m just feeling a bit ill." She replied.


    Gon looked at her with uncertainty but she turned her face to that he couldn''t see her face and stared into the horizon.

 13 The Exam Site

    As they walked through the streets of Zaban, Gon kept checking out the stores, observing all of the colourful objects the people were selling.


    Yuuki was still feeling depressed, she couldn''t even stop to look at all the weird and wonderful things the people of Zaban were trying to scam her into buying.


    "Gon!"


    "Here it is!" The father kiriko now disguised as a man in a turban said, "This building across here, the exam site."


    As Gon, Kurapika and Leorio marvelled at a giant building they thought was the exam site, Yuuki looked at the small restaurant in front of her. The hunter exam, she thought, it''s about to truly begin. She clenched her firsts. I''m definitely going to prove myself this time.


    "Not there, " the kiriko said, "here." He pointed at the restaurant.


    Soon the kiriko had told the password to the shopkeeper and they had reached the secret room in the back. Yuuki couldn''t be bothered in Kurapika and Leorio''s argument about hunters and why each other''s idea of a hunter sucked. They tried to involve her in their conversation but she avoided it.


    In truth, she didn''t really care why people wanted to be a hunter. She just wanted to have some fun in this life and admire all of the things that didn''t exist in her previous world.


    Although she had adapted pretty well to her new life some of the things seemed more like fantasy than reality.


    As Gon, Kurapika and Leorio stood to the side in the middle of the room Yuuki broke away and moved to the side. Tonpa soon approached the group, offering drinks.


    Yuuki observed the hunters candidates. Quickly she noticed Illumi, he was quite hard to miss with the needles in his face and Hanzo who was yelling loudly about his secrets to a bunch of hunters who would listen.


    Soon she heard a yell, surely enough it was Hisoka, removing the arms of an unfortunate candidate. Anyway, it was those three she should probably avoid, and probably Killua too. Maybe Tompa just because he was annoying.


    She sat down at the side of the room. She thought about the upcoming phases. Yuuki should be able to pass the first phase, she had trained her endurance and the second phase was easy enough.


    The third phase, however, she wasn''t sure about. At first, she wanted to pass it with Gon and the group but now she wanted to challenge herself. She didn''t want to pass the exam by relying on her knowledge and Gon.


    The fourth and fifth phases. It was entirely up to who she got. She should be able to pass as long as it wasn''t Hanzo, Illumi, Hisoka or Killua.


    Soon Tompa came for her. He had just failed at giving laxatives to Gon, Kurapika and Leorio and was hoping to ensnare her in his trap.


    "Hey there newbie, I''m Tompa!" he said. Yuuki really wasn''t in the mood for this. "I''m a veteran, if you have any questions, just ask?"


    "Yeah, sure" Yuuki smiled, "I have a question, Can you please go away!"


    "What?" Tompa replied.


    "You know I grew up in the same place as Gon right?" She said, "I''d definitely be able to taste whatever poison you want to offer me and although I hope I would be resistant to it, I would rather not test that right before the exam!"


    Tompa looked very confused, had she seen him trying to get the other group? She must have.


    "Hey Tompa, can I have another can?" A small boy with white hair came running up.


    "Um, sure?" Tompa replied, taking out another can with a bad expression on his face.


    "You must be really confident in yourself," Yuuki said.


    "Yep, whatever poison he put in there won''t affect me, " Killua said, "I''ve been trained to resist them. Do you not want any? It tastes pretty good you know."


    "Yeah, I''m good! I eat a lot of weird stuff but I don''t really want to injure myself before the exam." Yuuki replied.


    "What kind of weird stuff?" Killua asked.


    "Well there are lots of plants around Whale Island, I''ve tried eating quite a lot of them, " Yuuki said, "As long as I don''t know its deadly poison, I''ll probably try it."


    "Haha, that''s pretty stupid."


    "Well, you''re supposed to try new things you know."


    "I''m pretty sure that''s not what they mean by that."


    "Some of them have pretty cool effects too. There''s this flower that makes your hair and nails grow really fast and this mushroom that changes your hair colour."


    Weird kids, Tompa thought. In fact, all of this year''s rookies are insane.


    Soon a loud sound rang out. "The time for chat is over. The exam will now begin!" A tall skinny man said, "Follow me please."

 14 Phase One

    "Ok then, 405 participants of the first phase of the exam, " the tall man said and began to walk briskly down the long dark tunnel.


    His pace increased step by step and soon the examinees were running. Yuuki ran beside Killua who was skating on his skateboard.


    "Oh yeah, what''s your name by the way?" He asked.


    "It''s Yuuki," she said.


    "My names Killua!" he said.


    "Hey Yuuki, " Gon called up from behind, soon he caught up to Yuuki and Killua and began to run beside them.


    "Who''s that?" Killua asked.


    "I''m Gon!" Gon said cheerfully.


    "Hey, kid, " Leorio yelled, "You can''t ride a skateboard that''s cheating!"


    "How so?" Killua asked nonchalantly.


    "It just is!" Leorio yelled, "The is a test of endurance you know!"


    "Is he always that loud?" Killua asked Yuuki.


    "Yep, you get used to it after a while though," Yuuki replied.


    "Oi, you brats!" Leorio yelled.


    "You should probably just stop yelling, conserve your energy. " Kurapika said


    "So how old are you guys?" Killua asked.


    "I''m twelve," Gon said.


    "Me too!" said Yuuki.


    "Ah, so your both the same age as me!" Killua said.


    "Wait, Killua when''s your birthday?" Yuuki asked.


    "July 7th, why?" He replied.


    "Argh! I''m still the youngest, it''s not fair!" Yuuki moaned.


    Killua got off and flipped his skateboard and caught it. "I''m going to run with you guys, ok?"


    "Cool because I''m totally going to nab your skateboard later when I get winded!" Yuuki said.


    "There''s no way you would get tired that easily, " Gon said.


    "Don''t tell him that Gon, a delicate girl like me is easily exhausted ok Gon?" Yuuki whined.


    Killua laughed, "You can borrow it later if you want."


    "Yay!" Yuuki cheered.


    A while later they reached the stairs. Yuuki was not looking forward to this part, climbing stairs was very different from running and Yuuki really hated doing it.


    After a while of climbing the stairs, Gon spoke, "Hey? You guys wanna race?"


    "Sure!" Killua said, "What''re the stakes?"


    "Loser buys the other two dinner!" Gon said.


    "No way!" Yuuki said, "I''m not buying you guys dinner!"


    "You don''t know you''ll lose Yuuki." Gon said.


    "Umm... yes, yes I do." Yuuki insisted.


    "If you forfeit, it counts as losing and you have to buy us dinner anyway!" Killua told her.


    "What?" Yuuki questioned, "No it doesn''t, and I''m not forfeiting, I never said that I would participate."


    "I mean it sounds like forfeiting." Gon said.


    "You ready?" Killua asked.


    "Yep!" Gon replied. "Let''s go!"


    "No, no, no, let''s not go!" Yuuki said.


    Gon and Killua began to run quickly up the stairs. Effortlessly leaping up the steps.


    "What no! No, no, no!" Yuuki groaned, "Inot buying either of you anything!" She then began to charge up the stairs after them.


    "See you at the top!" She yelled at Kurapika and Leorio as she passed them.


    Soon the three of them were running at the top of the stairs. After running behind the examiner and talking for a bit, a glimmer of light appeared at the end of the tunnel.


    Gon and Killua looked at each other, "The exit!" They both yelled at each other and began to leg it up the remaining stairs.


    Oh, sweet God, Yuuki groaned internally, clutching her stomach. She began to run after them as fast as she could. Her legs hurt after running so long and she was beginning to get winded.


    "I''m first!" Gon and Killua both yelled as they reached the top of the stairs. Yuuki reaches the top a few seconds after them and stopped to catch her breath.


    "You don''t get to choose what I buy you for dinner though," Yuuki said.


    "As long as it''s food," Gon said.


    Soon everyone was gathered at the top of the stairs and the metal door slid down behind them, blocking the exit.


    "This Marsh is full of dangerous beasts which would love to have you for their lunch." The examiner said, "Make sure to follow me."


    "He''s lying!" A man from behind said, "The real examiner is me!"


    Here we go, Yuuki thought, the man-faced ape. They were quite interesting but their main ability was simply disguise. They couldn''t do anything amazing like transform themselves like the kiriko. They could barely be considered a magical beast due to their ability to talk and intelligence.


    Hisoka swiftly dealt with the man-faced ape by attacking both it and the examiner with nen-infused cards. The examiner gave Hisoka a warning for attacking him.


    "Were any of you ready to follow that imposter?" The examiner asked, "You should be more vigilant if you wish to survive here."


    "Well, let''s continue to go to the second stage." He continued.


    As the situation was dealt with, the examiner began to move forward again.


    Swindler''s swamp.


    "Hey Killua, Gon, you mind taking these?" Yuuki asked fishing out two small metallic objects with a small flashing light on them from her bag. "Something I brought from home."


    "What are these?" Killua asked.


    "Tracking devices, so I can see where the end is." She said.


    "Why do you need us to have these Yuuki?" Gon asked.


    "I need to do something here, ok?" Yuuki said. "You should probably start running, they''re almost gone now! Bye!" She started running off in another direction.

 15 Swindler’s Swamp

    The Milsy Wetlands or Swindler''s Swamp, a place full of deadly beasts, mysterious creatures and killer plants, and of course the site of the first phase of the exam.


    When Yuuki had come across the place in a book she simply had to read about it, and when she started reading about it she was dragged into finding more and more. It wasn''t the most amazing place in the world but it was chock a block full of creatures and flora who had evolved to ensnare and kill.


    Although these creatures were incredibly fascinating and Yuuki would love to look at them, there was one thing she needed to see.


    Swindler''s swamp had two registered magical beasts residing within it. The man-faced ape, which was barely considered one, and the winged water lizard of which there were two inhabiting the swamp.


    When Yuuki was reading about the swamp however she found a hunters journal which hinted at the existence of a third beast.


    The journal said that in a deep part of the swamp there lay a cave, the hunter approached it to explore it but a booming voice appeared in its head. I do not care about you little humans but do not disturb me.


    Yuuki had no idea why she wanted to see this thing so badly. There was probably not even a chance that she would see what lay in that cave. However, she felt that if she did not, she would be missing out on something amazing.


    When Yuuki found the cave she started to hold her breath, trying to be as silent as possible as she moved towards the entrance. She stepped through the cave down into a cavern supported entirely by tree roots.


    There in the cavern lay a large, scaled, winged beast with long curved horns, it was asleep. Yuuki examined its body. Its scales were not the texture she expected them to be but instead like tough, old bark. Yuuki walked close to the body ready to examine it more closely, she opened up her bag and took out her notebook.


    When she looked up from her bag she saw three bright, glowing emerald eyes look back at her. Yuuki let out a gasp. They were beautiful.


    "What are you doing here?" A deep, booming voice came out of the beast.


    "Wow, you are beautiful!" Yuuki said.


    "Beautiful?" the voice questioned, "I am also very dangerous see." The beast''s eyes glowed and soon the roots supporting the cave began to grow and transform, entangling Yuuki''s legs and hovering above her, sharpening into points.


    "That''s a pretty amazing ability. Manipulation of plants?" Yuuki asked, "No, that''s not quite it, a specialist?"


    The beast tilted its head, "In human terms, I guess it would be something similar to that." It said, "although I sense an aura on you, you should not be able to use any abilities though?"


    Damn, Yuuki thought. I probably shouldn''t know about nen.


    "I tend to not think about things like this." It said, "There are much stranger things out there where I come from. Knowledge is relatively easily attained if you have time to look, although very valuable."


    "Where are you from, then?" Yuuki asked.


    "You ask a lot of questions, are you not afraid I will kill you?" The beast asked back.


    Yuuki shrugged, "If you wanted to kill me you would''ve done it the moment I entered the room, and besides if you indeed tried to kill me, I doubt there is anything I could do to stop it."


    It looked at her, "That''s true."It said, retracting the roots that were pointing at her from above. "You never answered my question though, what are you doing here?"


    "I was just curious." She replied.


    "About me? Curiosity killed the cat you know?" The beast said.


    "I''m sure it''s alright, cats do have nine lives after all." Yuuki said.


    "Cats are not humans either, I think that curiosity is one of humanity''s best features, although there is not a lot to choose from. It does seem to get them killed a lot though."


    "Yeah, well we do tend to do that."


    "You are taking the hunter exam correct?"


    Yuuki nodded.


    The beast closed its eyes, "you should probably leave, I can sense they are reaching the end of the swamp."


    Yuuki brought out a tablet out of her bag, it was right, Killua was standing still and Gon was closing in on him. Gon should be the last one to make it there before the next phase started.


    "I will help you make it there." The beast said.


    Before Yuuki could respond, the roots coiled around her legs tugged her up, passing her out of the cave and passed her to the tree branches where she was quickly passed branch from branch through the swamp.


    "I have a feeling you will be back very soon." The beast said before resting its head down once more. "Is this fate smiling on me, or tricking me once more?"

 16 The Great Stamp

    Yuuki was annoyed. She hadn''t managed to get a drawing of the creature. Well, whatever just seeing it was enough. Yuuki couldn''t wait until she could pass the exam and go searching for things like that everyday.


    She looked at the plants carrying her. Maybe she wouldn''t be so weak then either. Should she have just tried to learn nen? No Yuuki, she thought, learning something like nen shouldn''t be done haphazardly.


    The plants suddenly stopped and dropped her to the ground before becoming stationary again. Before Yuuki could wonder why they had stopped, she heard footsteps and Gon and Kurapika came running from her left.


    "Oh hey Yuuki!" Gon yelled as he passed her.


    Yuuki chucked what she was holding back in her bag and began to run alongside them.


    "You find what you were looking for?" Gon asked.


    Yuuki wondered. "Kind of I guess?" She said, unsure.


    "You going to tell me what it was?" He asked.


    "You bet I won''t, " she said.


    They barely arrived at the exit it time. Gon began to run up to Leorio who''s face was now swollen. Yuuki didn''t want to interrupt their bonding over nearly being killed by a monstrous clown, so she ran up to talk to Killua.


    "Hey Killua!" Yuuki said.


    "You guys are late. Gon just ran off kind of scared me, did you help him back?" He asked.


    "Being late is fashionable don''t you know and nope, I didn''t he probably smelled his way back." She said.


    "Smelled?" Killua questioned.


    "Yup he has a weirdly good nose," Yuuki said.


    "Wait so who did he smell? Was it me? Do I smell funny?" Killua asked.


    "I doubt it unless puberty decided to hit early and your sweat glands felt like working overtime," Yuuki said.


    "Wait so you smell like something weird?" Killua asked.


    Yuuki glared at him. "You''re thinking way too much into it, go ask him yourself."


    Yuuki and Killua then walked off towards Gon.


    "Where did you wander off to then?" Killua asked.


    "I was just going to help Kurapika and Leorio." Gon said.


    "You''re lucky you have a good nose or there was no way you could have passed this phase you idiot," Killua said. "At least Yuuki had a plan before running off, that reminds me, where did you run off to Yuuki?"


    "Not telling," Yuuki said, sticking her tongue out.


    "Honestly both of you are hopeless..." Killua said.


    Soon a loud voice came out of the door in the wall they were all gathered around, "The next phase will begin at noon!"


    As the clocked ticked forwards tension grew between the participants. As the clock strikes noon, the large doors began to open and two figures were revealed. A slim woman and a giant, large man.


    "Are you hungry Buhara?" The woman asked.


    "I''m starving Menchi!" Buhara replied.


    "Its decided then, the second phase will be cooking!" Menchi announced, "What do you feel like Buhara?"


    "Roast pork!" He said. "I don''t care what kind of pork it is as long as you catch it in these woods."


    "Very well then, " Menchi said, "Let the second phase begin!"


    The participants all ran into the forest. Soon they had discovered a giant herd of pigs. These pigs were enormous, around the size of a bear with giant snouts covering their faces.


    "Wow, they''re a lot bigger than I thought!" Yuuki exclaimed.


    "Do you know what species they are?" Kurapika asked.


    Yuuki nodded, "The most ferocious species of pig in the world - the Great Stamp." She said, "They''re known for their powerful snout and aggressive personality and their teeth can crush bones."


    "Really?" Leorio asked nervously.


    The pigs noticed them and turned. Then began to charge.


    "Run!" Yuuki yelled, before turning and running away as fast as she could.


    "Yuuki!" Kurapika yelled, running alongside them, "Do they have a weakness?"


    Yuuki looked around at the other participants who turned to look at her when Kurapika said this and sighed. She nodded. "Gon can I borrow your fishing pole?" She asked.


    "Sure!" Gon said, handing her the pole.


    Yuuki climbed up a nearby tree waiting for the pigs to move under her, she then jumped and bashed the pig as hard as she could on the forehead. It collapsed on the floor. Yuuki chucked the fishing pole back to Gon. I wish I had a weapon, she thought, Mito wouldn''t let me get one but I could''ve bought one in Zaban. She grabbed the pig and began to drag it back to the test site.


    Everyone stood and began to roast their pigs. This world must follow the plot of the manga, Yuuki thought, Menchi isn''t judging the pork part. She would request sushi then. Yuuki sighed. She wasn''t really much of a chef. She was more of a cup ramen kind of girl.


    Soon Buhara was full of pork. He ate over 70 full pigs. He had, of course, passed everyone that had fed him. Menchi rang the gong.


    "You''re too nice Buhara, " she said, "Us gourmet hunters should value taste. For the roast pork test, 70 pass."


    "I''m warning you, my test won''t be as easy, " she said smiling slyly, "Test two, my order is... sushi!"

 17 Menchi’s Task

    Although Yuuki wasn''t the greatest chef in the world, or really any kind of chef at all, she still knew how to make sushi. She had never actually done it before though. Yuuki sighed, Menchi probably wouldn''t pass her anyway.


    All the other participants were questioning what sushi was. Menchi spoke up, "Its the traditional meal of a small island, even if you have never seen it you should be able to make it. I''ll give you a hand, all the tools needed are at your stations and also the rice essential to making it. I will only accept handmade sushi!"


    In the manga, Menchi had got mad because people already knew how to make sushi so no one bothered to figure it out through their hints. The participants also kept looking down on gourmet hunters.


    She looked at the equipment. There were knives for cutting fish and huge tubs of rice alongside white vinegar disguised with other bottles. Definitely what was needed to cook sushi. The handmade hint also helped. Soon Yuuki heard a snicker, that''s right Hanzo knew how to make sushi.


    Kurapika did too. She walked over to kurapika who had just started to explain the process to Leorio.


    "You add white vinegar to the rice and mix it with raw fish," Kurapika whispered.


    Leorio began to yell but Yuuki clamped her hand around his mouth. The other participants began to look at them and Hanzo. Great, Yuuki thought, they know we know how to make it too.


    Yuuki walked up to Gon and started to speak, "Hey Gon, do you want to find some ingredients and try them out, I''m sure we''ll be able to find it eventually."


    The other participants looked at her suspiciously. She gave a death glare to Leorio and grabbed Gon''s hand and began to walk off. Killua followed them and Kurapika and Leorio walked off in another direction.


    The participants split up and began to follow their two groups and Hanzo. Should I even care about them following us, Yuuki wondered, they find it out from Hanzo anyway. Besides, right now, Menchi is judging us as a chef, not as an exam participant.


    What a pain. Should she just not try for this part of the exam? Well, whatever she would just let them follow us. They wouldn''t pass anyway. She began to walk off to the nearest river.


    "You do realise people are following us right?" Killua asked.


    "Doesn''t matter even if they know the ingredients doesn''t mean they can make sushi, " Yuuki replied.


    "Why did you try to hide the ingredients back there then," Killua asked.


    "The hunter exam shouldn''t be a test of our cooking skills. That means that the examiner left hints so we could deduce what sushi was." Yuuki explained, "If someone just outright yelled it she might get angry and judge us more harshly."


    Soon they reached the river, "Gon, catch us some fish?" she asked.


    Soon the participants came out of the woods and began to catch fish. "Thanks kids, " one of them yelled.


    Soon they made their way back to the cooking stations and started to make the sushi. One by one the participants the participants went up with their weird combinations of fish and rice. Yuuki decided to give it one last ditch effort before Hanzo went up and ruined the challenge.


    She presented her sushi to Menchi.


    "Oh! Finally something that looks like what I wanted!" Menchi said, picking up her chopsticks and tasting the sushi. "Nope failed."


    Yuuki let out a sigh, "You can''t really expect us to make professional standard sushi can you, people can spend years training to make it, there''s no way any of ours would be good enough." She said.


    Menchi looked at her before calling out "Next!"


    Next up was Hanzo, he managed to fail the test, blurt out the recipe for sushi and make Menchi very angry.


    "Did you not hear what the last girl said! It takes years to become a master at creating sushi and you say there''s no difference in taste!" She yelled, "You have no respect for the culinary arts!"


    Menchi continued to judge the participant''s sushi failing everyone.


    "It''s over! I''m not hungry anymore," she started. Buhara behind her sighed.


    "You can''t fail everyone Menchi," He said.


    Soon Menchi was having an argument down the phone with the exam committee, "What do you mean I''m not respecting the rules? Didn''t we agree that if I found it tasty I would pass it and if not I would fail it? One of the contestants knew the recipe and gave it away like an idiot too. Alright I can''t fail everyone, the girl was at least respectful to us chefs so I''ll pass her, how''s about that? What do you mean I can''t pass just one person either? I don''t care I''ve decided!" She yelled down the phone before hanging up.


    "Ok listen up examinees, that girl over there, " she said pointing at Yuuki, "She passed, the rest of you, failures!"


    Yuuki shuffled awkwardly as the other participants looked at her and murmured among themselves.


    "This ain''t fair!" A large man with a ponytail yelled out, "Listen up! I''m going to become a blacklist hunter! I''m not gonna be failed by a measly gourmet hunter! Especially when they let a midget like that pass!"


    Leave me out of this please, Yuuki thought. I didn''t think she would pass me either.


    "Too bad!" Menchi said, "Tell yourself you were just unlucky to be tested by us, better luck next year!"


    "What did you say!" The man yelled angrily, running towards her to attack, he was quickly hit aside by Buhara.


    "I don''t recall asking for your help Buhara!" Manchu said, "Listen up little examinees. Every single hunter is trained in a martial art. It doesn''t matter if your blacklist or gourmet." She juggled her knives in the air. "We all have vast knowledge and fighting ability."


    "That doesn''t justify you failing every examiner but one on the second phase Menchi!" A loud voice spoke.


    Yuuki looked up at the airship where the voice was coming from. Down jumped an old man. Yuuki gasped. This was the president of the hunter association, the master of the shigen-ryu school and one of the worlds strongest men, Isaac Netero.

 18 On the Airship

    Soon after Netero and Menchi spoke, they were on the airship heading to split mountain. Menchi said the dish they were serving would be boiled eggs.


    When they arrived at the mountain, Yuuki took a peak down the giant ravine cutting through the middle. It was very deep. She could see the spider eagle eggs down there. She wondered what they tasted like, they were supposed to be very delicious and she couldn''t wait to try one.


    Menchi showed the participants how to retrieve the egg by climbing onto the web and then climbing back up. Gon and the group quickly jumped down followed shortly by other participants.


    "You don''t have to do it, you know." Menchi said, "I already passed you."


    "But can I do it anyway?" Yuuki asked.


    "Why?" Menchi replied, obviously confused.


    "They''re supposed to be really delicious right?" Yuuki said with a smile, "I''m not relying on one of them to share it with me."


    Yuuki then leapt down onto the webs below. She hung from a strand and made her way across to an egg. It''s kind of like the monkey bars, she thought, I was never any good at those though. She grabbed an egg and made her way to the side of the cliff then climbed back up.


    Egg acquired, she thought and placed her egg in the pot with the others.


    Menchi stood in front of them holding two eggs, "This is a regular egg and this is a spider eagle egg, see the difference?" She asked, "They taste very different too."


    Yuuki bit into her egg and a rush of flavour filled her mouth, it was amazing. Much better than a regular egg.


    "This is the taste we risk our lives for!" Menchi said proudly.


    When everyone was back on the airship they were gathered around Netero. He gave a speech about who he was and the fact he had to come sooner than expected. Yuuki wasn''t really that interested.


    "We should arrive tomorrow around eight at the next trial grounds," the assistant Beans said, "You are free to do whatever you want until we arrive."


    Finally freedom, Yuuki thought, now where are Gon and Killua. She looked around. No! They''ve already disappeared! She walked up to Kurapika and Leorio.


    "Did you see where Gon and Killua went?" She asked.


    "They said they were going to go on a tour of the vessel," Kurapika said.


    "Without me?" Yuuki said in a hurt tone, "How could they just leave me with you two?"


    "Wait, what''s wrong with us?" Leorio yelled angrily.


    "Nothings wrong with Kurapika you''re just an old fart!" Yuuki yelled back, running away, "See ya!"


    "I''m only nineteen!" Leorio yelled.


    Yuuki ran around the airship searching for Gon and Killua and she soon found them sitting on a bench looking out a window. They were talking to each other intently. Should I really ruin their bonding time? Yuuki thought. Yes Yuuki, yes you should.


    She quickly ran up to Gon and leapt at him, "Gon, How could you abandon me?" She asked, "Leaving me with Kurapika and Leorio."


    "What''s wrong with Kurapika and Leorio?" Gon asked.


    "There no fun!" Yuuki stated, "Kurapika is always so serious and Leorio is just, well... let''s go with too old." Although I''m technically older than him, she thought.


    "Ok, wanna join us?" Gon asked.


    "You should really try to argue a little Gon," Killua said.


    Yuuki stuck her tongue out at him then sat on the bench, "Wow, a great view of the city!"


    "Yeah it looks like a diamond," Gon said.


    "Still can''t beat the look of the stars from the island though!" Yuuki said.


    "So have you guys never left your home island before then?" Killua asked.


    "Nope." Gon said.


    "Not even once!" Yuuki said, "It would''ve been super boring if Gon wasn''t there, there isn''t a lot to do."


    "Do you live in a city then Killua?" Gon asked.


    "Well, not really, me and my family live on top of a mountain," Killua said.


    "That''s pretty cool, you must have a great view from up there!" Yuuki said.


    "Well yeah, I guess," Killua replied.


    "Killua, do you have parents then?" Gon asked.


    "Huh? Yeah, of course I do." Killua replied.


    "What do they do?" Gon asked.


    "They''re assassins!" Killua stated.


    "Both of them?" Gon asked in surprise.


    Killua started laughing, "That''s the first time someone''s taking me seriously when I''ve said that."


    "Really, where you lying?" Gon asked.


    "No, but that''s not the point!" Killua said.


    "He''s right Gon, normally you would question something like that," Yuuki said.


    "You didn''t question it either," Killua pointed out.


    "Well that''s cause I believed it," Yuuki explained, "You totally look like you would kill a guy!"


    "What?" Killua questioned.


    "What? You aren''t one too?" Yuuki asked.


    "Well, yeah," Killua asked. "At my place everyone does assassination, that''s the first time someone''s told me I look like I would kill someone though."


    "So how come your taking the Hunter exam then?" Gon asked.


    "My family puts a lot of pressure on me. I don''t like them deciding what I''ll do with my life. They got super mad when I told them that I''ll decide my future myself." Killua said with a serious expression, "My mother started crying and said I was made for this job. Long story short, I stabbed my mum and brother and ran away! I bet they haven''t even healed yet!"


    "Brutal." Yuuki said.


    "What, they''re bad people ok?" Killua replied defensively.


    "Sure..." Yuuki muttered.


    Gon laughed.

 19 Netero

    Quickly an aura surrounded them. Yuuki broke out in a sweat and Gon and Killua leapt off the bench and looked around. Netero is really powerful, Yuuki thought, if even non nen users like her, Gon and Killua could feel his aura. She turned her head to face the direction Netero approaching was them from.


    He was going to make them play a ball game with him, right? It''s not like Yuuki wasn''t interested but she knew they wouldn''t win even if she helped out. Netero was just too strong and he would be more careful if there were three of them.


    "What''s happening?" Netero asked.


    Yuuki sighed, she couldn''t even chime in. Killua was too busy being suspicious and Gon was too excited. Now she sat at the back of a small gymnasium. How the hell did they fit all of this on an airship?


    Netero spun a ball on his finger, "So if you take the ball, you win and become a hunter. You''re free to attack anywhere, I won''t hit back."


    Gon looked back at Yuuki, "Aren''t you going to join in Yuuki?"


    "Ah, no." She replied, "I want to try out the other tests, besides I don''t think I''d be able to take the ball from him anyway."


    Killua''s eyes were still stuck to Netero, "We just have to take the ball, right?"


    Killua began to circle Netero, multiplying his body as he did. Soon multiple Killuas were walking around Netero. Killua attacked, trying to grab the ball.


    Why did they even accept this game? I mean I understand Gon, but Killua just came here to see how hard the test is right?


    Killua failed to get the ball and switched out with Gon who charged straight at Netero.


    Yuuki sighed, watching this isn''t fun since I already know what happens. Besides this is just showing me how weak I am. I wonder who I could even beat in the exam.


    Gon and Killua were now attacking Netero together, desperately trying to grab the ball.


    Well, I don''t think I could beat Gon and Killua, but they''re little monsters. I can chalk up some of the other participants to them being older than me and well, being able to use nen. I''ve never seen Kurapika fight properly without nen so I don''t know about him. Leorio. At least I could definitely beat Leorio, right? I guess I''ve never seen him fight either but he doesn''t look too strong.


    Oh, Yuuki looked up, Gon had just used his sliding shoe attack and Killua used the opportunity to knock over Netero and make him drop the ball. They almost got the ball but Netero quickly recovered it.


    "That''s it for me!" Killua announced, "I give up!"


    Finally, Yuuki thought, an excuse to leave.


    "Why, we still have time left, we just almost got him!" Gon said.


    "You don''t get it?" Killua asked, "He didn''t even use his right hand and left leg for, we could never get it."


    After a bit of arguing Killua left, leaving Gon to try to get Netero to use his hand.


    "Hey, Gon!" Yuuki yelled.


    "Yeah?" He responded


    "I''m gonna go after him ok?" Yuuki said.


    "Ok" Gon said, his eyes were still focused on Netero.


    Yuuki sighed. Boys, she thought. She ran after Killua. She arrived behind him just in time to see him murder two men. Quickly he turned to move his hand to her too.


    "Calm down Killua," Yuuki said, "I really would not prefer to die so soon."


    Killua stopped himself once he realised and Yuuki was left with only a cut on her cheek.


    "Ouch!" she said, "Rude!"


    "Sorry but you really shouldn''t have been following me, " he said, staring darkly, "Especially when I''m this pissed."


    "Really? I never would''ve guessed." she said, "but I figured you might want to talk to someone instead of killing people, though I''m sure that''s also an excellent pastime, and I needed a break from Gon''s blinding optimism."


    "I just needed the let out my anger a little," Killua said.


    "Yeah..." Yuuki said, looking down at the two guys cut up bodies, "anyway, you wanna go get some food? I owe you a meal anyway."


    "What, no! You owe me a bought dinner, free food doesn''t count!" He said.


    "Well, it was worth a try!" Yuuki replied, shrugging.


    Soon they had gathered a variety of foods on two plates and returned to the bench they were sitting on earlier.


    "Sooo..." Yuuki started, "What''s the deal?"


    "Its nothing," Killua said, staring down at his plate of food, "I just got angry."


    "Argh! I thought I got you to stop moping," Yuuki said.


    "I''m not moping!" Killua yelled, "I''m just pissed, ok?"


    "I get it," Yuuki said looking at Killua, "I get angry a lot, usually at myself."


    "I wasn''t angry at myself! I was angry at the old man. I really wanted that ball!" Killua said.


    "Why?" Yuuki asked.


    "Huh?" Killua replied.


    "Why did you want the ball that bad?" Yuuki asked, "Didn''t you want to take the hunter exam to see how hard the tests were? Why would you need to get the ball to become a hunter straight away?"


    "I guess that''s true," Killua said.


    "You were just angry because you thought Netero was looking down on you." Yuuki said.


    "No I wasn''t!" Killua yelled.


    "Yep you were, it was your pride!" Yuuki said.


    "Definitely wasn''t!" He insisted.


    "Ok then, whatever you say." Yuuki laughed.


    "Hey, Yuuki?" Killua asked.


    "Yep?" She replied.


    "What reasons do you have to be angry at yourself?" Killua asked, turning to look at her.


    "Oh! So many! I can hardly count them all. It mainly consists around me being weak and useless though." Yuuki said.


    "What? That''s kind of stupid." Killua said.


    "How so? If it was me trying to get that ball I would''ve failed straight away. It probably wouldn''t even be Netero''s fault. I would trip up or something." She said.


    "We were in an empty room with a flat floor, how would you trip over?" Killua asked.


    "Don''t underestimate me! I would find a way!" Yuuki exclaimed proudly.


    "You really shouldn''t worry about being useless," Killua said


    "What do you mean?" Yuuki asked.


    "You were the only one to pass Menchi''s test after all." He said.


    "Yeah but that''s only because I didn''t insult her whole profession, honestly some of those guys were asking for it," Yuuki said.


    "Sure, but you also knew how to make sushi, right?" Killua pointed out.


    "Yeah, but what use is that? I can''t do any cool techniques like that multiplying thing you do or have weird superhuman senses like Gon does." Yuuki said. Or use nen like Hisoka, she thought. Although he was probably plenty strong without it.


    "He is a bit abnormal," Killua said.


    "Who can smell cologne from miles away?" Yuuki complained. "Enough about that through, how did you do that multiple thing?"


    "Want me to show you?" Killua asked.


    "Yeah! There''s no way I''d be able to learn it though." Yuuki replied.


    "You''re really pessimistic. It''s a bit annoying!" Killua said.

 20 Trick Tower

    Yuuki woke up to a voice through the loudspeakers. "To all passengers, we are ready to land!" Yuuki jumped up and looked around. Oh, that''s right were on the airship, she thought. I wonder where Killua went. Where is Gon too?


    Yuuki quickly made her way off the airship onto the top of the large pillar.


    "Welcome to trick tower," Beans said, "This is where the third phase will take place! The trial is simple. Make your way to the bottom of the tower in 72 hours."


    It had been ten minutes and Yuuki still stood at the top of the tower. After watching the rock climber get viscously eaten alive by flying beasts, she had started searching for the five panels that led down to the trial of majority.


    Yuuki went and got Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio and they all went down to the room below. They put their watches on and began to make their ways through the trial. Without Tonpa doing his best to slow them down, the group quickly made their way to the arena where they would fight the prisoners, although Leorio still complained quite a bit when his options weren''t picked.


    Yuuki looked at the screen on the side. The time read 72:38:12, they were already doing miles better than the group had in the anime.


    Yuuki looked at Leorio who was looking around stupidly, he definitely wouldn''t be allowed to lose them 50 hours if Yuuki had anything to say about it. Or should he, I mean the room the group had stayed in looked a lot nicer than the plain stone room the finishing participants had to stay in.


    No, Yuuki thought, bad Yuuki.


    A pathway stretched out from the other side and the bald mercenary walked to the centre platform.


    "To continue you must fight the five of us prisoners," he said, "You must win three times to carry on, press O to accept and X to refuse."


    Quickly everyone picked O.


    "Understood!" The man yelled, "The first one fighting is me, choose who fights."


    In the anime, Tonpa fought. That means I should fight this guy, Yuuki thought uncertainly. No, then Kurapika would fight the blue guy and Leorio would end up losing them the hours.


    "I think Kurapika should go first," Yuuki said.


    "I''m fine with that," Kurapika said.


    "Ok then," Leorio said, "start us off with a win Kurapika!"


    The bald man announced the terms of the battle to be a deathmatch. Kurapika accepted the terms and brought out his weapons ready to attack. The man tried to go for Kurapika''s throat but Kurapika was too fast. Dodging the attack and hitting the man in the back of the neck.


    The man was beaten half to death by Kurapika and just before Kurapika was about to deliver a final blow, the man surrendered. One point went up for the group


    Next up was the tall man with the candle test. Gon quickly volunteered and Yuuki doubted they would be able to get him to not take the next test. The man had tricked Gon by switching out his candle with a trapped one so that Gon''s candle would burn faster but Gon beat him by placing his candle on the group and blowing out the man''s.


    Another point for the group. 2-0 for them. Next up was the fraudster. Yuuki looked at him, although he looked strong and muscular he was actually very weak, knocked out in one punch by Kurapika. Yuuki then turned to look at Kurapika.


    "I''ll take this one!" Yuuki said.


    "What? No way!" Leorio yelled, "If we want to win for sure it should be next."


    "You saying you''re that strong?" Yuuki asked, "I''m taking it."


    Before walking down the pathway, Yuuki turned back and pointed at Killua before pointing two fingers towards her eyes and then at Kurapika. All this really did was confuse both Killua and Kurapika but now Killua was watching Kurapika more carefully. That should do it.


    Yuuki went up to the platform and the man in front of her declared the challenge a deathmatch. The man in front of her consistently lied, trying to frighten her by saying he was a serial killer who liked to rip people in half. Yuuki rolled her eyes.


    "Are we going to fight or what?" Yuuki asked.


    With one last ditch effort to scare her, the man turned around to reveal his spider tattoo. When he did this Yuuki turned to look at Kurapika, whose eyes were now a vivid scarlet. He was trying his best to restrain himself from attacking. Yuuki looked at the man once more, oh well, better win this quickly she thought.


    She ran up to the man who tried to push her as she approached him, she tilted her body to the side, avoiding his punch and then swiftly kicked him right between the legs. The man kneeled down, placing his hands over his crotch before Yuuki once again attacked landing a punch right on his face. The man quickly surrendered.


    The final point. The score was now 3-0, they had won. Yuuki skipped happily back to the platforms where the four other members were giving her a strange look.


    "What?" Yuuki asked, they all gave her an uncomfortable look, "Aim for their weak points right?"


    Kirapika coughed loudly before speaking, "How did you know about that man''s fake tattoo?"


    "Umm, I saw it when he took his cloak off," Yuuki said, "I figured it would make you a little mad."


    "You were correct," Kurapika said, "I knew that tattoo was fake but I still could only see red. I even get this way when I see actual spiders."


    "No!" A gruff voice spoke out, "I don''t care if they won, it''s my turn, take my cuffs off!"


    A large man still cloaked walked up to the centre.


    "I still need to kill!" He said.


    "Killua?" Yuuki asked, "You wanna go up?"


    Killua gave her a little smile, before approaching the platform.


    "It''s okay!" He said, "Take the mans cuffs off."


    The iron cuffs dropped on the floor and the man readied himself, charging for an attack, but before he could do anything, Killua flashed passed him and his heart lay in Killua''s hand. Killua started at him and grinned, tightening his fingers around the heart.


    Yuuki looked up at the clock once more, 70:13:47. It had taken them just over two hours to fight them. She smiled.

 21 Waiting.

    The group ran around for hours. They now stood back at the arena.


    "We''re totally lost!" Leorio yelled.


    "It''s fine!" Yuuki said, looking at the clock on the wall 63:45:27, "We still have plenty of time left."


    She hoped they would hurry up though, the quicker they passed this phase the bigger advantage they had in the next phase. They probably wouldn''t come in last place though.


    After another two hours of running around, they finally had reached the last door.


    Yuuki looked around the room at the various weapons on the walls. She wondered if she should take one as she currently didn''t have a weapon. She decided against it however as most of these weapons were very large and it would probably make it harder to move around in the forest during the next round.


    With so much time left they chose the long and dangerous path without much discussion. Yuuki suggested they used the weapons to dig a hole in the wall to the next path like Gon had suggested in the anime. It wasn''t necessary but Yuuki would rather pass as fast as possible.


    They walked down the path to the stone room at the end. A loud voice announced, "Candidate 406 passed fifth, time taken11 hours 48 minutes."


    Gon passed sixth, Kurapika seventh, Killua eight and Leorio ninth. Yuuki looked around the room and sure enough sat Hisoka, Illumi in disguise, Hanzo, joining them was Geretta. Yuuki looked at Gon, I guess he would still have to go through some trouble. Well, that is if they still drew the same people.


    Yuuki joined the group and sat in a corner. She wondered who she would get for the next test, she had prepared for this before leaving and had tranquillisers in her backpack so she could easily take a tag. She also removed her tag from her jacket, she put it in her bag for now but would move it later.


    Killua, Gon and Yuuki messed around for a while trying out Killua''s skateboard and Gon''s fishing rod.They then sat down, resting their backs against the stone cold wall. They had managed to get quite a disturbing view, staring directly at Hisoka who was shuffling his cards.


    "I wonder what he''s doing," Yuuki said.


    "What do you mean?" Gon asked.


    "I mean he''s always playing with his cards, I get they''re a weapon and all but he''s always playing with them, what kind of card games can you play with just one person anyway?" Yuuki asked.


    "Solitare?" Gon said.


    "He''s obviously not playing that though, just shuffling them menacingly," Yuuki said.


    "Maybe he just likes shuffling cards, " Killua said. "Who cares."


    The door opened again and everyone turned. It was Tompa. This complicates things Yuuki thought. If there are more people here that means everyone will probably draw different people.


    Yuuki was kind of annoyed that Tompa had managed to pass the third trial because it just proved further that he was just messing with the candidates.


    Yuuki looks up at the time 47:34:12, they still had so much time left, she was very bored. Maybe she should just sleep, she found it hard t go to sleep in a room full of dangerous people though.


    Yuukk turned to look at Gon and Killua talking enthusiastically. Kurapika was reading a book and Leorio was sleeping. Yuuki got her notebook and started doodling again. She drew the beast she had seen in swindler''s swamp before quickly tearing the page out. The drawing didn''t look right.


    Time continued to pass and the room filled with more and more people, food was brought through and Yuuki got to experience the wonder that was Illumi with needles stuck in his face eating, it was very weird.


    Five minutes were now left on the clock. The final guy passed through into the room, before he quickly collapsed. He had died.


    "Time up, end of phase three, participants passed 26, including one dead!" The loudspeaker sounded.


    The group of participants left trick tower and gathered outside.


    "Congratulations on passing the third phase," The examiner for the round said, "the next round will take place on Zevil Island."


    He pulled out a box.


    "Everyone draw a number in the order they passed the third trial!"


    The participants went up one by one to the box. Soon it was Yuuki''s turn. She put her hand in the box and grabbed a card. After she joined the crowd once more she turned the card over and read the number.


    The number on the card was 99. Yuuki turned to look at Killua.


    Oh no, she thought.

 22 Zevil island

    Yuuki wasn''t happy. Killua was one of the people she did not want to draw. The tranquillisers that she had prepared probably wouldn''t work on him due to his training and he was very alert. That would be annoying. Yuuki probably couldn''t beat him in hand to hand combat so she would have to be sneaky.


    Yuuki looked around, everyone had now removed their tags. Yuuki wondered if they still drew the same numbers as in the anime, the best way to check would to ask Gon and Killua who they drew but they would probably ask to look at her number.


    How could she get around this? She walked up to Kurapika and Leorio who were having an argument and sat down next to them. Leorio scoffed at Kurapika and walked away.


    "What was that about?" Yuuki asked.


    "Who knows," Kurapika replied, "aren''t you going to sit with Gon and Killua?"


    "Nah," Yuuki said looking over at them chatting, "Wouldn''t want to interrupt their bromance."


    Yuuki and Kurapika chatted for a bit and Yuuki caught the occasional stare from Leorio moping on the other side of the boat. She wondered what they were arguing about.


    "Hey... Kurapika?" Yuuki asked. "Do you mind doing me a favour?"


    "Depends what it is." He replied


    "Well I''d rather not ask but I can''t see another way of getting the tag," Yuuki said, "Mind swapping tags with me?"


    "Who do you have?" Kurapika asked.


    "You have to show me yours too, okay?" Yuuki showed him the card. Kurapika A''s eyes sharpened.


    "Are you planning to trick him?" Kurapika asked.


    "I don''t really like putting it like that but sure." Yuuki said.


    "I don''t think I can help you then, but I won''t tell him that you have him." Kurapika said, "But I''ll show you my card."


    Yuuki looked down at Kurapika''s card. The number on it was 197, one of the Amori brothers not Tompa like he had drawn in the anime.


    "I didn''t expect you to just switch cards with me anyway," Yuuki said, "So how about a trade."


    "A trade?" Kurapika questioned, "What do you mean?"


    "I''ll give you some information about your eight-legged friends and you switch cards with me, ok?" She said.


    Kurapika''s eyes started to turn red before he calmed down a little. He looked at the card in his hand the reluctantly said, "Very well."


    Yuuki and Kurapika switched cards. "Ok then," Yuuki said, before whispering in Kurapika''s ear, "Yorknew city, September first"


    Yuuki walked over to Gon and Killua. She felt a bit bad about using the same trick as Tompa had but she couldn''t fight head-on.


    "Hey guys!" She said cheerfully, before sitting down next to them.


    "Hey Yuuki!" Gon said. "What number did you pick?"


    "Its a secret, " she said smiling and putting her finger on her lips.


    "Okay then, " Gon said.


    Yuuki turned to look at him. "Okay, I''ll only tell you if you tell me yours though."


    Gon laughed, "Sure!" He then turned his card over to reveal the number 44.


    Yuuki started at the number, guess Gon was fated to get Hisoka then. "Wow, you have really bad luck." She said before turned over her card to reveal the number 197.


    "Who''s that?" Killua asked.


    "One of those three brothers I think." She said before turning to Killua, "Hey! You''re not supposed to look I only said I would show Gon!"


    "Well you shouldn''t have shown it so openly then!" Killua said, "Whatever though, I''ll show you mine." He said, showing her a card with the number 362.


    Yuuki had no idea who that was. "Who''s that?"


    "No clue," Killua said.


    I hope he can find his target, Yuuki thought, if he does he can probably still pass even if I manage to take his tag.


    They then reached the island and the woman began to call out their names one by one, timing two minutes between the names. Yuuki''s name was soon called and she walked off.


    Yuuki ran through the forest for a few seconds before climbing up a tree. She then removed the tag from her bag and stuck it in her shoe. She also took off her jacket and replaced it with a camouflage one she had in her bag.


    She crouched down and moved along the branch as silently as she could, placing her toe down first. That seems ok, Yuuki thought. I''m glad I grew up near a forest. Yuuki didn''t want to move on the ground because the guy who had followed Killua in the anime had been caught. She just hoped that moving through the trees would make her less noticeable.


    Yuuki looked down to see Kurapika run below her. Yuuki sighed, not enough time to figure out. The guy who had stalked Gon through the trees was definitely a professional, Yuuki just hoped she could do it too.


    Killua then walked casually past. Ok, Yuuki time to follow. Don''t be an idiot and trip. She closed her eyes and regulated her breathing then began to follow.

 23 Hunting

    Yuuki had been following Killua for around a day now, he had done very little, just wander around, he hadn''t found his target and Yuuki wondered if he would. He couldn''t use the butterflies to find them like Gon had.


    He also hadn''t discovered her yet, or he had and didn''t care. She wondered what he was doing though, there was no way he would find his target like this. In the anime, his target had just come to him but Yuuki doubted he would be that lucky.


    "Whos there?" Killua asked. "Show yourself!"


    Nooo, Yuuki thought. I guess he had noticed me. Could I not even hide from his senses. I wish I could naturally learn zetsu like Gon had.


    If I don''t come out he''ll probably come to me. Well, let''s just try and play this out, Yuuki carefully jumped off the tree. Killua quickly turned and brought his now modified hand to her neck.


    "Hey Killua, that''s the second time you''ve almost killed me," Yuuki said.


    "Oh sorry," Killua said looking at her suspiciously before retracting his nails and removing his hands. "Where did you get that jacket?" Killua asked.


    "I brought it with me? You like it?" Yuuki asked.


    "Nevermind that, why were you following me?" Killua asked.


    "Well, I don''t know where my target is and you don''t know who yours is, so I thought we could help each other out!" Yuuki said.


    "So you wanna leech off me," Killua said.


    "No. Well, not exactly. My target is one of the Amori brothers. There are three of them and they''re always together. I might be able to beat him if he was by himself, but he probably won''t be." Yuuki explained.


    "So you want me to help you out?" Killua asked.


    "Well yeah, but it would be beneficial to you too. You don''t know who your target is and if we beat all three brothers there will be two spare tags." Yuuki said.


    Killua sighed, "Fine I''ll help you, but if we can''t find them in the next two days I''m leaving to find my own target, ok?"


    Yuuki sighed a breath of relief then smiled, "Sure."


    "So do you have any idea where they are?" Killua asked.


    Yuuki laughed and shook her head.


    "Really?" Killua asked, clearly annoyed.


    As they walked further into to forest, Yuuki began to hear a faint hissing in the trees.


    "Do you hear that?" Yuuki asked.


    Killua nodded and modified his hand, ready to attack.


    Snakes began to fall out of the trees. "You guys have good senses, however, you''ve walked into my trap" a deep voice spoke out, "Hand over your tags and I''ll call them off."


    The snakes began to attack, Yuuki grabbed Killua''s shirt and pulled Killua to the side as a snake tried to bite his ankles.


    "We should leave!" Yuuki said as the snakes began to slither around, surrounding them.


    "You can leave if you want to, " Killua said, his eyes focusing on the direction the voice came from, "I''m going to get this bastard, the snake venom can''t do anything to me."


    "Brat, I only need to get your tag, then I can wait the rest of the test out and pass." The voice continued, "I''m glad I got an easy opponent."


    Yuuki looked at Killua and began to run away. The venom wouldn''t affect him but it would probably harm her. Besides, she had already gotten what she wanted.


    Killua watched as the snakes slithered off. He looked at the dead body in front of him. I guess now that I''ve killed him the snakes don''t care about me. He searched the man''s body for his tag.


    He looked down at the tag, number 103, not what he wanted. Should I start taking this more seriously, Killua thought. Well whatever with my tag I now have four points. Should I look for Yuuki again?


    He looked down at his shirt but his tag was not there. Where did it go? Did I drop it? He remembered Yuuki pulling him away from the snakes.


    No. She stole it! She''s the real snake. I better not find her or I really will kill her this time.


    After she had been running for a bit, she stopped and smiled. She threw the tag she was now holding in her hand in the air. Sorry Killua, she thought, but that''s what you get for keeping your tag in the open like that.


    I bet he''s really mad, I should probably go before he finds me. She placed the tag in her other shoe and climbed a tree. She began to make her way back to the starting point.

 24 The Final Phase

    Yuuki sat on a tree branch, the test was almost over. Yuuki was happy about that, it was quite uncomfortable up here.


    I hope that Killua got his points, Yuuki thought. On second thoughts, maybe I don''t, he would definitely kill me. I mean, he would get to avoid his brother if he didn''t pass, yep.


    Yuuki heard someone jumping up the trees, she suddenly became alert.


    "Hey Yuuki!" It was Gon, Yuuki relaxed.


    "Oh hey Gon did you manage to get Hisoka''s tag?" Yuuki asked.


    Gon looked downtrodden when she asked that, "Yeah, I did." He said, "After I stole it he caught up to me but he didn''t take it back, all he did was talk to me, I shouldn''t have it."


    "Don''t think about it Gon, the point is you got it," Yuuki said.


    "Yeah..." Gon said uncertainly.


    "Do you know if anyone else got their tags?" Yuuki asked.


    "I saw Leorio and Kurapika before I came up here, I''m not sure about Killua though," Gone said.


    "In a while, the fourth phase of the hunter exam will end! All participants should head back to the starting ground of the test!"


    Everyone began to make their way out of the bushes and Gon and Yuuki climbed back down the tree.


    Yuuki looked around at the participants that had passed. It seemed like although the targets had changed the same people had passed with the addition of her. Killua passed with four tags instead of Hanzo.


    Killua looked in her direction and gave her a death stare. Yuuki shuffled behind Gon.


    "What are you doing Yuuki?" Gon asked.


    "Hiding," Yuuki replied.


    Gon gave her a confused look. The announcer spoke out again, "Ten participants have passed the fourth phase!"


    Everyone boarded the airship. Killua looked at her and Gon, Gon looked back and waved at him. Yuuki grabbed Gon''s wrist and quickly ran away, dragging him behind her.


    "You can''t run away from me Yuuki!" Killua yelled before chasing after them.


    "I wonder what those kids are doing," Leorio said.


    "I would assume Yuuki is running away from Killua judging by the fact he was her target and she passed with two tags," Kurapika said.


    After a while, the participants were summoned to a room to speak with Netero one by one.


    "I''d like to ask you some questions," Netero said.


    "Amongst the nine other candidates holds your attention?" He asked.


    "Um, number 99 and 405, I guess," Yuuki said.


    "Ok then, amongst the nine other candidates who would you least like to fight against?" Netero asked.


    "Oh, definitely number 99, he''s really mad at me and I think he might end up killing me," Yuuki said.


    "Thanks a lot, you may go back." Netero said, "You can go back now."


    Yuuki left the room.


    "Ok, so the bracket is complete!" Netero announced. He put up the board he had been writing on.


    There were an even amount of brackets on each side with the loser from each fight having to fight the next candidate.


    294, 405, 53, 406, 403


    404, 44, 99, 301, 191


    Yuuki turned to look at Killua, the order had changed but he would still probably have to fight his brother. Killua saw her looking at him and gave her another angry glare. She quickly turned away. She looked at Gon next to her, he would be fighting first.


    "The first match, Hanzo vs Gon!"


    Yuuki watched the match intensely, it was the same as in the anime, the fighters had to make the other one give up. Gon was resisting Hanzo.


    Yuuki thought about how she could win. She could probably take a beating but she had to make the other contestant give up. That means she would have to torture them or greatly injure them. The thought of that made Yuuki very uncomfortable.


    Since arriving in this world she had fought people and even watched others be killed but she hadn''t really done anything too bad herself.


    Well whatever Yuuki, she thought, you were going to have to do it eventually.


    Gon now had a broken arm and was arguing furiously at Hanzo who had just given up. Hanzo then knocked him out. Gon had won the match.


    Next Kurapika and Hisoka fought and Hisoka gave up after whispering in Kurapika''s ear.


    Then Hanzo and Pokkle fought and Pokkle quickly gave up after Hanzo started to torture him.


    The next match was Hisoka vs Killua, Killua looked at Hisoka in frustration but gave up. He obviously thought he couldn''t win.


    Finally, it was Yuuki''s turn to fight. She walked into the arena and looked at Pokkle. He would be one of the easiest to make give up. Yuuki probably couldn''t break bones with her bare hands like Hanzo but she could probably get Pokkle to give up. Or at least she hoped she could.


    Besides, the voice told her that her pain tolerance was very good.

 25 Fighting

    Yuuki dodged Pokkle''s initial attack. He wasn''t that good at hand to hand combat and he couldn''t use his bow and arrows in this fight. Yuuki was faster than him.


    Yuuki quickly dodged his initial attack and punched him in the gut.


    Yuuki felt a blow returned a numb pain spread across her side. Yet she quickly ignored it and blocked the next punch by catching Pokkle''s arm. It hurt so much less than she thought it would.


    They continued to exchange punches and kicks, Yuuki seemed to have the upper hand, dodging and blocking more of his attacks.


    Yuuki looked at him, she was really out of breath. This was taking forever.She really wished she could perform an arm lock like Hanzo.


    They continued to fight for another hour and soon they were both utterly out of breath, both of them were wounded but Pokkle injuries were more serious with a particularly nasty bruise on his jaw.


    Pokkle looked troubled, he obviously didn''t want to keep on fighting but didn''t want to give up so easily after just having lost to Hanzo.


    After another half hour of fighting Yuuki had several gashes and bruises on her body but Pokkle was looking way worse for wear. He looked at Leorio, who he would have to fight next and hesitated for a second before finally saying that he gave up.


    Yuuki sat down, exhausted. Fighting for that long really took her breath away. She should work on her stamina.


    I''m really weak huh, I could barely even beat Pokkle and he was fighting without his bow and arrows, the weapon he was strongest with.


    Yuuki looked up at the next match. It was Killua vs Illumi. Yuuki looked at Killua with worry, should she interfere in the match or warn him somehow.


    She really didn''t want him to end up killing someone and besides, if he got sent back to his house Gon would definitely make her help rescue him. That was months of precious time she could be using her new hunter''s licence to explore or learning nen.


    Yuuki looked on as Illumi threatened to kill Gon. She was gradually getting angrier and angrier.


    "You don''t have the qualifications to make friends!" Illumi said to Killua, "You don''t need any!"


    Right, Yuuki thought, I''m going in.


    "Yuuki, what are you doing?" Kurapika asked.


    "If you walk any further, Killua will be disqualified!" The man refereeing the match said.


    Yuuki stuck out her tongue at him, "If I don''t do this he will be anyway," she said.


    Yuuki brushed Illumi''s hand off of Killua''s head and tapped it, "Stop being an idiot, idiot."


    Killua still stood staring at his brother in fear. Illumi had turned his gaze to her.


    "Hello?" Yuuki said waving her hand in front of his face, "I know you aren''t going to fight him so you should probably give up."


    "Well whatever, come on!" She said grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of the room and into the corridor.


    Illumi looked in shock as his brother got pulled out of the room. His look quickly turned to anger and he turned to follow them but quickly Hisoka grabbed his arm.


    "I wouldn''t!" Hisoka said, "No damaging the unripe fruits."


    "I''m sorry I probably got you disqualified Killua!" Yuuki apologised.


    "That''s fine." Killua said, "I can''t believe how much my brother gets in my head."


    "It''s not your fault," Yuuki said, tapping him on the forehead. "Let''s go visit Gon! He''s probably not awake yet though."


    Yuuki and Killua sat down next to Gon''s bed.


    "Anyway, are you an idiot?" Killua asked angrily, "My brother could have killed you, in fact, I''m surprised he hasn''t come and done it!"


    "Ah!" Yuuki said, "You''re right!"


    I wonder why he didn''t follow us, Yuuki thought, did Hisoka stop him like he did when Illumi wanted to go after Gon? Yuuki shuddered at the thought.


    "I''m surprised you aren''t still angry at me," Yuuki said.


    "What do you mean why would I be mad at you?" Killua asked before his face flashed in realisation, "That''s right! What''s the deal with the tag stealing?"


    "Well I needed to pass..." Yuuki said.


    "I would have helped you get three tags if you had asked," Killua said.


    "No you wouldn''t! You would keep looking at me suspiciously or whatever. Besides I wanted to feel like I earned it!" Yuuki said.


    "By sneakily tricking me?" Killua asked.


    "See you get it!" Yuuki said. "Earnt!"


    "I get why you had to trick me though, there''s no way you could beat me in an actual fight!" Killua announced, "You could hardly beat the weak looking guy."


    "Yeah, that''s true!" Yuuki said looking down, "I''m still pretty strong for a little girl though, you''re just a monster! How do you do it?"


    "Well I''ve had a lot of various training but for body strength it was mainly weight training, you know heavy doors, heavy cups, heaving everything really," Killua said.


    Oh yeah that''s right, Yuuki thought, Gon had to do something like that to open the testing door. I probably should''ve done that too. Idiot.


    "There you guys are!" Kurapika said, coming into the room. "Leorio they''re in here!"


    "Hey Yuuki," Kurapika said, "We have to go to another room for a meeting."


    "Huh?"


    "You passed the exam, remember?" He said.


    "I passed too!" Leorio said, "Although I didn''t have to fight for it thanks to Killua getting disqualified."


    Yuuki looked at Killua before glaring at Leorio.


    "Oh right, sorry Killua!" Leorio said.


    "It''s fine!"


    The tall examiner from the first round, Satotz, walked in, "You three should get going," he said, "I''ll send Gon through when he wakes up."

 26 Where to go

    Leorio, Kurapika and Yuuki entered a large lecture room. All of the other candidates who had passed were all sitting in various seats across the room.


    Yuuki sat at the back, as far away from Illumi as possible. When she walked in, he simply looked at her then back at the front of the room.


    Netero stood at the front with Beans and they began to explain about the licences and their benefits.


    After he had been talking for a while, Gon came storming in and grabbed Illumi''s arm.


    "Apologise!" Gon said.


    Illumi simply stared at him and replied, "I see no reason to."


    Gon started to look even angrier when he said this. He grabbed Illumi''s wrist and pulled him up off his seat.


    "You don''t deserve to be an older brother!" He yelled, squeezing Illumi''s wrist.


    "You don''t need to do anything to become one," Illumi said.


    Yuuki walked up to Gon and put her hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Gon, even though he''s still a horrible person, he didn''t end up doing anything."


    Gon turned to look at Yuuki before staring frustrated at Illumi once more.


    "Fine! Keep this in mind though, I''m going to do everything in my power to make sure he never sees you again!" Gon yelled, his hand still firmly gripping Illumi''s arm.


    Gon then let go of Illumi''s arm and followed Yuuki, sitting down next to her. She looked at Gon''s angry face. He''s this mad even though Killua didn''t end up leaving, she thought, I guess he really cares about him.


    When they left the room, they met up with Killua who was waiting for them outside. Illumi looked at him before turning away and leaving. Yuuki thought something was wrong. With Illumi''s personality, he should want to get Killua back at all costs.


    As they began to walk away, Kurapika and Leorio caught up with them.


    "So where are you guys headed next?" Kurapika asked.


    "I''m going to go find Hisoka, punch him and give his tag back!" Gon said, holding the number 44 tag in his hand.


    "He''s probably back there you can try if you want," Yuuki said pointing in the direction of the room.


    "Ah!" Gon said, "Yeah that''s true, I probably can''t beat him now though."


    "Will you even be able to find him later though?" Killua asked.


    "Oh, I don''t." Gon said, "Dp you think I should go ask him?"


    "You definitely shouldn''t!" Yuuki said.


    "About that," Kurapika said, "I know."


    "Did he tell you earlier during the fight?" Leorio asked.


    "No." Kurapika said, "He told me afterwards. In fact, he told me the same thing that Yuuki did."


    "Huh?" Killua asked.


    "Oh, about the spiders?" Yuuki said, "So Yorknew City?"


    "Yes," Kurapika said, "September 1st."


    "So that''s that!" Gon said, "I''m going to go train and then punch Hisoka. I''ve got six months to do it!"


    "If I find him then, I''ll call you, he should be there?" Kurapika said.


    "What you''re not staying with us?" Gon asked.


    "No. I''m going to go find some work as a hunter!" Kurapika said.


    "I''m leaving too!" Leorio said, "With this card, I can pay for the expenses and finally begin my studying."


    Gon turned to Yuuki, "What about you Yuuki? Are you going to come with me and Killua?" He said.


    "Umm, no." Yuuki said, "There are loads of places I want to see so I think I''m going to head somewhere with my licence then go home to Whale Island for a bit."


    "What you too?" Gon asked.


    "I would ask if you wanted to come too but you have put a silly restriction on yourself so you can''t use your licence." Yuuki said, "Killua doesn''t have one either."


    "Oh." Gon said, "Okay."


    "It doesn''t really matter though because we''re all going to meet up again, right?" Yuuki asked.


    "That''s true!" Gon said cheerfully, "See you guys later then, at Yorknew City!"


    After leaving the group, Yuuki stopped to talk to several of the other new hunters and exchanged contact information with them.


    Yuuki placed a map of the world on top of a bench. There are so many things I want to see that I can''t really decide where to go, so let''s just hope my luck is good. She spun a spinning top on the map and watched as it turned and turned before stopping and falling over.


    The top had landed on the large continent to the right of the map, just outside of the Kakin empire. Yuuki was almost happy that it didn''t land there, the royal family was kind of scary.


    Ok, Yuuki thought, to the Azian continent we go. Let''s hope that the hunter assigned to me is willing to follow.

 27 The Jungle

    Yuuki jumped across the tree branches, chasing the small critter with long pink hair. It was very fast, much faster than her but whenever it almost got out of sight it stopped. This annoyed Yuuki greatly, it was obviously mocking her!


    What Yuuki was chasing was a long-haired blossom bat. A strange light pink bat with long fur and large red eyes.


    As she almost lost it, it stopped again, turning back to her and opening its mouth to reveal its bare gums and let out a cute whistling sound. Yuuki got mad again but before she could start chasing once more a tall man jumped in and grabbed the creature.


    "Are you misbehaving again?" He asked the bat. The bat let out a squeal and tried to flap its wings and fly away.


    "I told you not to tease people." He said, "It only leads to trouble."The bat looked at him with its big red eyes, blinking innocently at him and pointing his wing at Yuuki. The man turned to look at her.


    "Are you a poacher then?" The man asked fixating his brown eyes on her.


    "What? No! I''m not a poacher!" Yuuki said.


    "Are you sure? The only people who come in here are poachers and hunters and you don''t look like a hunter." The man said.


    "No, I''m a hunter!" Yuuki said taking out her licence and waving it in front of her, "See!"


    "Oh, " he said examining her licence, "Ok then. I''m sorry for judging you so fast, you just looked very young. Are you a new hunter?"


    "Yep!" Yuuki said, "I just passed the exam."


    "I thought so. Are you planning on becoming a magical beast hunter?" He asked.


    "What? No." Yuuki said, "Well, I haven''t really decided yet."


    The man looked at her in confusion, "Why did you come here then? Most hunters who come to this place are looking for new creatures."


    "Well... I couldn''t really decide where I wanted to go so I just picked randomly." Yuuki said.


    "Oh." The man said, "Ok... Are you going to stay here for a while?"


    "Probably," Yuuki said.


    "Do you want me to show you to the village?" He asked.


    "There''s a village?" Yuuki asked.


    The man nodded and pointed. He then whistled to the bat and began to leave in the direction he pointed. The bat stuck out its little tongue at Yuuki before following the man.


    Yuuki thought for a while before deciding to follow him through the jungle. After a while they arrived at a small clearing. Huts made of sticks and leaves in a variety of different conditions filled the clearing along with several hand-carved statues of various animals.


    Many of the huts seemed abandoned and she could only see three people out in the open. An old man with white hair and a full beard, a muscular man covered in scars and a young woman.


    Soon after they arrived, however, a young boy with messy dark hair came running out of one of the huts followed by a little girl with blond hair tied in bushy pigtails.


    "Master!" He yelled


    "Welcome back," The little girl said softly, "Did you find Chiko?"


    The man nodded and pointed at the bat following him.


    "Chiko!" The girl excitedly yelled and began to hug the little bat.


    The boy finally noticed her, "Master, who''s that?"


    "This is a hunter I met earlier in the woods, Chiko was teasing her." The man said.


    "He does like to do that." The girl laughed, squeezing the bat tighter.


    "What?" The boy yelled, "This pipsqueak is a hunter? No way!"


    "Your hardy taller than me..." Yuuki muttered.


    "If she can pass, I would surely be able to Master!" The boy yelled, "So why won''t you let me take the exam?"


    "You''re not ready yet." The man said sternly.


    The boy groaned and glared angrily at Yuuki before storming off. Yuuki looked on awkwardly as the boy left. Did she do something?


    "Don''t mind him he''s just like that," The little girl said, looking at Yuuki''s expression.


    "Oh that''s right, I never introduced myself," the man said, "My name is Kuo, that girl over there is Mio, and the one who just stormed off is Sho."


    The girl gave Yuuki a little wave, still holding the bat tightly in her other arm.


    "I''m probably going to have to teach you so you might be here for a while," Kuo said.


    "What? Why would you need to teach me?" Yuuki asked.


    "You probably ran off very quickly after getting your licence and haven''t learnt it yet, right?" Kuo said.


    "Learnt it?" Yuuki questioned.


    "Nen." Kuo said.


    This confused Yuuki, even if he was a hunter supposed to teach her she didn''t think he would just outright say it. Yuuki remembered in the anime, Gon and Killua had to reach the 200th floor and be in danger before Wing taught them.


    "You''re just going to teach me like that?" Yuuki asked.


    "Yes. I would have to teach you anyway now you''re here, " Kuo said, "Besides, I hate beating around the bush."


    Kuo made his way towards one of the more well made huts and the girl followed him, gesturing to Yuuki to come with them.

 28 Nen

    "Nen is the ability to freely manipulate aura. Everyone has aura but not everyone can manipulate it. Nen can be awakened in two ways through careful meditation or through force." Kuo said.


    "Naturally the method we are going to use is meditation." Kuo continued, "Using force is extremely dangerous and I don''t want to accidentally injure you."


    Yuuki sat down cross-legged and began to focus. She tried to imagine all of the nodes in her body, soon she could feel them. She saw white flame like energy flowing throughout her body. Her aura.


    She directed the aura to the first node and began to circulate the aura inside it. As she did this she felt a small pain in her body like a needle prick and the node slowly became unblocked and fully opened.


    Yuuki began to feel her energy diminish very slowly as her aura flowed out of the open node. She began to try to close the node, stopping the aura from escaping her body. She soon closed it and the flow stopped.


    That''s pretty amazing, with this talent it should only take her about a week to open all of her nodes through meditation, Kuo thought.


    "Wow, she''s learning that really fast. It took Mio almost a week to open her first aura node." Mio said.


    "Let''s leave her for a little while, then we will come back and get her to start again tomorrow," Kuo said.


    ---


    Yuuki could feel the nen surrounding her body. She felt stronger and more protected than before.


    "I bet you''re feeling happy that you managed to awaken your nen so quickly." A voice said from the entrance to the room.


    Yuuki turned to look at them. It was Sho. Now that the aura nodes in her eyes had awoken she could see his aura surrounding him. I guess he was taught nen too, she thought. He would definitely be able to pass the hunter exam if he took it with his ability.


    "You were able to open them in just a week right?" He said.


    Yuuki nodded.


    "Well good for you." He said before storming off.


    What was that? Yuuki asked. What is his problem? I just answered his question.


    "Yuuki!" Mio yelled cheerfully before leaping at Yuuki.


    Yuuki caught her.


    "You''re finally done, can you play with me now?" Mio asked.


    "Mio, stop messing with her," Kuo said walking into the room. "You''ve opened all of your nodes now? Show me your ten then."


    Yuuki closed her eyes and focused letting her aura flow softly out of her now unblocked nodes, encasing her.


    Yuuki felt something change on her wrist as the braided bracelet she had worn for so long began to break and crumble.


    She felt shocked as she had almost forgotten about Kaito giving it to her and telling her to call him once it broke. He wanted me to call him when I learned nen, Yuuki thought. Oh no! I didn''t bring his number with me though, she thought about the piece of paper lying in a desk drawer in Mito''s house. I am an idiot.


    "Very good," Kuo said interrupting her train of thought, "Now you should be able to guard against basic attacks. This is only the first set though."


    Next is ren, right? Yuuki thought. Then I should be able to discover what aura type I am and develop my own hatsu. I wonder what type I will have though.


    "Well, before I teach you anything else I want to show you something." Kuo said, "Mio do you mind getting Sho for me."


    Soon Yuuki and Kuo were standing in another open clearing in the forest. Mio and Sho were standing facing each other at opposite sides.


    "Ok guys you can start," Kuo said.


    "Match number 127." Mio said.


    "I''m definitely going to beat you this time." Sho said.


    "If Mio recalls correctly she currently had 78 wins and has won the previous 10 consecutive matches." Mio said, "Mio thinks it is very unlikely that you will win."


    Sho gave her an angry grunt before activating his ren and stomping heavily on the ground, splitting it. Mio jumped up in the air and dodged the floating debris.


    Mio extended her arm and opened her palm and her aura began to turn into miniature pink hearts which shot out at Sho.


    I guess she is an emitter, Yuuki thought.


    Sho nimbly dodged and the shattered stones from his earlier attack began to gather around his arm. He leapt towards Mio and his nen began to gather around his arm and the stones around it. He swung his fist at Mio.


    Mio''s nen gathered around her arm and she blocked Sho''s attack but her nen couldn''t quite block it and her arm took damage. She let out a little cry before raising both of her arms in the air.


    More little hearts began to appear in the air around her and as she pointed at Sho they began to hone on to him.


    Quickly more rocks began to surround Sho''s body and soon they encased him, blocking Mio''s attack.


    However quickly after he had blocked her attack Mio had gathered her nen around her first and she arrived in front of him as the rocks crumbled and punched him in his gut.


    "Ok thats enough were done." Kuo said.


    "But master, I can still fight I could win." Sho yelled.


    "Like you could, Mio is obviously the winner. Stop before she hurts you more." Mio replied.

 29 Nen types

    "Master told me to teach you but I really don''t feel like it." Sho groaned.


    "Oh, oh. Mio will teach you. Mio is better than that idiot Sho anyway." Mio said cheerfully.


    "Your not better than me or master would have asked you to teach her instead of me." Sho snapped at Mio.


    "Anyway Mio is older than you so you must call her senpai." Mio said, ignoring Sho.


    "Don''t ignore me!" Sho yelled.


    "Mio also thinks you should not call Sho senpai even if he is older than you because Mio thinks he sucks." Mio said looking at Sho with disdain.


    "Like hell, master obviously told me to teach because I am obviously more responsible than you." Sho yelled at her.


    "Responsible?" Mio questioned, "Mio just heard you say you didn''t feel like teaching."


    Yuuki sighed, watching them argue. She felt like she had got in the middle of something. All I want to do is learn ren, Yuuki thought.


    "Ok Mio is going to prove she is stronger than you." Mio stated firmly, "Yuuki, Mio is going to do her ren and you are going to say that she is better than Sho."


    "Fine!" Sho said.


    They both stood and let their auras burst out. Soon their nen became like flames and flared around them.


    "I mean, Sho''s ren is slightly stronger..." Yuuki said.


    "Haha... I told you!" Sho interrupted.


    "But he still lost to Mio in a battle." Yuuki finished.


    "Ha... idiot!" Mio said, "What good is stronger ren if you still lose to cute little Mio."


    "You''re so full of yourself Mio!" Sho yelled.


    "Mio doesn''t care what you think! She deserves to be full of herself because she is amazing!" She said, before quickly turning her attention to Yuuki, "Does that mean you acknowledge Mio as your senpai Yuuki?"


    "Ummm, sure?" Yuuki said.


    "Good!" Mio yelled cheerfully, "You are now under the house of Mio. Rule number 1, do not betray Mio and ask idiot Sho for help, ok?"


    Sho groaned.


    "Ok, so to start with imagine all of your energy accumulating inside your body..." Mio began to talk.


    Sho glared angrily at them before storming off.


    "Whatever, I don''t know why master wanted me to help her anyway." Sho said.


    "Are you not teaching then?" Kuo asked, approaching Sho from behind.


    "She didn''t want me to anyway!" Sho said, "I''m not going to fight to teach someone who doesn''t even want my help."


    "A shame." Kuo said, "Your fundamentals are much better than Mio''s and you would make a much better teacher."


    Kuo then walked off leaving Sho standing there.


    A day later Mio and Yuuki walked up to Kou''s hut. They passed Sho on the way who simply gave them an angry look before disappearing into the forest.


    "Has she learnt it then, Mio?" Kuo asked.


    "Yes, Mio has taught her ren." Mio said, "Mio also taught her Gyo, she learnt both because Mio is such a great teacher."


    Kuo looked at Yuuki. Gyo too? He thought, she is a quick learner.


    "Ok then," he said, "Come in."


    Yuuki walked into the hut and quickly saw the glass of water with a leaf laying on top.


    "The water technique is a way to tell what category your nen falls under out of the six categories: enhancement, emission, transmutation, manipulation, conjuration and specialization." Kuo said, "Place your hands on either side of the glass and use ren."


    Yuuki placed her hands around the glass and used her ten. As she did this, impurities began to appear in the water.


    "A conjurer, huh," Kuo said.


    Conjuration, Yuuki thought. Not the nen type I wanted but I can work with it. She didn''t want to burden herself with laws like Kurapika did but she could still make a good object by combining it with other nen types.


    My next strongest would be transmutation, right? Yuuki thought, imagining the hexagon with all the nen types written out on it.


    "Are you thinking about a hatsu?" Kuo asked.


    Yuuki nodded.


    "Don''t." He said firmly, "For now just focus on the basics. Practice so that you make the changes in the water more obvious. If she is willing, Mio will also teach you some basic combat techniques."


    "Mio is willing to help," Mio said.


    "After a while, I''ll get you to help out with something. The best way to improve is not to rush it." Kuo said.