Yuzuki walked away from the main cluster of examinees and chose a quiet spot near a stack of cargo crates overlooking the underground harbor. The massive ship loomed ahead like a sleeping beast, its hull illuminated by rows of industrial lights. The low hum of machinery echoed through the cavern, mixing with the murmurs of hundreds of nervous candidates.
He crossed his arms and leaned back lightly against the cold metal.
'Best to stay alone', he thought. 'Less trouble that way.'
Of course, that lasted all of thirty seconds.
A tall man with a nervous smile approached first.
"Hey there, kid," he said, crouching slightly to seem less intimidating. "First time taking the exam?"
Yuzuki gave a polite nod. "Yes."
Another examinee joined them, a woman with short hair and a friendly demeanor.
"You're pretty young and cute," she said gently. "Are you here with someone?"
Yuzuki smiled. The same harmless, approachable smile he had used countless times before.
"No. I'm alone."
More candidates drifted closer, drawn by curiosity. Some asked harmless questions. Others tried to assess him, eyes scanning for weakness. A few simply wanted reassurance that they weren't the only ones anxious.
Yuzuki answered kindly, keeping his tone light and friendly. To them, he appeared like a brave but ordinary boy, calm in the face of danger.
Inside, however, he was simply bored.
Then the crowd parted.
A man with a wide grin and greasy confidence stepped forward.
Tonpa.
"Ahh, what do we have here?" he said cheerfully. "A rookie. Haven't seen you around before."
Yuzuki's smile faded slightly.
Tonpa extended a hand.
"My name's Tonpa. I'm something of a veteran when it comes to this exam. Taken it dozens of times."
Yuzuki did not take the hand.
Tonpa didn't seem bothered. If anything, his grin widened.
"You know, this exam is extremely dangerous. Many people die before even reaching the first phase. But don't worry, stick with me, and I'll make sure you get through safely."
His voice dripped with false kindness.
"I know all the tricks, all the pitfalls, all the hidden dangers. Consider me your guide."
Yuzuki stared at him.
Silent.
Tonpa kept talking.
"You see, what separates rookies from veterans is experience. For example—"
"Enough."
The single word came out flat.
Tonpa paused.
Yuzuki's smile vanished completely.
When he looked up again, his eyes were cold.
Just… cold.
A faint pressure seeped into the air, subtle, but unmistakable. It carried the weight of something dangerous, something predatory.
Killing intent.
"Piss off," Yuzuki said quietly.
Tonpa froze.
"…Or I won't be responsible for what happens next."
The temperature around them seemed to drop.
Tonpa's heartbeat spiked violently. His instincts screamed at him, the same survival instincts that had kept him alive through countless exams.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
This wasn't a child.
This wasn't a rookie.
This was something else.
Something that could kill him without hesitation.
Tonpa stumbled backward, legs trembling.
"O-Of course," he stammered. "No need to get hostile. Just trying to help."
Then a voice sounded from behind him.
"Don't scare others like that."
Tonpa slowly turned.
And nearly died on the spot.
Hisoka stood there, twirling a deck of cards between his fingers. His expression was one of mild amusement, eyes glinting with predatory curiosity.
Tonpa found himself trapped between two monsters.
His throat went dry.
Hisoka's gaze slid past him, locking onto Yuzuki.
"Fufufu… how cruel," Hisoka said softly. "He was only being friendly."
Tonpa did not wait for permission.
Hisoka flicked a single card upward, catching it again lazily.
"Run along."
Tonpa ran.
He disappeared into the crowd without looking back.
Hisoka watched him go, uninterested.
Then his full attention returned to Yuzuki.
He tilted his head.
"So cold… so sharp… ♠"
Cards danced effortlessly between his fingers.
"You're not like the others here."
Yuzuki met his gaze with visible irritation.
"Get lost."
Hisoka's smile widened.
"Oh?"
He brought a card to his lips and slowly licked the edge, eyes half-lidded with excitement.
"Such hostility… ♣"
Yuzuki's eye twitched.
"I'm not interested in whatever weird thing you've got going on."
Hisoka's aura pulsed faintly, just enough to make the air feel heavier.
"You wound me."
"I don't care."
For a moment, the space between them grew tense, like the air before a lightning strike.
Several nearby examinees instinctively moved away, sensing danger even if they didn't understand why.
Hisoka's smile sharpened.
"Oh my… I wonder how you'd scream—"
"Everyone."
The voice cut cleanly through the tension.
Beans stood atop a small platform near the ship, holding a microphone.
"May I have your attention, please?"
The pressure in the air dissipated immediately.
Hisoka straightened, expression returning to playful calm as if nothing had happened.
Yuzuki exhaled quietly.
'Saved by the bean', he thought dryly.
All examinees turned toward the platform.
Beans adjusted his glasses.
"Thank you all for assembling. We will now begin the first phase of the 286th Hunter Examination."
The cavern fell completely silent.
Hisoka watched the boy from across him, fingers idly shuffling his cards in a slow, hypnotic rhythm.
'What a delightful surprise… ♠'
His eyes narrowed with hungry amusement.
'To think I would find a fruit so close to blooming… and right here at the exam.'
His tongue briefly traced his lower lip.
'My luck today is extraordinary.'
Not raw power alone. That was common enough among examinees. No, what fascinated him was the contradiction. Calm surface. Violent depth. The faint killing intent earlier had been refined, controlled, almost elegant.
Untouched… yet dangerous.
'If nurtured properly… ♣'
Hisoka's pupils dilated slightly.
'Oh, how magnificent he will become.'
Across, Yuzuki suddenly shuddered.
A cold sensation crawled up his spine. The unmistakable feeling of being watched by something that saw him not as a person, but as prey… or perhaps entertainment.
He turned his head.
Hisoka was already looking directly at him.
Smiling.
Yuzuki's face twisted in discomfort.
'Creepy…'
Hisoka lifted two fingers in a casual salute.
"We will definitely meet again."
His tone carried absolute certainty.
Yuzuki frowned.
"I'd rather not."
Hisoka chuckled softly.
"Fufufu… ♡"
Then, as if losing interest, he turned and walked away into the crowd, his steps light and almost playful.
Yuzuki exhaled through his nose.
'Please stay gone.'
On the platform, Beans cleared his throat politely.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 286th Hunter Examination."
Hundreds of examinees straightened, attention snapping toward him.
"Out of 900 applicants. 410 of you made it through. And This ship will transport all candidates to the location of the first phase."
He gestured toward the massive vessel behind him.
"During transit, all necessary accommodations will be provided. You are free to choose any available room."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
"There are no assigned quarters. Please settle in at your discretion."
Beans smiled gently.
"I wish you all the best of luck."
With that, the boarding process began.
Candidates surged forward, some calmly, others scrambling to secure rooms before they filled up.
Yuzuki moved at a normal pace, hands in his hoodie pockets, unconcerned.
He was halfway up the boarding ramp when a familiar voice drifted beside him.
"So cold… running away from me like that ♣"
Hisoka had reappeared at his side.
Yuzuki didn't even look at him.
"I'm not running. I'm walking."
Hisoka leaned slightly closer.
"Say… would you like to share a room?"
Yuzuki stopped.
Slowly turned.
And stared at him with complete deadpan.
"No thanks."
Then he resumed walking without waiting for a response.
Hisoka watched him go, amused.
"How cruel… ♡"
Inside, the ship was far larger than it appeared from outside, more like a floating hotel than a transport vessel. Hallways branched in multiple directions, lined with identical doors.
Voices echoed everywhere as examinees searched for rooms.
Yuzuki wandered for a short while before opening a door near the end of a quieter corridor.
Click.
He stepped inside.
Two beds. Clean sheets. A small desk. Storage cabinets. A window overlooking the underground harbor.
No one else.
"This seems good."
He closed the door behind him, dropped his small bag onto the floor, and walked to the nearest bed.
Without ceremony, he flopped down onto it.
The mattress was soft.
He stared at the ceiling.
'Maybe I should rest before the exam starts.'
Not even a minute passed.
The door burst open.
"Ah! Finally, an empty—"
The voice cut off abruptly.
A girl stood in the doorway, frozen mid-step.
Short.
Blonde hair.
Large hat.
Ponzu.
Yuzuki lifted his head slightly and looked at her.
'Oh.'
Recognition clicked instantly.
'Ponzu…'
His expression softened just a fraction.
'Man… this girl's life is tragic in the anime.'
Ponzu's mind, however, had gone completely blank.
'No… no no no no.'
Her eyes widened behind her glasses.
'Why him?!'
Of all people.
There were exactly two examinees she desperately wanted to avoid sharing a room with.
Hisoka…
…and this boy.
The one who had terrified Tonpa without even raising his voice and stood completely at ease when faced with Hisoka.
Her instincts screamed danger.
'Should I leave?'
Her foot twitched backward.
But then another thought hit her.
'He already saw me.'
If she turned around and walked away now…
Wouldn't that look rude?
And if he interpreted it as disrespect…
Would he kill her?
Her imagination supplied several horrifying possibilities in rapid succession.
Ponzu stood there, paralyzed.
Inside, she began praying.
'Please let me survive this exam.'
Yuzuki tilted his head slightly.
'Why is she just standing there?'
From his perspective, she looked like someone who had accidentally walked into the wrong room and forgotten how to function.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, he spoke.
"Why are you just standing there?"
Ponzu flinched.
"Come in."
Her heart dropped into her stomach.
"Yes—! Of course!"
She stepped inside immediately, closing the door behind her with careful, trembling hands.
Inside her head, she whispered a frantic prayer.
'Please let this person not be a psychopath.'
Yuzuki watched her for a moment, confused but unconcerned, then rested his head back on the pillow.
Ponzu stood near the door, rigid as a statue, unsure what to do next.
The room fell into a strange, tense quiet.
---
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