"Good luck, Leorio! We'll be waiting for you to co back as a Pro Hunter."
"Zane, rember to co back and visit us when you can!"
"Whether you succeed or not, both of you stay safe. Don't push yourselves too hard!"
"....."
The Hunter Exam was undoubtedly a highly anticipated event.
This was especially true since Zane and Leorio hadn't hidden their participation.
As three days flew by and the ti to depart arrived, many townspeople made a special trip to the bus station to see them off.
"Hahaha, don't worry! I'll definitely pass the test and beco a Pro Hunter."
"Well then, we're off."
Amidst Leorio's hearty laughter and Zane's smiling farewell, the two boarded the long-distance bus as it gradually pulled away from the town.
"Zane, the nearest boarding point for us is Whale Island. Look, it's right here. If there are no delays, we should arrive about two or three days early."
On the double seat of the bus, Leorio—now dressed in a suit—placed his briefcase on his lap, pulled out a map, and explained the route to Zane.
Looking at the whale-shaped island on the map, Zane nodded slightly. "Then we'll have to watch our ti. If we're late, we'll have to wait until next year to take the exam."
"Don't worry, I've already mapped out the route over the last few days. I guarantee we'll arrive ahead of schedule," Leorio said, patting his chest with confidence.
As it turned out, while Leorio could be impulsive at tis, he was very reliable when it ca to logistics.
Throughout the journey, from bus transfers to boarding ships, everything went smoothly without a single hitch.
Before they knew it, with three days left before the Hunter Association's deadline, Zane and Leorio successfully arrived at their destination: Whale Island.
"We still have three days. We should find a place to stay first."
Stepping off the boat and standing at the harbor, Leorio looked at the nearby town and turned to Zane.
"Let's go. There should be an inn in town," Zane said, leading the way toward the settlent.
Leorio followed closely behind.
In the three days after signing up, Zane hadn't stopped hunting and had once again accumulated a significant amount of money.
This money was specifically set aside to cover their expenses for the Hunter Exam.
The town on Whale Island wasn't particularly poor, and Zane soon found an inn for them to stay.
The next day.
"Whale Island is one of the boarding points for the exam, so other candidates will definitely be here. Zane, should we wander around town and scout the competition?"
After a night's rest, Leorio had shaken off his travel fatigue. He burst into Zane's room early in the morning, full of energy and making the suggestion.
"I'm down. Not like I have anything else to do," Zane replied casually while getting dressed and adjusting the forehead protector he never removed, even while sleeping.
Once they were finished getting ready.
Zane and Leorio soon left the inn and began exploring the town.
"Living by the sea seems pretty nice. At least you get lots of cheap seafood."
Walking along the road, Leorio enjoyed himself, holding a bunch of grilled squid in one hand and a drink in the other.
"Mm... it does taste great."
Zane was doing the sa, even carrying more than Leorio. He could finish several skewers in just a few bites.
With Zane as his big spender, Leorio wasn't nearly as cash-strapped on this trip as he was in the original tiline.
Especially regarding food, Zane had fully inherited a pirate's stomach. Whenever he was idle, he had to find sothing to eat.
And that's exactly what was happening now.
As they wandered, the walk gradually turned into a food crawl.
"Go see! That kid Gon actually caught the Master of the Swamp!"
"No way! Didn't they say the Master hasn't been caught in nearly ten years?"
"Hahaha, you didn't know? The one who caught it back then was Gon's father. Now that Gon did it too, he's clearly inherited Ging's talent."
"....."
Suddenly, a man ran down the street shouting, and many nearby residents hurried after him.
"Master of the Swamp? What's that?" Leorio was curious about the commotion.
Zane followed the crowd and waved for Leorio to follow. "Let's go take a look!"
Hearing 'Master of the Swamp,' Zane already knew what was going on.
Clearly, the story on Whale Island hadn't changed much. Gon had still proven to his family that he was ready for the Hunter Exam by catching the Master of the Swamp.
"Wait for ..."
Seeing Zane go, Leorio quickly caught up.
Following the crowd, they soon reached the nearby harbor.
A large crowd had already gathered.
In the center was a massive, strange fish with several slender, short limbs on its belly.
Beside the monster fish stood a spiky-haired boy in green clothes and shorts.
"It's huge! So this is the Master of the Swamp?"
"I didn't think you could actually do it, Gon. You really are your father's son."
"Like father, like son!"
"...."
Everyone in the crowd was marveling at the giant fish and the boy who caught it.
"That little kid caught this giant fish?"
Hearing the chatter, Leorio squeezed to the front and looked at the spiky-haired boy in surprise.
Beside him, Zane also studied the boy with interest.
This spiky-haired boy was the protagonist of the Hunter world, Gon—Gon Freecss.
"Let's go!"
After watching for a bit, Zane called out to Leorio and turned to leave.
He only ca to see the protagonist with his own eyes, much like checking out a famous landmark. He had no intention of striking up a conversation.
Although Leorio was amazed that a kid could catch a fish the size of a magical beast, he followed Zane without question when called.
....
In a flash, it was already their third day on Whale Island.
Between all the eating and drinking, it was finally ti to board.
Early in the morning, the harbor was already teeming with all sorts of people.
"There sure are a lot of people."
Leorio, who had also arrived early, whistled as he surveyed the crowd of fellow examinees.
Zane scanned the area, his eyes quickly landing on a figure in the crowd.
A delicate face that looked almost like a girl's, blonde hair, and wearing traditional ethnic clothing.
'A gentle avenger.'
Looking at Kurapika waiting quietly in the crowd, Zane made a ntal evaluation.
Honestly, one could argue that Gon wasn't the only protagonist of this world.
Whether it was his rate of growth or the depth of his character, Kurapika was truly outstanding.
At least to Zane, Kurapika had left a deep impression and was soone worth befriending.
User Comments
0 comments from readers