"How... did you know?"
The red-nosed Captain paused in shock.
"The air pressure dropped, there is a low-pressure cyclone forming in the distance, and the humidity has increased. These are the precursors to a storm, and this one will be fierce,"
Riku stated calmly.
"Riku-nii's weather predictions have never been wrong! A storm is really coming, Captain!"
Gon-kun also sniffed the air, his expression turning tense.
Not long after the two spoke.
The distant sky, which had just been bright and sunny, was suddenly swallowed by dense, dark cumulonimbus clouds.
This was the on of an approaching tempest.
The sky darkened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Soon.
The storm descended!
But thanks to Riku's warning, the Captain had already gone down and made preparations in advance.
This old man was truly fierce, forcibly steering the ship right through the entire storm zone.
However, after being battered by the storm all night, the vast majority of the people on board taking the Hunter Exam were dizzy, disoriented, and completely unconscious.
Only a few managed to keep their wits about them.
"This rainstorm was no accident. Storms like this must appear frequently in this area."
Riku looked out at the gradually calming sea.
"Riku-nii? Huh? What did you just say?"
Gon-kun, standing nearby, looked confused.
Riku did not reply.
Not far away, Leorio and Kurapika were also able to maintain a good condition. As for the others... they were essentially completely eliminated.
Sure enough.
The red-nosed Captain ca down to check the cabin, and then summoned the four of them to the Captain's quarters.
He began to question them about their motives for taking the exam.
Kurapika refused to answer, but when the old man revealed his identity as an examiner for the preliminary phase, the few people present were stunned.
All those other candidates had been eliminated!
Out of the entire ship, only the four of them had passed the initial screening.
If they did not clearly state their motives for participating in the exam, they would be disqualified on the spot. Left with no choice, Kurapika had to reveal his secret.
He was the sole survivor of the Kurta Clan, and he was becoming a Hunter to seek vengeance and kill the mbers of the Phantom Troupe.
Gon-kun wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, while Leorio wanted to enjoy life and make more money.
"And what about you, young man? What is your purpose for becoming a Hunter?"
The Captain looked at Riku curiously.
Author: Akatsuki
With decades of life experience, the Captain found it surprisingly difficult to see through Riku.
This teenager, who was clearly only around fifteen years old, possessed a calmness and composure completely unsuited for his age.
Sotis, the Captain even felt as though this boy could see right through him.
"? Naturally, it is to beco stronger. Only by becoming stronger can I pursue the things I like,"
Riku replied.
"And what do you like?"
"That shouldn't be within the scope of the required answers, right?"
"Uh... true, hahaha! Kazuo, record everything they said and report it truthfully to the committee. You four have passed this preliminary round. If there are no other issues, you may return to the cabin and rest!"
The red-nosed Captain laughed heartily.
"Let's head back, Gon-kun."
"Yeah, Riku-nii!"
Riku yawned, shoved his hands into his pockets, and turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Kurapika suddenly called out, stopping him.
"Hmm?"
Riku and Gon-kun paused, looking back at Kurapika curiously.
"From the mont you boarded the ship, I noticed you. You have animosity toward ? Do you know sothing about the Phantom Troupe?"
Kurapika asked, his voice low and serious.
He had a morbid obsession when it ca to anything regarding the Troupe.
His entire clan had been slaughtered by them...
It was this hatred that kept Kurapika going on this path.
Moreover.
He was extrely sensitive to hostility.
"Animosity?"
Riku was taken aback for a mont before realization dawned on him.
It was highly likely because, when he first boarded the ship and saw that Red-tier trait, his heart had fluttered with excitent.
"I don't know anything. And if that is your attitude when asking questions, I'm afraid no one would be willing to answer you."
Riku shrugged.
"Let's fight. You knock down, or I knock you down. I must know anything related to the Troupe. I don't want to hurt you, but please don't make this difficult for !"
Kurapika stared intensely at Riku.
For the sake of the Troupe, he was practically losing his mind!
"Sigh, child's play... I don't..."
Riku had zero interest.
[Ding! Kurapika has entered a combat stance against you. Defeating the target grants a 10% chance to randomly copy a trait. Killing the target grants a 100% chance to randomly plunder a trait.]
A cold, chanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
This instantly Jolted Riku, who had previously been entirely disinterested.
Just entering a combat stance allows to acquire traits!?
His System actually had a function like this!
Well.
He could only bla the people of Whale Island for being too harmonious. In the fifteen years he lived there, not a single person had ever bullied Riku, and Riku had never bullied any other kids either.
So this was the very first ti he had discovered this particular feature of the System.
"Alright! Have it your way. As long as you defeat , I'll naturally tell you what you want to know. But if you lose..."
Riku began to smile.
"Riku-nii..."
Gon-kun couldn't help but tug nervously at the corner of Riku's shirt. "You... you need to hold back a little. Don't accidentally kill him..."
His words nearly caused Leorio, who was watching from the sidelines, to drop his jaw.
Wait... is this Riku really that strong?
Has this guy actually killed soone before?
Rumble!!
A sudden crack of thunder exploded in the sky!
The storm that had previously died down suddenly unleashed another torrential downpour, and the sea surged with violent waves.
A storm even more massive than the last one had arrived!
This forced the Captain, who had been preparing to intervene and break up the fight, to instead start roaring orders at the sailors to control the ship.
On the wind-swept, rain-battered deck.
Kurapika and Riku stood facing each other, ready for battle.
"As long as you promise to tell what you know, I won't attack. You... are no match for ,"
Kurapika warned once more.
Brother!
Just fight already!
With a 10% drop rate per defeat, does that an as long as I beat Kurapika to a pulp 10 tis, it will be a 100% guaranteed drop?
Hah!
Riku had no intention of wasting breath with him; right now, he was far more concerned with that 10% probability issue.
Bang ---
The torrential rain poured down.
Riku moved in an instant.
He stepped with such force that a cracked indentation was left on the solid hardwood deck.
The rain shattered and scattered the mont it hit his taut muscles.
Like a hunting panther in the dead of night.
His speed was extre, and every single movent overflowed with explosive power.
It was the simplest of straight punches.
But because the speed was so absurd, by the ti Kurapika reacted, Riku was already right in front of him.
"So fast!!"
Kurapika cried out in his heart, desperately raising his dual wooden swords to block.
But the instant he blocked the incoming fist, his expression changed completely.
The imnse force surging through his wooden swords made him feel as if he had been struck head-on by a speeding car.
The terrifying power instantly tore open the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers.
He and his wooden swords were forcibly blasted back several ters by a single punch.
He crashed heavily onto the deck.
By the ti he struggled to regain his senses, his opponent had already arrived right in front of him.
Two fingers, held straight together like a blade, rested gently against his neck.
"You lose, Kurapika."
Riku stated calmly.
Kurapika sat frozen in place: "..."
[Ding! You have defeated Kurapika. The Trait System has triggered a 10% chance to randomly copy a target trait. Copying...]
[Copy Successful!]
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