spídєr lílч [HxH]

Act I • Chapter 5

"Humans would rather have the beautiful lie rather than the ugly truth"

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The applicants then began running as Mr. Satotz lead the way. "you must follow me to the second phase."

after an hour of running Gon, Kurapika and Leorio finally caught up with Shine who was in the midlane.

"Shine-san!" She turned her neck to the side without stopping and glimpse at the person who called her, it was Gon. She nodded at him and look to the front again.

'it's been 3 years since i've ran, luckily my muscles do not seemed to have weaken.'

"Hey! wait up kid!" Leorio yelled at the snow haired boy, he looked at Leorio as he continued to yell. "why are you using a skateboard?! that's cheating!"

"how so?" he asked.

"this is an endurance test!"

Gon then interrupted Leorio, "no, it isn't."

"Gon what are you saying?!" Leorio keep up his shouting as Gon calmly explained.

"The examiner only said to follow him."

"who's side are you really on, huh?!"

The cat boy then went beside Gon and Shine. "hey, how old are you?"

"12 years old," Gon answered as Shine kept silent, the both of them then looked at her as she turn her head to them, "13", then turned her head straight again.

Killua then hummed and got off of his skateboard in a cool way as Gon told him that it was so cool. They then introduced themselves.

"I'm Killua."

"I'm Gon," he then turn towards her. "And she's Shine."

The two boys kept talking about this and that whilst Shine kept silent. After what seemed about like 4 hours, Leorio came to a stop, trying to catch his breath as Gon and Killua also stopped, waiting for him to move again. Shine on the other hand didn't care as she carry on with running.

after a while Leorio began running again, now shirtless and full of sweat, followed by Gon and Killua.

the applicants are now running through the stairs as some of them collapse from exhaustion. Kurapika and Shine are now beside each other, the stomping sounds and a few murmurings are the only ones to be heard until Leorio caught the sight of them.

"Shine! Kurapika!" Leorio uttered breathlessly. The both of them turn their necks to look at him. "Leorio, are you okay?" Kurapika asked as Shine focused her view to the front yet again. "Oh yeah! same as usual! I realized that i can keep going if i don't worry about how stupid i look!" He shriek, taking bigger steps forward. Kurapika smiled and followed his example. He took off his  blue tabard decorated with a red-colored hem and put it in his sling bag.

Kurapika and Leorio then began exchanging words about their real reasons on being a hunter. In the latter Gon and Killua also joined the three.

"See you at the goal!" Gon spoke as Killua followed "Catch you later old man!"

"I'm not old! I'm a teenager just like you guys!" Leorio announced as the four went in silent shock, including Shine but still managed to keep her stoic demeanor.

"Heh?!" "No way!" Gon and Killua yelled in shock.

X . X . X

with the speed of the two 12 years old and a 13 years old they went a bit faster than the others.

"I'm surprised that you two can keep up with me." Killua spoke, Gon sheepishly said "Really?" while rubbing the back of his head.

"—or maybe the others are just too slow." Killua added and continue on complaining about how easy the test is but stopped when his mind went to the silent girl with them.

"Hey, you really don't like talking huh?" She looked at him nodded as he asked her, "Why do you wear a veil?"

"Its comfortable." she simply said as Killua again asked but this time the question was for Gon and Shine.

"so, what's your relationship? I mean, Shine doesn't look like the type to want to have friends so..."

Gon then answered "oh she's my friend— although Shine and I only met each other in the forest near my house yesterday, and i don't really know if she considers me as her friend too but it's okay!"

Killua then looked at Shine as if waiting for her to speak, she noticed this and unintentionally coldly said, "he's a good acquaintance." Even though they had only met yesterday Gon understood her. Killua decided to shrug it off as the end of the tunnel was near. The two boys started sprinting.

"Goal!" they both said in unison as they leaped out of the tunnel, followed by the girl in kimono. they began debating on who's faster and ended up asking Shine.

"Shine, who was faster?"

"you crossed the 'finish line' simultaneously." she simply said as Mr.Satotz only watched the three youngsters in astonishment. Gon walk towards Satotz and asked him.

"hey, Satotz-san is this where the second phase of the exam takes place?"

"no, we still have quite a way to go."

"oh..."

They waited for the other applicants to show up until the exit door of the tunnel shut down. when the fog lifted, a rain forest can be seen from their location.

"The milsy wetlands. also known as swindlers swamp. we must cross these wetlands to reach phase two of the exam, this place is home to bizarre animals. many of them are craftly and voracious creatures who deceive humans and prey on them, please be very careful as you follow me. if you're deceive, you're dead." Mr.Satotz explained to the examinees as a yelling voice was heard.

"Don't let him fool you!" a random guy showed up, he's covered in wounds exclaiming to be the real examiner "he's an impostor!" he added as he revealed a man-faced ape that looks like mr.Satotz, "he intends to sweep up the entire hunter applicant pool-"

before he can even finish his words, 3 cards flew to 3 people each. The one claiming that he was the real examiner died on the spot the moment the cards came in contact with his body. Satotz who swiftly dodge the cards. And to Shine who casually seize it between her small fingers. Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika who was beside her yelped after the surprise attack.

they all turned to see the direction from where the cards belong, number 44, the magician Hisoka Morow. "that settles it~" he hummed as he shuffled his cards. "You're the real one~"

Satotz then warned Hisoka that if he attack an examiner again he'll be disqualified, "sure~" he then looked at the back of his head to which a thirteen years old can be spotted, the other examinees as well turned their head to where his eyes landed. Shine looked at the cards then to the magician, her unexpressive face sent shivers to the others as well as the four with her. She calmly but swiftly flick the cards in her fingers to Hisoka to which he easily caught, he sent a smirk to her before they take off to start heading to the second phase.