Second Chance (Hunter X Hunter)

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 33

Gon yawned and stretched, trying to get comfortable again. He had been having a hard time sleeping ever since they set up camp for the night. It seemed like every little noise or movement was magnified and kept him awake.

He looked over at Zapile, who was still snoring loudly. Gon sighed and tried to scoot over a little further away from him, but it wasn't enough. Zapile's leg kept kicking out, bumping into Gon's side and making him jump.
"Zapile, stop kicking me!" Gon whispered loudly, trying not to wake anyone else up.
But Zapile just continued to sleep, oblivious to Gon's protests. Gon groaned in frustration and tried to roll over onto his other side, but that didn't help much either.

Just as he was starting to think that he would never get any sleep, Gon felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Killua.

"What's going on?" he whispered, rubbing his eyes.

Gon gestured towards Zapile's prone form. "He's been kicking me all night," he explained.

Killua nodded sympathetically. "I'll try to wake him up," he said, shaking Zapile gently.

But Zapile just rolled over and continued to sleep. Killua sighed and shook his head. "I guess we're all just going to have to tough it out tonight," he said.

Gon nodded glumly, feeling a bit more resigned to his fate. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing, hoping that eventually he would drift off to sleep despite the interruptions
.
Killua slowly got up from his sleeping area, his movements quiet and deliberate. He stretched his lean body and yawned, still half asleep. After a quick wash-up, he began his search for a more private spot to read the book he had taken from the gallery. He didn't want to disturb anyone, especially Gon, who was always so eager to join him in everything.

As he walked, he thought about how he had snatched the book from the old man secret shelf. He had been tempted by the mysterious looks of the book. Killua finally found a secluded spot behind a spring area that luckily is still there to become their source of water tonight. He sat down on a large rock, opened the book, and began to read. The words on the page seemed to dance before his eyes, revealing secrets and techniques that were both fascinating and terrifying.

As he read on, Killua's excitement grew. He couldn't believe what he was learning - it was like nothing he had ever seen before until he saw one paragraph regarding the topic that he’s been focusing on which is regarding the book of nen, that snapped him out of the excitement. He stopped his reading. He frowned.

He carefully marked his place with a piece of bark and tucked the book back into his bag. As he made his way back to their sleeping area, he couldn't help but feel anxiety about what he has read so far. Suddenly he remembers what Gori told him earlier before he left the gallery.

Flashback

“Oh good boy. You found the book”.
Killua's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Gori, his hand still gripping the book tightly. He had been so focused on escaping that he hadn't even noticed the old man was already standing in front of the door. The sudden appearance of Gori made Killua's instincts kick in, and he was about to spring into action, ready to take off running.

But Gori's words stopped him dead in his tracks. The old man's words were laced with a sense of resignation and weariness.

“You don’t need to run. I won’t try to chase you either,” the old man chuckled, his eyes crinkling with a mixture of amusement and weariness. “I’m an old man. How can I compete with a healthy young boy like you?”
He paused, shaking his head as if lost in memory. “You can have the book if you want. After a hundred years of my family managing this gallery, many have broken in, hoping to find that very book you’re holding. Yet, believe me when I say, no one has ever succeeded. You are the first.”
The weight of the old man’s words hung in the air, mingling with the dusty light that filtered through the gallery’s high windows. The young boy looked at the book in his hands, feeling its importance settle into his bones. He glanced back at the old man, whose gaze was now soft and contemplative, as if he were reliving a century of memories.

“I don’t understand,” the boy said, his voice low. “Why me?”

The old man smiled, a wistful, knowing smile. “Sometimes, destiny chooses the most unexpected people. Perhaps, this book has found its rightful owner after all.”

“But remember this book might be able to fulfil any dream but everything needs a sacrifice. You’ll understand it once you read the book. The choice is in you. If you’re willing to accept the condition requested by the book you are free to keep it with you but if you change your mind you can return it to me anytime. I will keep it safe once again as always.” Gori smiles, walks away and leaves the room door open for Killua to leave.

End of Flashback

Killua's thoughts are racing as he stares at the ceiling of the tunnel. The weight of the idea of sacrifice is heavy on him, and it’s clear that it's taking a toll on his mind.

“A sacrifice, huh?” he muses, his voice barely a whisper in the dark. He’s always been someone who weighs his decisions carefully, but this concept feels different—more personal, more intense. He thinks about what he’s willing to give up for the greater good – for Gon.

The tunnel is cold and unwelcoming, mirroring the uncertainty he feels inside. As he rests his arm on his forehead, he’s torn between his innate drive to protect Gon and the harsh realities of the choices he must face. The idea of sacrifice brings to the forefront the internal conflict he’s always wrestled with—between his instincts, his family’s expectations, and his own sense of morality.

He closes his eyes, trying to push away the thoughts, but they persist. Sacrifice is a concept that can be both noble and devastating, and Killua is grappling with its implications, trying to find his own path amidst the shadows of doubt and fear. He fell asleep right after that.