The Otonari's Last (Hunter X Hunter Fanfic) [Indefinite Hiatus]

VII - the End of the Third Phase

I glance at the boys before turning to face the pocket that the prisoners are resting in.

"I will let the prisoners choose my opponent," I reveal, staring down the bald man from earlier. He flinches back a little at the look in my eye.

"Y-Yes, well." He clears his throat, looking away from my unyielding eye contact. "The other applicants must agree first. It's another matter of  majority rule." I look back at them, waiting for them to vote. They all glance at me for only a moment before pressing buttons on their watches.

The screen on my right lights up, revealing that all five of them voted in agreement with my decision.

"Very well," Lippo states. "The prisoners have already alerted me to their choice. He has been waiting."

The door I passed through slides upward once more. A clearly male cloaked prisoner walks through, cuffs still secured around his wrists. He takes slow, strangely calculated steps across the bridge before coming to a stop on the platform. The cuffs release immediately, dropping to the floor at his feet. He pauses a moment, seemingly relishing in the suspense he's creating, before pulling the cloak over his head.

Shoulder-length black, wavy hair sits tousled on his head. He has dark eyes that speak of the wicked, vile thoughts that intoxicate him every minute of the day. The shirt he has on is pulled taut against his clearly ripped chest, scars visible on his face, neck, arms, and just under the collar of his shirt.

A small smirk makes its way onto my lips upon realizing who it is.

Leorio swears loudly. "We shouldn't have let her do this! Ara, find some way to back out of this!"

I look at him over my shoulder, completely calm. "Relax, Leorio."

"I will not relax! That's -"

"I know who he is." I cut him off, my eyes cool and unemotional as I turn back to the mass murderer standing just a few feet in front of me. "Sora, one of the three men to bomb an entire city after killing everyone living in it. Many call him the brain of the operation - others call him the true monster out of all three."

An evil smile spreads across his face. "So you've heard of us, then."

"As a matter of fact, I have," I agree with a small nod. "I also had the opportunity to meet your friends earlier. They didn't say much, but I'm sure they would've said hello if I had given them the chance."

Sora's eyebrows raise to the middle of his forehead. "You defeated Isamu and Takumi?" He regards me with narrowed eyes - studying me, attempting to learn my strengths. "I guess you shouldn't be underestimated."

"The thought shouldn't have even crossed your mind," I state boldly.

"We'll have to see. Are you ready?" I widen my stance, raising my hands to guard my face. He takes this as an answer and mimics me. "Then let's begin."

Neither of us move. We stare each other down, waiting for the other to move. I realize that he definitely isn't going to move first, so I drop my weight and dash toward him. I aim an uppercut to his chin - not for an actual hit, but to see how he would react. He dodges easily and I back away quickly to avoid his punch.

He's strong, that much is obvious, but he's not as fast as Isamu.

Sora begins to stalk back toward me with a glint in his eye that I can't place. I step back from him slowly, matching his pace. It's obvious how dangerous this man is - he killed an entire city for goodness' sake - so I can't let him get his hands on me.

Deciding to just go for it, I run at him to go on the offensive. I keep my left hand close to my face for protection, using my right to land a punch to his face. Without giving him a chance to respond, I grip his shoulder and thrust my knee into his stomach. He curls around my blow as the breath leaves his body.