I do not own Hunter x Hunter or Naruto .
Chapter 3:
"Question x Answer x Silence?"
"You want to join our group in going up the mountain?" Naruto asked the man while they are walking uphill.
"Yes, actually." The man said, panting catching up to them. 'These guys don't like to waste time eh? Not even stopping for a while at least when talking to me.'
"Of course! Anyone is welcome." Gon said with a smile.
"Haha. Thanks guys. By the way, my name is Mashu." The man said. 'Yeah, thanks guys. I'm only going with you so that I can go to the city safely. You guys will act as my bodyguards.'
"Yeah, yeah, but we won't be stopping now, so if you wanna join, better catch up. We're kind of in a hurry." Kurapica said.
The three of them went further and further ahead leaving Mashu tired behind them.
"Wait up! I- I think I injured my foot!" Mashu called out to them. The three went back to check the situation.
"You should stay here and rest then Mashu-san." Naruto said.
"But there are monsters everywhere. I can't fight with my injury." Mashu exaggerated.
"Then what should we do. You are already slowing us down." Kurapica said, worried.
"Hey, hey. Calm down you two. If that's the case, then I'll just carry him up." Gon said smiling.
"Are you sure Gon?" Kurapica asked.
"It's ok!" Gon said. Gon helped Mashu on his back then they started walking up again. After a little while, they stopped for a moment to hear someone shouting.
"Wait up guys!" The four of them looked back to see Leorio running with a rhinoceros behind him. The three jumped up to a tree leaving Mashu on the ground. Not wanting to get squashed, Mashu stood on his feet and started running with Leorio to safety. When they lost the animal, the other three went to meet them.
"I thought you'll be using a different path Leorio?" Kurapica asked.
"I did. But the bus was a fake! They just took us in circles. That's why I decided to catch up with you then met a disaster on the way." Leorio explained.
"Well then, we can do nothing about it anymore. Come on guys. Let's hurry up." Naruto said.
"Um." Gon nodded in agreement. "Good thing Mashu-san's injury is already healed too."
"Yep, better not slow us down again." Kurapica warned with a scary grin.
After a few minutes of walking, they reached a deserted city.
"Is this Zaban City? Not even a soul is in here." Leorio complained.
"Shut up will you! This isn't Zaban City. We haven't reached the tree yet." Kurapica said. "And we are not alone here."
"Yup! I can hear them breathe all around us." Naruto said.
Gon ran into one of the corridors and exclaimed. "Found you! Obaa-san!"
People wearing masks appeared and surrounded them. They all started chanting to the five of them, "doki doki, doki doki, doki doki…"
"Gon, be careful!" Kurapica said equipping his weapons ready for battle. Naruto followed too by keeping at hand a kunai. Leorio and Mashu went on alert too.
"Welcome travelers to the City of Two-Choices Quiz. If you're headed to the tall tree, you'll have to pass through here. Otherwise, lose yourself in a group of mazes." The old woman said.
"Oh look! It's the hunter examiner's mark!" Gon said pointing at the old woman's staff.
"Tsk! So you're an examiner huh!" Leorio said.
"I will be asking you one question, if you answer correctly, we'll let you all pass." The woman continued.
"Wait. I'd like to take the quiz first." Mashu said. "I don't want to have anything to do with these guys. I only went with them so I can arrive here safely."
"…." Naruto, Gon and Kurapica continued their silence.
"What the!" Leorio started grumbling again.
"Leorio, it's ok. If he wants to go, let him." Gon said without a trace of feeling betrayed.
"Yep, and we can get clues as to what the exam would be. Afterall, we'll only be getting one question for the four of us. We can't afford to get it wrong." Kurapica added.
"Well then, if you want to then it's alright. You have five seconds to answer." The woman interrupted. "The question is: Your mother and lover are both held captives by crooks and you can only help one. One, help your mother, Two help your lover. So which one will you choose? One or Two?"
The old woman started counting while the masked people started saying once again, "doi doki, doki doki…"
"This question…" Kurapica is lost for words.
"This is harder than any exam! Mother of lover? AHHHRGGGHHH!" Naruto panicked.
"This is a universal question! There can be no correct answer!" Leorio said.
"hmmm… This is really a hard question." Gon said to himself.
"Five, four, three, two, one. Time is up! So what is your answer?" the old woman began.
"I choose one. Because I can always find another lover but I can only have one mother." Mashu answered confidently.
The old woman and the masked people talked about his answer. Then they parted and made a path straight ahead.
"You can now pass." Said the old woman.
Mashu walked ahead of the four. "Hehehe, good luck you guys." After a short while, he is now out of their sights.
"Now then, for your question." The woman said.
Naruto's face turned really mad, Gon looked surprised and Kurapica looked serious. The three of them sensed something and is prepared for the worst.
"This quiz is nothing but trap! You can justify to save the other one or the other! This is insanity! I'm going to find another way!" Leorio started shouting.
"Leorio stop! This is-"
"No more talking! If you leave, then you're disqualified!" the woman cut Kurapica. 'This guy already knows something.'
"Tsk! No choice!" Leorio said walking back.
"Now then, here's your question: Your village is attacked by a bunch of evil group, who will you save, one, yourself, two, the village people."
Kurapica's and Naruto's face looked sad after the question. Their face is now covered with darkness.
"You have five seconds to answer. Five…" the old woman continued.
Gon looked blank, Kurapica and Naruto, remained silent, but Leorio looked furious.
"You expect an answer for that question? Even if I answer one of the choices, the answer is always both!" Leorio started complaining.
"Four"
"You call this exam?" Leorio continued.
"Three"
Leorio went back and took a piece of wood.
"Two"
"You're not an examiner!" Leorio said walking back.
"One… Time is up!" the woman said.
"I'll report you to the hunter's association! You are not fit to be an examiner!" Leorio said attacking the old woman with the wood.
Naruto came and block the wood with his kunai.
"Leorio! Would you really ruin our victory?" Kurapica said.
"Victory?" Leorio asked.
"Yes. This quiz, we passed it right?" Kurapica said to the old woman.
"Yes, you are correct." The old woman answered.
"Like what you said, there is no correct answer to the question, so we can't answer one or two, but we need to answer one, so silence… that is the answer." Kurapica explained.
"But what about Mashu?" Leorio asked.
"They only say you can pass, they didn't say you're correct." Naruto said.
"Right! We can even assume that that way isn't the correct path since I heard a while ago, Mashu shouted. That could have been a trap." Gon explained further.
"You are correct. That is not the correct path." The old woman said. Then two masked people opened a secret door. "This is a straight path. You'll arrive at the tree in about two or three hours. If you still have complains, then take this old woman to the committee and complain."
"No, I don't have any more complaints." Leorio said putting down the wood. "I'm sorry 'bout that."
"Hohoho, I worked as an examiner to meet people like you guys. Now go, you'll meet a married couple there, they are navigators. They will escort you to the exam grounds if they see you fit." The woman added.
"Thanks obaa-san!" Gon said then all of them went inside the secret door. They started walking the long path.
"Hey, why are you all so quiet?" Leorio asked.
"I am thinking about the question." Gon answered. "What if I answered village people, I won't mind sacrificing myself to save Mito-san and the others, but they wouldn't want me to die."
"And what if they would even choose death than to be rescued by someone like me? If I save myself too, I'll just add salt to the wound." Naruto said sadly.
"And even if you choose village, if you aren't even there, you can't save anyone. Even if they all wanted to be saved." Kurapica added.
"Hey, why are you three sad like that? Come on. It's just a quiz, we already passed. No need to think about it." Leorio tried to cheer them.
"This is not about the quiz! What if you are to choose someday? Village or yourself?" Naruto said.
"Well, I don't know. It is a hard question." Leorio answered.
"Right." Gon said.
"By the way Naruto, why would the village people even refuse help? Isn't it human nature to accept all the help they could get when they're in danger?" Leorio asked.
Naruto's face cannot be recognized by the question.
"It is something like a curse I carried since birth. I… I cannot be loved by our village no matter what I do for them." Naruto said while crying his eyes out.
-end-
I would like to thank those who gave this story a review! I'll do my best in for the next chapters!
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