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Chapter 4:
"Tree x Kiriko x Navigator"
"What do you mean you don't know?" Sakura said slamming her hands on Tsunade's table.
"Tsk." Tsunade snapped. "How dare you address me like that!"
"There is no better treatment for someone who can't even keep track on THAT someone."
"I already said I do not know. Who knows, THAT someone must be out training."
"That's impossible! Naruto won't do so without saying anything to us. I bet you gave him a ridiculous mission and forced him to it."
"Ridiculous?" Tsunade spilled the beans. "That mission is the most fulfilling mission there is!"
"So you did gave him a mission! What is it?" Sakura exclaimed.
"That's enough information for you Sakura. I'll tell you when the time is proper. Now leave my office."
"But…" Sakura said withdrawing. She left Tsunade alone in the room.
"You really is one troublesome guy, Naruto. Hurry up and finish that mission. The village people's missing you." Tsunade said after looking at the note Yamato sent her.
'Naruto is already on his way to the exam grounds. I'll see to it that he passes it.'
"AACCCHHHOOOOO!" Naruto sneezed out of the blue.
"Looks like you calmed down already. If you cry so much, you'll have runny nose and you'll be sneezing like that for a while." Leorio made fun of him.
"Someone must be talking about him." Gon said laughing.
"You guys are really noisy. What time is it already? We've been walking for ages now." Kurapica said.
"I see the exit!" Gon said running to the faint light. The others followed behind.
"The tall tree! We're near." Kurapica said after all of them exited the tunnel.
The four of them started walking straight to the tree's direction when they met a dead end. A huge lake separates them from the tree's location.
"What should we do now? Should we swim?" Leorio panicked.
"I don't know about you guys but I think I have enough chakra to cross the lake." Naruto said.
"Chakra?" Kurapica asked.
"Do you think we could use that boat?" Gon said pointing to a boat nearby.
"You can see in this darkness?" Kurapica was amazed.
"Well, night at Whale Island is much darker. This is nothing in comparison." Gon answered.
The four of them took the boat and rode across the lake. Gon and Kurapica rowed the boat.
"Hey, what do you think are these navigators?" Naruto asked to break the silence.
"Hmmm… I don't know. I've never heard of them." Gon said.
"The old woman said something about 'if they see you fit' right? Then I'm the most suitable for that description. All of you lacks something from what I have." Leorio said proudly.
"Lacks? What do you mean by that?" Kurapica said looking down on Leorio.
"Well, for example. You guys lack courage!" Leorio said. He was about to continue when a sea monster rose from behind their boat. "GYYYAAAAAHHHHHH! A monster!" Leorio screamed and took both paddles and rowed by the speed of light. He wasn't even aware that they've already landed.
"Leorio… It's ok… You don't have to be afraid anymore. We lost the sea monster." Gon said stopping Leorio.
Leorio came into senses and saw that the three of them have started walking away.
"What do you mean by scared? I'm not scared! I just thought that you guys paddled really slow so I thought I could show you my Ultra Speed Rowing Technique!" Leorio said catching up to them.
"Yeah yeah, whatever!" Naruto said with a not-believing face.
"Is this an artifact?" Gon asked Kurapica who stopped in front of a ruin with ancient writings.
"It looks like the Sumi tribe built this a long time ago." Kurapica replied.
"Eh… Can you read it?" Naruto said walking towards the two.
"I can't read all of them. It's too damaged already. But it seems like this is a warning." Kurapica said.
"Hey hey, come on already. Forget about those things." Leorio said.
The four of them started walking towards the tree. When they were close enough, they saw a house right under it.
"That must be the house where the married couple lives!" Gon said enthusiastically.
The four of them raced toward the house. When they arrived, they saw a man injured sitting on the floor and a monster holding a woman and is smiling at them. The monster escaped the house and went to the forest. Gon, Kurapica and Naruto went after the monster.
"Leorio, you take care of the husband!" Kurapica instructed before he left.
Inside the forest, Kurapica saw Gon looking around. "There!" Gon shouted before jumping to a tree. Kurapica followed behind still surprised about Gon's skills.
"Where's Naruto?" Kurapica asked.
"I don't know. He went ahead of me." Gon answered. "Hey! You monster! Give back that woman!"
"Try and take her from me." The monster replied.
"Cool! He talked, he talked!" Gon said happily.
"It's called a beast since it's an animal which can speak human language. Be careful though. It is a Kiriko. They can change their appearance into humans too." Kurapica explained.
"Is that so? Then this won't take long! Hey you monster!" Gon said while dashing upward slamming his rod on the monster's head. The monster let go of the woman and Kurapica immediately caught her. The monster escaped and Gon followed it.
Kurapica set the woman on the ground. He noticed the weird markings on her arms and face. The woman regained consciousness not long after.
"Where am I?" the woman asked.
"You're safe now. Just rest for a while." Kurapica said.
"But… My husband…" the woman cried.
"Don't worry. My friend's taking care of him already." Kurapica calmed her. Then in the shadows, Leorio came out.
"Kurapica! Good thing I caught up with you. I gave the man some first aid and thought I could lend a hand-" Leorio was cut when Kurapica slammed him on the face.
"Who are you? I don't remember making friends with a monster." Kurapica said.
"Hehehehe. How did you find out?" Leorio transformed into a Kiriko.
"I told Leorio to help the man and he acknowledged it. He wouldn't leave an injured person like that. And even if he did, I'd still do the same thing I did to you." Kurapica explained.
"Tsk!" the Kiriko disappeared with the wind.
"Now that one's out, tell me who are you?" Kurapica said pointing his weapons on the woman.
"Wha- what are you t- talking about?" the woman stammered.
"That tattoo is of the Sumi tribe representing their promise not to marry since they are maidens of the sun god. If that's the case, why do you have a husband?" Kurapica interrogated.
"That should do it for a while. But I still need more medicine." Leorio said while injecting some pain killers on the man inside the house where he treated him.
"Thank you so much for helping me… But my wife…" the man said.
"Don't worry, the three of them followed the monster. I'm sure they'll be able to bring her back." Leorio assured. "Now, do you know any place where Midakudo plants grow?"
"I know some place. But it's far from here. And it's dangerous too." The man said hesitantly.
"It's ok. I am about to take the hunter exam after all. So where is it?"
"You. What are you!" Naruto asked the monster in front of him.
"Hehehehe. I'm amazed that you saw me even though I'm not even at the house and just an observer hidden in the forest." The Kiriko replied.
"Well, you're the first one I spotted and thought that you're the one who kidnapped the woman. Either way, are you an accomplice of that monster?" Naruto asked.
"Hehehehehehehe." The Kiriko laughed really hard. "Calling me a monster even though you yourself is one." The Kiriko said then disappeared.
"How did-!" Naruto did not continue. He went back to the direction of the house. When he arrived, nobody's there. So he decided to look for them in the forest.
Gon followed the Kiriko until they reached a waterfall. The Kiriko is out of sight but its presence still lingers.
"Hehehe. Follow me boy, if you can!" the Kiriko said appearing from under water and jumping down the waterfall.
Gon followed it down.
"Man! Why am I so kind! Picking plants down a cliff surely isn't the easiest job at all." Leorio grumbled while climbing up the ropes. When he was near the summit, he saw the Kiriko holding the rope his life's depending on. It even played him by releasing a bit to scare him of falling. Leorio is thinking of a way to escape death when he noticed the faint needle wound made by his injection on the monster's right arm.
"AHHHH! To think I'm almost a doctor yet didn't notice that those wounds were fake? I'm really stupid." Leorio said throwing the basket full of medicinal plants at it. He used it as momentum and climbed up. He was about to be attacked when Naruto came flying down knocking the Kiriko on the ground.
"Naruto!" Leorio said surprised. "Weren't you with Kurapica and Gon?"
"I kinda lost them. Hehehe." Naruto excused.
"I'll compliment you for being able to follow me here." The Kiriko said.
"What is that you want?" Gon asked.
"What do you mean? I'm gonna give you a payback for what you did to me a while ago." The Kiriko replied. He sharpened his claws and began lunging towards Gon.
"Payback?" Gon said without moving from his position. The Kiriko stopped its attack after seeing Gon unwavered.
"Why didn't you dodge?" the Kiriko asked.
"Because I did not do anything to be paid back for." Gon said. "Who are you really?"
-to be continued-
Small conference in Author's mind:
Naruto: So, you say you'll be busier from now on and can't publish new chapters sooner?
Kira3d: Hai... :( I can't help it since school is starting...
Leorio: It's not as if she has a lot of readers, you know. No one cares!
Kira3d: I know right?
Gon: Please continue reviewing!
Kurapica: We'll be going to Zaban in the next chapter! Be on guard minna-san, the real exam will start soon!