"Thanks for you patience, everyone. We've finally arrived to Zevil Island. Now, please go in the order by which you cleared the Third Phase," the woman announced. "As each person goes, we'll wait two minutes before the next person goes. You will stay on this island for exactly one week. During that time, you must amass your six points of ID tags and return here. With that said, the first person may start!"
Quino watched as each person passed, her mind trying to figure out who her target could be. No matter how hard she tried, however, she couldn't figure it out.
If you think about it though, there's no way to tell, Quino thought as she eyed the applicants. I'll just have to rummage through everybody's pockets. I hope that that the person who I have to hunt isn't too dangerous. Like Hisoka. Quino shivered at the mention of the name. Gon has his work cut out for him.
Before she knew it, it was time for herself, Primna, Kuriya, and Malli to go.
Malli went first, waving toward Kurapika, Killua, Leorio, and Quino before rushing into the forest in a carefree run. Kuriya went after, not a word of encouragement or good luck leaving her lips. Primna was next and she walked toward the forest with a calm manner, but not before wishing luck for her group. Next was Quino's turn.
"Bye guys, good luck on getting your targets," Quino said, charging into the forest. The wind felt good against Quino's skin and she relished in the fresh air that reminded her of her brief visit in Whale Island. She wished she would've stayed and visited for a little longer.
"Well, I guess I should look around and see if I can find out who #320 is," Quino said out loud to herself.
I should probably keep quiet though, Quino mused.
With that in mind, Quino trekked through the forest in a careful, quiet manner. However, what she didn't realize was that someone already had their eyes set on her.
XXX
Stalking through the tall grass, Malli watched as an applicant walked toward a destination unknown to her. For once, Malli wasn't near Kuriya. Partly due to the fact that she didn't want to be found by anyone, including Kuriya. Just like she was self-conscious when she was eating in front of others, she was also self-conscious of killing in front of others.
Maybe when this is over I should dye my hair so that way it doesn't pop out so much, Malli thought as she caught sight of her own violet hair contrasting greatly with the green grass. This grass isn't making hunting any easier.
She ducked her head out of view just in time for the person she was hunting to look behind him. Malli hoped he didn't spot her bright violet hair among the dark green grass. Fortunately, the guy didn't seem to spot anything out of place and continued to trek through the tall grass. Malli counted her lucky stars.
Killing would be easier, Malli thought, following after the guy. Stealing is more my forte though. How to pull that off when I don't know where he hid it is the question, though…
Forming a plan, Malli stalked closer to her target. She got closer and closer, the guy unaware of the predator just behind him.
Pockets are the usual spot for someone to hide something, aside from purses and bags obviously. But that also means that that's the place that people might avoid stashing valuable stuff in. Where else would they put it, though?
Getting her hand ready to quickly, and carefully, steal, she failed to notice the person a few feet behind her. Just as she was about to reach out, an arrow whizzed past her head. The guy in front of her turned around just in time to dodge the fatal blow, the arrow nicking him in the shoulder. The man was about to retort that he dodged the blow, but was cut short when he fell down and started shaking.
Taking her chance, Malli quickly fished through the guy's pockets as a voice from behind signaled how closer the person behind her was getting with each step he took.
Success!
Going to the right, Malli slipped into the tall grass and remained out of view of the archer that had just taken down the guy. She noticed the frown that marred the archer's face when he realized that the guy's tag was no longer on him. The archer left soon after.
I can't believe my luck. That was way too close for comfort, Malli thought as she moved the tag in view. #105. Not my number. Oh well.
Malli trekked through the tall grass, mindful to watch her surroundings for any sudden ambushes.
XXX
Primna sighed as she allowed herself to relax on the stump that she leaned on. Her legs were sprawled out in front of her, her head touching the top of the stump. She ignored the red butterflies that flitted around her, most resting on her arms. There were many of them, and she wondered why they were there.
Wait… these butterflies are familiar. Aren't they…? Yes, they're attracted to the scent of blood. So that's why.
She was aware of the sniper looking at her, but she ignored it for the time being. Primna wasn't afraid of her.
I'm more afraid of Hisoka, and that weird man whose head keeps shaking, Primna thought as she closed her eyes. It's such a beautiful day. The sun feels really nice on my skin, and the breeze feels nice too. Even the grass feels soft and nice on my legs.
Primna sighed, sensing the sniper's patience wearing thin. She put one of her hands in her pants' pocket, grabbing one of the sewing pins secretly hidden there. Before the sniper pulled the trigger, Primna quickly got up and threw her pin in the rifle's scope. She sighed, feeling a tension that she had gotten used to lifting from her shoulders.
Ah, it feels good to be alive. I almost forgot what it was like to kill. I feel so… good. This feeling is… amazing. I… I want more. I want to forget. I want to feel blood on my hands again. I want more.
Before she realized it, Primna was consumed by the bloodlust that had hibernated for some time deep within her soul. Instead of fighting against it like she had in the past few months, she embraced it. It was an all-consuming exhilaration that Primna wanted to feel again. The ecstasy she got from killing, from tormenting, from pain made her feel alive. To her, it was a welcomed drug.
The bloodlust moved her feet to a destination unknown to her. All that was in her mind was one word that repeated in her head like a mantra: kill.
XXX
Kuriya watched her target closely, the monkey on the guy's shoulder serving as a slight distraction to her. Something about it made Kuriya scowl.
Was it the happiness surrounding the two in such a dangerous place that made her angry? Maybe it was the way the monkey kept on making repulsive actions that made Kuriya irritated. Or maybe it was the guy who made her irritated. She wasn't sure what it was, but she felt like killing both of them. That itch to kill was threatening to overtake her whole being.
To make matters worse, the guy had encountered another that was equally as revolting.
It's as if fate wants me to kill all of them, Kuriya thought as she gripped the katana sheathed on her hip.
Kuriya noted that they didn't attack each other, but instead seemed to be on friendly terms. Then they whipped their heads around, facing the opposite direction of where Kuriya was. They whispered amongst themselves before quickly splitting off into different directions. Kuriya noticed that they had exchanged badges just before splitting off.
Switching badges with each other? What would they gain from that?
Stalking towards the fat man, because she'd rather deal with one target than two, she hid in the flora and plotted what her next move was.
She saw something out of the corner of her eye and noticed the Kurta was stationed not too far from where she was at, his eyes solely trained on the fat man.
The Kurta is here. I could take him out now, he's alone. None would be the wiser. I doubt they'd even think it was me who did it.
Before she knew it, Kurapika made eye contact with Kuriya.
Well, there goes that plan. Why did you think about it? The Scarlet Eyes are right there, begging to be taken. Hesitation will lead to missed opportunities, such as this.
"What are you doing here, Kuriya?"
Broken out of her thoughts, her eyes focused on Kurapika. "Hunting. Isn't that obvious?"
Kurapika's eyes were focused on the fat man's figure, but she could tell that he was all ears. "He's my target."
"Would you like assistance?"
"No," Kurapika said, moving closer to the guy.
"He doesn't have his badge. He swapped his badge with another," Kuriya said.
Why am I helping him?
Kurapika looked back at Kuriya. "I know. But I'm going to see if Leorio can handle himself."
Recognizing the name as one of Kurapika's allies, Kuriya looked back where the fat man was and saw that the guy with the monkey was also there, with an angry Leorio. Before she could comment on it, Kurapika zoomed passed.
Kuriya sighed, deciding on making her presence known to them as well.
"What will you do against three opponents?"
The fat man looked at her, his face paling upon seeing her. "Y-you're Kuriya! The Spider's–"
His head rolled off his body, blood squirting out of it. Kuriya calmly turned her attention toward the man with the monkey. The terror written on his face was borderline hysterical to her. If she were a lesser being, she would've laughed at the scene.
Before Kuriya could kill the man as well, Kurapika knocked out the guy.
"That's the one that has the badge you're looking for," Kuriya said, wiping her katana on the grass in an effort to get as much blood off as possible.
"Y-you killed him," Leorio stuttered, pointing at Kuriya with ill-concealed fear.
"I did. Anything else you'd like to point out?"
"He knew you," Kurapika stated. Leorio's mouth was still open, but no sound came out of it.
"Unexpected, but yes, he did," Kuriya said. She inspected the blade and felt content with its state, sheathing the katana back on her hip.
"What relations do you have with the Spider?"
Kuriya felt a shiver go down her spine when she heard the malice in Kurapika's voice. She spared a glance at him, and she saw his eyes had turned scarlet.
Those eyes. I want them. I want them to myself.
"Who are you, Kuriya?"
Kuriya looked at the Kurta with a blank stare. She could tell he was getting irritated by the fact that she wasn't saying anything, but she honestly didn't know what to say.
"Do you hate the Spider?"
"Yes," Kurapika responded immediately to Kuriya's question.
"Say if I had familial relations to the Spider. What would you do?"
Kurapika sent a smoldering glare at Kuriya. "I would kill you."
"Even if I was simply a daughter of a Spider, but not quite in the Phantom Troupe?"
Kurapika clenched his jaw, a cross between annoyance and contemplation in his eyes.
"I don't have a tattoo. I'm not part of the Phantom Troupe. But one of the members is my father," Kuriya said.
I'm telling the truth. I don't have a Spider tattoo, yet. I'm not part of the Phantom Troupe, yet. He just doesn't know that I'll be one in the future.
"Besides, I wasn't there when your clan members were killed," Kuriya added.
Kurapika looked very angry, but he didn't move to strike her. He simply glared at her. No words were exchanged for a while, Kurapika's anger sending Kuriya into a defensive stance in case he would attack her and Leorio simply watched on. Leorio proved to be smart enough not to say something stupid to incur Kurapika's wrath.
"One thing, Kuriya," Kurapika said, making Kuriya stop her mental plotting. "If you hurt any of my friends, you'll pay."
Kuriya simply nodded in response, quickly sprinting away from the scene. She couldn't help but wonder why his words right then had hurt her.
Hey, everybody!
So, I haven't been uploading as much as I have wanted to. And I'm prepared for all flames that may come my way for not uploading as much like I'd said I would. I'm not giving up on this fanfic, I've just been distracted by my other stories (fanfiction and original) and I wanted to let you know that I might be uploading a Bleach fanfic in the near future. So check that out if you're interested.
With that said, I think I'm going to post chapters for this fanfic on Wednesdays. Of course, I may end up posting far more frequently than once a week but I'll leave that up to my motivation and free-time.
Also, I've noticed that one of the reasons why I become a bit stressed with uploading this story is because of my flooded email that I have to fish through to see all the emails pertaining to . So I've now officially made a new email just for this. I may even start using other sites (such as Wattpad or Archive of our Own) to increase my range of viewers. Though I might not do this, so we'll see.
So I'm posting this mega chapter just for you dear readers. I don't expect you guys to type of a response but do you think I should branch out to other sites? I'll continue on this site, of course, but maybe it would be good to use other sites as well.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and the future chapters to come. Sorry I've been MIA for a while, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to at least post once a week. Thanks for taking your time in reading this fanfic and I hope you can forgive me for being distracted and busy with a lot of things in my life right now. See you in the next chapter!