Chapter 26: Badge x And x Betrayal

January 15, 1999 (Zevil Island: Day 4)

Another bright and beautiful morning on Zevil Island. However, Levi wasn't in the best of moods.

As he saw the sun rise, he sighed. Another day had been wasted. After his encounter with the dangerous duo, he had spent the rest of the day searching for his target. He had taken a round around the whole island, yet he had only found a few random applicants. He couldn't even find Gon and Killua.

Resuming his search, he started his branch to branch leaping. It was the deep part of a forest, so there were way too many blind-spots. Perhaps, this, along with the fact that that person was using Zetsu, Levi almost missed the short black figure.

His breath hitched as he realised who he was looking at through the thick leaves of a tree. It was Feitan.

He actually almost nearly gasped. His collar was neatly folded down and he was munching on a bright red apple.

The other half of his face... exists?

Levi gaped at him, nearly letting his guard down. Thankfully, a dreadful reminder of his task set off in hia head, and he tensed back up.

Feitan looked pretty stoic as he took another bite from the apple, however, his aura told Levi that he was still paying attention to his surroundings.

Levi trembled. His plan actually sounded pretty full of holes now that he reviewed it. Perhaps, he should just... do it later...

No. He had to-

"Your Zetsu better before. It bad now." A quiet voice spoke in his ear.

Levi dared to steal a glance behind him. It was Feitan.

What? Wasn't he just- nope... he isn't there anymore...

"Why you here?"

"Well... I was passing by and decided to say 'hello'..."

"Why you here then?"

"I couldn't... decide how to do it..."

"Lie."

Levi gulped.

"Who your target?"

Levi shivered. Simply looking into his eyes, he could tell how many times Feitan had done this kind if stuff. There was no way he could get away with a lie.

"...I'm sorry but... it's you..."

Feitan blinked. His already creased eyebrows knitted further.

"It's not my fault that I got your badge!" Levi squeaked out in a desperate attempt to save himself. He felt ready to cry when-

"Here." He unpinned his badge and placed it in Levi's shaking hands.

Feitan blinked. Levi blinked back.

"Spider help Spider. You too weak." With that, he abruptly disappeared, leaving a dazed little boy behind.

January 16, 1999 (Zevil Island: Day 5)

There was not a lot left for Levi to do. His own badge was safe underground and his target's was buried in his left pocket that he frequently checked. His meeting with Paku was tomorrow but before that, he had nothing else to do.

So, he decided to take a break and started to enjoy his surroundings more. Looking at the playful fishes in a river, he started to miss Levi. He would have loved to play around in a beautiful place like this. Levi wondered what he could be doing right now...

Out of nowhere, a bad feeling burnt in his chest. He turned his En on and scanned his surroundings. No one. No one except his observer.

The eerie feeling, however, didn't go away. He checked his pocket. Feitan's badge was still in it. Perhaps...

He reached the field where he had buried his badge earlier as fast as possible. He had memorised the place and easily dug it up.

He breathed a sigh of relief. The badge was there. However, the stupid feeling still lingered. That was when he noticed it... the thing he dug up... it was a badge but... it was not his.

Did Feitan change his mind and took it as revenge? Or... was Levi his target the whole time?!

Did Phinks and Shalnark figure out the location and stole it as revenge?!

Or... did Pakunoda fool him and steal it?

Or or or! It could just be anyone!

He cursed himself for choosing such a simple place. He was going to fail the exam and disappoint everyone. He just knew it! Feitan had sacrificed for him not once, but twice... and all that he could do was... this...

"Brat?"

Levi gasped and turned around to face the speaker. He cursed his luck. It was Phinks.

"What? You just finished burying a dead rat or something?" Phinks smirked.

"What... do you mean?"

"You're crying."

Levi blinked. He noticed the tears in his eyes. There were some stuck to his cheeks too. He wiped them away as quickly as possible.

"Cry baby," he sneered, "What exactly were you just bawling about?"

Levi's face reddened. "You are here to get his badge back, aren't you?

"He, who?"

"Mr. Shalnark."

"Nope."

"But... you're with him!"

"Used to be," he snorted, "that bastard tricked me. He just wanted my badge."

Levi gasped. "Really?!"

"Really."

"So... what are you here for?"

"I asked you something first. Answer it and I may tell you."

"I... hid my badge here but it's been... it's been... wepwaced! (replaced)" Levi wiped more tears from his eyes.

Phinks narrowed his eyes but chose not to acknowledge it. "Who did you take Shal's badge for? He isn't your target."

"Miss Paku."

"Seriously, you trusted Paku?"

"Yeah..."

"Did she ask you about your badge?"

"Uhm... yes... but I thought it was just some sort of small talk she was trying to make while she cleaned my wound-"

Phinks snickered. "She has your badge kiddo."

"... how?"

"Let's just say it's her nen ability."

"But... but... we made... we made an alliance!"

"I did too, but look what happened."

The air was filled with an awkward silence. Levi was thinking hard.

"Can we... can we... uh... can we make an alliance?"

"What?"

"An alliance..." Levi repeated, his voice faltering.

"I can help you get your badge back but what do you have to offer me?"

"Uh..." Levi shifted his feet. "I... don't know?"

"Whoever taught you to negotiate didn't do a great job." Phinks sighed. "I don't know why I'm doing this... but alright. I'll help you but in return, you will help me whenever I ask you to. If you can't help me here, you'll owe me one later. Deal?"

Levi beamed. "Deal!"

"But-" for a second, his aura got darker than even Levi's had during the cat-in-the-car incident. "-even think about betraying me... and I'll make you pay regardless of whether I'm allowed to or not."

After an underwhelming encounter with his target, Levi makes an unlikely alliance as he realises the previous one had been broken. Will this unlikely alliance prove useful or... is another betrayal underway? As the 4th test of the hunter exam reaches its climax, an inevitable clash approaches near.