Chapter 4: First Test and confrontation
After the presentations, the three youngest candidates started running with the other candidates following Satotsu. They had already been running for almost 3 hours and several other candidates had already thrown in the towel, including candidate No. 187 who had just been traumatized for life by the triplets who had been paid by Tompa to break the boy's ambition. Gohan would have preferred the boy to humbly realize that he was not ready for the exam, but there was nothing he could do now. If the candidates' three youngest children and Kurapika had no problem keeping up, Leolio had much more trouble with him.
'Damn it, I underestimated the Hunter exam, all these people are over trained, it's a gathering of supermen.' Leolio thought, seeing the peloton move further and further away from him. 'For a common guy like me, the Hunter exam is dead in advance.'
Stopping to catch his breath, Leolio dropped his suitcase, which alerted Gon and Gohan at the back of the pack. The two stopped and Killua stopped a few seconds later.
"Forget it, he died for him this year." The silver haired boy said to the other two.
Gohan and Gon did not listen to him. Gon looked Leolio straight in the eyes while Gohan let out a small smile.
"And what else ..." Leolio began to mumble before setting off like a rocket towards the head of the peloton. "I will become Hunter at any cost".
'I didn't think he kept such energy, it's better not to annoy this guy.' 'Gohan thought as he watched Leolio walk away while Gon retrieved his case.
(A few kilometers later)
The candidates had been running for 5 hours now, according to Gohan they had covered around 50 kilometers in total and now they were on a staircase which they had to run up to run to successfully follow the judge.
"You can keep up with me, it's really not bad," Killua said to his two companions who did not sweat more than he did.
"Really, hi hi." The other two Said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Anyway, why do you two want to be a Hunter?" The silver haired boy asked.
"Actually my dad was Hunter, so I figured I was going to do like him." Gon replied.
" Is that so. And what kind of hunter is your father?" Killua Asked.
" I do not know." Gon answered innocently.
As Gohan fell in surprise on the stairs they were climbing, Killua laughed.
"You're really weird." Killua said between two laughs.
" Why?" Gon asked naively.
"Well, you want to do like your father, but you don't even know what he's doing." Killua Replied.
"Bah, I would see, and you Killua, why do you want to become a Hunter?" Gon asked, pouting.
"I don't really want to be a Hunter." The silver haired boy replied.
"Huh?" Gon surprised by Killua's response.
"I heard that the exam was steep, I was interested." Killua Justified.
"In and of you and me, we're here for the same reasons, Killua." Said Gohan who had caught up with the other two after his little fall. "I too am here to test my strength. "
A few minutes later, the three pre-teens caught up with Kurapika and Leolio, who was chatting.
"Kurapika, we pass by." Gohan Said to the Kuruta clan member.
"We are overtaking your old man." Killua Said to Leolio.
"I'm not old, I'm not even twenty years old." Leolio Replied in his usual angry tone.
This time, not only Gohan but also Gon, Killua and Kurapika almost fell on the stairs in surprise.
(Even Later)
There was finally light, the candidates were finally going to leave this tunnel in which they had been running for several hours now. The judge Satotsu who directed the first test left the first of the tunnel.
'Well, let's see how many have managed to follow so far.' The judge thought, turning around and seeing Gohan who had left a microsecond after him by his side quickly followed by Gon and Killua.
"Okay, well, you're the one who wins Gohan. " Killua Said, a little jaded to have lost in the race in which the three had launched a few seconds earlier.
"I have just a little more experience than you, that's all." The half-saiyan replied to his two friends and students. "By the way, Mr. Satotsu, is this where the second test will take place?"
"No, there is still a long way to go before we get there." The judge replied to the three young boys.
" Damn." The youngest in the exam said, sitting down to wait for the other candidates.
(A few minutes later)
Many candidates had passed the first part of the first test of the exam. Kurapika was sweating when he came out of the tunnel where Leolio fell head first into the grass.
"Well, I think we have waited long enough," said Satotsu, closing the iron curtain blocking the exit from the tunnel, finally eliminating the laggards. "No one thing, the second part of the test will take place in this swamp called" the nest of crooks ", the animals living here use particularly devious tricks to hunt, if you lose sight of me, your chances of survival will greatly decrease . Let's go now ".
"Wait!" A voice cried from behind the entrance to the tunnel.
All the candidates turned to see a man who seemed slightly injured.
"I am the real judge, the one you have been following for a while ago is not human, he is an impostor! " The man said pointing to Satotsu" Look! ".
And on these words the man revealed a strange monkey who had the same head as Satotsu to the general amazement.
"He is a monkey-man, they do not have a great physical strength but are cunning and adore fresh human flesh. Whoever pretended to be me was certainly trying to trap the entire selection for this year, "added the man.
The man who spoke to them being weaker than any of the candidates, Gohan quickly understood that the trap did not come from Satotsu but from this man who distilled doubt among the candidates, Leolio and candidate # 294 were starting to 'elsewhere to be particularly hostile to the judge.
While the young boy was going to try to agree everyone on the identity of the judge, six cards flew, the first three crashed into the body of the man who had tried to attract certain candidates in order to trap them and who died instantly, the other three were caught in flight by Satotsu. Gohan was shocked and tried to locate the person who had done this. He didn't have to search long since he saw Hisoka almost instantly playing with his deck of cards.
"There, there. Now we know that we've been following the right judge well from the start. " The clown-like man said, giving cold sweats to all the other candidates" The exam judges are Hunters who volunteer to play at the request of the exam committee. Even the worst Hunters can block such an attack. "
"I'll take this for a compliment. " Satotsu replied in a calm but firm voice" However if you should re-attack me, for whatever reason, it will be considered an act of rebellion against a judge and you will be eliminated. "
" Very well very well." Hisoka replied selflessly.
" Why did you do it? You didn't have to kill this man." Gohan said to Hisoka in an angry voice.
"Just to save time, that's it, little boy". Hisoka replied in a far too sweet voice to Gohan's ears.
A few minutes later, the candidates set out again, the latter were exhausted much faster than before because running on spongy ground like that of a swamp was harder than on the hard ground of the tunnel, but above all, the candidates fell like flies facing the multiple traps that the fauna and flora of the places set for them.
Gon, Gohan and Killua, on the other hand, did pretty well and kept the judge in view.
"Maybe we should speed up a bit." Killua said to his two friends.
"But why? We're pretty close to the judge, right?" Gon retorted innocently.
"In fact, I especially want to get away from Hisoka, I have a bad feeling when I am not far from him." Killua replied, glancing at candidate # 44 who was not far behind them.
"Yes, I tend to agree with you, Killua." Gohan replied, thinking back to the tone that Hisoka had used with him earlier "Hisoka is the strongest candidate in the selection tied with another. "
'I don't want to tell them about the super saiyan yet, so when we talk about my power I will take the one I have in my basic form to talk about it' The half saiyan thought.
"Gohan, who is the candidate who is as strong as Hisoka?" Gon asked who was surprised by his master's words.
"He's candidate # 301, he's hiding it well, but he's about as strong as Hisoka," Gohan replied, coming out of his thoughts.
"How do you know that one is stronger than another?" Killua asked who thought Gohan might have trusted his gut a little too much.
"He uses his ki to be able to analyze the ki of others, that's how he knows their strength" replied Gon in place of Gohan.
"His ki?" Killua asked wondering what Gon was talking about.
"It is the force that makes it possible to fly." Replied Gohan
" Is that so? Okay. " Killua Replied while thinking 'It is getting more and more interesting' after that he asked Gohan with a certain curiosity" And… Gon and me, where are we among the candidates in terms of power? "
"Well ..." Gohan began, knowing that this question was likely to come up "... you, Killua you are 5th and Gon is 6th and for your information, I am 4th, Kurapika is 7th and Leolio is 12th."
"And who is 3rd just after Hisoka and # 301" Gon asked in a purely curious and innocent tone.
"It's the ninja species that has the number 294, even if you both go at the same time on it, you won't be able to win, but hey it's still much less powerful than Hisoka or the n ° 301, they are really… BE CAREFUL !" Gohan shouted, taking Gon and Killua into the air at top speed to prevent him and his two friends from being swallowed by a sort of huge frog that camouflaged itself in the ground.
After landing and impressing his two students, even if it was not the desired effect, the three resumed their journey in order to join the leading group.
(From Kurapika and Leolio's side)
For their part, Kurapika and Leolio had lost the lead and therefore the judge. They did not find their way back when they realized that very close to them was Hisoka who was surrounded by a dozen other candidates.
"Hisoka is over, we have lost sight of the judge, for us, the exam stops there so take the opportunity to finish with you." The one who seemed to be the leader of the group said.
"I see, I see, as you are sure of being eliminated, you want to play judge. Very well, I agree to play with you, but I warn you, you are all unworthy of becoming Hunter in my opinion. " The candidate with the air of an evil clown said.
"If you think you will have the advantage, you are wrong!" The leader of the group hostile to Hisoka yelled, jumping on him with the rest of his group.
It only took a second for Hisoka to execute his attackers using one of his cards. Then, knowing that two other candidates were watching him, he turned in the direction of Kurapika and Leolio.
"Well, you too want to play the judge's game?" » Candidate 44 asked softly
Leolio and Kurapika, knowing they were discovered, emerged from their hiding place and faced Hisoka.
(With Gon, Killua and Gohan)
"A, we found the leading pack." Killua said seeing a large group of candidates following Satotsu's easily recognizable figure.
"Yes, it wasn't too hard to spot the judge's aura." Gohan replied, who was just behind Killua.
"Okay now, the first test is in the pocket, not real Gon. Where is the wag?" Killua asked aloud as he noticed that Gon was not behind them.
"Huh?" Gohan said looking behind him too. Instantly, the half-saiyan strained his senses to be able to perceive the ki of his friend and raises and ends up locating it as he ran in a direction opposite to theirs.
'It's not normal, why Gon is going in this direction, what's going on over there?' Gohan wondered as he directed his perception of ki further in the direction in which Gon was running. He then felt the ki of Leolio and Kurapika which faced that of Hisoka. The half-saiyan shudders at the thought of leaving his friends in the hands of this monster.
"Killua. Continue to follow the judge, me and Gon are joining you right after. "
And before Killua protested, Gohan quickly flew away to help his friends.
(With Kurapika and Leolio)
"Listen to Leolio. " Kurapika whispered so that only Leolio heard him." In a direct confrontation, we have no chance, he is much more experienced than us, better to flee each on his own. "
" It's OK." Leolio replied in the same tone.
Hisoka was getting dangerously close to the two cronies, taking out one of his deadly cards, showing that he was ready for battle.
"Now, Leolio!" Kurapika shouted, giving the signal to Leolio and the two fled instantly in two different directions. Leaving Hisoka alone.
"Hu hu hu. I see, it's a reasonable idea." Hisoka said aloud, letting a deadly aura hover around him. Then he heard calm steps, slowly approaching him.
"Frankly, I know it's not my business. But I can't get away without doing anything, it's not the kind of house!" Leolio said, who was retracing his steps with a large branch which he could use as a baton.
And with these words he charged Hisoka who easily and casually dodged the attack on the medical student. As he was about to place an attack that would end the fight, a ball of yellow light struck him in the head. The power of this attack was not incredible but coupled with the surprise, he still had to take a step back allowing Leolio to distance himself.
The medical student looked in the direction of the attack and saw Gon standing there, palm outstretched (showing he had just used ki), and gasping strongly as if he had just sprinted his life.
"Pff, pff ... I arrived on time." the boy said, breathing heavily.
"Not bad, boy." Hisoka said as he emerged completely unharmed from the smoke generated by Gon's attack.
'What was this attack that this boy sent to me, it looked like nen without really being what it was' Candidate # 44 thought approaching Gon. "Tell me, what was that attack, kid? It was far from trivial. "
"Your opponent is me!" Leolio shouted, who got up and ran back to Hisoka again.
Hisoka paid little attention to candidate # 403 and knocked him out with a full chin uppercut, which knocked him out instantly. Gon jumped to help his friend but Hisoka dodged his attacks as if nothing had happened.
"You're not doing too bad, kid." Hisoka said as he caught Gon by the blow. "I really like your wacky look."
"Gon!" a voice said behind Hisoka
The latter casually lowered his left hand (the right gripping Gon's neck), knocking the ground to the ground with Kurapika's hand, who had also returned to help his friends.
"Well, you took your courage in both hands yourself." Hisoka said, looking at Kurapika who was struggling to get up.
However Hisoka felt something approaching.
" One again?" He asked no one before taking a punch, this time powerful, which sent him flying into one of the trees.
Gon, released from Hisoka's embrace, fell on his buttocks as Kurapika started to get up. Looking at the one who saved them, Gon saw a boy his age who looked a lot like Gohan, with the difference that his hair was golden and not black, and his eyes were teal and not onyx. But the resemblance remained and the smell of the boy who saved them finally convinced Gon.
"Go ... Gohan, is that you?" Gon asked without really believing what he was saying.
"Later, Gon. Do you think you can find the judge?" Gohan retorted (who had turned into a super saiyan) in a firm tone
Gon nodded, barely able to speak at the transformation his friend had undergone.
"In this case embark Leolio, and join the judge, all three." Gohan replied, looking at Hisoka who was recovering from the attack he had just suffered
Gon and Kurapika (who had Leolio on his shoulders) watched their friend face the evil clown-like candidate who had easily defeated them.
"Let's go Gon." Said Kurapika to Gon who hesitated to leave his friend but who nevertheless ended up accompanying Kurapika, and the two left the clearing with Leolio, unconscious.
"I thought you were hiding your real strength, little boy." Hisoka said as he stretched to put his muscles back together after Gohan's attack.
The half-saiyan did not answer and rushed straight to Hisoka and kicked him hardly parried by Hisoka who, this time, had seen the blow coming.
"Bungee Gum" said Hisoka softly as he activated nen's ability.
Gohan heard him and jumped back so he could more easily dodge Hisoka's attack.
"Hu hu hu, nice little reflex, unfortunately by the time you jumped I had already reached you." Hisoka said thinking that now that Gohan was clutched to his bungee Gum, he was almost won.
And on these words he pulled on the wire of nen which linked his forearm to Gohan's leg in order to pull it up to him so that he could counter-attack. Gohan was therefore pulled in the direction of Hisoka to his dismay.
'What is it that this technique, if it pulls me up to it, I risk having a bad time. If I can't get out, then I need to get it out.' Gohan thought as he approached Hisoka dangerously "I have no choice. "
The half-saiyan then put his two hands on the top of his head before shouting "Masenko-Ha"
The beam drawn by Gohan surprised Hisoka who took it head on.
"Well, that should calm him down." Gohan said, falling back to his basic form and looking at the smoke from his last attack. "Well, I have to go, I'm going to have a lot to explain to others. "
And with these words he flew away to join his friends.
I don't know why I struggled so much to write this chapter, but I'm pretty happy with the result. I hope you get more out of it, I really like writing this story, my other fanfics are likely to be on hiatus long enough but hey, I hope you don't mind too much.
Eugene: First of all, Hanzo cannot stand up to Gohan in a super saiyan, he can just beat him in his basic form (I nerve Gohan, yes but there are limits). Yes, as I said in the intro to this crossover, the story will look like others at the beginning, but I will continue to advance and gradually detach myself from these other stories. Finally considering the idea of a Gohan reincarnated in the world of Hunter x Hunter, it's interesting and I invite you to publish a story yourself around this idea. I promise you it's fulfilling.