A/N: Yes! Finally, a new chapter! I know, I know. Sorry I've been gone for so long, I was busy with school and competitions and events. Anyway, Vere thank you so much for reviewing! sweetchoco-chan thank you so much for the compliment, it means so much to me! And for your questions, all in good time. For all my silent readers, viewers, followers, and favoriters, thank you so so much for all the love and support. And without further ado, the fifth phase.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter.

CHAPTER 18

"To all examinees, please proceed to the Conference Room once your number is called. For now, we start with number 44!" Beans's voice echoed through the PA system.

Renée's eyes quickly averted from it and focused instead on Gon's clenched jaw. "What's wrong?" Kurapika asked the boy.

The islander hesitated. He swallowed hard and decided to just go through with it. "I... Hisoka was my target." he started.

The blonde's brows shot up in surprise whereas Renée's eyes filled with understanding.

"I was so caught up in trying to get his tag that I didn't think of who was following me. I was paralyzed." Gon said quietly as tears pooled in his eyes. "Hisoka killed the man that took my and his tags and he gave them back to me. I tried to return it. I told him I didn't need his sympathy but he just punched me. He said he'll only take it if I can punch him like that." he finished, crying.

"Gon." Renée said softly, unable to formulate words to comfort him.

"I felt so helpless. So useless. That's why I looked for you guys. To prove that I am still useful but the helplessness didn't go away, even after I helped Kurapika and Leorio." the boy wailed.

He continued whimpering, unable to contain his emotions. Warmth suddenly engulfed him and he held onto it for dear life. This made the red-head's heart wrench as she ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.

Kurapika sighed. "Your shortcomings don't define you, they should strengthen you. All throughout the Exam you kept us going. None of us would be here if it wasn't for you. Especially Leorio and I. I haven't thanked you for that. For it all." the Kurta smiled at him.

Gon stared at the two of them in awe.

Here he was bawling his eyes out and feeling all depressed but his friends didn't think any different of him. They even praised him!

He laughed at himself which startled the two. Then he laughed at them.

"What's going on with you? Crazy." Renée tutted disapprovingly.

Kurapika shook his head at the two but his face was adorned with a smile.

"Number 405, please." Beans interrupted them once more.

"I should get going. Thanks guys, see you!" Gon said running off.

"Geez. No sweetness or grace at all."

The blonde laughed at her words. "But you love him anyway."

"So very much, it's infuriating!" she harrumphed.

The two sat there in comfortable silence until Kurapika decided to break it. "Don't you think you love him too much?" he asked her out of the blue.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you pour everything into him. Don't you think it's too much?"

Renée looked up at him in confusion. "I don't see how looking after your brother is 'too much'."

"Well that's exactly it, he isn't really your brother. So why dedicate yourself to him? What about you?" Kurapika blurted out.

For some reason, those words stung the red-head really hard. Not the part that she wasn't thinking of her own self, no, but the part where she isn't considered family with Gon.

"First of all, Gon IS my brother. He and I are family no matter what anyone says. I don't need to be blood-relatives with him nor do I need papers to prove it. Second, I dedicate myself to him because he saved me. He gave me a home, a family, a friend. He let me live a normal life. If that isn't a valid reason then I don't know what is. I put his happiness first before my own because that's how it works when you love someone. I guess you never really got the chance to prove that, huh? You wouldn't know how it feels." she spat venomously.

She got the intended reaction from Kurapika: anger.

His eyes dangerously flashed red for a second before it returned to normal but that didn't minimize his rage. "I know exactly how loving someone feels, Renée. I'm looking out for you, aren't I?"

Renée blinked dumbly at his words and could only stare as the blonde stormed away.

'What...was that?' She flushed.

The red-head weaved through the corridors, making sure no one spot her. She was too flustered to face anyone, even Gon and Killua.

Most especially Kurapika.

The thought sent chills down her spine and her face immediately turned scarlet.

She banged her head roughly against the wall causing someone to yelp in surprise. Renée whipped around and saw Killua standing there, looking at her warily.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Just clearing my head." she laughed nervously.

"From what, blood?" he asked as he wiped the thin trickle of a dark red liquid from the bridge of her nose. "You could seriously get yourself a concussion. What were you thinking about this time?"

At the question, heat rushed up the girl's face once more and she pulled away from his touch and ran down the hall.

"Ah wait! Geez." he muttered in annoyance but letting her go all the same.

'What am I doing? I'm being stupid.' the red-head scolded herself as she caught her breath.

"Number 402, please proceed to the Conference Room."

Renée rounded the corner and found herself at that exact place. She took in a deep breath to calm herself and went in.

"Congratulations, little miss!" Chairman Netero greeted her upon entry.

The sudden cheer made her jump a little as she didn't expect him to be so light during the Exam. 'Then again, this is the chairman we're talking about.'

"Have a seat! So tell me, how does it feel to be the last female taking the Hunter Exam?" he continued as she sat down.

"Oh. I didn't realize that I was the only one left. I guess it feels weird." she concluded awkwardly.

"Hm. I guess it does. Such a boring reaction. Now, I have four questions for you and your answers may or may not affect your performance during the last phase. So please try to answer honestly." Netero then placed pictures of the different people still in the Exam, excluding her, on the table. "Which of these do you find interesting?"

Renée looked at them one by one, contemplating which one she should pick. "The only people that stand out so much for me is #44, #301, and #99."

The chairman cocked his brow at the last number. "#99? Isn't he your friend?"

"Yeah he is. I don't mean that he's interesting in a bad way, though the other two are. I just don't know so much about Killua. He's quite hard to figure out and that intrigues me cause clearly he's the type of guy to work alone but he stuck with us throughout the Exam. I want to know why he changed himself to adjust to us." the red-head stated simply.

"I see. Well, which of these do you least want to fight?"

"Well that would be #403 to #405 as well as #99. They are my friends and it would be difficult for me to fight them."

"Very well. For my third question-"

"It's the fourth isn't it?"

The chairman was caught off-guard for a moment. "Huh?"

"Well first you asked me which was interesting then you asked me if Killua is my friend, the third one is which one I want to fight the least so this is the fourth question." Renée stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"The one about #99 didn't count!" he yelled then he cleared his throat. "Now, for my THIRD question, do you know what your sword is?"

"It's a small katana. I don't know the proper term for it but-"

"I meant do you know what it symbolizes." the old man cut her explanation off which didn't bother her at all.

"Symbol? I don't know about that but Tasha gave it to me as a gift."

"You're only half right. It is meant to be a gift, but your weapon is much more sacred than that." the chairman said sagely. Renée waited for him to continue, to explain what makes her sword sacred, but he didn't say any more about the blade.

"Last question, do you wish to look for your other half?"

"My other half? Like a life partner?" she asked, her face flaring again.

"Yes, of sorts. I know where your twin is. You're aware you have one, yes?"

That caught the girl's attention. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

Netero chuckled mirthlessly and gave her a knowing look. "It's been 6 years. There should be a pull by now. I'm sure you understand what I mean. Perhaps it comes in visions or maybe even as a dream?" he asked, fishing for the truth.

Renée was stumped with his 'guesses'. They were too accurate and the fact that he knows about her origin, better than she does, confirms everything she's been suspicious about. "I.. How.. You..?"

"One of your Elders was a dear friend of mine. I know of his mistakes. For years I tried looking for you both, in secret of course, and I only ever did see your twin. Until today."

"They're real. The Elders, the Chief, the people in the village."

"Yes. Your sister has been trying to contact you-"

"So where is she!?" the red-head slammed her hands on the desk in urgency.

Chairman Netero gave a mischievous smile and his response sent a chill down her spine.

For three days Renée avoided everyone.

She easily found an empty room and locked herself in it. She needed to think about everything, what she was willing to risk for a sister she never knew, and what would everyone say if she did try. It will be dangerous, that's all she knew.

When Beans had announced via intercom that they had landed on a hotel that was run by the Hunter Association, she took it as her cue to leave the room and everything she thought of in it. 'No one needs to know.'

The Chairman led the remaining Examinees to an empty meeting hall to explain the Last Phase's mechanics.

"The last trial you would have to face to get your license is to have a one-on-one fight with each other! I personally arranged the tournament on who you would fight so it won't be random." he explained as he pulled the cover off of the moveable board behind him.

A series of gasps and murmurs erupted in the room.

Renée found her number and saw that her first match would either be Gon or Hanzo. After that, it would be against Pokkle and then Killua. 'How irritating. That old man didn't consider my answers back in the interview at all.'

"Does this all mean that there would only be one winner?" Hanzo piped up.

"Hm? Oh not at all! On the contrary, there would only be one loser. For example, between your and Gon's match, whoever loses fights with Renée then whoever loses there moves up along the chart. So each of you have at least 3 chances to win. However there are rules, you are allowed to use weapons in these matches but you are STRICTLY not allowed to kill your opponent. If you do, then you would be immediately disqualified and the rest would automatically pass the Exam. The only way for you to win your match is when your opponent admits defeat. Is everything clear?"

For a while, nobody spoke, contemplating their chances to win.

"The chart is uneven. Some have more than 3 chances to win like Gon and I. Why is that?" the lone girl asked.

"Well we have our own way of grading examinees and those that ranked higher were given more chances. Those who ranked lower were still given 3 chances to win though." he explained coolly.

"That doesn't sound right. Will you tell how you graded us?" Killua, unhappy with his ranking, demanded.

"Of course not!" Netero stuck his tongue out, irritating Killua. The rest chuckled at the display.

"Why not!?"

"Simply because it's confidential! But I can tell you our method. You were all ultimately judged on three things: physical ability, mental ability, and overall impression. Since all of you have reached the Last Phase, the first two categories are already a bonus. What we're looking at now is impression, and that is what can't be simply explained because we judge your potential as hunters, and your placing in the tournament reflects that." the old man explained.

"So simply put, you checked whether you liked us or not." Kurapika deadpanned.

"It sounds wrong when you say that, but I guess that's one way of saying it. Since that much has been explained, I guess we could move on to the first tournament: Gon against Hanzo."

Renée found Gon before the rest moved to the side, and she hugged him.

"Hey. How've you been?" he asked her and that made her feel guilty because she hadn't told him anything at all. "I'll explain that later. For now, good luck. Don't do anything stupid."

At that, a man in a suit and sunglasses approached them and cleared his throat. The red-head understood and walked to the sidelines, standing right next to Killua. While Hanzo and the man were speaking, the girl nudged her friend. "Not happy with your placing?" she teased.

"Yeah but I'm more sour with the fact you were gone for the past few days. Gon was so worried. Where were you anyway?" he asked half-angry, half-worried.

"I was just in a room on the ship. Thinking of things." she admitted vaguely.

"Of what?"

"Dammit! Gon! Just win in the next round!" Leorio yelled, catching the two twelve-year olds' attention.

Renée's body went rigid when she saw her brother lying on the ground, bleeding and beaten up. Hanzo was stopping at nothing to make Gon admit defeat and it pained her to see him that way. Her fists clenched, unable to direct her anger.

"Say it or I'll break your arm." the ninja threatened.

"Gon! Just-!"

"Never!" A crack was heard followed by an ear-shattering scream.

The boy stayed limp on the ground. Killua looked at him without sympathy. 'That's right Gon. You're too naïve. It's not enough to just dream and have a goal, you also have to be strong. You have to be stronger than you are now because everyone else would always be a step higher than you. Do you see now, the difference of reality?' he mocked in his head.

"Kurapika, if that guy does anything else to Gon, don't stop me." Leorio muttered angrily to the blonde next to him.

"Me? Why would I do that?" the Kurta replied darkly, his eyes shining scarlet.

The assassin eyed their exchange indifferently then he turned to Renée and his eyes widened slightly at the dark and oppressive feeling coming from her. Her gray eyes were stormier than usual, her jaw clenched impossibly tight, and her fists were dripping with blood.

Killua backed away from her, terrified and confused at the same time. It seems it wasn't just him that noticed, Kurapika glanced her way as well as Hisoka, Gittarackur, all of the Examiners, and Hanzo, while doing his finger-stand. The room felt like the temperature dropped below zero, though everyone was sweating.

"W-what is that?" Leorio asked, frightened.

It was because of that unnerving cold that Gon shuddered awake and, while everyone was distracted, he kicked the ninja's arm thus toppling him over. This surprised everyone and their attention turned back towards the match.

The dark-haired boy looked at Renée and she calmed down, releasing her anger. The room felt lighter and everyone relaxed just a little.

Killua continued to glare at the red-head's back, not knowing how she was able to do that. 'Just like my older brother.'

Gon stood with great difficulty and he held his broken arm gingerly. "You were talking too much." he rasped.

"I let you kick me just now." Hanzo admitted, sitting up.

"Liar! Kick his ass Gon!" Leorio cheered.

Hanzo stood up and revealed the hidden blade that was up his sleeve. "Fine. If a break won't do it, I'll just amputate. Give up, or you'll lose a leg, got it?"

"No." the boy said stubbornly.

"What's the matter with you!? You really wanna go through with this!?" Baldie asked exasperatedly.

"I don't want to lose my leg, but I don't want to lose either so we have to think of something else. Besides, if you cut my leg, I'll just bleed to death and you'll lose plus my sister's gonna kill you, and we wouldn't want that." Gon told him, frowning.

At that statement everyone, save for Hanzo and Killua, laughed loudly. The room felt totally light and all of the tension brought by the match was dispelled.

'What's happening? Why's everyone laughing? Gon is losing. Isn't he?' the silver-head looked around in irritation. Even Renée was chuckling.

The moment was destroyed when the ninja swiftly placed the blade on Gon's forehead, allowing a trickle of blood to flow. "Just say you give up. It's three simple words, it's not so hard to say. You can always try again in the next match, if not then maybe next year."

"I told you, I can't do that. I have a feeling that if I give up now, I would never be able to find my father ever again. I don't want to face him saying I gave up at some point in my journey. I also really don't want to fight Ren, she's my sister."

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for another one-sided beating. Hanzo sighed and sheathed his blade. "I give up." he said.

Gon blinked in confusion, absorbing what he said. When it registered, he chased after Baldie and stopped him. "You can't give up! We need to keep fighting until I win!"

"You've already won, idiot! What else do you want!?"

"I want to win on my own terms!"

"Ha!? You want us to work and think of a way that can make you feel better about your win?" Hanzo asked, eyebrow twitching.

"Exactly!" Gon said, satisfied he got the message.

The ninja responded by punching him, resulting in knocking him out. "Hey referee, I gave up okay? He won. He'll try to refuse the license but he can't return it, right? Make sure he takes it." he said, walking away as the referee carried Gon to the infirmary.

He was once again stopped, this time by Killua. "Why'd you let him win? There were lots of ways to make him admit defeat, given your capabilities, so why?"

Hanzo looked down at the boy's furious eyes and sighed. "In my profession, when I torture people, I'm already used to seeing them look at me with eyes filled with hatred. Sometimes, it makes it easier to live with. However, Gon's eyes didn't show me that. He was not angry even though I just broke his arm and threatened to cut off his leg. It's like his eyes already forgot about it. If I had to have a reason, I guess it would be because he won me over."

The ninja walked off to the sidelines with the rest as Kurapika and Hisoka took the floor. Killua mulled over what Hanzo had said and found it hard to believe that Gon still won despite being so weak against his opponent.

He looked at Renée and saw how focused she was at the fight, silently cheering Kurapika on. 'Would she be that way too? Having some sort of cheat code in life?'

The match didn't drag out too long and both were only left with minor injuries. Hisoka whispered something in the blonde's ear which made his eyes turn red for a moment. The jester then admitted defeat.

Renée took a deep breath as she and Hanzo walked towards the center.

"So you're his sister?"

"Yeah."

"You're stronger than him." Hanzo stated, referring to the feeling she gave off during his and Gon's match.

"Something like that. I'm also less naïve and quite unforgiving. Think you can deal with a little hate?" she grinned wickedly.

The ninja smirked and got into a stance, "Bring it on."

Renée dashed forward and gave the ninja a punch in his gut. The impact made Hanzo skid backwards and cough a little but he managed to stay upright.

"That was a test to see how strong you are. You passed." he grunted.

The red-head scoffed and just continued dashing towards him, punching him in his weak spots, making sure to punch the gut harder than the others.

When Baldie had had enough, he revealed the blade underneath his sleeve and slashed at her and managed to rip her jacket in the front.

Renée frowned, "This is my favorite jacket."

Hanzo ignored that comment and continued to slash at her while she ducked and dodged before getting a chance to unsheathe her own weapon and parry his.

The two blades clashed furiously with each other and the bystanders looked on in awe. "It's amazing, she can keep up with him. Not only that, but Hanzo actually looks like he's in pain. Those punches were done for good measure." Kurapika praised Renée.

Leorio nodded at his statement, unable to take his eyes off the display.

Killua was also dumbstruck. This was not the same scared, crybaby girl that he looked after on Zevil Island. This girl was much stronger and much more angry. It made him actually rethink how much he knew about her and respect her love for her brother.

The two fighters momentarily stepped away from each other, both exhausted from their exchange of blows. Renée had a cut on her arm and leg while Hanzo had bruises on his arms and a busted lip.

The two stared at each other when suddenly, Hanzo chuckled then gave a full-blown laugh. Everyone else looked at him confused, unsure of what exactly happened.

"Maybe you hit him on the head too hard?" Leorio asked the girl.

"I don't think so?" she pondered on where she hit him, not remembering if she landed one on his temple.

When Hanzo's laughter finally died down, he looked at Renée with tears in his eyes. "You are one heck of a fighter. I get why old blondie over there likes you. Just because I enjoyed the fight, I'm giving up on this one. Good job, kid." he said, patting her on the shoulder.

All eyes turned to Kurapika whose face was as red as the girl's. The atmosphere was awkward and a pregnant silence hung in the air.

"You have a thing for Ren?" Leorio asked in pure disbelief. "You're a pedophile!"

"Shut up!" The two teens squabbled again like children and the fights resumed.

Renée walked back to the side, standing right next to Killua, before she slumped to the ground.

"Do you like him as well?" the silver-head asked suddenly.

The girl looked up at him, confused. "Of course I like him. We're friends."

The assassin clicked his tongue at her answer, aware that she was being evasive. 'Was this why she didn't hang with us for days? Stupid blonde.'

Hanzo and Pokkle's fight only lasted for an instant, the ninja emerging victorious. Hisoka and Bodoro's fight was as quick as Kurapika's and ended the same way, but this time the jester won. Killua and Pokkle were at the center but before anything could happen, the assassin admitted defeat with a cocky smirk, saying that the archer was too weak and boring. Leorio and Bodoro's fight were put off for a while because the latter was still recovering from his wounds and so Killua and Gittarackur stepped up.

That was where, in Kurapika's opinion, everything went horribly, horribly wrong.

END OF 18.

A/N: It's lame, I know. That very long wait for this. I was supposed to post this the other day but the internet crashed and it was left waiting for a whole day. I'm working on the next chapter and I hope to post it real soon. Like really, really soon. Thank you for bearing with me, and if it's against your own will to bear with me, thank you all the same. Please review!