If you noticed, the chapter title has been changed. I realized that Kurapika and Leorio are in the next chapter, so I will end up calling next chapter Kurapika X And X Leorio. I edited last chapters next time, so it says this chapters title. (Well they're in some of this.)
The fourth exam begins!
Chapter 5 Predators X And X Prey
"There's only a few hours left. What's taking them so long?" Hano stated worryingly. "I hope they get back before the five minutes are over."
"Are you meaning Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and the so called 'teenager'?" The clock counted down by seconds, each second going by fast.
"Yes."
"It's possible they'll make it at the very last second. And it's also possible that they won't even make it at all." That just made Hano more worried and his eyes gleamed.
"What's taking them so long?"
"They're probably at the last door arguing about something right now, or having trouble finding their way through."
"Maybe."
Meanwhile at the last door arguing about something right now, and having trouble finding their way through...
"I've had enough of you," Tonpa confessed. An axe swung in the air. Leorio grabbed onto a different axe and fought against Tonpa.
"You've ruined this whole Phase for us!" Leorio swung his axe back. "You should be the one to stay." The axe drew closer to Tonpa, but barely missing, making a small crack in the ground. He jumped back at the wall.
Then making his way to the left, Tonpa's axe hit the wall, leaving another crack.
Gon watched left to right, each swing coming, and he even ducked down to avoid an attack accidently coming at him. Kurapika had the same issue, but he moved to the side to avoid getting hit.
Gon had a flaskback in his head. The breaking of the ground and wall gave him an idea. "Awwah. I know how to get all of us out in time." Then he sweat dropped while no one, but Kurapika and Killua listened to his voice.
"Hey! Gon has something to say!" Killua remarked in a matter of time. "Oi! Are you even listening?" The fight just continued. Killua twitched his eye and smirked. Then he ran up to Leorio, who was dodging an attack and did his chop on the shoulder, and he fell down on his knees. He did the same to Tonpa, who feel back.
"Hey! Why did you do that to me?" he barked while grunting.
"I did it softer than usual. And Gon has something to say." He crossed his arms. Leorio looked over to Gon who was staring at the scene. "You can tell them now."
"I know how all of use can get out." He reached for an axe. "Everyone press X so we can choose the longer path."
Gon was first. Killua and Kurapika did the same.
"Are you sure about this?" Leorio asked.
"Just do it." Killua butted in.
Leorio sighed, pressing the X. Tonpa did it anyway because it didn't really matter which one to press and everyone else did it.
The door leading to the longer path came up. Next thing that happened, Gon was inside, swinging his axe at the wall.
"I see now." Kurapika reached for an axe and played along with Gon by hitting the wall. "If we break this wall then we can use the shorter path and make it in time."
And half an hour passed when they switched places. And another half hour passed, switching back. Soon, with five minutes remaining, the hole was created. And they ran down, getting to the exit with ten seconds left.
"And that's why I need to help these people," Tsuma explained. Then his ears heard a beating sound of footsteps.
"Waah! Gon, Killua! You both made it in time." Gon rubbed his head sheepishly. "But where's?" Kuapiks showed up in a matter of time. Hano cheered. "And so did Kurapika." He grinned widely.
"Number 405 made it in 71 hours, 59 minutes, and fourty four seconds. Number 99 made it in 71 hours, 59 minutes, and fourty five seconds. Number 404 made it in 71 hours, 59 minutes, and fourty eight seconds." the intercom went.
Then Tonpa and Leorio arrived with a few seconds left.
"Number 403 made it in 71 hours, 59 minutes, and fifty seven seconds. Number 16 made it in 71 hours, 59 minutes, and 58 seconds." Then the exiting door closed. "Attention everyone! Phase Three has ended. All the remaining applicants will be taken to Phase Four. Please exit the building in front of you." Agiant door opened, revealing a man with a purple ponytail, and a woman with a box in her hand.
"Congratulations to all the applicants who have passed. I am the examiner for Ohase Three, Lippo. I am here to give you all a card from this box." His hand made his way at the box the woman was holding. "We will start with the first person that finished the Phase, and end with the last person who finished it. Once you pick your card, only show yourself the number you are given."
Hisoka was up first. Then soon it came to Tsuma and Hano.
Tsuma was up before Hano. He picked his card and examined the number. 'Number 294. I wonder who that is.' He lookd around each examinee, looking at each badge. 'This must indicate a different examinee's number. But why do we have to have a number?' Then he finally found his number. 'So its this guy from Phase Two. Hanzo the ninja. I should have known.'
Hano got his. After examining the number he looked around for his examiner. But he had no luck and instead found no one who was right.
The last five were left. Gon went first. 'Number 44. I wonder who that is.'
Killua picked his. The it was Kurapika, then Leorio, and finally Tonpa.
"Since everyone has picked their card, I will tell you why you have a number. Every card has an applicant's number who's here. Whoever's number you have will be your target for Phase Four." Everyone freaked out. Everyone but, Tsuma, Killua, Gon, Kurapika, and Hisoka hid their badges.
"You don't have to. Stop worrying," Tsuma reassured to Hano.
"But I don't want my opponent to know its me. Move your before they find put its you."
"No thanks. I don't care if someone finds out their target is me." He continued to look around.
Soon everyone was led onto a boat, which took them to an island faraway. But during the time going to the island, time had to pass.
The four sat on the side of a boat talking about who had who.
"Mine is 294. I already know who that is, so I don't have to focus on figuring whi I have." Tsuma went first.
"That's good. But I don't know who I have unfortunately." He bit his lip. "I have number 191."
"Bodoro," Tsuma interrupted. "While I was looking around I memorized a few other numbers."
"I hope I find him." He snugged himself in getting smaller.
"I have 44."
"Please don't tell me that's true." Tsuma's eyes widened. Hano looked back up from his spot.
"Its true." Gon rubbed his head nervously.
"Not saying you don't know who this is, but you shouldn't go near him. Hisoka is who you have. I would just find another way to pass." Now Gon snugged himself in, getting smaller. "And you have..." He referred to Killua.
"If you are so concerned, then 199. I haven't figured it out, but I don't care." Killua put his hands behind himself.
"Hmm." Tsuma thought for a moment.
Then the examiner for the fourth phase showed herself and explained the rules for Phase Four.
"Everyone here will participate by being on an island nearby here for a week. You have seven days to get six points. As you start, you will have three points. Your own badge is worth three points. If you lose or if you badge gets stolen, then you lose three points. And for your card with your number, that applicant's is worth three points too. So you have the choice to just get theirs. But there is another way you can earn six points. Everyone else's is worth one point, meaning you would only need three one point badges," she explained briefly. "The fourth phase will start once we reach the island. Once we do arrive, one applicant will go in at a time. Then after two minutes, the next one will enter." It wasn't confusing, but it seemed hard, mainly because of the rest of the people who were left. "As of for now, please enjoy yourselves." Then she left.
'Aah. Now I forgot.' The examiner interrupted his thinking. He had something in mind of how he was going to get the other three points. He didn't want to search for three other people because that was just a waste of time.
The boat soon arrived though at the island. The phase started as Hisoka left the boat, being first in line.
Later seven were left, and the two minutes passed, making it Tsuma's turn.
"Good luck!" Hano grinned, giving a thumbs up.
"Same thing." Then he smiled and walked off. He walked into the forest, slowly getting in deeper and deeper. The ground was dark almost everywhere he went. But soon, only walking in for an hour, his feet stopped. His ears rung, and his head turned slightly behind him. "You wanna know something?" The person hiding behind gasped, but quietly. "You aren't good at hiding from a twelve year old boy." The person then grabbed something. "Come out, or I'll come to you."
And a series of moments went by, a minute as he waited for the predator to come out, but no one did. Tsuma sighed and shook his head. Then he walked forward instead of back.
The predator, or a girl, it was, watched him walk away, and disappear behind trees. She attempted to make a move, taking small, gentle steps, and kept a short distance and hid behind each and every tree. She got too close and then looked away to hide herself, right before he turned his head once more, but that didn't help. A second later, she slowly moved her eyes back over.
'How?' she thought in a blur of moment. 'I need to pass. But how will I get it?' Her hand gripped tightly onto a small dagger, laying aside of her. Then her white hair stroke across her forehead, when it sweat coldness drops.
"You know, you aren't bad for keeping this quiet and cautious, but no." He grabbed her grey jacket hood, and she fell back onto her back. She grimaced at him, and then crawled herself back, on her back side. "Don't worry, I won't attack. You aren't my target anyway." The dagger left her hand instantly and her eyes held out one tear from the cold wind blowing in her face.
"How did you even know my number?" She glanced and her head turned to the right.
"I don't..." he responded firmly. "I don't know yours, but I do know who mine is. Its a guy anyway, so there's no chance it would be you."
She looked down in disappointment, feeling hate in herself.
"Please, I need help. I don't want to fail this year. I already failed two years, and I need one of those license to help my family."
"What exactly is wrong?" he questioned in concern.
"Ever since these group of people came by to hurt them, an illness was spread around. It is curable, and I was hoping I would be able to get the money to help them. My father already died, and my younger brother is getting close to." She looked up, on the verge of tears. "That's why I cannot fail. I need to help them before they end up dying. I was lucky I didn't get it, along with my older sister, who is trying to take care of them, while working to get a job, but it hasn't helped much."
Tsuma rubbed his head and sighed. "I will help you pass this Phase, but I can't guarantee that I will help you with Phase five."
She smiled in relief, and got up from her spot. "Thank you." She bowed in thanks to him.
"I can assume I'm you're target. I want to pass too, so I can just find you three other badges."
"As long as I pass..."
"Oh, and one more thing, you can call me Tsuma." His foot moved and instant after the thought.
"And I will introduce myself too. You can call me Rina." (Pronounced Ree-nah) The white haired girl then turned her head back in the direction foward, where they were going.
And another series of moments, Tsuma for three prey, crepping up near each other, like one was a predator, but also a prey.
Tsuma, for one thing, he got the nearest one, and punched him in the back. The man, which it was, fell down, rubbing his back, death glaring at Tsuma, but he death glared along with him, at him.
"Its either give it to me unharmed, don't give it to me and be harmed, or how I would prefer, give it to me harmed. Your choice."
"Man, kids these days..." he grunted.
Tsuma smirked and snatched it away. 'I got 89. Hmph, thought it would be someone Killua had or something.
He turned his back away, not exactly paying attention to the man behind, and he appoached him. But it was no use because he moved to the side and bonked his head as a consequence for not getting him.
"Give it back you little brat!"
"Refer me with something else, then I will give it to you."
"Fine boy."
"Just kidding." Then he kicked him in the stomach. "Better luck next time."
In the meantime, Rina made her attempt against a man with a katana. His wrong choice was not listening to the footsteps creeping behind. At the last second he heard, but it wasn't long enough to make his move by turning around.
The third one had been with him, but on a tree to the side. He jumped down and ran up to her, as her dagger approached the other man's neck. And then, Tsuma kicked the one running, and his fell face foward, onto the muddy ground.
"How can you beat both of us up. You're just kids."
"A smart one to be exact." Tsuma walked up from behind a tree. "Don't judge by age and size. I may look weak, and I don't have a weapon, but I can still fight. I have hands and feet you know."
Rina's eyes filled with darkness. The dagger got closer to his neck, and a small line of blood dripped down his neck, down inside his shirt.
"I've got a suggestion. How about we play a game. Its called Competion 1 and 2," Rina then smirked with an evil glare in her eyes. "We will compete against you by answering questions by me. But don't worry, its a multiple choice quiz, with only two answers. The first person to answer, is the one who speaks first. I won't decide. Think fast. That's why its a competion."
Tsuma laughed eagerly and in evilness, as if the answer's would be simple for them.
"I will join."
"Good. And one more thing. There is a rule to this game. If you get the answer wrong, this dagger will cut you at one spot from anywhere. Its possible you will die, but you may survive in the end." She let go of the dagger, and it flew in the air, aiming at the man. He didn't move, and he sweat coldness all around.
He didn't respond or move. The other man had been laying on the ground, while his head was up and he was shaking for pain. He tried to get up to stop them, but Tsuma kicked him back down and put his foot on top of him to hold him there.
"I will let you go once this is over."
"The winner is the one who recieves the most points. If you lose a point, then it goes to the other team. I will announce question number one; What is that called? One knife, or two dagger?"
He gulped hard. It was hard to tell because there are so many knives he's seen that were all different. Some even didn't look like knives, but somehow they were.
He almost couldn't decide on it.
"And I forgot to say, I will give you a free chance for just this round. You will get to answer first," Tsuma presided.
He cried with a few tears in his eyes. "One."
Tsuma smirked again. "Wrong," Rina answered. The dagger went to his hand and cut it, makind a short line across it. He yelped in pain, and fell back, sitting.
"It seemed simple to answer right. No knife I've seen looks like that. And it has the shape of a dagger," Tsuma added.
"Question two: What color is my hair?" she joked. These were obviously joking questions to confuse the two, well the one not on the ground, so one to be precise. "One for white or two for silver."
Tsuma again didn't answer. He knew either way he would win, even if the other guy got the answer right.
"One."
"Correct." The dagger stood still in the air longer. "Here is your final question, question number three: Would I rather be a young child for the rest of my life, or be as old as you for the rest of my life?"
Tsuma didn't answer as well, but this time it was because he didn't know the answer.
"Before I answer, I have a question. How come when I answered it right, that dagger didn't get him?" He pointed his finger at Tsuma.
"I said if you get it wrong. Not if you don't answer and let the other answer. Its only if he answers, and its wrong."
Tsuma gasped, but didn't make it loud enough for the others to hear. 'That's the answer.' Then his mouth shut the rest of the round.
"You get five seconds since I want this to finish. Five." The man widened eyed. "Four...Three...Two." He opened his mouth and began to speak. "One."
"One!"
She glared. "Wrong." Then it cut his leg, and more pain entered him. "The answer wasn't two either."
"The real answer was silence," Tsuma continued. "You should have realized that when she said that I don't have to respond to get hurt. You have the choice to answer one or two, but silence is also counted if you choose to do it."
"And that means, I won. Give me both of your badges, or else."
The dagger went towards him, but he quickly threw it off his shirt. It stopped and flew towards Rina's hand, landing on it, while she gripped it.
Tsuma grabbed the other one as the one man he was holding down, reached his hand up to hand it to him.
"Thanks." Then his foot left his back. He ran off, while the other one did too.
"Well that was easy. I was actually hoping you would notice that you could use silence, or else the dagger would have gotten you."
"Can't you control it?"
"Only when I don't make a competition like that. Once the game starts, I have to end it, and I didn't want to end it," she explained.
"That makes sense. I also assume you thought about those questions just to mess with him."
"Exactly. At least now I have six points. I should go back so you can get your three points."
"That's fine with me. I'll see you there then." He waved with his back turned, walking into the depths of the forest.
"Thanks anyway," she mumbled happily. Then she walked off in the other direction, heading for the boat.
And about four days later, he found himself by someone important.
'Perfect!' he grinned. 'Just what I needed. And I get help from the cat boy.'
He stopped himself behind a bush and watched as someone was kicked far back. It had been Killua, who was with the Amori brothers. One of them kicked him back, but he just jumped back up instead of laying there.
Then he turned his head to the right, where Hanzo was watching. The perfect opportunity was right in front of him. All he had to do was wait for the Amori brothers to leave to make it easier.
"You are 197. That's not what I needed. That must mean one of you has 199, correct?" They gulped in response, and then Killua quickly ran up to a different one. His fingernails lightly touched his neck, just like Rina's dagger did. "Don't move. My fingernails are sharper than knives." Then a line of blood went down his neck. He then grabbed the badge and examined the number. Then he turned his head to the last Amori brother, who hadn't been hurt, or at least didn't have his badge taken. "You must be 199 then. Hand it over to me and he won't die." The Amori brother sweated and threw over the badge. "Thanks." Then his moved his fingers away, and walked forward away from them. "I don't need these two so..." He eyed Tsuma, which he knew was hiding, and Tsuma nodded. Then Killua threw the badges in different directions. "You have three days. That should be enough time to find them." He walked off, with his skateboard on one of his sides. The Amori brothers ran off to find them, and Hanzo ran to the right from his perspective, and Tsuma ran right in his perspective.
'Now all I have to do is convince him to trade the badges.' His finger reached for the badge that was on the ground. It touched the hard, coldness, and he looked at the number. "I was correct then." What happened was Killua switched the badges at the last second, sending the one Hanzo wanted where Tsuma was.
"This is 198," Hanzo laughed nervously at the plate. He sweat dropped and walked off with his head down, disappointed, searching for one point badges, which he only needed two of them. But how hard would that be?
Tsuma took his first step back, and into the direction of where Hanzo was. But it wasn't for long that someone came up from behind.
"Well. Well. If it isn't Mr. Reddy." Tsuma turned his gaze and a man with short black hair appeared.
"Mr. Reddy? Seriously? I would come up with something better, stupid." He crossed his arms and walked away. "I don't even know why you are referring me as that. You don't even know me, and I don't even know you."
"It doesn't matter. Let's fight. You seem different for a kid your age."
"Who says so? I'm not as it seems. I don't even know how strong I am."
"See for yourself then. I will take a challenge. I need another point anyway."
"Sure I guess. I might as well challenge you then. My plans can wait another day. I have three days anyway." His hands went back into his pockets as he stood underneath a tree. The badge went into his jacket pocket and this time he didn't smile, but instead frowned at the man with black hair.
And then the man grinned widely as he laughed quietly at the Mr. Reddy boy.
Next time on Hunta To Hunta-
Hano: Have you gotten your six points yet?
Tsuma: No and I don't know why it is taking so long.
Hano: Well I already finished.
Tsuma: How come it didn't take long for you?
Hano: Uh... *sweat drops* Um it was kind of given to me.
Tsuma: You're lucky that you don't have to fight. I had no choice but to.
Hano: That shouldn't stop yourself.
Tsuma: I know, but the people I've met are getting worse and worse. *coughs* starting at Hisoka
Hano: *laughs*
Tsuma: What's so funny?
Tsuma and Hano: Next time on Hunta To Hunta: Kurapika X And X Leorio
Hano: By the way, I met someone that knows you.
Tsuma: Who?
Finally figured out the chapter title for next chapter. As I said above, this origanlly would have been called Kurapika X And X Leorio, but I made a false mistake because I had only gotten through Tsuma's way of passing (well partly.) Hano will show up next chapter, and I will definetly add the scene in the cave with Ponzu. (Then it will be worth calling it what I am calling it.)
The fourth phase might be three chapters (only a third if oart of it is the end of Phase Three.) And the fifth could possibly be two or three chapters. (I don't exactly know yet.
Now so far a new character is introduced. If you don't want a million characters to show up so soon, then you're in luck. Besides Tsuma and Hano, only three, (well five, counting eightee year old Tsuma and the master of Dalonte) I only have a few more coming in later, and then minor, minor Oc's will show up in short moments during one arc coming soon, so they won't be important, and you won't need to know them. I think there are only eight to ten Oc's that are important, and needing to remember. (Starting with Tsuma and Hano, until the last one is introduced for one arc.)
And one last thing. Do you like Tsuma's last name being Tsumaeru, or do you want me to change it to Tsumera (would be pronounced Su-mair-ah) I thought about it and I like it more than Tsumaeru. (I will keep Tsuma as Tsuma because Tsume doesn't work. I can edit chapter one and on.) Tell me through reviews or PM me if that's better. Think about it.