I know you already know this but then again, Hunter X Hunter is not mine. This wonderful anime story is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi
CHAPTER 11: Will of Majority
"I don't think going down is a good idea." Leorio gulped and finally broke the stunned silence as they watched the man screaming for help.
"Yeah." Sam and Kurapika replied as their face looked stupefied at the dreadful sight.
"Doesn't that mean we're also in danger up here? They could swarm up here and attack us." Leorio said as he shuddered at the thought.
Sam shook her head. "I don't think so. We would've been a round slurry mass of meat by now as soon as we landed. Maybe they only attack anyone who tries to go down like that rock climber did. Oh, may his soul rest in peace." She said as her palms pressed together.
"He's not dead yet." Leorio pointed out.
"Yeah well, a few minutes by now."
The blonde chose to ignore their irrelevant conversation. "But we can't take any chances. We don't know what other creatures dwell in the area."
"So we look for other ways?" Gon asked, bringing back the main issue.
The rest nodded.
They agreed to go separate ways to look for the entrance. Sam decided to go on her own.
Leorio turned to Sam. "Are you sure about this, Samara? Going alone? Something could happen."
Sam responded with a touch of gratitude in her voice. "Sam." She pointed out before clearing her throat. "I appreciate your concern, Leorio, but looking for an entrance shouldn't be that hard."
"But…"
"Besides…" She added. "There are situations that I need to do on my own. I've always had your help, and I'm grateful for it, but I can't become a Hunter if I rely on others all the time. I need to prove myself."
Leorio sighed, still uneasy about her decision. "Alright, just shout if something happens. Got that?"
Sam chuckled but gave him a salute.
Kurapika, who understood Sam's drive for independence, nodded in support. "Come now, Leorio. Sam knows what she's doing. She'll be fine."
Gon, with his ever-optimistic spirit, chimed in. "Alright Sam, we won't stop you. We'll just have to gather again after an hour."
Sam nodded. They all agreed.
Sam went on her own. Gon and Killua were together, the same as Kurapika and Leorio.
The sun beat dangerously, angrily against the thin, glistening layers of sweat that formed in her skin. It had been almost an hour since the blimp left and she started to look for a way down.
Sam would stop at every rectangular tile she stepped on to tap her foot and then move on to the next one if it was not the one she was looking for.
A sudden change in her footstep made her ears twitch. The girl made a step back tapped the floor with her foot, and then tapped another part of the floor a few inches away from the first.
It created a different sound.
The first one sounded like there was a hollow space beneath.
Her heart screamed with delight. Maybe she just found a secret entrance to get in. She once again slammed her feet hard just to make sure she wasn't hearing things.
Sam was right about it. But it only took her three seconds to know and register what happens next.
The entrance turns out to be a trap door. The fall was so sudden; that her brain couldn't even command her mouth to scream.
"Ouch!" Sam hissed in pain, as she massaged her now sore butt.
She repeatedly touched the floor.
'Where am I?'
At least it wasn't a long fall.
"Curse the Hunter Exam Committee. For a moment, it felt like falling to my death!" Sam grumbled.
Gladly, it wasn't. But the problem is, she's completely unaware of where this place is.
The young brunette can't help but look up at the ceiling. The boys must've realized now that she's gone. Hope they wouldn't worry too much.
The teen slightly slapped herself. The thing she should worry about for now is to evaluate the room.
Sam tried to walk around, applying echolocation.
She's inside a brick-walled room. No windows. No door. Instead, there's a cylindrical podium. She walked to it and found six bracelets or bangles on top.
She inspected the objects. There seem to be two buttons.
'What is this for?' She thought after putting it on her right wrist. As the material of the watch met her skin, it circled and closed around her wrist, like a prisoner's manacles. She reluctantly clicked it, frowning when she heard a beeping sound from it.
Why were there six bracelets or manacles?
"You've got to be kidding me?!" The teen gasped. "Was this supposed to be for six people? Are we going to fight in here? Is that why the room is closed and whoever wins the duel will proceed?" She pondered. "That is surely possible."
Sam tried to calm herself and prepared for the worst. She took out her weapon and held it tight in case something bad might happen.
Then she realized something.
She sighed, leaning against the wall. "With so many hidden entrances and the tower top's wide circumference, it could take a while before anyone could find the entrance here."
The remaining candidates might've found another path. Maybe she's destined to wait there until the exam is over.
Tap. Tap.
Sam blinked and raised her head to the ceiling. Did someone finally find it?
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Sam held the stick tightly.
"Just enter," Sam whispered as she looked anticipating above.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Just then she could hear tiles from the ceiling flipped.
She could hear four tiles. Four persons?
The four landed together with a thud on the cold floor.
She sensed the newcomers-
Well, the cologne was undoubtedly recognizable.
It's Leorio.
She smiled.
"That was quite a farewell." A voice that of course belonged to Kurapika said.
"Indeed, it was," Sam replied, alarming the four.
"Sam!"
"Samara!"
"Oh, it's the lost girl."
"Hey guys."
"Brat! Where have you been?!" Leorio suddenly approached and began his 'father' like scolding speech.
"Stop being dramatic, Leorio. I told you she's fine." Kurapika said.
"As long as we found Sam, then it's fine!" Gon beamed.
"It's not like she can't handle herself." This time, it was Killua.
"How long have you been in here?" Kurapika asked.
"Just a couple of minutes." She said. Then she pointed to the cylindrical table near her. "Could you tell me what are those things?"
The four followed where she was pointing, and told her those were stopwatches with an X and O button on its face. Now that the room had more people, doesn't that mean they're going to fight here once the last person drops in? The thought of them fighting each other was the last thing she'd ever want.
"The six of you must follow the will of the majority to reach the goal." Leorio read aloud.
'Oh, they need these buttons to vote? Vote for what?' She wondered.
Each of them took a watch and slipped in their wrists.
"One remaining watch left." Sam pointed out.
"Then it means we have to wait for one more," Kurapika said.
"That is correct!" A loud voice broke their conversation. It came from a speaker hanging by the brick wall. "My name is Lippo," said the same voice. "I am the prison warden here."
"Prison warden?" Kurapika repeated.
"Multiple routes through this tower have been prepared. You have chosen the path of majority rule. Cooperation will be the key if you wish to clear this phase of the exam. One person's selfish behavior can derail an entire group. And you can't start until you have six members." The prison warden explained. "Best of luck, candidates!"
There was a crack sound before it went silent.
"We can't move on until someone arrives?" Leorio looked unpleased. "What do we do?"
"We have to wait, I guess," Kurapika said, as he looked up making others copy him as well.
'Prison Tower?' Sam thought.
So, this was constructed to keep the insiders from getting out. This is a tower full of criminals. And those flying ugly carnivorous babies will eat anyone who climbs down the outside wall. They're like patrollers.
.
.
.
While they waited for the last member to drop in, Sam remained sitting in the same area. She hugged her knees, her head on top of it.
'1561.1562.1563.1564.1565'
She counted, trying to catch up with Leorio's nonstop tapping on the floor. He's getting impatient because of getting stuck inside the room for hours.
At the same time, she also entertained herself by listening to Gon trying Killua's skateboard.
The boy in green seemed to be enjoying the company of the young assassin. Killua mentioned that Gon already knew about his family and true to his words, he doesn't look affected by it at all.
Killua on the other hand, seemed to be attached to him. He looked aloof and seemed to not care but she could tell he was having so much fun like a young ordinary kid playing with his best friend.
'Why did he enter the exam?' She wondered. What could be the reason? She doubts it's about money. With their line of jobs, his family must be rich. Hunting criminals? Nah… Looking for treasures or unexplored lands?
'Maybe for fun…' She deduced.
"Oh, come on!" Leorio's sudden outburst. He abruptly stands up from sitting against the silver podium. "It's been two hours … What if the others all took a different route?"
Because of his outburst, Sam straightened. "Relax, Leorio. We can't do anything about that."
But it seemed unacceptable to him. He hit his palm with his fist. "Only a fool would still be at the top of the tower."
"Then let's hope there's a remaining fool up there." She said.
"Calm down, Leorio," Kurapika said. "Complaining won't help."
'True.'
"What if no one shows up before we reach the time limit?" he went on rambling.
'It's not like they can do anything.'
Just then, they heard something from above.
"I can't just-"
"Shh! Quiet." Kurapika hissed to shut him up.
She heard a knocking outside. Sam looked up. The sound was getting louder. Along with the four, Sam stood up and gathered at the center. The tile moved a bit causing dust and small debris to fall, until it completely flipped open. A person dropped down heavily on the floor.
He groaned in pain. "Good grief…" The applicant muttered as he stood up.
Sam immediately lost all interest and turned around as if nothing happened. "It's just the rookie crusher."
"Tonpa-san," Gon said in surprise.
The three remaining teens looked at the newcomer with disappointment.
"Oh," Killua said flatly.
"It's the old man," Leorio said without much enthusiasm.
Only Gon welcomes him and instantly accepts his now part of a team. Gon explains to Tonpa about the warden's instruction and hands him the watch.
Just as soon as the last person put on the wristband, a door appeared on the other side of the room.
