Gon and Killua sat on the ground, right in the middle of a puddle of acrid stomach acid. The booming steps of the source of the liquid, a giant frog, gradually grew quieter as the creature lumbered away.

The frog had been hiding underground along the path of the First Phase, though once the two boys tried to run above it, the creature snapped its jaws shut, all but guaranteeing the boys' untimely end. At least, until the frog seemingly changed its mind.

"I guess he didn't like the way we tasted," Gon chuckled.

The white-haired boy picked a bright orange can off the ground. "Nah, it was this stuff."

"Oh! The drink Tonpa gave you. It must've saved us."

"Yeah, probably," Killua said as he dropped the can. "But I could've escaped without it."

Gon scanned the area around him. "I'm still worried about the others, though."

"What, you're worried about them? Rioleo,"

"Leorio," Gon corrected.

Killua gave Gon a look. "Close enough. Ogre,"

"…You mean Tenulan?"

"Yeah. And what was the blond guy's name…"

"Kuapika."

"Right, Kurapika. They'll be fine."

"What about Orin?"

"Orin?" Killua repeated, then paused. As far as he knew, the other boy their age was being literally carried to the finish line by that giant, Tenulan. Sure, Orin by himself was doomed. But he wasn't alone. And Tenulan could probably pass the Hunter Exam for two people without a problem, judging by how he looked…

"We'd better make sure they're okay," Gon blurted out, breaking Killua's train of thought.

The white-haired stood with a frown. As far as he was concerned, there was no point in backtracking to find the others. No time, either. "Forget about them. We need to keep moving. We can still make it if we start right now."

With that, Killua started to run in a direction he hoped would lead him to the main path. Gon stood to follow and took a few steps himself before stopping. A look of determination flashed across the boy's face as he turned to run the other way.

/\/\/\

Orin was frozen in place alongside Leorio, Kurapika, and Tenulan. The boy's mind, despite its best efforts, was blank. His breath was shaky as Hisoka, the clown-turned-serial-killer, slowly passed the bodies of his victims.

"Guys." Kurapika's voice was low, but loud enough to snap Orin out of his trance. The blond stared forward as he spoke. "Wait for my signal. Then, we run in opposite directions. Leorio and Tenulan, you two stick together. Orin and I will go the other way."

"What?" Leorio turned his head slightly to catch the other applicant in the corner of his eye.

"The fact of the matter is that he's far more experienced than any of us when it comes to fighting. Even if we all attacked at once, I doubt we'd be able to win."

Kurapika's voice grew more desperate. "We're short on time, and we can't afford to waste more on a fight we can't even win."

Right. Orin's eyes darted around the clearing, trying to plan an escape route. And if we split up, Hisoka won't be able to catch all of us. Just two of us. The boy's legs started to shake. Shit, if he goes after me and Kurapika, Hisoka'll definitely kill me. But if he goes after Tenulan and Leorio, could Tenulan…?

While Orin was lost in thought, the distance between him and Hisoka steadily shrunk. A palpable feeling of dread filled the air. With a flick of the wrist, a new playing card flashed into Hisoka's hand. After another step, the clown began to raise his arm forward. That dread now flowed over the applicants, becoming concentrated around them.

Somewhere in the distance, a flock of birds took flight, as if sensing the danger.

The time had come. Kurapika's voice pierced through the clearing. "Now! Run!"

Orin's eyes widened as he felt the slight rush of wind as the other applicants dashed away from certain death. And as much as the boy wanted to join them, he found himself stuck in place. No matter how hard he willed his legs to move, they would not budge.

Now, he stood alone as Hisoka stopped a few feet away. A grin began to spread across the clown's face. "I see. They made a very smart choice." Hisoka started to chuckle, then laugh. The sound made Orin want to crawl out of his skin. After a second or two, the clown stopped himself, his eyes glancing in the directions that Kurapika, Leorio, and Tenulan ran.

Yellow eyes met pale green ones. "So tell me, boy. Did they leave you behind?"

"W-what?" Orin managed.

"Did your friends choose to sacrifice you? So that they could escape?"

Orin's breath became caught in his throat. No, they didn't. They wouldn't.

Hisoka sighed. "No, that can't be it. Then, are you going to fight me? To try and slow me down?"

Orin swallowed. What? Fight?

The clown took a step forward. "Come on, then. Fight me."

Orin closed his eyes, shaking his head. "No!"

"No?"

"I don't stand a chance in a fight against you." Orin clenched his fists as he held is arms at his sides. "So, I won't fight you."

Hisoka's grin began to fade. "Then, why are you still here?"

Shit. Okay, can't run now. Can't fight, either. Only one other option. Orin opened his eyes, keeping his gazed trained on the clown's shoes. "Well, I…"

"Don't tell me," Hisoka's grin had been replaced with a frown. "You realized that you couldn't escape?"

"I…" The boy tried to steel his nerves as he turned his head upward. This better work. He raised his hands, uncurling his fingers to show the empty palms within. "I surrender."

The look in Hisoka's eyes sent shivers down Orin's spine. Please. Oh, please. The air hung heavily around him. Don't kill me.

"I'm disappointed," Hisoka began. Orin's eyes widened. The feeling of dread grew to an unbearable level. "I was hoping you'd at least try to run. But surrendering?"

The flow of dread became a torrent of malice.

"That's just unacceptable." The clown pulled his arm back, card in hand. "Hunters should never surrender. That means…"

The torrent narrowed itself, focusing to a point, which stabbed itself right through Orin.

"You fail."

Hisoka's arm flew forward in a blur. Orin instinctively screwed his eyes shut, bracing himself from the weapon that would soon pierce his skull. So, he stood there, breaths fast and shallow, waiting for death to take him away. This is it, then. Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do wrong?

A second passed. Then another. Orin didn't feel any card hit him. Am I already dead? The boy heard a soft thump in front of him. He opened his eyes slightly to see what the noise was. Once he saw the same grass he had seen just moments ago, his eyes quickly opened the rest of the way. Huh? Where's the… The boy's eyes drifted up past the bag that must have been dropped to the ground to see a large figure hunched in front of him, blocking Hisoka from view. Who…?

/\/\/\

Tenulan clenched his teeth as he breathed through the pain. The burning sensation of a cut bloomed through his right forearm. The cut was deep, yet narrow. The source of the wound wedged defiantly upright against his skin. With a grunt, he yanked Hisoka's card loose from its resting place, letting the card drop to the ground. A few drops of blood followed its descent. All the while, Tenulan's eyes were trained on Hisoka.

The clown's grin returned to his face. "Now, isn't this interesting?"

Tenulan drew a pair of knives in a fluid motion before spreading his arms wide without saying a word. In fact, his mind was mostly silent as well. Thoughts had long since faded as his mind focused only on the foe in front of him.

Hisoka struck a casual pose, resting a hand against his hip. "And that look on your face is just… exquisite." He took a small step forward with his left foot.

"Not another step," Tenulan finally spoke, his voice firm.

Hisoka chuckled. "But what if I do? What will you do to me if I take another step forward?"

Tenulan widened his stance, a fire burning in his dark brown eyes. Hisoka's grin grew.

"How about I find out?" Hisoka asked as he took a second step with his other foot, the motion slow and dramatic. The moment his leg reached its peak, Tenulan suddenly lunged forward, a knife aimed at the clown's right shoulder. With an outstretched arm, the applicant's attack looked to be a sure hit on the clown.

But as soon as the tip of the blade should have touched Hisoka's shirt, the clown became a puff of smoke, as if he melted into the fog itself. Tenulan's eyes widened as he began to stumble slightly forward, as he did not expect his knife to strike only air. Not a second later, he felt the familiar rush of dread against the back of his neck. That wave of violence made manifest intensified as Tenulan's head began to turn all too slowly.

Sure enough, Hisoka had reappeared just behind him. The clown had a sinister gleam in his eye as he stretched a hand towards the other applicant, his nails pointed towards his prey like claws. Tenulan, still off balance, could do nothing but watch as the hand grew closer. But Hisoka was interrupted before he could catch his prey, as a thick branch swung towards the side of the clown's head.

Attached to the other end of the branch was Leorio, his teeth gritted as he swung. The branch struck the side of Hisoka's head with a dull thwack, catching him by surprise. The attack gave Tenulan a window to return to a fighting stance. For a moment, the applicants all stood still.

Hisoka suddenly laughed as he turned to face Leorio. "You too?" The clown paused. Leorio glared at the clown. "Oh, I adore that look." He rubbed his cheek where Leorio's branch hit. "And that was a good swing, too."

"Shut it already!" Leorio spat.

Tenulan looked at the taller applicant to his side. "I told you to stay hidden."

"And just let you get killed, too?" Leorio replied. "I don't care if this isn't my fight. I can't run away, same as you."

Tenulan shook his head. "Very well. We have a greater chance of winning if we fight together, anyway."

Hisoka cleared his throat. "Well, now. That's not very fair to me, is it? I can't judge as well if both of you fight me at once."

"What do you mean?" Tenulan asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm evaluating your potential as Hunters, remember?" Hisoka answered, raising his hands in a shrug. His yellow eyes bounced between the two applicants before him. "Although…"

In a flash, Hisoka was in front of Leorio, fist clenched as he began to crouch. Leorio had no time to react before a powerful uppercut struck his face. The sheer force of the blow was enough to lift the tall applicant off the ground as his teashades flew away from his nose. His body was limp as he hit the ground with a thud.

Tenulan's mouth hung open as he watched the applicant who probably saved his life lay unmoving on the ground. Great Sky above. Leorio… His grip on the knives in his hands tightened. I am sorry. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. The applicant lunged at Hisoka. Like before, the clown vanished into the fog before Tenulan could land a hit. This time, however, Hisoka reappeared to Tenulan's right. The clown crouched down, resting his head in his hand as he looked the other applicant over.

Tenulan grunted as he pivoted, swinging his knife in a wide arc, causing Hisoka to vanish again.

Hisoka sighed from behind the dark-haired applicant. "You know, I'm beginning to see a pattern." Tenulan jabbed an elbow backwards, hitting only fog.

"All of your attacks seem to be aimed towards my limbs," Hisoka noted, hands clasped as he crouched a few feet in front of Tenulan, who once again lunged forward.

"And that's despite those knives of yours having such a well-kept edge," The clown mused as he reappeared, dragging a finger slowly down one of Tenulan's suspenders. The dark-haired applicant jumped back, away from Hisoka.

"So, tell me: why won't you commit?" Hisoka stood slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be a tease. Do I have to spell it out?"

"That should not be needed," Tenulan replied hesitantly. "And I am not mocking you."

Hisoka slowly approached Tenulan. "What? Oh, Basic isn't your first language, I see. Fine, fine. I guess I have no other choice…" The clown stopped a just a few feet away from the other applicant. "Where are you from, anyway? I can't think of any country that doesn't speak Basic."

"Get to your purpose."

"Hm? Well, I happened to be enjoying our conversation, but since you're so eager," Hisoka leaned forward, sticking his face mere inches from the other applicant's. "Why aren't you trying to kill me?"

"That is none of your business." Tenulan glared into the yellow eyes in front of him. I refuse to do such a thing. You, who kills without hesitation, cannot ever understand.

Hisoka leaned back casually. "Maybe so, but your face tells me all I need to know. It's okay to be scared your first time. It gets easier, trust me."

Easier? Tenulan clenched his teeth before making a tentative stab at Hisoka's shoulder. Do you not value human lives, Hisoka? The clown leaned to the side, casually dodging Tenulan's attack. "My, my. Had enough talking?"

Tenulan swung his already outstretched arm inward in response. To kill another person is to forever taint your own soul. I cannot allow such a fate to befall me, even when faced with a murderer like Hisoka.

"Suit yourself." A grin quickly spread across Hisoka's face as he ducked. So I must win this fight.

Tenulan's mind grew cloudy, much like the fog surrounding him, as his frustration grew. And I shall show mercy. I will deny him the release of death. No matter what he tried, he could not as much as touch Hisoka. The clown, on the other hand, could dodge any and all attacks without so much as breaking a sweat. Making matters worse was that Hisoka wasn't fighting back. Has he no way of fighting back? He ducked, dodged, and weaved, but never went on the offensive. No. He is treating me as if I am a child, unable to hold a blade properly. I will show him his mistake.

With a grunt, Tenulan planted his foot and lunged as he had done before. And in turn, Hisoka melted into the fog. The clown reappeared behind the other applicant, muttering to himself. Unlike Tenulan's previous attacks, though, he didn't fully lean into the strike, expecting Hisoka to reposition himself in the blink of an eye. With his other arm, Tenulan plunged a knife backwards to where the clown now stood.

/\/\/\

Orin's breath caught in his throat as he watched from across the clearing as Tenulan's attack approached Hisoka. That just might work. It has to work. And to the boy's surprise, Hisoka did not vanish from sight. Instead, though, the clown casually pushed Tenulan's arm to the side, redirecting the attack completely. The sudden move spun the rest of Tenulan's body around to face Hisoka directly. The dark-haired applicant's eyes grew wide as Hisoka pulled his other hand back in a fist before planting it directly in Tenulan's cheek.

Oh, no.

The force of the blow sent Tenulan sailing through the air, limbs dangling as he soon hit the ground and began rolling. Orin watched Tenulan, the one responsible for getting him in this mess, the one responsible for getting him this far, roll across the clearing until the dark-haired applicant at last slammed into a tree on the far side of the clearing.

His body slumped against the ground.

Oh, no, no, no.

Hisoka's posture was casual as he slowly walked across the clearing towards Tenulan. Meanwhile, Orin was still frozen in place, only able to watch what was unfolding. First Leorio, now Tenulan… Damnit! This only happened because I didn't run!

The boy trembled as the clown took another step. Should I run now, when Hisoka isn't looking? Or do I attack? Can I attack? He shook his head. Doesn't matter. They came back to protect me. Orin glanced at Leorio. The tall applicant laid face down in the grass. Wait a second. Is he… breathing? It was hard to tell from the distance, but the boy could just make out the slow rise and fall of Leorio's torso.

That turned out to be enough to break the spell holding Orin's legs in place. The boy scampered over to Leorio, confirming his suspicions. Leorio was alive, but most definitely unconscious. Orin sighed in relief before looking over to the opposite side of the clearing.

Hisoka was growing ever closer to Tenulan, who remained motionless against the tree he flew into. Tenulan, please don't be dead. The boy watched as the clown took his time walking over to the dark-haired applicant, giving him a clear view of the small red ball flying out of the fog towards Hisoka. What is that?

With a sharp crack, the ball hit Hisoka right in the face, stopping the clown in his tracks. The ball flew back into the fog from where it originally came. Orin could just make out what looked like a small piece of metal fixed to the ball fluttering behind as it flashed in the pale light of the swamp. The fog began to clear as the object entered it, revealing the source of the attack.

Gon? Orin's mind drew a blank for a second. Wait, why is he here now too?

"I made it," Gon said to himself between heavy breaths. He… made it? What? Is he some sort of psychic? No, those aren't real. But how'd he know? The red ball that struck Hisoka turned out to be the bobber at the end of Gon's fishing rod. And what the hell is that thing made of?

Hisoka slowly turned to face the newest arrival. "Not bad, little boy."

Gon clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on his fishing rod.

"Is that a fishing pole?" Hisoka continued. "What an interesting weapon."

The clown began to approach Gon, holding up a hand as he did so. "Can I have a look?"

Orin tried to call out to the other boy, to tell him to run, but his own voice was caught in his throat. You idiot! Run while you still can!

If the boy in green could read minds, he wasn't listening. Instead, his knuckles turned white as he gripped his fishing rod tighter before leaping into the air. As he began to fall back down, Gon raised his weapon above his head.

He swung down, using his fishing pole as a club aimed for the top of Hisoka's head. Of course, the attack flew through the clown as he vanished once again. Gon, you better not be stupid. You won't be able to hit that guy again…

Gon landed in a crouched position, his head swiveling around to find just where Hisoka went. For a moment, the clown reappeared next to Tenulan's motionless body, but he blinked out of sight again before crouching down to the boy's level, head resting in hand.

"Did you come here to help your friends?" Hisoka asked as Gon leapt away. The boy landed brandishing his fishing rod.

But Hisoka was behind Gon again, in the same pose. Orin was watching, but he couldn't even see the clown move. It was as if Hisoka could teleport.

"What a good boy."

Gon turned and swung his makeshift club in a wide arc, but once again, Hisoka vanished in a puff of smoke. Or is he turning into fog? Stay focused, Orin! It doesn't matter what that creep turns into!

Hisoka slid into view a few feet away from Gon, a grin spread across the clown's face. "And that look…"

Gon began to hop away from Hisoka, and the boy swung his fishing rod with each jump. Each swing sent the bobber flying through the air, desperately trying to hit its target.

One swing missed completely. Hisoka, eyes closed and arms crossed, calmly walked after the boy. "Well done."

The clown leaned to the side slightly to avoid the next swing. "Very nice."

Hisoka's voice began to shake with anticipation. "I'm beginning to get excited."

After another swing caused the bobber to sail harmlessly past Hisoka's head, Gon stopped backpedaling. What are you doing? Run! Despite Orin's silent pleas, the look in the other boy's eyes indicated that there would be no such thing.

Gon muttered a word to himself before raising his fishing rod above his head. Whatever you've got planned, Gon, it better work.

With a mighty swing, the bobber flew towards Hisoka once more. This time, though, just before it reached the clown, Gon pulled the bobber straight down with a practiced move. Huh?

The speed of the bobber caused it to spray mud into the air. Oh, I get it. Block his vision to get a surprise attack, like when you first got here. In a flash, Gon was flying through the air behind Hisoka, fishing rod readied for battle. That's pretty sm—

Just as fast as Gon moved around Hisoka, the clown caught the boy in midair, Hisoka's hand wrapped firmly around Gon's neck. –art. Oh, this is bad. Shit.

Gon's eyes widened as he suddenly found himself unable to breathe. His fishing rod dropped uselessly to the ground as he tried to pry himself free. But despite his effort, Hisoka's grip remained like steel as the clown stared with a viscous smile.

Shit. Orin's mouth hung open. It's time to do something. His eyes darted around the clearing. Need a weapon. Pale green eyes landed on the silver sheen of a fishing rod. Gon's fishing rod. If he can use it as a weapon, then…

Orin scrambled across the clearing. While he didn't so much as try to stay out of sight, Hisoka didn't seem to notice. The clown's attention was directed solely at the other boy, flailing in his grasp. Hisoka laughed. "It's so delightful."

Hands shaking, Orin grabbed the fishing rod off the ground. It was lighter than he expected, considering what Gon was using it for just minutes before. Nonetheless, he tensed his body as he pulled back to swing.

Hisoka's face curled upwards as his grip tightened further. "I really love that look."

The clown's tone sent shivers down Orin's spine. Now or never! The boy swung the fishing rod with all his might, the club arcing through the air towards Hisoka's head.

A dull thud echoed through the clearing. But it was not the sound of metal striking bone. It was the sound of Hisoka's foot planting itself in Orin's stomach. And for a moment, the boy's world moved silently in slow motion.

He sailed through the air, his body weightless. He couldn't even feel the air rush around him as the edge of the clearing grew closer at an alarming rate. Huh. Wonder how that happened.

Just as quickly as the sensation arrived, it crashed down to earth with the boy's limp body. He rolled and skidded across the wet grass before finally flopping to a stop near where he stood frozen seconds before. And with his body at rest, Orin finally felt the pain.

Owww. His back was flat against the ground as he stared blankly into the clouded sky above him. OWWWWW. He opened his mouth to voice his pain, but he only managed a noise of something between a moan and a scream.

His stomach was definitely the worst spot, which felt as if every cell in the region was crushed flat. The only silver lining there was that the rest of his body served as padding for his spine, so it remained mostly unscathed.

Of course, there was a solid chance that at least one other bone in his body had broken, though if any did, Orin couldn't really feel anything else. Thinking wasn't going much better. OOWWWWWWW! SHIIIT! The boy closed his eyes as tears began to flow.

It felt like an eternity before a shadow draped itself across Orin's face, blocking the afternoon light from seeping through his eyelids. He squinted through the tears and pain, but quickly wished he hadn't, since Hisoka was leaning in much too close.

"I'm so glad." The clown had a grin plastered on his face.

Orin blinked. "Huh?"

"You were able to pass, after all. And don't worry. I didn't kill any of your friends. They passed, too."

"P… Pass?"

"Now, go and become a good Hunter. I have high hopes."

What the hell is he-Ow. Hurts too much to think.

Hisoka leaned back onto the balls of his feet, remaining in a low squat. Orin slowly turned his head to keep the clown in sight. Doing so revealed that Gon, on his hands and knees, was much farther away than when Orin last remembered, though the boy in green did seem to still be alive, at least.

The brief silence was interrupted by an electronic ringing noise from one of Hisoka's pockets. He casually pulled out a device Orin had never seen before. It reminded him of a phone, but this one didn't have any cables attached to it. It was much smaller, too, being just a little longer than the clown's palm. An antenna stuck out the top next to a short knob, somewhat reminding the boy of a radio, like one found in a car.

Orin was transfixed by the device, only growing more intrigued when a new, garbled voice spoke from it.

"Hisoka, you should get back here. We've almost reached the Second Phase venue."

Hisoka lifted the device closer to himself. "Okay," he said with a sigh. "I'll be right there." With that, he pressed a button before standing up to his full height. As he began to walk across the clearing, he said, "It's good to have friends, isn't it?"

Orin, as well as Gon, watched silently as Hisoka picked up the unconscious body of Leorio, draping the tall applicant across his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He looked over his shoulder at Gon. The clown asked with a hint of condescension, "Can you find your own way back?"

After a second, Gon silently nodded.

"Good boy."

Hisoka turned away, leaving without another word. His silhouette quickly vanished in the fog, allowing for the other applicants to finally catch their breath.

Orin rolled onto his side, watching Gon. The kick from Hisoka would definitely remain sore for days, but the worst of the pain had subsided for the time being. This allowed Orin to finally begin to shake the fog from his mind as he scanned the edges of the fog outside of it.

So he's gone? The boy patted himself down. Nothing feels broken, I think. He slowly moved to a sitting position. Okay. I almost died.

Orin blinked. I almost died. Hisoka would've killed me if it weren't for… He scanned the edge of the clearing once more, his eyes settling on the applicant slumped in front of a tree. Tenulan.

With his whole body shaking, Orin made his way onto his feet. Now what?

From somewhere beyond the fog, a voice pierced the silence. "You guys! Are you alright?"

Kurapika. The boys turned to see the blond applicant running towards them, the bodies of the other applicants strewn across the space between. Gon silently nodded as Kurapika drew close. Orin joined the two in the center of the clearing. The blond surveyed the area, noticing Tenulan, who began to stir.

"Where's Leorio?" Kurapika asked after he made a full circle.

"Hisoka…" Orin began. "Took him."

"Took him? Where?"

"To the Second Phase venue, I think."

Kurapika sighed, a hint of relief tinging his voice. "Okay." He turned towards Tenulan, who was resting his head against the tree behind him. "Tenulan, are you alright?"

After a short pause, the dark-haired applicant replied, "Not all is right. But I am alive."

"That will have to do for now, I'm afraid. Can you stand?"

Tenulan braced himself, one arm glued to the tree as he slowly raised himself from the ground. After a shaky step, he pushed off of the tree. "I will manage."

Orin frowned. He looks frustrated. Was it something Hisoka said?

"Now then," Kurapika nodded. "Does anyone know where to go now?"

Gon took a deep breath through his nose, briefly turning his head away from the group. Turning back, he replied with a nod, "I do."

"Lead the way, then."

The four began to run in the direction Hisoka disappeared in. As they went, the fog around them slowly began to lift.

For a while, the applicants ran in silence, leaving Orin to his glanced at the blond applicant beside him. Kurapika seemed to be worried about Leorio. Have they known each other long?

A glance forward, towards the other boy. Gon seems… shaken. Is he going to be okay? Hisoka almost killed him, too…

He shook his head. Now's not the time. If I think about that too much, I'll probably freeze up again. The boy closed his eyes for a moment. I'm safe now.

He opened them again before furrowing his brow. Tenulan wasn't scared. He's mad instead. Hisoka definitely said something. Or maybe he's just frustrated that he lost?

I could ask.

Screw it. "Hey, Tenulan."

"Hm? What is it, Orin?" The dark-haired applicant's voice was slightly surprised, like he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Did Hisoka," Orin paused for a moment as he tried to figure out how to ask. "Did he say something to you? Something that's bothering you?"

For a second, the only response was the rhythmic pounding of boots against dirt.

"You don't have to say wh—"

"Hisoka does not value life."

"—at?"

"I suppose that was already clear when he killed those men before. But I did not know how little he cares. I did not know how easy it could be for someone like him to kill." Tenulan paused. "This angers me. I was taught that killing another person leaves a mark on your soul. A mark you cannot remove. It can only grow. For Hisoka to give in and feed it so readily…"

"It must have already consumed him," Kurapika spoke up suddenly, finishing the sentence. "Right?"

"Yes." Tenulan sounded confused. "Is this a common teaching? I was unaware."

"Not exactly," Kurapika began. "Murder is considered evil by nearly every group of people, but the specifics vary from place to place. The idea of a mark on the soul is a relatively popular one."

"I see."

"That does give me a pretty good idea of where you're from, though."

Huh? Where Tenulan's from? "What do you mean, Kurapika?" Orin asked.

"That's enough." Tenulan's voice grew firm.

"I know this is a sensitive topic for you, Tenulan, but we'll have to learn it eventually," Kurapika noted, before adding, "And I already know the answer."

Silence once again befell the group.

"Very well," Tenulan sighed. "Kurapika, you may explain."

"Thank you. Now, as I said, the 'mark on the soul' idea is quite common in this day and age. However, Tenulan is from somewhere that's detached from the rest of the world. That much was already clear. Conveniently, the 'mark on the soul' originated in the same country that Tenulan must be from."

"Which is…?"

"Aljanin. It's a country that lies entirely on a steppe of the same name, leaving it isolated from the rest of the world."

Aljanin. Have I heard of that before? "Wait, if they're isolated from the rest of the world, how did that mark idea originate there?"

"The people of Aljanin were once conquerors," Kurapika explained. "Hundreds of years ago, they left the steppe, expanding their sphere of influence. Many parts of their culture spread this way."

A lightbulb went off in Orin's head. "Right! I remember reading about the Aljanin Empire when I was little. It was the largest empire ever, all under the control of Delkan Khan. Tenulan, is that true?"

"Yes. My people, the Surlaak, did so. The stories of Delkan Khan have been passed down for generations," Tenulan began to sound disappointed, in a way. "But the Surlaak today are different from those of the past."

"Oh." Orin was unsure how to continue the conversation. Tenulan's from Aljanin. I wonder he got exiled, though. He left out a lot of details.

"You seem to know more of my people than most, Kurapika." Tenulan's voice was no longer disappointed. Instead, it held a dark edge.

"I suppose I do," Kurapika replied calmly.

"Then you know why I am here now."

A short pause.

"I do."

"And you understand why I have not spoken of this until now."

Another pause.

"Yes."

"I ask that you respect my reason for not speaking of this, and that you do not force me to do so again."

"That's fine."

"Good."

What was that about?

/\/\/\

Tenulan ran in silence after his exchange with Kurapika, hoping for the atmosphere around the group to lighten up. For a few minutes, the only sound was the breaths of the four applicants following the path.

The silence was broken when they reached a fork. As they approached, Gon called out, "This way," taking the path on the right.

Tenulan eyed the two branches of the path. Strange. I cannot see any tracks on either path. "Gon, how are you tracking the rest of the applicants? I cannot find any signs of them."

"Leorio wears this really distinct cologne," the boy explained. "I can smell it from miles away, no problem."

Smell? Tenulan took a deep breath through his nose. The only scents the Surlaaki found were those of the swamp. I did not notice if Leorio had a unique smell or not. I wonder how he can find it from so far away, though.

After a few seconds of silence, Gon spoke up again. "Hey, I've been thinking. What do you think Hisoka meant when he said that we passed?"

Passed? What is he talking about? Hisoka did not say such a thing to me.

"I'm not sure," Kurapika replied, "But I think he was evaluating other applicants. Playing judge."

"Judge?" Gon repeated. Ah, Hisoka did say such a thing when we met.

"Yes. He must have his own standards for evaluating a person's skills," Kurapika explained. "It's possible that he was measuring the strength of each applicant. If that's the case, you, Orin, Tenulan, and Leorio met those standards, whatever they happen to be."

Tenulan frowned. The standards must be different from just strength. Even I was powerless against Hisoka.

"That makes sense," Gon began. "But I wasn't able to do anything to stop him."

"You landed your first hit on him. That's something, right?" Kurapika offered.

Tenulan blinked. I do not remember such a thing. Did Hisoka knock me unconscious? If so, how long was it until I was awake again?

Gon leaned his head back a bit. "That's only because I took him by surprise."

"I do not believe anyone else could even manage that," Tenulan added. "I know I was completely bested by him."

"But Hisoka said you passed anyway. Same with me and Leorio," Orin noted.

Kurapika hummed in thought for a moment. "Maybe he sensed that you all had kindred spirits."

"Kindred spirits?" Orin repeated.

"I don't think Hisoka is qualified to become a Hunter," Kurapika explained. "However, I must admit that I'm impressed by his superhuman agility and the gracefulness of his technique. Someone who possesses such unique skills is often drawn to others with similar talents of their own. It's likely that, based on his intuition and experience, he could tell that the four of you have the potential to become Hunters."

I see. Hisoka believes that I can become a Hunter. No, not just myself, but Gon, Leorio, and Orin as well. I suppose that may be the case, though I do not know how he can tell.

"So, from his perspective, it would've been a waste to kill you all now."

Ah. The other applicants were silent. It did seem that Hisoka had no trouble killing, and even enjoyed it.

"Sorry, that sounded horrible," Kurapika realized.

"That is only because Hisoka is himself horrible," Tenulan noted. And yet, I still live because of his whim. Because he believes I will grow stronger and face him again. The Surlaaki's jaw clenched.

"Yeah. It sucks, but that's how the Hunter Exam works," Orin agreed.

Gon nodded as well before adding, "Actually, I kinda felt excited back there."

Excited?

"I was so scared that all I wanted to do was run away. But I couldn't, so I was excited at the same time." Gon looked back at the other three applicants as he ran. "Weird, right?"

Silence was the only response. Fear and excitement in the face of danger. I did not feel that way, but I have heard of such things before. Gon, you have the warrior's spirit in you. You need not know it yet, but it will carry you far.

/\/\/\

Kurapika couldn't shake the strange feeling he got from Tenulan. Kurapika's knowledge of Surlaaki culture was limited, which is why he didn't recognize the description of their homeland by Tenulan hours earlier. He did know enough to be newly wary of the young man before him, though. Surlaaki bands were tight-knit communities, and individuals seldom moved between these groups. For one to be here, so far from the steppe? Something drastic must have happened.

That lined up with what Tenulan said in the tunnel. He was exiled from his band, leaving him nowhere to go. However, for a band to exile one of their own, the person needed to pose a real threat to the survival of the group. That part didn't line up. He said that he was taking the Hunter Exam to prove his strength. And yet, he was exiled. Tenulan was hiding an important piece of his past.

Kurapika kept Tenulan in his sight as the applicants continued down the path. The Surlaaki didn't seem to be the dishonest type. Even so, Kurapika couldn't rule out the possibility that Tenulan lied about his reason for taking the Exam. For his own safety, Kurapika would have to keep his distance and observe. If Tenulan was in fact a threat, his mask would slip eventually. Kurapika needed to be ready for that to happen.

He frowned. Something Tonpa said before the Exam began rang through his head. Even though Tonpa was as untrustworthy as they came, some of his advice felt too on the nose to be lies. For example…

"…even the Devil himself could pass."


Lessons in Surlaaki Culture 104

Aljanin is a landlocked country defined by the extend of the steppe of the same name, lying along the border of the Federation of Ochima. Its size and inhospitable geography renders it isolated from the rest of the world, with no roads entering the country, nor have any airship ports been built. The remote nature of the region has the side effect of protecting much of the Federation of Ochima's land border from a direct invasion, which has allowed for the country to grow without fear of attacks from the south.

The Surlaak are the ethnic group of people who live within the Aljanin Steppe. While they seldom, if ever, leave the region, there are people as far north as the Kakin Empire that have found an ancestor from Aljanin, indicating that the Aljanin Empire spanned multiple continents, easily making it the largest in recorded history. In modern times, other countries leave Aljanin to its own devices, partly out of respect for their once grand empire, and partly because there is simply not enough to gain from attempting to control the steppe.

It is largely unknown if any natural resources are present in and on the steppe. This is not due to any belligerence by the Surlaak. Rather, it is due to the immense difficulty in reaching the steppe compounded with the brutal cold that prevents any research from being conducted. The most recent known attempt to contact any Surlaaki, while successful, was conducted to obtain a signature for the Inviolability Treaty. Of course, the Surlaak were one of the least likely to attempt the acts prohibited by the treaty, so the signature was mostly symbolic.


Hi, it's Glaive, the author! I'm still kicking! Thanks for reading!

First off, to address the anonymous (I think? I'm not familiar with how this website works in regards to that) question asked on the previous chapter. The question was if Tenulan is stronger than Hisoka. The answer: Tenulan is strong, but not more so than Hisoka. I don't think this will come as much of a surprise, especially if you read the chapter above. Hisoka is just that absurdly strong. I'd estimate that Tenulan is just below Killua in terms of pure physical strength. In case it wasn't also clear, Orin is not physically strong. He's easily the weakest out of the group of protagonists (who are all kind of absurdly strong; Orin's more in line with your average 12-year-old, if they could run ultramarathons).

(Thanks for the question, mysterious person! Other people: You can ask questions if you want, though I make no guarantees on if/when I answer them :) )

Moving on, I didn't lie when I said that life was going to pick up for me. It did. School does that sometimes. And even though I'm done with that (for now), I of course have to work, and my bosses probably wouldn't be happy if they caught me writing fanfiction when I'm on the clock.

So that's what's been going on for me. I didn't have all that much time (or drive) to write at all in the past eight months (besides a silly oneshot for April Fool's Day that I wrote in all of a couple of hours). As such, that other project I alluded to still isn't done. Oops.

I still want to finish that, but at this exact moment, I wanted to write this more. Not to mention that this chapter was about halfway written for the past few months.

To wrap things up, eight months was a long time, huh? I make no promises of when the next chapter will be done. It could be tomorrow, or eight months again. Or even longer. There's a good chance it'll be that third option. But, like before, know that I will return. Eventually.

Alright, enough rambling.

"See you next time!" – Dolce Kamiya, Yakuza 0