Killua's training starts with a monster who refuses to die.

Raphael led the group to the next area, a wide-open field located deep in the far east wastelands. A chilling wind cut through their bones; a soft wailing was heard like an echo on the open winds.

Something called from the eerie darkness, but neither of the boys knew what it was. Just that it was there, waiting…

Raphael stopped abruptly, holding his hand up to gesture to the others to do the same.

"Can you hear him?" The teen hummed, idly listening to the audio cue points. He remembers the first time he tried to do this. He got the jump scare of his life. There is a way to actively find their spawn point by listening to calls. But it's so much easier just closing your eyes and waiting, like a siren's call beckoning them closer.

Killua listened. There was something in the wind, a low ghostly wail… a figure suffering. But as the teen listened, something about his friend's words and actions seemed off. He made it seem like the monster was closer than they thought.

He shook his head. No, that couldn't be right. It was only a whisper in the wind. They were somewhere in the distance.

Raphael turned to Killua "You just need to close your eyes and focus, listen to his pleas, because he's closer than you think."

Killua closed his eyes, listening to the pleas in the wind. Focusing only on making out the voice.

It was a ghostly wail, cries of agony and suffering.

Raphael turned back to the others, raising a finger to his lips. He wanted the others to experience it like he had, the second time he encountered this monster. He gestured to the area in front of them, the beckoning mist.

Gon wondered if it was always this foggy, a mist slowly creeping in on them. Raphael told them to remain quiet, so it must all be a part of this game.

Killua kept refocusing, listening to only what his friend pointed out. The voice got louder by the second until it stopped abruptly. There was nothing, just peace. It's as though there were never any hints of the cries ever existing.

Killua's face grimaced, trying to pinpoint the sound. But all he could hear was the wailing of the cooling wind.

Gon watched as a figure appeared out of the mist, silently stepping towards Killua. He got ready to move but Raphael shook his head. He motioned for him to remain still.

The figure stood before Killua silently, failing to move. They swayed as though their armour and sword were too heavy for them.

Killua kept waiting for something to happen. Without warning a voice screamed in his ear "Let me die…"

Killua's eyes snapped open. A figure garbed in dark armour stood before him with virtually no warning. His instinct kicked in, fingers sharpening as he lunged forward. Nails poised towards where their heart would be.

Raphael grasps Killua's wrist, yanking the boy back before he can trigger the fight. He knows how the creature moves and attacks, his heavy swing would target both Killua and Raphael due to their proximity. He couldn't have that since it'll break his promise with Bisky.

The figure slouched to one side, unfazed by the situation. It swayed to the other, slowly shuffling away as though it were a zombie.

Raphael let go of his friend's arm when it walked away. It remained in the area, but that didn't stop Killua from promptly yanking his arm away "What the fuck is it doing so close?"

"You listened to their pleas, so it was drawn to you."

"But it's so slow and clunky, like a-" Killua shot a glare at the monster, searching for specific clues. There was no aura connecting it with something at a distance.

So, it wasn't like a Remote Control Rat… or was it something subtle, something that was being contained within the armour?

His eyes darted over every spec of the suit, looking for anything that thrummed with excessive power.

But he couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary.

Raphael gestured to the creature, "I see you're already looking. But if you want to know, here's your hint. His weakness isn't as obvious. I know it isn't much, but once you start fighting the monster, you'll understand what I mean."

Shifting his stance, he directed the others' attention to the surrounding mountains, "I suggest we get some distance and a good view."

With that, the trio departed, leaving Killua to mull over his hint.

"~"

Killua shifted his attention back to the slumbering, zombie-like armour, focusing on the hint given to him. It doesn't look like a tough opponent.

If anything, the hint offered nothing substantial. Once he figures out the creature's weakness, it'll be a straightforward fight with his speed.

He drew his hand up, fingers sharpening. With a quick lunge, he aimed for a weak spot, the arm barely holding onto the blade. But right as his fingers closed the distance, a loud 'clang' echoed into the distance, the creature's shield being used to block his nails.

The monster had raised the hand holding the sword, swinging it slowly.

Killua moved out of the way, a gust of wind sailing by. It may move slowly, but it swings hard.

The unusual thing about the creature is that his defences are abnormally quick.

Killua moved to aim for a different area.

The shield blocked him off again. He let out an irritated click of his tongue, forced to back off again when they swung his sword.

Killua moved again, yet repeatedly it blocked any attempts he made. Shoulders, blocked. Knees, blocked.

The thing would probably block his fucken toes at this point.

He aimed for the same area just in case, landing three blows in the chest area. It blocked all three times, never moving the shield as if it knew his attacks in advance.

Now it was just acting obnoxious…

For something bellowing like he's suffering, he's doing everything in his power to live.

"~"

Raphael grinned. Knew how frustrating this fight could get the first time he fought them. This fight was just like Gon's, except, it is about precision.

Something Killua was good at.

It made him feel a little smug, that like him, Killua didn't immediately know their weakness.

The problem with this fight was it was strictly about accuracy. He couldn't aim for joints or body parts… he needed to aim for points littered across the monster's body that changed on every successful or failed hit.

The key to knowing which spot was to see where his flow weakened.

After he sees a rhythm, it's pretty much a game of memory. Chaining spots until it eventually weakens enough to fall apart.

But there's one point that is always weak, the temple of the helmet. If Killua aims for that, he's in for a different kind of difficulty.

It won't just be about precision… It'll be about speed as well.

"The monster looks hard…" Gon thought aloud about the situation. No matter what his friend did, it always blocked him. All he could do was watch his friend's irritation rise with every failure, "Are you sure this is possible?"

"Killua will figure it out. I know he will."

"He's smart." Bisky reaffirmed the boy's skill. She knows Killua can pull it off, once he sees what he's supposed to do.

"~"

Killua eventually gave up on aiming for random spots, eyes now glued to the monster. Avoiding every attack, they made while viewing for any kinks in the monster's perfect defence.

Time after time it swung with no difference in the creature's stance. Even his shield didn't seem to move around much.

The only weak point he noticed was at their temple, but it couldn't be that obvious. Outside of the aura flowing inward on the spot, the further you looked from the spot, the flow seemed to move in all directions, so it couldn't be that…

So, he focused back on the head, trying to see if there was anything else going on.

The aura did indeed flow inward, but there was no indicator of where their other weak points would be. The head seemed to be a key point, but it couldn't be his only weakness.

Raphael's hint pointed out that it was subtle enough not to be noticeable…

Then he noticed something. On the armpit, there was a similar point where the aura flowed inward.

Right as he swung his sword, Killua moved in. He rammed the key point with precision, his nails cutting through their defences.

The creature brought up his shield to defend, but not high enough to block the incoming attack. It was like he attacked a blind spot, something someone wouldn't normally think to hit…

Unless you were planning to tickle them.

But that wasn't the only thing, it was stunned briefly. It hadn't moved for the split second it was targeted. It was as though the creature was shocked on the spot. Once it recovered, he attempted to finish his last action.

Using that knowledge Killua looked around, spotting an area he tried to hit earlier. A spot on the hip.

Killua smacked the area, receiving similar results.

He kept the pattern up, finding three more target points. Right as he was about to hit the fifth point, he misjudged his angle, hitting it a little off to the side.

The shield was brought up, blocking the attack. It had completely covered the weak point. When he moved his shield back, Killua noticed the point was gone.

He scanned for any spots he hadn't touched, finding nothing to aim for. That was until the creature raised his sword. There was a spot along the underside of the arm.

It was in a hidden area. Maybe that's where the first spot always initiates, in an area that's not immediately noticeable.

He hit the area, scanning for the next spot. It was in an area he previously hit, the abdomen. It seems that while the next spot is random, there are certain areas it will appear on.

Making a mistake does reset the area, so there must be an indicator. The way they stand… the way he attacks. Something must give away such a tiny detail.

He thought about how it attacked. There must be a difference between where its weak point was and how it strikes.

There was…

It was the way they moved. When the spot was on their abdomen, they swung their sword from right to left, covering their whole body right before the reveal.

He thought about the last time he had to target the area. Did they move the same way… he was sure they did.

He looked at the way they moved, the downward swing, the spot was just along the collar, but there was another, still on their temple.

It was weird how there were always two areas. Was the temple considered a critical hit? Would the spot on the head change if he hits it?

But if there's something he was good at, that is memorising patterns.

He lunged at the creature, swinging his hand to chop across their collar.

With every hit, he watched the creature's armour chip away, whittling it down with every correct combo.

Whenever he makes a mistake, the damage he's taken remains. They must have a set amount of hit points, and the more successful chained hits you can get in a row may multiply the damage it takes.

At least, that's what Killua was hoping for. He couldn't imagine having hit the creature so many times, only to find out he had barely tickled them.

He kept going until he hit a ditch. Unable to find any more spots. Only the one on the head remains.

There couldn't be a maximum combo. That would've ultimately drawn out the fight. It could be somewhere on his back. But the way he attacks constantly would make it impossible to not only find the weak point but to hit it without being sliced in the process.

When the creature swung his blade, Killua shifted his stance.

Moving out of the way, he grabbed onto the hand, shifting his body with the momentum.

He slammed his foot into the creature's skull, knocking the helmet off.

It clattered to the floor, the creature remaining still.

He half expected the monster to disappear into a puff of smoke. He did, after all, decapitate them. But there was no blood or gore.

Then again, this was a game… a game he didn't think the creators would go to that extent with. That still didn't change the fact that the monster should've died. Instead, the armour whined, the sound of metal twisting as it stood up.

Killua forced himself back, creating distance between the enemy and himself.

Drawing aura across their blade, they exposed all their weak points in the process. However, his stance changing made Killua pause out of concern.

It was no longer moving like a shambling ghoul….

The figure stood like a knight, their guard up as though it had only now gotten serious.

For the first time, it ran towards him.

He barely moved out of the way, the blade barely missing his neck before swinging their sword back.

Killua moved to create some distance, but that only made them chase him down.

He drew his fingers back, slamming his fist into a weak point. It still stunned them briefly, but that didn't stop them long enough to allow him time to hit another point.

He tried the tactic again, this time aiming for two spots near each other. But when he tried to hit the next area, the creature merely knocked him back with its shield.

It moved the blade, sword poised for his chest. They lunged forward.

Sharpening his nails, he used it to redirect the blade, aiming for two spots farthest from each other.

The creature brought their weapon back, swinging it at Killua once more.

Killua shanked the enemy with his nails, rapidly targeting as many spots as possible. With each jab more shards of metal splinted off the enemy the two were forced to clash weapons.

"~"

Raphael whistled. He hadn't expected Killua to honestly, go toe-to-toe with Dullahan's speed. Or maybe the first time he fought them, he was just too slow. He had fought against Killua and managed to keep up.

Maybe, just maybe… he too could keep up with that monster's speed. He'd like to try fighting them again one day.

Yet, there was something else distinct about the fight. With each heavy rapid strike, he could hear a distinct sound. Is that metal sharpening against… metal?

It didn't look like Killua was wielding any blades, but he couldn't see anything else that could generate that sound.

He'll ask Killua… or maybe he could ask Gon. The boy has been travelling with his friend for a while, so he might know what's generating this sound "Hey, Gon. You wouldn't happen to know if Killua has any blades on him?"

"He doesn't. But his nails are incredibly sharp." Gon flashed a beaming smile at his friend.

"As metal?" Raphael scoffed at the idea, "No way his nails are as sharp as steel." He must have an extremely good manicure. Or at the very least, fantastic upkeep with those kitty claws of his.

"It is! I watched him pluck a man's heart out of his chest…"

"The fuck…" His head snapped to the boy, now questioning his physical prowess. Truthfully, he now questioned his friend Gon too. He stated that as though there was nothing fundamentally wrong with that statement. To make matters worse, it almost sounded like he was still impressed by Killua's claws. Not only that, at any point, Killua probably could've ripped his heart out like he was snatching a cookie from a jar, and he wouldn't have known till it was too late.

Should he be scared… or impressed? He highly doubts he should be worried, but now he's going to be looking at the boy in a different light. He's strong enough to rip someone's heart out… What exactly was his childhood like?

While Raphael was having a meltdown, Bisky was focused on something else. She held a thumb to the underside of her chin, analysing the fight. She understood the gist of the boys' differences.

When it comes to analysis and physical strength, Killua is stronger.

Gon makes up for it with his concentration and recovery speed.

I wonder how Raphael would fare in his fight?

Because to me, they already make a perfect team. With Raphael, he could bolster their strength… or provide a unique set of skills. If she had to guess just what she knows now, it would be information.

He has a knack for seeking out hidden quests. With Killua's ability to analyse information, and Raphael's ability to gather said information, they'll make a good team too.

The question now is how Gon and Raphael's skills meld together.

Would they be strong fighters… or skilled enough to learn to bounce off each other with good teamwork?

Maybe she should wait to see his fight before coming to that conclusion.

"~"

The monster's armour creaked and whined like a crane slowly collapsing under its weight. Killua aimed for heavier hits, noticing that the harder he hit the enemy now, the weaker it seemed to get. Or maybe it's always been like that. He's just never noticed because he had been so focused on hitting these points as though he were playing a game of Whack-a-mole.

When he should've been slamming them like it were a game of King of Hammer.

He slams his fist into a point on their abdomen, the metal creaking loudly. A metal 'pang' erupted when his hand carved through the back of the breastplate. He was shocked at the sudden weakness of their armour.

Killua's shock was interrupted a second later when he saw them lifting their sword. He was forced to rip his hand free, backing away before it could target him.

It swung at the air a few times before finally collapsing into a pile of metal shards, the softest sound of an exhaling breath escaped the armour like a spectre finally being freed from its confines.

A puff of smoke left behind a card; Killua swiped it before it could disappear. He panted heavily after his winnings, walking away from the fight with barely a bruise or chipped nail. He likes to think he did better than Gon. He was breathing so heavily because he was forced to increase his speed just to match the enemy.

At least he didn't try to knock the enemy out with Ko, but after knocking off their helmet, the fight did get progressively harder.

He was lucky they weren't faster than him…

He did have a few close calls though, nothing to be seriously worried about.

With a smirk he balanced the card on a single nail, smirking from his winning, "Piece of cake."

Dullahan, Wandering Vagabond

781 B - 10

An immortal knight. With skill and finesse, their defences make them a difficult opponent. It takes precision to knock them off their guard.

The three rejoined him, Gon cheering loudly as he hugged his friend. Killua felt a blush trickle up his skin, forcing his friend away before he could be squeezed to death. While Gon pouted, Raphael saw something else.

Even if Killua was deadly, around Gon, he was incredibly shy at times. He was a cat through and through. Aggressive when he needed to be, but skittish when it came to physical attention.

If he were a cat, he'd probably be the kind to scream like a banshee when he was hugged.

He had no reason to fear his new friend…

With a smile, he took in their friendship, one day hoping he could have a friend with a close bond like Gon and Killua do. Until then, he needed to focus on what was ahead. Dealing with capturing his own card "It looks like I'm up next. Time to introduce you to one of the major mini-bosses of the area, Retexicol."

A/N: Leave a review, it helps inspire me.