The three continue to discuss things as they walk.

Now that the basics were out of the way, Killua and Gon were free to ask more questions, probing Raphael for extra information. Gon went first, "If we get hit with a spell does it hurt?"

"Like I said earlier, nothing is designed to hurt you. A flash of bright light will hit you and that's about it. You won't even notice you're under the effects of a spell card."

"What about the spell system? Is it magic based?" Killua posed his question, eyes lingering on Raphael's back, "Or is it Nen based?"

"It's probably closer to inscription rather than outright Nen-based. I'm sure you would've run into it at one point by now. It looks like symbols plastered across an object."

"Oh?" Killua found himself turning to Gon, "The box the ring and memory card was in."

"Yeah!"

"Any more questions?"

"Yeah, Latarza, the player you fought said Return, what is that?"

"It's Return, on. Then you must mention a town or player's name to cast it. It sends you off to wherever you requested. It's a single-person target spell card though, so it would've sent only himself to the target location. Accompany is the group version. I have one on me, but I rather not use it since you two are fresh players. I want to introduce you to the game mechanics as we go along."

"Understood…" Killua understood the sentiment of his friend's thinking process. He's playing it safe for them, even when the first player attacked them. The fact he hadn't used a Hatsu or spell cards; means he's being extra careful about how he acts.

"Oh, we're here…" Raphael stopped to point towards the town over the hill, "Welcome to Antokiba, City of Prizes. So, as we get closer, I'll explain the differences between this town and the other one." He pressed on, guiding them towards their first location "This town has a monthly rotation of prizes. You've got the major prize which is… the Sword of Truth. It can only be claimed once on a certain day. Then you have the minor and major prizes. By major I mean other restricted slots that are hidden by more difficult quests. The minor prizes are cards that can be earned and sold for X amount of Jenny and aren't considered restricted slots. Let's enter the town first before I explain more about that."

"~"

The teen finished explaining the differences between the towns, Gon breaking out into a loud whine "Aww, a festival would've been fun."

Raphael found himself chuckling at his friend, "Trust me, Antokiba is way better than Rubicuta. Just look around." He gestured to the walls, flyers filling every inch of space.

Gon and Killua looked around, noting all the missions or quests plastered across the walls and boards. There were so many rewards and types of quests to take part in. Finding a missing pet, eating contests, and even challenges.

Killua turned back to his guide "So what should we be doing here as entry-level players?"

"Most would go for the monthly reward, but like I said it's not recommended. It's better to at least have a couple of spell cards to defend yourself. Only the most desperate or lazy players would target you for any cards you've earned. What we're looking for is a trade shop. We're going to need a map for you. I have the full map which will get a little hectic for you. I want to at least show you how a few things work to help you understand them better."

"But before we can buy anything…" The boy shifted his posture, holding his hand out to one of the many random missions, "We need something to sell. Let's do something super easy and eat in the process. Might I suggest one of the eating challenges? Are you hungry?"

The sounds of grumbling stomachs made the teen smirk, "I'll take that as a yes."

The two flushed red with embarrassment, Gon awkwardly raising his hand "Yes!"

Killua however, tried to play off his hunger with a more casual response, "Sure…"

"You feeling like pasta or steak?"

The two looked at each other in confusion. After a few seconds, Killua questioned the boy "What's the difference?"

"Preference… Some are timed while others require you to just eat the meal. I prefer the steak as there's no limit to how long you take. Plus, you get a free drink to consume. Pasta has a time limit, but it's doable."

"I could go for a drink…" Gon hummed, deep in thought, "What about you?"

Killua didn't need to think about it "I'm craving a large steak."

The group walked for a little bit longer before Gon stopped, eyes lingering on a large board. It had twelve markers on it with a list of names attached to every marker "What's this?"

Raphael looked at the board, "Oh this is the monthly reward board, which always occurs on the fifteenth. I wouldn't worry about that. This month isn't a good card…"

"Rock-paper-scissors… Sword of Truth. What's that do?"

"If you think someone is lying, cut them with the sword. A liar will be cut in half while someone telling the truth will remain unharmed."

"I thought you said cards can't be used to hurt people."

"Spell cards, yes. Restricted slots, it depends. Don't even bother with that card, unless you want to hand it over to me at the end since I can't be robbed."

Killua looked over to his right, spotting one of the players that joined alongside them, "Looks like it's caught two players' eyes though. Shouldn't we try to get it as a precaution though? At least to test how difficult it is to win."

"Depends on who you're up against, but again I wouldn't recommend it. You'll just be targeted afterwards."

Gon smiled brightly at the news, "How about we do a series of random quests? Collect a few prizes." The boy's stomach grumbled again, Raphael chuckling from the situation, "Looks like your stomach is guiding your choice. I'll show you the way."

"~"

They were led to a small restaurant, with a picture of a dog attached to a sign. Raphael got them seated when a waitress approached them. The boy pointed out something on the menu, lightly chatting up the NPC before they left.

It took a couple of minutes, but eventually, a dog dressed in a chef outfit returned with three massive plates. They placed one down per customer before smiling at the trio, showing off its pearly canines "Would you like to hear the rules?"

"Please do." Gon smiled back at the dog, excited to see what exactly the challenge entails.

"The rules are simple; you need to eat everything on the plate. Failing to complete the meal will incur a cost. The cost is 30,000 Jenny per failed meal. If you complete the challenge, you get a prize. The Kanga Matta Roo. The drink is optional and doesn't need to be consumed, only the meal. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Go!"

As the dog waved his hand, the three dug into their meal. The chef however stood there, lingering in place. They were programmed to do so, to confirm whether the challenge is being completed without either of them cheating. Neither boy was distracted, continuing to eat without a single pause between each morsel. It took a bit of time but eventually, everyone finished their meal, Gon coming in last.

Drawing his fingers into his pocket, the dog chef pulled out three cards, handing one out to each boy, "Here's your prize. A Kanga Matta Roo."

Kanga Matta Roo

1356 F - 185

One of the island's three greatest delicacies. Delicious, despite its stringy taste. The meat is said to help clear up your skin. Best grilled or fried.

Even though the boys were aware of card details, Gon's confusion made the chef pipe up "Is this your first time receiving a card?"

"Yeah…"

Raphael offered his friend a smile, "Depending on the reward, it's usually given in card format. The only time it isn't is if it's a restricted card slot, you're given the actual item which then gets turned into a card upon being handed to you. Only say gain if you plan on using the item. But at that point, you'd want to make a copy first. As I pointed out earlier, the top right letter is the rank. F in this case which is more on the easier side to obtain. In order of most difficult to easiest, the ranks are. SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. H is the most common. From food items, to rocks, and even couches, they would typically be found as an H rank."

A loud explosion startled the boys, the shaking rattling the building. That sounded too close for comfort. Raphael ran out of the store. Was The Bomber in the vicinity? How could he have not picked up any hint of bloodlust before the attack? Drawing near the body he knelt next to it, finding one of the players they had run into earlier near the monthly board.

He frowned, Gon and Killua coming up beside him observing the scene "The Bomber…" He confirmed.

"Who's that?"

"A player killer… apparently he attaches bombs to players before detonating them… nobody knows who he is or how he attaches the bomb, just that's how he attacks." Raphael pulled his hand back when the body shifted and distorted.

The body vanished without a trace, even the blood splatter disappearing alongside it. Killua was left to guess the situation "I assume he went back to the real world."

Raphael already knew what happened. It didn't get transferred to the real world… it just got moved to an unknown location. The only indication of their death in the real world would be the game over screen attached to their name and the memory card they were using would've been erased of all data.

But the boy couldn't tell the truth, not while there were so many other players in the vicinity. Nor did he plan on telling them since it'll ruin their idea of this being a game "You could say something like that. Although, I wouldn't say it got transferred back to where he entered from…"

"I haven't seen you two before. Did you perhaps get hit by a spell?"

Killua turned his head slightly, shaking his head at the figure, "No. Did you see what happened to him?"

"No, but he did die from another player's Nen."

Raphael shifted his attention looking directly at the player, "Nickes…"

"Ah, Raphael. You're with them?"

"I am… I'm getting them back into the swing of the game. Do you plan on trying to pilfer us to help with completing the game?"

"We have a way of beating the game."

"So do I…"

"While being mostly a solo player and knowing that some of the cards are hidden behind party requirements."

Raphael found himself frowning. He knew about such cards existing, but he could always work alongside Gon, Killua and Tsezgerra's team in a worst-case scenario "I have my ways of getting around those requirements."

"Will you at least listen to our offer?"

"Up to them…" Raphael brought his attention to the boys, "I'll let you decide what you want to do."

"Maybe we can at least hear them out…"

Killua thought about their situation, gauging which is the best option "It's a little bit worrying that other players are trying to kill each other."

"Player hunting…" Nickes confirmed.

"Are there other players besides The Bomber killing people?" Raphael quickly questioned the man. He had to be a little bit weary if he plans on guiding Gon and Killua through the game, especially seeing as The Bomber was just the only confirmed player killer… their identity, however, was elusive. Nobody knew who and how they killed players.

"We suspect so. It can't be just The Bomber, there's going to be others. It's just that The Bomber is the leading cause of death. We can talk more on this later, just for now follow me."

He tried to lead the boys away, but Killua had other ideas. He leaned over towards his best friend, "Something sounds off… suspicious about the situation. Even if one of us was hit by a spell, at least we know someone who's already aware of the details." He then looked towards the older boy of the group, "Including how to remove the effects."

"I can tell you one thing…" Nickes interfered with their conversation, "We need all the help we can get. This game is difficult, unpleasant, and frightening. Once you realize that, you'll be more willing to accept our offer. Well, it's your first time playing, so you could use any information we might have that Raphael doesn't…"

Killua offered a grin, "Why are you assuming we're new players, even though Raphael has already confirmed we've played this game before."

The man sighed. Raising his hand, he called for his book.

Out of instinct, both boys leapt back. Raphael however, hadn't called for his book which surprised Nickes. He drew his hand over a page before he realised what was around the boy's neck "Paladin's Necklace…"

"Yup, so unless you want to waste a Levy and earn the ire of other players… I would advise against attacking me. Which reminds me of another rule." He turned to the boys who had distanced themselves in response, "If someone summons a book, learn to summon yours on instinct. Even if you have no defensive spells, it'll make other players pause."

Killua's eye twitched, "You could've told us that before."

"I didn't think anyone would try to call your bluff around me."

"Then…" Gon approached the man, "How do we obtain spells?"

Raphael's eye twitched, "Don't ask him… I planned on telling you everything."

"Oh, right."

"You haven't told them this much?" Nickes pauses, unsure why the kid would go about things this way. He's heard rumours about Raphael floating about. How he was able to take on multiple teams by playing into the mechanics and hitting them back harder in return.

He wasn't meant to be messed around with…

But he's going too slow with new players when it comes to showing them the ropes. He couldn't imagine why that was the case.

"I've told them enough at the start." The boy pulls the man out of his thoughts, "I wanted to show them a few more basic mechanics before we head to Masadora. We need to earn Jenny to buy spell cards."

"Wouldn't you prepare for this in advance though…"

"One of them would like to play the game as intended…" Raphael offered a sly smirk before continuing, "Not be carried to the end game."

Crossing his arms, the man turned to the others "In any case, summoning your book is an important bluff. Book." As the man's book dispersed, he looked over the three, frowning somewhat from the situation, "Will you at least come with me now? I can offer you more guidance than at the snail's pace Raphael is going at."

Raphael pouted. He was going slow for a reason… so he didn't overload Gon with information.

When Gon turned to him, he awkwardly offered the teen a smile, "We should go with him."

"Suit yourself…" Raphael stood up, "But know that later, I'm going to be rehashing some of those details."

"~"

The group was led to some stairs, six older players and a young girl standing nearby. He recognised four of them. Genthru, a tall fellow who often looked depressed or worried. However, the other players Assam, Isaac and Nomdieu were some of the more renowned players, known to have extensive knowledge of the game. There were a few like them working alongside Nickes, gathering intel as a team, although rarely sharing that information with outsiders.

He knows that much because he's overheard them on a few occasions discussing details, nothing new he hadn't learned, but enough to know they've investigated the nitty-gritty of the game's mechanics.

Two of the three players he recognised came into the game as he was talking with Gon, but for the third person… he assumed they came in way after Killua. Something felt off about her… it worried him, but he couldn't exactly place his finger on the reason for his concern.

Assam found himself smirking when he spotted one of the boys, "Oh, you finally decided to join us."

"Actually, I'm with them." He pointed towards Gon and Killua, "They've come to hear your offer."

"Is this everyone you could gather?"

"Yeah…" Isaac sighed, "Everyone else turned us down."

Genthru having sensed the depressed mood of his teammates, decided to start the conversation, "We should get started."

Giving a nod, Nickes addressed the main concern about the game "Another player was just killed. He arrived with the rest of you. His stomach exploded. It was… The Bomber."

Raphael chimed in into the conversation, mostly to show off a bit to the new arrivals. "For the new people, they're player a killer who uses a specialized Nen ability. Something that can remain hidden until activated. It's extremely deadly considering it usually results in an instant death. The details of the killer are unknown… am I right?"

Genthru gave a solum nod, "You'd be correct. It's safe to assume that it's a Nen ability and not a card that can be found. Also given the explosion, there's no way for a card like that to be activated without other players overhearing something like detonate or explosion on. Any spell cards that have been cast on you, will cause zero harm to you."

Nickes held up a hand, "There are forty different spells. If you've been affected by a targeted spell at the start… it's either going to be Trace or Adhesion."

Genthru pressed on, "In short, once the enemy uses these on you, he'll know everything about you."

"Specifically, what's in your book." Raphael interjected, "Adhesion being worse, as they'll know what restricted card slots you have. Trace will make them aware of your location."

Assam frowned at the boy but before he could complain about the boy interjecting, Genthru continued "Some players wait near the starting point to cast these spells on new players. As soon as a player obtains a valuable card, they'll show up and steal it. In some cases, they'll even kill their target."

"Like the guy who just died?" The new player in the purple suit scoffed at the idea, "I won't be that easy to kill."

The young girl shot a quick glare at the man, something Raphael barely picked up on. He assumes it was the way he was talking so highly of himself, which was an interesting detail.

"No." Genthru's expression shifted, slightly angry at the man for assuming he'd be safe "He was killed by something else. There's a violent faction-hunting player. This was done by one of them… The Bomber."

"If it's a faction of players, that would explain why it's so hard to pinpoint who they are." Raphael humoured the idea, "There must be a list of conditions that must be met beforehand. Although how they're setting off the bombs without anyone being aware of the activation is quite a feat."

Genthru's eyes fall on the young kid, his facial expression barely reacting to his words, "We have no idea how they're doing it. But that is an interesting way to look at it."

"Thanks." Raphael found himself smiling, "Although him activating his ability without anyone being aware of how he's doing it is still concerning…"

"Right…"

Assam switched the conversation before anyone else could try to understand the methods of something they have almost zero information on. He instead focused the group's attention on the game mechanics "In this game, there are three ways to acquire item cards. Do you know what-" The man found himself stopping once his eyes landed on Raphael, the teen's hand already up as if it was a classroom and he wanted to earn bonus points from the teacher "Besides you."

"Damn, I've never felt so denied…" The teen pouted, eyes now lingering on the floor. He just wanted to impress his new friends with his knowledge.

Gon thought about the question. Given what they've learned so far, there was an easy answer, since they've already experienced one method for themselves. "Find them yourself."

One of the newest players was a dark-skinned man in a type of clothing that looked more like comfortable sleepwear than actual clothes. But he doesn't know enough about clothing from different countries to assume that's the case. Either way, that man offered another method. "Trade with other players."

Killua was the last one to offer a method "Steal them from other players."

Assam gave a nod, "Yes. Those are the three ways. However, the number of players stealing from others has recently increased."

When the man looked at the younger boy, Raphael threw up his hands defending himself from the incoming accusation "Hey don't look at me. I've been targeted multiple times over the last week. I only steal from those who try to steal from me…" Or those who have cards that are impossible to obtain because they're locked behind timed events.

"That's due to the card's difficulty to obtain and the card transformation limit system."

Speak for yourself… I've obtained a good chunk without hitting any limits so far.

"Players who can't obtain cards themselves choose to take them from others. If those players resist, they're killed. When they die, their ring disappears and their cards are lost. However, it increases the transformation limit of that type of card."

Gon's expression fell. He couldn't believe a game his Ging created was causing other players to kill each other, just so they could clear the game. This wouldn't be what he wanted… he was certain Ging felt the same way.

The man continued "If you kill a player, you can't take his cards. That rule was meant to keep players from killing one another."

Raphael found himself shaking his head. How Nickes and their team are going about things isn't helping the situation. They want to complete the game… they're going to focus on stealing, rather than trading, given what they've stated so far. It'll just be an endless vicious cycle of constant stealing until one team wins… but telling them to stop stealing isn't going to improve the situation either. There must be a better way to go about forcing other players into not killing each other.

Nickes stepped into the conversation now, taking over for Assam "But now, it's backfiring. It's been over ten years since the game's release. If no one can find a way to beat it, the killing will only continue. That's why we're trying to end this mess." The man held out his hands, exclaiming the last part loudly, almost as if his speech will lead others into his way of thinking.

Raphael, however, didn't feel that way. In fact, it kind of pisses him off. They're treating the game as though the only way to beat it is by building an unstoppable army and amassing a large selection of cards, just so they could win it by force.

It's only going to exacerbate the issue.

"We're recruiting allies to clear this game. And we need your help."

The man in the purple suit smirked "And how do you propose you're going to obtain these cards? One, find them. Two, trade for them. Or three… steal them. Which method will you use?"

Nickes' expression mellowed, remaining silent for a few seconds. He was being forced to answer a question that everyone by now would already have the answer to "Three…"

The dark-skinned man scoffed, "I assume you mean to use all three methods, but three will be your primary method."

"What, so you'll still use force?" The purple suit man whined.

"No! We won't use violence to reach our goal."

"Spells…" Raphael casually remarked, "You plan on overloading players with the current limit of Mug, Thief and Levy cards that are still obtainable."

Nickes gave a nod, "We're going to monopolize the limit of those cards to beat others. If they can defend themselves from attacks or steal, we'll just overpower them by using the game's very card transformation limit, to our advantage. This is the only way to clear the game."

Raphael found himself shaking his head once more. Plenty of cards had yet to be obtained and monopolized.

Not including the time-restricted cards, the ones hidden behind party requirements, was what would screw them over the hardest.

Genthru addressed several of the player's concerns "I have met many players, and they all reached the same conclusion. Even if you search for cards, they'll be taken from you eventually."

Assam interjected "That's because this game is based on players taking cards from each other. We will ensure that we can take cards from other players while mitigating our risk of losing cards."

Gon felt himself getting more frustrated about the situation. They're only focused on stealing and beating the game. It was making him angry that they only focused on beating the game.

The man in the purple smiled widely, "You're leaving out something important. Upon clearing the game, how will you split the reward?"

Nomdieu addressed the man's concerns "You were hired by Mr. Battera, like the rest of us correct?"

"Heh…" He chuckled in response, "So you already knew who we were when you invited us."

"Yup. Mr Battera also hired us to play this game."

Nickes looked at the man, gauging whether the man was only concerned about the reward and not putting an end to this torturous game. One that had remained uncompleted for almost a decade "The reward for completing the game will be fifty billion, correct? We'll split it among everyone who helps."

That sounds like the deal I made with Tsezgerra. Except I can take a slice off the top of his winnings, whereas they were planning to split it across who knows how many players.

Assam confirmed their situation "Currently, we have fifty-three players."

I do not like the sounds of that… If there's an even split, that's less than a billion per player. But that wouldn't be a good incentive to join them. They'll probably cut the base pay in half, making it around the two-hundred mill to half a billion, and then the cards they collect will increase their final pay. I've already earned about two billion from Tsezgerra's cut if he wins.

The boy thought about the situation. Given that, there are more players and the method they plan to implement would make them a powerhouse amongst other teams… However, if they've got mostly weak players, there's going to be some extremely difficult cards to obtain for even their collection of wranglers.

He's still going to hedge his bet on Tsezgerra for the moment. He trusts that man more than a group treating themselves as a Robin Hood of honour, a powerhouse planning to end the madness by stealing their way to an easy win.

"I'll take two months to collect the remaining spell cards, and one month to get the cards we need. We can finish in three months."

I highly doubt that… Raphael kept that thought to himself. Three months to beat this game. There are a couple of cards that won't drop for another two months, which was well within their scope… but that doesn't mean the requirements for obtaining some of those cards will be easy.

"Of course, if you join us, we'll remove any spells cast on you."

Raphael broke out into a huge smile. That was a bald-faced lie. There was only one way to remove the spells… and that was to leave the game. If they did amass a huge number of leaves, they were still super rare cards to waste just to remove any tracing effects.

Unless… the reason they were willing to use it was to stop players from figuring out where they were not only hiding but where they were going to be keeping the one book, keeping all these cards they have been collecting.

The purple suit man raised his hand "Easy choice. I'm in. I don't like the idea of splitting the fifty billion. But I like the three-month schedule for clearing the game."

Genthru turned to the other man "What about you?"

"I have a question. If I obtain an SS rank card on my own, what's my cut?"

"Naturally, you'd receive 500 million for a card of that rank."

Raphael didn't like that answer from Nickes. That means the base was probably even lower than his original assumption. That also doesn't factor in extremely difficult cards to obtain due to quest requirements to complete. Like #075. It's a rank D, but it requires sacrificing everything you own to obtain it.

If they're planning to get every spell card first, the cost is going to be astronomical. If the game is testing for groups and not just solo players, the payout will be too high to risk it all even if they go into the quest without any cards.

Having heard the response, the man agreed "Okay, I'm in."

Nickes then turned to the boys "What about-"

"I'm out!" Raphael easily dismissed the deal. He doesn't like the odds… While he might be setting himself up to be a target later, the risks do not outweigh the rewards. Five-hundred mill for a single SS rank card, that's if he can solo it.

He hasn't investigated all those cards yet, but he can guarantee they wouldn't be that easy to get. He only has one of his by mere luck, having stolen it from a previous player.

Nickes frowned. By far Raphael would be the best asset to have. He's already got some rare cards on him given that he's already taken a 'peek' at his binder before meeting him and the other kids. But the problem was he had too many protections on him.

Paladin's Necklace being one of them…

If he uses Secret Cape, they'll never know how many protections he'll have on him. Plus, the only way they'll get his cards is either through the Bandit's blade, which Raphael already has, the Tax Collector's Gauntlet… which requires them to use specific card slots as a cost to use… or a large group armed with Levy cards.

He doesn't like those requirements…

Maybe if he can get the others, Raphael will be pulled in by default. He drew his attention to Raphael's companions "What about you two?"

Gon's mood shifted, his anger betraying his naturally happy-go-lucky demeanour. "I'm out! I'm playing this game on my own."

Killua looked confused for a second as Gon walked away, wondering why he looked so angry while dismissing their offer. Was he missing some context? Either way, if Gon is out, so was he "Sorry, but you heard him. We're out. I'll have to pass too." With a quick wave, he walked off, following his friend "Hey! Wait for me Gon…"

Raphael looked at Gon for a second, silently questioning how he could cheer him up. Given everything they said, he might take some of the criticism about the game to heart. Ging was a part of the creation of this game… and he was looking for clues to where he is, which there were none.

But a part of him was still seeking information about his father by playing the game… a game they said was one of the worst created games, a problematic one which was making players turn against each other, resorting to either killing or stealing only and not playing it as it was intended.

Without complaint, he followed after Gon and Killua.

Given Gon was silently stomping off, he thought the boy was planning on walking to the edge of the island.

"Hey, Gon…" Killua found himself whining, still chasing after his friend who was completely ignoring him at this point "Will you explain what that was about?"

"Gon, they're wrong."

Raphael's words made the boy stop, Gon turned around to face his friend. Before he could ask what was talking about, the boy continued "Not about the difficulty, they're right about that. No objection, but they're wrong about the design. The game wasn't designed for killing or stealing, they're just desperate to beat the game at this point."

"Then they should team up."

"Everyone wants the billions of Jenny on the line… they're just focused on the money."

"Are you the same…?"

"I like the money, but I have something the others don't have. A deal… my contract is slightly different to everyone else's, given that my father was involved in the deal. I hope this doesn't interfere with our friendship, but I've been collecting cards for Tsezgerra. I've gotten a few for him already so that if he wins, I get a small cut depending on my assistance."

"More than what they were offering?" Killua questioned the teen's motives.

"Yes…"

Gon frowned slightly, "So if you hadn't had that, would you have joined them?"

"No…" Raphael found himself frowning, "Because I've played this game… This game is filled with, unique cards, ones that will make you laugh or even question reality. Hell, even the rarest cards, the one that they are aiming for is by far… the best card."

"What does it do?"

"The ability to heal all wounds."

Gon fell silent at the example given, eyebrows knitted together, deep in thought "Then, the cards you don't want us to see is that one?"

"Oh, no… Forget about that card. As a solo player, that's a nightmare to obtain. I'd rather steal it than obtain it on my own."

Killua quirked a smile, "Oh, what's the requirement?"

"Obtain EVERY spell card… and turn it into a voucher. There are 40 spell cards and only 45 slots. You do the maths on that difficulty. Anyways, I want you to know I'm here to assist you, even with my deal with Tsezgerra. If our paths split in opposite directions later, I won't be upset if you want me to leave." He paused for a second, "Okay… maybe I'll be a little upset. But I'm still here to help you."

"I'm…" Gon's face fell, now looking down at the floor, "I'm sorry for my reaction."

"No problems." Raphael crossed his arms, "They did just shit talk the game."

Killua's eyes glanced towards his friend, his stance shifting. With a smile he saw his friend in a different light "So you were upset about how they were talking about the game?"

"Yes! They had nothing but bad things to say about the game Ging made, like how it's based on killing and stealing." Gon clenched his fists, disgusted by their words "I want to do what Ging said, and enjoy the game. When I first started, I knew it wouldn't be easy. When I first joined this game, you said you enjoyed playing this game, and that made me happy. So, I thought other people would feel the same way…"

He looked at Raphael with a huge smile "I thought all the other players enjoyed playing the game…" Gon's face soon shifted, feeling heartbroken at the idea, "But instead I find out people have died playing this game. But it's the player mentality, not the game, that scares me. They're willing to hurt others to get cards."

"Really?" Killua stood casually; arms wrapped behind his head, crossing each other as he semi-smiled at his best friend "I think it makes sense."

"Killua, you really think that?" The boy was upset at his friend, now teetering on the edges of anger once more.

"That's why this game is meant for Hunters."

"But…"

"Killing is wrong, yes, I'm aware." Killua's smile widened "I agree with you on that part. But what if two players have a fair fight with predetermined rules, and the winner gets to take the card?"

"Th-" Gon found himself pausing for a second "That's acceptable."

"See? When those guys carry out their plan, they're just following the game's rules."

"I guess so…" Gon thought about it, the game did have that as a choice… and it's how they felt it was the best way to beat the game. He guesses Killua is right in a sense.

"Although…" Killua felt himself turning off to the side, "Their methods are lame anyway. We should forget about them and instead enjoy the game…" He pressed a finger to his friend's forehead, lightly pushing him away "Like Ging said." With a smile, Killua started walking away, lightly tapping his chin as he thought about what kind of unique cards they'll get to see.

What kind of cards will Raphael opt to show them…

"Hey, Killua…"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

Killua's head snapped in his best friend's direction, eyes widening in shock "Huh?"

"I'm glad you came with me. No…" Gon's smile widened, "I'm glad I got to know you!"

"Cut it out," Killua turned to look away, covering his face with his bangs as he shoves his hands into his pockets "Stupid!"

"Aww…" Raphael teased the boy further, "Someone is getting embarrassed over a small compliment. How cute!"

"Cut it out…" He walked off, away from the two making fun of him. Between Gon's barrage of compliments and Raphael teasing him about his reaction, it's going to be hell for him.

"But I mean it!" Gon whined, following his friend, forced to chase after him "I do!"

"You're not making the situation any better."

"Yeah, ease up on the small tomato."

"Shut up! You're even worse than Gon…"

Raphael found himself bursting into laughter, "Sorry, sorry. Let's get to playing this game. But first, we're going to need a map."

"What about the Sword of Truth…"

"Well, if you decide to go for it. Since it's a restricted card slot, you should secretly hand it over to me."

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