High in the sky, with the sun blazing at its peak, a flying craft came into view. The dirigible promised by Menchi landed on the mountain summit where the candidates waited. Men in black suits emerged, conferred briefly with Menchi and Buhara—who had joined her in the meantime—and then invited the candidates aboard.
The dirigible's interior resembled a luxury hotel. Hostesses guided candidates to various rooms, encouraging them to rest during their stay. According to one of the men in suits, the journey to the next exam phase would take eight hours, giving the candidates ample free time.
After enduring the grueling exam thus far, the candidates welcomed the pampering with open arms. Some headed straight to bed, while others followed Menchi's advice and had their eggs cooked, discovering their surprisingly exquisite flavor.
On the deck, Kurapika sat by a window, calmly gazing at the horizon. Leorio had gone to sleep, while Gon and Killua were off exploring every nook of the dirigible.
If the overarching plot stayed true to the fictional work, only three tests remained. Kurapika appreciated that events weren't unfolding exactly as in the manga. Though he enjoyed the story, he'd found the exam arc a bit too chaotic for his taste. 'I wonder what the next test will be. The same as the manga, a variation, or something completely different?'
Either way, Kurapika was determined to pass the exam this year. Though his plans would truly begin next year, securing his Hunter License now wasn't a bad move—it would give him some leeway.
Zip! Zip!
Suddenly, two cards shot from behind Kurapika, slicing through the air like razor blades. Despite the blind spot, he dodged them, catching both with his right hand's fingers before turning to the source.
"As expected, even when you seem to ignore me, you're always on guard. How charming. ♥"
A young man with a theatrical clown-like appearance stepped from one end of the deck's walkway. Hisoka.
'I thought he was being too quiet.'
Kurapika tossed the cards back to their owner, who caught them effortlessly. "Is this where you want to settle things?" Kurapika asked, his tone serious.
"Easy, kid," Hisoka replied, amused, stopping beside him. "As much as I'm itching to play with you again, I'm not impatient. We'll have our duel—a thrilling one—but not now. ♣" He faced Kurapika. "Unless you want it… ♦" His voice dripped with malice, a perverse smile curling his lips.
Kurapika sighed. "Good. I'm not really in the mood to fight right now." He glanced at Hisoka. "By the way, you keep avoiding my eyes. Care to explain?" he teased.
Hisoka's wicked grin widened, but he offered no reply. Kurapika gave a faint smile and returned to staring out the window.
"You seem close to certain candidates. ♣" Hisoka said abruptly.
'I see. That's what this is about.'
"Yep. What's up, wanna join us?" Kurapika replied casually.
"Just wondering if your bonds are strong enough to worry about each other. Misfortune can strike anytime. ♦" Hisoka feigned concern.
"Are you planning to hurt them to get a rise out of me?" Kurapika asked, his tone edging toward serious.
Hisoka smiled. "Depends. I'm torn between killing them to savor a heated fight with you or letting them live. Given their potential—especially the two kids—they'd be juicy fruits later. Quite the dilemma, don't you think? ♦"
A violent aura erupted from Kurapika as he stood and locked eyes with Hisoka. In a rough, slightly sadistic tone, he said, "Hisoka Morow, do you want to die?"
His words caught Hisoka off guard—he didn't recall introducing himself. 'So, he knows me?'
Hisoka's smile faltered briefly as Kurapika rose to face him. Had Hisoka met his gaze, he'd have seen the scarlet eyes glaring at him. Though surprised Kurapika knew his full name, Hisoka's grin turned wicked again, relishing the murderous aura his opponent exuded. 'This kid's fascinating. I have to have him.'
"So, do you—" Hisoka began another taunt, but his right arm disintegrated instantly. Caught off guard, his honed senses kicked in, pulling him back just as his arm vanished, sensing an unknown danger. Still, he couldn't save the limb.
'How?'
Outwardly calm, Hisoka was inwardly shocked. 'I made sure not to look at him this time. When did he trap me again? I need to act fast.' Forgoing a counterattack, in the ten milliseconds before his arm's disintegration, Hisoka ran through every possibility.
'I didn't look at him, that's certain. Did he lie about his ability? No, I escaped it the first time. Am I still in his illusion? No, such a power would need strict conditions. He knows my name—has he been planning this? Wait. Why am I assuming this is an illusion? He could have a second ability. The tension hit when his Ren clashed with mine. An ability triggered by Ren contact? No, my Ren would've shielded me. This kid's abilities are a pain. But what a treat!'
Snapping out of his thoughts, Hisoka pointed his left index finger at Kurapika, projecting aura like a lasso to ensnare him. Simultaneously, he released a stack of cards he'd suspended on the ceiling when he threw the initial two. Retracting his aura like a bungee cord, he propelled himself forward, fist cocked.
The entire sequence took less than three seconds. But as his fist neared Kurapika's face, Kurapika disintegrated, as did the cards targeting him. Losing his second arm, the aura around Kurapika's waist vanished.
Hisoka tried to retreat, but the floor warped bizarrely, rising to trap him up to his waist. His gleeful smile faded as his aura turned sinister, a dark purple miasma. The floor shattered, and the miasma spread like a spiderweb across the deck, with Hisoka at its center. Dissolving like molten rubber, Hisoka's form melded into his aura webs, reappearing instantly behind Kurapika, who was now cocooned in the webs. With a maniacal grin, Hisoka bared his teeth, ready to tear into Kurapika's throat.
The counterattack lasted barely a second, showcasing Hisoka's speed. But pillars shot up from the floor, impaling him and halting his assault. He broke free with his aura and lunged again, only for a rain of pillars to rise. Leaping back, he dodged, but the floor opened beneath him, throwing him off balance for a split second—enough for the pillars to redirect toward him.
Elastic aura webs wove around the pillars, slowing them, as Hisoka propelled himself to the ceiling with a web tethered to his back. No respite came. The ceiling warped, sprouting sharp pillars. The speed nearly caught Hisoka off guard, but he detached his web and swung aside with another.
A wall rose from the floor, narrowing the walkway, and a column shot out, nearly hitting the fleeing Hisoka. He contorted his body unnaturally, letting it pass overhead. Merging into his aura webs again (A/N: To clarify, Hisoka's aura webs are invisible to the naked eye), he reappeared near the cocoon trapping Kurapika. A deranged smile spread as he unleashed all his cards, redirecting them via his webs toward his foe.
"You've lost, Hisoka."
To his shock, the words whispered in his ear from behind. As he prepared to meld again, a hand touched his back. A surge of danger flooded him, and an explosion erupted, centered on the hand, engulfing Hisoka in a maelstrom of flames that consumed the walkway in a sea of heat.
It took minutes for the smoke to clear. One might expect carnage, but the floor and ceiling were pristine, as if no battle had occurred. On the untouched floor lay Hisoka—or what remained of him—while Kurapika stood unscathed, not a speck of dust on him, as if the fight hadn't involved him.
He approached the charred body slowly, crouching to silently study the lifeless form. 'Did he let himself die?' Kurapika wondered. While it didn't bother him if true, he hoped the Hisoka he valued wouldn't perish so easily, lest his worth become moot.
As if answering his hopes, Hisoka's body jolted back to life. His charred form regained color, leaving only his two mutilated arms as severe injuries. Though extraordinary, this didn't faze Kurapika—it would've been stranger if it had. A smile curved his lips as he met Hisoka's murderous glare.
"I wasn't entirely honest during our first encounter in the fog," Kurapika began, Hisoka listening with eerie calm. "The real reason I didn't fight you then is simple: I know who you are, Mr. Hisoka, and I'll need you in the future." His tone hardened. "But if I find you're more trouble than you're worth, I won't hesitate to kill you, as I did today."
Kurapika stood, turned to leave, but paused. "Oh, I almost forgot. The rest of the exam might be tough without arms, so I'll give them back."
He walked away. As he did, Hisoka's mutilated arms began to regenerate, returning to their original state.
Now alone, Hisoka lay still for a long while. The brief skirmish had alarmed the dirigible's staff. Men in black suits rushed to the deck to assess the situation, only to find a single candidate on the floor. Given the intense auras and faint tremors they'd felt, they expected chaos. Without those signs, they wouldn't have believed a fight had occurred.
One suited man approached Hisoka. "Candidate, can you tell—"
His head detached in a spray of blood before he could finish. The act startled the other men, who instantly went on guard but didn't dare move.
Hisoka, now standing, wiped the blood from his fingers and walked toward them. Though ready to act, they froze, their instincts screaming not to budge. As if they were invisible, Hisoka passed through them, his eyes seeming to stare into nothingness.
"Scarlet eyes. ♠" he muttered. He'd seen them when Kurapika crouched beside him earlier.
"Now that's more than entertaining. ♥" His perverse smile returned.
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