Crossing the River on a Reed X The Poseidon's Shock
The enormous catfish thrashed its tail and struggled desperately, with a force no less than that of a heavy truck.
Roy recognized it at a glance; it was the Swamp King that ruled this lake, and the one that Gon would catch in the future.
That's how they convinced Mito to agree to let him participate in the Hunter Exam.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time, so we couldn't eat it. Besides, it was too big, and I don't know how much earthy smell it had accumulated. Its flesh was coarse and hard to chew, so it probably wouldn't taste good. I simply put away the Nen Thread and released it back into the lake.
"Young Master, we need to hurry." The official departure time is 3 PM, and it's already 2:55 PM. We don't know if we can still make it.
Gotoh stomped out the fire and packed her bags.
Roy remained calm. The Hunter License was important, but so was his training. He believed that taking things naturally, without arrogance or impatience, was the right approach.
Smiling, she said to him, "Don't worry, things will work out in the end."
With a flick of his wrist, he hoisted the branch onto his shoulder and said, "Let's go."
"Yes."
Master and servant left the jungle, passed through the streets and alleys, and hurried towards the port of Dole Port, where the ferry ship "Poseidon" was docked.
When we arrived, we were still a step too late. In the distance, we saw a huge three-gun sailing ship, spewing steam and thick smoke, sailing away from the harbor. We estimated it was still three kilometers from the shore, and it took us several minutes to walk.
"Wait... I haven't boarded the ship yet... Please, stop it..." Several unlucky souls, like Roy, had arrived late and were frantically waving their hands and shouting, hoping to attract the ship's attention and have it turn back.
But this is a serious exam, not a game to fool people. Once the sail is raised, there's no turning back.
"It's too late, the ship won't stop, come back next year." At this moment, a portly old captain emerged from the cabin. He had a red nose, a thick beard, a pipe in his mouth, and a sailor's hat on his head. His skin was dark and rough from years at sea, exposed to the wind and sun. He glanced at the shore briefly before looking away.
"They seem to be just a few kids. They really don't take their work Hunter seriously..." he thought to himself. Just then, a few figures moved on the deck, and several people approached: a blond man with two bodyguards, a Freak with his face covered in tacks, wearing a blue baseball cap, and a samurai sword at his waist—it all seemed like a pre-arranged operation...
With a tacit understanding, they leaned against the gunwale and gazed at the opposite shore, instantly spotting the figure leaning on Cane Sword, with a branch on his shoulder.
Roy Zoldyck...
Big brother...
It's that guy...
You've finally arrived...
Pariston's lips curled into a smirk as he turned to the captain. "Hey~ I think we can turn back."
The Freak followed... then, Kite, clutching her hat brim and remaining silent...
"Heh heh heh, sorry, I'm the captain, what I say goes." Old Captain Mark Sim unbuttoned his Button, revealing a proctor's license issued by the Hunter Association. He coldly looked at the three men and pointed to the sea. "If you're not satisfied, you can jump in."
Mark Sim has seen plenty of troublemakers. His first mate, Gus, used to be a troublemaker too, but wasn't he dealt with well and kept in check?
"Well, there's nothing we can do about that then." Pariston shrugged, looking regretfully towards the shore.
Despite being in a very bad mood, I can't forget about the important matter at hand.
However, the Freak beside him, upon hearing Mark's words, jumped in without hesitation—"Splash!"—splashing water everywhere. The group was stunned for a moment, then looked again... the Freak, sporting a striking mohawk, was paddling through the water, rapidly swimming towards the shore... They exchanged glances, looking at each other in bewilderment...
"Holy crap, is he an idiot?"
"You just jump ship like that, without even taking the Hunter Exam?"
"What's going on? Did they hand out gold bars on the shore?"
A commotion arose, and many people watched the spectacle with schadenfreude... It's always better to have one less competitor; everyone's hoping for a few more fools like that...
"Young Master, what should we do?"
On the shore, Gotoh reached for her phone, already considering booking her return ticket.
Just like the captain said, if we miss the opportunity this year, we can always try again next year. After all, the Young Master is still young and has plenty of time and opportunities.
But Roy just watched silently as the Poseidon sailed further and further away, without moving an inch, as if he had no intention of giving up.
A moment later, a sea breeze blew in...
The Sun-Earring Boy suddenly said to Gotoh, "Zipper your jacket, don't leave anything behind."
Under the stunned gaze of the young butler, he casually tossed the branch he was carrying on his shoulder into the sea, then grabbed Gotoh, lifted him up, and leaped into the ocean, landing steadily on the branch.
Strangely, the branch only sank slightly before floating back up. With a thought from Roy, he twisted his wrist, and with a "whoosh," it transformed into an arrow, swiftly chasing after the "Poseidon"...
"Splash!" The wave crashed and broke apart... A visible line of water stretched from the shore, grazing the Freak's face as it shot away...
He was almost at the shore when the Freak suddenly froze, his limbs nearly cramped, and he sank into the sea. He turned back, quickly kicking and swinging his arms, and gave chase...
"Look! What's that?"
The waterline is approaching, and two small dots on the tree branch are magnified...
A scream erupted on the deck. Pariston, Kite, the old captain, the Bald Ninja, the Snake Handler,
The Kurta Girl... leaned against the gunwale, all looking over in unison.
Roy, with Cane Sword at his waist, hands behind his back, accompanied by his loyal butler, his thick black hair billowing in the sea breeze, used tree branches as a makeshift boat, tearing through the waves, gradually coming into view.
"Hehehe..." Pariston shrugged, unable to suppress a low laugh.
"That Clark Hill his unusual behavior and blurted out the truth.
The Thin Bodyguard glanced at him blankly... He gripped the cross on his chest, his brows furrowing, a hint of pressure creeping in.
The Sun-Earring Boy's calm and composed demeanor was like the sun overhead, high above, as if nothing mattered to him.
This really makes it impossible to feel any jealousy...
"Whoosh!" The sea breeze was torn apart, getting closer... The waterline was only two hundred meters away from the "Poseidon," and in just one minute, it caught up...
Kite turned around, left the ship's railing, found a seat, and sat down... There was no need to look anymore; the outcome was already decided.
Two hundred meters, one hundred meters, fifty meters... accompanied by the shocked gazes and screams of everyone on the ship.
The waterline clung to the "Poseidon" in the blink of an eye. This time, Roy didn't need to help. Gotoh patted the bag on his chest, and with a leap, landed steadily on the deck!
The branch that had been casually broken off to make a fishing rod was also hooked by Roy's finger. With a "suck," it broke through the waves, flew through the air, and was firmly grasped in his hand.
He carried it on his shoulder.