Gon: Wait for Me, Killua

Gon opened his eyes and tore the IV needle from the back of his hand.

Satotz's voice still echoed behind him, but he could no longer take it in. The same words kept ringing through his mind—Gittarackur had revealed his true face. Illumi Zoldyck had utterly crushed Killua with his words, and then Killua had lost control in the match that followed and killed Bodoro.

The arena still bore traces of fighting and blood. The examinees were gradually leaving, and the electronic screens had already gone dark. Gon pushed through the crowd, walked straight up to Illumi, and grabbed his left arm.

"Apologize to Killua!"

Illumi looked down at him, his eyes devoid of any unnecessary emotion. "Apologize? Why?"

"You don't deserve to be Killua's brother!" Gon's voice was hoarse but resolute.

"Do you need qualifications to be a brother?" Illumi's tone was as flat as if he were brushing aside some object blocking his path.

Gon's fingers clenched inside the bandages, his nails digging into his palm. "You don't need qualifications to be a friend either! I don't care about an apology. I want you to take me to Killua!"

"And what will you do after you find him?"

"I'll bring him back!"

Illumi looked at him. "My brother left on his own. He wasn't kidnapped."

"You're lying!" Gon tightened his grip. "You kidnapped his heart and controlled him!"

A crisp crack of breaking bone rang out. Illumi's left arm snapped in Gon's grip—not through Nen, not through martial arts, but because a twelve-year-old child had gripped a bone with all his will and refused to let go.

The entire arena fell silent for several seconds. Hanzo's fingers rested on his sword hilt, forgotten. Leorio's eyes widened. Kurapika raised his head from the shadows beside a pillar. Pokkle took half a step back.

Hisoka leaned against the wall, idly spinning a playing card between his fingers as his golden eyes slowly narrowed. He did not interfere. Instead, a teasing smile curled at his lips as he stared fixedly at Gon. The boy's bandages had not even been removed, and blood was already seeping from his right arm again, yet the fingers gripping Illumi's wrist had not loosened in the slightest. A low chuckle escaped Hisoka's throat, and then his gaze swept coldly toward Illumi—the unripe fruit could only be patiently allowed to mature by him. No one else was permitted to crush it so carelessly.

Illumi looked down at his broken left arm. There was not the slightest change in expression on his pale face; he did not even furrow his brow. He pulled his arm from Gon's grasp and let it hang at his side.

"None of this matters anymore. You all passed. Only Killua failed. But I believe he'll definitely pass next time." Gon's voice sank. "But if you're the one responsible for turning Killua into an assassin—I will never forgive you!"

"And what will you do?"

"I'll take Killua away from you so you'll never see him again!"

Illumi extended his left hand, his fingertips glinting coldly as he approached Gon. Gon immediately let go and took a step back. Illumi's voice remained calm, but every word was clear and chilling. "If you corrupt Killua and lead him away from the path of an assassin—I will kill you."

Gon did not retreat. "I won't corrupt him. I'll become his best friend."

Illumi withdrew his hand. He looked at the boy before him, both arms wrapped in bandages and his face covered in blood, yet still standing perfectly straight. After a moment of silence, he said, "I advise you not to go."

"He's my friend. I have to bring him back!"

Kurapika and Leorio walked up behind Gon. Kurapika said nothing, merely planting his feet beside him. Leorio adjusted his sunglasses. "We'll go with you."

Illumi looked at the three of them, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly. "Fine. It won't hurt to tell you. He should already be home—our house is at the summit of Kukuroo Mountain, the Zoldyck Family estate. But—" He paused. "Even if I tell you, you'll never be able to reach it."

Hisoka pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to Illumi's side. "Why did you tell them your family address?"

Illumi did not turn around. "It doesn't matter. That place isn't a secret to us at all. It's quite a famous tourist attraction locally."

Gon braced himself against the wall and rose to his feet. Fresh blood spread through his bandages, running from the crook of his elbow all the way to his wrist. Kurapika and Leorio hurried over to him. Hanzo also approached, bent down to inspect his arm, and frowned. "The bone was already broken, and you just used too much force again." Pokkle stood several steps away, hesitated, then stepped closer as well.

"I'm going to bring him back," Gon said.

Leorio paused while adjusting his sunglasses, then nodded firmly. Kurapika was silent for only a moment before nodding as well. Hanzo released his hand from his sword hilt. "I still have unfinished business, so I will not accompany you. If fate permits, we will meet again." Pokkle slung his bow over his back and followed Hanzo toward an exit in another direction.

Satotz walked up to Gon and was silent for a moment. He told Gon that twenty years ago, he had also served as the examiner for Gon's father, Ging Freecss. Ging was the finest Hunter he had ever seen. Looking at Gon's bandaged arms, he said word by word, "The Hunter Exam is not over yet. Your Hunter Exam is only truly beginning now."

Gon pushed himself up from the wall, nodded firmly, then headed toward the airship with Kurapika and Leorio.

Saitama stood beside Netero and watched everything from beginning to end. When Illumi left, he glanced at the arm hanging at his side—the bone really was broken, and that needle-faced freak had not even frowned. "Everyone in that family is kind of messed up," he said. Netero turned to look at Saitama and asked why he was still standing there. With both hands in his pockets, Saitama headed toward the airship. "I've got nothing better to do anyway. Might as well tag along."

Outside the arena, by a cliffside. The sea breeze blew in from the direction of Glasses Island, and below the cliff, the waves could be heard crashing against the rocks. Illumi stood at the edge, his left arm—the one Gon had broken—hanging at his side.

Hisoka emerged from the edge of the forest, a playing card silently flipping between his fingers. He stopped several steps behind Illumi.

"He's corrupting Killua." Illumi did not turn around, his voice as calm as if he were reciting a mission report. "Killua was raised from childhood to be an assassin, but now he has begun to desire friends. That desire will only lead him away from the family's path." He paused, his tone utterly unchanged. "If you corrupt Killua and lead him away from the path of an assassin, I will kill him."

The instant he finished speaking, Hisoka's Nen Pressure surged. Pink Nen seeped from his fingertips, thickly coating the cards as all his killing intent pressed toward Illumi in an instant. His voice was low, every word seeming to squeeze through clenched teeth. "Illumi. That boy is my prey. I won't allow anyone to touch him before I pluck him. Including you."

Illumi turned around and looked at the row of card edges gleaming coldly between Hisoka's fingers. After a moment of silence, he said, "I understand. The benefit of killing him does not outweigh the downside of making an enemy of you. For now." He left the cliffside and walked toward the airship. His steps remained stiff and even, while his broken hand swung gently at his side with each step.

Hisoka tucked the cards back into his pocket and licked his lips. That creased card remained in the deepest part of his pocket—the mark left by the Nen light on the evening of the first day. He stood there for a while, only turning toward the airship after Illumi's figure had completely disappeared among the shadows of the trees.

The airship passed through the sea fog they had crossed on the way here. The two lakes of Glasses Island could no longer be seen outside the windows.

Gon leaned against the porthole, his bandaged hands resting on his knees. The blood that had seeped into the bandages had spread from the crook of his elbow to his wrist, but he did not lower his head to look at it. Kurapika sat across the aisle with his eyes closed, resting. Leorio repeatedly examined the Hunter License he had just received, muttering about whether the thing really let him ride buses for free.

"It does. The Chairman said so himself. Buses, subways, trains, and ships all over the world are free." Saitama answered from the other side of the aisle.

Leorio's mouth fell open. He looked down at his license, then at Saitama, and could not say a word for a long time. After quite a while, he finally forced out, "What about taxis?"

"Apparently those are free too. The Chairman said he's ridden free taxis his whole life."

Leorio pressed the license to his chest, took a deep breath, and his eyes turned slightly red.

Saitama pulled a neatly folded sausage wrapper from his pocket—there was only one left. The hot pot was gone, and the cumin had run out. The only souvenirs from this exam were these wrappers and an empty bottle of sesame sauce. He turned the wrapper over, folded it back up, and slipped it into his pocket.

In front of the television, Genos picked up the last grain of rice and put it into his mouth, then set down his chopsticks. On the screen, his teacher leaned against the porthole, holding a neatly folded sausage wrapper. He pulled up information on Kukuroo Mountain—3,722 meters above sea level, private territory of the Zoldyck Family, with a giant dog named Mike at the entrance. The note beside it read: tourist buses available, first bus at six, last bus at twenty-one, passing through Republic of Padokea Central Station. His teacher's exam arc was over. The next stop was Kukuroo Mountain—the world's highest sightseeing bus. He packed the remaining rice from the cooker into a lunch box, closed the lid, and put it in the refrigerator. Then, on the final page of that worn-out Hunter Exam guide, he added a line: Zoldyck Family main gate, carved with dragon reliefs. The correct way to open it is to simultaneously grasp the bases of both dragon horns and turn them half a circle counterclockwise. Note: Teacher will push it open.

The airship's next stop was the Republic of Padokea. Kukuroo Mountain lay directly ahead on its route. Gon leaned against the porthole, his bandaged hands resting on his knees. The blood stains on the bandages had already dried into dark red marks. But he did not lower his head to look at them. His gaze remained fixed on the route ahead. The mountain had not yet appeared on the horizon, but he knew it was there.