At Dabo City's harbor, the sea breeze carried the salty tang of the ocean, making the flags on the pier snap in the wind. The passenger ship bound for Dole Island would depart in ten minutes. The ticket gate was about to close, and the dockworkers had already begun pulling in the gangway. A man in a black suit and sunglasses, carrying a briefcase, came charging toward the ticket gate like a madman, shouting nonstop, "Wait! Wait! Don't leave! I haven't boarded yet!" It was Leorio. To scrape together enough money for medical school tuition, he had been working odd jobs at a hospital in Dabo City and lost track of time. Despite rushing all the way to the harbor, he had still nearly missed the ship to Dole Island. But he was a step too late. One second before he reached the ticket gate, the workers had pulled in the gangway, and the captain had given the order to depart. The ship's horn sounded a long blast as the vessel began slowly pulling away from the pier. "Hey! You bastards! Stop! I need to get to Dole Island for the Hunter Exam!" Leorio rushed to the edge of the pier and watched the passenger ship slowly sail away. Furious, he slammed a fist into the railing and cursed under his breath. "Damn it! I was this close! If I miss this ship, I won't make it in time to register for the Hunter Exam!" As he watched the ship recede into the distance, his face filled with despair and frustration. He had spent an entire year preparing for this Hunter Exam. He wanted to get a Hunter License, earn substantial money, attend the best medical school, and become a doctor who could save those who could only wait helplessly for death because they couldn't afford treatment-just like the close friend he had lost all those years ago. But now, he couldn't even catch the ship to the exam site. Just as Leorio lost heart, convinced he had missed his chance at this Hunter Exam entirely, a calm voice spoke beside him. "Want to go to Dole Island?" Leorio whipped his head around and saw a boy standing beside him. The boy wore casual black clothes and carried a simple backpack. He stood tall and straight, his features composed. He looked no older than sixteen or seventeen, yet possessed a calm assurance completely at odds with his age. The sea breeze tugged at the hem of his clothes, but he stood motionless beside the pier, as though none of the surrounding commotion had anything to do with him. It was Lin Ye, who had arrived in Dabo City ahead of time and happened to witness the scene. "Who are you?" Leorio froze for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Yeah, I'm going to Dole Island for the Hunter Exam. Unfortunately, I was a little too late. The ship's already left." Following his gaze, Lin Ye looked at the passenger ship, which was already dozens of meters from the pier, and said mildly, "It hasn't gone far. We can still make it if we go now." Leorio stared at him in disbelief, as though looking at a lunatic. "What are you talking about? The ship's already dozens of meters away. Am I supposed to swim over? There are sharks in these waters!" Lin Ye smiled without explaining. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Leorio's arm. "Hold on tight." Before Leorio could react, he felt an immense force pull his body upward, lifting him into the air in an instant. "What the fuck?!" Leorio cried out, instinctively clutching Lin Ye's arm for dear life, his eyes wide as saucers. He was actually flying! Carrying him along, Lin Ye stepped on the air and walked toward the passenger ship. With every step, a faint burst of energy erupted beneath his foot, steadily supporting both their bodies. This was Sky Step, the advanced form of Geppo. The sea breeze roared in their ears, and the ocean churned below their feet. Lin Ye covered the dozens of meters in just a few steps and landed steadily on the passenger ship's deck with Leorio. Even after his feet touched down, Leorio still clung tightly to Lin Ye's arm, utterly stunned, his mind blank. In all his years, he had never imagined that a person could step on air and walk over the sea. What was that? Magic? Some kind of superpower? "Hey, aren't you going to let go?" Lin Ye asked with a smile. Only then did Leorio come to his senses. He abruptly released his grip, his face flushing red, and scratched his head awkwardly. Looking at Lin Ye, his eyes brimmed with shock and gratitude. "Th-thank you! Thanks so much, man! If it weren't for you, I really would've missed the Hunter Exam this time! I'm Leorio. What's your name?" "Lin Ye," he replied calmly. "Lin Ye! My man! Words can't thank you enough!" Leorio clapped Lin Ye hard on the shoulder, his expression open and hearty. "If there's anything you need me for during this Hunter Exam, just say the word! I won't let you down!" Lin Ye smiled and said nothing. He had always liked Leorio as a character. Despite his sharp tongue, he had a soft heart. He seemed greedy, but was kind at his core, with principles he refused to abandon. He gave everything he had to take the Hunter Exam for his dream of saving lives. He was someone truly worth befriending. That was also why Lin Ye had stepped in to help him catch the ship. "Are you taking the Hunter Exam too?" Leorio asked curiously. "That thing you did just now was incredible! How exactly did you do it? Walking on air-that's ridiculous." "Just a little trick," Lin Ye said, brushing it off without much explanation. "You could call it a form of martial arts." Leorio didn't press him. The Hunter world was full of strange Nen abilities and martial arts. Though he had yet to study Nen systematically, he had heard plenty of stories about remarkable people and their extraordinary feats. All he knew was that his new friend Lin Ye was definitely an expert, and a decent person worth getting to know. The two leaned against the deck railing and chatted casually. Leorio told Lin Ye why he was taking the Hunter Exam and about his dream of becoming a doctor, his voice full of resolve and hope. Lin Ye listened quietly, offering a few words now and then. He said nothing about his past, only that he was taking the Hunter Exam to fulfill his master's last wish and investigate a few things. Leorio could tell there was a story behind his words, but didn't pry. Friendship between men sometimes didn't require digging into every detail. Knowing the other person was someone you could trust was enough. The passenger ship sailed for most of the day, and as the sun sank in the west, the sea turned a brilliant gold and red. Just then, an argument broke out in the ship's corridor. "What did you say? A bottle of wine worth tens of millions is missing from my suitcase! Do you have any idea how precious that wine is?" A shrill male voice rang through the corridor, thick with anger. "Sir, we've already helped you look. We searched the entire ship, and we really couldn't find the bottle of wine you described. Is it possible you didn't bring it aboard in the first place?" the crew member asked helplessly. "Bullshit! I definitely brought it aboard! Someone must have stolen it! Your crew owes me an explanation! Otherwise, I'll make sure this ship never reaches Dole Island!" Hearing the argument, Leorio frowned. "What's going on? What's all the shouting about?" Lin Ye's Observation Haki had already swept across the entire ship, and he immediately understood what had happened. He said calmly, "A merchant brought an expensive bottle of wine aboard, but it went missing. He thinks someone stole it and is making trouble for the crew." "Stealing?" Leorio's frown deepened. "Stealing aboard a ship is pretty low. Come on, let's take a look." Lin Ye nodded and headed toward the corridor with him. Inside, a potbellied merchant in an extravagant suit was pointing in a crew member's face and hurling abuse at him. Quite a few passengers had gathered to watch. At the edge of the crowd stood a boy. He wore blue traditional clothing and had blond hair, blue eyes, handsome features, and a cool, distant air. Holding a thick book, he stood quietly as though the surrounding commotion had nothing to do with him. Yet a barely perceptible trace of coldness and hatred hid in those beautiful eyes. The moment Lin Ye saw him, something stirred faintly in his heart. Kurapika. A survivor of the Kurta Clan, a future companion, and someone whose entire life would be consumed by hatred. Just then, the merchant spotted Kurapika at the edge of the crowd. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he pointed at him, shouting, "It was you! You must have stolen my wine! When I boarded, I saw you skulking around, staring at my suitcase! You definitely stole it!" Instantly, every eye turned toward Kurapika. He raised his head and looked at the merchant, his brows drawing together slightly. His voice was cool and calm. "I didn't steal anything from you. Please don't make baseless accusations." "If you didn't steal it, who did?" The merchant strode forward with absolute certainty and reached for Kurapika's collar. "Hand over my wine! Otherwise, I'll turn you over to the captain and have you thrown into the sea to feed the sharks!" Before his hand could reach Kurapika, another hand firmly caught his wrist. Leorio stood in front of Kurapika, frowning at the merchant. "Hey, what's your problem? You're accusing someone without any evidence? Just because he glanced at your suitcase, that makes him a thief?" "Who are you? Stay out of this!" The merchant glared at Leorio. "This is between him and me! It has nothing to do with you!" "How does it have nothing to do with me?" Leorio snorted. "I can't stand watching you accuse innocent people on this ship! You say he stole your wine-do you have proof? If you don't, stop throwing accusations around!" The merchant was left speechless, his face turning bright red. Looking at Leorio standing in front of him, Kurapika's eyes flashed with surprise. Then he turned to Lin Ye, who stood behind Leorio. Lin Ye was looking at him too, his gaze calm and touched with gentle goodwill, without a hint of prying curiosity or malice. Something stirred faintly in Kurapika's heart. Just then, Lin Ye spoke, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority. "Your wine wasn't stolen. It just rolled into a compartment in your suitcase and got covered by your clothes. Go back and open your suitcase. You'll still find it there." The merchant froze, then stared at Lin Ye in disbelief. "How do you know? Stop talking nonsense! I already turned that suitcase upside down. It wasn't there!" "You only searched the main compartment. You didn't check the concealed pocket in the lining," Lin Ye said mildly. "Your wine is in that pocket. If you don't believe me, go back and look now. If it isn't there, I'll pay you ten times its value. If it is, you'll apologize to this gentleman." Faced with Lin Ye's confident gaze, the merchant suddenly grew uncertain. He hesitated, then finally gritted his teeth. "Fine! If it isn't there, let's see how you pay for it!" With that, he turned and hurried toward his cabin. The onlookers began murmuring among themselves as they waited for the result. Leorio walked over to Lin Ye and asked quietly, "Lin Ye, do you really know where the wine is? You haven't been to his cabin, have you?" Lin Ye smiled without explaining. His Observation Haki had long since covered the entire passenger ship, and he could perceive the bottle's location with perfect clarity. Kurapika also approached Lin Ye and gave him a slight bow, his voice cool but sincere. "Thank you, and this gentleman as well, for helping me out just now." "Don't mention it." Leorio waved a hand dismissively. "I couldn't stand that guy throwing accusations around anyway!" Lin Ye looked at Kurapika and nodded, saying calmly, "It was no trouble. Accusing someone without evidence is wrong in the first place." Looking into Lin Ye's eyes, Kurapika suddenly felt something strange. The boy before him seemed able to understand what he hid in his heart-the hatred sunk deep into his bones, the crushing weight of carrying the fate of his entire clan. Yet there was no pity or probing curiosity in his gaze, only understanding offered as an equal. Just then, the merchant came running back, his face full of embarrassment and shame. Holding the bottle of wine, he bowed deeply to Kurapika. "I'm sorry, sir! I wrongly accused you! I found the wine in the concealed pocket of my suitcase! I truly apologize!" The surrounding crowd immediately burst into laughter, pointing at the merchant. His face flushed crimson, and after apologizing, he slunk away. The farce came to an end. The people in the corridor gradually dispersed, leaving only Lin Ye, Leorio, and Kurapika. "My name is Kurapika," he said, looking at the two as he introduced himself once more. "Thank you both for what you did." "I'm Leorio, and he's Lin Ye." Leorio smiled and patted Lin Ye's shoulder. "We're both going to take the Hunter Exam. You too?" "Yes." Kurapika nodded, a barely noticeable chill flashing through his eyes. "I'm taking the Hunter Exam as well." "That's great! The three of us can go together!" Leorio looked delighted. "An extra person means someone else to watch your back! I hear the death rate for this Hunter Exam is insanely high. Having companions should make it a little safer!" Kurapika looked at Lin Ye, then at Leorio, and finally nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "All right." The setting sun shone through the passenger ship's windows, bathing the three of them in light and casting long shadows across the floor. Looking at Leorio and Kurapika beside him, Lin Ye felt a quiet swell of emotion. The gears of fate had finally begun to turn. He was no longer a spectator to the story. He had truly stepped into its main course and become their companion. And this passenger ship bound for Dole Island would bring him two more companions destined to stand beside him for the rest of his life. Gon and Killua.
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