The tunnel was pitch-black, with only the faint glow of the setting sun ahead to guide their way.
Although Kurapika's answer had stopped Gon from dwelling on that seemingly unsolvable question, everyone's expression had grown tense.
Because Gon knew that the cruelty of the real world often lay in the fact that perfection almost never existed.
Even with a foolproof plan, things were bound to go off course during its execution.
Gon stared ahead, his expression earnest and solemn, completely unlike his usual self.
Kaya quietly watched him from behind for a long while before finally running up beside him.
"Are you still thinking about that question?"
Gon took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice light. "No, I was just thinking about how we could get stronger."
Kurapika also quickened his pace to walk beside Gon and Kaya, offering reassurance. "Gon, you're already really strong. Without you, we wouldn't have reached the town so easily. Who knows how many detours we would've taken?"
Leorio panted behind them and nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I'm already getting tired after running for this little while, and you're still acting like it's nothing. What are you overthinking things for?"
"Okay! Then let's race to see who gets out of this tunnel first."
With his companions' concern and encouragement, Gon finally put that question out of his mind completely.
By the time they ran out of the tunnel, night had fully fallen.
A vast forest stretched out before them.
In a dark corner, a pair of red eyes gleamed with menace, then swiftly vanished.
"This forest is way too big. There isn't even a hint of light."
Leorio held his suitcase behind him and looked around warily, afraid that a magical beast might attack.
Gon and Kaya, on the other hand, were already used to forests at night.
Gon in particular had excellent vision for tracking movement in the dark.
Back on Whale Island, the two of them would often wait until Aunt Mito fell asleep at night, then sneak into the forest to play with Jeya.
Whenever Kaya wanted a late-night snack, Gon could always easily catch the little animals that were so hard to spot.
Gon walked at the front, casually swinging his fishing rod to clear a path for everyone.
Fallen leaves carpeted a golden path through the forest, crunching under every footstep in a lively counterpoint to the insects chirping around them.
Gon suddenly stopped and turned back to smile at Kaya.
"Kaya, we haven't played tag in ages. What do you say? Want to play a round?"
Kaya had been idly walking with his eyes closed. It wasn't that he was exhausted; the monotonous, boring exam was simply making him sleepy.
But at the mention of a game, he immediately perked up. "Sure, sure! This Hunter Exam really is pretty boring. I was about to fall asleep."
"Leorio, Kurapika, do you want to play too?" Gon asked.
Leorio and Kurapika exchanged a glance.
"I'll pass," Kurapika said, reminding them, "I saw a warning sign when we entered the forest. It told us to watch out for magical beasts. The four of us shouldn't spread out too far."
Leorio was much more blunt. "You two brats, did you come here to play or take the exam? Get serious!"
The two of them were like a pair of worried parents, giving Kaya a headache.
Gon looked a little disappointed. "You don't want to play? Are you both tired?"
Leorio said irritably, "Yeah, us two old folks don't have as much energy as you youngsters. Go play, but don't run too far."
Kurapika distanced himself from Leorio. "You're you, and I'm me. Don't lump me in with you, old man."
It was time for Kaya's favorite part again.
"Rock, paper, scissors! Okay, Gon, you're it."
Gon stared at his clenched fist, sinking into deep self-doubt. "Why does Kaya always beat me at rock, paper, scissors?"
Kaya laughed to himself. Because you always start with rock, you idiot.
With Gon as "it," there was no suspense to the game. Unless Kaya got bored or deliberately lost, Gon would never catch him.
After all, Kaya had always been faster than Gon, though his stamina and strength fell a little short.
Comparing just the two of them, Gon was the strength type, while Kaya was the agility type.
In the dark forest, Gon turned his back to Kaya and began counting.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
Then he turned around and said, "Kaya, here I come!"
Kaya was clinging to a tree trunk over ten meters away. He stretched out a hand and beckoned tauntingly. "Come on."
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Gon accelerated into a sprint, while Kaya nimbly leaped far away.
Their chase through the treetops was tense and thrilling, their figures darting swiftly through the moonlight.
Kurapika called out from behind them, "Be careful, you two! Don't go too far!"
"Why worry about them?" Leorio took some bread from his backpack and handed Kurapika a piece, utterly relaxed.
"Don't worry. With Gon and Kaya's abilities, they'll be fine."
Over the course of their journey, Leorio had already come to understand how strong the two were, so he wasn't worried at all.
Meanwhile, Gon used his excellent vision for tracking movement to keep a firm lock on Kaya's position, darting through the treetops as he tried to close the distance.
Kaya relied on his nimble footwork to leap deftly through the treetops, veering left one moment and right the next in an attempt to throw off Gon's gaze.
Every time Gon closed in, Kaya deftly evaded him, and every escape only made Gon more excited.
Their figures crisscrossed, moving so fast that they almost made the air whistle, occasionally startling birds into flight.
Despite their confidence in the boys' abilities, even the laid-back pair of Kurapika and Leorio quickened their pace because of the chase, following closely for fear that an emergency might arise.
Perhaps that was what companionship meant.
Someone would charge ahead to clear a path for you, someone else would quietly clean up the mess behind you, and still another would watch over you in silence.
The four complemented and trusted one another. Beyond their shared longing to become Hunters, what had brought them together as companions was their respect for each other.
Before long, the two boys chased each other out of the forest and across a stretch of grass, until Kaya suddenly stopped short.
Thud!
Gon couldn't slow down in time and crashed straight into Kaya.
Their momentum sent them tumbling to the ground in a heap, one on top of the other.
Gon sat up and rubbed his nose, then grabbed Kaya's arm.
"Why did you stop all of a sudden?"
Without turning around, Kaya pointed ahead. "Look. I think we're here."
Leorio and Kurapika arrived moments later, and the three looked up in the direction Kaya was pointing.
An enormous Great Tree stood on the small hill ahead. The cedar was absurdly huge, rising from the hilltop straight into the sky, its branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze with a soft rustle.
Beside the Great Tree stood a small wooden cabin. Not a glimmer of light could be seen from outside, making it look especially sinister out in the wilderness.
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