CHAPTER 6
NIJIKA P.O.V.
"Congratulation for coming this far," Satotsu-san smiled as he looked at us. I scoffed slightly at his comment, obviously the first stage isn't done yet, "This is the place where the second round will be held, you will have to go through there."
I went on my toes, "Can you feel all the animals watching us?" I whispered into Killua and Gon's ear. They both nodded as they watched the green field in front of us in fascination.
"There are rare animals that live in the marsh," Satotsu-San paused, few people fidgeted from where they were standing nervously, "Many of them eat humans for lunch, follow me and pay close attention, losing your way will lead you to your death."
I grinned excitedly and slipped my jacket back on, there would mostly likely be poisonous plants, having extra clothes would be good.
"This guy's funny, forewarning us, cause he doesn't believe we can live through it," Leolio panted as he glared at Satotsu.
"Don't believe that guy!" A loud voice screamed, in confusion, I looked where the voice was coming from in interest. An injured man came wobbling out from a building, he glared at Satotsu-San with hatred, "He's lying to you all!"
I eyed the injured man, Killua and I both shared looks before shrugging, "He's an imposer, he's not the judge at all!" The man yelled as he angrily pointed to the lavender haired man, "Because the real judge is me!" He dramatically said.
People around us started to whisper to each other looking worried. I just scoffed and elbowed Killua giving him a knowing look. He nodded and smirked at me.
This guy, he absolutely has no strong presence at all, no way he could be our examiner.
"Look at this!" The fake yelled, pulling out a dead creature, "This is a monkey-man, these creatures live in the marshes, these guys learned to speak our language and they plan to bait you all into the marshes so you'll be exterminated by the stronger monsters!"
I stiffened when cards flew into the air, I gritted my teeth as they shot at me. I raised my arm and made a wall of earth surround me and Killua. As soon as I felt the card hit the dirt I dropped my hand back down, making the dirt wall fall as well.
"Wow, that was pretty cool," Killua grinned and gave me a high five. I smiled at him before looking at the ground that had the dead "Examiner", he had cards stabbed out of his face, blood dripping out of his mouth. I then turned towards Satotsu-San who held the cards between his fingers as he looked at the one who threw the cards with narrowed eyes.
"Hehe, I see, I see!" I frowned as I looked at the red haired magician who was shuffling a deck of cards. The monkey-man that was suppose to be dead jumped up and ran off, but the magician quickly killed it by throwing the deadly cards at it.
"With this we know who's the real examiner, all clear <3" he creepily smiled, "He's the right judge, a hunter from the hunter exam stopping that kind of attack is easy."
"I'll take that as a compliment, however, the next time you use such intervention against me, whatever the reason, you will be disqualified, am I understood?" Satotsu gave the man a strict look.
"Yes, yes! <3" he man then looked at me with a creepy smile, I glared right back at him, "My apologies miss, my hands must have slipped."
Liar...
"Hey Killua," I whispered lowly motioning him to come closer with my hand.
"Hm?" He questioned as he leaned down so I could whisper in his ear.
"Who's that guy? He's letting out so much bloodlust and he even attacked us earlier," I questioned using my hand to block out my voice to anyone who was trying to listen.
"Number 44? I heard he's Hisoka, better to stay away from him," he advised, I nodded appreciating the information, making sure to write a mental note of the red haired man.
Note: stay away from the crazy magician named Hisoka.
Gon, Killua, and I conversed not really listening to Satotsu-San talk. But when he started to run again, I sprinted after the man making sure to run beside him.
Gon and Killua ran a few steps behind me, I nervously looked back few times noticing the fog and the bloodlust that's been coming closer. My mind went to Kurapika and Leolio, the two males I befriended but quickly pushed it out of my mind knowing I needed to worry about myself.
"Satotsu-San is the bloodlust always this strong?" I questioned the examiner in a friendly manner. He looked down at me in surprise, probably because how I was easily staying with him. He looked at me for a second analyzing me before shaking his head.
"No, I presume number 44 is causing all of this bloodlust, I'm surprised you are able to detect it," he commented as he continued to run, each of his strides growing longer and stronger.
I shrugged, "It's very strong, I'll be surprised if somebody couldn't detect it." I looked back and yelled out at Gon and Killua, "I suggest you to come here quickly."
"Why is she saying that Killua?" Gon questioned cluelessly. I sweat dropped, he's one of those people who can't detect the bloodlust...
"I say she's saying that so we get away from Hisoka," Killua stated. I smiled, glad at least one of them understood, "Hisoka... He wants to kill somebody, and he's becoming impatient, no doubt he'll use the fog and kill people."
I couldn't hear what the two said, but I laughed when Gon yelled, "Leorio! Kurapika! Killua and Nijika says it's better to go in the front!"
"Haha! Gon, you're amazing!" I laughed as I continued to run. Satotsu-San even chuckled. My laugh grew louder as I heard the two's reply.
"YOU IMBECILE!" Definitely Kurapika, Leolio wouldn't know the meaning of that word.
"IF WE COULD GO, WE WOULD GO!" That has to be Leorio.
I giggled as I watched people sweat drop at the four's interaction. But I stopped and narrowed my eyes as I started to hear the screaming.
"Ah, so it has begun," Satotsu-San commented.
That can't be good, "Killua, Gon, Kurapika, Leolio! I lend you my power for the next four hours! If something happens, please use it wisely!" I screamed catching a lot of attention.
Everyone except the four send me questioning looks, "Good luck guys, see you in the next stage!" With that I ran beside Satostu-San keeping my pace with him.
"Ho, you are able to stay with me," he commented as he looked at me with interest.
"Yeah, I'm used to running through marshes and forest, and the animals usually don't attack me," I explain with a grin.
THIRD PERSON P.O.V.
'What a strange girl' Satotsu thought as he eyed a small girl running next to him. He tried making his strides longer and faster, but this small child seemed to be able to stay with him. 'She also seems familiar'
"Hey Satotsu-San do you know Sorata Kijime?"
The examine nodded, remembering the hunter he had passed a few years ago, "Ah yes, he also went through my testing like you are right now, excellent hunter I have to say myself."
Nijika grinned her green eyes sparkling excitedly, "When was the last time you saw him?"
Satotsu looked down at the girl with confusion and froze, 'Her eyes, they're the exactly the same!'
"The last time I saw Sorata-San was around a year ago, he came to visit Netero-San at the meeting of the Hunters Association." He paused for a second taking a closer look at the child, "Are you by any chance related to Sorata-San?"
Nijika smiled, but shrugged, "I don't know, that's why I want to meet him, I'm an orphan but it's highly likely we are since we have the similar power."
Satotsu gave Nijika a look of confusion. Nijika then sighed and let all of her energy leak surprising the poor examiner.
~*~
Few miles back Hisoka felt the energy and licked his lips.
"Ara~ What a waste, Koneko-chan is letting her energy out."
~*~
Satotsu's knees buckled lightly, but he continued to run feeling the heavy aura the girl was letting out.
'Unbelievable, does she know the existence of nen already?' He questioned himself.
His eyes slightly widen when she started to float in the air like how a certain man did years ago.
"I'm able control elements, I use air the most but I can control the other elements too." With a flick of her wrist a small ball of fire was in her hands, but it quickly disappeared as she closes her hands, "I'm lucky since these won't affect me, I once had a lightening struck me when I was in a tree, I came out without a single scratch, shaken, yes but alive."
Nijika stopped her mumbling and turned around, "Killua?" She questioned out loud as she felt a presence behind her.
The silver haired teen came to view and before she knew it, he was running beside her and Satotsu. She immediately saw the grim look on his face before realizing he was missing a certain friend.
"W-Where's Gon?" Nijika stuttered slightly, her eyes filled with a small hope. Killua shook his head, "I don't know, he suddenly went back saying he heard Leolio's scream."
Nijika sadly looked down, but she quickly gave Killua a wary smile, "They'll be ok, Gon, Kurapika and Leolio won't give up that easily."
Satotsu gave the two children beside him a look of pity for a second before picking up his pace.The two children easily keeping up with him.
'This years examinee is indeed very skilled' he thought as he eyed the two children chatting with each other.
>>TIME SKIP>>
"Congratulation you two, you're the first to pass the first test. You've survived the marshes alive and well!" Satotsu smiled down at the two children. He waited for a few minutes, other examinees stumbling towards them breathing hard.
When a good amount of people gathered Satotsu started to talk again, "You currently are in the Biska Woods, the second round will we taken here. On the note, I wish you good luck for the next part of your trial."
Nijika smiled and waved a goodbye while giving the older man a small bow. "Why are ya doing that?" Killua questioned the brunette his tone slightly bored.
"I respect people stronger than me, and he's stronger than me," she simply answered as she watched the tall lavender haired man walk back into the woods.
'I could easily kill him' Killua thought as he followed his female companion's green eyes.
'Still 150 of them... I would have thought only three or so would survive, including those children, this group this year is rather good, number 44, 300, and 99 are something else though' Satotsu thought as he jumped into a tall tree, 'But with Menchi and Buhara as a judge for the second round they'll probably drop below 50, in the worst case we might not even have one person passing the test. It would be better if I kept watch'
"Ne, Killua, Leorio is here!" Nijika smiles as she points to the tree where Leolio was leaning on a tree. Her eyes brightened even more when she spotted her other two companions.
"Gon! Kurapika!" She yelled, waving her arms, catching their attention.
"Nijika!" They both exclaimed, and smiled at them, "Oh good, you guys made it, did you use my power?" She questioned.
A look of realization appeared on all three of their faces, the brunette sighed, "You forgot didn't you?"
The three sheepishly laughed and rubbed their necks embarrassed. 'This would have been so much easier if I burrowed her power' Leolio and Kurapika both thought slightly ashamed.
Nijika then looked closer at Leolio's face, "What happened to you?" Leolio grumbled and shrugged, not remembering what happened to his face.
The brunette sighed and rummaged through her small bag looking for something.
"Ah, there the ointment from Yakusou Mura!" She happily took the jar out and showed the males.
"What! The legendary ointment from the Yakusou Mura!" Leolio cried as he snatched the ointment out of Nijika's hand examining the jar with amazement.
"Legendary?" Gon and Nijika questioned not understanding what Leolio was yelling about.
"This is one of the most treasured ointment in the world! It could cost millions of Jenny for a small jar but this s-size I can't imagine the price! How do you get this!" Leolio screamed as he pointed his shaken finger to the clueless girl.
"Wow, I didn't know it cost that much! Ji-San gave it to me in thanks after helping the village through the drought, I made it rain and saved their crops and herbs."
Kurapika snatched the jar out of Leolio's hand and opened it and smelled the content, he quickly brought his nose back as the strong sensation of stinging went through his nose. He also noticed the power mixed in with it.
He closed it and threw it back at Nijika, "I wouldn't waste it on him."
Leolio growled and glared at the blonde, but Nijika just laughed, "It's ok, it'll be put to good use if it heals Leolio."
Leolio's eyes water for a second before he wiped it with his forearm.
"Hold still," Nijika demanded as she started to apply the ointment to the cut on his arm and face. Right before their eyes the cuts healed and the swelling of his face disappeared.
"Wow, that's impressive!" Gon exclaimed as he poked Leolio's now healed face.
"Stop it!" Gon jumped back laughing before looking around, "Why is everyone waiting outside the hanger?"
"We can't get in yet." Gon grinned as he saw his silver haired friend, "Killua!"
Killua grinned back at the boy, "Did you use some kind of special attack or what? I thought I'll never see you again!"
Gon gave Killua a thumbs up with a boyish grin, "Thanks all to Leolio's after shave!"
"What?" Killua muttered in confusion. Gon quickly explained the situation to Nijika and Killua who listened interested.
"Thanks to all of his after shave you were able to come here?!" Killua screamed in shock.
"Yes...." Killua and Nijika shared glances before laughing, "You're no ordinary guy! What are you, a dog?"
Pic of Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leolio---------->