Adultrio

After Gon asked me to join his team, a chubby guy with a #16 tag approached us. He introduced himself as Tonpa, bragging about this being his thirty-fifth attempt at the exam, which struck me as pretty ridiculous.

Why would anyone be proud of that?

Gon and Leorio listened to him politely, but I exchanged glances with Kurapika, both of us clearly unimpressed.

The guy kept going on, his grin widening. "Because of that, I know every detail and participant of this examination! If you want to ask something, just come to me!" Tonpa declared, proud as if he were some legend.

"Wow, really? That's very nice of you, Tonpa!" Gon said, clearly intrigued.

Before Tonpa could respond, a sudden, piercing yowl echoed nearby, snapping all our heads toward the sound. I saw a guy whose hands had morphed into pink petals, standing in front of a red-haired man dressed like a jester, complete with clown makeup and a dangerous smirk. Just one glance at him sent a shiver down my spine.

That aura... It was impossible to ignore. Something about him screamed danger like a predator sizing up prey. It reminded me of someone, a presence that made my instincts flare up, practically begging me to stay the hell away.

Even with all the confidence I had in my abilities, there was this nagging certainty... I wouldn't stand a chance against him.

"That maniac is here again," Tonpa muttered, his voice shaky enough to catch everyone's attention. We all turned to him, expecting an answer. "Hisoka Morrow, the most dangerous participant here."

"Again?" Gon tilted his head, clearly intrigued.

Tonpa nodded. "He joined last year but got disqualified for trying to kill an examiner."

A chill ran down my spine as I glanced back at Hisoka. That smile wasn't just creepy; it was the kind that only someone completely untouchable would wear. The kind that screamed, try me, and I'll destroy you. My gut twisted. Avoid him at all costs. Just standing here was enough to put me on edge.

I forced a smirk, hoping to change the mood. "Lucky we ran into each other, Gon," I said, half-joking. It earned a laugh from him and the others, but the knot in my stomach didn't budge.

Suddenly, Tonpa handed each of us a can of juice. "Since we're all friends now... let's celebrate with a toast!" he said grinning.

The others accepted with simple thanks, a bit too trusting for my liking.

I gave him a flat look when he held a can out to me. "No, thank you. I don't generally accept beverages from strangers." I turned away but kept an eye on him from the corner of my vision.

Don't trust anyone, a voice snarled in the back of my mind. I clenched my jaw. Yeah, I know. Shut it.

The cans popped open with a series of sharp tinks. Gon chugged a good portion before promptly spitting it across the clearing. "Tonpa! Did you even check the date on this? It tastes… off."

Leorio, halfway through his, made a strangled noise in his throat. While Kurapika simply tipped his can, letting the juice spill onto the dry ground.

A familiar scent drifted my way. Bitter almonds. How… uninspired.

I picked up a discarded can from beside Leorio's foot, bringing it closer.

Yep. Hydrogen cyanide.

The same stuff that had put me out of action during that terrible training session. Tonpa's reliance on such… basic methods was honestly insulting. Poison, huh? Really? Did he think I was that stupid?

It was almost too easy to see through him. I wasn't going to waste energy on something like this. But no, it deserved a little attention. After all, he clearly needed a reminder that I wasn't the kind of person to be taken advantage of.

In one swift motion, I hurled the can at Tonpa, my eyes cold and sharp. "The juice is poisoned," I said, my voice flat as I pulled a coin from my pocket, flipping it casually between my fingers, just in case he decided to try something.

His face drained of color the moment he realized he wasn't fooling anyone.

He stammered, "I... I..."

I raised my hand, ready to send the coin whistling past his ear. But before I could, Gon's hand clamped down on my wrist.

Tonpa's eyes snapped to the coin, then to me. He scrambled back, tripping over his own feet as he muttered a pathetic excuse and practically sprinted away.

I yanked my arm free, glaring at Gon. "Why did you stop me? He'll just cause more trouble later."

Gon didn't flinch. "The exam hasn't even started yet. Fight him when it does."

I rolled my eyes. He just didn't get it. Tonpa had literally tried to poison us, and Gon was acting like it was no big deal. He's just a kid, I reminded myself, exhaling a frustrated sigh. Still, that didn't mean I had to like it.

Finally, the doors swung open, and a guy with a mustache that looked like it had escaped from a circus sideshow strolled in. He barely glanced at us before rattling off his name as Satotz, the examiner. He said he'd be leading us to the second phase. And then, without wasting any time, he took off.

The initial jog instantly became a full-on sprint. I could hear the wheezing and gasping of those struggling to keep up. Please. Emilio's hellish training had prepared me for far worse than this.

Then I heard Leorio shout. "Hey! That's unfair! Stop using your toy! This is an endurance test!" I glanced over to see a white-haired kid riding a skateboard, looking entirely unbothered.

He didn't even acknowledge Leorio, just staring at him with his hands casually stuffed in his pockets.

Gon interjected, "Leorio, the examiner only told us to follow him."

The kid finally met Gon's gaze for a brief second before flipping his skateboard and joining us on foot. He introduced himself as Killua, and before long, he and Gon were up ahead, chatting away like they'd known each other for years.

Meanwhile, I stayed back with Kurapika and Leorio.

After a while, Leorio started lagging, wheezing like an old engine. I stopped, raising a brow. "What, already?"

He dropped to one knee, gasping for air. I crossed my arms, tapping my foot impatiently. This was ridiculous.

"Oi, what's the hold-up?" Killua's voice echoed from up ahead, laced with annoyance.

"Just leave him," Killua called to Gon.

I glared at Leorio. "Don't tell me you're actually going to quit." Pathetic.

He shot me a glare, jaw clenched. Then, without warning, he ripped off his outer shirt and took off like a bat out of hell, leaving us in the dust. Gon hooked his suitcase with his fishing rod, and we fell back in line, me and Kurapika this time.

Kurapika didn't say a word, which was fine by me. I wasn't really in the mood for small talk. But Leorio, now full of energy like he'd just chugged a Red Bull, started talking about why he was taking the exam. Something about wanting to be a doctor for people who couldn't afford one. I couldn't help but feel a flicker of respect for him. Not bad, I supposed. It was a decent goal.

Finally, they both turned to me. I felt Kurapika's intense gaze, and I braced myself, knowing the question was coming.

"Mei, why do you want to be a Hunter?" Kurapika asked, his eyes focused on me.

I took a deep breath, resisting the urge to say too much. "My uncle wants me to," I replied. It was honest enough, just not the whole truth.

Leorio scoffed. "What are you, a kid? You could've said no! This exam is dangerous, and we could die here!"

I just looked at him, then looked away.

"Leorio! Kurapika! Mei!" Gon's voice cut through the conversation as he and Killua slowed down to wait for us. Finally. I let the question drop.