NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Kai's Weakness
Little by little I regain consciousness. Opening my eyes I find myself lying on the bed of a moderately luxurious room. Moving my eyes around, I see Nicholas and Ponzu sleeping on chairs wrapped up, and one of the examiners eating on a table near of me.
Turning her attention to me, she stops eating when she notices me waking up. "Wow, so you finally woke up. We were really worried about you."
I try to get up, sore from the bandaged wounds on my body. "How long have I been unconscious?"
"About 10 hours." Menchi answers walking next to my bed.
'I see. That means it's not the new Hunters' briefing day yet.' My thoughts are however interrupted by the pain Menchi causes me by pinching my stab wound.
"What the hell were you thinking not using Nen on that brat!? With such precise attacks he could have killed you if he had hit a vital spot! And besides, who do you think had to stand up to that dark-haired madman to stop him from going after you!? I thought you were someone very intelligent, but in truth you're just a fool!" Menchi questions me angrily while I wince.
"Oh oh oh... Wait, that means you were worried by me?" At my sudden question, Menchi stops pinching me.
"Don't get so cocky. I just don't want to lose so soon someone who can satisfy my world-renowned palate, that's all." She says looking away flustered.
I smile tenderly at the One-Star Gourmet Hunter's tsundere attitude, before my eyes unconsciously drop to her cleavage. Alarmed by my actions, I look away in the opposite direction before she notices it.
"S-So, who told you I know how to use Nen?" I ask trying to hide my embarrassment.
"It was chairman Netero. Before the start of the third phase, he informed the examiners that you knew how to use Nen. And then Satotz confirmed it for us when he followed you in the fourth phase." She answers, clearing my doubt about the information leak.
"Seriously, I don't understand you. You put so much effort into facing that bald man and that annoying brat, when you could have easily overpowered them if you had just used Nen. Why didn't you use it then?"
Faced with Menchi's question, I take a moment before answering with complete seriousness. "Because I had personal goals to accomplish, and I had to refrain from using Nen to achieve them. That's how it was during the exam, except for emergency situations where I really needed Nen."
Menchi lets out a sigh of defeat in response. "You can be infuriating at times."
"Yeah, whatever you say." I respond nonchalantly before my eyes drift to the folder next to my pillow. "This is." I say taking it in my hands and opening it.
Before my eyes is that which I had longed for during my time in this world, that which I had shed blood, sweat and tears to achieve—My Hunter License. Despite its lightness, I can feel the weight and significance that this card represents. This little piece of plastic is the proof that I have joined the most influential and relevant organization in this world, and the tool that will grant me the privileges necessary to achieve all my future goals.
"That look tells me that you understand the value of this license." Menchi comments from beside me, drawing my attention.
"I understand it perfectly." I say tucking it in my pocket. "By the way, could you do me a favor and tell me what happened after I lost consciousness?" I ask changing the topic of conversation.
Menchi remains silent for a few seconds before answering. "Sure, I have no problem telling you. Well, you see..."
Flashback narrating after Kai loses consciousness.
According to Menchi's narration, when I was knocked unconscious, Illumi's focus shifted to wanting to kill me, so she and Hisoka stood in his way to stop him. According to her, Illumi's aura showed clear hostility as he claimed that I had gotten in Killua's way and that I should be eliminated for it, but Hisoka showed a strong temper as he said that he still had a score to settle with me and that he would not allow Illumi to get involved.
Although it looked like a fight was about to break out right there, Illumi eventually relented and asked for Killua to be treated. The suited Hunters then took it upon themselves to provide minimal care to Killua and take me to a hotel room for more comprehensive care, accompanied by Nicholas and Ponzu who were very concerned about my condition.
Apparently, Menchi had to remain in the room at that time to discuss Killua's actions with the rest of the committee.
"I think we should suspend him. Although he was unsuccessful, he tried to kill one of the exam candidates, so we should act accordingly." Menchi retorts.
"Come on, come on, it's not that big of a deal. After all, he didn't kill him, and that guy had already passed the exam, so he wasn't a candidate anymore. We should just let him go this time." Lippo says with a relaxed attitude.
"You expect us to just let it go like nothing happened!? Even if the victim has passed the exam, the fact that an examinee still in the test has tried to kill another is undeniable! If we turn a blind eye, it will damage the public's view of the exam and the association! This is a matter of reputation, not regulations!" Menchi replies visibly irked.
"Even so, the final decision rests with the chairman of the selection committee. Mr. Netero, what do you think?" Satotz asks in his usual polite and calm tone.
Isaac Netero turns his head in Killua's direction before answering, "Hmm... I made it very clear that killing your opponent was not allowed, but I never said anything about killing someone else. And besides that, in the end no one died from this little skirmish, so I for one would let it slide down. However, looking at the transpired events I can assume that the man named Kai was not his original target. That is why I would like to hear this young man's opinion on the matter before giving my final verdict."
"And what are you two waiting for? Come on, start fighting at once." Netero says to Bodoro and Leorio, who had been distracted watching how the situation had unfolded since Killua attacked me.
About 15 minutes later, while Bodoro and Leorio were fighting with bruises on both sides, Killua regained consciousness with a bandage on his head. Despite still having a dull expression, it seemed that the experience had helped him regain his senses, allowing Netero and the examiners to speak with him about his situation during the little incident.
According to Menchi, when Netero told him about how he had left me in a critical state after attacking me, the horrified expression on Killua's face made his decision on whether to continue with the exam or not very clear even before he was asked.
Once he expressed his refusal to continue with the exam, the committee failed him, after which he left the room and the fight between Bodoro and Leorio ended without a winner or loser.
End of the flashback.
"With their disqualification confirmed, the passing of numbers #191 and #403 was announced and the exam came to an end. After that, all the successful examinees left the room and headed to their hotel rooms for the following day's briefing."
"I see. So Killua gave up on the exam." I add displaying an air of contemplation and sorrow.
However, my inner thoughts are completely opposite. 'Yes, I achieved it! I managed to get Killua kicked out of the exam without even killing Bodoro! All that's left for me to do is confirm that Gon and the rest head to Kukuroo Mountain to get him back and I won't have to worry about the canon for a while!' I think with an internal smile full of delight and satisfaction.
"Now that we've got that out of the way, there's something I'd like you to clarify for me." Menchi says, regaining my attention. "How did you know about the last phase?"
Faced with Menchi's suddenly serious and pointed question, I try to maintain a certain degree of doubt without showing my inner concern. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't try to play innocent." Menchi says taking out one of his knives with a twist. "Throughout the exam, everyone who was watching you noticed your apparent lack of concern or surprise during the different stages. At first we attributed this to great preparation and confidence, but by the last phase you had prepared too thoroughly for it to be just a fluke."
"You obviously knew what the final test would be about, and you prepared thoroughly for it. Chairman Netero came up with the idea of the tournament during the trip to the hotel, and none of the examiners contacted you until the start of the finals, so there was no information leak."
Taking me by surprise, Menchi flashes her knife next to my neck, with a murderous gaze fixed on me. "That means you had another way of knowing what was going to happen. The Hunter Association can't just ignore something as dangerous as that. So I ask you again, how did you know what was going to happen in the final phase?"
It certainly seems like a tense situation. In a world where any kind of power can be generated if you have the necessary aptitude, it is normal to be very conscious when you encounter something capable of threatening the security and stability of an organization as important and cautious as the Hunter Association. Looking at it in a clearer way, my situation is like having accessed the databases of the Pentagon or the Central Intelligence Agency of my old world.
A normal person would be nervous about being threatened in this way, which would lower their defenses and allow their interrogator to slowly get inside their head until they managed to get the truth out of them. However...
"I really don't think I have any obligation to tell you this. After all, Hunters must have a natural ability to obtain information that the general public doesn't have access to. Whether it's through contacts, resources or skills, this is a key characteristic of any specialization in the Hunter Association, righ?"
"So that I have obtained information about the exam that no one else could obtain is a testament of my qualifications as a future Hunter, and because of that I know that neither you nor any of the committee members will take action against me, because if you were to take hostile actions against any Hunter who demonstrated a level of competence beyond your preconceived standards, then there would be no truly talented Hunters in the association."
Both my words and expression show complete confidence and lack of fear in the face of the woman holding a knife threateningly against my neck. After about 10 seconds in which the room was so silent that it seemed to have become empty, Menchi once again lets out a sigh of defeat before removing the knife from my jugular.
"Damn. You don't even show an ounce of hesitation. Seriously, you're something else." She says with a disgruntled face.
"I gather from your reaction that it's not the committee's business, right?" I ask arching my eyebrow.
"I was curious, and I thought I'd mess you a little to get the answers out of you and at the same time shake up that seriousness you always seem to display." She responds.
'Just as I expected. Knowing the Hunter Association's structure, and how open-minded that old fox was, I knew they wouldn't retaliate even if they found my behavior suspicious. After all, unless they start going on a rampage like Illumi did, the Hunter Association doesn't have a policy for managing how their members use their Nen powers. So even if they were to act a little threatening, all I'd need to do is stand my ground and their offense would crumble like a house of cards.' I think as I smile with accomplishment.
"Well, I'm not that unflappable either. I remember very well having lost my composure more than once during the exam." I tell Menchi in an attempt to comfort her.
As if flipping a switch, Menchi jumps and a mischievous smile forms on his face. "It's true. And I think I remember one of those moments in particular."
Before my confused gaze, I see how Menchi gets up from her chair and as she approaches my bed, she suddenly squeezes her vuluptuous breasts between her arms. Seeing this scene before my eyes, my face blushes like metal on fire and my nose begins to generate a stream of blood.
"M-M-Menchi, w-w-what are you d-doing!?" I ask flustered while Menchi lets out a slight laugh.
"Well, well. Looks like our always serious examinee is finally showing his weaknesses." Menchi says in a sensual way while sitting next to me on the bed.
"I-I don't know what a-are you talking! I'm perfectly f-f-fine." I say stuttering as I try to look away from the beautiful woman in front of me.
However, Menchi grabs both sides of my head to force me to look at her. "Don't look away while you're talking to me. You'll hurt my feelings."
Unable to move my head because of Menchi's strong and firm grip, I slowly lose my ability to process the situation as she gets closer and closer to me while continuing to speak to me with that sweet and enchanting voice.
"Hey, you're really not going to tell me how you knew about the test? I'm really curious." She asks me this as she closes the distance between us even further, pressing her breasts against me and making my arousal increases and my cognitive ability decreases even more.
Then she closes the distance again, bringing her lips closer to my left ear. "If you revealed it to me, I would reward you very well." Saying this, she blows into my ear, sending an electric current throughout my body and brain.
My heart is beating so hard that it is audible to the outside, my eyes and hands are shaking uncontrollably, my head is unable to think, my sense of smell is flooded with Menchi's delicious smell and my vision is blocked by Menchi's stunning and sensual body leaning against mine. I feel completely flustered and overwhelmed as Menchi puts her face in front of me again.
"Won't. You. Tell. Me?"
Flooded by the accumulation of stimuli that the Gourmet Hunter subjects me to, my mind shuts down at her words, preparing to indulge me in her offer. But before I give in to her temptation, I manage to form a fist with my trembling right hand and deliver a powerful punch to my stab wound.
The blow made me bleed from both the wound and my mouth, and the intense pain woke me up from the captivating situation I found myself. Despite being successful, the pain was so intense that I nearly fainted on the spot, lying on the bed and shivering as a result.
At this, Menchi bursts out laughing. "Oh my god, this is what I wanted to see! Look at you, all nervous and fidgety from a little flirting! It didn't even occur to you to take me away from you!" But as she says this, Menchi's teasing expression changes to one of astonishment and agitation as she looks down and observes the big
"Although, well, it seems obvious that you were not in a proper state of mind to think about that. I guess it's true that you are very sensitive to women." Saying this, Menchi hurriedly gets out of the bed.
"Tomorrow, the candidates who passed will have a meeting to be informed about their new benefits as Hunters. Make sure you take advantage of that time to rest and recover." Menchi says in a restless and hurried tone before trying to flee the room.
However, before leaving, she stops right in front of the door. "The efforts of those who came before us not only gave Hunters special treatment in society, but also a responsibility to bear on our shoulders—The responsibility of always striving to achieve something new."
"Of all the applicants who try to get a Hunter's License, most of them either lack the talent to take on the responsibility, or they become complacent with all these comforts and lose their ambition." Saying this, Menchi turns her head to look at me.
"I am not one to tell you what kind of Hunter you should be, but I have high expectations for you. I hope you do not disappoint me." She says giving me a wink before turning off the light and leaving the room shrouded in the darkness of the night.
There, lying in the dark room, my mind is unable to relax due to the events that have taken place during the day. Between the intensity of the fighting, the joy of having finally become a Hunter, the
'Damn it! I really need to find a way to get over my problem with women!' I think, irked by the accumulation of sensations that prevent me from falling asleep.
Date: January 22nd, 2011
After a bad night's sleep, the two people who had been waiting for my recovery greet me in the morning.
"BOSS!!! Thank goodness you're okay! When Killua went crazy and stabbed you, I was terrified you were going to die! I'm so relieved you're okay!" Nicholas yells as he hugs my torso crying in relief.
"Can you tell me what were you thinking, messing with a member of the Zoldyck Family? Do you have any idea how close you were to death at that moment? If it weren't for Menchi and that psycho Hisoka, you wouldn't be here right now." Ponzu says with her hands on her hips and a rather critical look on me.
"I'm sorry to have worried you, but I had to step in. Otherwise, Killua would have ended up killing that martial artist named Bodoro without a doubt. I just couldn't let my friend do something like that because of his stupid older brother. You understand, right?" I say waving my hands in hopes of calming her bad mood.
At my explanation, Ponzu lets out a sigh of resignation. "Seriously, you're always jumping into danger to protect others like an unconscious person. But... I guess I can't hate that part of you." She says with a warm smile that brings a feeling of calm to my heart.
Moments later, all applicants are called for the new Hunters briefing, and when we enter the meeting place, the air is thick with anticipation as they are gathered in the big hall. They all have in front of them a folder like the one I received yesterday, and their responses to our arrival are very varied:
Leorio and Kurapika wave me energetically with a warm smile. Hisoka and Hanzo also wave me with a smile, only sharper and more composed. And Illumi, surprisingly, doesn't even show any signs of acknowledging our arrival.
'I don't feel any hostility coming from him. Is he just putting it aside because Killua was expelled in the end like he wanted? Or has Hisoka convinced him not to get involved with me? It doesn't matter, I'll keep my guard up until I'm sure he's gone.' I think as Nicholas, Ponzu and I take our seats, and they are also handed a folder by Beans.
Netero stands in front of a table at the other side of the room, accompanied by Beans and the examiners to his right (except for Satotz), his presence commanding attention.
"Congratulations to all of you." Netero begins speaking, his voice calm yet powerful. "You have completed the Hunter Exam and will soon receive your Hunter licenses. However, before you begin your journey as Hunters, there are a few points we would like to clarify with you in advance."
Netero's speech is however interrupted when the doors to the hall swing open, and Gon walks in, his face set in a determined expression. He marches straight up to Illumi, who sits in the corner of the table with his usual composed and abstracted demeanor.
"Apologize to Killua." Gon demands, his voice filled with concern and anger.