Kite used "Zetsu" to conceal his aura, quietly tailing Roy.
His master, Ging, once told him: "A good Hunter is naturally liked by animals."
Later, after learning "Nen," he realized it was a talent for blending with nature, also known by the technical term "Zetsu."
A top-tier Hunter, like Ging, could hide completely without anyone detecting their presence if they truly intended to.
Kite hadn't been learning "Nen" for long. While he couldn't reach that level, he wasn't bad. He figured that by maintaining a certain distance and using the environment for cover, he'd have no problem tailing the two from afar.
He sometimes hid behind a tree, or a utility pole, or a road sign, or a decorative rock. Seeing the other party walk deep into the jungle, he paused his steps. Just as he was about to leave, he saw the person leaning on a cane suddenly stop. Immediately after, a brutal "oppressive force" descended abruptly, catching him off guard. It forced his knees to buckle, nearly making him collapse to the ground.
[Magnetic Force · Oppression]
Roy, leaning on his cane sword, turned around. He pressed one hand toward Kite. The young man felt as if another giant boulder had crashed onto his head. His knee joints cracked, and he was forced to activate his "Nen ability."
"There's a roulette wheel spinning in its mouth, with numbers 1 to 9. It changes into a weapon based on the number rolled."
"That's me, Crazy Slots. Roll for good luck!"
A clown wearing a pointy green hat, a red nose, and holding white-gloved hands to its cheeks, with its mouth wide open in a square shape holding a "number," popped out with a "Pffft" sound. It immediately complained: "Ngh... so heavy!"
"Brat, who did you piss off this time?"
"What's with this weird force that's trying to flatten people?"
"Shut up!" Kite opened his Aura Nodes, activated "Ten," and braced himself against the magnetic force to keep from falling. One hand was ready to draw a lot at any moment. He stared gravely at Roy and explained, "I mean no harm."
The young man took a deep breath. "I just wanted to ensure safety... to see you off."
"This isn't 'seeing us off'," Roy said, looking at Kite expressionlessly. Beside him, Gotoh wore a dark expression.
'I was actually being followed, and the Young Master had to point it out...' The young butler was furious with himself. A coin slipped out of his pocket and was instantly caught in his hand, aimed at Kite.
"Don't try to make 'following' sound so nice. Back at the tavern, I noticed your eyes were suspicious!"
'Stealing glances every now and then is one thing, but to boldly chase after us...' Gotoh turned his head to Roy, seeking instructions. "Young Master, perhaps we should just kill him."
Strands of Nen enveloped the coin. With just a flick of his finger, it would shoot out...
The air grew heavy.
Roy raised one hand, signaling Gotoh not to be overly tense. Then, he abruptly dropped his hand, increasing his Nen output. Kite felt another boulder crash down on him. His back arched, and he hurriedly tried to draw a lot.
But unexpectedly, a sudden "suction force" pulled at him. The clown vanished, and in the next instant, it was in Roy's grasp. He had snatched it with one hand, his cane sword stuck in the ground before him, standing perfectly still.
Having lost his support, a flaw appeared in Kite's concentration. He finally couldn't hold on and collapsed. "Krak... krak..."
The ground cracked in a spider-web pattern with him at the "epicenter," forming a shallow pit. Then, a series of unhurried footsteps reached his ears.
Kite, lying in the pit, struggled to lift his head. His baseball cap had rolled to the side, leaving him looking utterly wretched.
"I don't want to be your enemy. It's just... you are too dangerous!" he repeated his explanation.
"So?"
Roy walked up to him, picked up his cap, and placed it back on his head. He channeled a stream of Nen to hold the clown steady, carefully feeling its texture. 'It's a conjured item with a physical form, no doubt...'
He looked at Kite quietly and said, "You have your thoughts, and I have my methods."
"Since you chose to follow, you must be prepared to be discovered. I'm teaching you a lesson. Even if your master, Ging, were here, he couldn't find fault with it."
Kite's head snapped up. He stared at Roy in shock and blurted out, "You know Mr. Ging?"
'Heavens above, Kite had never told anyone about his relationship with Ging. Why did this guy in front of him know?'
'And his "Nen" ability... what exactly is it?'
'"Oppression" was one thing, but what was that "suction"?'
A thousand thoughts flooded his mind in an instant. The mention of "Ging" left Kite's mind in turmoil.
Roy didn't answer. He let go of the clown, allowing it to fly back and urge Kite to hurry up and roll. He raised his right hand again, canceling the oppression, stood up, and turned to leave.
"There's nothing new under the sun. Be glad you're still a decent person..."
"Let's go." The boy grabbed the cane sword, and Roy left in an instant, never looking back.
Gotoh gave Kite one last cold glance. "Consider yourself lucky."
He turned and followed.
A moment later, a mountain breeze blew by. Kite struggled out of the pit. He gazed in the direction Roy had left, stunned, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
'A mysterious young man, overwhelming strength...'
'Mr. Ging was right. This world is small enough, yet big enough.'
'I still need to grow much stronger!'
After a long pause, Kite adjusted the brim of his cap, waved his hand to dismiss the clown, and turned to leave.
...January 4th. There were still three days until the Hunter Exam.
After leaving Mito's tavern, Roy plunged into the jungle, casually broke off a branch to use as a fishing rod, found a lake, and started fishing.
He sat cross-legged on a large green rock, his grandfather Zigg's notebook resting on his lap.
He turned to the page on "Hookless Fishing" and used a small pebble to hold it down. Nearby, Gotoh was gathering firewood and building a fire, preparing to roast fish.
"Young Master, did you know that guy?"
'Master... Ging...' Gotoh had keenly observed Kite's intense reaction.
The young butler glanced sideways at Roy's back, a strange feeling rising in his heart. He always felt... as if the Young Master knew everything about the world without ever having to leave home.
'A bit like a "god" or "prophet" worshiped by some small tribes or nations.'
"I wouldn't say I 'know' him, I just know of some things..." Roy didn't elaborate. He was a little surprised to see Kite here, but after thinking about it, it made sense. After all, as Ging's only nominal disciple, it would be strange if Kite came for the Hunter Exam and didn't make a pilgrimage to Ging's hometown.
A drop of "Nen" seeped from the end of the fishing rod. It faintly showed signs of condensing into a line as it fell. Roy continued to temper his "Nen" line, strengthening the quality of his "Nen."
One day, then two, passed. The small Whale Island gradually became livelier.
A few familiar figures could be glimpsed in various corners of the town.
There was a bald man, a snake charmer, a man covered in bandages, a boy carrying a bow, a Kurta clan girl wearing traditional ethnic clothing,
a blond-haired youth in a sharp suit with two bodyguards, slurping noodles at a small stall, and...
a strange person with a face full of pushpins, whose face was stiff and made crackling noises when they walked.