Chapter 46: Hisoka's Provocation
Osren shot Leorio a sidelong glance, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. He didn't bother answering — at least, not yet.
"Come on, man, say something! We can't just stand here forever." Leorio's voice was edged with impatience. "This whole standoff's wasting time. Let's settle it already!"
Osren smirked faintly. "You ever hear the saying, 'Villains die because they talk too much'?" he murmured. Then, without another word, he folded his arms and waited. The classic scene was about to unfold — Hisoka's challenge to the examiner.
Kurapika stepped forward, his calm voice cutting through the tense air. "I have a way to tell who's real."
All eyes turned to him.
"If he's truly a licensed Hunter, he should possess an official Hunter License Card." Kurapika's tone was measured but confident.
"Hunter License Card?" Gon repeated, his eyes widening with wonder. "There's such a thing?"
"Yes," Kurapika explained patiently. "Only certified Hunters have one. And only a real Hunter could accurately test whether others have what it takes to join their ranks."
That was common sense — but panic had clouded the group's thinking. Most of the examinees already knew this in theory, yet with fear and suspicion twisting their judgment, none had been able to recall it.
Kurapika's ability to stay composed under pressure was remarkable, but not surprising. It was one of his defining traits — the reason he always stood out in moments like this.
As for Gon, who'd grown up isolated on Whale Island, this was all new territory. He listened wide-eyed, absorbing every word like it was a story from another world.
And Leorio? Well, being the least "academically trained" of the bunch, his lack of awareness was perfectly understandable.
"So what you're saying is… that guy's already a Hunter?" Gon's voice trembled with awe. His eyes practically sparkled. "That's amazing! A real Hunter…"
The boy's excitement was infectious, and without realizing it, his gaze naturally gravitated toward Satotz — the calm, poised examiner who had shown not an ounce of fear.
Osren noticed the subtle movement of Gon's eyes and chuckled under his breath. "What terrifying intuition," he muttered.
Even without evidence, Gon's instincts always pointed him in the right direction — the kind of talent you couldn't teach.
"Don't worry," Osren added quietly, confidence lacing his voice. "We'll be Hunters too. Sooner or later."
Gon nodded eagerly, his grin bright and sincere. His whole body seemed to hum with excitement. This was the moment he'd dreamed of since childhood — the world of Hunters, real and vivid before his eyes.
The memory of Kite's stories from years ago flickered through his mind. Back then, he'd been just a curious ten-year-old boy who didn't even realize that his mentor was one of them.
But now… standing here, shoulder to shoulder with others chasing the same dream — it finally felt real.
In the original timeline, Kite had come to Whale Island searching for Ging. Deep in the forest, he stumbled upon a ten-year-old Gon, who was being attacked by a massive Foxbear. Just as the beast's claws were about to strike, Kite appeared — and saved the boy's life in the nick of time.
The Foxbear, however, had a cub. Though Kite intended to kill it to prevent future danger, Gon stopped him — and that cub would later grow up to become Kon, Gon's loyal companion.
When Kite learned that Gon's father was Ging Freecss, he handed the boy a card and told him something that would change his life: if he wanted to find his father, he should become a Hunter.
That encounter planted the seed of Gon's dream — and the moment he turned twelve, he set off on the path that brought him here.
Now, seeing a Hunter again for the first time since that day, Gon's excitement was palpable. He was one step closer to his father.
"My Hunter License was stolen by that man! I was careless for just a second, and he took everything!"
The man in green erupted before Kurapika could even finish, pointing furiously at Satotz. His expression was full of grief and indignation, the perfect image of righteous outrage.
Quick thinker, Osren noted silently.
"I see…" Kurapika's sharp eyes flickered with comprehension. He'd already pieced it together — this was a setup, and he'd expose it soon.
"So even if someone has a license card, it doesn't necessarily mean they're the real examiner?" Leorio's head was spinning. "Every time I think I've figured it out, something else ruins it!"
He turned to Osren helplessly. "Alright, genius — what's your take? What's the trick here?"
"Look closer," Osren said, his tone casual yet deliberate. "There's one big difference between our examiner and that thing on the ground. Take a good look."
He could tell Hisoka was barely holding back — and based on the original events, this was exactly the moment the magician would strike.
"Difference?" Leorio squinted at the corpse of the Human-Faced Ape, then glanced at Satotz. After a few seconds of staring, his face lit up.
"The tongue?" he asked uncertainly.
Osren nodded, a small grin forming. His focus, however, had already shifted entirely toward Hisoka. This was the moment he'd been waiting for — to witness Hisoka's deadly technique firsthand.
"I get it now!" Leorio exclaimed, seizing the chance to show off. "The real examiner doesn't have a mouth, but that monster does! That's the fake!"
He puffed up proudly, basking in the brief glow of recognition — a moment that lasted exactly two seconds. Because the stage now belonged to Hisoka.
Swish!
Shing!
Three playing cards flashed through the air — impossibly fast.
Three aimed for the man in green.
Three for Satotz.
They were released at the same time.
They struck at the same time.
But the results were completely different.
Before anyone could even react, the green-clad imposter froze mid-step, eyes widening in horror. One of the cards sliced straight through his throat, dropping him to the ground in a spray of red.
Satotz, meanwhile, simply raised both hands and caught his cards with ease.
The difference was absolute.
Osren's eyes tracked every movement, trying desperately to see the trick behind Hisoka's attack — but even with his enhanced perception, all he caught was a single flash of white thread from Hisoka's fingers before the cards struck home.
He exhaled quietly. "Good thing I stocked up on face energy beforehand," he murmured to himself. "That move… I wouldn't have survived it."
"Ah, I see now," Hisoka drawled, his tone lazy and amused. He began shuffling his cards with elegant, fluid motions, then drew one and toyed with it between his fingers.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Leorio yelled, his earlier confidence crumbling. He had no idea whether Hisoka was about to kill again.
"Just speeding up the process," Hisoka replied casually, eyes glinting. "This way's quicker, don't you think?"
Leorio opened his mouth, then closed it again. As much as he hated to admit it… Hisoka wasn't wrong.
Meanwhile, the other Human-Faced Ape — the one still pretending to be dead — sprang to its feet and bolted for the trees.
Too late.
Swish!
A single card flew from Hisoka's hand, faster than a blink. It struck the fleeing creature square in the back of the neck. The ape dropped instantly, lifeless before it hit the ground.
"The answer's revealed," Hisoka said smoothly, eyes gleaming with delight. "That one"—he pointed toward Satotz—"is the real examiner. And naturally, a true Hunter would never fall to something as cheap as that."
Satotz didn't even flinch. He dropped Hisoka's cards to the ground and replied evenly, "I'll accept the compliment. But hear this — next time you attack me, for any reason, it will be considered defiance of the examiner. Your qualification will be revoked on the spot."
Hisoka gave a lazy nod, smirking. "Yes, yes… understood."
"He did that on purpose," Killua muttered.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Gon blinked.
Osren understood instantly but didn't explain. Some lessons, he thought, had to be learned firsthand.
And Hisoka's lesson — was always written in blood.
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