Faced with Mr. Ferocious Fox's doubts, Lu Ou remained calm and unhurried, explaining his reasoning step by step.
"If this incident were real, then going through all that trouble to infiltrate the house would imply an intent to kill in a single strike—or at least to seriously harm someone. But I didn't see any signs of that. More importantly, ferocious foxes are extremely dangerous magical beasts, yet your 'wife' was completely unharmed. Doesn't that suggest a flaw in the design?" Lu Ou said with a faint smile.
Mr. Ferocious Fox offered no further rebuttal. Under Lu Ou's careful, methodical analysis, there was simply nothing left to argue.
"So, based on the above reasons, we can rule out the possibility that the ferocious fox truly captured a guide family," Lu Ou continued. "If we instead assume the incident was staged, everything suddenly makes sense. This so-called emergency was actually a test conducted by the guide couple."
Looking at Mr. Ferocious Fox, Lu Ou pushed his reasoning even further.
"And if I may be so bold—this guide couple here is none other than Mr. Ferocious Fox and Mrs. Ferocious Fox."
When Lu Ou finished speaking, the room fell completely silent.
"When people panic or encounter sudden situations, they usually can't think clearly," the ferocious fox said slowly. "But you exceeded my expectations entirely. Not only did you remain vigilant at all times and properly assign tasks to your companions, you also managed to piece together seemingly useless clues and break through the situation."
The ferocious fox slowly stood up. The bandages wrapped around his body fell away on their own, revealing completely uninjured skin beneath.
"You pass."
Magical beasts truly did have astonishing regenerative abilities. Lu Ou couldn't help thinking that such a constitution was practically made for Hunters in the field.
"Kurapika and Gon were simply anxious to save people," Lu Ou said. "They're kind-hearted, so they didn't have time to think it through. I'm a bit colder by nature, so I had the presence of mind to consider other possibilities."
"Soft-hearted but quick-legged, hard-hearted but clear-minded—interesting way of putting it," Mr. Ferocious Fox remarked.
Lu Ou grinned teasingly. "But Mr. Ferocious Fox, are you sure you still have time to chat with me?"
Realizing how late it was and that he still had to test Leorio, the ferocious fox hurriedly rushed out the door.
"ROAR—!"
With a thunderous roar, the man instantly transformed into a gigantic magical beast three to four meters tall—a ferocious fox.
Spreading a massive pair of fleshy wings, he launched himself straight into the air.
"So that's the ferocious fox—what a huge body," Lu Ou muttered to himself. "When I watched the anime, I always wondered: those wings are basically patagia. Gliding is fine, but taking off from flat ground like that? Completely unscientific."
"But… you just left. What am I supposed to do now?"
Lu Ou recalled that in the original story, everyone regrouped at the cliff where Leorio went to gather herbs. That much hadn't changed. The problem was that he was now stuck in the cedar forest. Walking there on his own would be… hard to imagine.
"Wait here. I still have things to do," the ferocious fox tossed over his shoulder before flying off.
He just flew away. Just like that.
"Well, flying is impressive, I guess. Anyway, I've already passed. Gon and the others don't need to worry about me. I'll just wait here," Lu Ou muttered. "Though… I'm kind of hungry."
The distance was too far. If Lu Ou tried to walk there on foot, it would probably be dawn by the time he arrived, and he'd miss the ferocious fox transporting them to Zaban City anyway. Better to save his strength and wait here for someone to come pick him up. After all, he had already passed.
For now, he figured he'd see if he could hunt something to eat—maybe even find some rare ingredients to stock up on supplies. Once they reached Zaban City, constant vigilance would be necessary. Just the apple orchard owner alone was dangerous enough—if that guy ever mistook him for a "good apple," his life would be over.
While Lu Ou was planning a hearty meal for himself and preparing food for everyone else, Gon and Kurapika had already caught up to the ferocious fox.
Gon's dynamic vision was exceptional, especially in a forest—his natural territory. He tracked the ferocious fox without losing sight of him even once. Even Kurapika, who excelled at observation and analysis, couldn't match him in this regard.
Leaping swiftly through the treetops, moving with agility greater than a monkey's, Gon quickly ran alongside the ferocious fox.
"Let go of the person you're holding!" Gon shouted.
"Hmph. If you want them, come take them with your strength," the ferocious fox sneered.
"Wow, that guy can talk!" Gon exclaimed in surprise.
"Any creature that can speak is classified as a magical beast," Kurapika said as he finally caught up. "That's a shapeshifting magical beast known as a ferocious fox. It can transform into a human—be careful."
"If it understands human language, that makes things easier," Gon said, then suddenly shouted, "Hey, you idiot ferocious fox up ahead!"
The ferocious fox was momentarily distracted. His movement slowed just enough for Gon to swing his fishing rod, striking the fox and forcing him to loosen his grip. The hostage fell from midair.
Kurapika leapt up in perfect coordination and caught the hostage, watching as Gon chased the ferocious fox deeper into the forest.
Just like in the original events, Kurapika saved the female hostage. When she anxiously urged him to take her back to find her husband, Kurapika noticed the tattoo on her hand.
Without Lu Ou, Kurapika was the most knowledgeable of the four, possessing a vast store of information. He immediately recognized something was wrong with that tattoo.
"Now, can you answer one question for me?" Kurapika asked calmly, drawing his twin batons into a defensive stance. "Who are you, really?"
"That's right. I'm a magical beast," the woman admitted readily. "How did you figure it out?"
"The tattoo on your hand," Kurapika said gently. "It's a celibacy mark used by women of the ancient Kurta tribe—engraved when they swear to serve a god. Why would a woman bearing such a mark have a husband? That contradiction makes the truth obvious."
His tone was firm and unwavering.
Then the ferocious fox disguised as Leorio was struck down by Kurapika with a single blow.
Kurapika's side of the test went smoothly, and Gon wasn't far behind. After crossing a mountain stream, he cornered a ferocious fox on an open plain.
"Kid, I didn't expect you to chase me this far," the ferocious fox said, raising three fingers. His claws enlarged, becoming sharper and more menacing. "I'll repay you properly for that earlier blow. Prepare to die!"
The ferocious fox's eyes turned red as he lunged at Gon at terrifying speed.
But the moment the fox spoke, a look of surprise—and confusion—appeared on Gon's face, as if something didn't make sense to him.
"That earlier blow?" Gon couldn't understand it. "I never hit this ferocious fox… what's going on?"
Since he hadn't attacked this one, Gon felt no guilt whatsoever. The ferocious fox might have been ferocious, but facts were facts—there was no need to dodge or retreat.
The claws stopped right in front of Gon's forehead. Seeing that Gon hadn't moved at all, the ferocious fox halted, the red glow fading from his eyes.
"Why didn't you dodge?" the ferocious fox asked, puzzled. Was this kid not afraid of death?
"Because I didn't hit you," Gon replied matter-of-factly. "Who are you, anyway?"
Gon tilted his head in curiosity, genuinely wondering how a random fox had suddenly appeared and accused him of attacking it.