NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: Ch: 02
Hello everyone, this is Gon Freecss. When Gin sits on my shoulder, it throws off my balance, so I have him perch on my head instead.
At last, after being seen off by Mito-san and the islanders, I've set sail on my journey into the world of HUNTER×HUNTER. As for Gin, Mito-san offered to take care of him because of his calm temperament, but once Gin got a taste of her cooking, he initially resisted leaving. Still, we managed to depart together safely.
Since I don't know the exact date and time, I was worried about whether we'd be able to board the ship from the original story. But finding Leorio earlier put those concerns to rest. I plan to spend the time until that scene cuddling with Gin.
However, this has turned into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with Gin, who doesn't appreciate being petted too much, so it's also valuable training.
***
The massive sailing ship carrying Gon and the others plowed through rough seas that made even the worst storms seem like child's play. Inside the vessel, which was being tossed about by waves that could have torn it apart at any moment, nearly all the young men aspiring to become Hunters were suffering from seasickness.
As expected, this was no ordinary voyage that could be endured with just slightly above-average training. This route, deliberately chosen to weed out the weak by passing through stormy seas, boasted a repeat rate of nearly 0% once experienced.
Inside the violently rocking ship, Gon was tending to the sick candidates with the same dedication as in the original story. Glancing sideways, he could see Leorio and Kurapika going about their respective tasks as he remembered, their excitement building despite themselves. However, not everything was identical, there were clear differences from the original.
(Leorio was supposed to be reading an erotic book at this point, but it's probably a medical textbook instead. And Kurapika's wooden sword is now a proper blade. There are quite a few differences from the original after all.)
With a partner named Gin who already differed from the original, and differences appearing even in scenes he wasn't involved in, this world was increasingly likely to be a parallel universe similar to HUNTER×HUNTER.
Still, Gon had hoped that since the story had followed such a similar pattern so far, going with the flow would prevent it from diverging too much from the original.
***
Just as they had finally escaped one storm, another powerful tempest was announced, eliminating all other examinees except Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio from the ship voyage. The ship's captain, who had come to assess the remaining examinees, was aware of the growing expectations surrounding the unusually young trio.
However, he deliberately glared at the young people before him, tilting a bottle of alcohol to his lips, and asked the standard question.
"Tell me why you're aiming to become Hunters. Just so you know, I'm one of the examiners. If you give me a false or unsatisfactory reason, I'll fail you without hesitation."
The captain boldly declared that he would disqualify anyone based on personal judgment, causing Kurapika and Leorio to frown. But they didn't dare argue further after being threatened with failure.
Seeing the two remain silent, Gon stepped forward from the line with Gin still perched on his head.
"My name is Gon. The one on my head is my partner, Gin. I'm becoming a Hunter to grow stronger than someone I aspire to surpass one day. Oh, and also to punch my pro Hunter father in the face."
Gon's declaration was surprisingly confident for the youngest of the three. He didn't express a desire to become a Hunter—instead, he stated that becoming a Hunter was merely a stepping stone.
The captain, who had seen many applicants before; Leorio, who usually teased people; and Kurapika, who understood the difficulty of the Hunter Exam—all remained silent, staring at Gon.
The determination and resolve emanating from the youngest and smallest figure in the room stirred various emotions in each of their hearts.
"Well, I'm curious about your father, but for now, let's hear your motivation, sunglasses guy."
Leorio, who had snapped back to reality first due to his experience, closed his eyes to calm himself before stepping forward in Gon's place.
"My name is Leorio. The reason I aim to become a Hunter is simple: money and fame. With those two things, I can buy anything and get anything!"
His loud voice and exaggerated gestures, meant to inspire himself, were also a show of bravado born from nearly being overwhelmed by Gon. The display had a comical, clown-like quality to it.
"You can't buy decency with money, Leorio."
"Yeah, right. You must have some noble reason, then? And you're clearly younger than me, so shouldn't it be Leorio-san?"
While Leorio was as rough as he looked, Kurapika—who appeared calm but was actually ready for a fight—was also struggling to recover from the shock of nearly being overwhelmed.
"My name is Kurapika. I am the last survivor of the Kurta clan. My motivation is to revive my clan and seek revenge on their murderers, and I judged that becoming a Hunter was the most suitable path to achieve that goal."
Kurapika poured out his deep sorrow and anger, but even that couldn't match the vivid impression Gon had left earlier.
"Pfft! I thought you were some big shot, but it's just a bloodthirsty revenge drama from some backwater tribe. You're trying to pass by making people cry, but isn't that a bit too cheap?"
"You lack not only dignity but also the basic qualities of a human being. May I ask where you plan to buy those?"
The two escalated their verbal sparring, but the captain noticed that Gon was being negatively influenced, though he casually remarked that they seemed more tense than in the original story.
Just as it seemed they'd come to blows, Gin, who was hungry, started meowing. Gon realized it was a request for food, but to others, it looked like a small animal was scared and crying, creating an awkward pause.
"Leorio, you're being a bit too harsh, aren't you? I understand why Kurapika is angry, but you started it with that provoking remark. Why don't you both eat something and calm down? I have a feeling that if you talk it out properly, you two would actually get along pretty well."
Gon, who had been offering dried fruit to Gin, made the suggestion in a relaxed manner, defusing the tension. The two of them paused for a moment before turning to face each other again with wry smiles.
"I'm sorry, Leorio. I shouldn't have meddled in others' motives. I also apologize for my rude behavior afterward."
"Hmph, don't call me '-san' now. Just call me by my first name. I'll also retract all the insults I made about the Kurta tribe. I'm sorry."
Once they calmed down and talked, they found they didn't feel any mutual dislike. They even spoke without honorifics in front of Gon, and the conversation turned out to be more lively than expected.
As the three of them started preparing dinner while chatting as if they were old friends, the captain was left alone, feeling out of place.
"I never said you passed or anything," he muttered, but the three ignored him, continuing to chat cheerfully. The captain watched them with a touch of melancholy, but he couldn't help thinking they made a good trio—enough to make him feel a little jealous.
———
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