Bab 6: Chapter 6: My First Work As A Hunter
Date: December 16th, 2010
This day I fill renewed, prepared to tackle all the matters that I have put off.
Winning the tournament has earned me some recognition and respect, but it has also painted a target on my back. Carthis is a bustling town, teeming with people of all kinds—merchants, travelers, and, as I soon discovered, plenty of troublemakers.
Even if I've taken care of that matter for now, it won't be long before I attract unwanted attention again if I stay, so I'll make the necessary preparations to leave and attend the Hunter Exam.
I use my prize money to purchase better gear and supplies for my trip. I also buy new clothes to replace the ragged clothes I've been wearing since I left Gu Island, making myself look more like a decent citizen of society.
After finishing my shopping, I take time to continue learning more about the town and its inhabitants. The tavern continues to be a rich source of information, so I decide to stay here the rest of the day.
On the evening, while enjoying a quiet meal, a mysterious figure approaches my table. He is an older man, his face lined with years of hardship, but his eyes are sharp and piercing.
"Mind if I sit?" He asks, his voice gravelly.
I nod, curious about what he wants. "Go ahead."
He sits down, leaning in close. "I saw you fight in the tournament, and you've got impressive fighting skills. You handled yourself well."
"Thank you." I reply cautiously. "What's your interest?"
"I have a proposition for you." He says, lowering his voice. "You see, I'm not from around here. The truth is I'm looking for something—something big."
I narrow my eyes, intrigued but wary. "Go on."
He glances around to ensure no one is listening, then continues. "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Kaito Tanaka and I'm a seasoned Treasure Hunter. I've been searching for a legendary artifact for years. It's said to be hidden in the mountains to the north, guarded by dangerous creatures and ancient traps. I need someone with your skills to help me retrieve it."
His words catch my attention. Through eavesdropping and casual conversations, I had already picked up on the local rumors and legends about a hidden treasure located deep within the mountains to the north.
My heart races at the prospect of an adventure, but my brain remains cool and rational. "Why do you need my help? You're a Hunter, so you're supposed to be strong. And you can ask someone you know to help you on this mission if you need it. Why do you choose me, a stranger, to come along with you?" I ask, trying to get information out of him without showing my interest.
"Well, if I have to be honest with you, I ask your help for your combat skills."
"At first, I thought you were a Hunter. But you seem a little wet behind the ears, although your ability to control your aura as you do now is above average. Your Ten is a lot stronger than your average Nen user too." His words seems sincere, as I have spent years training my Ten, keeping it active at all times, even asleep.
"Hmm. I never thought so highly of myself before. I don't know how weak or strong I am at the moment compared to average. So, how strong do you think I am?" I ask trying to get a clearer view of the general power level of a Nen user.
"Well, to be honest, I'm not the strongest Hunter by any means, which is also part of why I need help. But if I had to gauge your level, in what Nen refers, I'd say you're still a complete novice. I should have asked you this before taking you on this job, but I want you to confirm it to the 100%. Are you even a Hunter?"
"Is that really a relevant question if you have already offered me the job? Even if I wasn't, I feel like I satisfied some kind of criteria. Whether I'm a Hunter or not, it shouldn't matter to you for this job, right?" At my words, Kaito lets out a giggle.
"Man, you're smarter than I thought. But if we're going to work together I need you to be honest with me, so answer that question now please." He asks me.
I sigh in defeat. "Fine, I'll answer. I'm not officially a Hunter, nor have I taken the exam yet."
"So you haven't taken the exam yet, but you have the abilities as if you've been trained." Kaito says in contemplation.
"Now it's your turn to be honest. Why did you decide to have me accompany you instead of a Hunter?" I ask him in a hurried and direct tone.
"Because I saw your true character in that alley." My eyes widen and my body stiffens upon hearing his response.
"Surprised? You not feeling me is further proof that you still have room for improvement. But it wasn't how swiftly and easily you dispatched five men attacking you at once what convinced me, it was your precise and determined attitude in facing them, and the confidence and willingness to get your hands dirty if you saw them again. I could say in your face that you were prepared to do it if necessary."
"That performance convinced me that you were the right person for this mission." I can feel the conviction and honesty in his words, starting to convince me that it's worth taking the risk and going with him.
"And what's in it for me?" Obviously I can't accept without making it clear that I need something in return.
"I will pay you 30% of the market value of the treasure," He replies. "and the experience and knowledge you'll gain. Plus, it's rumored that the artifact has mystical properties—something that might interest a Nen user like yourself."
The offer is tempting. I weight my options, considering the potential risks and rewards. Finally, I nod. "Alright, I'm in. But we do this on my terms. I don't trust easily."
He smiles, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Fair enough. Meet me tomorrow at dawn by the northern gate. We'll head out then." He says getting up from the table and leaving the tavern.
Date: December 17th, 2010
The next morning, I gather my supplies and new gear, and meet the guy at the designated spot. We set off together, leaving the bustling town of Carthis behind and heading into the rugged wilderness.
The journey to the mountains is arduous. The terrain is unforgiving, and we encounter numerous obstacles along the way. The amount of animals and beasts we encounter reminded me of how varied the world of Hunter x Hunter is, including real-life animals, and also such bizarre variations as four eared rabbits, tiger bears and even two meters long chickens with three heads. But Kaito proves to be a competent guide, navigating the treacherous paths with ease.
At night, we light a fire and camp under the stars. While eating, Kaito shares stories and experiencies about his life. He seems to have a wealth of knowledge about the region, and I learn a great deal from him, not just about treasure hunting, but about survival and the world beyond the island.
"Okay, let's stop talking about me, my throat is getting dry. So tell me a little bit more about yourself. What are your plans for the future when you finish this work?" Kaito asks leaning in, his eyes twinkling with intrigue.
"To be honest, that should not concern you, Mr. Kaito. When you asked me to join the job, you saw my potential to be able to assist you if worse came to worst. So I see no use in telling you anything about myself." I respond coldly trying to close the conversation.
"Come on man, don't be like that! I've talked to you a lot about myself, so now you have to talk about yourself! Come on, come on!" He keeps repeating while standing by my side poking me with his finger.
Annoyed by his insistence and not wanting to get violent, I decide to tell him that after my coming of age, I decided to become a Hunter, and that after finding the treasure and collecting the reward, I will go to the nearest town or city to gather information about the exam site. I know where it will be exactly, but I couldn't say that.
"So you are only 16 years old? I thought that you were around 20. You're definitely way stronger than I was at your age." He says, his whole body jumping in surprise.
"Nevermind. If you intend to become a Hunter, I do have some information on the upcoming Hunter Exam. I got a couple of gourmet buddies who are going to be a part of the exam. If you do a good job with me, kid, I might contact them just to give you that information after my task is completed, of course. I'll even explain which transportation to take and buy you your first drink as an adult. Well, we'll save that for later, when we get the treasure of course."
Although the Treasure Hunter's words sounds kind and selfless, I can sense the hidden message. 'I can help you in your mission, so do your best to keep me alive.' His unspoken agreement sounds fine to me anyway, so I nod in response.
After several days of travel, we finally reach the base of the mountains. The air is crisp and cold, and the towering peaks loom ominously above us. Kaito points to a narrow path that wound its way up the mountain. "That's our route. It's going to be tough, but the treasure is worth it."
"You just had to use this route." I mutter to myself.
Kaito begins his ascent, his movements swift and sure as if he had taken this route before. It looks easy, but when I try to follow right behind him, I am met with the unsteady balance of the rocks.
"Hey kid, don't fall. It's a long way down once you get up higher." Kaito says as he continues to make his way through the path. "Get ready, it's going to be a bumpy way up."
The higher we climb, the more dangerous the journey becomes. The path is littered with loose rocks and treacherous drops, and we have to be constantly on guard to not fall.
"Look, kid. We're almost there, the summit is straight ahead. But still, be on the lookout."
Finally, after several hours of climbing, we reach a large cavern near the summit.
As we enter the cavern, Kaito notices the first of many traps: Hidden pressure plates trigger deadly poison arrows from the wall.
"Using Ten or Ren we can pass unharmed, and you have anti-venom in your luggage, so we can go through." I say.
"Maybe, but I don't want to take any risks by using it now. So we'll face it in another way."
He then approaches a wall and gathers aura into his fist. With a punch he makes the wall explode, and Kaito grabs two large rocks from it to use as shields on the sides. Following this strategy, we pass the corridor without any problems.
As we continue exploring, more traps and trials appear in our path, not only testing our endurance and agility, but also our wits, like a door with a puzzle that we have to solve in order to not be crushed by a spiked roof approaching from above.
Using my Nen, I am able to sense some of the traps and avoid them, but it is clear that whoever had hidden the treasure had gone to great lengths to protect it.
"Whoever set those traps was a monster, kid."
"You're right, those traps are dangerous. If we didn't have Nen, the average person would die." I add.
Finally, we reach the entrance to a room. Kaito and I exchange a glance, knowing we are close to the treasure. Inside, the room is filled with glittering crystals and ancient markings. In the center, on a pedestal, rests the artifact—a beautiful, intricately carved orb that seems to pulse with mystical energy, guarded by two massive stone statues, their eyes glowing with an eerie light. Surprisingly, I feel a strange connection to the artifact, as with the relic from my home island, but the feeling it conveys is different.
"This is it. The treasure we've been searching for." Without inspecting the room, Kaito hurriedly approaches the orb.
As he reaches to take the orb, the ground beneath us rumbles and a wall descends blocking the exit. The statues at both sides spring to life, their stone forms cracking and shifting as they move to try to attack us.
I push Kaito away from the spot, both of us falling to the ground and avoiding the deadly attack. "We're not alone." I say standing up, drawing my weapon and readying my Nen.
Kaito nods, gripping his own weapon, a pair of knuckle dusters, and also readying his Nen. "Yes, I'm sorry I got carried away. Now we'll have to fight our way out." He apologizes with a remorseful expression on his face.
"Yes, it looks like it. You take the left one, I'll take the right one."
Without hesitation, he accepts my plan and we jump into action. I activate Ten to protect my body and Gyo to see if there is any aura or hidden mechanisms. Before I can fully assess it, the statue's speed increases and it lunges at me, swinging its fist at high speed. I barely dodge the attack, my balance thrown off by the force. I backflip to regain my footing, Gyo still activated. From a distance, I notice a thread of aura connecting the two statues from their chests.
"Kaito, you must focus your attacks on the chest! There is aura coming from there!" I shout at Kaito while dodging the statue onslaught.
"Good catch, kid. Since you found some kind of gimmick or mechanism, let's strike at their chests and see what happens. Think you can do that, kid?" Kaito asks me.
"I should be asking you that, old man." I reply.
Using what I had learned, I flare my Ren and coat my weapon in aura. Though unstable, it should be enough to at least break down the statue defenses. I exchange blows with the statue for a long time, trying to harm its body and blocking the punches coming in my way.
In a certain moment, I cut into the chest of the statue. The chest cracks open, revealing a small orb within it, pulsing with energy. The thread becomes even clearer, connecting to the other statue.
Despite the damage, the statue seems unfazed and delivers a powerful punch, which I barely manage to block with my crossed arms, being sent crashing against the wall. Slopped against the wall, I spit up blood with broken bones and internal damage.
'In spite of using Ren, that attack has left me devastated. This will be a good reminder that Nen doesn't make you invincible.' I think while looking at the situation.
Kaito is trying to parry his statue attacks while creating openings to attack its chest, and my statue is moving slower after having his chest open. Looking from a distance, I realize that the statues are slowly recovering—both need to be destroyed simultaneously.
"We need to destroy them both at the same time!" I shout to Kaito.
Kaito grins, clearly relishing the challenge. "Got it, kid. On your signal!"
We position ourselves, each facing our respective statue. I steady my breathing, focusing my Nen into my blade. The aura around it grows more stable, a testament to my growing control and determination.
"Now!" I yell.
We both lunge forward, our weapons aimed at the glowing crystals in the statues chests.
My statue continues its assault launching a punch at me, but I dodge it by jumping on his arm, and as I continue running on it, I reach its body. My blade then pierces the cracked chest of the statue, and I feel a surge of energy as the aura connects. At the same moment, Kaito's knuckles shatters the chest of his statue.
The statues freeze, their glowing eyes flickering before dimming completely.
With the connection between them severed, they crumble into heaps of rubble, the remnants of their protective enchantment dissipating into the air.
We stand amidst the rubble, breathing heavily but victorious. Kaito turns to me, a look of genuine respect in his eyes. "You did good, kid. Looks like we make a pretty good team."
"Thanks, Kaito," I reply, feeling a sense of accomplishment and exhaustion. "Now, let's get that artifact and get out of here."
Kaito approaches me without explanation, making me on guard in case he tries something funny.
However, he takes out bandages, sticks and a strange pasta. "First I have to treat those wounds you've got so you don't collapse halfway. We can celebrate that we earned it when we're back in civilization." Seeing his eyes of genuine kindness, I nod and let him treat my wounds.
The journey back down the mountain was much easier, our spirits lifted by our success.
Date: December 28th, 2010
We arrive at a new city called Beeskafmarro, the artifact in hand. Kaito keeps his promise, sharing information about the upcoming Hunter Exam and even offering to help me prepare.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone