章 17: Chapter 15: Hisoka Morow
As Raymond stood in contemplative silence, his gaze drifted towards the Milsy Westlands, shrouded in a thick blanket of fog.
Known as the Swindler's Forest, it was a dense expanse of trees that concealed countless secrets within its misty embrace.
"...It must be somewhere in there," Raymond muttered, recalling the information he had gathered about a particular type of mushroom rumored to grow in the forest.
He had stumbled upon it by chance, its flavor reminiscent of the Shiitake Mushrooms from his previous life but imbued with an unparalleled richness and nutritional value.
Raymond had been discreetly procuring the mushrooms whenever he could and was planning to get some for the next exam phase.
He planned to incorporate them into a dish featuring pork.
Yet, at that moment, someone collided with Raymond's shoulder the guy then tumbled to the ground with a groan as he spat, "Watch where you're going, you idiot!"
The guy was visibly irritated as he shot Raymond a venomous glare.
"..."
But his bravado faltered as Raymond met their gaze with an icy stare, his demeanor chillingly composed.
"Hah, I'll let it slide this time," The guy muttered, hastily picking themselves up.
"Consider yourself lucky!"
"..."
Raymond remained unfazed, ignoring the simmering anger radiating from the other person.
Noticing this made the guy feel completely embarrassed as his frustration slowly became evident as they struggled to maintain their composure.
Just as tensions threatened to escalate, a sudden commotion erupted, drawing everyone's attention.
As Raymond glanced over, he noticed a man suddenly emerged from the side boldly claiming to be the real examiner, hurling accusations at Satotz, calling him to be a "man-faced ape."
Raymond's expression remained unimpressed as he noticed a clown-like figure was smirking and began to approach the scene.
However, Raymond's brows furrowed when he caught the guy's gaze lingering on him.
Suspicion pricked at Raymond's mind, though he brushed it off for the time being.
Sure enough, Hisoka intervened without a word, flinging a deck of cards toward Satotz and the self-proclaimed examiner.
Raymond's frown deepened as he sensed something coming his way.
"You might want to move aside..." His tone was casual yet commanding when he turned to the man beside him.
"Huh!? What's your problem-"
Before the man could finish his protest, Raymond shook his head dismissively and sidestepped.
In the next moment, something flew through the air, striking the man squarely in the forehead.
"...!"
His protests were abruptly silenced as darkness closed in, consciousness slipping away.
Looking at the man's forehead, Raymond noticed it wasn't a card like the clown's usual style.
Instead, it was a coin lodged deep in his skin almost seamlessly.
It was a discreet but effective method of incapacitation, leaving little evidence of the attacker's identity.
"Hisoka Morow, huh?"
Raymond shook his head, shooting an annoyed glance at Hisoka before ignoring the clown completely.
To everyone else, the man struck by Hisoka's attack simply looked tired, his condition going unnoticed.
Raymond decided to stay silent, knowing they needed to keep moving towards the venue for the second phase of the exam.
Meanwhile, Hisoka raised an intrigued eyebrow at Raymond's reaction.
"Ahh... He sensed it easily, huh?"
He thought to himself, impressed by Raymond's perceptiveness.
The attack Hisoka had launched was faster than his usual cards, infused with his Nen for extra power and speed.
Even experienced hunters would struggle to avoid such a sudden assault.
Yet Raymond's calm response and disregard for Hisoka's actions surprised the clown, leaving him pondering about how strong Raymond actually was.
"...Such presence, such demeanor," Hisoka muttered to himself, finding it hard to contain his excitement.
"He's just like him..."
Hisoka's mouth twitched as he felt a surge of thrill.
Raymond wasn't your average fighter.
And Hisoka could sense that from the very start.
From their first encounter, Hisoka recognized something familiar about Raymond, akin to the leader of a small group he had recently been playing around with.
Raymond exuded a natural authority and charisma that commanded attention.
It was this magnetic aura that intrigued Hisoka.
He was eager to gauge Raymond's strength to see if he could provide the exhilarating challenge he so craved, which was why he used that chance.
"Hmm?"
A sudden chill sent shivers down Raymond's spine, but he quickly shook it off as Satotz announced the resumption of their marathon.
Without complaint, the remaining participants followed after Satotz.
With just over a hundred contenders left, those who persevered were clearly strong enough to endure a bit longer.
As they approached the forest, Raymond decided to strike out on his own, venturing deeper into the woods.
Encountering various challenges along the way, from aggressive animals to unfamiliar plants, Raymond remained undeterred, navigating through the obstacles with confidence.
Eventually, he stumbled upon a strange tree emitting an eerie glow.
Within its vicinity, a peculiar sphere of energy dispersed the fog, revealing the area around the tree.
Raymond couldn't help but smile as he spotted a cluster of mushrooms resembling Shiitake Mushrooms, only larger in size, at the base of the tree.
"There you are..."
With a satisfied nod, Raymond reached out to gather the mushrooms, pulling a small pouch from his vest.
Carefully, he cut the mushrooms with his knife, taking only what he needed.
As Raymond finished collecting the mushrooms, he sensed a presence behind him.
Turning around, he was met with the sight of a tiger-like creature with a massive snake-like tail, growling angrily.
"Hmm, it makes sense for something to be here after all," Raymond muttered to himself, eyeing the creature.
He sheathed his knife and secured the pouch to his belt.
Without hesitation, the creature lunged toward Raymond, claws extended and tail poised to strike.
But before it could make contact, Raymond vanished from sight, leaving the creature bewildered.
However, a sharp pain suddenly shot through its neck, causing its vision to fade to black.
Raymond's voice reverberated in the darkness, "I won't hurt you since you're nearly extinct. But you'll have a hefty headache when you wake up."
With a peaceful smile, Raymond moved on, leaving the creature behind.
"I'm finished here. Time to head back..."
Glancing at his watch, Raymond turned and made his way back through the forest to rejoin the others.
---
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