[1 Day after departure from Aganon City port]
On a ship filled with sailors going back and forth to clean the deck, a boy around 5'2 feet standing at the bow of the ship with his hand resting on the railings looking over the beautiful calm sea.
The boy is Manfred Richtheim, the boy whose dream is to travel freely in the Great Blue Sky above. Right now, he's observing the calm sea.
The glaring light of the sun shone over the vast blues ocean, giving it a shimmer as if there were thousands of diamonds sparkling on the seawater. Above he could see a flock of seagulls flying ahead, showing signs that there are land nearby. He looks ahead, in the direction of the seagulls flying towards. His hawk-like eyes pupil shrinks as his vision zoom into the horizon, spotting an island that somehow looks like a gigantic whale.
"Whale Island, huh?" Manfred muttered under his breath. 'If I'm not mistaken, this is the place of the final batch of the Hunter Exam applicants before heading off to Dolle Harbor. The journey from here to Dolle Harbor would take roughly about 2 to 3 days, meaning I still have to wait for a while.'
'Damn it, my heart really can't take all of this waiting anymore. The journey so far has been extremely boring. The beautiful sight of the sea could only keep me entertained for only 4 hours until it become boring. As I thought, being in the sky is way more awesome than in the sea' Manfred shakes his head as he complained in his head with a completely straight face.
He turns around and lands his sharp gaze on the deck to observe his future competitors. 'Among all of the 35 applicants on this boat, there are only two noteworthy people that I should keep my eyes on.'
The first is the blonde girl with brown eyes, wearing a blue tabard decorated with an orange-colored hem, and a white full-body training suit underneath.
The girl's eyes are calm as she continues to read the book in her hands, and yet underneath that calm facade, Manfred could see a fire burning brightly.
Reminding her of himself from four years ago when he was hellbent on revenge. 'Sigh, poor person. It seems like something terrible happens to her loved ones in the past. I hope she can find peace after she's done chasing whatever she's looking for.' Manfred stares at her with a look of sadness and empathy, before moving his gaze to the next person on the list.
A tall, manly-looking, fairly muscular guy in his mid-twenties with small brown eyes, black hair, and a spiked crew. The man wears a dark blue business suit, black shoes, and a pair of tea-shade sunglasses. The man is reading an adult magazine with a perverted look as he turns the pages to continue ogling the bountiful breasts of the models.
But despite the near idiotic and perverted look the man is showing, Manfred could still see the kindness the man hides deep within. For someone who used to live in a world filled with greed and darkness, that look is a rare sight for Manfred to see. He used to travel the world with his father for training. He knows how bloody and chaotic the world can be, so he admires those who can still keep their heart strong and face the world with kindness.
'Heh, it seems that you are right, father. The world doesn't revolve around me alone. There are many people with stories in this world. I'm not the only one who has suffered from the cruelty of the world.' Manfred smiles at his thought as he sits down to take a short nap.
-x-
[2 Hours Later]
Manfred opens his eyes as he could feel the ship arrives at the port. Getting up, he could see the sailors are busy walking around setting down the sails and moving crates into the lower deck, resupplying the ship for the next voyage.
He put his arms up to stretch his body as he surveys the port of Whale Island. Looking around he could see a crowd gathering, waving, and giving encouragement to a boy who looks around his age, as he makes his way up the planks to board the ship.
'Eh, it seems that I accidentally slept for too long. Sigh, and here I thought I could go for a few-minute walk while the ship is buying supplies. Oh well, I guess it's my fault for being careless.' Manfred puts his arms down as he observes the new passenger on board.
The boy has long spiky black green-tipped hair and large, hazel brown eyes. He wears a green jacket with reddish edges, green short shorts, and green laced boots. He also has a small yellow backpack on his back and a metal fishing rod tied to it.
Manfred stares at the boy with curiosity. After all, it is rare for him to meet someone of his age that is willing to go to an Exam that has a high likelyhood of killing you.
Manfred watches the boy run to the quarterdeck, as he shouts to the people on the port while waving his hands enthusiastically as the island is getting further away with each second. "I promise I'm going to be the best Hunter in the world! Once I become the best Hunter, I will come back!!" The boy shouted with a big smile, declaring his ambition to all of the applicants on the ship.
Manfred watches as one of the applicants who have a scarred face, turns his head to the boy with an irritated face and a mocking smile. "Hahaha, the best Hunter in the world? This kid doesn't respect us."
"Every year, there are millions of skilled applicants for the Hunter Exam. But only a selected few succeeded. Don't say stuff that you can't back up, boy." Followed by another applicant that is sitting next to the scarred face, as he laughs at the boy's ridiculous statement.
Manfred smiled at the man's word, agreeing with him. His father had taught him to not promise something that he is not sure he can do. But if he had already made a promise, then he should do everything in his capabilities to fulfill it.
To this day he is still not sure what kind of man his Father was. He has seen many sides of him and yet every single day he spent with the man, he would always find new sides that leave him with more questions than answers. But no matter what, He is the father whom he respects and loves.
As he was lost in his thought, he hears the sound of crates falling and laughing.
"What are you doing Katzo? at this rate you'll never make a decent sailor."
When he turned around to see where the laughing came from, he immediately frowned at the sight of two sailor bullying one of their own.
The next second he immediately appears at the side of Katzo, the bullied sailor, and he gets down to pick up the scattered apple. But just as he was about to put the apple back into the crate. One of the sailors kicked Katzo on the back, making him fall over the crate.
He glared at both sailors coldly with his sharp Hawk eyes as he help Katzo stand up with one hand. Letting out a bit of his malice to scare the two sailors.
'W-what are those eyes? Why do I feel like I'm being gazed at by a predator ready to strike?' The sailors thought as they both took a few steps back in fear and head full of sweat.
Just as Manfred was about to say something, the door to the cabin swung open showing the Captain with a small bottle of rum in his right hand. "Hey, scallywags! Don't slack off!"
"A-Aye, sir!" Both sailors answered immediately as they ran off to go back to work, planning to stay away from the scary kid.
The Captain is a fairly elderly man with a short and stocky build. He has a beard that extends down and around his face with an integrated mustache. His eyebrows are similarly shaggy. His nose is permanently red, most likely attributed to his constant drinking as he carries around a bottle of rum in his hand.
His attire consists of a sea captain's hat adorned with a whale emblem, a jacket covering a V-neck top with a belt, trousers, and black rubber boots.
Seeing the sailors are gone, he goes back to help Katzo with the crates. When the crates are done, Katzo picks it up and turns to him giving a small bow. "T-Thank you very much, sir, for helping me." Katzo said with an embarrassed smile.
"No, it's fine. You don't have to call me sir. It makes me feel awkward considering I'm much younger than you." Manfred replied
"Oi, didn't you hear what I said? Go back to work!" The Captain barked at Katzuo from behind Manfred. Katzo startled, jump at the order of the Captain. He turns to the Captain to give a small bow and immediately ran to the lower deck carrying the crate.
Manfred seeing that smiled, when he notice the boy from earlier approaching him with bright eyes and open mouth.
"Hey-" As the boy was about to come and speak to Manfred, a flock of seagulls flying in circles above the ship, drawing the attention of the trio, the boy, the Captain, and Manfred.
"A storm is coming." said the Boy, surprising both Manfred and the Captain. Now turning their attention to the boy.
"How can you tell, boy?" The Captain asked with curiosity laced on his voice.
"Well, that is what the birds are speaking to me. And plus..." The boy said as he pinch his nose.
The Captain could only mutter a small "What?" in surprise, before the boy starts jumping to the rails and unto the boarding net, heading towards the Crow's Nest on top. Drawing the attention of everyone on the deck.
The Captain and Manfred look at each other in bafflement for a few seconds, before hearing the boy shouts at the Captain. "It's a big storm that is coming! I'm telling the truth. I can tell by the smell!" the boy said with seriousness as he looks at the Captain.
Seeing that, Manfred looks at the boy's eyes and he could tell that he is telling the truth. He unconciously give a big grin as he looks at the boy with excitement. 'It seems there's another person to add to my list, and he looks like he is on the same age as me. It seems that this Hunter Exam won't be that boring'
-x-
In the lower deck, to take shelter from the rain.
Manfred is leaning on the wall with arms crossed. He could see most of the previously confident and smug applicants gets thrown around by the movement of the ship. He could even see the scarred man from earlier getting his face sat on, by another guy.
'Hehe, and to think you are acting so smug earlier. Not so tough now, are you?' Manfred snickered under his breath. Amused by the states of most of the applicants. 'But to think I'm not the only one to not be affected by the storm... I guess, I'm also underestimating them'
Excluding Manfred, there three other people who are not affected by the storm. They are the blonde girl, who's lying on a white hammock while reading a book, the man with the sunglasses, sitting on top of a crate while eating an apple, and the boy with an extraordinary sharp nose, who's going around giving people herbs and water.
He smiled at the boy's action, when he notice the Captain are peering over from the door. Manfred raised an eyebrow at the Captain when he smirks at him. "The four of you, follow me." the Captain said as he points at Manfred, the blonde girl, the man in the suit, and the spiky haired boy.
Manfred shrugs as he and the other three followed the Captain to the Bridge, the room where the captain steer the ship.
The four applicant stood in a line, starting from Manfred at the right, the blonde girl, the boy in all green, and the man in the suit at the end. Everyone facing the Captain who stood with his arms on his hands in his pocket, with Katzo on his left side and another sailor steering the ship to navigate through the fierce storm that is still ongoing outside.
The Captain stare at them for a while, sizing them up with narrow eyes. "First, let's start with your name." The Captain remove the smoking pipe from his mouth as he asked them a question.
"I'm Gon!" The boy, now known as Gon, said enthusiastically.
"I'm Kurapika." The blonde gi- Wait a minute... Manfred, snaps his head to turn at the blond, eyes wide, realizing that the person he has been referring as a girl this whole time, is in fact a dude.
"Before you ask, Yes. I am a boy." The gi- boy Kurapika said in irritation, while looking at the captain although it is clear to whom he is referring to.
*Cough*
"I'm Manfred" Embarrassed to have been caught looking at the blond, Manfred coughed while turning his head to the captain who smirks at him.
"It's Leorio" The man in the suit, answered annoyed looking at the captain.
"Why do you guys wants to become a Hunter?" The Captain asked calmly with his gruff voice at the four applicant.
"Hey! If you're not the examiner, you can't boss us around!" the man Leorio, replied while pointing at the Captain
"Just answer the question!" The Captain snapped back at him.
"My dad is a Hunter. I left Whale Island because I want to know why my dad desired so much to be a Hunter." Gon answered the Captain's question happily, despite the reason he gives out has a pretty sad underlying message.
Manfred looks at the captain who seems surprised when Gon mentioned his father being a Hunter. The Captain looks as though he know who Gon's father was.
"Hey, kid! You're not supposed to answer him!" Leorio exclaimed at Gon who turn to look at him with confusion. Leorio said to Gon that he doesn't wish to share the reason as to why he's here, when Kurapika also go ahead and agree with him to which Leorio protested for the lack of respect Kurapika is giving while addressing him.
"I prefer to not answer your unpleasant question than to lie to you. For me, lying is more shameful than being greedy. Speaking honestly to people whom I've just met... The reason that makes me want to become a Hunter are mine to keep secret, because they are personal. That is why it is impossible for me to answer your question." Kurapika said calmly while looking at the Captain, completely ignoring Leorio who's fuming in the background.
"Hmm... Is that so. I see... And how about you, Manfred is it? Tell me your reason to become a Hunter." The captain turn his head to the boy with the sharp hawk-like eyes.
He has been observing the boy since the beginning because of his unique eyes. He notice that the boy has been hanging around the deck often to observe the applicants on the ship, probably to scout information on his future competitors. A skill that all aspiring Hunter should have.
From the observation, he can see that the boy has already mark both the blond and the man as someone noteworthy, and probably the new boy too, going by the big grin he saw earlier when the boy look at Ging's son.
'Heh, of course the son of that guy will be noteworthy. After all, his father is a great man.' The captain smiled in his mind as his wander back into the great figure of Ging standing straight on the bow of his ship. He could vividly remember the man standing proudly, eyes burning with ambition and desire as he gaze over the boundless ocean. The captain unconciously let out smirk when he remember that the once unknown youth on ship, is now a man that many people respect.
Manfred, unknown to what is going on inside of the Captain's mind, turns his gaze to the storm outside. The gigantic waves that is hellbent on turning this ship upside down, the Lightning that occasionally struck down as if the cruel sky are licking their lips at them with malicious intent, and the fierce wind that is trying to tear whole into the ship's sail.
"If it were the me 8 years ago... I would answer your question with revenge..." Manfred said in a daze with a small voice but can still be heard by everyone in the room.
His words that is uttered in a daze brought the Captain's attention back to him and so did everyone else who is in the room, including Leorio who's still pissed at being ignored by Kurapika.
They all could see that the usually sharp eyes are now dull, devoid of any life. Kurapika was shocked when he look at the boy's eyes. He understood those eyes. The same eyes that always stare back at him everytime he gaze upon his reflection in the mirror. The dull eyes of someone who has already given up all hope for living, the eyes of someone who's hellbent for revenge.
'But to think that such a gaze could appear in such a young boy who appear to be only 12, and going by what he said, the incident happened when the boy was much younger. Possibly, when he was at 4 or 5 year old.' He opens his mouth trying to comfort the much younger boy, but no words manage comes out of his mouth. He couldn't do it. Not when he himself, is still stuck and drowning in his own misery. How can he try to help others, when he doesn't even know how to help himself.
Manfred slowly close his eyes as his mind wanders back into the memory he wished to forget. The soft voice his mother said to him even though her eyes are filled with sadness and despair.
{"Don't worry, everything will be ok. You need to stay inside here until there's no more voices outside, ok? Mommy *sniff* love you, ok? *hic* Stay strong, alright?." His mother said with a face full of tears "I'm sorry *hic* I'm really sorry" She sobbed and gives one last kiss to Manfred's head as she close the door to the hidden room. Completely ignoring the boy's pleas for any kind of explanation.}
For a moment, he felt as if he has gone back to his dark time. The time where his world are filled with endless darkness. A world where even the concept dying seems to cease to exist. But then his mind suddenly showed a figure. There was a man standing straight, in his world full of darkness. A torch in the right hand burning brightly with a flame called hope, and the other hand reaching to him, grasping his hand to pull him out.
When the man has pulled him close, he could finally see the face of his saviour. A stern face full of wrinkle, the lack of eyebrows and the deadened eyes, the face that is enough to make anyone who see it to piss themselves in fear. But not to him. His father to him is his anchor to sanity. Without him, he wouldn't know what would happen to himself.
The others saw as Manfred's lifeless face suddenly showed a fond smile. The gloominess that he unconciously emits disappeared suddenly, as if it was never there in the first place.
Manfred snaps his eyes open with renewed vigor and passion. He looks at the Captain with eyes burning bright with a flame called ambition. "But that is all in my distant past... Right now, the reason I want to become a Hunter... is because I want to conquer the sky!" Manfred spoke with filled with a tone so strong, he is practically shouting.
Everyone in the room who hears him open their eyes wide, starting in shock and astonishment at the young boy.
"Everything in the vast sky, as far as my sharp eyes can see, is mine, and mine alone. Those who's in my path will be struck down and beaten up by me. Because I am the person who will be called as The King of The Sky!"
The Captain hearing the boy's declaration of war opens his mouth wide in shock, making his smoking pipe fall to the ground. The figure of Ging start to merge with the young boy in front of him. The figure who has eyes with a fire that burns so bright, it could swallow the whole world. The both of them are the same kind of people. The people who has ambitions so high, others would call them insane. The kind of people where most would either die young, or would get their dreams battered and bruised by the harsh reality of the world.
But for those few who manage to survive, those who manage to get past through all of that, will become one of the few people who will edge their name deep on the Wall of History. And to think that an ordinary old man like uim, whose job is only to transport those who dream to be a Hunter, has the honor to meet and help two people, no, two lunatics to take their first step for them to achieve their dreams.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Author's note:
Hello folks, that is the end of the chapter. To be honest this isn't really the direction i was planning when i start writing this chapter. But uh, yeah, i guess i was too caught up in the moment to realize that I'm completely going off the rails.
I was originally planning to reveal this part of Manfred's past further in the story, possibly in the Yorknew Arc. But now that I had already wrote it, I feel like the chapter would be incomplete without that segment.
I'm aware that there are still many mistakes in this chapter, so don't be shy to point out those mistakes for me, so I can fix those asap. And also, what are your thoughts on this chapter?
I'm looking forward what you have to say for this one and again, don't be shy to give out your criticism. I'm desperately in need of someone who can give me some direction on where i should improve.
And also, Thank you, for the people who decided to add this to their library. It filled me with happiness to know that there are people who likes my stuff.
Anyway, that's all folks. May you all have a wonderful day. peace out ✌️.