In the blink of an eye, two years had passed, and the young fighters Togiri and Fang were now both twelve and ready to take on the Hunter Exam.
Togiri didn't know his exact age but guessed he was around six when he first woke up in the alley.
He could ask Gon, the main protagonist of this world, his age, but it didn't matter whether his body was one year younger or older.
Over the past few years, both Togiri and Fang grew stronger, though Togiri's progress had stagnated almost a year ago.
His rank in Nen didn't advance to C rank, even though he didn't feel like he had reached his limits.
[Togiri. Strength: 13.01, Agility: 12.5, Vitality: 12.7]
■Review: You trained for years and are still weaker than a little kid. Does your revenge only amount to this, you weak bitch■
Special Skills:
[Nen D+ -> D+++]
[Killing Intent E+ -> B+++]
[Blacksmithing A-]
Normal Skills:
Closed tab
Togiri's physical body was pushed to its utmost limit. He could easily bend metal with pure physical strength, but his Nen wouldn't reach C rank no matter what.
He guessed that he needed to create his own Nen ability to advance. Meanwhile, his regular skills had gone from D+ to C- or directly to C.
Fang, too, didn't slack in training. Though physically weaker, he was stronger than Togiri in Nen.
The last two years were uneventful. Both stopped visiting and fighting in the Heaven's Arena, preferring to spar against each other.
They also became older brothers to a little sister. Fang inherited his fathers red hair and his sister Lilia inherited her mothers blonde hair.
Fang became somewhat obsessive, training harder every day but no longer in a self-destructive way like before after Togiri's birthday incident.
The baby inspired Togiri to become stronger, though he didn't need the motivation. The birth of his sister helped him untie the knot in his heart, allowing him to trust and love his adoptive family completely.
His heart grew big enough to let his guard down around many in his neighborhood.
Togiri had changed since coming to this world. Once undisciplined and considered a loser, he now embodied qualities of kindness, respect, hard work, confidence, and humility.
However, he also harbored a side consumed by rage and hate—a flawed existence in a perfect world.
Togiri embraced both sides of him, understanding that they were part of him. He wasn't a hypocrite or idealistic but realistic, which also was reflected in his lifestyle and fighting style.
Togiri had a higher battle IQ than Fang, but didn't always have a brilliant strategy. He constantly sought to improve himself in battle, using his surroundings, throwing sand, employing psychology or bluffs.
Known as a dirty fighter or a coward didn't bother him, he was now called Tenacious Togiri, but previously he was known as Terrible or Tactical Togiri.
People disliked him for a long time, but Togiri didn't care. The higher he climbed the Heaven's Arena, the less effective his small tactics became. Yet, he never stopped.
Tenacious Togiri became known for fighting relentlessly, never giving up, and always standing up. In contrast, Fearless Fang was known for his crazy, fancy attacks with lame names, fighting head-on without backing down, often to his own detriment.
Even after leaving the Heaven's Arena, many loyal fans wished them luck when they discovered both would take the Hunter Exam.
When it was finally time to leave, Fang and Togiri said heartfelt goodbyes to Julia, Arthur, and their baby sister Lilia.
Their first journey outside the city began with a boat filled with aspiring Hunters, most of whom became seasick, leaving only a handful remaining.
-----------
"First, tell me your names," said the ship captain.
"I'm Gon."
"I'm Kurapika."
"It's Leorio."
"I'm Fang."
"Togiri."
The remaining Hunter Exam participants stood in a lineup in the captain's room.
"Why do you want to become Hunters?" asked the old ship captain, taking a few gulps of booze from his bottle.
Leorio spoke first. "Hey! If you aren't an examiner, you can't boss us around!" said the man annoyed carrying a suitcase and wearing a suit.
A little boy with spiky hair wearing green spoke next. "I want to find my dad. I left Whale Island because I want to know why my dad wanted to be a Hunter so much,"
"Hey, kid! You aren't supposed to answer his question!" grunted Leorio.
"Why can't I tell him why I'm here?" Gon looked at curiously with big eyes at Leorio.
"Not a team player, huh? I don't wish to reveal why I'm here," Leorio said, pressing his index finger against Gon's forehead, making Togiri laugh which displeased Leorio.
"Fang, how about you? Do you want to tell me why you are becoming a Hunter?" Togiri asked in a joking tone.
"No, not really." Fang answered nonchalantly.
"I agree with Leorio and Fang," said Kurapika, the blonde teenager at the other end of the line.
"What! Hey! Aren't you younger than I am? Show some respect!" yelled Leorio, hot-blooded.
"It's quite easy to avoid pesky questions by offering a plausible lie," Togiri whispered to Fang.
"What does 'pesky' mean?" Fang whispered back.
"Annoying."
Togiri read many books and had a big vocabulary. He could speak the language since he arrived, but learned to write and read from Fang self studied by reading this worlds books.
"Hey! Are you listening to me?" yelled Leorio at Kurapika. Kurapika ignored him and didn't even look in his direction.
"However, it is quite shameful to rely upon deceit. That said, if I were to tell you the truth, I would be exposing my deepest secret. That is why I cannot provide an answer." said Kurapika.
"Hey, you... don't ignore me!" Leorio continued yelling until Togiri's loud laughter interrupted him.
"Hey, you! Why are you laughing?" Leorio now yelled at Togiri.
"I'm sorry," Togiri said, trying to hold back his laughter. "I don't want to, but" Togiri face became serious "I will become the strongest! Being a Hunter will allow me to help people, travel the world, and fight strong and dangerous enemies."
Togiri's words made the atmosphere tense. Normally, people would treat such a statement as a joke, especially coming from a child, but Togiri's eyes showed his iron-hard conviction.
"....."
The short silence was broken by the ship's captain.
"In other words, you refuse to answer my question. Hey, Katsuo!"
"Aye, Captain," said the young crew member.
"Tell the examination board we have three more dropouts," the captain said. That surprised Leorio, Kurapika, and Fang.
"What do you mean?" asked Leorio.
"You still haven't figured it out?" said the captain, lighting his old wooden pipe.
"The Hunter Association doesn't have enough resources to test everybody participating. They hire people like me to trim the weeds out."
"I notified everyone else on this ship except you guys to withdraw from the Examination. They couldn't even handle a little storm; they would have no chance in the later stages of the Hunter Exam."
"So think carefully before you answer," the captain concluded.
"...." The tense room became quit once again.
"I am the last survivor of the Kurta Clan. Four years ago, my clan was annihilated by a band of criminals. I wish to become a Hunter and hunt down that band, the Phantom Troupe," Kurapika looked at the captain with conviction.
Fang flinched and started clenching his fist in anger. The others noticed and looked at Fang, whose face darkened.
Everyone froze or instinctively took a step bacb away from Fang. Togiri placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a bitter smile.
'Kurapika looks suspicious' @Yes. Seems like the cat is out of the bag@
Fang never asked about the details of Togiri's power or why he knew so much regarding Nen and the phantom Troupe as a poor orphan.
In Fang's mind, he was responsible for Togiri's anger, their injuries, and everything else that happened that birthday night.
Togiri disclosed some information to Fang, like their names and abilities.
Kurapika was suspicious of Fang's behaviour at the mention of the Phantom Troupe.
The captain took a puff of his wooden pipe "So you want to become a bounty hunter? The Phantom Troupe is a Class-A bounty; not even the most grizzled Hunters can touch them. You'd be throwing your life away."
"I do not fear death," said Kurapika with unwavering conviction. "I fear only that my rage will fade over time," His previously brown eyes turned scarlet red.
"Don't worry, that won't happen, or your rage was never real in the first place," Togiri's remark angered Kurapika, but he didn't respond after seeing Togiri's deep gaze.
Togiri thought the same as Kurapika. Five years had passed, and his rage burned stronger than ever.
He had countless memories of crying, breaking down, raging, and becoming a mindless monster after losing friends, daughters, sons, wives, and parents.
He stopped training, adventuring, and struggling, only to settle down. His happiness and loved ones were always ripped away in the end.
He could never forget, even if the rest of his memories were sealed, since the emotions remained.
"So, in other words, you want revenge. Does that require you to become a Hunter?" Leorio asked.
"That may be the stupidest question I've ever heard, Leorio." Kurapika said condescendingly.
"Tsk. That's Leorio-san to you!" Leorio bellowed.
"Places accessible only to Hunters, information otherwise unattainable, actions otherwise impossible. There are more reasons than your brain could possibly handle," Kurapika said condescendingly again.
Leorio seemed about to explode. "Hey, hey! Why do you want to become a Hunter, Leorio-san?" Togiri asked, distracting and calming him down.
"Me? I'll make it short. I want money. Money can get you everything! A big house! A nice car! Good liquor!" Leorio declared.
Fang started laughing. Kurpika scoffed. "You can't buy class with money, Leorio"
'Hot damn, that's a statement' Togiri said mentally to Seven. @Shut up, I want to keep listening@ Seven replied.
"That's three times now. Step outside. I'll end the filthy Kurta bloodline here and now," Leorio said, his anger escalating.
"Take that back, Leorio!" "That's Leorio-san to you!" Leorio stormed out of the room.
@You know it's serious when a comedic relief character who's always angry gets angry for real@ Seven commented in Togiri's mind.
'I wonder if he'll fight me too, because I won't call someone younger than me with -san at the end of their name' Togiri mused.
"Hey boys, I'm not finished!" the captain yelled after them.
"Let them go. My aunt Mito-san once said if you want to get to know someone, you make an effort to learn why they're angry. So we should let them settle it themselves,"
Just then, a storm that could sink the ship hit. Togiri, Fang, Gon, and Katsuo the young crew mate went outside to help with the ship.
They managed to pull the rope to draw in the sails, thanks to Fang and Togiri's super strength. Togiri slipped and fell, but Fang caught him.
Katsuo also slipped and flew across the deck, almost falling into the ocean, but Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika saved him like in the original plot.
While this happened Togiri held Fang back on purpose.'Seven, is this a coincidence or actual plot armor that Katsuo didn't die?' Togiri wondered.
@Why are you asking me?@ Seven retorted.
As the storm passed, the captain called them back inside. "You all passed my test," he said.
"You showed courage and teamwork in the face of danger. That's what it takes to be a Hunter. Now, let's get to the port and start the real exam."
Fang and Togiri exchanged a look. This was just the beginning, and they knew the journey ahead would be filled with challenges. But they were ready, driven by their respective goals and the bond they had formed over the past two years.
They were prepared to face whatever the Hunter Exam threw at them.