After the ferocious Kiriko-man judged the arriving group in his unique way, he got up and smiled apologetically at Ronnel.
"Sorry, Ronnel, three more candidates are approaching. We'll be testing them next."
Ronnel nodded with a calm smile.
"No problem. This is your job, after all. I'll just watch from the shadows for now."
His gaze shifted toward a distant part of the forest, a gleam of curiosity in his eyes. Long before the Kiriko-man noticed them, Ronnel had already sensed their approach using Nen.
Gon, Leorio, Kurapika.
So, I'm finally meeting the main trio of this world, huh?
As Ronnel watched, Kiriko's family dismantled most of their log cabin, and then both he and his sister transformed into human forms.
Director: Kiriko Family. Screenwriter: Kiriko Family. Props: My Log Cabin. Audience: Me.
With a nod to Kiriko-man, Ronnel leapt into the nearest tree, positioning himself where he could observe without being detected. He made sure to leave just enough hints for the test to proceed smoothly.
Kiriko-woman's voice rang out, signaling the start of the trial.
From his vantage point, Ronnel watched as three figures came into view: a spiky-haired boy, a blonde with sharp eyes, and a young man in a suit.
Ronnel pulled out a snack and grinned. Time for a good show.
"Leorio, take care of the injured!"
"Leave it to me!" Leorio responded confidently.
With that, Gon and Kurapika dashed after Kiriko-man. Leorio stayed behind, tending to the injured person, carefully preparing medical supplies.
If this goes like the original plot, Kurapika deduces that things are not as they seem, Gon will figure out Kiriko couple's game, and Leorio will spot the needle marks. They'll all pass the test.
After finishing his snack, Ronnel dusted his hands off and disappeared from his perch in an instant.
In the jungle below, Gon, chasing after Kiriko-man, suddenly paused and glanced over his shoulder.
"What's wrong, Gon?" Kurapika asked, noticing his hesitation.
"Nothing... maybe just my imagination."
Gon shook his head and refocused on the pursuit.
"Stop! Put her down!" Gon shouted.
After some tense moments of chasing, the trio passed Kiriko-man family's trial.
"Congratulations, all three of you have passed!"
Kiriko-man announced the results with a smile. Gon grinned broadly, and Kurapika and Leorio bumped fists, clearly pleased.
"Now, we'll take the four of you to the Hunter Exam venue in Saba City."
"Wait... four of us?" Leorio blinked in confusion. "There are only three of us."
"Hahaha, isn't the fourth one standing right behind you?"Kiriko-man pointed, grinning mischievously.
Leorio spun around instinctively.
"Hi there," a calm voice greeted them, startling the group.
"Who the hell are you, and when did you start following us?!" Leorio snapped, stepping back, his hand moving toward the dagger at his waist.
Kurapika and Gon quickly widened the distance, sizing up the stranger in the moonlight.
He wore a black trench coat, was about Leorio's height, but his youthful face made him look around seventeen or eighteen.
"I'm also a candidate for the Hunter Exam. I just got here earlier than you guys." Ronnel said, crossing his arms with a slight smirk.
As if! Who knows if—"
"Leorio!" Kurapika cut in sharply. "Kiriko examiner said he would take four of us to the Hunter Exam venue. That means he's already passed this phase."
Despite Kurapika's analysis, his eyes stayed wary. He managed to follow us unnoticed. In the dangerous world of the Hunter Exam, that's a skill worth keeping an eye on.
Leorio relaxed, though only slightly.
"Hey there, my name's Gon! This is Leorio, and that's Kurapika." Gon stepped forward with a bright smile, extending his hand.
"We're all heading to the Hunter Exam together, so let's take care of each other!"
"My name's Ronnel. Pleased to meet you," Ronnel replied, shaking Gon's hand.
"Ronnel, huh? Oh! I thought I sensed something weird earlier in the forest... I guess that was you."
"Yep," Ronnel admitted with a nod. "I've been following you and watching your test. Nothing personal, just wanted to gauge your level."
Following us... Kurapika's eyes twitched. He hadn't sensed Ronnel's presence at all. If he wanted to... we would've been sitting ducks.
Kurapika shot a glance at Leorio, silently raising his estimation of Ronnel's potential danger.
"Well, it's getting late," Ronnel said, breaking the silence.
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