The sun had fully set by the time the group reached a small clearing in the woods. The light from the distant stars was faint, and the sounds of the island's wildlife echoed around them. Greed Island, while beautiful during the day, took on an eerie atmosphere at night. The quiet murmur of the wind seemed to carry whispers, as if the island itself was alive, waiting for its next move.
The group was silent as they set up camp, the recent battle still weighing on their minds. Though they had emerged victorious, the encounter had been a sobering reminder that they were in a game where every move could be their last.
Biscuit sat on a rock near the edge of the camp, her sharp eyes watching the surrounding woods as she sipped tea from a small cup she had pulled from her seemingly bottomless bag. She hadn't said much since the fight, but Tanjiro could tell that she was assessing their performance.
Gon, as usual, was brimming with excitement despite the danger they had faced. He poked at the campfire with a stick, his wide eyes reflecting the flames. "That fight was intense! I didn't think we'd run into such strong players so soon."
Killua, sitting cross-legged beside Gon, nodded, his expression more serious. "It's only going to get harder from here. That was just the first test."
Tanjiro sat across from them, Nezuko by his side as usual. He had his sword resting on his lap, and his fingers traced the familiar hilt as he listened to Killua. "We're ready for whatever comes next," Tanjiro said, his voice filled with quiet determination. "We have to be."
Yūka sat a little farther away from the group, her gaze distant as she stared into the flickering flames. Her mind was still on the battle—on the way her hatsu had taken control of the battlefield, overwhelming the enemy players with its oppressive shadow-like aura. She had been hesitant to use it, afraid of what it might reveal about her past, but in the heat of the moment, she hadn't had a choice.
The shadows she commanded felt like an extension of her sorrow—of the ancient curse that had claimed her kingdom and the bloodline she had been born into. Her hatsu was powerful, but it was also dangerous, and she knew she would have to learn to control it better if she wanted to protect her friends.
Tanjiro, noticing her silence, stood and walked over to her, his expression gentle. He knelt beside her, his voice quiet but filled with warmth. "You did great today, Yūka."
Yūka blinked, her gaze shifting from the fire to meet his. "I… wasn't sure I'd be able to control it. My power… it's dangerous."
Tanjiro shook his head. "You saved us. That's what matters." He smiled at her, his eyes soft with understanding. "I know it's hard, but we'll get stronger together. We'll help each other."
Yūka's heart swelled at his words. There was a kindness in Tanjiro that she hadn't encountered in centuries, and it made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time—hope.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tanjiro smiled again, his heart lightened by her words. He knew how heavy her burden was, and though they still had a long way to go, he was determined to help her carry it.
The Next Step: Gathering Cards
The next morning, the group set out early, their goal clear: they needed to start gathering the special cards that would allow them to progress in Greed Island. The game's mechanics were simple enough on the surface—players had to collect specific cards to win, but finding and securing those cards was the real challenge. Some cards could be found in treasure chests or won in challenges, while others had to be taken from other players.
Biscuit had a map of the island, and as they traveled, she explained the various regions and the types of cards they might find there. "We'll need to gather as many useful cards as possible," she said, her tone no-nonsense. "Especially defense and healing cards. Those will help us in the long run."
Gon, his eyes wide with excitement, was practically bouncing with energy as they walked. "I can't wait to see what kind of challenges we'll face! I wonder if there'll be more battles like yesterday."
Killua rolled his eyes but smirked. "Knowing this game, probably."
Tanjiro walked beside Yūka and Nezuko, his senses on high alert. He could feel the presence of nen in the air around them, a subtle hum that seemed to pulse through the island itself. It reminded him of the way his own world's energy flowed through nature, but this was different—more structured, like the island was part of a living system designed for the game.
Yūka, though still quiet, was more focused today. She had resolved to master her hatsu and prove that she could control the shadows that had caused so much pain in her past. The island's energy, while foreign, felt strangely familiar to her, as though it resonated with the ancient techniques she had learned in her kingdom.
As they reached a dense forest, Biscuit paused and glanced at the map. "There should be a treasure chest hidden in this area. It's likely guarded, though."
"Guarded by what?" Gon asked, his excitement barely contained.
"Monsters, probably," Killua muttered, scanning the trees with sharp eyes. "Or other players."
Tanjiro unsheathed his sword, his instincts telling him to be cautious. "Let's move carefully."
Nezuko's eyes glowed faintly in the shadows of the forest, her demonic senses picking up on the subtle movements around them. She hummed softly, alerting the group to the presence of something nearby.
Suddenly, without warning, a massive creature burst from the underbrush, its eyes glowing red and its sharp teeth bared. It was a beast unlike anything they had seen before—an enormous wolf-like monster with dark fur and an aura of pure malevolence.
Biscuit sighed, seemingly unfazed by the appearance of the creature. "Of course, it's a nen-beast."
Gon's eyes lit up with excitement. "I've got this!"
But before Gon could charge forward, Tanjiro raised a hand. "Wait," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Let's work together. We don't know how strong this thing is."
Killua nodded in agreement. "He's right. Let's take it down as a team."
The group moved quickly, their training kicking in as they coordinated their attack. Gon, with his raw strength and enthusiasm, charged the beast head-on, using his nen-enhanced punches to stagger it. The creature snarled, its massive claws swiping at Gon, but he dodged with ease, his movements fluid and fast.
Killua zipped around the beast with Godspeed, striking its weak points with precision, while Nezuko moved with lightning speed, using her nen and demonic strength to land powerful blows. Her movements were a blur as she struck the beast's flank, sending it stumbling back.
Tanjiro, always calm in battle, focused on his breathing as he channeled his nen into his sword. His fiery aura flared around him as he dashed forward, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision.
"Hinokami Kagura, Burning Bones, Summer Sun!" he called out, his sword glowing with nen-enhanced fire as he struck the beast's neck. The force of the blow sent the creature crashing to the ground, its nen aura flickering weakly.
But it wasn't over yet.
The creature let out a deafening roar, and its body began to glow with dark energy. Yūka, sensing the shift in power, stepped forward, her shadow-like aura flaring to life around her. She raised her hand, and the shadows coiled around the creature, pinning it in place.
"Shin'en no Seirei… Bind." Yūka whispered, her voice calm but filled with determination.
The shadows tightened around the creature, draining its energy and weakening its nen. The beast struggled, but it couldn't break free from Yūka's grip.
With one final strike, Gon leaped into the air, his fist glowing with raw nen power. "Jajanken: Rock!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the beast's head with a resounding impact.
The creature collapsed, its nen aura dissipating as it lay motionless on the forest floor.
The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath after the intense battle.
"We did it," Gon said, grinning as he wiped sweat from his brow.
Killua smirked. "Yeah, but that was just a warm-up."
Biscuit, ever the pragmatist, walked over to the fallen beast and knelt beside it. "There should be a card hidden here somewhere."
Tanjiro sheathed his sword, his senses still on high alert. "Let's find it and move on. We don't know what else might be waiting for us."
Yūka, her shadow-like aura fading, glanced at Tanjiro with a small smile. She had managed to control her hatsu during the battle, and for the first time, she felt a sense of pride in her abilities.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tanjiro smiled back at her. "We're getting stronger, together."
A New Threat
As the group searched the area for the hidden card, the forest around them grew eerily quiet. Tanjiro's senses prickled with unease, and he glanced around, his hand once again resting on the hilt of his sword.
Something was wrong.
Before he could voice his concerns, a chilling voice echoed through the trees.
"Well, well… looks like you've been having fun."
Everyone froze, their gazes snapping toward the source of the voice. A tall figure emerged from the shadows, his cold eyes glinting with malice. His nen aura was powerful, far stronger than any of the players they had encountered so far.
It was the same man who had been watching them from a distance during their previous battle—the one who had vanished into the trees without a trace.
Killua's eyes narrowed, his instincts telling him that this man was dangerous. "Who are you?"
The man smirked, his aura flaring ominously as he stepped closer. "Just a fellow player. But unlike you, I'm not here to make friends."
Gon's fists clenched, his body tensing in preparation for a fight. "What do you want?"
The man's smile widened. "I want what everyone here wants: to win. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
Tanjiro stepped forward, his eyes locked on the stranger. "If you're here to fight, we're not backing down."
The man chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Good. I was hoping you'd say that."
As the tension in the air thickened, the group prepared for yet another battle—one that would test not only their strength but also their resolve to survive in the deadly world of Greed Island.