The match between Gon and Hisoka ended, as expected, with Hisoka's victory. Even though we anticipated the result, seeing Gon lose still left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Well, you cleared your primary objective, right?"
"Yeah. But... I still lost..."
Although Gon achieved his goal of landing a solid punch on Hisoka and returning the badge (#44), the frustration was palpable. The difference in skill was astronomical, but knowing that intellectually didn't make the sting of defeat any easier to swallow.
"It's all right. You will definitely surpass Hisoka in time, Gon. Think of this loss as valuable experience."
"Indeed. You put up a splendid fight against Hisoka. I cannot afford to slack off either."
"That's right~ To think you've learned Nen for less than six months—it's remarkable. What an unpolished diamond. Finding gems like you lying around makes taking Aisha's job totally worth it!"
Bisky had clearly recognized Gon's extraordinary potential. As expected of a seasoned master, her eye for talent was sharp.
"Thank you. But it's still frustrating... Hisoka was clearly holding back..."
"That's... true. His aura output was noticeably lower than during his fight with Kastro."
"Yeah. He was intentionally avoiding your vitals during hand-to-hand exchanges to keep from injuring you permanently."
So they had noticed Hisoka holding back after all. Well, having watched Kastro's match, his restraint was obvious. And even that wasn't Hisoka's true maximum. He still held more cards close to his chest.
...As much as I disliked the creep, the prospect of fighting him someday was slightly thrilling.
"That can't be helped. You're still unrefined—a freshly unearthed gemstone. How much polishing do you think he has undergone?"
"She's right, Gon. That goes for Killua and Kurapika as well. You all have only just arrived at the foot of the mountain known as Nen."
Kurapika hadn't even reached the first station on the trail yet. Truthfully, I wonder how far up that mountain I had climbed myself. The path of martial arts is endlessly steep and long. Star-spanning numbers of people spend their entire lives without reaching the fifth station.
Yet these three... possessed the potential to scale the peak.
"You're right! Yeah, I get it now! I'm going to train harder and get much stronger! And one day, I'll definitely surpass Hisoka!"
Now that's the spirit! A real man cannot remain down after defeat! Whenever I lost to Netero in my past life, the sting of defeat drove me to train day and night, forgetting food and sleep. Linna used to plead with me in tears to rest my body. Nostalgic times...
"By the way, now that our business here is done, what should we do? Should we visit Gon's home as we talked about, or stay here to train?"
"No matches are scheduled right now, so the timing is perfect. Why don't we visit Gon's home? I've never been to Whale Island, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Neither as Ryusho nor during my travels as Aisha had I visited Whale Island. From what I heard, it was an island bursting with pristine nature, fresh air, and rich bounties from both sea and mountain.
"I'm totally fine with that."
"Wonderful! In fact, I've already bought airship tickets for all of us."
"Just how much were you looking forward to this?!"
"Ugh, what's wrong with being excited?"
Being invited to a friend's house is a huge deal! How long had it been since I was invited to a friend's home? Honestly, I couldn't even remember—definitely before transmigrating to this world.
Netero didn't count. He was a worthy rival, which was entirely different from an ordinary friend.
"I have no objections to visiting Whale Island. In fact, I wish to depart immediately... If my training increases in volume any further, I will genuinely die. Gon, did you know? On the banks of the Sanzu River, there is a female Grim Reaper who slacks off while rowing her ferry."
Kurapika muttered with hollow, vacant eyes. Grim Reaper? Ferrywoman? What on earth was he talking about? ...Did I push him a bit too hard?
"(Hey, isn't this dangerous?)" Bisky whispered.
"(Y-Yes... It seems I may have loaded on slightly too much training...)"
"(I told you to rein it in!)"
"(Well, back in my own training days, that was considered normal...)"
"(Comparing ordinary mortals to yourself is cruelty!)"
"What on earth did you do to Kurapika, Aisha? He's having minor muscle spasms."
"J-Just standard training?"
"If you didn't look away while saying that, I might have believed you."
Sharp as a needle, Killua! A testament to his assassin upbringing!
"Hey, Kurapika! Kurapika!!"
"—Hah?! What was I...?"
Kurapika's consciousness snapped back. This had been happening occasionally lately. I really needed to dial his training back to normal—his sanity was deteriorating at mach speed.
"Can we even survive the training that reduced Kurapika to this state...?"
"...I'm losing confidence too."
"Don't say that! Let's get strong together! ...Besides, having more people means the hellish workload gets distributed. I'm not letting you escape."
"Your true motives are leaking, Kurapika."
Kurapika, please take it easy on Whale Island!
"Well, let's head to the airport. If we don't complete boarding procedures, we'll miss our flight."
"Indeed. We can talk aboard the airship."
"We fly to a port town first, then board a ferry to Whale Island. I only passed through briefly during the Hunter Exam, so I'm glad we get to explore properly this time."
"Yeah! If only Leorio were here too."
"Haha, Leorio really has terrible luck... So, can I finally ask the obvious question?" Killua suddenly stopped.
"What is it? We'll be late if we don't hurry."
"Who the hell are you?! Why are you casually chatting with us?! This is literally our first time meeting! Gon, why aren't you questioning this?!"
Ah, the delayed realization finally hit. Bisky had blended into our group so seamlessly after Gon's match that I assumed they had already introduced themselves.
"Well, you two were talking so naturally that I figured everyone already knew each other."
"My, my, I completely forgot to introduce myself! Aisha talked about you two so much, and I watched your matches, so it completely slipped my mind!"
"I forgot you two had never met. You were conversing so comfortably that it felt natural."
Are you guys serious? Well, I couldn't talk, having forgotten to introduce her myself.
"My name is Bisky. Biscuit Krueger. A Pro Hunter and your senior, you could say. Right now, I'm working under Aisha's employ to assist her. I hate formalities, so just call me Bisky. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Gon! Nice to meet you, Bisky!"
"...I'm Killua. What kind of assistance are you providing Aisha?"
"Training assistance, Killua. It's no exaggeration to say Kurapika's explosive growth is thanks to her."
Without Bisky, we wouldn't have completed half our training schedule. Her ability to cut recovery time down to thirty minutes was a lifesaver.
...Though that very recovery was what enabled Kurapika's endless loop of training hell.
"Training assistance? From her~?"
Killua looked skeptical. Don't be fooled by appearances, Killua—Nen users defy common sense. She was the oldest person in this room by a wide margin.
Bisky-san? Why are you glaring at me? I didn't say anything out loud!
"Don't underestimate her, Killua. Bisky is far stronger than you imagine. I have never defeated her once."
"Hah? This girl beat you?!"
"Even Kurapika couldn't win after getting that strong?"
"Well, we have decades of experience between us~"
"Wait, just how old are you?!"
A natural question when looking at a girl who appeared their age. If he knew she was over fifty, his jaw would hit the floor.
"Hohoho, asking a lady her age is terrible manners!"
"Well, I gathered you're older than us, at least."
"Hmm, I can't tell by looking at you. Is that also Nen?"
Since Bisky knew this would be a long-term partnership, she didn't bother putting on her cutesy persona. Her mature tone gave her away immediately.
"By the way, what are Gon and Killua doing after visiting Whale Island? Kurapika and I will be resuming training. If you'd like, we would love for you to join us."
Their daily Ten and Zetsu had matured nicely. They were ready for the next stage.
"Yes! I want to get stronger! Please teach us!"
"Count me in too."
"Bisky, you have no objections, right?"
"Of course! With these two, I'd gladly take them on. Though my contract fee remains in effect, understood?"
"Ugh... I know."
Haah... How much longer must I endure being Bisky's dress-up doll? Every time I change, she snaps a mountain of photos... Please don't let those photos exist forever...
"Contract fee? If you need money, I can pay for it!" Gon offered.
"Yeah, this training is for our sake. Aisha shouldn't have to pay!"
Gon, Killua! Your sentiment brings tears to my eyes! But alas... If money could solve this, I would have paid long ago...
"The payment is dress-up Aisha-chan~ Would you two like to take her place?"
"Sorry, Aisha. I am... powerless!" Gon bowed.
"Let's hurry to the airport, look, there's a taxi!" Killua turned on his heel.
"You two changed your tune instantly?!"
Dammit! Just you wait—I'll make you taste true hell during boot camp!
The Secret of the World
We boarded the airship without issue and settled in for our three-day flight. I planned to make everyone practice sustaining Ken, of course.
"Airships are convenient and all, but can't they fly faster?" Killua leaned against the window.
"That is pure luxury. We are traveling in a straight line with zero obstacles. A slight lack of speed is a fair trade."
"I like airships! High places are exciting!"
"I enjoy airship travel as well. It offers scenery you can't experience on the ground."
I kind of wanted to own an airship myself. I should check the price tag later.
"I don't hate the view, but if they flew faster, we wouldn't waste all this travel time."
"Still a child at heart, I see~ You don't appreciate the romance of travel."
"Shut up. I'm a kid, so what?"
Killua sulked, annoyed at being treated like a child. Classic adolescence.
Don't worry, Killua—your travel time won't be wasted. Aisha's Boot Camp has no designated boundaries. Life itself is training!
"There's actually a reason airships fly at restricted speeds, Killua."
"A reason? What kind of reason requires them to be slow?"
The speed cap on aircraft was tied to the greatest secret of this world—an unwritten consensus among the ruling elite, hidden from standard school textbooks.
"Aisha, you don't mean..." Bisky paused.
"Bisky, they may still be young, but they are fully qualified Pro Hunters. They have the right to know, and the responsibility to carry the consequences of their actions. There's no need to shelter them from the truth."
"..." Bisky nodded softly. "Very well. If you say so, I won't object."
"What are you two talking about?"
"The truth of this world."
"Truth of the world? What does that have to do with airships being slow?"
"Think about it, Killua. Technology in this world is advanced enough to create nuclear missiles, comparable to high-tech civilizations. Why, then, are airships the sole mode of air travel? Why are there no high-speed passenger jets?"
"Well..."
"Have you ever seen a world map, Killua?"
"Of course. You can buy them anywhere. Everyone has seen one."
"What does that world map represent?"
"It represents all the continents, oceans, and land in this world. What else could it be?"
"In that case, strictly speaking, you have never seen a true map of the world."
"What do you mean?"
"The map we know is merely a map of a tiny portion of the world. The world that lies outside is completely unrecorded."
"Outside?!"
"Literally. Outside the borders of the world map we know lies an unimaginably vast, colossal world."
Everyone froze in stunned silence.
The known world map was merely a set of islands situated inside Lake Mobius—a minuscule drop in an endless ocean. The vast unknown surrounding it was called the Dark Continent.
Every past expedition into the Dark Continent had brought back catastrophic calamities upon humanity. Consequently, the Five Great Nations—the V5—signed an absolute non-aggression treaty prohibiting unauthorized exploration.
"That is the truth of this world. The world we could spend a lifetime exploring without ever seeing it all... is merely a tiny pond inside a far greater world."
"A tiny part of the real world...!"
"Incredible..."
"I have read countless historical texts and ancient manuscripts, but never once encountered a reference to this..."
All three boys trembled with excitement.
"Now, do you see how this connects to airships?"
"Ah! If high-speed aircraft existed, people could easily fly straight out into the Dark Continent!"
"Exactly. The V5 strictly prohibits high-speed aircraft development to prevent unauthorized departures into the Dark Continent. Anyone attempting to build supersonic planes would face severe punishment."
"I want to go there someday! To that outside world!" Gon's eyes sparkled.
"Don't be reckless. Securing a permit is nearly impossible, and even if granted, it's just a tightly monitored guided tour."
"Even so, I want to see it! Just imagining what kind of world exists out there makes my heart race!"
"Indeed... It feels as though our horizons have broadened infinitely. I haven't felt this kind of curiosity since reading a certain book in my childhood."
Kurapika looked thrilled, yet tinged with wistful nostalgia.
"Well, philosophy aside, it's time for training! Since space is limited, we'll focus on extending Ren duration and Gyo drills."
"Ossu! Please guide us!"
"I'm definitely surpassing Kurapika! Aisha, give me a harder routine than his!"
"A word of warning, Killua: if you see a ferrywoman on the Sanzu River, do not speak to her. If she is slacking off, quietly turn around and walk back."
"I don't want near-death experiences! Are you assuming I'm going to die?!"
"You'll be fine, Killua. Kurapika hasn't died yet, after all."
"What do you mean 'yet'?! That doesn't sound fine at all!"
Kurapika beamed with schadenfreude at having new companions to share his misery.
Arrival at Whale Island
"What wonderful weather. Perfect for hanging laundry! I wonder what Gon is up to under this sky..."
Mito hung the sheets, watching the blue sky over Whale Island. Ever since Gon called to say he passed the Hunter Exam, she had heard nothing. Being Ging's son, she knew he was likely diving headfirst into trouble.
"Mito-saaan!"
A familiar voice echoed from the forest path. Mito turned around, and her eyes lit up.
"Gon?!"
Gon was running toward her, waving his arms with a broad grin. He had grown a little taller, and his hair needed trimming, but he was completely safe and sound.
Behind him walked a silver-haired boy his age, a handsome blond youth, a gorgeous black-haired girl, and a lovely blonde maiden.
"I'm home, Mito-san!"
"Welcome home, Gon! You should have called so I could prepare a proper welcome feast! But who are your friends?"
"This is Killua, Kurapika, Aisha, and Bisky! We took the Hunter Exam together, and they're my best friends!"
Mito breathed a sigh of relief. Gon had never had friends his own age on the island. Seeing him return surrounded by reliable, polite companions warmed her heart.
"I'll start cooking dinner for all five of us! Why don't you all take a bath first? The girls go first, of course. Gon, show them the way."
"Thank you, Mito-san. We appreciate the hospitality."
"Bisky, you can go ahead. I'll bathe afterward."
"Don't be silly, Aisha. We're both girls, so let's go together! It saves time, and I need to teach you how to properly condition your hair anyway!"
Bisky dragged a protesting Aisha toward the bathhouse.
The next morning, after enjoying fresh river fish brought by Gon's Foxbear friend, Gon brought out a heavy metal box.
"My dad told Mito-san to give this to me once I became a Hunter. But we can't open it."
Killua tried forcing it open, but even his assassin strength couldn't budge the iron seam.
"It requires Nen to open. Gon, try holding it while maintaining Ten."
When Gon cloaked his hands in Ten, the outer iron casing collapsed into puzzle pieces, revealing an inner lockbox covered in intricate engravings and a card slot.
"These engravings are Divine Script" Aisha explained as she walked in. "Inscribing them while infusing Nen grants specific conditions and functions to objects."
Gon inserted his Hunter License into the slot. With a mechanical click, the lid opened, revealing a ring, a JoyStation ROM card, and a cassette tape.
They set up a tape recorder, and Ging's voice filled the room.
"Yo, Gon. So you became a Hunter after all..."
Ging's voice carried the exact same unshakeable, free-spirited conviction as Gon. When Ging mentioned recording information about Gon's biological mother, Gon pressed the stop button.
"Mito-san is my only mother."
Suddenly, the cassette player began whirring on its own.
"It's rewinding! And now it's recording over itself!"
"It's a basic Manipulation trap Ging set to erase his voice after playing," Aisha said calmly.
Killua punched the recorder with all his might, but his strike bounced off without leaving a scratch.
"It's protected by lingering Nen!"
"Gon, may I break it?"
"U-Um, sure!"
Shing!
With a casual chop of her hand, Aisha sliced the entire tape recorder clean in half with surgical precision, severing the mechanism while leaving the cassette tape completely unharmed.
"Wh-What the hell?!" Killua stared in shock. "I couldn't leave a scratch on it, and you cut it in half with a bare hand-chop?!"
"Aisha, you weren't emitting any aura just now. How did you cut through Ging's Nen?" Gon asked.
Aisha smiled. "My Hatsu is called [Angel's Veil]. It conceals the true intensity and application of my aura, making it appear as though I am always outputting harmless, unrefined aura."
Killua's jaw dropped. "An ability that hides your true aura output completely?! How are you supposed to fight someone if you can't read their aura?!"
"Indeed. I walked that path of despair months ago, my friends," Kurapika nodded with solemn wisdom.
Killua shook his head. "I swear, I'm going to surpass you someday, Aisha!"
They inspected the ROM card by inserting it into Aisha's JoyStation.
"The game title on the card is... Greed Island?!"
Aisha and Bisky explained the legendary game created by Nen users, its 100-copy limitation, and the multi-billion Jenny bidding war spearheaded by billionaire Battera.
Killua called the Zoldyck mansion to ask Milluki about Greed Island. To his utter shock, Gotoh reported that Milluki had thrown away all his anime figures and was currently doing intense physical training.
When Milluki took the phone, he spoke with steady, controlled breathing. Upon hearing Aisha was present, Milluki demanded to speak with her.
"Hello, Milluki. It's been a while..." Aisha greeted warmly.
Milluki spoke with extreme politeness, offering to investigate secure data channels for Greed Island and transmit intel directly to her.
Watching his shut-in, otaku brother bend over backward for a real-life girl left Killua questioning reality.
"Well... whatever! Let's play a game instead! What games do you have, Aisha?"
"I have some fighting games... and Dokapon."
"Dokapon? What's that?"
"A game I bought hoping to play with friends someday... but it is extremely dangerous. You probably shouldn't play it."
"Now I'm definitely curious! Let's play!"
And thus—for a certain period of time—their friendship was completely and utterly destroyed.