Chapter 5: Stockpiling "Face" Points
Gon was stunned. For a moment, he wondered if he really understood Kon at all.
As the two of them lay on the ground to rest like corpses, Osren couldn't help but marvel—Gon's stomach might rival that of the Straw Hat King himself. In no time, Gon was back on his feet, bouncing around energetically.
There was no denying that Gon never stayed still. That part was expected. But what saddened Osren was that, despite eating only a fraction of what Gon did, he already felt full.
About half an hour later, Gon suddenly turned his head in a specific direction.
"Thud, thud, thud…"
The ground seemed to rumble with each step. Osren noticed it too—those heavy steps had to be Kon the fox-bear returning.
Sure enough, moments later, a massive blur of brown fur came bounding toward them. One paw flailed in the air while the other clutched a green bundle, oddly conspicuous amidst the earthy tones.
When Kon got close, he handed over the leafy package to Osren. It was carefully wrapped—double-layered, in fact. Impressive handiwork for a bear.
Osren peeled open the leaves to reveal six translucent fruits. A mix of purple with streaks of white, they looked juicy and inviting. A delicate fragrance wafted out, calming and pleasant.
"That's Longan Fruit!" Gon's voice rose in surprise. "I've only ever seen it once!"
Gon quickly launched into an explanation: while no one really knew how Longan Fruit grew, it was extremely rare and known for its remarkable healing properties.
Osren finally grasped the fruit's true value—it was a divine healing item. It hadn't appeared in the original anime, but he had anticipated that the world would be full of rare and wondrous things.
After all, the show had set the tone from the very beginning: monsters, treasure beasts, secret relics, magical domains, mysterious realms—"unknown" was practically a magnet for the strong and curious alike.
So it wasn't strange for mystical plants to exist here—especially when, according to Gon, Longan Fruit wasn't even as potent as some of Earth's legendary medicinal herbs.
Whale Island was simply too small to hold Gon… and even smaller when it came to containing his Face Fruit potential.
Bidding farewell to Kon the fox-bear, Osren and Gon returned to Aunt Mito's inn.
Time slipped by like water through fingers.
With the Hunter Exam just around the corner, Osren took the time to thoroughly study his Nen ability. One thing became crystal clear: just as he suspected, the more expensive the ingredient, the more "Face Points" he could earn from it.
Likewise, the better the dish, the higher the yield in Face Points.
To give an example—if Gon ate a raw cucumber, it might only earn Osren 1 Face Point. But if that same cucumber was turned into a proper smashed cucumber dish, it could earn him 2 points.
Realizing this, Osren volunteered to help Aunt Mito in the kitchen. Over three days, he learned how to cook several simple dishes.
He also discovered another rule about his Face Fruit: the food didn't have to be cooked with his own hands. As long as the dish belonged to him—be it purchased or gifted—it still generated the same Face Points.
Put simply: even if he just treated someone to a meal he paid for, it would still count.
On the morning of the fourth day—canonically, the day Gon sets off on his journey—Osren and Gon said their goodbyes to Aunt Mito and Kon the fish-catching fox-bear, and began their journey to the Hunter Exam.
But this time, things were a little different from the original story: Gon was now carrying a huge sack of supplies on his back.
After several hours of hiking, the two finally arrived at Whale Island's port.
It was a little past 3 PM. Osren knew the Kaijinmaru Ship was scheduled to depart at 6. That meant they had time—and with Leorio and Kurapika already on the island, there was still a chance to stockpile a few more Face Points.
"Gon, let's split up and look around," Osren suggested. "See if you can find out where we can board the ship. You go that way, I'll head this way. We'll meet back here later."
"Got it. See you in a bit," Gon nodded and walked off in the direction Osren pointed.
"Wait—give me an apple!" Osren suddenly called out.
One thing about Gon—he never asks unnecessary questions. Without hesitation, he pulled an apple from the large backpack on his back and tossed it over before continuing on his way.
Watching Gon's figure disappear into the crowd, Osren thought for a moment. If he remembered right, the ship was in that direction.
Now it was time to find the fake Hunter.
Following the storyline, Osren made his way to a makeshift arena—crudely assembled and falling apart—where a self-proclaimed "Hunter" was basking in attention and pretending to be a big shot.
Leorio had taken to the stage earlier—not because he believed in the challenge, but because he was broke and desperate for the prize money. Unfortunately, his hunger left him weak, and he lost the fight.
Gon, with his keen senses, had heard Leorio's stomach growling and had given him an apple. That's how the two became friends in the original story.
But now, since Gon had gone in the other direction, Leorio didn't get the apple this time. As a result, he collapsed from hunger beside the stage.
"You only lost because you were hungry," came a voice from beside him.
Leorio blinked. That was the truth. He looked up, curious who had noticed—and saw a red apple being offered.
"Here. Have an apple," Osren said casually.
Leorio stared, then quickly grabbed the apple and devoured it in a few bites. He didn't even say thank you before turning to leave.
"Just like the original story," Osren commented with a smirk. "Tough on the outside, soft on the inside. He ate Gon's apple and ended up helping him later. Face points +1."
Almost forgetting his real purpose, Osren looked around. In a small diner next to the arena, he spotted his target—the fake Hunter. The guy was happily eating after conning someone out of money.
"Sir Hunter, I deeply admire you," Osren said, approaching with a look of admiration. "Would you allow me the honor of treating you to this meal?"
Oscar owed him an acting award for what he pulled off just now. The so-called Hunter's appearance was a bit too... unique. With a yellow mop of hair and a tacky green hat, he was an eyesore. But Osren kept a perfectly admiring expression on his face.
Blond hair could be a statement of faith—just think of Kurapika or Minato Namikaze. If you've got blonde hair, you'd better have the looks to back it up.
"I'll give you this chance," the fake Hunter said, smug and self-important. "Work hard, kid, and maybe you'll become a Hunter too."
The shopkeeper took the card from Osren and charged him for the meal.
"You people usually never see real Hunters. You should learn from this kid here—know how to show respect!" The fake Hunter puffed up with pride as he saw others looking on in awe. He made a few more loud proclamations before strutting off.
Whale Island's harbor, being a trade hub, was bustling and full of life. While it didn't have the peace and quiet of the inns nearby, the energy and noise had their own kind of charm. The shouts of merchants and vendors echoed in the air, immersing Osren in the lively atmosphere.
"Phew."
Taking a deep breath of the salty sea breeze, Osren finally felt it hit him—he was really in the world of Hunter x Hunter.
Suddenly, a striking figure appeared before him—shimmering golden hair, emerald green eyes, unique traditional clothing, and a face that was practically sculpted. An unmistakable character.
"Sir, don't move!" a plump shopkeeper warned in a panic. "There's a poisonous spider on you. If you stay still, it'll crawl away soon."
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