Chapter 10: A Clash of Races and Names
"What a freaky kid…"
"Better keep an eye on him."
"Could he be a merman? I heard merfolk are called the children of the Sea God—this is getting spooky."
"He must be someone important to pull that off…"
Voices buzzed across the deck. Some were grateful to Osren, others skeptical, but most were cautious. Whatever the case, he clearly had some serious pull. The kind that made even the Sea God seem accommodating.
Just imagine—if during the Hunter Exam he casually said, 'Do me a favor', and summoned a bolt of lightning to strike down a competitor... well, that would be beyond terrifying.
The storm that Red-Nose the captain had braced for never came. Instead, Osren's almost childlike sea-offering ritual had calmed the skies. From that moment on, whenever storms approached, the captain's first instinct was to conduct a sea-offering. Whether it worked or not... only the heavens and the captain knew.
Thanks to the lack of a devastating storm, many aspiring Hunters who would've been eliminated mid-journey managed to stay in the running. When the Kaijinmaru docked at Dolle Harbour, it marked one of the highest survival rates in the exam's history.
At the moment, the ship cruised calmly across the ocean. With smooth waters and favorable winds, they were set to reach Dore Island by dawn—over a full day ahead of schedule.
However, because there hadn't been enough eliminations en route, Red-Nose had been much busier than usual. Even so, he still managed to weed out nearly half the applicants through various means. The remaining candidates were still a sizable group.
Red-Nose had a tradition of personally handling the registration process. After working through the majority, only four names remained: Osren and his companions.
As the captain's most highly regarded passengers, they were treated to special arrangements. He led them to a private room for their registration—just as it had been in the original timeline, when only Gon and a few others remained after the storm.
"What are your names?" the captain asked.
"I'm Gon. That's Osren," Gon replied promptly.
Osren, who missed the chance to speak first, simply nodded in confirmation.
"I'm Kurapika," said the blonde boy, sitting up straight.
"Ugh, such a pain... I'm Leorio," muttered the final boy, resigning himself to the process.
"And why do you want to become Hunters?" Red-Nose asked.
That question hit a nerve. Others had obediently answered, especially after being scolded earlier by the captain. But for Leorio, it was like pressing a sore spot.
"Why should we tell you? This isn't a job interview," he snapped.
"I want to become a Hunter because my father was one. I want to know what kind of work it really is," Gon replied honestly.
"I'm curious about what a Hunter's life is like," Osren added calmly.
He knew something the others didn't—Red-Nose wasn't just a quirky captain. He was one of the examiners. With how things were shaping up, Osren was sure he'd pass regardless, but there was no need to antagonize someone who might soon be a colleague.
"Don't butt in! Can't you see I'm talking to this old guy?" Leorio barked at Gon.
"What's wrong with just saying your reason?" Gon asked, clearly confused.
Osren remained silent.
"I said I'm not telling you. If it's something I don't want to do, I won't do it. Not even in a duel!" Leorio shouted.
"I agree with you, Leorio," Kurapika said calmly. "My reason for becoming a Hunter is deeply personal. Why should I reveal that to a stranger I just met? I have the right not to say."
At that moment, Leorio and Kurapika found unexpected common ground.
"You must answer, Kurapika. Leorio. Otherwise, you'll be asked to leave the ship. Don't you get it yet? The Hunter Exam already began the moment you boarded," the captain declared.
He pulled out a card bearing the emblem of the Hunter Association. "Every year, the number of applicants is like the stars in the sky. If we processed them all directly, it would be an overwhelming drain on resources. That's why people like us help with early-stage screening. The ones I've deemed unfit have already been reported to the Committee."
"As for whether you get to take the official exam..." the captain smirked, "that all depends on my mood."
Although Captain Red Nose's expression didn't change much, Osren could still tell he was annoyed—his nose had turned noticeably redder. Clearly, Leorio and Kurapika had riled him up.
"What a hassle," Leorio muttered. "Fine, I'll tell you."
"I want to become a Hunter… for money. Once I'm a licensed Hunter, I can earn tons of it. With money, I can buy anything—huge houses, fancy cars, fine wine, even women…" As Leorio spoke, a dreamy look crossed his face, making it hard not to laugh.
"Leorio, money can't buy humanity," Kurapika said quietly.
"How old are you, kid? Call me Mr. Leorio," Leorio snapped, annoyed.
"Money isn't everything. There are plenty of things it can't buy," Kurapika replied.
A glint of cold hostility flickered in Kurapika's clear blue eyes. Whatever he was recalling had gripped him so deeply that even Leorio's rising anger couldn't break through his memories.
"I'm the last survivor of the Kurta Clan," Kurapika said calmly. "I want to become a Hunter—a bounty hunter who lives off tracking down criminals."
"And your reason?" Captain Red Nose asked.
"Four years ago, my entire clan was massacred. The perpetrators were the Phantom Troupe. I became determined to become a Hunter so I could bring them to justice."
"The Phantom Troupe are all Class-A criminals. Even seasoned Hunters steer clear of them. If you go after them, you're just throwing your life away," the captain said.
"I'm not afraid to die," Kurapika said, eyes wide and intense. "What I fear is forgetting this feeling of righteous fury."
"You're so damn stubborn," Leorio growled. "You don't need to be a Hunter to get revenge."
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Kurapika shot back. "Don't you know? There are places only Hunters can go, intelligence only Hunters can access, missions only Hunters can accept."
"That's the fourth time you've insulted me," Leorio said, fists clenched, his voice unnervingly calm. "Time to settle this outside. Looks like the Kurta are all savages with no manners."
"Take that back," Kurapika growled.
Leorio's words had cut deep. Kurapika's fists trembled, his knuckles white as he struggled to contain the rage boiling inside him.
"It's Mr. Leorio. Let's take this outside!" Leorio stormed out of the room.
"With pleasure," Kurapika replied, following close behind.
"I wasn't finished talking…" Captain Red Nose murmured, dumbfounded. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
"Let them be," Gon said seriously. "If you want to truly understand someone, you need to know what pushes their buttons. That's something Aunt Mito taught me—and it's a piece of advice I really like. When people get angry, it's usually because something really matters to them. That's not something we should interfere with."
"What do you think?" the captain asked, turning to Osren. He figured this kid was the smartest one in the group.
"This is a matter of belief," Osren replied. "I agree with Gon. Outsiders shouldn't get involved. Leorio and Kurapika were bound to clash eventually—they see the world very differently. This fight was inevitable."
Captain Red Nose fell silent. He still couldn't quite agree with Gon and Osren, but he said no more.
"Come on, Gon. Let's go watch," Osren called.
"Coming!" Gon responded, and the two of them left the cabin, one after the other.