The bushes stayed still.
"If you haven't come out by now," Kaizen said coolly, "you might not get another chance. You really think that hiding spot's good enough?"
At that moment, the bushes rustled.
With a faint sound of swaying desert brush, a young girl slowly stepped out.
Ponzu approached Kaizen in small, cautious steps.
"Sit."
Kaizen pointed to a nearby jagged stone.
Ponzu obeyed and sat down.
"You actually found me?" she asked with a weak smile. "When did you notice?"
"I knew from the beginning."
Kaizen leaned back slightly. "Your hiding would fool a regular person. But for someone like me? Not even close."
Ponzu gave a wry smile.
"So I guess… I'm out of the running for the Hunter Exam."
Kaizen looked at her curiously. "Why'd you take it in the first place?"
Ponzu hesitated, glancing at him, unsure.
"What, not gonna say? That's your call. But maybe if you did, and I was feeling generous, I might've handed over my number plate. No promises, though."
She paused for a long moment… then lowered her head.
"Because I need to get stronger."
Her voice was quiet.
"There's trouble in my village—big trouble. I have to fix it, and the best path forward… is becoming a Hunter."
"I was hoping to hire some other examinees too," she admitted. "I know I can't do it alone."
Kaizen's eyes narrowed slightly.
So that's why she might've tried to team up with Pokkle after failing.
"In short," he said, "you need strength to save your village?"
She nodded.
"Got it. One more question."
Kaizen's tone sharpened.
"Back on the ship, you were clearly terrified of me. What did you sense? And how? Be honest."
Ponzu went quiet, then asked carefully, "If I answer that… will you give me your number plate?"
Kaizen shrugged. "Who knows?"
Ponzu slowly removed her hat.
A swarm of bees flew out, buzzing in a lazy orbit around her. One or two drifted over toward Kaizen—but with a subtle command, she had them return.
Inside the hat was a small beehive.
At the center was a single bee, larger and clearly distinct from the others.
"That's the queen bee."
"I didn't see anything strange about you," she admitted. "Didn't feel anything myself either."
"But the queen bee did."
"She's never wrong. Her instincts have been tested over and over."
"When I got close to you, she warned me. She told me… you, Hisoka, and Gittarackur—you're the three people I must never provoke."
"She said Gittarackur only looks scary. Hisoka—well, I saw what he did before the exam. And in the Milsy Wetlands..."
Ponzu looked at Kaizen seriously.
"If the queen bee says you're the same kind of danger… then you are."
Kaizen studied the queen bee.
She didn't have aura. Just a regular insect. Maybe a bit more vitality than most creatures, but no Nen.
An ability like Machi's intuition?
His eyes brightened.
She doesn't need to use aura, can sense without alerting other Nen users... this is a seriously useful ability for intel gathering.
Kaizen made a quiet decision in his mind.
Forget Ponzu' own strength. Just the queen bee's ability was enough to make her a valuable addition to his team.
And right now, he needed someone like that.
Ponzu closed the hat, double-checked it, and placed it back on her head.
"I've told you everything," she said, trying to smile. "So… do I get your number plate now?"
She clenched her fists, clearly trying to look pitiful.
Ponzu knew she had no chance of taking it by force—so this was the only path left.
"You can."
Kaizen casually tossed his number plate toward her.
Ponzu blinked, stunned, and looked down to make sure it was real.
But before she could even feel joy—Kaizen snatched it back from her fingers.
"...???"
He looked at her calmly.
"I already gave it to you. But you're too weak to hold onto it. That's your problem."
...
"But here's the thing," Kaizen said. "I'm the only one who actually needs this plate."
"And this isn't the final exam."
He leaned forward, serious now.
"Even if you pass this phase, do you really think you can handle the next one? With your current strength?"
Ponzu went silent.
"You've got two choices."
"One: play a game with me. If you win, the number plate's yours for real. No takebacks."
"But if you lose, you agree to one condition of mine."
"Two: make a deal."
"I might help you gain the strength to protect your village—but you'll have to agree to a condition in return. So? Which is it?"
...
Ponzu hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Do you want my queen bee?"
"I do."
"That's not possible. She chose me. If she leaves me, she won't survive."
Kaizen nodded slowly.
"Then let's compromise."
"Compromise?"
"That's right," he said. "I've got a team, and your queen bee's ability fits perfectly. I'm offering you a spot on my team."
"That's the condition."
Ponzu thought for a moment.
"Can I ask… what's the game?"
Kaizen smirked. "You only get to hear the rules after you choose it. Sounds like you're leaning toward option one?"
"No, no, no..."
She waved her hands quickly.
"I pick the second."
She gave a tired smile, not from defeat—but from realizing just how little leverage she had in this situation.
If not for the queen bee, she wouldn't even be worth talking to.
It was humbling.
"Smart choice," Kaizen said.
He extended a hand.
"From now on, you're part of my team. Don't leave without my say-so. You can call me Captain. Once the Hunter Exam's over, I'll introduce you to the others."
Ponzu reached out and took his hand.
In that moment, she seemed to finally accept her new reality.
And for the first time in a long while... she relaxed.
------------
+415 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub