The giant catfish thrashed its tail desperately, its strength comparable to a heavy truck.
Roy recognized it at a glance. It was the King of the Swamp that dominated this lake, the same one Gon would catch in the future.
That's why he convinced Mite to agree to let him take the Hunter Exam.
Unfortunately, time was too tight now, leaving no time to eat it. Besides, given its enormous size, who knew how much of a muddy smell it had accumulated? The meat was likely tough and hard to chew, not tasty at all. So he simply retracted the Nen Line and released it back into the lake.
"Young master, we must hurry." The official departure time was set for three in the afternoon; it was already two fifty-five, and they weren't sure if they could make it.
Wutong stamped out the campfire with one foot, packing up his belongings.
Roy remained calm. The Hunter's License was important, but so was training. Naturally, remaining composed and unperturbed was the right way.
Smiling, he said to Wutong, "Don't worry, things will work out in the end."
With a flick of his wrist, he hoisted a branch onto his shoulder and said, "Let's go."
"Yes."
The master and servant exited the forest, weaving through streets and alleys, quickly heading towards Dore Port, where the ship "Sea God" was docked.
Upon arrival, they were still a step too late. From a distance, they saw a gigantic three-masted sailing ship belching steam and smoke as it left the port, approximately three kilometers from shore and had been sailing for several minutes.
"Wait... I haven't boarded yet... Please, stop..." A few unfortunate souls like Roy, who arrived late, waved their hands and shouted, hoping to catch the attention of the ship to turn back.
But this was a serious exam, not a jest. Once the sails were raised, they would not be lowered again for turning back.
"Too late, the ship won't stop; try again next year." At that moment, an obese old captain with a red nose and sideburned beard, smoking a pipe, emerged from the cabin. Wearing a sailor's hat, his skin dark and rough from years at sea, he cast a fleeting glance at the shore before averting his eyes.
"It seems like just a bunch of kids; they're not taking the Hunter's job seriously at all..." he thought, as figures moved on the deck. A man with blond hair flanked by two bodyguards, a bizarre individual with nails all over his face, and another wearing a blue baseball cap with a Samurai Sword at his waist, as if rehearsed beforehand...
They instinctively leaned against the railing, glancing across the water and immediately spotting the silhouette with the Staff Blade planted at his side and the branch on his shoulder....
'Roy Zoldyck...'
'Big brother....'
'It's that guy....'
'You finally came...'
Pariston's lips curled upward as he tilted his head toward the captain: "Hey~ I think we should turn back."
The bizarre individual followed his gaze... next was Kate, who silently adjusted his hat....
"Heh heh, sorry, I'm the captain, and I make the decisions." The old captain, Maxim, unbuttoned his jacket to reveal an invigilator's license issued by the Hunter Association, coldly staring at the three of them and pointing to the sea: "If you're dissatisfied, you're free to jump off."
Maxim had seen rebellious types before; his first mate, Gus, used to be one until he was tamed obediently.
"Then there's nothing we can do." Pariston shrugged, regretfully looking toward the shore.
Despite his immense displeasure, he couldn't forget what was important.
However, the bizarre individual beside him, upon hearing Maxim's words, jumped down without hesitation...
"Splash~" Water splashed as they all stood momentarily stunned, then looked again... The peculiar individual, sporting a striking Mohawk hairstyle, was paddling through the sea, swimming swiftly toward the shore... Eye contact was exchanged, faces filled with bewilderment....
"Damn, is he an idiot?"
"He jumped just like that, abandoning the Hunter Exam?"
"What, are there gold bars on the shore?"
Uproar ensued, many watching the commotion with glee... With fewer competitors, they were more than happy to see a few more fools like this...
"Young master, what do we do?"
Onshore, Wutong reached for his phone, already considering booking return tickets.
As the captain said earlier, if they missed the opportunity this year, they could always try again next year. After all, the young master was still young, with plenty of time and opportunities.
But Roy just silently watched as the "Sea God" sailed further away, not budging an inch, seemingly showing no sign of giving up.
Moments later, a sea breeze swept by...
Suddenly, the young man spoke to Wutong: "Zip it up properly; don't drop anything."
Under the astonished gaze of the young butler, Roy casually tossed the branch from his shoulder into the sea, then grabbed Wutong by the collar, lifting him as he leaped into the sea, landing steadily on the branch.
Strangely enough, the branch submerged only an inch before floating back up. With a flick of Roy's mind, twisting with momentum, it shot off like an arrow, speedily pursuing the "Sea God"....
"Splash~" The waves shattered, and a waterline visibly extended from the shore, brushing past the face of the peculiar individual...
Almost at the shore, the bizarre individual stiffened, their limbs nearly cramping as they sank into the sea. Upon turning back, they quickly kicked their legs and flung their arms, turning to chase...
"Look, what is that?"
The approaching waterline, with two tiny dots on a branch, was gradually enlarging...
An exclamation erupted on deck. Pariston, Kate, the old captain, the Bald Ninja, the Snakekeeper, and the Kurta Race girl... All lined up against the railing, looking over....
Roy, with a Staff Blade at his waist and hands clasped behind his back, his dense black hair blown wildly by the sea breeze, steered the branch like a small boat, tearing through the waves, steadily coming into view of everyone....
"Heh heh heh...." Pariston's shoulders trembled as he couldn't control his laughter...
'Roy Zoldyck, I... truly... truly love you! You never fail to impress.'
Such speed, such poise... "You know, little Hill, you seem to be no match~" Clark noticed his anomaly and blurted out the harsh truth.
The thin bodyguard rolled his eyes... grasping the cross at his chest, his eyebrows knit with a faint sense of pressure.
The youth's calm demeanor was akin to the sun above, lofty and unshakable, with seemingly nothing he considered beneath him.
'This really leaves no room for jealousy whatsoever....'
"Whoosh~" The sea breeze was torn apart; closer... the waterline was only two hundred meters from the "Sea God," catching up in just a minute...
Kate turned around, leaving the railing, finding a place to sit down... No need to watch any further, the outcome was already determined.
Two hundred meters, one hundred meters, fifty meters... Accompanied by the shocked gazes and screams of everyone on board....
The waterline clung to the "Sea God" in the blink of an eye,
This time, without needing Roy's help, Wutong patted the satchel on his chest, landing solidly on the deck with a leap!
And the branch casually used as a fishing rod was summoned by Roy with a slight hand gesture, breaking through the waves, soaring in mid-air, and grabbed firmly by him.
Hoisted onto his shoulder.