Ryker narrowed his eyes, focusing on the figure emerging from the mist.
Hisoka.
The magician's gaze was scorching. He looked at Ryker not as a person, but as a masterpiece. A ripe, succulent fruit waiting to be plucked.
"What a surprise~" Hisoka purred, his voice dripping with sinister delight. "I thought the little green boy was a rare find... but you? You are the main course I've been dreaming of."
He licked his lips, his mouth curving into that trademark, disturbing smile.
Ryker stared back. But he wasn't looking at the clown. He was looking at the data.
Name: Hisoka Morrow
Traits: [Hyper-Intuition] (Red), [Master Transmuter] (Gold), [Taijutsu Prodigy] (Gold), [Masochist] (Purple)...
Great loot.
Ryker felt his own excitement rising.
His expression made Hisoka pause.
This was... new.
For the first time, his prey wasn't trembling. There was no fear in Ryker's eyes. Instead, there was... hunger?
A realization struck Hisoka like a bolt of lightning.
He's looking at me... the same way I look at him.
Does he think... I am the prey?
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Hisoka threw his head back and laughed. It was the funniest joke he had ever heard.
"Show me!"
But Ryker was already moving.
[Godspeed] (Gold).
[Monstrous Strength] (Gold).
[Natural Assassin] (Gold) - Passive.
[Zoldyck Arts: Rhythm Echo].
In an instant, Ryker vanished.
Hisoka's laughter cut short. His body reacted instinctively, blurring into a defensive stance.
BOOM!
Two meters away, in the fog, fist met palm.
The collision created a shockwave that blew the mist apart.
Hisoka caught the punch. But his eyes widened. The impact wasn't what he expected. It felt like catching a cannonball.
Pain—sharp and immediate—shot up his arm. His palm went numb instantly.
This strength...?!
He had underestimated the boy. He had tried to play with his food, to catch it casually. That was a mistake.
Before Hisoka could adjust, Ryker was gone again. He rebounded off a tree trunk like a pinball, velocity increasing.
Serious Punch.
This time, Hisoka didn't dare catch it one-handed. He crossed his arms in an X-block, reinforcing them with Ten.
CRASH!
The force lifted Hisoka off his feet. He flew backward, his boots carving deep trenches into the mud for ten meters before he skidded to a halt.
His arms screamed in protest.
So strong!
Hisoka's excitement spiked. This fruit was riper than he imagined! It was perfect!
A teenager with no Nen... pushing him back with raw physical stats? It was absurd. It was beautiful.
Ryker didn't stop. With [Endless Stamina] (Gold), he didn't need to breathe. He was a storm.
Another punch descended.
Hisoka's face twisted—half pain, half ecstasy.
BOOM!
The fist connected... with air.
Ryker's punch slammed into the ground where Hisoka had been a split second ago. The earth exploded, creating a crater three meters wide. Mud and debris rained down.
"Interesting~"
Hisoka's voice echoed from deep within the fog, fading rapidly.
"You really are the most delicious fruit here, little Ryker. But it's not time to eat yet... I need you to ripen just a little more. I look forward to the harvest~ Hehehehe..."
His presence vanished completely.
Ryker stood in the crater, slowly unclenching his fist.
[DING! Combat Mode Disengaged.]
[System Verdict: Victory (Opponent Fled).]
[Rolling for Copy (10%)... Failed.]
"Tch."
Ryker scowled. Ran away fast, didn't you, clown?
The System counted it as a win because Hisoka retreated. But Ryker knew the truth.
In a death match, right now? Ryker could probably win, but the cost would be high. He had the stats, but he lacked the hax. Without Nen, Bungee Gum was a tricky puzzle to solve.
But once I open my Aura Nodes...
If he stacked Nen traits on top of this physical base? He wouldn't just beat Hisoka. He would humiliate him.
Enjoy your playtime, Hisoka. Your expiration date is coming.
Ryker sneered and turned back to the path.
Four hours later.
Visca Forest Park. The Phase Two Site.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two Strawberry Tortoises collapsed, their heads caved in.
[Acquired: [Longevity] (Purple).]
[Acquired: [Shell Armor] (Blue).]
"So strong! Ryker, you really are a monster!" Leorio gasped, staring at the dead behemoths.
He and Kurapika had been cornered by these things. They were helpless. Ryker had dispatched them like they were flies.
"Ryker-aniki is the best!" Gon cheered.
Killua remained silent, but his respect for Ryker deepened. He killed them without any wasted movement.
Because Ryker had spent so much time farming in the fog, his group was among the last to arrive at the checkpoint.
Only about 100 candidates remained.
Satotz stood before a large gate leading into a manicured garden.
"Congratulations. You have safely crossed the Numere Wetlands. This is the Visca Forest Park, the site of the Second Phase."
"I will leave you here. The new examiners are waiting inside. Good luck to you all."
Satotz bowed gentlemanly, then turned and walked away with his strange, loping gait.
The heavy iron gates groaned open.
Inside, seated on throne-like chairs in front of a massive mansion, waited two people.
One was a massive woman with turquoise hair tied in topknots.
The other was a colossal man, easily the size of a bear.
Menchi and Buhara. The Gourmet Hunters.