Hunter X Hunter - Reviewers Rage

"I'd like to commend everyone on board for their excellent performance during the Hunter Exam's Third Phase! I'll be your guide for the next part of the journey. My name is Khara!"

A beautiful young woman with the Hunter Association emblem on her shirt greeted the remaining examinees.

"It will take about two hours for this boat to reach Zevil Island. All twenty-nine of you who are still here are automatically qualified to take next year's exam! So, if you don't make it this year, don't be discouraged. Please come back and try again next year..." Khara's cheerful tone suddenly faltered.

The mood became heavy, with only Togiri and Fang maintaining a positive demeanor as they enjoyed their meals.

"The battle has already begun," Kurapika said to Leorio, who was sitting beside him.

Leorio glanced around "Yeah, everyone has removed their ID tags and hidden them."

Khara took a deep breath and added "You're free to do as you please for the next two hours. Enjoy the boat ride," She was attempting to lift the atmosphere before walking away.

Leorio closed his eyes but couldn't help peeking at Kurapika. "Hypothetically speaking... If you happened to be my target, I wouldn't show any mercy."

"Naturally. If you were my target, I'd do the same," Kurapika replied, causing Leorio to lose his relaxed posture.

"Am I your target?" Leorio jumped up.

"I was speaking hypothetically," Kurapika said with a smile.

"Oh, right... Hahaha," Leorio chuckled. "Don't worry. You're not my target." Kurapika reassured while standing up.

"He's right, because you're mine!" Togiri said with an indifferent expression. Leorio couldn't tell if he was joking and soon started to break out in sweat.

Togiri then grinned. "Just kidding! Just kidding!"

"Really?" Leorio asked.

"No..." answered Togiri indifferent again which made several examinees chuckle at Leorio's expense.

"It's not funny, you brat!" Leorio punched Togiri on the head.

"Ouch! Why is your head so hard?" Leorio cried out, rubbing his fist and blowing on it.

Most participants watched Togiri closely. 'They're starting to become wary, except for those two. Ilumi is only observing, while Hisoka exudes a palpable bloodlust.'

'Heh. I wouldn't stand a chance if we fought using only our Nen abilities. I don't have a Nen ability myself, but in a real fight? I'd have a 90 percent chance of winning.'

@At best 2 percent. Probably even lower.@ Seven made a snide remark.

'Hisoka is strong, but not invincible. He should be B rank in terms of physical strength but has A rank potential.'

@You must have forgotten some details from the anime and manga. I read through your Hunter x Hunter memories yesterday just for fun and can instantly download in less than a second. You skipped through the manga after finishing the Chimera Ant arc in the anime.@

'What's your point?'

@Hisoka fought against Chrollo Lucilfer and lost. He was resurrected and went on to kill several members of the Phantom Troupe.@

'Yes! I remember that.'

@Do you really believe that five years- no 4 years of training could bring you up to the level of even the weakest Phantom Troupe members?@

'Yes. I never saw anyone in Hunter x Hunter stop blades with their bare hands, and what about Chrollo Lucilfer back then? I could have killed him. Even Netero complimented my body '

@Don't fool yourself. You might have suppressed him with killing intent, but if his two subordinates weren't about to die then he would have killed you@

'....'

@If you had kept up your killing intent, you would have died. Your rage and hatred are both your greatest strengths and weaknesses.@

*Sigh~* 'I know... but I don't see any progress anymore. Fang is catching up in physical strength while the gap in Nen abilities is only widening.'

"What's wrong?" Fang asked, looking concerned at the real face of Togiri which was indifferent.

Togiri smiled. "Nothing!" 'He is much stronger than me. He's been holding back while we spar. He surpassed me in Nen ability shortly after learning it.'

@He respects you. He looks up to you as an older brother.@

'Ha! The older brother can't even protect his little brother. Pathetic! ...I hope you didn't lie about your abilities, Seven.'

@Haha. Just upgrade me, and I, Seven the artifical intelligence using the Reviewer System, will make you stronger than even that old geezer or Meruem.@ the young voice spoke confidently.

'I doubt that. Wake me when we arrive. I'll meditate a bit to restore my stamina. Hah. Meruem? I can't even defeat Fang.'

@That's why I dislike you! You always treat me like a tool. No "please" or "thank you."@

'If he really was another me, why would I need to say please?' Togiri thought to himself. 'Shut up,' he said mentally to Seven.

(Author's note: Togiri can communicate with Seven and think separately. To clarify, Togiri can block Seven's from reading his thoughts if he wishes. This might not have been clear since it was only mentioned a few times in Chapter. So he can talk directly to Seven outloud or via mind. Think and let Seven read his thoughts or block him out and only think to himself)

Two hours passed uneventfully, except that Killua and Gon compared their target numbers.

"Thank you for your patience, everyone! We have finally arrived at Zevil Island!" Khara announced enthusiastically.

"Please disembark in the order you cleared the Third Phase."

Leorio grumbled, "Tsk. This again."

Khara continued, "After each person disembarks, we'll wait two minutes before calling the next person."

"This means we'll be waiting here for a while," Killua remarked.

"Yeah, yeah," Gon and Fang responded simultaneously.

"Hehe," Fang said with a constant smile and grin, unlike Togiri, who remained indifferent and expressionless most of the time. Fang's emotions were always on display.

"You will stay on this island for exactly one week. During this time, you must collect six points worth of ID tags and return here."

'I should have brought toilet paper. I knew I forgot something,' Togiri thought to himself.

"All right, then. The first person may start!" Khara called out. Togiri walked slowly over the wooden plank, turned back one last time, and vanished into the forest.

"Two minutes have passed. The second person may start!" Hisoka darted forward, his bloodlust palpable to everyone on board.

'Is he targeting Togiri? Togiri said to avoid him and the guy with the pins in his head. If they try to bully Togiri, I'll deal with them,' Fang thought, clenching his fists with determination.

Time passed quickly. "The third person may start... The 14th person may start... Two minutes have passed. The 29th person may start!"

"Yes, finally!" Fang leaped up and raced forward. 'Togiri, here I come!'

Meanwhile, in a different part of Zevil Island, a little boy with brown hair was standing on a high tree branch, observing two figures in the tall grass. The grass was high enough to reach their shoulders.

A man with a saber looked around desperately but saw no one. The archer, positioned far behind, aimed carefully.

*Breathes out* The archer released an arrow that grazed the man's arm.

The man holding the saber ducked and turned around "Hey, that was close. Did you think I wouldn't notice your killing intent when you released the arrow? Sorry, but it won't be that easy... That easy... Wh-What?" The man began to sway, as if drunk, and collapsed onto the ground.

"B-bastard," the man muttered, lying face down, unable to move.

"The arrow was coated with a fast-acting tranquilizer. You won't be able to move for the next week. Don't worry," the archer said, rummaging through the man's backpack.

"There's water nearby, so you won't die," the archer added as he found the ID tag he was looking for, spinning it on his finger and flipping it into the air like a bigger coin.

"Hm?!" A shadowy figure snatched the ID tag from the air and concealed himself in the tall grass. The archer immediately drew his bow and ducked.

"What are you doing?" Said a voice behind the spiked haired boy.

"HA!" The brown-haired boy lost his balance and was about to fall out of the tree. "There!" The archer fired an arrow aimed at the falling boy.

Gon saw the incoming arrow and closed his eyes waiting for the arrow aimed at his head 'I can't dodge this!... Huh?'

"Open your eyes, or should I drop you?" Gon opened his eyes to see Togiri catching him with one hand and the arrow with the other.

"Haha, sorry for scaring you," Togiri said with a grin. 'It seems I may have disrupted the plot a bit too much and almost got Gon killed.'

Togiri set Gon down and examined the arrow. "Gon, what do you smell on this arrow? Describe it to me."

Gon sniffed the arrowhead. "*Sniff sniff* Oh! Strawberry!"

"Good job," Togiri said, patting Gon on the head awkwardly, as they were nearly the same height.

"Pokkle #53. I know this tranquilizer well, as I used it for some 'fun' experiments myself. I doubt you'll pass this year" Togiri said, leaping down the tree to confront Pokkle.

He landed just as three arrows flew toward him—one aimed at his head, and two at his chest and left leg.

*Thump* Togiri laughed as the three arrows bounced off his body. "The sound of your arrows hitting my body is like hitting a rock with a rock"

Pokkle continued to shoot arrows, but they had no effect on Togiri, who advanced toward him unperturbed.

"Let me see you handle this!" Pokkle drew his bowstring, this time with five differently colored arrowheads.

*Tap, Tap, Crack* Pokkle felt a sudden tap on his shoulder and turned around to see his bow shattering the next second. He jumped back in surprise, checking his jacket pocket.

"Thanks for the ID tag," Togiri said, snatching Pokkle's tag from his pocket and spinning it on his index finger. Before Pokkle could react, Togiri vanished.

Togiri reappeared beside the paralyzed participant, pulling out a bundle of Kimonijo leaves from his backpack.

"These leaves are effective against poison and paralysis. You should be able to move in an hour or two," Togiri said, placing the leaves near the man.

'Wow, Togiri was able to mask his presence and effectively intervene. His target managed to sense the shot and avoid serious harm... is what Gon is probably thinking.'

@Gon is the best! He learns quickly. I wish I could be his system.@ Togiri looked deranged 'To do what? Be useless for him too?'

After another so often argument between Seven and Togiri, the day was over.

The night settled in, and Togiri prepared a fire to roast some meat. The warmth of the fire illuminated the dark forest, casting the shadow of a boy holding a stick with meat over the flames.

"Hey, Seven. What do you think? Am I a good cook or what?" Togiri asked as he bit into the roasted meat.

*Sigh* @Fang is a good cook. You're just a dumbass who can use spices.@

"Jealous, huh? I shouldn't ask a voice that can't eat," Togiri said with a smirk. "I wonder what he's doing now?"

@I'm sure he's either relaxing as if on vacation or doing something troublesome by helping someone else.@

"We've been brothers and friends for a long time. When I arrived in this world I was 20 and almost all 5 years where spent with Fang. Thats a fifth of my life" Togiri said wistfully, looking into the fire as the night continued.

@....@ Seven stayed silent unlike his usuall talkative self. Togiri looked nostalgic at the fire before him. ".....I wish...I could take him with me once I leave this world"

"...."

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Meanwhile, in another part of Zevil Island, Fang was facing his strongest opponent yet.

"Who licks blood? Are you a vampire?" Fang asked, confused by his opponent's demeanor.

"Why don't you find out?" His opponent leaned in with a sinister grin.

"Jokes aside, I've fought many people like you," Fang said, his stance firm. "Bloodthirsty murderers who revel in killing. The scum of the earth."

Fang took his typical battle stance, right foot and arm forward, aligning himself as if fencing.

"Come!" Fang shouted as his opponent attacked.

*Several minutes later*

*Crack* "Ah~" The tall man moaned, a look of ecstasy crossing his face. He cringed and shuddered with pleasure as Fang's body slumped to the ground, lifeless.

"Now should I go eat the main dish or wait and enjoy some more side dishes?" Hisoka pondered aloud, looking down at the lifeless red-haired boy's mutilated body.

The sky, once yellowish-orange, was now darkened and stained red by the setting sun, casting an ominous hue over the scene.

The night continued, with Togiri sitting by the fire, contemplating his thoughts. The light from the flames danced across his face, creating a contrast between the warmth of the fire and the darkness of the surrounding forest.

"Hey, Seven. I guess we're done for tonight. I'll get some rest and be ready for the challenges ahead."

Togiri threw a pot of water on the camfire. Just as the big fire quickly dissapeared so did a bright star in the night.

As Togiri settled down, the flames crackled softly, and the forest fell into a quiet, expectant calm, marking the end of another day on Zevil Island.

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