Hunter X Hunter - Reviewers Rage

Togiri woke up from his deep slumber. He started stretching "Hm~ yesterday the tranquilizer worked better than usual.

As Togiri was packing up his tent a small grinn appeared in his face 'I wonder what he did yesterday'

-----

*Yesterday, the evening before*

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting the world in warm hues of yellow and orange.

Togiri busied himself setting up a tent while Gon trained by a riverbed, and Hisoka lounged against a tree, watching the world with his usual detached interest.

Fang wandered through the forest, searching for herbs to season the bird he had caught. He hummed a carefree tune, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing within him.

*Whistle~* "Du du du dudu. Ba pa rapa dapa. Tu tutu tu," Fang sang, his voice sending small animals scurrying away.

"Today~ is a great day~. Good food~ makes a great mood~ super duper good~," Fang continued, his steps light as he danced through the underbrush. But suddenly, he froze in place.

"Ah!" He crouched low, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a familiar figure.

'Hisoka! Togiri told me not to mess with him. What's he doing here?' Fang's mind raced as he carefully observed Hisoka and his surroundings.

'He's injured—shoulder and waist. Now's the perfect time to slip away,' Fang thought, his body tense as he prepared to retreat. But something inside him made him hesitate.

'Escape?... Me? Didn't I swear to stand against all evil?' A voice deep within him questioned, forcing him to confront his own fears. But just as that voice rose, another, more cautious one emerged.

'Togiri warned you how dangerous this guy is. Can you really beat him alone? If Togiri, with all his strategies, says to stay away, you stand no chance.' Fang's heart pounded as doubt began to take root.

'What if you die? Could you even kill him if it came to that? No, no, no,' Fang thought, his legs trembling as cold sweat formed on his brow. The horrific memories of his eldest brother's victims played like a nightmare in his mind, making him shudder.

Taking a deep breath, Fang tried to calm himself. His trembling slowly subsided as he stared blankly at the ground, the inner conflict tearing him apart.

'Can you even stop your own brother if you can't handle this guy? Can you protect Togiri? Mom, Dad, Julia, yourself? Will you... Will you just stand there and do nothing?' Fang's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His mind taunted him with his past failures, the echoes of helplessness and regret ringing in his ears.

'WILL YOU EVEN TRY? Or.... will you run away, defeated, waiting for someone else to save you, like before?' Fang's grip on his arms tightened as if trying to keep himself from falling apart. His breath became shorter as if he was slowly suffocating.

An image of his arm severed and him screaming in anguish flashed through his mind and another of Togiri, carrying him out of a burning warehouse, bringing with it a fresh wave of shame.

"..."

*Minutes passed*

Fang remained motionless, staring at the ground, his eyes void of the usual life in them.

His expression was blank, a reflection of the turmoil inside.

Then....slowly...he lifted his head, his gaze drawn to the beautiful orange sky above him. He took a deep breath and let out a long, weary sigh.

*Crunch, crunch* The sound of twigs snapping underfoot reached Hisoka's ears, breaking the silence.

"Someone I know often asks me" Fang spoke, his voice calm but tinged with an undercurrent of determination.

"What kind of person do you want to be when you grow up?" Fang smiled.

"I usually say, 'Someone strong who fights against injustice, protects the weak and the innocent!'"

Hisoka's playful smile appeared as he said "Hm~ You want to be a hero?" Hisoka's smile faded as Fang suddenly lunged at him, throwing a punch that Hisoka barely managed to dodge.

"Quite fast for a kid. A second later, and I wouldn't be standing here," Hisoka remarked, his tone laced with a mix of amusement and something darker.

"He says that too—'A born HERO, a protagonist.' But... I don't want to be a hero. I'm not selfless enough to live just for others," Fang admitted, as he was catching back and dodging Hisoka's punch.

"You talk like a hero but fight like a villain," Hisoka observed Fang as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Maybe I'm because my story is darker than a Hero's. I don't know what I want to be, but one thing I'm sure of—I WON'T BE A COWARD!" Fang's eyes blazed with determination as he locked onto Hisoka, his will unwavering.

"...." Hisoka's eyes widened in surprise, his body beginning to tremble with a mix of anticipation and thrill. He hugged himself, shivering with excitement as the tension between them grew.

"Hm...he...ha...haha...HAHAHAHAHA... I-" Hisoka took a step forward, his towering frame looming over Fang, who stood firm, staring up at the dangerous man before him.

Hisoka's exhilarated gaze locked onto Fang. "I've wanted to 'EAT' you ever since I first witnessed your incredible power," he said, moving his neck and cracking it

---

*Flashback*

Hisoka remembered the moment Fang showed his strength at the Trick Tower, his raw power while punching through the wall with terrifying force.

"Ah~ I will enjoy this meal," Hisoka had murmured back then, his eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger.