Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

Kurapika gradually regained his composure, his rational thinking returning to the forefront. He analyzed the situation calmly.

"Still, the fact that he could come here, just one step below Hisoka and us, is proof enough of his strength. He's definitely a deeply hidden master."

"Hmm~" Leorio nodded, agreeing with Kurapika's logic. Both he and the others maintained a cautious distance from Hisoka and Gittarackur, still on high alert.

"Ho~?"

Hisoka's eyes lit up when he spotted Gittarackur. After glancing at Illumi, he couldn't help but smile mischievously.

Illumi met Hisoka's gaze briefly, but showed no reaction, choosing instead to sit silently.

Hisoka's gaze shifted between Illumi and Ronnel, who was leaning against the wall. His grin widened, his shoulders shaking with excitement.

"Illumi, and Ronnel… This is getting interesting, so interesting. This year's Hunter Exam is already way more fun than the last! Not only are there strong people around, but so many fresh young apples... Wait? Sentimental~"

Suddenly, Hisoka's smile faltered. "Hold on... it looks like little Ronnel has joined Gon and the others. Does that mean they passed the stage together?"

"If little Ronnel keeps helping them overcome challenges too easily, it'll ruin their growth. They'll turn out crooked, and won't be sweet at all~"

As these thoughts swirled in Hisoka's mind, the pyramid of playing cards he was building collapsed. He glanced at Gon and the others, noticing their complicated expressions. Following their gaze, he saw Ronnel standing a short distance away from them.

Hisoka frowned in confusion, three question marks practically forming on his forehead.

"This... isn't what I expected. Well, as long as it doesn't ruin the proper growth of the fruit."

He stared at the scattered playing cards on the table and muttered,

"Down again... I thought I'd break my record this time..."

Once again, silence settled over the waiting area on the ground floor.

Gon and Killua seemed fine. As kids of the same age, they got along well enough, each having their own way of navigating this tense atmosphere. Gon's bright nature helped, while Killua's training made him constantly vigilant. Occasionally, Killua would glance over, feeling Gittarackur's eerie gaze, but he didn't think too much of it.

For Leorio and Kurapika, however, the situation was very different.

Leorio was fidgety, his restlessness obvious. Being stuck in an enclosed space with a psychopath like Hisoka made him feel as if he were sitting on needles. There was no sense of security. Sure, they had passed this stage, but if Hisoka suddenly decided to kill him, what reason did he have to stop?

And Gittarackur? He didn't seem like a normal guy either.

Leorio felt like he was seconds away from a heart attack. If only they could stick close to Ronnel—someone that strong beside him would give him a lot more confidence.

But then he looked at Kurapika, who seemed even worse off than himself.

Leorio was torn between his own safety and his concern for Kurapika. He sighed, choosing to stick with his companion instead of seeking Ronnel's protection.

Kurapika, meanwhile, was struggling with conflicting emotions. He'd only just arrived in this unknown waiting area, and although his initial alertness kept him level-headed, once they cleared the stage and he sat down, his mind started to wander.

On one hand, he couldn't accept the fact that Ronnel, someone he had come to see as a companion, was part of the Phantom Troupe—the same group that massacred his entire clan.

On the other hand, spending time with Ronnel during the second stage of the exam, and later while clearing the Tower, made Kurapika realize that Ronnel wasn't the kind of cold-blooded killer he imagined all Troupe members to be.

In fact, Ronnel's actions had earned his respect, even allowing him to consider him a companion, on par with Gon and Killua.

Yes, a companion. It might seem abrupt, but for someone as rational as Kurapika, recognizing someone as a companion came more naturally if their actions aligned with his sense of justice.

Originally, Kurapika hadn't interacted much with Killua during the first few stages of the exam. It wasn't until the third stage that the seeds of companionship began to form. They only truly bonded after they cleared the Trick Tower together. And even then, it was a hesitant connection.

Yet here was Ronnel—more prominent and noticeable than Killua—who had earned Kurapika's acknowledgment as a friend in less time.

Gon and Leorio had also started to see Ronnel as a reliable companion.

But for Killua, though he had begun to understand what having companions meant, the concept still felt a bit distant.

It was precisely because Kurapika considered Ronnel a companion that he was now in turmoil. The idea that one of his friends might be a part of the group responsible for his clan's slaughter tormented him.

If Ronnel had been someone like Hisoka—a crazed murderer—Kurapika wouldn't have hesitated to make a deal with him, seeing it as a necessary evil to achieve his revenge.

But Ronnel was different…

Kurapika found it agonizing to reconcile his loyalty to his clan with the fact that Ronnel, one of his companions, might be standing on the wrong side of that fight.

Later, in Yorknew City, when Gon and Killua joined to the Phantom Troupe, Kurapika would fiercely reject their involvement, insisting, "This is my business. Don't get involved."

And right now, those feelings of conflict were already brewing.

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