HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

In the distance, the carcasses of the beasts were gradually dragged beneath the desert sands, as if devoured by the vast expanse itself.

By dawn, the bodies had completely vanished.

After the caravan regrouped, they set out quickly, making use of the cooler morning hours before the temperature rose. The injured sat silently on horses or camels, their stoic resolve evident in their unwavering silence.

As the caravan passed through the site of the beasts' demise, they left behind a trail of footprints. A gust of wind swept over the ground, revealing skeletal remains beneath the sand, only for the relentless dust to quickly cover them again, erasing all traces.

Cyr lay slumped over a camel's hump, his eyes shut and a constant stream of nosebleed dripping down his face.

The human brain is a mysterious frontier, with most people utilizing only a fraction of its potential. The constant influx of data from the Six Eyes was not just an information overload; it was a relentless assault, forcibly expanding the usable regions of his brain.

Or rather, it was a form of evolution, increasing his brain's capacity. However, should this evolution cease, his mind might collapse under the sheer volume of incoming information.

Even trying to clear his thoughts for a moment's rest was impossible.

As long as the Six Eyes remained active, he would endure unrelenting torment. But at least he had adapted somewhat; in the beginning, he experienced nosebleeds every hour or two. Now, it only occurred three or four times a day—a marked improvement.

The eventual acquisition of Infinity would add to this burden. After all, even Satoru Gojo relied on Reverse Cursed Technique to continually restore his brain.

Ideally, Cyr thought, he should obtain both Infinity and Reverse Cursed Technique simultaneously, or at least get Reverse Cursed Technique first.

Sitting upright, he wiped the blood from his nose, then stuffed tissue into his nostrils once more.

The caravan leader rode over on horseback, stopping beside Cyr's camel. With a cheerful smile, he struck up a conversation:

"How are you holding up? Must be dull out here in the desert, huh?"

Cyr lazily half-opened an eye to glance at him, his weary demeanor amplifying his indifference.

"You're really bad at reading the room," Cyr said, his voice muffled by the tissue plugging his nose.

"Ah, you're a tough one to crack, aren't you?" The leader chuckled, adjusting the black band around his hat, still radiating an air of affable warmth.

"By the way, what's your plan after we get out of the Gordeau Desert? Any big goals?"

Ah, here it comes.

It felt like one of those interview questions: Why did you choose our company? or What are your career aspirations?

To pass, you needed to deliver an over-the-top, motivational answer, dripping with the essence of a feel-good self-help book.

While mentally mocking the exchange, Cyr maintained his indifferent expression. "I'm planning to take the Hunter Exam. No idea where it's being held, though."

The leader feigned a look of shock. "You're aiming to take the Hunter Exam? That's incredible!"

"But I've heard the mortality rate is pretty high. Aren't you worried, kid?" His face shifted to one of concern, though his eyes keenly observed Cyr's reaction.

Under his watchful gaze, a smile crept across the boy's previously sullen face.

"Worried about what? That the death rate isn't as high as the rumors say?" Cyr's lips curved upward, the dark markings on his face moving slightly with the shift in his expression.

Leaning forward, he fixed the leader with a half-lidded stare, his voice brimming with amusement. "You seem to know a lot. Why don't you tell me everything you know?"

A holy yet sinister color scheme, coupled with devilish tattoos—a boy who seemed to straddle the line between god and demon.

His blue eyes carried a hypnotic allure, yet at the same time, an inexplicable sense of dread.

The leader froze for a moment, then quickly broke into nervous laughter. "Well then, what's your reason for wanting to become a Hunter?"

"Reason? Because a Hunter License is incredibly useful," Cyr replied matter-of-factly.

"You get visa-free access to 90% of the world's countries and free use of various public facilities. Sounds like the perfect travel companion to me." The white-haired, blue-eyed boy spoke nonchalantly.

Clearly, he viewed the so-called Hunter License as nothing more than a convenient tool. And yet, everything he said was true.

"I plan to travel the entire world." He concluded with a confident tone.

"I see…" The leader fell into thoughtful silence for a moment.

Pass? Not pass?

There was no reason to withhold a passing grade.

"By the way, how often does your caravan cross the desert?" Cyr asked, shifting the topic.

"Deliveries like ours? Just once a year," the leader said, glancing back at the caravan's goods with satisfaction in his voice.

"Once a year, huh…" Cyr nodded, deep in thought.

The Hunter Exam was also held once a year. It could be a coincidence, but he doubted it.

"And how many days does each journey take?" Cyr continued.

"Usually about a week." The leader answered promptly.

"Got it. So, man…" Cyr's gaze sharpened as he looked the leader over again.

"You're a Hunter, aren't you?" His tone was calm but certain.

The leader's cheerful facade slipped slightly, replaced by mild surprise. He glanced at the boy's intense blue eyes, realizing it was futile to deny it.

"Well, you caught me. What gave it away?" the leader asked, curious.

"I could tell just by looking," Cyr said lazily, letting out a yawn.

"So, what's the next test? Hurry up and give me the challenge already," he urged, clearly impatient.

"The next test is…" The leader began, but his attention suddenly snapped to the horizon behind them.

The sky darkened abruptly as a massive sandstorm roared toward them. A towering wall of yellow sand obscured everything in its path, turning visibility to near zero.

Fierce winds howled, whipping clothing and causing horses and camels to stumble.

"Sandstorm incoming! Protect the cargo! Move faster!" the leader shouted, his voice carrying over the gale.

But the sandstorm closed in faster than they could flee.

In an instant, the raging sands enveloped the entire caravan.

Cyr remained unfazed, his expression unchanging as he and the others were swept into the swirling chaos. He made no attempt to resist.

He'd noticed that the leader wasn't resisting either. For a seasoned Hunter, evading such an event should have been possible.

Is this another test?

Even as the world spun around him, Cyr's mind stayed sharp, analyzing and speculating.

°°°

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