"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A round of knocking echoed at the door. Ron got up and opened it. Two figures stood outside—Kurapika and Leorio.
"Ron, do you have a moment?"
"Is something the matter?"
"It's about Killua. We wanted to ask you a few things."
"Sure come in."
Ron gestured toward the chairs. "Have a seat."
Kurapika and Leorio sat down. Although they respected Ron's strength before, learning his true identity added a touch of unease. They seemed a little on edge as they settled into their seats. Still, they had come.
Ron, however, felt no annoyance at their visit. They were Killua's friends, and Ron had some history with them from the exam. While the two currently weren't very strong, they possessed decent talent and potential to grow. Most importantly, they harbored no ill will. Ron was inclined to return goodwill with goodwill.
"Ron," Leorio began, "will Killua be okay, now that he's gone back home?"
"I don't know the details," Ron said, "but I'm sure he isn't in any mortal danger. Only the people at the Zoldyck estate really know what he's dealing with. I'm not there, after all."
"The Zoldyck estate…" Kurapika and Leorio exchanged looks.
Ron eyed them thoughtfully.
"If you're that curious—if you truly want to find out—you could go see for yourselves. The estate's location is public knowledge. You can look it up online with no trouble. Of course, actually getting inside won't be easy."
Ron paused, then added, "Let me remind you: don't try any shortcuts or trickery. There's no need to imagine our family as some unfathomable danger. Being an assassin is just a job. Killing is just part of our work.
Yes, Illumi's words to Killua were harsh, but that's how he's chosen to teach him. It doesn't mean he'd go kill Gon over it."
Ron glanced at the clock.
"All right, it's late. Get some rest. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll have to be up early tomorrow."
Kurapika and Leorio stood and left the room.
..........
....
.
The next day.
Gon woke up. The first person he saw was Satotz.
"Mr. Satotz, how's the final test going now?"
"After you were brought to the medical room…"
Satotz recounted the entire sequence of events in thorough detail. Compared to the other applicants, Satotz's background was unique. He once received indirect help from Ging Freecss, which left him full of gratitude. Though he never met Ging in person, he heard about Ging's deeds and felt indebted. Hoping to repay that debt somehow, Satotz decided to watch over Gon.
If Illumi truly intended to target Gon, Satotz would step in without hesitation. Gon's eyes widened.
"The man whose real name is Illumi—Killua's older brother?" Ron is also a member of the Zoldyck, so… is he another relative of Killua's?"
"And yet he let Killua get beaten up?"
"Why won't Illumi let Killua make friends? Isn't that Killua's own choice? Besides, Killua and I have been friends for a while."
"Where is Killua right now?" Gon asked.
Satotz answered, "Killua has already gone back to the Zoldyck Estate."
"What about Illumi?"
"He went back too."
Gon fell silent for a moment.
"So where is everyone else, then?"
"They're in the assembly hall."
It was a modestly sized meeting room with a podium at the front and tiered rows of seats that could normally hold hundreds of people. Now, only a dozen or so were present—those who had passed the Hunter Exam, along with the main proctors overseeing it.
Boom!
A loud sound echoed as Gon pushed the door open and walked in, drawing everyone's attention. Gon already knew Killua had departed. Seeing no sign of him here, Gon felt a bit down. His gaze drifted to Ron. After a brief pause, he approached Ron and sat beside him.
"Ron, Killua… is he okay?"
"I'm not sure."
Ron recalled his conversation with Kurapika the day before—His response to Kurapika's question had been just as uncertain.
"Obviously it's Killua's choice, and Killua does want friends. That guy has no right to decide for Killua!" "
"How do you see it, Ron? Can you tell me?"
Ron looked at Gon.
"Before that, Gon, let me ask: what does 'friend' mean to you?"
"Huh?"
Gon paused.
"To me, a friend is someone I trust, someone I'll gladly help if they're in danger. If there are differences between us, that's okay. We still stick together no matter what. When a friend needs me, I never hesitate."
"…Right." Ron nodded.
"If Killua can't become your friend for some reason and decides not to befriend you what would you do?"
Gon frowned.
"He wouldn't do that. Killua isn't like that."
"Just hypothetically," Ron added.
"Then I'd find him and ask him why. If he can't give me a reason, I'll still count him as a friend. Nothing would change."
Ron continued, "What if it's something beyond your control? Would you stop being Killua's friend?"
"Never," Gon replied without hesitation.
Ron gave an example.
"Let's say on one side is earning a Hunter License, and on the other side is Killua. Which would you choose?"
Gon's brow furrowed. There was no easy answer. He fell silent.
Ron gave a slight laugh.
"I'm kidding, you don't have to answer that. But here's what I can tell you: Illumi's intentions toward Killua probably aren't outright malicious—he's mostly concerned, in his own way. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean it's good for Killua. Anyway, Killua's already gone back to the Zoldyck estate. If you want to see him, you can find out the location easily. Whether or not you seek him out is entirely up to you. I won't interfere."
"Now then, it's the examiner's turn."
Stepping onto the podium, Menchi and the others began distributing registration forms to each candidate. The examinees then took turns approaching the stage to talk about what kind of Hunter they wanted to become. Some may have embellished or even hidden their goals, but that was typical for an exam like this—nobody fully trusted anyone else. The Hunter Exam was still a competitive trial.
"This is the next step is for the officials to register your hunter licence data "
Netero, standing nearby, glanced at Ron.
"By the way, Killua and Illumi have already gained their Hunter qualifications."
"Please register your own Hunter License data."
That process alone took nearly half a day. Gon's evaluation score rose from seventy-nine to eighty-two since the previous day, and when the examiners departed, the Hunter Association staff stayed behind to handle the estate's follow-up procedures. Since the site belonged to someone else, they had to settle all necessary cleanup and payments for any damages.
"Netero approached Ron in private. "Ron, do you remember the favour I mentioned last time?'"
Ron nodded.
"Which of these examinees do you plan on taking with you?"
Netero paused. "It doesn't matter too much to me. I may have more free time in the next phase."
"Alright. Once I have a candidate list, I'll let you know."
"Fine."
Three figures walked toward Ron.
Ron glanced at Gon and the others.
"Well, have you made your decision yet?"