The storm cleared by morning, leaving the sea calm and shining under the soft sunrise.
The ship pulled into a strange, isolated harbor — not marked on any regular maps.
"This is it," the captain announced.
"The starting point for the Hunter Exam."
Gon leaned over the railing, practically vibrating with excitement.
Kurapika and Leorio grabbed their bags, each carrying their own dreams.
Noah slung his black cloak over his shoulder casually.
He already knew: the real test wasn't the Exam itself.
It was surviving the people who took it.
---
The Harbor Town
The town seemed normal at first — quiet streets, shops, fishermen.
But Noah felt it immediately.
The heavy, invisible pressure of hidden killers.
He narrowed his eyes.
People stared a little too long.
A street vendor gripped a cleaver behind his stall.
Even a small child playing with a ball... had a knife tucked in their sleeve.
This entire place is a trap, Noah realized.
He said nothing.
Part of him was curious — how would Gon and the others handle it?
---
They reached a small inn where a strange old woman sat blocking the entrance.
Her face was lined with deep wrinkles, but her sharp gaze could cut through steel.
"You wish to become Hunters?" she asked, voice croaky but powerful.
"You must answer a question."
Everyone tensed.
Kurapika and Leorio exchanged glances.
The old woman smiled, wicked and knowing.
"Which would you choose to save:
your mother, or your lover?"
The street grew silent.
Gon blinked, confused.
Leorio scowled. "What kinda question is that?!"
Kurapika narrowed his eyes. "It must be a trick."
Noah said nothing, simply folding his arms.
He remembered this — a test of perception, not emotion.
If you answered at all...
you failed.
Seconds ticked by.
Gon opened his mouth —
but Noah, moving like a shadow, placed a single finger lightly against Gon's lips.
Gon blinked up at him in confusion — but stopped.
The old woman smiled wider.
"Correct," she said.
The door creaked open.
"Proceed."
---
Deeper into the Maze
They walked through twisting alleys and empty fields for hours.
The town faded behind them, and only thick forest remained.
Ahead, a tall man with strange, stretched features waited — the Navigator.
He explained:
the Exam site lay beyond a hidden trail.
Only those guided properly could find it.
The Navigator bowed low, leading them onward.
Noah walked silently behind the group, his senses alert.
He could feel others too — dozens of presences lurking just out of sight.
Other applicants.
Other killers.
And somewhere... far off but unmistakable...
A twisted, chaotic aura like a storm of knives.
Hisoka.
Noah's Sharingan flashed briefly under his hood.
Soon.
---
That Night
They camped in a clearing.
Gon lit a fire.
Kurapika cleaned his weapons.
Leorio loudly complained about blisters.
Noah sat slightly apart, gazing into the flames.
Gon plopped down beside him.
"Hey, Noah," Gon said, voice casual but serious.
"You're strong, right? But... why do you want to become a Hunter?"
Noah looked into the fire.
The truth was...
he didn't know yet.
Revenge?
Power?
Freedom?
In his old life, he had chased strength without purpose.
This time... maybe he could find something real.
"...To find something worth protecting," Noah said finally, his voice low.
Gon grinned. "Then let's find it together!"
Noah gave a small, almost invisible smile.
Maybe...
Maybe this kid would be someone he could trust.