The memory flashed through Kurapika's mind, that night,when the thief who'd stolen the ancient Kurta Book had inexplicably stuffed a wallet into his young hands before disappearing. Now, with his clan destroyed, Kurapika had vowed to reclaim all that was stolen from them, except for the scarlet eyes of his massacred people.
He studied the man carefully, afraid of misidentification, but there was no doubt it was Oboro. Kurapika's expression hardened as he approached, drawing an amused smile from Hisoka, who watched from nearby.
This boy knows Oboro?" Hisoka wondered.
"Kurapika?" Gon noticed his friend's strange behavior before he could greet Oboro. Within moments, Kurapika was standing in front of the examiner, radiating such cold hostility that the candidates serving Oboro backed away hastily.
Anger coursed through him, but not the blind rage he felt toward the Phantom Troupe. While Oboro's actions were not as unforgivable as those of the Spiders, the theft of the ancient book so important to the Kurta clan was not something Kurapika could easily forgive. He had to get it back.
A crimson blush crept beneath his glasses as his eyes blazed scarlet. "It's you!" he growled, grabbing his two swords.
"Alright, all of you disperse," Oboro waved at the remaining candidates. They retreated reluctantly, disappointed that only Hanzo had passed after all their efforts. Seeing the blond boy's obvious connection to the examiner only fueled their resentment.
"What a coincidence to meet you here!" Oboro smiled, sitting cross-legged in his chair. "Hey, Gon!"
"Mr. Oboro, it really is you! Are you our examiner for this round?" Gon asked in surprise.
"Mm."
"So Mr. Oboro is a hunter, I had a feeling," Gon said thoughtfully and adjusted his grip on his fishing rod. "When you came to Whale Island," Oboro nodded, then watched as Gon looked between him and Kurapika's hostile posture. "Does Mr. Oboro know Kurapika?"
Another slight nod.
"And the book?" Kurapika's tone was icy.
"I said I'd return it after reading it, I went back to your village afterwards, but" Oboro's expression softened. "I'm sorry for what happened to you."
The collector's value of the Kurta Clan's scarlet eyes had long been notorious on the black market.
"Give them back!" Kurapika's knuckles whitened around the weapon.
"Of course, it is yours, how about after this trial?" Oboro spread his hands. The ancient Kurta text had proven invaluable in his research, helping him to decipher another stone tablet, a breakthrough that brought him recognition and his three-star hunter status. But he no longer needed it.
Of the four, Kurapika's burden is the heaviest,' Oboro thought. The pressure, the inner torment, the pain, it's beyond what the others could understand. Though he sympathized deeply, he knew that this suffering was an integral part of Kurapika's growth. That, along with his own concerns at the time, was why he hadn't interfered with the Kurta Clan's destiny.
After a long moment of exchanged glances, Kurapika turned and walked away in silence. Now that he knew that Oboro was an examiner of the Hunters' Association, he wasn't afraid of being cheated. The book would be returned.
"Mr. Oboro, is there a misunderstanding between you and Kurapika?" Gon asked quietly, watching his friend retreat.
"I borrowed a book from him once and never returned it," Oboro replied quietly.
"It's okay, I'll explain things to Kurapika!" Gon offered, beating his chest.
"I'm counting on you!" Oboro gave him a thumbs up.
"Hey, Gon, don't get too friendly with that guy, he's bad news!" Killua had tried to ignore Oboro's presence, but seeing his new friend's interaction forced him to intervene. While Killua usually avoided other people's business, something about Gon appealed to him. Especially when he saw Gon's innocent trust.
"Ah! Does Killua also know Mr. Oboro?" Gon asked in surprise.
Killua just smiled silently and pulled Gon aside to whisper in his ear, while he kept careful eye contact with Oboro.
"Really?" Gon exclaimed after listening. "Mr. Oboro is amazing!"
"You idiot, did you hear a word I said?! He's a thousand times more dangerous than you think! He's a demon that kills without blinking!" Killua wanted to crack open Gon's skull to see what was inside. He gestured to the smiling Hisoka, "He might be even scarier than Hisoka." "No, Mr. Oboro and I go way back," Gon shook his head.
Killua knew that further warnings were useless. "Hmph! Don't blame me if something happens to you!" he turned away with an indignant snort.
"What is this, a hunter exam or a reunion?" someone finally snapped. The situation was spiraling out of control - one connected candidate was frustrating enough, but now there were three? If Oboro was going to pass them based on their connections, what was the point of having an exam at all?
"Snap, snap" Sharp claps cut through the tension as Satotsu, the first phase examiner, emerged from the crowd. "As you can see, before you is Oboro, your second phase examiner. He is one of the few three-star hunters in the Hunter Association and one of the strongest in the world. It is an honor to be tested by him personally!"
Satotsu's elegant introduction, emphasizing Oboro's power, was clearly meant to quell the candidates' resentment.
"'Hssss'" A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as their perception of the suited man shifted. Without Satotsu's words, they'd completely missed Oboro's true caliber and dismissed him as a capricious examiner.
Even those unfamiliar with the Hunter's Association felt the weight of his status.
"There are less than ten three-star hunters in the entire world," Kurapika explained coldly, his pupils constricting as he stared at Oboro.
Leorio finally understood. Kurapika, always meticulous, had done his research before the trial. But he had never expected to meet Oboro here, never imagined that he was so powerful. If Oboro refused to return the book now, there would be nothing Kurapika could do but watch helplessly.
"Wow!" Gon's eyes sparkled with admiration as he looked at Oboro, processing this revelation about his mysterious and powerful acquaintance.
Killua's expression darkened while Hisoka's smile never wavered.
"You're too kind, I'm not as bad as all that," Oboro stood up. He knew that Satotsu had warned the candidates to show proper respect, otherwise, even if Oboro took extreme measures, no examiner or member of the association could interfere.
"That's all for now. Good luck with the examination," Satotsu addressed the candidates, his gaze lingering meaningfully on Gon before he bowed to Oboro. "Farewell."
"Three-star hunter or not, we want fair competition, no favoritism!"
"Yes, give us actual tasks instead of passing people over based on connections!"
The protests continued, though noticeably quieter.
Oboro moved subtly and the silence fell. He picked up a branch and said casually, "Now that everyone is here, the second phase will begin." The remaining candidates brightened, realizing that their earlier attempts to curry favor had been futile - they had all fallen for Hanzo's mistake.
"What?" Hanzo gaped. He had been so sure of his deduction, even though he had already passed with Tonpa, that he didn't need to participate in the formal exam.
Oboro drew a line about twenty meters away from the candidates. He threw the branch aside and clapped his hands. "Cross this line within one hour and you pass."
"What?"
"That's it?"
The crowd erupted. It wouldn't take a minute, let alone an hour, for anyone with working legs.
Oboro stood with his hands in his pockets, a warm smile on his face as he watched the chaotic advance. A thought crossed his mind.
"Die."
Raw killing intent exploded outward like a flash flood, sweeping across the field. A gust of wind whipped past their bodies.
Each contestant felt their limbs turn to ice, their bodies frozen. In their minds, the world faded to black and white as the examiner in front of them turned into a monstrous beast, its bloody maw wide open to devour them all. Those blood-red, lantern-like eyes scrutinized them like choice cuts of meat.
This was pure killing intent without any Nen enhancement. If Oboro had used Nen, everyone but Hisoka and Illumi would have been finished. Still, he'd deliberately kept his killing intent low. As a test, it was fair that anyone with minimal willpower could pass.
Killing intent worked by using mental transmission to overwhelm the target's senses, causing collapse and hallucinations, one of the most basic manifestations of thought. While Nen usually amplified such intent, Oboro had no need for amplification.
The ground rippled like disturbed water, green grass undulating in concentric circles; Oboro had clearly underestimated the mental damage his killing intent would cause.
'Thud. Thud.
Candidates fell one by one, some with bloodshot eyes gasping for air, others convulsing, many simply unconscious with blue-tinged faces.
"They can't even handle this much pressure, can't even stay conscious," Oboro sneered.