Chapter 18: Battle

After Leorio described how the Midoguda herb look liked. I left the cabin, Leorio seemed somewhat against it but I reminded him he needs to take care of the wounded. I traveled down east until I saw the cliff. Taking out a rope, I attach it to a nearby rock and climb down. What? I'm not gonna risk breaking my feet just to be like Gon.

Looking around underneath the cliff, I come across bushes that look like what Leorio described. I take note of how it looks so that I can later envision it and not need to come again for it. I'll just make my own. Cutting the herbs, I place them in my basket. I start climbing up again, I have a bad feeling.

Climbing up, I feel a tug at my rope. Looking, I see a kiroko. Darn.

Esther: "Well isn't this just great? Gonna drop me?"

It laughs, he lets the rope slip a bit. I grit my teeth. Then, I notice a small puncture on its arm. Isn't that?...

Esther: "Hey, what did you do to Leorio?!"

I quickly climb up as fast as I can before placing the basket with the herbs on the ground. I charge to it but it hops in the air, apparently it can fly. It swoops down onto me as I untie the rope around me. I quickly roll away from it, getting up swiftly while placing my hand in my sleeve. If someone is looking at me here from some place I can't see, it's best not to take any chances.

I envision nunchakus while pulling them out of my sleeve. I then charge to the Kiriko, jumping and building up momentum. It dodges my attack, grabbing me from my leg and tossing onto the ground. I roll around as it swoops down onto me. Before it can grab me, I twist the nunchakus to where it hits its face. It grabs his face, I twirl the nunchakus around it's feet and pull. It tumbles onto the floor.

Before I could wrap it up, it uses its claws to slash at me. I jump back, forgetting that there is a cliff behind me. Landing, I feel the unevenness of the land behind me. My face goes pale, I'm definitely slipping. The Kiroko charges at me as I fall down the cliff. Thinking fast, I 'conveniently' pull out a fishing rod from my sleeve. The Kiroko looks surprised that I can hide that in there.

Fishing the pole, I latch it onto the Kiroko. I swing onto it before kicking it on its head. It crashes onto the floor, thank goodness that wasn't me. Using the fishing pole, I keep pounding it's head repeatedly. I stop once I felt it won't be able to retaliate.

Esther: "I'm going to say this again, what did you do to Leorio? And why did you look human before? Was it to trick us? Where are the true navigators? Wait a minute…"

I pull back the fishing rod, the kiroko looks at me in confusion.

Esther: "Is this also apart of the hunter exam? Are you our navigator?"

The kiroko laughs.

"Seems you've figured it out."

It stands up. It rubs it head, I can definitely see a bump on it.

"I wish you had learned of that sooner, could have avoided hurting me so much."

Esther: "Pardon me…"

It shakes its head, ok with the injury.

"How did you figure it out?"

Esther: "From the small puncture wound. I remember Leorio administering a shot into the man's arm, I'm positive you are that man."

"Correct! And don't worry, I only knocked him out by giving him a quick blow to his neck."

Esther: "Good. I still need him to apologize to me then I'll apologize to him. Can't be mad at him forever."