Chapter 4- Navigators' Verdict

'System, what does it mean by intermediate sword skill (novice level)?'

Sachiko asked when she got to the room.

'Skills are divided into three tiers; basic, intermediate and advanced. For every skill, there are five mastery levels; novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient and expert. If you complete expert level mastery in a skill, the skill can be levelled up.'

'I see. If I complete expert mastery in intermediate sword skill, I will be able to upgrade to advanced sword skill (novice level)?'

'Yes.'

'Okay, I understand now.' Sachiko nodded. Now that she got a skill, she naturally had to train that as well. Since she also just managed to create a sword with her cursed energy, she thought this sword skill would be useful.

The ship took another day to arrive at the port. Sachiko trained her sword skill on the ship after taking a rest for a few hours while waiting for her cursed energy to refill a bit. But, she stopped training before she ran out of her cursed energy not to drain herself again. Besides , Sachiko thinks it is important to always leave her cursed energy for life and death situations.

She was still glad that she managed to level up her mastery in cursed energy manipulation technique.

-----------------

When the ship finally arrived at the port, Sachiko hopped off the ship, eager to go and eat something decent instead of dried food.

"Nakamura san, wait for me!" Gon shouted as he saw Sachiko running off to a nearby food stall.

It was a noodles shop. Sachiko quickly sat at the table and ordered the specialty of the shop as she didn't know which kind of noodles they sold. Gon, Kurapika and Leorio catches up quickly, ordering the same thing and ate it in less than a minute.

"Can you eat any slower?" Leorio said impatiently. "We don't have time for this. We need to find the exam site."

"No way! I need to eat in style too!" Sachiko complained and continued eating.

After five more minutes, Sachiko finished eating. Only then, she realized she didn't actually have money to pay for it.

"Umm..I might have forgotten that I don't have money." She said awkwardly.

"Are you serious?" Leorio asked.

"Yeah, why would I even lie?"

"But how?"

"I got onto the wrong ship and ended up at Whale Island. I also lost my wallet somewhere on the way." Sachiko replied with the same lie she told to Gon and his aunt.

"I will pay for it. Come on, we don't have time." Gon reminded them as he paid for his and Sachiko's meal.

After paying for the meal, they stood in front of a map. Earlier , at the noodles shop,Gon mentioned that the captain told him to go to the tree on the top of the mountain. But, the information they got was that the exam would be held in Zaban city.

"This is in the opposite direction as the city." Leorio told them.

"But I want to find out what the captain was talking about. I am going there." Gon said, before walking in the tree's direction.

"I think walking to the tree is more fun than taking the bus with a bunch of people." Sachiko said and followed Gon.

"Are you serious!?" Leorio shouted, "Geez. What's wrong with them?"

Kurapika also walked towards the same direction as Sachiko and Gon with a smile, "I am intrigued by the captain's words, even more so by Gon's behavior."

"Alright, it hasn't been long but nice meeting you all." Leorio said dramatically as he carried his bag to the bus station. Until he overhears a conversation, that is.

Leorio ended up joining the group again after he heard that the bus was a trap. Sachiko laughed and said, "I knew it! Those sneaky bastards tried to trick us!"

"Wait, you knew ?!" Leorio exclaimed.

"Yeah, I did. Why else would I walk this far?" Sachiko said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. Well, she likes to be dramatic.

"I almost got eliminated !" Leorio yelled.

"Sucks you didn't." Sachiko said.

Kurapika almost laughed at the whole situation of Leorio getting roasted by Sachiko. She is cool, Kurapika acknowledged the fact without a doubt.

----------------

They ended up at a narrow street with an old lady and masked people blocking the road.

'Here comes the quiz.' Sachiko thought. Because this part was at the start of the story, she had read that again and again. She knew the answer to the quiz and she knew how to get to the exam site. But, where's the fun in going alone? Messing with people and getting them upset was more fun, and more advantageous to her. Because the more negative emotions there were in the surroundings, the more cursed energy she could absorb, making the process of replenishing her cursed energy faster.

Sachiko waited silently as the group tried to figure out the answer or as Leorio made a scene. She probably even zoned out because Gon had to call her multiple times.

"Nakamura san?"

"Hm?"

"We passed. Let's go." Gon said, pointing to the door.

"Okay." Sachiko nodded and walked to the door.

They had to walk in the dark tunnel for two hours until they end up in a forest again. They kept walking and soon they saw a house.

Gon knocked on the door but even after a while, no one answered.

"Just kick the door open. I'm hungry." Sachiko said.

"We can't do that!" Gon said.

"Oh, we sure can." Sachiko walked to the door, then kicked it with her right feet. It was a normal kick without cursed energy but the door opened to reveal a girl being captured by a kiriko. There was also an injured man on the floor not far from the kiriko.

Upon seeing them, the kiriko took the girl with it.

"Let's have a chase." Sachiko said, looking up at the sky where Kiriko jumped onto.

"Leorio, see to his injuries. " Kurapika said before leaving.

"Got it." Leorio replied as he tended to the man's wounds.

Sachiko reinforced her legs with cursed energy and ran to catch the kiriko.

'How is she so fast!?' Kurapika and Gon thought as she got ahead of them.

Sachiko created a sword out of her cursed energy as she chased the kiriko. The kiriko dodged her attacks while trying vanish out of her sight. Sachiko decided to put more offense to ensure that it didn't escape. With her intermediate level sword skills and the sword being made of her cursed energy, it was extremely easy to control as well as it dealt a lot of damage. It didn't take long to defeat the kiriko.

"I know you aren't the one I was chasing earlier." Sachiko said. Gon and Kurapika went chasing for the other kiriko. They probably didn't even know there were two but Sachiko didn't want to spoil them. Well, Gon would probably know soon.

But, at least, she didn't ruin their potential surprise.

-------------

"Leorio san, although you didn't figure out who I am, you tended to my injurjes better than doctors would while reassuring me constantly that my wife is going to be okay. I think your compassion alone makes you worthy for hunter's exam." The injured man earlier announced.

"Kurapika san, we make sure that we only give you vague hints. But just by seeing my tattoo, you were able to determine we are not actually a couple. You desmonstrated that you are incredibly knowledgeable. Therefore, he passes." The girl announced.

"Gon san, your superhuman physical ability and your powers of observation defy logic. You, too are worthy of taking the hunter's exam." One of the kiriko announced.

"And finally, Nakamura san, your strength along with your keen observation, you too are worthy." The last kiriko announced.

"I will become the best hunter and also the first and strongest Jujutsu sorcerer in this world." Sachiko told them with a laugh.

At that moment, she heard system's notification.

'Host has now set her own goals that align with the system. System will issue missions from now on and host will get rewards everytime you complete them.'

'Alright, if that's gonna make me stronger.'

Sachiko looked forward to the future where she became the strongest.