Chapter 33: Wrapping Up

As Gon took Hisoka's badge, he trailed along with Kurapika and Leorio into the woods.

But unbeknownst to them, someone lurked nearby, hiding behind bushes.

"That kid's got himself some buddies now, huh? That's gonna be a bother..." muttered the figure.

The man had an afro and wore sunglasses.

It was Garetta, Number 384.

"...Guess I'll just have to wait it out," he mumbled, keeping pace with the group as they moved forward.

As night descended, the forest fell into a hushed tranquility.

Crackle... crackle...

Amidst the quiet, a crackling fire broke the silence.

Surrounded by simplicity, a plain wooden table accompanied the scene.

Though lacking in fancy details, it served its purpose, adding a touch of practicality to the otherwise rustic setting.

Despite the remoteness of his location, Raymond seemed at ease even though he felt someone was watching him quietly.

He tended to the fish he had caught earlier that day.

With practiced hands, he cleaned and gutted each fish with precision, ensuring they were ready for cooking.

From the depths of his vest, Raymond retrieved a small pouch containing an assortment of spices.

With a knowing smile, he carefully sprinkled the spices onto the fish, each movement deliberate and calculated.

But as he reached for another ingredient, he paused, a playful glint in his eye.

"Almost forgot the King of Flavor," he murmured to himself, a chuckle escaping his lips.

From the depths of his pocket, he took out the miraculous white powder he had prepared before the Hunter exam.

He then sprinkled the powder onto the fish, its aroma filling the air with a unique aroma.

Once the fish were seasoned to perfection, Raymond arranged them by the fire, the flames crackling merrily beneath the makeshift grill.

"Beautiful..."

He watched attentively as the fish cooked, turning them occasionally to ensure they were evenly browned and tender.

When he judged them ready, Raymond smiled with satisfaction.

"Great, can't wait to give it a taste..."

Carefully, he arranged a bed of leaves he had collected earlier on the table.

The color contrast made it look beautiful with the golden hue of the cooked fish.

With a a smile, he placed each fish on top, their fragrant aroma mingling with the scent of the forest around him.

"Raymond?"

A voice rang out, making him to take a look.

"Oh?"

Raymond then saw Killua approaching, his mouth watering at the sight of the food.

"Sorry, these are all mine. You'll have to catch your own fish. I'll help you cook it," Raymond chuckled.

"Really? Cool!"

Killua's eyes sparkled with excitement as he dashed off towards the nearby river to catch his own dinner.

Having observed Raymond quietly for a while, Killua noticed the badges on his vest.

Now, with Raymond seemingly finished with his task, Killua couldn't resist the temptation of the delicious food laid out before him.

Despite years of training to resist hunger, the memory of Raymond's cooking during the exam lingered, making Killua's mouth water uncontrollably.

As Killua eagerly scampered away, Raymond shook his head with a small smile.

Rising slowly from his seat, he walked over to a log he had chopped earlier, retrieving his knife to make a simple chair for the table that he made with the same technique.

It might be simple, but as long as it served its purpose, Raymond was satisfied.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Garetta lay in wait as he kept observing Gon's group as they rested beneath a big tree.

Taking a deep breath, he quietly readied his blowgun.

"This is my chance. I'll start with the blonde," Garetta silently thought to himself, lining up his shot on Kurapika.

Amidst the group's laughter, Garetta's gaze sharpened, his breath held as he took aim.

With a surge of adrenaline, he prepared to make his move as excitement coursing through him.

Garetta focused on his target, readying himself to shoot.

But just as he was about to take action, confusion washed over him.

His attention shifted abruptly, and he found himself staring at a headless body lying nearby.

"Eh?"

Garetta's voice trembled with confusion.

He struggled to make sense of the grisly sight.

Before he could react, darkness consumed him. Garetta then collapsed with his consciousness slipping away as he realized the headless corpse was in fact...

...his own.

The mysterious attacker swiftly disappeared into the shadows, snatching Garetta's badge with him.

"Not my target," Illumi muttered under his breath, glancing at the badge he held in his mouth.

It was Hisoka's target.

"Well, he should be able to manage on his own..."

His hands were injured after, making it impossible to grasp the badge.

Resorting to using his foot in the attack, Illumi was now barefoot. He had to adapt to his new limitations.

"Well, I've gathered enough badges to pass the exam. Time to lay low," Illumi decided, vanishing into the darkness to hide.

Though he spotted the group Garetta was after, Illumi had no plans to harm them when he already had enough.

The recent thrashing he took from Raymond had put him on high alert.

Until he felt completely safe, Illumi knew he had to be cautious and keep a low profile, avoiding drawing unnecessary attention to himself.

He acted with restraint and only moved when necessary.

Illumi took great care to hide himself, sometimes trailing random participants he encountered before making his move.

He encountered Number 362, Kenmi.

After quietly following him, Illumi took his life and badge.

Later, he encountered Number 118, Sommy, who had betrayed Number 16, Tonpa.

Both had been defeated by Kurapika and Leorio and were tied up.

Sommy managed to free himself from the tie, leaving Tonpa behind.

Unaware of the danger, he continued on, unaware that Illumi was patiently tailing him, waiting for the right moment to take his badge.

By luck, Garetta happened to be nearby, and the rest was history.

Meanwhile, in a huge hole yawned in the ground and surrounded by the wreckage of a burnt-out forest...

"Hmm? Stuck, are we?"

Hisoka sensed a slight resistance with his Bungee Gum, the elastic and rubbery aura extending from his hand seemed to have met an unexpected obstacle along the way.

Chuckling to himself, he remarked, "Looks like I'll be staying a bit longer."

"...Well, well. How interesting."

A strange noise escaped him as he recalled the one-sided battle from earlier.

Raymond showed such impressive awareness of his abilities, catching Hisoka off guard with superhuman speed and reactions.

He couldn't help but be curious about Raymond's true identity. 

"Until next time, Number #406..."

A sly grin crept onto Hisoka's face as his laughter ringing out into the surrounding silence.

In the blink of an eye, six days had gone by, marking the end of the fourth phase as the ship reached the island.

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