Chapter 19 : I don’t want to have anything to do with Hisoka!!

Izunavi found himself surrounded by a group of angry candidates, but he remained completely calm. He lowered his head, then smirked as he spread his hands, gesturing to everyone around him.

"Yep, I did it on purpose," he said with a taunting grin. "What, you gonna argue with me here?"

"I'm the examiner, and this is how I run my test. If you don't like it, you can try again next year. Maybe you'll find it more to your liking then."

"Or do you want to take me on? I don't mind a challenge, but remember, if you attack an examiner, you're immediately disqualified. Those are the rules."

Despite standing in the middle of the crowd, Izunavi appeared to be wide open, like he had a ton of weak spots, yet no one dared get close. It was as if he had an invisible barrier around him, one that discouraged any attempt to attack.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Damn it!" and then turned to run out of the cemetery. Once the first person fled, the rest of the candidates quickly followed, making a beeline to exit the graveyard, pass by the church, and head toward the city.

As Hisoka strolled by Germain, he waved like they were old friends, gestured toward the front of the cemetery, and then disappeared into the distance.

Soon, it was just Izunavi and Germain left in the cemetery.

Izunavi watched as Germain finished his biscuit and used a tissue to clean his fingers. He frowned, then waved his hands dismissively, "You..." He paused, then shrugged, "Never mind, whatever."

Izunavi had a feeling that Germain was a bit different from the other candidates, but he didn't plan to lecture him. First, it was pointless. 

Second, the Hunter Exam didn't exclude people with dark backgrounds. It was open to anyone with talent, even those with less-than-perfect pasts.

Germain stood up, and Izunavi settled down cross-legged next to his small bag, closing his eyes and waiting silently.

Germain looked at Izunavi, whose words were left unfinished. He quickly lost interest and walked out of the cemetery, finding Hisoka leaning against the wall near the back door of the church.

That was what Hisoka's earlier gesture had meant.

Hisoka's voice had a dangerous edge, even though he tried to sound playful. "You're so cold..." he remarked. "We're part of the same group, but you didn't even say hello to me."

Germain didn't seem fazed. "Do you have a reason to be here?" he replied, his tone serious.

Hisoka smiled, the kind of smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Why'd you take the Hunter Exam?"

"That's none of your business," Germain shot back, his voice flat. "And please, if you're pretending not to know me in front of all these people, I'll do the same for you. Thanks."

"The 'all these people' he mentioned were the other hunters around, quietly observing, making sure the exam ran smoothly.

The hidden hunters listening in felt uneasy. They thought they had concealed their presence well, but Germain had noticed them. 

Hisoka clearly knew they were there too, but it didn't bother him. "It's fine. They've been watching us since we got here, haven't they?"

Germain remained firm. "I still don't want anything to do with you."

"That really hurts me, Germain." Hisoka put on a dramatic pout, but his eyes still held that dangerous glint.

Ignoring him, Germain opened the back door of the church and walked through the empty halls, heading toward the square that led to Yanisha City.

Hisoka watched Germain's silhouette disappear, noting the details of his build as he left, and let out a soft sigh.

"Incredible... I haven't seen you in over a month, and you've gotten stronger. Your 'Nen' has improved, and you're more cautious than ever."

He glanced at his fingers, where a small ball of aura stuck to him.

Hisoka was planning to play a prank by sneakily using "Bungee Gum," which has properties of both rubber and chewing gum, to attach it to Germain's body. 

He thought he'd catch Germain off guard, but Germain had noticed it from the start. Even though he didn't directly look at it, Germain could sense the flow of aura on his body; there was no mistaking it.

The two of them were on edge during their conversation, like two tightly strung bows, arrows ready to fire. But it was Hisoka who loosened his grip first, relaxing his stance.

"Interesting... What has he gone through in the last month or so? I'll keep watching for a bit," Hisoka mused, a wicked grin stretching across his face, emphasized by the white powder that coated it.

Germain was strolling through the streets of Yanisha City, a backpack slung over his shoulders, hands in his pockets, casually on the lookout for target cards—perhaps he'd find one by chance. If not, no big deal.

As he wandered, he greeted sanitation workers, police officers, and children playing by the roadside, asking them if they had seen a certain card. He'd describe it as white with a double-something design.

He also asked office workers, shopkeepers, and anyone else who might be aware of hidden spots in the city. One of the children finally said he'd seen a card like that, leading Germain behind a bush where the card lay quietly, unassuming.

Germain picked it up, then handed the child 1,000 Jenny, suggesting he and his friends get some juice with it. It had been surprisingly simple to get the card.

The deadline for the first hunter exam was 5 p.m., but Germain wasn't in a rush. Instead, he stopped at a random fast-food joint for a quick lunch. Apart from a few city girls who used the opportunity to chat him up, it was a relaxing lunch break.

Pushing open the glass door, Germain stepped out into the bustling streets and began his leisurely walk back to the church, following the route he remembered. 

The slow pace was his way of digesting both the meal and his thoughts.

As he walked, he encountered other candidates multiple times. They all looked stressed and sweaty, like they hadn't found the card they were searching for. He didn't spot Hisoka among them, but for someone like Hisoka, finding a simple card would be a trivial task.

Eventually, Germain arrived at the large square in front of the church. White doves were pecking at the ground, cooing softly. They scattered when they heard footsteps but quickly settled back down when they realized it wasn't a threat.

The church stood silently in the afternoon light, casting a long shadow across the square. Germain, hands tucked into the pockets of his black robe, walked with a calm air. But his tranquility was disrupted when he noticed someone standing in his way.

It was a face he'd seen not long ago—a pudgy man named Tonpa. Tonpa feigned surprise upon seeing Germain, taking a few steps back with a nervous grin.

"Hey, fancy running into you... I didn't mean to bother you, just a coincidence," he said, his tone polite but with a hint of anxiety.

Even as he spoke, Tonpa's eyes darted nervously to Germain's right, a quick flash of suspicion. At the same time, Germain's "En" (a heightened sense of awareness) picked up the presence of two others who clearly had malicious intentions toward him.

Those who aren't familiar with Nen usually need a natural talent or extensive training to learn techniques like "Zetsu" that can mask their aura.

But it was obvious that the two people accompanying Tonpa hadn't mastered that skill.

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