Chapter 19: Starting X Secret X Exam

SECCO RASVIN

I left Killua and Gon at the airport and rode a train towards my desired destination.

I've never been separated this far from them and that makes me nervous. I usually couldn't handle things on my own and plan everything without them by my side. Although I know I'm insulting myself I guess those previous events before, I always kept relying on them and let them do anything for me.

I'm really such a bad person back then. What am I doing? That's why I couldn't grow up and be mature!

After hours of bullying myself by whispering some insults and harmful words towards me and not giving attention to the Kukuroo Mountain on my window, the train finally stopped into a town train station. I took a peek outside to see if this is the correct place where I must go.

I saw a large sign outside that says "Cantaran City". This is definitely it.

Back then, before we started to ride towards the Kukuroo Mountain, I overheard a conversation of some busybodies on the streets saying that they heard a weapon hunter staying in this city.

I am actually planning to negotiate with him that he will train me to be a strong hunter in exchange for my service, and since I know I will not just give him my Hunter License and I'm a good lifter, I will be able to carry all the weapons and things he had, like a bodyguard would be.

I moved out of the train and showed my Hunter License to the person who's in charge of the bills on the train. Still using the same waitress outfit since I left the ship, carrying my traveling backpack in my back obviously, I explore the whole city and search for the legendary weapon hunter.

Yes, finding the hunter was really my main goal. But all of a sudden, I got distracted by the street foods displayed in the busy streets and accidentally bought many of them using my license.

After some minutes of resisting my gluttony, I survived and ended up in the town square, with the large fountain was being displayed in the middle. I rested in one of the available benches and was about to take an afternoon sleep when all of a sudden, some of the townfolks started to run from something or someone that I didn't know until there are no people in the square except me.

From afar, a group of unknown men riding horses was running towards my direction. I tried to peek at their faces at the far distance, but some wear face covers and masks, and others were full of scars on their faces.

They finally stopped right in front of me, with a far distance between me and them. They looked at me with their fierce eyes.

Because of their glare, I felt chills down to my spines and my body hair started to stand, especially the man in their front which I deduced that he is their leader.

"You're acting brave, little girl." the leader said to me after he realized that I'm the only one that didn't run away. It's not like I was pretending to be brave, it's just that I didn't know that these people were dangerous.

"You don't know us? We're the bandits that rule this town. Everyone is afraid of us... and everyone is running away from us. Do you want to know why?" a fat man with a cigarette on his mouth behind their leader gave me a smirk and approached me.

Before they will harm me, I quickly kneeled down and begged for my life. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cover your way. I-I don't know, I really don't know. Please, l-let me go!" tears are started to show up in my eyes and my heart is pounding faster than ever.

The fat man laughed at my actions, causing his cigarette to fell on the ground, and turned around to see his comrades.

"This girl was really just pretending to be brave! She's actually dumb and coward!" he explained to them.

COWARD?

Suddenly, my eyes widened and range from all over my body made my eyebrows meet their end, and my eyes were filled with range. How dare he call me a coward.

"Did you just call me a coward?" I stood up and showed them my ranging cobalt eyes to them. The fat man just gave me a glare and turned back to see me.

"Of course I did. Are you angry, little coward?" he smirked and because he said 'coward' to me the second time, my limitation finally broke.

I approached him like a normal little girl. I don't know if this will going to work, but if I was trained in the Zoldyck Mansion for opening the Test Gate, I've might have some good results in my body.

"Huh?" the only word he said.

I looked at his large stomach and raised my arms in the air, formed my hands into a fist, and swing it towards the fat guy's stomach. After I punched it, he flew away towards the walls of a house, cracking it. He was beaten up and threw a lot of blood from his mouth because of my punch. His stomach had swollen because of my attack and fell unconscious.

All of the bandits were all surprised after I did, even me. I couldn't believe that I had that great strength. I knew I have an unexpected strength for a little girl like me but this is different. It's like I am a giant!

"This girl!" his comrades got out of their horses and ran towards me at the same time, using their small sword. I focused all of my strength on my feet and performed a high jump. Their back was open for any attack so I grabbed my small knives and threw at them, consider them dead.

The only one left was the leader. And he was just staying on his horse's back, not attacking me as his companions did. Instead, he gave me a clap.

"Impressive, little girl. I didn't expect that." he said to me. And all of a sudden, the other beaten guys disappeared out of nowhere. I looked for their body but they're not around. Was that some kind of magic?

I might fear the situation I'm in and what I witnessed... but that magic thing was really awesome! It gets me so excited!

But I stopped my amazement and stared at their leader who was laughing softly because of my actions. Is he the one who did it? I know some parts of me told me that this guy is really amazing, but now is not the time for that. If he's the one who did it, then I must get ready.

"I want to fight you right now but..." he said with a grin on his face. "Your strength is still no match for me."

With that, he left without saying any more words. The other villagers were amazed by my performance and started to offer me some things, like a celebration.

I was so thankful that I just found a good place for me to sleep for the night because of the help of the villagers, and any minutes now, the sun almost sets and stars are starting to show up and twinkle in the purple sky.

So I took a room in the inn and gave myself a good night's sleep. I lied in the soft bed and lost in thought.

What just happened back there? What did the man do to make his comrades disappear like thin air? If that's some sort of magic, then how did he do that? I've never seen anything like that before.

Speaking of never seen, I miss the captain and my fellow workers on the ship. I really miss them. Those events and people pulled me out of the shadows as it started to devour me, filling my mind with hatred and despair. I wish I can be with them one last time, but I know I mustn't, I know I mustn't come back to them and started my life as a normal cargo lifting girl again. I chose to travel and become the best person as I can to help my loved ones surrounding me.

As I was remembering those times, my eyes started to close and my vision started to get blurry because of my sleepiness. Maybe because I couldn't afford to sleep back when we were training at the Zoldyck Mansion.

Great. I'm actually torturing myself back then. I didn't let my body get some sleep because of my determination of bringing Killua back from the group.

And speaking of Killua, I wonder if he meant the words and actions that he showed earlier or it's just a joke to tease me. I couldn't help but explode in my bed, making my face red and grasping for my blanket tightly. Those blue eyes were sparkling like any other, and that smile that I've never seen before, the aura surrounding him was not giving me chills back then, it was warm and nice.

I started to roll back and forth on my bed because of excitement and embarrassment. My heart was beating fast that I couldn't catch up with it, and I release some little screams that only I, myself, can hear.

What is this feeling? Every time I think about Killua, I couldn't concentrate on my current problems and remove his image from my mind. Is this... is this what they called...

It was supposed to be my moment alone when suddenly, I sensed a flying object coming towards my direction at a great speed. I quickly jumped out of my bed and sprinted on the wooden floor at the same time, a trident came through and broke the closed windows, and landed on my bed, stabbing it like cooked meat.

To be ready for the next attack, I grabbed my small knives out of my pocket and a figure showed up on the broken window under the moonlight. A woman wearing a sleeveless vest, with army gloves and pants. Her long purple hair was tied down into two loosed ponytail and her beauty was reflecting under the light.

"You dodged my trident. Not bad." she raised her arm and open her hand. After that, the trident flew on its own towards the hand of the woman perfectly. I can't help but be amazed by the awesome telekinesis. It's just like what I saw on television when I was just a kid!

"Just as the villagers said. You were strong to defeat the bandits."

Did that news really spread fast?

She started to pose like a fighter and ready to fight me. But I moved faster than her and kneeled down and bow at her.

"I-I'm not here to fight. Please spare me! I just want to find someone, a Weapon hunter. Please I still want to live!" I begged for my life. I mean what else can I do. My small knives are no match for her huge trident. It was suicide if I fight her.

"A weapon hunter? Hmmm... there aren't any weapon hunter here in the town... other than me." when she said that, I quickly raised my head and looked at her eyes. Is she the weapon hunter? Thank goodness. That made my task much easier.

"What do you want from me?" she asked me with her other eyebrow raised in suspicion. I stopped kneeling at her and stood up.

"I-I... I want you to train me, please!" I said in determination and bowed again to accept my offer.

"Everyone was talking amazing things about you on my way here. So I thought you're really strong and can help me become strong too. Or else I've become a good-for-nothing hunter." I added.

"Well, that really flattered me.", she said while she rubbed her red cheek with her index finger.

"But wait for a second, are you a hunter?? A kid like you?" she seemed surprised about what I said earlier. I just nod as an answer. So there's no kid ever passed the exam other than us.

"Then, will you accept me?" I said with sparkling eyes, as it gave me hope that she will accept me.

"Hmm... I don't know. I also have another student but..." she thought really deeply and gave me a warm smile suddenly. "Okay. I accept your offer. And besides, there is also a secret exam for the hunters you must pass first."

"A secret exam?"

She nodded. "Don't worry. This might take two to three months but if you're a fast learner, it might take only a few weeks. But... what might I receive in return?"