Part 4: In X Numere X Wetlands

SECCO RASVIN

We started to run through the dangerous wetlands as we encountered some rare creatures and some participants were started to fell prey on them, which made me nervous and felt a bad feeling. Gon and Killua were just ahead of us while I was running with Kurapika and Leorio who weren't that exhausted at all.

"Guys, Killua said we should move up! Something bad might happen!" Gon shouted, cannot see him clearly with the thick fog.

"Don't worry about us, Gon! Just go ahead!" Kurapika shouted back as Gon became worried about us three. Then, he looked at me as I looked back."You too, Secco, tag along with them."

"B-But... what about you two?~"

Like Gon, I was really worried about these two, since they were my first friend before the exam started, and I don't want them to get into trouble. "Don't worry about us, we can catch up."

"O-Okay!" still worried about them, I ran beside Gon and I saw a hint of anxiety in his face, and start running away from the former. I looked behind and I cannot see them clearly anymore. I hope they're fine, hoping they won't bump into Hisoka or anyone in the wetlands.

Gon, Killua, and I increased our speed to catch up with Satotz and some people ahead as we still hearing the screams of the other participants being caught by the animals.

Suddenly, the ground starts to shake violently on the area we were running and the next thing we knew, we were swallowed by a giant frog.

I couldn't see anything but I knew that we were inside that giant frog, and I also felt some disgusting liquid all over me and it smells funny.

"Gon! Where are you?!~" I shouted very loud as my voice echoed all over the frog's body.

"Shut up, you're so noisy." I heard a familiar voice somewhere but I know that it doesn't come from Gon, especially when he said some insults... that clearly belongs to Killua. I heard someone opening a canned juice.

"K-Killua?"

"I'm here, Secco! Don't worry about me!" I heard Gon and I was thankful that he is alright, but still, I don't know where he is right now.

Then suddenly, the frog spits us out and we came back from where we were standing earlier. "I guess it didn't like how we taste." Gon said as he scratched his backhead and forced a laugh. I made a laugh because of what he said.

"No, it's because of this," he said as he showed us a canned juice. That's why I heard a can being opened earlier, it was from him after all.

"That's from Tonpa! I guess he really saved us." Gon said. I guess he's kinda useful this time. I was really happy that we got out of that frog, if not, my body will be filled with goo! And I rather die in an explosion than got eaten by a frog!

"Well, I could get out without it," Killua stated and we all stood up from the ground.

I turned my head to look behind, hoping by any chance that I will see Kurapika and Leorio, shouting our names, but that didn't happen. I'm really worried about them, what if they fell prey to some animals or worse, they were with that clown.

"Kurapika, Leorio..." I muttered loud enough for Gon to hear it, he also looked behind expecting them to show up in the thick fog. We were waiting there for almost a minute until Killua spoke.

"What are you two waiting for? Hurry up!"

My eyes stuck behind, not listening to what Killua was about to say until I saw Gon in front of me and tuck my shoulder.

"I'll find them, Secco, don't worry."

"Wait! What if you were the one who gets lost? What if you can't find them?!" all of a sudden, I shouted at Gon, with fierce eyes, which made him very surprised. He knew me well as a different person, he didn't know this side of mine. When I knew that I already have friends which I don't have when I was a child, I don't want them to get hurt.

"Sorry, I'm just... worried." my voice was shaking when I said those words, looking away, refusing to see Gon's eyes, about to cry in front of him, in front of them, but my tears still didn't fall yet.

Then, he lifted his arms and tucked me in both shoulders, forcing me to look at him directly in the eye."Just don't worry about me! Follow Killua." Gon smiled at me as I smiled back, a tear already fell on my cheek. He told Killua to take care of me, and ran back from the wetlands as fast as he can, unable to see him in the fog, as I was just standing there, looking behind, spaced out.

Killua approached me and grabbed my hand. "Let's go."

In a few minutes, I let him grabbed my hand and walked forward, still worried about those three. Now that I realized, they were the ones who let me out of my cage, lead me into this exam. I committed suicide many times while I'm still living in the ship because of the sin I've made before, that sin, that incident, and they... saved me. And now... it's my turn to save them!

I let go of Killua's hand and started to ran back from the deep wetlands where dangerous animals are waiting for me. I heard Killua shouted my name many times, but I didn't listen and just ran forward, didn't care about the thick fog, didn't care about what was lying in front of me, as long as I can help those three, especially Gon, that's when the time to shut up.

The wind started to blow harder yet the fog is also getting thicker. Some animals were trying to deceive me but I didn't listen. "I can't see Gon on this part, I must go the other way!" I ran as fast as I can, trying to avoid the weird-looking animals and survive until I got there.

"Gon! Gon! Where are you?! Gon!" I shouted in the middle of the thick fog where no one can be seen except me.

"I'm here, Secco!", a familiar voice shouted my name, and it looks like it was Gon after all. I ran towards the direction where I heard Gon's voice. But I stopped and just sat on the ground, helpless. I knew that wasn't Gon, it was just the animals that are trying to deceive me.

"Thank god I found you!" Another familiar voice shouted from behind like he was calling me so I looked, which turned out to be Killua. "Don't ever do that, you idiot!" he shouted at me angrily and grabbed my arm but I let go.

"You don't understand! Those people are my friends, they saved me from despair!" I also shouted at him angrily, which is my second time to express my anger in this Exam, and this swamp is the only witness and of course, those two.

We stared at each other for a few seconds, until he let out a sigh. I don't know what is the meaning of that so I just stood there, curious about what he'll gonna do next.

"I guess I don't have a choice."

He muttered to himself which I heard, and was about to ask what did he mean by that when suddenly...

"Eh?!"

My face started to get red like a tomato when he suddenly lifts me up like the cargos I lift when I was working on the ship. He started to walk as I can't stop myself and punch his back multiple times.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"Ouch! That hurts, you moron!" he shouted to me and started running so fast like a rocket, the reason I cannot punch anymore and just shout for my life. It was like riding a roller coaster!

"KYAAAA!!!"

Minutes left and we finally made it to where Satotz and the other participants rested, as a tall, thick wall was behind them.