Chapter 26: A Pathfinder

"Next up, please!"

Finally, it was his turn. Raymond stepped forward, bidding farewell to Gon and Killua, who waved enthusiastically.

With a shake of his head, Raymond headed into the forest.

As he entered, he was greeted by a lush green landscape teeming with wildlife.

The sunlight filtered through the dense trees, casting shadows on the ground.

The chirping of birds, leaf rustling, and distant calls of wild creatures create a peaceful atmosphere.

After hours of walking through the vibrant forest, Raymond finally reached a towering tree.

He leaped from branch to branch with agility and skill, swiftly going up to the treetop.

"Hmm, this island seems much larger than I anticipated," Raymond remarked, surveying the sprawling greenery before him.

Raymond's brow furrowed in frustration as he surveyed his surroundings.

Despite his keen senses and wide range of perception, he couldn't detect any trace of the rat he was looking for, Illumi Zoldyck.

"I guess it was given that he was this cautious," Raymond muttered to himself.

The rat was, after all, a capable assassin.

Despite his efforts, he couldn't find any signs of Illumi Zoldyck, who was using the alias Gittarackur.

Tracking wasn't truly his strong suit, as he didn't have any related abilities.

He was usually confident in his perceptions, but they seemed to fail him in this situation.

Raymond wondered if he had underestimated Zoldyck or if luck simply wasn't on his side this time.

As Raymond prepared to leave the tree, he caught sight of movement nearby. Turning his head, he spotted a woman with long red hair carefully searching the ground.

It was his target, Number #80, Siper.

A smirk tugged at Raymond's lips as he observed her.

"Oh? Don't blame me for this. You brought this upon yourself."

With his crimson eyes gleaming, he chuckled softly.

Without bothering to conceal his presence, Raymond leaped from the tree.

The sudden movement caused a branch to snap loudly, startling Siper.

She turned towards the noise, her eyes widening as she spotted Raymond's figure descending towards her.

But Raymond's calm demeanor didn't match Siper's surprise.

"I would appreciate it if you don't stare too much, please..."

He smiled casually, his voice cutting through the tension.

Siper was immediately snapped back from her reverie before she hastily leaped backwards and created some distance between herself and Raymond.

*CLICK!

With a swift motion, she raised her sniper rifle and fired at Raymond's head decisively.

"Oh?"

But Raymond simply tilted his head, effortlessly dodging the bullet.

"What in the world?"

Siper's shock was evident in her wide-eyed stare.

She had underestimated Raymond, assuming him to be nothing more than a pampered rich guy, especially after his odd choice to prioritize spices on the ship.

But she had witnessed so far was totally out of her expectations.

His chuckle sent shivers down her spine as she realized her mistake.

"I thought you were the reserved type, but it seems I was mistaken. You're quite fierce, lady."

Raymond's words were unnervingly calm, and Siper felt a sense of impending danger creeping over her.

Instinctively, she knew she was in over her head.

She finally grasped the truth...

"He's dangerous!"

Raymond was not to be underestimated!

He was far stronger and more dangerous than she had ever imagined.

"I didn't realize you were good up close, too. Interesting..."

Raymond remarked, raising an eyebrow as he watched Siper switch her sniper for two military knives and take a defensive stance.

Sweat dripped down Siper's forehead as she realized relying solely on her sniper at close range would be dangerous.

"Alright, lady. I'll play along," Raymond chuckled.

In an instant, he disappeared from view, leaving Siper wide-eyed.

"...!"

Suddenly, she felt a sharp blow to her stomach.

The impact sent her tumbling to the ground, where she doubled over as her face contorted in pain before she vomited whatever she had eaten that day.

Raymond lowered his feet, eyeing Siper's figure with a nod.

"Very good, you're quite resilient," he remarked, his voice echoing in her mind like a specter.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Siper dashed towards him as she hoped to catch him off guard.

But Raymond was too quick to reach as he casually evaded her knife jab and countered with a powerful punch to her face.

"Urgh..."

Siper groaned in pain as she was sent flying into the trees before tumbling to the ground.

"I respect your attempt, but hate to say that won't be enough," Raymond shook his head, a mix of respect and disappointment in his eyes.

Siper winced in agony, her body quivering from Raymond's relentless assault. Gritting her teeth, she managed to croak out, "...I know that won't do the trick."

Raymond cocked his head, puzzled.

"You should've taken me out with one hit..."

A metallic clinking caught Raymond's attention as he glanced downward.

There, on the ground, lay a small object.

"...you fool!"

Siper's voice taunted him again, dripping with scorn.

Before Raymond could react, the object suddenly exploded, releasing a thick cloud of smoke that obscured his vision and filled the area with disorientation.

"Quite the trickster, isn't she?"

Raymond muttered to himself as the smoke gradually dissipated, revealing no sign of Siper, which had slipped away right after her smoke grenade exploded.

But instead of frustration, a sly grin played on Raymond's lips—a reaction Siper might hadn't anticipated.

"She's got some skill, that's for sure."

With a shake of his head, Raymond revealed a card in his palm, the very one Lippo had provided to identify the target number.

His smirk widened, "Nicely done. Looks like her target was indeed Number #301."

It was Siper's card!

Initially, Raymond had his doubts.

Was Gittarackur really Siper's target this time around?

He remembered her fate in the original storyline, and it should have been the case. But it was better to be safe than sorry since his presence might have changed everything.

So, he had to be sneaky, swiftly grabbing the card from her without her noticing.

Those kicks and punches were just a means to make sure she was a capable pawn, someone who could potentially lead him to his real target – Illumi Zoldyck!

That, after all, was one of the reasons he joined the Hunter Exam in the first place.

Closing his eyes, Raymond honed his perception. His crimson eyes sparkled with a devious light when he opened them again.

"Let's see if she can lead me to the rat..."

Raymond's presence slowly faded away, his figure immediately blending into the surroundings.

Silently, he moved toward the direction Siper had darted off to while she remained oblivious to the fact that she was unwittingly dancing in the palm of his hand.

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