Part 49: Stronger X To X Protect

"My name is Knuckle Bine! I am a Beast hunter!" The man holding a megaphone yelled, which made Gon and Killua flinched in their seats. Looks like that was the guy they were looking for. "I challenge the two punitive force candidates to a duel! Come tonight at midnight sharp, and face me!"

While the man named Knuckle was just ranting on the street, trying to search for their opponent, Killua just decided to pass through them, not interested in what the former will gonna say.

This made me questioned his actions. As far as I know, Knuckle is one of the people they have to face, but then, he just avoided him like he's not there, shouting at everyone, at all. Is this some kind of tactic?

"He's just a decoy," He said. "His partner's probably hidden somewhere, watching to see if anyone reacts suspiciously."

After what he said, I already understood why he is acting unusually to their opponent in front. He tried to keep them from knowing who and where they are. If the other team will find out about their skills and specialties, then that's a disadvantage.

Gon followed a question if Knuckle is strong to Killua. The latter answered that he is, indeed, strong and he has no idea how to beat him. When I heard him say that, I couldn't help but worry for the two of them. I wasn't in their presence when the time they're at the Greed Island. I don't even know what happened to them back then.

"We should work on our fundamentals and know more about their abilities," Killua suggested to Gon, which surprisingly frowned out of disagreement.

"I half agree and oppose." He answered that made me shocked. Killua didn't seem to care about his answer.

"Our goal was to become stronger to save Kite." He added, which added to my confusion. Who is this Kite person? Why is he in trouble? "Which means, we should be strong enough to defeat the enemies we know nothing about."

I didn't bother asking Gon who is the guy named Kite that he talked about. I don't know why but it feels like I shouldn't asking them questions right now. They're in the middle of a mission, so I should ask them after.

After that short encounter with the enemy, we started walking in the streets, with no chaos or disturbances, towards an establishment where Gon and Killua reside temporarily. It looks like they've been staying in this town for a long time unlike me, who just got here.

"Secco."

I heard Gon's voice calling out my name. I turned around to see him and tilted my head, asking him what's wrong. His eyebrows rose higher than before and his eyes were filled with more grief.

"Sorry about that meeting earlier. We just left you out." He tried to release a sincere smile, but he failed, as I couldn't see the joy in those.

"It's fine, Gon." I smiled normally while trying to peek at what's in front of me in order to keep me from bumping anyone. "But... can you explain why you're here to me later?"

"Oh!" He exclaimed, came up with an idea on his head. For the first time in a while, his eyes don't seem to show sadness anymore. "I'll tell you what happened to us since we're at the Greed Island!"

"That's much better." I gave him a warm smile to tell him I'm satisfied. He also smiled at me with the same warmth as I have. Now, this is the Gon that I know.

Somehow, everything had changed. How I interact with my friends was not the same anymore. Is it because I left them? Is it because I trained too much? Was my desire to become stronger took over my mind and decisions? That I forgot what it feels like to bond with them?

After thinking of that, I started to regret training alone with Grenno anymore. If I joined with Gon and Killua, I should've spent some time with them more, and not be drowned by the never-ending desperation for a cure for my arm.

After a short time of walking, we finally made it to our destination. It was just a medium-sized apartment, but it was big enough for the four of us to share. This wasn't a bad spot at all.

Gon was the one who opened the door in front of us, with a slow and relaxed push of the doorknob. But suddenly, after he opened the door, a fist came rushing from the inside with incredible speed and struck him in the face, causing him to be thrown from our back.

Killua and I both turned around simultaneously to the door where the punch came from. The source of the blow showed up in front of us, and we didn't expect who it is.

"B-Bisky?!"

We all exclaimed at the same time, with our eyes widened in disbelief. There she is, standing on the door with her usual purple dress, but this time, it's a different style. Her hair was tied in a knot using the braided part of her head. She stared at us in a strict manner, while both of her hands are resting on her waist.

Palm was actually responsible for Bisky showing up at Gon and Killua's place without us knowing. She also said that she found her using her ability.

If she's an Enhancer and used her ability to find her, then her Nen technique must be associated with her sight, like a clairvoyant or fortune teller.

"Enough with the break!" Bisky shouted out of the blue, still sticking the strict-teacher attitude she had earlier. This brought me back to when we first met her in the Greed Island. I didn't know that it's been so long since that time. "Let's start training!"

Gon was planning to tell me all that happened to them since I left the Greed Island, but our strict master ordered them to start training. I also joined the training to improve myself more.

My 'First Aid Kit' wasn't healing the bruises perfectly and only Enhancer types can benefit it. I also wanted to insert more offensive techniques after seeing one of the Chimera Ants' capabilities. I mustn't focus on just defense. And of course, my plan on putting a restriction on me for my Nen to become stronger.

As expected, her training was unlike before and seemed like it's the same Spartan level as Grenno's. But having trained with someone, with my friends, rather than having the training alone, made me relaxed and happy, even though I have more focus before.

I wish I went with them. This is more relaxed and fun, seeing them like this. Training alone is very lonely for me. But I couldn't notice this since I was blinded by the fact that I have a cure for my arm, and proper training for me to get stronger. I wish... I didn't leave.

Bisky also said that Chairman Netero is a nasty old man. Whenever he gives a one-month task to anyone, it usually takes a whole year to finish. That means, defeating those two boys in a week won't be easy.

We already experienced Chairman Netero's despising nature during our Hunter Exam, so I wasn't surprised that he gave that task to my friends.

But Gon answered that he is still determined to save Kite, and wanted to finish this mission very quickly. I don't know who Kite is, but it looks like, he's important to him since he'll go that far just to save him.

We tried to maintain our Nen for three hours straight, but the training didn't end well. Killua made it only up to 55 minutes with full stamina, while Gon and I almost made it to his time, but we already reached our limit.

Bisky told us to train more of our Ren, since that's what lacking us. So we did the same thing over and over again, trying to maintain it up to three hours.

This lasted for a very long time, but none of us made it to the desired amount of hours. Then, we were allowed to take a break for thirty minutes.

After Bisky said that, we all didn't move in our position and just let our body drop on the floor, relieved that we knew we have thirty minutes to rest.

I closed my eyes immediately, as it felt heavy to open it up again. I didn't think of anything other than to sleep on the cold floor of the room.

Then, a minute later, I felt my body became lighter than before, and the pain of my entire body went away. I felt relaxed and rested easily because of the good sensation that kept me sleeping well.

After some time of sleeping, we are already awake and about to start the training.

Before we trained for another hour of torture, Bisky asked Palm what Chairman Netero's team will do for the next month inside the NGL. Palm replied that they will identify the Chimera Ants' strengths and slowly eliminate the forces defending their lair.

"The King will be born in two months, which is the amount of time they have to do their mission."

After hearing that sentence, my eyes widened in shock and curiosity. So it's not only the Queen that threatened all of the worlds, but the incoming King will destroy us all too. This is a very serious calamity than I expected it to be.

After some amount of training, Gon and Killua are finally prepared for their fight with Knuckle and Shoot. When I saw them leave, I couldn't help but to be worried for them. What if they failed to beat them? Or worse, what if they were killed?

I waited in the room, full of anxiety and depression, thinking of all the things that I did.

I promised to protect them before, so I was determined to grow stronger and stronger.

I sacrificed my time and joy to be stronger than ever, to protect them both.

And yet...

It feels like it's not the right thing to do.

"You've improved." Bisky suddenly told me behind my back. I turned around to see her, surprised at the fact that she wanted to talk to me. I can see her smile full of confidence, just like the last time I saw her.

"Thanks, Bisky," I replied with a smile, but then, that smile turned upside down, after I remembered my thoughts earlier. I looked away from her, looking at the door where my two friends left. "But... is it worth it?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to understand my sentence.

"I mean... to go on a full-out training, rather than spending my time with them," I answered, still in sorrow and grief, couldn't be able to show my face. A tear was already forming in my eye, filled with guilt. "Is it the correct decision?"

It doesn't feel right to me anymore. Getting stronger like this, it felt like I'm letting myself be blinded by the power, and forgot what's important to me. I was too focused on removing my arm and getting stronger that I forgot about my friends.

"Well, who was this training for?" She threw another question back at me, which led me to the conclusion that sparkled my eyes.

Who was it for? Who was all of this for? I was determined to do my training because of them. Since they gave me comfort and saved me from my thoughts and despair, I wanted to protect them. I wanted to become stronger to protect them.

"When you're too focused on becoming stronger, that doesn't mean you have forgotten them," Bisky said with a wide smile. "Just remember where your determination came from in the first place, and to there, you will come back."