Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sun beamed high overhead and the clouds that came drifting by seemed afraid to cross its path. On an ordinary day Ging would find this to be completely satisfactory, but not today. Today Ging and Bullion rode a tourist bus full of addle-brained teenagers being poorly watched by the self-absorbed parents they will continue to leech off of for the next few years to come. The masses of them, loud and dripping in unearned sweat, snapped their pictures and oohed and awed at the sites before them.

TO be fair, Ging admitted, the World Tree was worth the praise.

“And if you look over here on our right.” Started the tour announcer as she was constantly cut off by screams and sounds of admiration. “That’s right, it is a sight to behold isn’t it?” She said keeping her calm. “Over here on the right, that’s the World Tree!” Her words grew muffled and blurry as Ging looked out the window himself, drowning out the sea of noises around him. Ging was not an avid connoisseur of crowds and cramped spaces and this bus ride was testing his patience far beyond his usual limit.

“Stop sulking in the corner!” Bullion shouted, the big enhancer wearing a horrendously silly hat and shirt he got from the overpriced merchandise seller. The shirt was too small, as most things were for the man, his hairy arms and belly showing made Ging laugh inside. Infact….Ging thought to himself as he reached over quickly and pulled a hair from Bullion’s stomach.

“Ow, you little shit!” Bullion screamed under his breath, trying not to startle the entire bus.

“It's grey hair,” Ging said teasingly. “Going to be hard picking up women with these showing, old man.”

“Shows how little you know, kid.” Bullion said with a smug look. “Women love a man with a little mileage.”

“Please never use that sentence again,” Ging said disgustedly. “And why couldn’t we just have run to the World Tree? We could have beaten this cursed bus with all the stops it makes.”

As if on command, the bus came to a stop and to Ging’s surprise, and delight it was the final stop.

“This will be the final stop for today folks!” The tour guide started. Ging was up off his feet and ran towards the exit before it even finished opening. He turned sideways and slid passed the barely opened door, taking a big breath of fresh air as soon as possible.

“So dramatic.” Bullion said from behind him. Two women were now wrapped around Bullion and he had an arm around each of them. “You girls have my number, call me later. My boy and I are off to the World Tree.” He said in departure. The girls were ogling the man as he did his best to seem strong and brave.

“Your boy?” Ging said with an exasperated look. “Who are you, strange man? I don’t know you, what have you done with my father!” Ging put all of his acting skills into the display.

Luckily for him, the women were easily convinced and the look on their faces mixed with Bullion's as he realized what Ging was doing was priceless. Ging took off at a quick run before the man could explain himself away from the situation.

Ging waited at the base of the World Tree, as tourist after tourist were heading towards him. The sun was at its peak and it was nearing lunchtime. The restaurants were doing their best to prepare for the oncoming buses and the influx of people coming back down from the tree. Crowds ran and split, and Jenny was flying around like the wind.

“Jenny,” Ging whispered to himself. Jenny was the whole reason he was here. After obtaining his Hunter Badge, Ging was hit with the biggest revelation of them all. Jenny rules the world. Ging wanted to explore the world, do things no one else had done, yet he couldn’t fund any expeditions even with his Hunters Badge. Bullion and Ging met while Ging was trying to do just that, and for whatever reason Bullion took Ging in. Bullion tried to his best ability to train Ging as he could, and Ging suspected that it was a part of Hunter’s Associations bidding long before Bullion admitted it was.

“Congratulations, Ging. You passed the final test” Bullion said in a past memory. “You’re an actual Hunter now that you know Nen.”

Ging remembers the feeling of Nen for the first time, and the potential it had on his life to open so many doors that were closed to him before...

“You devil!” Bullion shouted as he drop-kicked Ging comically in the back. Ging rolled the blow and recovered easily knowing the man had not hit him with even a modicum of force.

“Took you long enough, you big oaf,” Ging said, landing on his feet.

“Well, it wasn’t only to talk to pretty women.” Bullion said, smirking. The truth blended with the small lie so easily Ging decided to let it go, this time.

“And what else were you doing,” Ging asked as he decided to move the journey along.

Bullion wrestled with the cloth around his waist, which Ging knew to be his old shirt. He had it tied there simply because it was too big to fit in his pocket, and he didn’t carry any bags or packs with him.

“Thinking of how to describe what happens next.” Bullion said as he donned his old clothing. The shirt, which actually fit, made him seem much less like a muscle-bound nit and more like a decent Nen user, Ging thought to himself.

“Well, get on with it,” Ging said impatiently. The bus ride had put him in a sour mood, and Bullion’s bumbling wasn’t helping.

“Patience my young pupil.” Bullion insisted as he started walking towards the World Tree. “First things first.” Bullion handed Ging some papers he must have printed off days ago as they were crumbled up from being in his pockets. “These are the profiles of the crew I put together.” He explained. Ging had already figured that part out. He expected to hear about the party days ago but Bullion was being coy about it.

“Why the shyness with this party?” Ging questioned as he flipped through the pages, reading every last detail he could.

Bullion ignored the remark or got distracted. It was hard to tell sometimes, Ging admitted, but he was leaning towards the ignoring possibility.

“Oooh, I see you’ve stopped on Apple.” Bullion said excitedly. “She’s one of my favorites!” Bullion was practically drooling and he knew exactly why. Apple Mines was a voluptuous beauty with a dark complexion and finely ornate clothing. She wore her hair up in the picture and the description glossed over the wealth her family possesses and their ties to the Ten Dons.

“She will be in charge of camp maintenance and all things camp-related really.” Bullion said unsure of how to explain it. “You can see it there.” He pointed to the bottom of the page. “Her ability Hora Majordomo. She conjures a Nen Butler of sorts and they set up camp, make food, take care of all the chores.”

“By they, you mean her Nen Butler does all of this?” Ging said. “Judging by her wealth and the way she looks in this photo, Apple herself won’t help with fighting let alone with chores.”

“Correct.” Bullion said, giving Ging a face. “Not everything is about fighting. I’m starting to think you are an enhancer after all.”

“Yeeeah, you’d like that wouldn’t you.” Ging teased. “Speaking of enhancers.” Ging had two pages in his hands at that moment, a mother and daughter.

“Yeah, SilverDollar Mihaly and her daughter CopperNickel.” Bullion replied. “But you're smarter than that Ging. Silver’s not an enhancer like her daughter if you can't tell by the size difference.” Bullion teased the boy “Maybe I overestimated that youthful intelligence of yours.”

“Maybe I overestimated your ability to put a proper team together.” Ging said annoyed. “I’ll save my judgment until we finish these dossiers, but you’re not inspiring confidence Bullion.

“Oh, ye of little faith!” Bullion snorted and slapped Ging on the back. “Silver is here as a double deal. For one, she’s a damn good fighter, and her daughter knows how to back her up.”

“And for two?” Ging said, looking over Copper’s information.

“For two, she is brilliant with technology and anything surrounding it.” Bullion explained. He was looking around now, and Ging supposed this was where we would be meeting the other members they were currently discussing.

“What about CopperNickel?” Ging asked.

“Again, she’s also great in a fight, but she also accompanies her mom on these missions.” Bullion explained. “She has never gotten in the way and has only benefited us, so we never see the issue of her tagging along.”

“Dorus Apothilon and Sol Gaspard,” Ging said, moving the conversation along.

“Are right behind you.” Bullion said chuckling.

Ging turned slowly to face the last two members of the expedition that would hopefully help kick start the rest of his life.

Ging held the dossiers up in front of his face, matching them to the people before him. They only showed a mugshot of sorts, from the neck up so a lot of information had to be drawn from the descriptions. Dorus, whose description claimed an eccentric man with an eye for plunder and treasure matched it to the letter. One half of his head was buzzed, while the other side was a mohawk that swept over to the former side. He had dark-rimmed glasses, Ging wanted to assume were for decoration. How could he have an eye for treasure if he needed glasses? Ging thought to himself. He also wore a suit that was pink and trimmed in black. The dangling gold earring from his left ear dangled in the wind as Ging turned his attention to the man next to him.

“And you must be Ging.” The dark-skinned man said, smiling from ear to ear.

“And you must be Sol Gaspard,” Ging said with utter assurance.

“What gave me away?” Sol asked as he and Dorus approached Ging and Bullion.

“It says here, a man who rarely stops smiling,” Ging said, handing the papers back to Bullion.

“Fair enough,” Sol said as he and Bullion embraced in a quick hug. Dorus shook Bullion’s hand after and stayed quiet.

“I did expect a little more than that,” Sol said.

“What do you mean?” Ging asked, giving the man a look through squinted eyes.

“Well, Bullion here always talks about how intelligent you are,” Sol said as he turned around and the three of you followed him. “Don’t get me wrong, you do seem very bright, but it seems our friend here gave you too much information.”

“You wanted me to learn about this party without the dossiers?” Ging asked, amused with the man already. He carried himself with an utter confidence Ging admired. It wasn’t necessarily that Sol was the strongest or the smartest in the room, Ging thought. It was more of just a complete acceptance of who he was. No...Ging sighed mentally. He was also probably the strongest and smartest in most rooms he entered.

“It would have been more fun!” Sol said, shrugging.

Bullion laughed. “What’s fun about delaying our trip, Sol? We have daylight to burn and places to be!”

“Well, you might have to wait a little longer still. We are missing the last two members of our lovely group.”

“Missing one last member of our lovely group.” A loud but small woman said, appearing from Bullion’s blind spot. “Two days, I’ve been waiting, Bullion. You know I have much better things to do with my time than waiting for a bunch of hacks and,” She stopped. “A kid? What are you thinking Bullion?”

“He is just as capable as your kid, Silver.” Bullion said defensively.

Ging was surprised at the harshness in which his mentor replied. But the raw emotion got stuck in the enhancer's throat like spit. Coughing, Bullion quickly changed the topic. “Speaking of kids, where is young CopperNickel?”

The woman, who Ging now knew as Silver even if he could have guessed that easily enough, sighed as she spoke. “I told her to stay near, but..” Silver looked up at the massive tree that brought all the tourists here. “That was last night. I’m pretty sure she is at the top of that damn tree.”

“Well of course she is.” Bullion smiled. “The joys of youth!” He chuckled. “Ging, fetch the last member of our team would you?”

“I was going to climb that tree one way or the other,” Ging said, stretching. “How much time do I have?”

“We leave in two hours. Be back here or be left behind.” Bullion said, smirking.

Sol bent down to get closer to Ging's ear. “He is usually joking, but when it comes to being prompt for an expedition...Bullion doesn’t mess around.” The man was still smiling and Bullion was grinning from ear to ear. Ging rarely had trouble reading a situation but this one left little room for error. He decided he would stick to the schedule and not test his theory of Bullion being the biggest softy he ever met.

“Two hours then,” Ging said as he left without so much as a goodbye. “Stay out of trouble old man,” Ging yelled back to Bullion.

“Don’t fall and break your leg!” Bullion shouted back, enhancing his vocal cords. The effect he desired was achieved but the man underestimated his own strength as the surrounding bystanders covered their ears in pain. Idiot... Ging thought to himself as he snorted back a grin.

Waves of people still poured from the ramp leading up to the base of the World Tree. Ging passed around them like a fish in the ocean, weaving in and out with ease. He ignored the sneers and jeers as cups and snacks, souvenirs and gadgets fell from hands as Ging bumped into those who were in his way. He climbed to the 500-meter mark in record time, or so he told himself, having nothing to compare the time to.

“Halt!” A wiry balding man said as he sat in a comfy booth. “What are you doing all the way up here kid? Where are your parents?”

Ging couldn’t help but roll his eyes. The man meant well but Ging hadn’t needed parental guidance for a very long time. “I’m here to climb the World Tree,” Ging said casually, letting the mans’ comment slide for now. “A team member is already up there, and I’m here to fetch her.”

“A team member you say?” The man asked, fiddling with his mustache in amusement. “I’ve let a few past today, and I always fear for them, no matter what they say. Only one thing ever convinces me and washes away my worries.” The man was holding his heart, holding back tears as if he was an actor in a drama. Ging knew where this was going and by the time the man looked back down at Ging, Ging had reached in his pocket.

“I’m a Hunter,” Ging said, holding out his badge. “Now let me go up the tree already.” Looking around at the view made Ging’s blood rise. His heartbeat twice as hard just thinking about the possibilities this tree meant for the world.

“Ok, ok young Hunter, enjoy the view!” The man said hiding the surprise he clearly had. Ging left him there with his questions in a hurry.

Grabbing onto a nearby trunk, Ging flung himself high and continued with his momentum like he was born for this. He escalated like this for some time, the moments passing by without any attention from Ging. A small crevice showed itself as Ging flung himself far to the right. Landing near the crevice he reached it with two quick lifts of his arms, where he sat. He wasn’t tired, he just couldn’t resist. As he turned, sitting his hind end into the nook of the tree his eyes grew large at the view before him.

Ging saw everything. The trees which had up to this point felt large, shrunk to finger-sized protrusions. People stumbled around like ants, some driving in their ant vehicles speeding along the ant roads made before their lifetime.

Ging inhaled a lung full of breath and exhaled hard. No words left his mouth but a grin formed that couldn’t be washed away by the strongest of currents.

Without thought or hesitation Ging swung himself around and over. Grabbing the ledge above him and propelling himself upward. With the agility of a wild Tree Cat, he continued up and up the soaring heights of the World Tree. He didn’t stop to think about how far he had come or if he was close to the top, he just kept on.

He was lost so far in his scampering that when he cleared through a swath of leaves and branches opening into nothing but the sky he was breathless. Above him was nothing but clouds and the open sky. Never had he been this far above the world.

“Who are you?” Asked a tanned girl, who must have been CopperNickel, sitting cross-legged with her head comically to one side. Her red-brown hair tilted to the side was being lovingly chewed on by the giant bird-like creatures that filled the area next to her. Three of them sat mimicking her, with their heads tilted staring at Ging, while only the one stayed preoccupied with the girl's hair.

“I’m Ging.” Ging said catching the breath he forgot to let out in surprise.

“I thought I sensed someone coming up the tree!” The girl said rummaging in her pack. “How long did it take you to get up here from the 500-meter mark?” Copper asked.

Ging moved forward as the girl tossed something at him. Catching it he realized it was an apple, and shortly after, a bottle of water. “Maybe 25 minutes,” Ging said, having to really think hard. He didn’t want to admit how lost in the journey he was.

“Very good!” The girl said as she handled a giant fish. “I got so baffled in awe my first time that I had no idea how long it took me.” She said smiling.

“Where did you get that fish?!” Ging shouted. He realized at once it was a mistake as the big birds started mimicking him and cried out loud.

“SQUAK SQUAAAK!” They bellowed as Ging grew more and more annoyed.

“SHUT UP!” Ging yelled and to his surprise, they listened.

CopperNickel snorted. “Well, you sure fit in. I carried this fish up here to feed these babies. I guess I should have brought enough for you too.”

“These are babies?” Ging asked as he finally sat down as the adrenaline slowed.

“Look at them.” She said as she chopped the fish into smaller pieces. “Stunted, but budding intelligence, love to mimic and play, and they can’t leave the nest.” If these aren't babies, then they are not very good adults.”

The same bird from before started gnawing on her hair again as she finished prepping the fish. “Stop that little one. Let me feed you now.” She said brushing its beak away gently. Copper fed them each, piece by piece, and within minutes of finishing the meal they were dead asleep.

“Two days and I haven't seen the parents at all.” Copper said. She sighed. “I hope they can survive without me.”

“Creatures don’t need us.” Ging said somewhat coldly. “Life and death comes for them as it does for all things. If the parent wasn’t strong enough or abandoned their children, then the children need to be stronger than the parent.”

Copper stills her motions and gives the boy a strange look before turning away. Ging could feel her close off as she started to stare off into the clouds, some of them daring to caress her face but always receding.

They sat there for some time and Ging was tempted to apologize in order to keep the conversation alive. This girl was interesting and Ging didn’t entirely loathe her company but he decided to leave well enough alone and not start trouble where none needed to exist.

As they both starred in silence the birds began peeping in their slumber. The sound was peaceful along with the rustling of the wind. However, before Ging could settle in further to enjoy being at the top of the world, a thought crept into his mind.

“Shit!” Ging yells as he launches himself to his feet. “Let’s go, Copper, we were supposed to be back on the ship in two hours.”

Copper looked at Ging with a slight annoyance in her eyes, as the baby birds started to squawk out their annoyances of being woken up early.

“I’m guessing my mother sent you, or Bullion.” She said coldly. “You think they would send someone more competent than a small kid.” Standing up slowly, Copper brushed the dirt and the leaves from her pants.

“Yeah, yeah, I don’t imagine you're much older than me.” Ging said as he rushed over to the girl to grab her arm and get her moving.

“Age isn’t the only thing that breeds wisdom.” Copper said, pulling her arm from Ging’s grasp easily. “Keep up if you can, little kid.” Copper moved over to the edge as she talked. Turning to Ging she stuck her tongue out and leaned over the edge disappearing from Ging’s vision.

Rushing over to the edge to see what she was doing Ging activated Gyo without hesitation. He watched as the girl, confusing as she was, masterfully applied Nen around her feet and hands as she slid down the tree. Dodging branches and ruts like it was nothing, she left Ging's vision once again.

“Damn brat.” Ging swore to himself. “I knew that quip about the birds dying made her mad... but oh well.” Ging took a small breath and leaned over the edge mimicking the girl.

He drew his Nen to himself and slowly worked it down his body. It passed over his chest, down his legs, and into his feet where he focused on maintaining it. Without so much as a countdown or hesitation beyond that point, Ging dipped over and started freefalling. He tucked his head and arms in close to his legs for a roll as he began to smile. His heart raced in excitement as he turned through the air. He straightened in the air and grabbed a strong branch protruding out and swung around it. Aiming down, he planted his feet and kicked off, barreling down yet again. This time he was close enough to the tree to start running down it if necessary.

The necessity came quickly as his speed started rising beyond a point he thought safe. Lifting his arms up he slowed himself down minutely but more importantly, he lifted his torso up and landed his feet on the trunk of the World Tree. At first, he struggled to keep up with the speed, his legs feeling like they were getting left behind. It took all of his concentration to boost the grip of his steps with nen and slow down.

Ging was grinning from ear to ear, the wind whistling through his teeth and pulling his eyes back until they watered.

“Shit!” Ging yelled as his foot turned on a rut and he went head over heels. He corrected in the air turning like before and flipping himself over. The ground was approaching quickly so he poured everything he could into his nen and sent it into his feet and his legs.

At the base of the World Tree, Bullion, Dorus, and the newly arrived Copper stood.

“Where is that damn boy?” Bullion said looking at Dorus’s watch. He had the man’s arm pulled up to look at it, and Dorus was not enjoying the fact.

"He was still at the top when I left," Copper supplied.

“Maybe he got cold feet about getting down.” Dorus said, shrugging the best he could in the enhancers grip..

A loud crash stopped the conversation as a dust cloud formed next to the talking group.

“My feet are anything but cold.” Ging said as the cloud dissipated and he fell on his butt. “That was by far the best way to get down the world's biggest tree.”

“You crazy fool!” Bullion yelled. His roar was so loud that it physically pushed Ging's hair back.

“Whaat?” Ging said, holding his hand to his ear. “I don’t think anyone could possibly hear you, try to be louder next time.”

“Do you know how much money I spent in order to delay this ship!” Bullion could easily have been talking to himself by the way he was mumbling.

“Not as much money as I’ll make you!” Ging said brashly as he started walking toward the harbor. He was met with a quick slap to the head from Bullion.

“And you're going to be paying me back every last bit, you little scamp.” Bullion said as he pushed Ging.

“Stop, you're like a child, Bullion!” Ging said digging his heels in to make the big man's life miserable.

“You’re both like children.” Copper said, folding her arms. “I feel very safe knowing we are being led by such "capable" men.”

Dorus was walking by the two as Bullion struggled to budge Ging, the veins popping out from both of their necks as they strained for dominance. “Don’t lump me in the same group as those two please, Copper.” He quickly said, picking up his pace to the ship.

Bullion quickly stopped pushing against Gings back and Ging fell to the ground. “HA!” Bullion laughed. “I still have some old tricks to teach you it seems.”

“Yeah yeah..” Ging said, picking himself up easily. “Maybe you could teach her some manners while you're at it.” He flicked his head toward Copper's back as she walked away.

Bullion sighed in response. “She is usually very cheerful and polite. Maybe I need to teach you some manners.”

Ging shrugged. “I don’t need manners to get a job done. I just need you to keep your promises.”

“I'll keep my promise.” Bullion said leading Ging to the harbor where the ship awaited them.

Ging followed slowly behind as the conversation swirled around in his head.

Chapter Text

Ging had one main goal from this expedition. He was raising enough money to fund the REAL expedition—the one to uncover the mysteries of the Lurka Ruins... The yell of a familiar voice shattered Ging’s thoughts.

“Did I not just tell you to get on this damn boat?” Bullion yelled tauntingly. The slight smirk on his face helped contradict the seriousness in his tone, and anyone who didn’t know him would have missed it.

Ging scampered onto the boat with the agility that far surpassed most people his age.

“Damn kid.” Bullion said, swiping at Ging as he passed by, missing his head by an inch. “Meet the rest of the crew on the main deck, I’ll be there soon.”

“Don’t take too long, old man,” Ging said, already sprinting for the main deck.

“Just try and be friendly, you wild boar.” Bullion shouted to Ging’s back.

Ignoring the advice to meet people, Ging scaled the mast, all the way up to the Crows Nest, as he heard it called while he lived on Whale Island. When he reached the top, he looked down, and he was able to survey the scene below him, but it also allowed some time to himself. He just stared out into the ocean and let the cold, salty air wash around him. After some time, he started hearing the sound of footsteps and the ever-familiar sound of human interactions.

“Is everyone here?” Bullion started. “Who cares if anyone isn’t! Apple can fill them in. She is the main coordinator for this voyage. Apple will plan expenses, food, clothing, and even the weather. She will plan the way you all breathe, walk, and talk as far as I’m concerned. But I am the leader of this crew, and everything comes through me, sound good?”

The regular crewman nodded their heads, intimidated by the big blond enhancer. Bullion was a hulking figure Ging admitted, but he knew better than to think Bullion didn’t care about everyone aboard.

Apple Mines took over the conversation after Bullion had finished. She wore a smile on her face accentuated by bright red lipstick that matched her elegantly tight dress. Her hair was pinned up by an ornate dagger that must have cost more than this ship and the crew combined.

“That’s enough of the fear tactics Bullion, let me take care of the journey, and you handle the heavy lifting.” The smiles they traded suggested a long history between them, but Ging was not interested in asking for more details as he remembers how much Bullion was drooling over her dossier photo. A small shudder ran through his body at the memory.

Ging listened as Apple explained the particulars of what would be happening in the next few days. The general outline was that the four-day trip by water would consist of Nen training and careful planning. Seeing as no one knew what to expect from this island they intended to land on, improvisation was paramount.

During Apple’s tedious explanation the crew was working hard and had the ship out to sea within minutes of Ging’s arrival. They let him stay in the Crow’s Nest after he proved his eyesight was far more keener than all the crew members except maybe Dorus, who had sharp eyes despite wearing glasses. Dorus was in charge of “treasure finding” as Bullion had put it to Ging.

“Dorus can find a tear in the ocean.” Bullion said in Ging’s memory.

“What that man can do with his Nen ability is nothing short of heavenly. He will be the main reason we make as much Jenny as we do on this trip, but he drives a hard bargain.”

“What does he ask for?” Ging asked, curiosity edging his question.

“Dorus is a bit of an eccentric. He keeps something from every trip, and he always keeps the most... “unique” treasure as he puts it. This unique treasure could be the most expensive artifact in the world, or worth nothing; it doesn’t bother him. But it is a gamble for us.

Ging was pulled out of his thoughts by a bell that sounded two times. The ship hosts three meals a day, and they add a bell for each meal. Two rings means it was lunchtime.

Ging arrived on the main deck as Apple was serving the meal. Well, actually Apple wasn’t doing anything except lounging around and tanning in the sun. Her Nen ability, Hora Majordomo, conjured a Nen Butler that could set up a living area in mere seconds and tend to Apples every need. One part of her covenant that she set was the power can only last up to one hour, thus the name.

“Gather round, gather round,” Apple said curtly. “Today my Majordomo has prepared slow-cooked chicken smothered in tropical fruit sauce with a side of fresh vegetables, no carrots, I hate carrots, and some wine from my own personal cellars whose name I won’t even waste on your deaf ears.”

Her statement couldn’t have been more true as the crew was already moving towards the plates as the rich smell wafted around them. Majordomo was smiling as he handed plate after plate to the starving crew members not used to meals of this quality.

“Ging my boy!” called a husky voice lined with humor. It was Sol Gaspard, the One Star Beast Hunter Bullion hired for this trip. He excels at capturing Beasts, or people and is very strong in a fight. Or so Ging has been told.

“I see you have been learning to control your Nen a bit better?” Sol asked, knowingly.

“Were you watching me, Sol?” Ging asked. “Or did someone tell you about my time up the World Tree?”

Sol grinned an even wider grin, which Ging didn’t know was possible. Sol was always smiling; he was a man who found happiness in places no one else could. It wasn’t in a sappy way, the young man of 23 years just insisted on being happy, and only a few people have seen the smile fade from his face, and none will talk about it.

“Now you know the answer to that Ging, don’t you?” Sol said.

“Both,” Ging replied, returning the smile as they both sat down to eat. “I know what I need to do. What my Nen should be doing, but at times it feels like I just don’t have enough.”

“During this mission or journey as you would have it, your training will be on the top of your priority list, same with Bullion’s. Don’t let his greed fool you. He is dedicated to you as his student.”

“Even above riches? Even above women?” Ging smirked. “That seems unlikely.” They both watched as Bullion and Silver were hunched over a table scattered with maps and notes. Their plates untouched, and the food getting cold, both of them struggled to separate.

“Tell me, Ging, what do you see between those two?” Sol asked.

“The same thing everyone else sees,” Ging said curtly. “Two grown adults too afraid to confess their feelings for each other.”

Sol laughed an easy laugh, not one that would make you feel lesser or ashamed. “You are far smarter than that Ging. At times, I can’t tell if you only reply with the answer you think I want to hear or the answer you want to say.”

Ging sighed lightly and didn’t even finish chewing before he spoke. “They love each other and have a lot of history. Bullion is afraid to bring her on the trip but not afraid to bring me and Copper. If anything happens to Copper, he couldn’t face Silver anymore. If anything happens to me, he couldn’t face himself.”

Sol continued to smile, his dark skin glistening in the afternoon sun and his closed eyes giving nothing of his thoughts away.

“Both of them are known for coveting greed above all things, but this journey is more about finding treasure on an island, and...something else. Something Bullion won’t even trust me with.”

“Have you deciphered what that is yet?” Sol asked.

“Aside from it being related to the island...no,” Ging said, this time finishing his mouth full of chicken.

“When you figure it out, I’ll show you how to hone your Nen. Do we have a deal?” Sol said.

“You’ll teach me anyways,” Ging said truthfully.

Sol laughed. “Am I so easy to read, Ging?”

The rest of the meal was idle chatter. Sol got distracted and turned away, talking with the sailors that surrounded the table. Ging didn’t mind, however, and simply watched the people around him. People watching was one of Ging’s favorite activities to do. There weren't many people on Whale Island, but Ging developed a keen eye to pick up on the body language of both people and animals. Sol and the sailors were calm and at ease. Bullion and Silver appeared close and content with each other’s company. Apple was hiding some tension in her shoulders as she continued to sunbathe as her Nen Butler did all the work. Dorus wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and CopperNickle appeared sad as she ate by herself.

Ging continued to watch the young woman as she hardly touched her food and stared out towards the sea cranes. Ging turned his gaze away before it became too obvious he was staring. The girl was probably just upset that her mother left her to sit with Bullion, but there might be something else there. Maybe it dealt with the “something” else Bullion wasn’t telling him. Ging filed away this possibility with the list of possible scenarios of how this expedition will go in his head. If he gets the chance, he might talk to Copper to see if she heard anything else about this trip from her mom if she wasn’t still too sore about the small incident up in the World Tree.

Contemplating his next course of action Ging decided it was time to just ask. Sol had long left Ging’s side to attend to other duties, but Ging’ knew where to find him. The dark-skinned man was never without company, as not only did his personality not allow it, others naturally flocked to the smile infested beast hunter.

“No, no no take your time. Sol said, brushing the head of a four-legged creature. One of the sailors that surrounded Sol and the beast was reaching out to touch the animal but was hesitant about it. At first, the man was going very slowly proceeding cautiously. But then for whatever reason, he jerked a little just before he made contact, and the small beast turned its eyes to him, and they glowed a deep blue.

“That’s a Sea Wolf,” Ging said instantly, turning the wolf's attention to him. In doing so, the man was able to back away in time, and the creature now starred at Ging, but its eyes were back to normal, small pearl-like eyes.

“This is indeed a Sea Wolf,” Sol said as Ging approached.

“I’ve seen them on Whale Island a few times; they are notoriously hard to catch,” Ging said now only inches from the animal. As if it was an ordinary creature, he reached over and petted the creature on top of its head, plucking a scale from it. Sol smiled as the creature made a cooing sound and leaped for the water and into the ocean.

“What’s a Sea Wolf doing in one of the major oceans?” Ging asked, finally showing some sign of uncertainty.

“Well gentlemen, this is what a natural Hunter looks like. A good Hunter can make friends with any beasty.” Sol said, ignoring Ging’s last question.

The men were in awe at Ging and Sol as none of them had an ounce of Nen potential among them. They talked amongst themselves for a few moments while Ging stood there waiting.

“Sol, will you teach me to control my Nen?” Ging asked, doing his best not to interrupt any ongoing conversations.

Sol’s smile grew bigger, which was a feat Ging thought impossible as the man’s smile already consumed the majority of his face. It only made the man more welcoming somehow, the contagious way about him seemed unbelievably warm to the touch.

“I was waiting for you to hit a dead end, working by yourself,” Sol said.

“It’s not a dead-end,” Ging said, scratching his chin. “I just want to make sure I'm doing it right.”

“Indeed young Hunter!” Sol said, slapping Ging on his back. “Excuse us sailors, but it appears I have some work yet to do today.” The man said their goodbyes and parted ways; they themselves had jobs to do before the sun went down.

“Where are we going?” Ging asked as he followed the young man.

“You need a partner,” Sol said simply.

“Why can’t you be my partner?” Ging asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“CopperNickel! Please come out here for a few moments.” Sol shouted outside the cabin, Copper and her mother were sharing. Copper opened the door shortly after the man had called for her.

“What is it, Sol?” She asked, wiping the sweat from her head with a towel. She was in a different change of clothes since earlier, heavy shorts and a heavy jacket.

“Why are you wearing those heavy clothes, and why did you call for Copper?” Ging asked, already knowing the answer. He was letting his emotions get the better of him and he knew it.

“Copper here will be your training partner,” Sol said moving again, this time for the center of the ship.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Copper asked from the doorway, refusing to move. “I was already training by myself. I don’t need a little kid slowing me down.” She slammed the door as Ging and Sol turned their backs.

“Well, good, I didn’t want her as a partner in the first place,” Ging said, making sure it was loud enough to hear beyond the cabin doors.

Sol's smile never wavered; in fact, he chuckled slightly. “Reminds me of a friend of mine.” He said, facing Ging. “Very well, today you will train alone.”

Ging hurried behind Sol as the man’s big steps outpaced Ging’s small ones. On reaching the center of the ship, Sol raised his fingers and started touching the main mast of the ship that Ging climbed earlier. He went around the whole mast, and when he finished, he just smiled at Ging.

“What kind of training is this, Sol?” Ging asked, still annoyed from earlier.

“You have only the mere inkling of understanding Nen.” Sol said, his smile helping to ease what could be taken as an insult to some. He raised his hand up and held it in the air. You’ve been told all the main components of Nen by Bullion. “Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.” You’ve even seen Apple’s signature ability Horo Majordomo, or her One Hour Butler. To strengthen these main tenants, we will start training on some of these basics, this one is called Gyo.” As Sol said Gyo the little bit of Nen he was summoning went over his eyes.

“Gyo is when you concentrate Nen into your eyes, to see what was hidden by Nen. Now you try Ging.”

Ging already knew about Gyo but did as Sol instructed and transferred his nen into his eyes. When he did so he saw not only what was in the palm of Sol’s hand but what he wrote around the mast also. In the center of Sol's hand was a small smiley face, which Sol couldn’t help but chuckle at when he saw the annoyance on Ging’s face when he saw it. Ging circled around the mast now as he walked closer. Finishing the circle he turned to Sol and started talking.

“I see a circle, a square, a triangle, and a cross.”

Sol nodded his head in reply as he spoke. “Very good, now that you understand Gyo, you will practice it.” Sol lowered his hand, he had the Nen smile on and the shapes disappeared from the mast as Ging looked at them. “I hope you remembered where each shape was on the mast Ging,” Sol said through a smile.

“Of course, I did Sol,” Ging said with assurance. “Square, north, Triangle south, Cross west and the Circle to the east.”

“Very good Ging, my boy,” Sol said now moving to stand near the edge of the ship and Ging finally relaxed his Gyo from his eyes, the strain starting to cause some exhaustion.

“The game is this. Whenever I hold up my palm as I did earlier.” Sol said as he demonstrated, holding his palm up again. “I will make a shape and you will need to use Gyo to determine the shape. The shape will be there only briefly and after you see it, you need to run to the correct side of the mast and touch it with your hand. If you fail, I'll throw you overboard and you must find your own way back on the ship.” The smile on Sol's face was rarely mischievous but Ging thought he saw teeth showing like some evil sprites.

Without responding Ging instantly used Gyo after realizing that Sol had his hand up the whole time. Focusing intently Ging barely made out a shape in the palm of Sol’s hand but it had just finished fading.

“You have failed on seeing the shape it would seem,” Sol said. “Either guess quickly or get ready to swim.”

Without hesitation, Ging ran for the mast and touched his hand to the east side of the mast where the circle was earlier.

“Ooooh, was that just a lucky guess?” Sol asked laughing faintly.

“No,” Ging replied. “You made a circular smiley face earlier out of your own volition. I’m guessing you like that shape so naturally, I assumed you would make the circular shape again. Also, you made the circle last out of the four shapes.”

“What does that matter young Ging?” Sol asked with itching curiosity.

“Earlier when we were eating, you saved the chicken for last and took longer to eat it than the others. Sometimes that means the person doesn’t like it, but for others, they save the best for last.”

“And I am one of the latter?” Sol asked. “How did you figure that out?”

“I just confirmed it now.” Ging said, smiling. “You’re from Meteor City. You probably went most of your childhood never knowing the taste of real meat other than rats and stray dogs. You are also a Beast Hunter, one who would rather capture than kill. You respect the animal the meat came from but understand life isn’t to be wasted feeling guilty for every death among the millions that occur.”

What a marvelous intuition. Sol thought to himself. This boy is more of a Hunter than I will ever be and at such a young age.

“Very well Ging, let’s continue. Move back to your starting position.” Sol said as he raised his palm with a smile.

Ging and Sol trained late into the afternoon. Ging was so enamored with the game and the difficulty of it that he lost track of time. They trained through the three bells signifying the last meal for the day. Sol would alternate the symbols he made very quickly causing Ging to run back and forth at such speeds that the crew members struggled to keep up. Ging ended up overboard several times, usually from Sol adding rules or Ging messing up only slightly. Before the moon overtook the sun and the last light fell they had an audience. Nearly everyone sparred a moment to watch the training of the young man they met just this morning.

“I think it is time to take a rest.” Sol said. The young man was standing in the same spot as before not having moved a single inch. The intensity of the training left little room for his thoughts to wander and now they rushed into his head.

“You’re thinking of ways to make the game harder,” Ging said grinning. “Show me what you thought of Sol!” Ging was bouncing on his feet. He had long stripped himself of his shirt and wore only his thick cargo pants, covered in water from his recent trip off the ship.

“Oh no, not tonight Ging. There is a saying of, too much too soon.” Sol said, finally taking his first step in hours. “We will pick up training again tomorrow morning, you have three more days before the island, use it well.”

“I think I will take another trip around the boat,” Ging said as the two walked separate directions.

“Don’t stay out too long Ging. Rest is as important as training.” Sol said, giving the boy a smile.

“I can’t sleep much right now, I need to burn off more energy,” Ging replied as he dove into the ocean. “Goodnight Sol.”

“Goodnight Ging,” Sol said, his smile wavering ever so slightly.

Bullion appeared next to Sol then with a massive grin on his face as well. “Don’t let his rest habits worry you.” Bullion said. “I told him if he feels like he can’t sleep then he needs to go earn it. Hopefully, that gives him a reason to shut his head off at night.”

“Or make it worse,” Sol said to the enhancer as they walked back to the cabins. “You like to feed fire with fire and I like to nurture it with wind.”

“Either way the fire gets bigger.” Bullion said slapping the young man on the back. “I tell you what, you try to wear him out your way and see if it helps. I won’t stand in your way.”

“I wouldn’t try wearing him out, Bullion, I would teach him to learn to calm his mind,” Sol said as they reached the doors for their respective cabins.

“Teach him, Sol.” Bullion said, dropping his smile. “I can show the kid a lot of things, but slowing down won’t be one of them.”

Bullion opened and entered his room, shutting the door behind him before Sol could respond. The big enhancer was not very fond of asking for help and Sol knew it.

Ging swam alongside the big ship that he was training on moments ago. His mind was at ease as the familiar strokes he made carried him forward. He knew Bullion was watching him and Sol train towards the end of the night. They were obviously training Ging in their own styles, each providing what the other could not, and Ging had an idea of what they would discuss before they parted ways for the night. He knew they would discuss him and how to train him, and that they would have differing opinions on how. The truth is Bullion had tried without success so he will tell Sol to try as well. Ging knew both of them misunderstood him and who he was but let these ideas drowned in the water he swam in. Instead, Ging did one more lap around the ship and climbed his way back onto the ship exhausted and pushed to his limit. This was similar to Bullion's method of falling asleep he knew, something an Enhancer would love. And it wasn’t a complete failure Ging thought to himself as he dried himself off once he was aboard the ship.

“If your head won't let you sleep, then just tire it out!” Bullion said in a memory.

Ging was theorizing that Sol would have an approach in quite the opposite direction. He assumed Sol would want Ging to slow his mind and learn to calm the storm of ideas that beat against his head. Neither of these worked, Ging knew. The only thing that gave Ging rest was when he felt absolutely and utterly accomplished. So he walked to his cabin and laid in his bed, his body ready to fail, and his mind ready to move forward. Ging knew he would never stop moving forward, but sometimes the journey was longer than the road and he had to wait for it to catch up. So he laid there thinking of the next days to come and building his road for the trip ahead until he fell asleep and succumbed to the blackness that would let him continue to pave forward.

Chapter Text

The next morning was similar to that of the one before. Apple set out an elaborate breakfast as the first bell rang early in the morning. Sol had the crewman gather around as he showed them a Claw Beaked-Eagle that was common out in the waters but rarely landed on ships. Ging ate alone today, watching the ship and its inhabitants go about their morning. He knew Sol would do a similar training routine today but maybe this time with something to try and slow Ging down, so Ging decided to change the day up a little.

He picked himself up and strode towards Bullion and Silver as they yet again gathered around a table to discuss the plans for the arrival on the island.

“Hey Bullion. Apple was asking for you in her private chambers later today. She wanted me to pass the message along.” Ging said as they both looked up at him. Silver’s face grew beet red and Bullion had a huge grin form across his face.

“Tell her I will be by later….” Bullion said with his voice catching in his mouth as he glanced over to see Silver’s embarrassed red turning to that of anger.

“You tell that pompous prim nosed hussy to fall in a pit of Red Viper Snakes and to act more like a grown adult.” Silver fired off in quick succession. The words came out so fast Ging was certain she had said them before and most certainly about Apple as well.

“You hear that Apple?!” Ging shouted back towards the eating area.

“Yeah, I heard that loud silver rat from all the way over here, who couldn’t? Tell her I don’t know why the little mouse is mad today but she needs to stay away from me or I’ll have Bullion remove her from my presence.” Apple said curtly as she fanned her face with a decorated fan from home.

Silver was moving with thundering stomps before Apple finished talking, and Bullion was just as fast at restraining her.

“Let it go Silver, just think about the Island.” Bullion said whispering in her ear. At the mention of the Island and the journey to come Silver’s entire demeanor changed and Ging took note yet again. He was missing something about this trip and he would find out the secret he vowed.

The next few moments were a handful of mean faces and jeers between the two adult women who seemed to grow more fickle with each passing moment. Ging’s true goal was approaching him as he stared at them posturing like children.

“Not a lot of people can get away with pushing my mom’s buttons like that and live to tell the tale,” CopperNickel said walking up next to Ging.

“I saw you training last night with Sol.” Copper continued as the two youngest of the expedition walked off away from the drama that was coming to an end.

“It was a fun game,” Ging said. “But Sol will make me do the same thing today.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Copper asked curiously.

“I don’t think I will make any mistakes with his version of the game, it’s too easy now,” Ging replied as they both arrived at the mast. Ging was leading the conversation and the walk to where he wanted it to go. He knew Copper was stronger than him currently and better with Nen. She may not be as good as Sol but she doesn’t have the restraint of an adult. And right now Ging wanted less restraint and more possibilities.

“You think you have mastered his game in one day?” Copper asked doubtfully. “That game is rather taxing on the regular person you know?”

“Well neither of us are regular people are we?” Ging asked, smirking.

They were walking around the mast now talking and thinking. Copper knew where the conversation was headed but was playing along. She had been lonely for some time, her mother barely speaking to her even when they shared the same room. She was also very skilled for her age which put her above most of her peers.

“Could you help me make the game more enjoyable, Copper? Make it more fun?” Ging came out and just asked.

“I think I could...but what ideas do you have for the game?” Copper asked, stopping and looking at Ging. She was still surprised that this boy claims to have mastered the first version of the game but was willing to humor him for some company. If he was this good, maybe she finally found someone who could keep up with her?

“Well for starters, Sol didn’t do anything the whole time. What fun is training someone if you don’t even participate? I think we make the symbols on these shells, like so.” Ging started writing the same symbols as before on four shells he got while swimming throughout the night.

“Then I will hide two of them, and you hide two of them?” Copper interjected.

“I was thinking we just throw them, but I like yours better.” Ging agreed, handing two shells to Copper.

“Then we return to the mast and have a race. The loser has to tie a weight to themselves. The first to ten weights lose.” Copper said, demonstrating as she pulled a piece of thin metal from her pocket and tying it to Ging’s offered arm. Ging was surprised at the thin metal as his arm slowly started falling as he strained to keep it lifted. Copper saw the look on his face and grinned.

“These are the training weights I had my mom make for me. She manipulates metal and I had her increase the density and lower the size.”

“How much do they weigh?” Ging said as they removed the one from his arm. “I’m guessing twenty pounds?”

“Yeah these ones are twenty pounds but I have fifty and one-hundred-pound ones as well,” Copper said nonchalantly.

Ging felt he definitely underestimated Copper but he wasn’t at all sad about this. In all honesty, he was even more thrilled now that he had schemed to have her as a training partner.

“Then whoever loses the first round of ten has to put on the fifty-pound weight to start the next match.” Ging proposed.

“Do you think you can handle that?” Copper asked, frowning. She didn’t mean it as an insult but realized what she said quickly after she said it. “I mean, not that you are weak or anything.” She said, trying to backtrack. Her head was flustered as she thought to herself. You blasted idiot, you finally have someone to train with and you go and insult them.

“Who knows,” Ging said grinning. “But I want to find out, really bad. Are you ready to start?” He asked her, pressing the two shells hard into his palms.

Copper nodded as she let her shoulders ease. “Keep up if you can, Ging.” And on the count of three, they leapt to hide the shells and begin the first game.

---

Ging and Copper stopped only to eat when the lunch bells rang twice, then again when they rang thrice later that night. Apple provided exquisite meals on each occasion while her Nen conjured butler did all the work. Silver and Bullion talked amongst themselves or went over the plans for the landing that was soon to arrive. Halfway through the trip and Ging felt like his knowledge of Nen was already much higher, even if the training of it would take longer he was more prepared. Copper was by far the best training partner Ging had ever had. She was physically superior to him and pushed as hard as Ging pushed himself which was something he was not used to.

Sol watched for the majority of their training happily surprised at the innovations they applied to his game. After a few hours, the young man spent some time with the crewmates, talking of beasts of the ocean and the possible creatures on the island.

Ging and Copper stayed up late again changing the rules and entirely abandoning the game at some point. They were in a steep competition trying to find each other only with their En. Blindfolded, they stumbled along the main deck in the dark and if one sensed the other in their En they would tag them and so on. At first, Copper had the far superior En reaching three times farther than Ging’s. A few hours into the night, Ging had increased his En and was no longer easy pickings for Copper.

“Copper! I’m off to bed, don’t leave your weights on the deck!” Silver shouted as she and Ging were ten feet from each other. Their En auras were shrinking now, the long day straining them farther than they would admit.

“Ok,” Copper said quietly but as she did so, Ging launched for the direction her voice came from. Copper heard the strain in his throat as he pounced and put her hand out in a wild guess. Her longer reach saved her as Ging closed the distance.

“I win!” Copper said, dropping her En.

“I think it was a tie.” Ging countered dropping his as well.

The two stood in silence for a moment and then collapsed. They sat there exhausted and in shock, surprise on both of their faces as they took their blindfolds off. With spit flying, they both laughed loudly falling on their backs trying not to flail too wildly.

“I don't think I’ve ever been this tired,” Copper said, clutching her sides.

“Me either,” Ging said sitting up to rest on his knees. “Usually no one can keep up with me. They give up early or just get tired.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Copper said, still laying on the cold wood deck. The moon was full and lit up the area so well that nothing was hidden even at night. “In Meteor City it is really hard to find friends. Sometimes I'm jealous when Sol talks about the friends he made there.”

“To be fair, Sol could make friends anywhere,” Ging said.

“I guess you have a point,” Copper said as they both started laughing again.

They laid their backs on the ground facing up towards the stars and the moon that threatened to eat them whole.

“It feels like we are so close to the moon I could touch it,” Copper said reaching up for it.

“You should see what it’s like on Whale Island.” Ging said reminiscing. “When you’re fishing at night atop the trees and the moon comes up even closer than it is now. There is no one there to disturb you and no one else there to witness it, it almost feels like the moons there just for you.”

Ging didn’t miss Whale Island but it was a great memory to have.

“Who did you live with, back on your island?” Copper asked.

“My dad and grandma. My uncle, aunt, and cousin Mito lived nearby. Some townsfolk and a lot of sailors coming and going.” Ging replied easily.

“Do you miss them?” Copper asked.

“No,” Ging said nonchalantly. “I don’t much care for the past. If I could never stop moving forward, I would.”

“You make it sound like the past will catch up to you anyway?” Copper asked, standing up.

“The past always catches up,” Ging said, doing the same.

“You are a little too young to try and be so philosophical,” Copper said chuckling. “What makes you so certain of that?”

“Just a hunch, I suppose,” Ging said as they began walking back to the cabins. They were quiet as they walked, limping and sore. The exhaustion from the day was seeping into their bones and even Ging knew he would sleep tonight.

“Well, goodnight Ging. Thanks for the fun game. Try to be more of a challenge next time.” Copper said, shutting the door behind her. Ging just laughed to himself and entered his cabin.

Bullion was snoring on his bed almost falling off as one hand scraped against the floor. Ging found his way to his bed and laid down. On most occasions when he was this sore he still struggled to find sleep but tonight he eased into it almost naturally and was asleep in an hour.

---

Ging woke with the sun before the first bell rang and got washed and dressed. “RIIING” Went the bell shortly after he finished and was making his way for the door. Bullion heard the sound and shot up in a hurry, but the dangling arm had long since fallen asleep itself and it dangled around non-threatening as he stood.

“Hurry up you big oaf, the food will get cold,” Ging said as he opened the door.

“Hey hey, close that door, I’m not dressed, you little scamp!”

“Oh please, every woman this side of the ocean has probably seen you,” Ging said teasing him while he swung the door open and closed.

“Would you stop that!” Bullion said as he got dressed in a hurry. “We have a young lady on board!”

“I’m just fanning out the smells,” Ging replied as he moved the door faster and faster. He felt the soreness in his arm as he did so but the joke was too funny to let slip away.

“I’m interested to see what the young lady's mom would do if she saw you like this,” Ging said grinning. “Hey Silver!” Ging started yelling before Bullion moved at lightning speed, kicking the boy out the door and slamming it.

“That’s what you get you goblin!” Bullion yelled outside the door.

“Don’t take too long putting your makeup on Bullion,” Ging yelled back as he started looking around, barely scratched by the big man's kick. He really is a softy, Ging thought to himself. Ging finally found what he was looking for and grabbed a wooden plank nearby pinning it against the door handle and the ground. He started walking away just as Bullion tried turning the handle but to no avail.

“What in the bloody hells?” Ging heard Bullion whisper. “Oh you slippery trash monster!” he yelled.

“Slippery trash monster?” Copper said laughing as she appeared behind Ging.

“Anger does wonders for insults. I think I will remember that one.” He said as Bullions kicked the door into splinters and poked his head full of bed hair out to see where Ging was.

“Aaaaah didn’t make it very far did you!” He said as he sprinted for Ging.

He managed to put some clothes on but they were loose and thrown on in a hurry.

“Bullion, your pants are falling down!” Ging shouted and pointed. The big man stopped in a hurry as he saw Copper next to Ging and panicked.

“I’m so sorry Copper, so sorry!” The big oaf said as he hiked up his pants unnecessarily high and ran back to the cabin with the broken door.

Ging and Copper waited for him to enter the room, trying their hardest to hold in the laughs that threatened to escape. But as soon as he entered it they both released a great booming laugh and headed for breakfast.

They arrived shortly after the dishes had been served and Majordomo quickly served them with a smile. Sitting down, they began to eat as Bullion arrived minutes after looking a lot more professional. He thanked the Nen Butler, as he was served a plate and took a seat in the circle where Sol and the sailors were in. Everyone ate quickly and put their dishes in a pile and were ready to head off to the morning duties before Bullion stopped everyone.

“I’ve talked with the Captain thoroughly on the matter and it appears we will arrive on the Island tomorrow morning.” Bullion said holding his hand up for everyone's attention. “Me and Silver have finalized the plans and I would like to go over them tonight so they are fresh in everyone's mind. We will also be having a party tonight, so think of today as a rest day for all those who can.”

He stood there for a while not realizing he had to say he was done. “Uuuh, right so until tonight that’s everything... Thanks.” Bullion added as he left.

Everyone went to work and Ging and Copper agreed to rest today. They didn’t want to be sore and tired in the morning when they arrived on the Island.

The sailors worked as usual and Ging helped out where he could. Lunch came quickly and the food was as delicious as ever. The crew earned themselves a long lunch and Apple had Majordomo manifest some games. Ging and Copper, Sol, and even Bullion and Silver played along as the crew gambled the meager earnings they had accumulated so far. One man made more than he would in a year off of Bullion and Ging was tempted to take it back, but decided the young man had earned it.

After the break, the crew members went back to work and Copper withdrew to her cabin. Ging, not wanting to spend any time indoors, decided to go fishing. They did not need the food as Apple had thought out every meal and the amount they would need, so he tossed the fish back in the ocean one after the other until the third bell rang as the sun began descending down.

“Ok ok let’s get down to business.” Bullion said with crumbs all over his face. Everyone had just finished eating and was stuffed so full, no one felt like moving. Majordomo was handing out drinks to the adults and sweets to the two youngest in the crew, Ging and Copper. Ging decided to try the miniature castle cake when Copper gave a face not short of pure bliss.

“When we arrive, two teams will head for the shore." Bullion said, taking a drink from Silver. “Thank you.” He replied. “So Team A will be Me, Silver, Copper, Ging, and Dorus. Team B will be Sol, Apple, and three crew member volunteers. We will all work our ways to the ruins, which will take a few hours. Team A will scout the ruins while Team B sets up camp and scouts the outside area during daylight. From there everything gets messy. The plan depends entirely on what we find on the first day, but my thoughts are we will need to go deeper before any progress is made.”

No one interrupted the man as he talked, most stuffing their faces with drinks or desserts and listening intently. This whole mission relied heavily on the next few days so not even the best tasting desserts they ever had would cause them to lose focus. Or at least all of their focus.

“I am almost certain that the first few hours will be nothing more than us dipping our feet in the water. After the first scouts are successful we move deeper into the island and set up a base for the night. Apple, Sol, and the three volunteers will stay at this camp for the rest of the expedition. What you do for this time is up to you. Bring entertainment if you aren't feeling particularly curious.”

Bullion jokes, getting a few chuckles. “Team A will scout further that night, not being able to stop themselves and hopefully find something shiny.” This joke drew more chuckles and the man gained some confidence. “Day Two is where the fun starts. The plan goes to shit from here because I have no idea what we will find or see. I’ll tell you all now and again in the morning. Anyone who volunteers has Sol protecting you and that means a lot, but anything can happen. Only come on this journey at your own risk.”

“What kind of extra pay can we expect from volunteering?” One of the sailors asked while the others nodded in agreement.

“To be honest.” Bullion started. “We have debated on that topic for some time, me and Silver. We understand that most crews didn’t want to ferry our little group and your captain here was the only one we could find. That either implies mass stupidity or logical fear.”

Bullion let the silence set in while he weaved the words around on his tongue. “We have the names of everyone present and plan to donate 10% of the findings as an extra thank you when the journey is all done. As this process could take some time between appraisals and finding buyers. What I do know is that any who volunteer will be given one year equal to your current wage. If the volunteer dies, we will make sure their family is given enough to stay comfortable with. Your captain can attest to my word on this, I won't offer any more proof than that.”

“Aye, we can drink to those terms.” The same sailor said and lifted a glass and everyone took a drink except the two young members.

The talk and the following questions went on for some time, culminating in more drinks than most could handle. Ging couldn’t help but linger on the plans and the very handsome pay that was being offered to the volunteers. Bullion was a big softy but he rarely was this generous, and Ging couldn’t shake the feeling of some plans left unsaid.

As the night went on and the drinks started to slow, Ging decided to do a little prying. He knew from the sailors back on Whale Island that men always talk when they were drunk and all he had to do was ask the right questions. Bullion was attempting to bait Sol into an arm-wrestling match after failing to convince the man to fight him.

“Come on!” Bullion yelled with an even mixture of anger and joy. He was grinning ear to ear showing every last tooth that he could, the ones in the back gold or metal, after he lost them either in fights or using his power Atlas’s Burden. His ability let him go into a type of trance where he could lift or hold an immense weight. The limits were unknown to Ging but he didn’t doubt the man could hold up a small mountain if his life depended on it.

“Why don’t you arm wrestle the other enhancer on the ship,” Sol said with his trademark smile. Sol had barely anything to drink and was as sober as the day he was born.

“What?! You mean Copper?” Bullion asked. Yeah sure why not, it’s not like I’ll get anywhere with you, you big baby.”

Ging and Copper were still next to each other as neither of them fit in anywhere else and Ging hearing what was happening turned to Copper.

“Can you do me a favor, Copper?” Ging said quickly as Bullion stumbled towards them.

“A favor?” She asked, taking her eyes off of the big drunk. She overheard the talk as well and was looking forward to trying to beat the giant man.

“Well it looks like you already want to arm wrestle him but could you do your best to make it last a long time?" Ging asked Copper as he stood up with her. "Even challenging him to more matches, Bullion can’t say no to a bet.”

“Yes…” Copper said slowly. “I can do that but why?”

“I’ll tell you later, I promise,” Ging said, realizing that Bullion was almost to them.

“CopperNickle.” Bullion said quietly as if he almost forgot why he had come over. Then like a storm it seemed to hit him all at once. “Copper! Haaa! Arm wrestle me will ya? No one else here is quite up to the task if you get my drift. Just a joke between us enhancers.” Bullion almost giggled if his raw baritone voice was capable of it.

“Let’s go, old man! Set up a table yet?” Copper said teasing him as she ran around him in circles.

“No no no, don’t go in circles.” Bullion said, trying not to undo all of the drinks from his system.

Ging ran over and found a table and cleared it of empty bottles and food.

“Here you guys go,” Ging said, putting it down in front of a motion sick Bullion. Copper was warmed up after doing a few laps around him and smiled as she ran and grabbed two chairs. She sat near Ging as Bullion took his place opposite the young prodigies.

“My Jenny is on Copper. I hope you know that Bullion.” Ging said, putting some Jenny on the table for show.

“You would bet against me?” Bullion asked with shame lining his face. “But, come on Ging, you are saying that just to hurt my feelings.” Bullion slurred his words as he dug into his pocket and slapped down a bundle of Jenny of his own. “I’ll take that bet any day of the week. You young pups need to learn a cruel lesson.”

“Oh, and what kind of lesson will you learn when I win?” Copper said rolling up her sleeves and extending her arm.

“My mom always said I could use a slice of humble pie.” Bullion said, only giving a half answer. Smirking he matched Copper’s actions with his arm.

Ging strode over and put his hands around their hands as they clasped them together. “Regular rules, whoever's knuckles touch the table loses,” Ging said. “One, two, three!”

Bullion appeared sobered up for a moment on the count of three and slammed Copper’s arm into the table with a loud thud. Ging had his hands on the table, bracing it with Nen, which was the only reason the table didn’t snap in half.

“Hey, hey!” Copper started. “I didn’t know we were using Nen!”

“Well, no one said we couldn't.” Bullion said, shrugging. He started reaching for the Jenny used for the bet when Ging swiped it away.

“You didn’t clarify the rules of the bet either,” Ging said to Bullion. “It’s best three out of five, and you’ve only won once.”

“Fair enough young pups, you need all the advantages you can get.” Bullion said chuckling to himself.

Ging leaned over to Copper and whispered in her ear. “Use as much Nen as you can this time, but drag it out even if you can’t win. Copper nodded with a straight face. Then Ging leaned over to Bullion and whispered loud enough for Copper to hear.

“I bet my entire earnings from the trip that Copper will win this best of five,” Ging said.

“What?! No way! You have never been this dumb before Ging, what’s gotten into you?” Bullion said in a quick breath, almost forgetting to breathe. The act of doing so coupled with the drinks made him queasy and put his hand to his mouth like something might come out, but it never did.

“If you think I’m being so dumb then it’s an easy bet for you isn’t it?” Ging asked him.

“Yes, yes it is!” Bullion said astonished at himself for not thinking of that. “There is no way I would bet what’s in this Island against anything tho.”

“What do you mean?’ Ging asked. “What’s on the Island?”

Ging grabbed both their hands and brought them together for round two as he talked, leading Bullion where he wanted him to go mentally.

“Ohh Nah, no way I could tell you two.” Bullion burped, accidentally blowing it into Copper’s face. She grew red with annoyance and tightened her grip on the older man's hand.

“How about you bet the information then?” Ging prompted. “If Copper wins a single round, you tell us what your secret is.”

“Silver would never forgive me if I did that. Oh sorry about the burp Copper.” He said burping again as he turned his head this time.

“And when did Bullion Marks start taking orders from anyone else?” Ging asked. “I guess your the one acting dumb.” Before Bullion had a chance to rebuttal Ging was counting down.

“One, two, three!” Said Ging releasing their hands. Ging felt the Nen come from both of them like waves of heat from a volcano. Bullions was heavy and imposing but not malicious. While Coppers was light and felt almost natural. Her aura felt like the sun or the breeze going around you but never staying long.

They struggled in the center for some time, a minute maybe longer. Hands entwined Ging could tell that the only reason she was holding back Bullion for so long was his incapacitation and his thoughts. He was starting to doubt if he could win all three in a row and that was good. Doubt and Bullion mix about as well as fire and air. Not very well at all. He would doubt himself, then hate himself for doubting and then double down and take the bet. Just a few moments later Bullion slowly brought Coppers hand down for his second win.

“Haaaahahaha, there is no way either of you could beat me in raw power.” Bullion said laughing his way to confidence. “I’ll take your bet, Ging. If you can take one win from me, Copper.” He said looking at her now. “You take one win from me and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

Copper looked at Ging with a wry smile on her face, amazed at how the boy had steered Bullion like a herded sheep. They met eyes and Copper put her arms up in mock defeat.

“Oh, whatever will I do.” Copper started. “Thank you Ging for a fun activity. Thank you Bullion for a great challenge. Have I done anything for you today Ging?” Copper asked, keeping eye contact with him the whole time.

Ging was confused but tried to follow the girl’s lead. “Thank you for…” Ging trailed off trying to think of something. “Thank you for training with me.” He finally said.

“Thank you for training with me, who?” Copper asked, prodding him.

Thank you for training with me, CopperNickle?” Ging asked absently. He was guessing that the girl needed him to thank her for something, maybe a Nen contract? Ging had learned about them a few months before and thought about them often.

“Very good, shall we try the next round?” Copper said, almost slamming her elbow on the table ready to arm wrestle.

Bullion just looked back and forth the whole time wondering what the two airheads were on about. “What in the bloody hells are you two thanking each other for?” He asked.

“That’s private,” Copper said laughing. “Unless you want to thank me by name for something?” She tried.

“Thank you CopperNickel for earning me the easiest Jenny of my life.” Bullion said arrogantly as he clasped hands. He was inches away from starting the match before Ging moved to do the countdown.

“Good luck, Bullion,” Ging said, smirking.

“One two, three.” Ging counted down fast, not allowing Bullion to refute yet again, leaving him with unspoken thoughts and doubts. Afterward, Ging would think that this was unnecessary as Copper quickly and forcefully brought Bullions hand slamming into the table, leaving a hand-sized dent where it impacted.

“Wheeeew”. Ging whistled feeling a bit faint.

“I feel like throwing up.” Bullion said standing up and finding a bucket a few feet away. He was true to his word and did just that.

“I borrowed some of your lifeforce, and some of his.” Copper whispered to Ging, I can explain later.”

Bullion came back before Ging could say anything so he just nodded and Bullion looked much better than before.

“Now, I will need to win back some of my pride. Let’s get to it.” Bullion said not looking happy with the turn of events that transpired.

Ging clasped their hands and counted and Bullion won undoubtedly with one try. They all sat around in silence for a while, Bullion playing with the thought of canceling every bet that had transpired.

“You made a deal, Bullion,” Ging said.

“Don’t try to lecture me, boy.” Bullion said with more heat than Ging had usually seen. It wasn’t hostile but it wasn’t friendly.

Bullions swiped at the Jenny on the table and spoke. “You have five minutes, ask your questions.

“What are you and my mom hiding?” Copper asked, staring him dead in the eyes.

Bullion had sobered up since earlier, both from his will to do so, as well as emitting most of the alcohol into a bucket. So the man sitting before them was much more level headed now and not happy to answer their questions.

Chapter Text

Bullion stared down at the table where he sat, his fingers crossed, and his demeanor changed. "I have two main goals in my life. One is to live long and happily, the other is to explore the Dark Continent. Can you guess which one this journey has to do with?" He asked knowingly.

"It certainly isn't the former," Ging said, getting closer to the table. "The Dark Continent lies outside of our world, not inside it. Why are we searching for it here?" Ging continued.

"Ok, I told you the secret, and that's all the bet was for. I don't need to tell you anything else." Bullion said, putting his hands up in retreat.

"Bullion! What in the hells are you doing? Did I hear what I think I heard?!" Silver shouted as she strode over to the three-arm wrestlers with long, purposeful strides.

Bullion's sigh was so exaggerated that Ging mistook it for pain. Copper, on the other hand, knew exactly what was coming for them.

"Brace yourself, Ging," Copper said, already standing up. Ging took this moment to zip quickly behind Copper and ready himself to flee.

"Bullion, we agreed to tell them after we scouted the island first!" Silver said, slamming the table next to Bullion.

"Yes, but they won the bet, and they were going to learn anyway. I know Ging set his sights on finding out our secret days ago." Bullion said defensively. "Didn't you Ging?"

"Yes," Ging said, still ready to leave at any moment.

"Ging is a damn smart boy, Silver, and your daughter is no pushover either." Bullion said, standing up now, dwarfing the woman. "If they wanted to learn before we landed, then they would. They would either convince Sol to tell them, or they would stalk us until we slipped, and we would slip because of that one." Bullion said, pointing to Ging. "That one is the slipperiest little shit I've ever had the pleasure of teaching."

"I am sure the alcohol you consumed didn't help," Silver muttered and threw the blond enhancer's glare. "But still, Bullion, you could have asked me." Silver said, annoyed.

Ging and Copper had been backing away step by step ever since the encounter started. They were just far enough now where they felt comfortable escaping.

"I don't answer to anyone, not even you, Silver, this is my expedition, no one else's." Bullion said with finality.

The tension was high but not high enough to mean a serious argument between the two adults. Copper knew that she would be the brunt of her mom's anger later tonight but got lost in Ging's carefree nature that she forgot the consequences of making her mom mad.

"Let's go now, Copper. Split up, I'll see you tomorrow, the real journey starts in the morning." Ging said, whispering.

Copper's voice was stuck in her throat, so she just nodded and dashed away when Ging did so. Ging reached the new door of his and Bullion's room, installed shortly after Bullion kicked it down this morning. Behind him, he didn't hear shouting anymore, so he spared a look before he entered the room. Silver was walking calmly to the room she shared with her daughter, who just entered through their door. Ging knew that the calm walk from a parental figure was only for show to the other adults around. Copper would not have a good night tonight, Ging thought to himself and
shut the door.

The shouting took longer to happen then Ging was expecting. Bullion already returned and collapsed on his bed, snoring before Ging heard the first rumbles of disagreement coming from Silver and Copper's room.

"WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS?!?" Silver's voice, shriller than usual, came bouncing through the wall, even though Ging's room was a few doors down from the woman's. Copper's answer couldn't be heard until a loud slam of the door hitting the wall and a small scuffle was happening in the hallway.

"SILVER, LET ME BACK IN." Copper yells and pounds on the door. "You can't expect me to sleep out here!"

Ging was leaning up on his bed, about to head out and investigate what was happening when he heard a sleepy growl from the other bed.

"Just let it be, kid," Bullion mutters, mistaking Ging's curiosity for concern. "This is normal behavior for those two."

Not wanting to rile up Bullion at the moment, Ging slinks back down under his covers as his mentor tosses over, face towards the wall.

Eventually, Copper ceases knocking on the wooden door. The hallway falls silent as the girl gives up and wanders off somewhere warm for the night. If she was on better terms with Apple, maybe the older woman would let Copper in her room. Still, Ging highly doubts it, considering the large sign plastered on Apple's door each night of "Do Not Disturb Or Else" with little pink neon skulls for extra emphasis.

Copper probably wouldn't want to stay in a male's cabin like his or Sol's, so the next best thing to do was to check on the girl to make sure she was warm enough on deck. Plus, Ging wanted to know if Silver slipped out more information about the Dark Continent when she fought with her daughter.

Not wanting to seem too eager to play white knight, Ging waits another hour before he gets up, allowing Copper some time to process her thoughts by herself.

---
Ging slips out of his room with a blanket in hand. He noticed that Bullion wasn't snoring and was most likely spying on him, even though the young hunter couldn't see any indication of it. Not caring what Bullion thought, Ging continues on his way down the hallway and onto the decks.

The night was clear and a little chilly for a summer evening. Ging could tell a storm was brewing somewhere off in the sea. There was no threat of rain tonight, but they might get a couple of wet days on the island in the near future.

Some movement catches his eye, and Ging spots the familiar reddish-brown hue of CopperNickle's hair near the deck's starboard side. It was his last chance to turn around and head back in his cabin. Still, his curiosity was winning out against "common sense" and the future possibility of being teased mercilessly by Bullion for showing interest in a female. Even though he was more interested if the female in question got more information on the Dark Continent.

Approaching Copper from her left-hand side, Ging notices she's drawing in a sketchbook but seems too absorbed into her work to see him. He peeks down and is actually surprised by the pastel drawings on the page. It perfectly captures the feeling of the patchwork night sky overhead with the moon peeking out from behind some brooding clouds.

"Hasn't anybody told you it was rude to look at somebody's sketchbook without permission"? Copper says, startling Ging out of his observation. CopperNickle's words sounded angry, but the boy notices she has a small smile on her face that diminishes her rebuttal's bluntness.

"I brought you a blanket," Ging confesses, holding out the offered item.

Copper looks quizzical at first, but she takes the blanket from the boy with her free hand. "So, you heard the fight, huh?"

"Actually, it wasn't loud enough to hear everything," Ging tries to joke but notices the sour expression on Copper's face. "Sorry...I didn't mean to rub it in."

The young enhancer sighs a little and puts her sketchbook down and indicates that the boy sits next to her. "It's ok, Ging. Fighting with Mom is nothing new."

Ging follows the girl's wishes and sits beside her, back to the railing. There were a couple of minutes of silence with both the teenagers looking up towards the cloudy sky. The moon appeared farther away than their first-night training and playing games together.

"I mainly checked up on you because I can't sleep well at night, and I was wondering if Silver said anything more about the Dark Continent to you?"

"I thought that might be a reason for your visit," Copper smirks, but the smile quickly drops, and the girl begins to wring her hands together. "Ever since Bullion uttered the words the Dark Continent, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I thought it was just a children's story that I heard in Meteor City. Why is part of it in our world?"

"I did too, to be honest," Ging replies. "But I did some digging after I became a Hunter and found some hidden information that says that place exists outside our known world. I just don't know why a piece of the Dark Continent would be here, and I know the adults have the answer."

"While Mom was yelling at me, she mentioned the word islands, as in more than one," Copper supplied. "But that was everything she slipped out unguarded."

"Hmm, so this place isn't extraordinary if there's more than one." Ging sits back, trying to process this new puzzle piece.

"If we had internet access on the ship, maybe we could look it up with our Hunter's Licenses?" Copper said, speaking her thoughts out loud.

"Nah, this is more fun right now." Ging grinning at the girl. "I am looking forward to discovering this new adventure."

"Yeah, as long as we don't get cursed or diseased," Copper mutters to herself. Ging overhears the small complaint but decides not to tease the girl about it. Who would've thought the headstrong enhancer was worried about the future.

The two teenagers fall into silence again as their thoughts are brewing about the Dark Continent mystery that was before them. Ging knew soon their questions would be answered about why a part of the Dark Continent would be in their world. But he found it both fun and annoying that he couldn't think of the answer himself.

Ging read Don Freecss' book back when he first became a Hunter. Don's last name caught Ging's eye. The older man, possibly even an ancestor, proved to be highly informational and entertaining. The book was classified as a work of fiction for so long. But within the last 75 years or so, it gained some traction as a credible source of the Dark Continent. Copies still were floating around, evading being seized by the governments, but they were getting harder to find. The chat rooms Ging likes to frequent often brought up Don's book in hushed tones.

But everything Don wrote was about the Dark Continent itself, not about a piece of it here…Does this information relate to the ancient civilizations in their world like the Lurka Ruins?

Ging's thoughts began to race with all the fun possibilities for this trip and his dream expedition. He could just imagine all the new locations he'll get to see, foods he'll get to taste, and the new knowledge he will acquire.

"Ging, you are disturbing the aura with your intense pondering."

"What…?" Ging answers grumpily, as he was suddenly pulled from his thoughts of fun adventures and back to the reality of sitting on a cold ship deck without answers to his questions.

"You are thinking too hard," Copper repeated.

"No, I'm not," Ging retorted "I'm not thinking hard enough."

"Well, try to think more... inside yourself," Copper said, giving a weird sweeping indication with her hands, "I'm trying to gather energy."

"What do you mean by gathering energy?" Ging asks as his attention shifts over to the new concept. "The suns not out. How do you do that while freezing your ass off on this deck?"

"Do you always have so many questions," Copper roughly asks as she reaches over to grab Ging's hand. "Here, I'll show you."

Caught off guard by the sudden contact, Ging jerks back a little, but Copper keeps a firm grip on his digits.

"Do you feel it?" Copper asks, ignoring Ging's initial reaction. "The flow of aura between us."

Ging looks down at their clasped hands. He notices Copper still has chalk pastel smudged on her hands, but he doesn't see much else besides skin contact against his.

"I don't feel anything," Ging says. "We aren't activating our nen."

"We don't need to," Copper smiles, as a mischievous look appears in her eyes. "You just aren't feeling right."

"You can't tell me how I feel isn't right," Ging grumbles as he begins to withdraw. But stops in surprise when he feels a warm sensation nudging lightly on his skin, asking for his attention.

"There, I am...ummm, "flavoring" the aura so you can sense it better." Copper stumbles over her words as she is having difficulty finding the right concept for her actions.

Ging does feel the warm sensation creep up his fingers and into his arms. It was almost like a vine, reaching out towards the light, growing wildly in whatever direction it wished, but it also flowed like a small water creek.

"You are probably used to more powerful displays of aura when activating nen," Copper says in a hushed tone, "But everything in the universe has some aura in it. It connects us all."

Ging listens attentively, forgetting about the awkwardness of having somebody hold his hand and just focusing on the aura connection.

"My ability, Universal Flow, allows me to pick up on the tiniest currents of aura and redirect it towards myself. But everybody has the ability to do this if they try."

Copper let's go of Ging's hand and reclines back, supporting herself on the rail. "Back during the arm wrestling match, I needed to borrow some of your aura to defeat Bullion. But I couldn't do that without establishing a connection with you."

Upon hearing that a thought clicked into place. "Is that why you wanted me to thank you?" Ging asked, stretching out his fingers as the warm sensation slowly ebbed away. "I thought it was for a nen contract."

"Partly." Copper smiles shyly, nervous about voicing her thoughts to another person. "Humans tend to be very individualistic beings and protective of their life energy. I can't blame them. But it makes it harder to establish connections and share life energy together. Animals are soooo much more willing to share."

Ging huffs a little. "I have a hard time fully believing that. Pack animals have an easier time sharing for sure. But, predatory animals would fight to the death before sharing a meal."

"Yes, it's part of their natural instincts to be protective of their meal, but they are still sharing the life energy around them." Copper falls silent for a couple of seconds, appearing to be debating if she should say what's on her mind. "I could...teach you how to redirect and share aura. If you want."

"Yeah, I am up to learn anything," Ging says easily.

"Ok!" Copper exclaims happily. "I am releasing that same aura sensation as before. Why don't you sit here until you can pick up on it without touching my hand or until I get bored. Whatever happens first." The girl smirks, throwing out the challenge to the younger male. Ging feels his heart rate increase as his adrenaline kicks in. He settles into completing CopperNickle's challenge of picking up her aura without activating nen.

---
An hour passed while the two teenagers were sitting out on the deck. A slight wind picked up, and it was becoming uncomfortably cold, staying in one place. But Copper said it would be easier for Ging to pick up her aura sensation if they didn't move around. Ging tried to argue at first, but he had to agree with the older teenager in the end. He was having trouble picking up on the warm aura sensation while just sitting still a few inches away from Copper. It would be even harder if they were walking.

"Do you give up yet," Copper asked, fighting back a yawn. The girl looked half asleep as she spoke to Ging.

"No, not yet." Ging gritted out, determined to succeed at this challenge. "I almost got it."

"I am going to lay down," Copper said sleepily. "I am going to take the blanket." Not even waiting for Ging to answer as she grabbed the fluffy material and draped it around their legs, surprising the boy by including himself partially under the warmth of the blanket. "You can still practice if you want…" Copper proceeds to curl up, back towards Ging. Falling asleep within a couple of seconds.

Undeterred but slightly annoyed by how quickly his companion fell asleep. Ging continued his training well into the night until he felt like he could pick up Copper's faint aura without any struggles.

Chapter Text

Ging and Copper fell asleep at some point, drifting off with the waves as they hit against the boat. Like usual Ging had trouble sleeping, this time his brain was filled with thoughts about the Dark Continent and what was waiting for them tomorrow. In his time on Whale Island Ging met a group of sailors who had talked about the Dark Continent and a book written by someone. When Ging told them his last name, they got very curious. Shortly after Ging became a hunter and had access to the Hunter's website he looked up the name the sailors were curious about, that name was Don Freecs. Ging quickly learned all he could about the Dark Continent, including the journals Don had or was writing, and Netero's former travels there as well. Ging became interested but filed the information away for later. Now, after a short time the Dark Continent is brought up again and all the bad omens Ging read about such as the five disasters were weighing heavy on his mind. Ging fell asleep late into the night and woke early like any other night.

“Might as well get warmed up before breakfast,” Copper said yawning and stretching.

Ging and Copper went about their morning routines, trying not to judge the others but being curious at the same time. Copper having slept in her weighted clothing, used them to her advantage with jumps, flips, punches, and kicks. Ging did a series of attacks and defenses he made himself almost as if against an invisible opponent. He did each move slowly, and concentrated Nen on every impact, transferring it to many parts of his body. In between moves, he shifted the Nen to his eyes for Gyo. Having warmed up just in time for the first bell to ring, they both rinsed off with some buckets and started eating.

Bullion gave a similar speech from before but this time the audience struggled to pay attention. The sailors were not faring well from the party the night before and most struggled to leave their buckets behind. From the crew of ten, only three were capable of volunteering and only two did.

“I had so much of this plan thought out, and alcohol is going to be the thing that causes my disaster.” Bullion said with his hand on his forehead.

“Think of it this way,” Ging said, patting the big man on his arm. “Fewer people to get in the way.”

“It’s not that I think they can defend themselves...we all know they couldn’t stand against the weakest of Nen users. It’s just more pairs of eyes always make me feel better.” Bullion admitted.

“Then you should have developed a Nen ability to give you more eyes. Like some Nen spider.” Copper said, laughing.

“Yeah just think about it, Bullion. If you had eight eyes, you could have watched yourself lose to a girl in arm wrestling from every angle.” Ging said with a smirk.

“Say that one more time you little brat.” Bullion whispered, letting his aura emanate towards Ging.

“That’s enough, you two. I swear it’s like two wild animals on this boat.” Apple Mines said as a group was walking towards them. “It was enough listening to you break doors down, now you just insult each other.”

“Oh don’t fool yourself Apple, You like your men big and dumb, that’s why you and my spider friend here get along so well, isn’t it?” Ging asked wryly. He was already backing away anticipating Bullion's punch to come his way and it did just that. Bullion swung back at Ging like he had countless times after Ging would mock him, and Ging jumped out of the way. Luckily for Ging the big man never had the intent to hurt Ging, it was just a form of brotherly affection.

Bullion chased Ging around for some time as everyone gathered around the main deck. The Island had been getting closer and closer for the last day or two, but now they were so close they could feel it. Bullion stopped chasing Ging as soon as he caught the Island in his peripherals.

“Team A and B get your things ready and be prepared. We have only two volunteers now and fewer eyes on the ground so I want everyone in top shape.” Bullion started commanding. He took over his team and the captain took over the rest of his crew in moments. The anchors were tossed and everyone was bracing for the landing. To the captain's credit, he steered the ship to a near-perfect halt with only a small stagger at its conclusion.

“Let’s not waste any daylight!” Bullion shouted as he clapped his hands in childish delight.

Ging and Copper stood away from the main teams as they rest coordinated the last of their plans. They had some sort of phone devices being passed around by Silver that Ging found interesting and noted for later.

They were getting ready to dock now. The island was lush with trees and wildlife. Ging saw birds of several colors and sizes flee to the air as the boat nestled alongside the shores. The coastal line was grassy and average for an Island that held secrets about the Dark Continent.

Bullion shouted as he ushered people off the boat. “Team A with me, Team B you know what to do, get the camp set up for a warm cozy night!”

Those who could make the jump, lept from the boat and landed on the soft grass. The two volunteers took the ramp down and met up with Team B, led by Apple.

“Sol? What’s wrong?” Ging asked the usually smiling man as he stared off into a thick line of trees that lies north of their landing site. Sol's face was plastered dry, his eyes open, and the smile on his face a shade of what it usually was.

“BULLION!” Sol shouted, his Nen rising far beyond what Ging had seen before.

Bullion matched his intensity in a split second and so did Silver and Copper. It took Ging a fraction of a second longer to realize the need for this emergency but as he activated his Nen, unleashing as much as he could a sound shook the ground from underneath them.

“BRUUUUUU,” went the baritone sound, so loud and thunderous you could see the ripples through the air. When they reached Ging and his companions, they felt frozen for a second. All but Bullion, Sol, and Silver were trembling as they were forced to wait out the sonorous sound. Bullion lunged for the boat as he saw what was happening, and Sol raised his hands. Silver lifted from the ground a strange sheet of metal and dirt.

Then it all happened in a heartbeat. The epicenter of the sound, a lumbering hairy frog-like creature, standing on two massive feet swung its tail that was twice it’s length into the front of the ship, shattering it into splinters. Sol had his Nen ability Soul Sphere halfway encompassing the ship and without it, the entire ship would have been decimated by the attack. Bullion who reached just under the tip of the ship caught the large creature's tail as he activated his ability Atlas's Burden. Ging and Copper stood behind Silver's makeshift shield as debris flew through the air at breakneck speeds.

“Silver!” Bullion shouted as he pulled on the tail that must have stretched for twice the length of the boat.

In an instant, Silver transformed the wall in front of her into a sword and several sharp handheld objects. Silver grabbed the sword and ran towards Bullion.

Copper already knew what her mother expected, having been in many life or death situations with her before and grabbed for the objects left behind. Ging decided it was prudent to follow her lead and grabbed some himself. Copper reached far back and enhanced the object and her body with Nen and launched it at the gigantic eye that was looking towards her. Ging followed suit, his ability in enhancing nen far less than hers currently. As the creature reared back it’s head and its underbelly started growing red, the sharp enhanced objects hit it in the eye.

At that moment Silver reached Bullion and brought her new weapon down on its tail, severing it in half.

“I must save the boat!” Sol said as he struggled to fully encompass the boat with his sphere. He finally succeeded in doing so and was beginning to raise it up out of the water when the creature finally registered the pain that was caused to its body. It roared worse than the first time, that one more like a warning, this one more like a threat.

“Let’s go, Ging!” Copper said as she grabbed more of her mothers Nen made objects. Ging just nodded and followed her.

They circled the opposite direction where Sol was, trying to draw the creature's attention away from the man as he stood perfectly still aside from his hands rising up, struggling for strength. Bullion had abandoned the severed tail as Silver was touching the ground behind him. The Nen around them was staggering, Ging thought. Even Sol standing so still was emanating power, Ging had yet seen.

The next few moments ended quickly as Ging and Copper launched rock after rock at the creature drawing its attention. Sol completed in raising the boat from sinking to its death and Silver had stood up with a smile on her face. Bullion bent down and lifted up a massive spear of metal. The spear was the size of the creature they were fighting made up of metals and dirt like the sword from before. The tip was razor-sharp as Bullion took three steps and launched it through the air.

The gore and mess from the aftermath of the fight left almost everyone speechless.

Sol brought half of the boat still intact onto the shore and let his power dissipate.

Everyone went to the boat to check on the sailors. The captain was injured along with several others, and four sailors lost their lives. The two that had volunteered and two that were pulling the ramp back up onto the ship.

“That was more than unnecessary,” Sol said, standing face to face with Bullion. Ging and Copper gathered around the two men. Apple and Majordomo were setting up a camp to better treat the wounds of those injured.

“Sol, what’s the matter?” Silver asked what was on everyone's mind. The otherwise jolly man was emanating an aura with increasing hostility. Sol turned quickly and shot a look at Silver that made her step back. The retreat wasn’t in fear but self-defense in the face of that aura.

“Sol, I know.” Bullion started, putting his hands up. “I’m sorry, we got caught up in the action, it’s been several days on that boat and I let it get to me, forgive me.”

“Forgive you?” Sol took a few steps closer now, and to Bullion's credit, he didn’t budge. The way he handled Sol told Ging that he had seen the Beast Hunter in a situation like this before.

“Think of the children, Sol.” Bullion said, knowing how to get the man back to normal. Sols aura eased by a half measure than but the anger and menace were still there, hiding in plain sight.

“What about the children of that beasty, Bullion? Do you ever consider the lives of those you butcher?” Sol asked. He was inches away from Bullion now, and Bullion let out a deep sigh.

“I am sorry, Sol.” Bullion said, opening his eyes to look at Sol directly in his. “I’ll be better next time.”

“You will be better next time. We all will be.” Sol said, turning to Ging and Copper. He let his aura completely vanish and his face sprung with a smile that was as familiar as the sun. “Forgive me Ging, Copper. I have a soft spot for the beasties of the world.”

Ging knew better than to push the issue so he decided to turn the man's attention to something they were both interested in. “What creature is this?” Ging asked Sol as they both turned to see the aftermath. Copper followed them as they began walking to the corpse of the massive creature, pinned to a tree that stood as tall as a building.

“I don’t know,” Sol said, struggling yet again to maintain his smile. “I would like to study it and I don’t find myself interested in the journey today. I think I will stay and keep it company.”

“Will you give it a name?” Copper asked, her focus waning between the creature and the injured sailors.

“I think I will,” Sol said as he pulled out a book from the pack he had on his back. “Go help the sailors Copper, they could use an experienced hand.” Copper did just that, turning on her heels to run for the sailors currently being treated by Apple. “Tell me all about the creature later.!” Copper yelled back at Ging and Sol as she left.

“It reminds me of a frog,” Ging said. “Or like the ones on Whale Island, not the ones near Yorknew City.”

“That’s the Fur Frog? If I’m not mistaken.” Sol said as he wrote in his book.

”Yeah the Fur Frog, except it’s a whole lot smaller.” Ging said. He was next to the creature now and reached out to touch its leg. It was a hulking piece of muscle covered in what he thought was fur from a distance but now he knew it was moss.

“Oooh, it’s moss, Sol!” Ging exclaimed. “And look at its throat.” Just above the gigantic metal and dirt infused spear, the huge frog monster has a swelling red throat that sagged down.

“It’s male.That's for sure.” Sol said. He was near Ging now looking up at the redneck. “It was in the middle of another one of those sonic boom shouts before it died,” Sol said. “I have no idea if that caused the color to stay red, or if it happens always when they die.”

“Ging!” Bullion yelled from back at camp. “Are you coming?”

“Good luck, Sol, I would like to know his name when you figure it out,” Ging said running to Bullion and the much smaller Team A.

“I’ll call it a Boom Beast,” Sol said, smiling as Ging left.

---

Bullion, Silver, and Dorus waited for Ging to arrive before they started talking again.

“Ok, we stick to the plan.” Bullion started. “Today we need to find the ruins and find a good area to relocate camp tomorrow.”

“We seem to be a little short on people.” Ging pointed out. “Sol won’t be joining us?”

“No, we stick to the plan.” Bullion said as they all began walking. “Even if it means we go with fewer people, Sol needs to stay behind in case another creature like that shows up.”

"Does he get like this a lot?” Ging asked, curiously. “He seemed in a much better mood as we were leaving.”

“He gets like this anytime a creature dies around him than he studies it and says it’s only nature doing its thing.” Bullion said.

“The first time I met him, Bullion fought and killed a beast that Sol was studying.” Silver said. “Copper and I watched him go through the motions. Anger, regret, curiosity, and acceptance.” Silver shrugged and said. “Sol has his own way of handling things.”

“Either way, we won’t need him today. This is an easy mission, let’s just get to the good stuff!” Bullion said. “Dorus here is not the best fighter, ain’t that right Dorus?” The man who had been mostly quiet and too himself for the whole ride was actually an extravagant man. He was tall and slender, with glasses that betrayed his purpose. The glasses were only ornamental as the man had perfect vision. His long swept over mohawk couldn’t hide his facial features if he wanted it to. And believe me, he didn’t. He was a man who saw the power in appearance as much as Bullion saw the power in, well raw power.

“Not so much,” Dorus said straightforwardly. “I can keep up better than the average dullard, but you enhancers might need to slow the pace.”

Silver gave the man a smile and corrected him anyways. “Bullions the only enhancer here.” She said. “And he better not try and leave us behind like he usually does.”

“I wouldn’t dream of such a thing.” Bullion said feigning pain.

Before they were all ready, Ging took off in the fastest sprint he could muster. “Keep up, if you can!” Ging yelled behind him. Bullion caught up with one huge shove of his legs that left dents in the ground beneath him.

“You have a long way to go before you can lead this expedition kid.” He said as he was face to face with Ging.

“Give me two years old man, and I'll go where I please,” Ging said grinning.

They slowed down and let Dorus and Silver catch up, Silver only lagging behind to be nice to Dorus. When they all were together again Bullion took the lead with a map he withdrew from his pocket.

“We go East and look for Nen underground, Dorus.” Bullion said as they ran.

“Nen underground?” Dorus asked. “What do you mean?”

“Oh you’ll know when you see it, I have no doubt.” Bullion said laughing.

“Sometimes you worry me, Bullion,” Dorus said as he activated his Hatsu. Nen surrounded Dorus’s head and when it cleared he wore an elaborate helmet that made him look like some sort of statued king. “This is my Divine Vision, The Perception of Theina Goddess of Sight!” He exclaimed as the eyes on his helmet glowed with Nen. Dorus had a bad habit of giving things unconventionally long names.

“And why are you worried about little ol me?” Bullion asked as they picked up the pace again.

“Because for such a big dumb enhancer you seem to always have too much information,” Dorus said as he scanned with his Hatsu. “This way.” He said turning the group North and changing the topic to avoid the big man’s ire.

“What do you see?” Ging asked, wondering how the man’s ability worked.

“A lot of creatures…” Dorus started saying, with confusion in his voice. “They look like they are caged.”

“Creatures like the ones from before, the Boom Beasts?” Ging asked.

“No these ones are smaller,” Dorus said leading them for the animals. “They are so bunched together I can’t really make it out.” They slowed down now, trying to decide on what to do.

“Well boss, what do we do?” Ging asked Bullion.

“What else can you see, Dorus?” Silver asked as Bullion starred in the same direction as Bullion.

“It’s hard to say,” Dorus said shaking his head. It was a funny thing to see considering the massive headdress he currently wore.

“I don’t see anything underground yet, but it looks like there might be a man with the caged beasts,” Dorus said.

“How does your Hatsu work?” Ging asked starring at the man.

“Oh, well it’s a lot like En, in theory,” Dorus explained. “And a bit like Gyo as well. This headdress concentrates my aura into my eyes and allows me too see very far away, and to make out heat signatures, Nen, and even different types of materials.”

“What is the man doing?” Bullion asked, cutting off their conversation.

“Well, he was moving earlier, from cage to cage but…” Dorus said unsure of himself.

“But what?” Silver asked.

“The beasts are gone and the man seems to be standing still,” Dorus said. “Oh there he goes, he moved his arm back. Somethings not right….the Nen emitting from his arm is enormous.”

“Find the beasts!” Bullion shouted to Dorus. “Be ready Ging, Silver!”

Before anyone could reply a blinding light shone from the trees, a line of destruction behind it. Bullion was hit hard in the chest, the rest of the team was merely blinded for a second.

“Bullion!” Silver yelled as she looked back at the man as he flew head over heels. To the man’s credit, he must have caught the bolt in time and launched it high overhead with a backflip. His chest and his hands were mostly unscathed except for a small burn. His shirt had a hole burned into it and it was in tatters.

“Shields!” Ging yelled at Silver as he saw that Bullion was fine. “Here and here!” Ging said stabbing sticks into the ground.

“What, you little!” Silver started saying.

“Listen to him! Now Silver!” Bullion shouted back as he approached the team.

Silver had one wall forming up through the ground, its mesh of dirt, stone, and metals only four feet tall as Ging noticed something from behind him. The hairs on his body stood on end and his heartbeat so slowly he could feel the world slow down.

“Get the hells over here!” Ging shouted as hell grabbed onto Dorus by the tip of his helmet, yanking him behind the wall. Bullion came crashing into it from behind as another bolt of light splashed around Silver's wall blocking anyone’s vision from the surrounding area. Bullion lodged himself behind the shield with Silver as the explosion reached it’s peak the two of them holding back against its force.

“I need you to find those beasts,” Ging whispered to Dorus as he was momentarily blinded.

“I uh...I can’t, I’m not much of a fighter Ging.” Dorus said hurriedly, the words coming out all in a rush.

“Leave the fighting to us, Dorus. Activate your Hatsu again and find those creatures, find that man, or find any threat you see and you tell us.” Ging said seriously. Dorus nodded solemnly and activated his Hatsu, the helmet forming perfectly around his head.

“Silver, I need the other wall, make it stronger if you can, try and keep it light,” Ging said as everyone recovered from the blast.

“Strong and light, what do you take me for, a magician?” Silver chirped. “I’ll make you what I can and you’ll have to deal with it.”

“Fine,” Ging said looking at the woman as she worked her Nen. “Can you make a handle going across it? One for Bullions also.”

“Oooh, I see, you crafty devil.” Bullion said. “We use these as shields, but then what?”

“We need to use as much cover as we can and take out these creatures, I can promise you he sent them after us. If he has emitter powers like this, he won’t want to come near us.”

“What kind of cover can we take when his Nen punches through trees like that?” Silver asked annoyed.

Dorus cut her off. “The man is leaving! And I see two creatures coming from our right. They are running on all fours like dogs.”

“Check the other side!” Ging shouted as Silver finished his makeshift shield. “Let’s move together, Dorus you need to help hold the shield when the blast comes.” Dorus nodded and looked the other direction before grabbing the handle with Silver. Ging and Bullion lifted up their shield and began moving.

“Where are we going Ging?” Bullion asked, confused with the plan.

“We need to get closer, take out these creatures, and launch some ranged attacks of our own.” Ging explained.

“There are no beasties on this side!” Dorus yelled as the ones from the right let themselves be seen.

“Any weapon, Silver?” Ging asked quietly.

“What’s next, you want me to build you a castle?” Silver complained as she bent down and formed a spear from the ground, and two more.”

“Set the shields down and brace them with more dirt and stone,” Ging commanded.

“I’ll do better than that, Silver said as she formed braces made out of stone and metals behind the shields.”

“Dorus, you find the man and don’t hesitate a second to tell us when you see him. His powers are fast, dangerously fast.” Ging said.

Silver and Ging turned their bodies and their spears to the right, anticipating the attack from the dogs while Bullion readied his massive frame behind the shields. Dorus turned his head quickly to the left as a shrieking sound split from the trees. There were no dogs on the left side, but there were several bird-like creatures diving down on them with long sharp beaks.

“Flyers!” Dorus yelled as at first, two flying creatures swooped down with their claws and beaks, and then two others did the same. Dorus was hit square in his head which was luckily covered up by his Hatsu and disappeared at the first sign of impact. One of the creatures attacked Bullion but couldn’t penetrate the man's hardened skin as Ging stabbed at it with his spear.

“Cut 'em down Silver, Dorus help if you can and Bullion don’t take your arms off those shields, be ready,” Ging shouted all at once, leaving no time for any who weren’t ready for the commands. The first bird Ging stabbed, died quickly, and Silver killed two more with two skilled sweeps of her spear. The bladed ends were sharp on both sides, leaving a lot of room for improvisation.

“Dorus get back here, damnit!” Silver yelled as the man crawled back towards the ship and the rest of the crew.

“To hell with that, I'm not dying this early into the journey!” Dorus yelled crawling on all fours. He was quickly attacked by the remaining flyer several feet away from the other’s who refused to move from the safety of the shields. Ging threw his spear as hard as he could, using his enhancing abilities to the best that he could and it skewered the creature and sent it flying to its death.

“You will die if you stay there you cursed idiot!” Ging yelled at Dorus.

Silver started to move for the man, thinking of retrieving him before the emitter attacked again but Bullion began to move. In a lightning-fast motion, Bullion lifted one of the shields up and launched it in front of Dorus. It hit the ground with a loud “WHOOOOP” and stuttered in its place before the area was lit up by another blinding light. Both shields were hit at the same time by the emission attack but Bullion held against the shield far easier than last time. The shield protecting Dorus was hit high and launched itself over the man’s head and into the distant trees.

Ging knew that the light remained for some time after the initial hit, and judging from the attacks, it took the man some time to charge his attack so he rushed for Dorus. He was only a few feet away from the dazed man when he started hearing snarls and the sounds of speeding footsteps. His vision was just starting to come back and in front of them, he saw one of the four-legged creatures Dorus must have seen earlier and he also heard one from behind. Ging decided Silver and Bullion could handle themselves and crouched down in a fighting stance, bringing his right hand on top of his left. He had seen the emission attack enough times now to have an idea of how to form the basic shape, and he did just that.

In his left hand, a spear-like golden glow formed within seconds and just in time as the creature pounced for Dorus. He reeled back and launched the attack making sure to leave the blinding light properties out of it and focusing on power and speed.

“Arrgh!” Dorus squealed as the beast's head disintegrated right before his eyes.

Silver tossed the last spear to Bullion and they made quick work of the beasts. They must have figured out the timing of his attacks also. Ging thought to himself. He quickly grabbed a hold of Dorus by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him over to the shield as he and Bullion traded places.

“I say we charge him, he doesn't have any more allies now.” Bullion said grinning.

“Dorus, activate your Hatsu and confirm for us,” Ging said as he let go of the man's collar.

“Come on, come on, I’m not sticking my head out there again!” Dorus chirped. “You guys don’t pay me enough!”

“I thought we didn’t pay you at all?” Ging questioned, looking back to Bullion.

“Exactly!” Dorus said folding up into a ball. “Oh curses, don’t even say anything Bullion!” Dorus said to the man before he even opened his mouth. “I’ll earn my keep, and I'd better find the best damn treasure in these ruins of yours.” Dorus activated his Hatsu yet again, this time it took him a few moments to muster the courage and the Nen. Either the man was running low on Nen already or the technique took more than Ging figured.

“The Emitter is leaving!” Dorus said, sticking his head out past the shield. “He is going farther into the forests, away from us.”

“He doesn’t want us to close the distance.” Bullion said pouting. “And this was just starting to get interesting.”

“He will be back,” Ging said cooly. “If we pursue him, expect more ways to keep us at a distance. I think next time we will need more than dirt shields.”

“My shields held up very well, thank you very much.” Silver said sticking her chin up. “But I agree with you. I would bet my life savings he isn’t the only one here, and this seemed more like a cat playing with his new toys than him actually fighting.”

The crew began putting themselves together, Silver left the makeshift barricade shields where they were as the Nen expended was already gone. Bullion checked Dorus over for injuries, and aside from a few scratches and lumps, he was fine.

“Did you see that last attack?” Ging asked Bullion.

“Yeah he threw two at once, so maybe he is ambidextrous.” Bullion said, pulling water from his pack and passing it around.

“No, it was one attack until very close to impact,” Ging said before it was his turn to drink. Taking the bottle in his hand he continued. “He split the attack into two, and the power was also reduced.”

“Not in half.” Bullion chimed in. “That felt almost identical to the first two attacks, not much weaker.”

"He certainly didn’t try and kill you,” Dorus said.

“What do you mean?” Asked Ging. He was certain the man wasn’t using all of his power but how did the weak treasure hunter know this.

“In the beginning, he mostly stood and just watched us,” Dorus said as he wiped the water from his chin. “I could see his wicked grin from here, he was enjoying every last second. He could have launched volley after volley at us, and a lot more powerful as well. The Nen he discharged looked like it was but a simple breath to him.”

“Impressive for a man who spent most of the time staring at the ground,” Ging said truthfully.

“You keep me safe and I'll continue to impress you boy,” Dorus said proudly. “I may not be the best fighter, but I’ll do what I’m here for.”

“Speaking of which.” Bullion said. “It’s high time we figure out our next course of action.”

“You're the boss,” Ging said.

“If you say so.” Silver chimed in.

“Hey, I told you the boy was good in a fight.” Bullion said, grinning. “But yes, outside of the rare altercation, I’ll be the boss. We press on, this time at a much safer pace.” Bullion waved everyone over closer. “Ging, you start planning what happens next time we run into this Emitter again. Take into account he likes to keep pets.” Ging nodded and stayed quiet. “Silver, you keep a watch out for any traps, and Dorus continue looking for any signs of Nen, and I mean ANY signs. Understood?”

The team of four all agreed and moved on at a pace Dorus could keep up with, which suited them all fine at this stage. They were all on high alert, but Ging couldn’t help but wonder why Bullion didn’t go back to warn Sol and the others.

“So when did you learn an Emission technique like that?” Dorus asked Ging as he fell back with Dorus. Bullion and Silver led the pack while Ging and Dorus held up the rear. “You're an Emitter, then?” Dorus asked again.

“No, I just copied the attacks that were coming at us,” Ging said cooly.

“What?!” Dorus asked a little too loud.

Bullion looked back with a look on his face of equal fear and excitement. “What do you see Dorus?!” He asked.

“Oh..oh uh nothing. Ging just surprised me.” Dorus replied blushing, a little embarrassed.

“With what?” Silver asked curiously.

“Well, he disintegrated that bird in front of my face, though I could barely see at the time, I swore I felt the Nen,” Dorus explained.

“Oooh, you're an Emitter than?!” Bullion said chuckling. “I was hoping for something else.”

“You were hoping for an Enhancer,” Ging said, rolling his eyes. “Not everyone is as one dimensional as you Bullion.”

“No way you're an Emitter.” Silver laughed. “I haven't pegged you just yet, but an Emitter, you are not.”

“You’re right,” Ging said as his curiosity spiked. “I copied the ability that the enemy was using against us. But how do you know I'm not an Emitter?”

“Copied his ability?” Silver said, raising her eyebrows as the team turned slightly East at the point of Dorus’s finger. “That’s a very unique ability.”

“It’s not my Hatsu,” Ging said annoyingly. He was tired of being the center of attention and wanted to know her methods of determining Nen type. “Answer my question, how did you know I wasn’t an Emitter?”

“Oooh well Copper has a penchant for personality types as she calls it.” Silver said, showing more interest in something related to her daughter than Ging had seen before. “She says Emitters are usually volatile and you are anything but, Ging.”

“What else can you copy?” Bullion asked, amused.

“That can’t be always true,” Ging said, ignoring the man. “Some Emitters can be level headed. Sol is an Emitter.”

Silver and Bullion nodded together. “He is an exception, but just keep your eyes on the next few Emitters you see. Copper has it all written down, ask her next time you see her. Also, wait until you see Sol when animals get involved, his temper changes like the wind.”

“Guys, I see some Nen that way.” Dorus pointed North again.

“Then why did you have us turn East?” Silver asked annoyed.

“Well..” Dorus hesitated. “I'm seeing Nen everywhere. I’m not really sure what I’m seeing.”

Bullion held a hand up and the team came to a halt. “Explain in detail Dorus, Ging listen.”

Ging was amused by the Bullion he was seeing lately. The man was clearly either evolving in maturity or just hid it well outside of journeys like this. Why was he hiding his potential so adamantly? “I’m listening,” Ging whispered feeling guilty for his thoughts as if they could be heard.

“There’s Nen in the ground, very deep.” Dorus started explaining. He was an artist by nature and by trade, so when he talked he used his hands as if telling a story. “It runs in lines, as far as I can see, then concentrates so strongly that it blurs from this distance.”

“Is it to the North or is it here to the East?” Silver asked again, fishing for the answer to her previous question.

“It’s to the North,” Dorus said. “I brought us over here for two reasons. “The first reason is I need to rest.” He said as he deactivated his Hatsu.

“And the second reason?” Bullion asked.

Dorus pointed to the North, through the trees and forest. “That man from before is watching us.”

Ging watched as Dorus deactivated his Hatsu. The regal headdress disappeared and with it the man's glasses he wore under it. Then they formed in his hands and he put them back on his face. Ging smiled to himself...the things people will do with Nen. Everyone around me is hiding something. Ging thought to himself.

“What is he doing?” Ging asked Dorus, wanting to move forward with this encounter.

“He is just sitting there watching us,” Dorus replied, shrugging. “I saw nothing as far as his beasties go either.”

“Well, Bullion?” Ging asked. “What do you want to do now boss?”

Bullion was starring in the direction of the Emitter that threatened the progression of their journey. “We will have to fight him one way or the other.” He finally said.

“You don’t want to warn the others?” Silver asked curiously and with a bite to it.

“They all know the risks of this adventure.” Bullion replied not taking his eyes off the man. “He is moving isn’t he Dorus?”

Dorus activated his Hatsu again and turned his head to face the sitting Emitter. “Yep.” He said. “He is going farther away, very quickly, I might add.”
“Interesting,” Ging said mostly to himself.

Bullion sighed. “Warning the other’s won't change anything. But we do have two choices. Regroup or stick to the plan.”

“Do you trust Sol that much?” Silver asked Bullion straightly.

“Oh yeah.” Bullion said with a bit of gusto to his tone. “Sol can definitely handle himself.” Silver opened up her mouth to talk but Bullion cut her off. “And anyone around him.” Bullion said matter of factly.

“Then make the decision,” Ging said to Bullion as he was getting impatient. “I vote we move forward.”

“We won’t take votes.” Bullion said sternly. “Not yet. We move forward for now, and everyone stays on high alert, we stick to the plan.”

The team began moving North again, following the man towards the congregation of Nen that Dorus saw earlier. Dorus kept his Hatsu activated long enough to have a rough idea of where to go and deactivated it again.

“Bullion,” Ging said to the man as they led the team by a few strides. “I can only lead us in fights if I know what everyone is capable of.”

“You've done well so far.” Bullion chuckled. “I’m not going to give you a rundown of all my secrets or Silvers. You plan with what you have and let the mysteries work themselves out.” Ging gave a noise of irritation and stayed quiet while Bullion talked. “You don’t even know what your enemies are capable of either, and the same goes for them.” Bullion slowed down slightly and talked louder for everyone to hear. “The plan has changed slightly. We still find our next campsite, but we station near the enemy. Our new goal is to wipe them from this island so we can search in peace.”

“One million Jenny says they protect whatever it is you're looking for,” Ging said, rolling his eyes. “Never in a thousand years will their presence be just a coincidence.”

“We are getting closer to that huge mass of Nen,” Dorus said with a look of panic in his eyes as his Hatsu took full form over his face. “It is far greater than I imagined...and it’s not just a mass of Nen.”

“Well, what is it?” Silver asked curiously.

“I see walls, floors, and ceilings. It’s an underground labyrinth.” Dorus exclaimed. “And it looks alive.”

“Alive?” Ging asked.

“What do you mean?” Silver asked cutting off Ging.

“Find us somewhere to stop Dorus.” Bullion said, attempting to put a halt to the plethora of questions.

“Over this way.” Dorus pointed. They looped around a giant pattern of boulders larger than the ship they spent three days on and stopped to catch their bearings.

“Ok, Silver, get ahold of Copper with that technology of yours, Dorus you explain to me and Ging what you see.”

Silver took a few steps and rummaged in her pockets to pull out a radio-like device. Ging heard her trying to reach Copper and grew interested in the device but assumed it was similar to a phone.

“Well like I said earlier,” Dorus explained as he took off his glasses to clean them. “The Nen underground looks like a labyrinth. There is room after room and Nen seems to be moving through all of them.”

“Conjure up some glasses that don’t get dirty next time,” Ging said rolling his eyes as the man profusely tried to clean a smudge from them. “Where is an entrance?” He asked.

“There seems to be one nearby, a mile to the North,” Dorus said, putting his glasses back on. “I think we should set up camp around here somewhere.”

“We have this big mass of rocks to provide us some cover at least.” Bullion agreed. “If we are close to an entrance then I agree. Silver? How are the others doing?”

“Fine.” Silver replied with the device still in her hand. “The ship is far from being repaired at the moment. I could just head back and repair the ship myself, Bullion.”

“No need, just have Copper contact the Hunter Association and send another ship.” Bullion said dismissively.

“That can’t be cheap.” Ging pointed out, curious about the decision.

“We will easily be able to afford it.” Bullion said. “Tell her to ask for two ships, actually.” Bullion said to Silver. Silver nodded and began relaying the information to Copper.

“When Silver is done, we will have her start making us a temporary camp until the others can escort the sailors here.” Bullion said.

“And you wanted to bring sailors with us.” Ging sneered. “There is no way in hell they could have kept up with us.”

“Well, you ain't wrong.” Dorus said before Bullion.

“You ain't right either.” Bullion said as he rolled his tongue around his teeth.

“You just don’t like to admit that Non-Users of Nen don’t have what it takes to live in our world,” Ging replied sternly.

Silver interrupted the talk with a bit of annoyance crowning her round features. “They are gathering the sailors and all the supplies they need, but the process is going slow.”

“Because of the sailors?” Ging said as he stared directly at Bullion.

“Because of the sailors.” Silver admitted. “They are spooked and don’t want to go deeper into the island.”

“They just watched half of their ship and livelihood destroyed within seconds,” Dorus said, shrugging. “Can you really blame them?”

“They were warned of the dangers,” Ging said. “Greed brings people to this island like flies on a corpse.”

“That’s enough of this.” Bullion said snapping back into his usual self. He had been looking down with his head down, contemplating something. “We stick to the plan for now. Bring the sailors, bring everyone, we can’t let the enemy catch us divided.”

“That Emitter from earlier was playing with us,” Ging said. “They will hit Team B before they reach us.”

“Then we give them an escort.” Bullion said adamantly.”

“Then we get hit from both sides, with no strategy and no communication,” Ging interjected. “Or the Emitter who is clearly still watching us gets serious and fills our backsides with deadly, Nen projectiles that blind you before you die.”

“Are you always this grumpy?” Dorus asked Ging frowning.

“Enough, enough.” Bullion said, hitting Ging in the head lightly. “What do you want us to do than oh master strategist?”

“You either trust the teams to join together or we formulate a plan to escort them,” Ging said. “Which do you want?”

The team was getting impatient waiting for a choice to be made. Bullion knew that the choice was his and it wasn’t like he hadn’t been in this situation before.

“Curses.” Bullion swore. “Silver, make us a temporary house, then start making walls that block as much sight from the Emitter as you can. Dorus, recharge your aura and be ready to use your Hatsu at any moment. Ging...just be ready.”

Ging snorted. “You be ready old man.”

Silver set up the makeshift house quickly leaving the roof open. It was essentially just a four-wall enclosure that stood about four feet high. They could take cover as they needed and not feel like they lost all of their sightlines. Ging followed Silver as she set up the walls in as many places as they could. Bullion and Dorus stayed inside the fortified mini house with their eyes darting back and forth in every direction. The walls were finished and Dorus was feeling ready to move on and yet still nothing had happened until Ging felt the hairs on his neck stand up. From the south, two Nen auras had risen by dramatic levels.

“Did you all feel that?” Ging asked.

The team stayed quiet as they all looked in the direction Ging felt the presence. It was far away, but not farther than the ship. Whoever it was, had an aura that matched Sol’s.

Chapter Text

“What fun we will have.” Helleran thought to himself as he watched Ging and the others setting up their makeshift bunker. “Come come, little mice, the cat awaits.” Helleran turned and left, leaving them to their work as they prepared for his return.

He walked slowly and deliberately through the shrubs and foliage and into the stairs that went down into the darkness. He fed his aura into the metallic tube above the door and entered the ruins of Nen that troubled Dorus. Walking and walking, the walls of the labyrinth illuminated around him, but he paid it no mind. Thousands of times, he walked these steps, and years has it been since he had visitors. The blood rushed to his heart as he thought of fighting again, the anticipation gripping at his throat, drying it to dust. He picked up his pace, his long strides propelling him forward, yet he stayed stern. His sense of emotion was lost to him long before he came to this “World,” as the locals called it. This sad refuge of the weak and ill-minded. His strides grew in pace again. He was a man running without intent on his face because it was written in his mind.

“Helleran?! What is it?” A slender woman asked. She was gowned in hooded garments, immaculate in their make but simple in their color. Her hands were lined in metal, decorations that accented her sharp features. “Helleran!” She repeated.

“Diora,” Helleran said coldly. He knew the protocol when they got visitors to the island. Tell Diora and wake the others, but he was so interested in these guests. He was not a liar. He was many things, but a liar, a weaver of plots he was not. The idea of telling Diora something other than the truth crossed his mind, but for a second before, his nature took over quickly.

“We have visitors,” Helleran said.

“Oh?” Diora replied. “I guess I’ll wake the others. They will relish the chance for activity just as much as you will.”

“No,” Helleran said, forcing his massive frame closer to the woman. “You will wait. They are mine.” His open hand found her throat and lifted her into the air.

Diora’s eyes flickered to anger at the first hint of aggression, and her hand snapped up, her index finger protruded. Her Nen concentrated quickly, her aura cold and refined. A small sphere appeared at her fingers tip, and Helleran released her.

“They are mine.” Helleren breathed low. His hair was jet black and slicked back, pulling at his skull like a demon, flying through the wind.

“You will tell me what you know first, Helleran, then we will decide on what to do. That is what we agreed upon.” Diora said, not showing any sign of complication with her breathing, even though he was moments from crushing her windpipe. She could have defended her throat, but showing Helleran what was at stake, seemed the right action, and so it was.
Helelran spoke slow and kept the details to a minimum, but Diora got what she needed. “I see.” She said. “Go then, have your fun, but I will send someone to see the other group you have yet to encounter.”

Helleran growled like a wild animal, his vocal cords emanating with aura.

“Simmer down, you damn beast,” Diora said, losing her patience. “I’ll send you back to the hell that awaits you if you touch me again. Do you understand? Go now, before they group together and make this that much more difficult.”

Helleran starred through her, the saliva from his mouth threatening to spill out onto the floor. He turned and bolted out of the underground labyrinth without a word.

Diora sighed to herself and walked over to a connecting room, deeper into the maze.

The room was adorned with weapons, art, and crafts made by various people. The walls were wooden and resembled the inside of a study, a space for a scholar. Bookshelves filled the areas in-between crafts, and the floor was carved marble. In the center, a dark rug made from some animal found on the island was sewed meticulously. Diora scanned the room, having walked in its embrace thousands of times, she spared no moment to linger. In the far corner to the east, she saw the switch and approached it. Her hand found it, and her Nen poured into it without hesitation. The wall shifted and heaved, clouds of dust littering the air as Diora went into the now opened area. It opened up into a room pulsating with energy and aura. Electricity crackled deep in the room, and Nen circled around the walls. Bodies lined the walls in standing posts of dark metal. They were but four metal posts protruding straight up to the ceiling, but a gelatin-like substance suspended the bodies as they stood motionless and unblinking.

“Time to wake up, Niro,” Diora said as she flexed her right-hand middle finger and walked to the closest body. A small sphere similar to the one she showed Helleren appeared and hovered above the nail. Pointing her thumb at the body in front of her, the sphere floated into the gelatin and into the very core of the suspended male. His eyes opened in a flash, and the gelatin melted away like butter. Grabbing onto the two metal posts in front of him, the man struggled to take slow, steady breaths, as if he hadn’t felt the touch of oxygen in his lungs for some time.

“Oooooh, it has been a while, Diora,” Niro said as his limbs began listening to him. He was still shaking, but his balance was no longer that of a newborn, learning to walk.

“Not as long as the other’s…” Diora said, crossing her arms. “You were out and roaming for repairs last year.”

“Last year.” Niro scoffed. “Get me some clothes, will you? Last year was a long time for some of us.” Diora reached over near the wall and handed Niro a dusty robe. “Hells, Diora, you could have at least kept the robes cleaned.”

“Don’t hide your damn bodies in a secret dusty dark hole than,” Diora replied, snickering.

“Right, right,” Niro said, putting the robe over his shoulders and tying it. “It’s not like you had a year of doing nothing by yourself. What a busy lass you are.” Diora rolled her eyes and just led the way back to the scholarly area from before.

“Aaaah, my beautiful room!” Niro exclaimed. “Needs a bit of dusting. No-fault of yours, I know, but I digress. What seems to be the trouble?”

“I’m going to wake the others. You make your way to the control center and start getting reacquainted with the living.” Diora said.

“Hard to do that if I’m the first one awake,” Niro said, already moving in the desired direction. “Unless...you mean we have visitors.”

“Of course we do. I wouldn’t wake you otherwise,” Diora said as she turned to head back for the hidden room of bodies.

“Unless you just love my company, of course,” Niro said, smiling. “I won’t tell the others.”

Diora sighed and entered the room. She walked over to the body of a small woman, frail and weak limbed. In a few moments, the girl was on the floor, and Diora moved on without a word.

Diora felt the Nen behind her as she continued waking her sleeping companions. She watched as a dark-skinned man fell to the ground on his knees. His eyes fluttered furiously back and forth and landed on hers. He grinned yet still struggled to gain control of his legs.

“Good morning Diora.” He said, the look in his eyes erratic and frantic.

“Good morning JJ Kool.” Diora said as she left for the last member.

“Just JJ, Diora, you know better.” The man said with his fiery burning eyes.

Diora ignored him and approached the last area of gelatin-like substance, this one holding another woman wrapped in layers of cloth. The cloth was draped around here near mummy-like as she started falling. As the gel was disappearing from the head going down, it stopped at her feet and solidified.

“Meet in the control center when you are all ready,” Diora said, turning her back to them all. As she reached the door, she saw the small woman from before was already at the door and waiting. Her face looked drawn and dark as if she had slept for far longer than necessary.

“I see you are up and about quickly, as usual, Marry Onette,” Diora said, continuing to where she left Niro. The small-framed woman said nothing and only sighed. She was covered in a thin metal suit from her neck all the way down to her toes. She moved robotically like a doll behind Diora as they left the others to their recuperation.
Only five minutes passed when Diora and Marry met Niro before the other two found their way into the control center. Niro had drinks, and food pulled out. In the small amount of time he had he made due, the other’s plowed into the meal like starving children. Meat still on the bone, charred to near burnt, and hard veggies with little flavor-filled their mouths with little complaint until the end of the meal was in sight.

“Couldn’t have killed you to prepare a proper meal before you woke us, huh?” JJ asked.

“Helleran went off by himself,” Diora said, crossing her legs nonchalantly.

“Is he getting unstable again?” Marry Onette asked after emptying the contents of a pitcher of water.

“He….is his usual self.” Diora sighed. “We do have visitors, it seems, yet I have no idea of their skills or talents.”

“Yet Helleran is interested in them.” The woman wrapped in layers said.

“Correct, Anna Molly,” Diora replied. “JJ, Ana, and Niro need time to regrow their strength, but Marry does not.”

“You’re proposing she go out and help Helleran?” JJ asked as he stood on his wobbly legs as they moved with similar intensity as his eyes.
“Sit down and rest,” Diora said. “No, no one helps Helleran. We all know that. As usual, Helleran didn’t tell me much or go into much detail.”

“Wow, what a shocker.” JJ interrupted.

“But,” Diora continued. “He did tell me enough. Currently, they are split into two teams and are on their way to regroup as we speak.”

“Helleran is going to encounter one of them?” Anna asked.

“Eat more Anna; you hardly had any,” Diora said, agreeing. “Helleran is going to harass the closest team; they are not far from the main entrance.”

“Not bad for a ragtag team,” JJ said. “I’ll work on my Nen and get everyone into shape faster.”

“Use some on me.” Marry said as she stood. Walking over to JJ as he still struggled to support himself, her stride had grown less rigid already.

“Sure, but it might not taste very good.” JJ grinned and sat back down.

JJ had closed his eyes and was focusing hard on bringing his hatsu to form.

“It’s ok; it happens as you get older,” Diora whispered in his ear. The whole group snickered as a syringe formed in JJ’s right hand.
“Phew.” JJ sighed. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, actually.”

“It has been a while since the last time we were awakened.” Marry said as the clothes on her right arm receded back by themselves. She presented her arm on the table; it was limp and unflinching in front of JJ.

“I’ll never get used to these paralyzed limbs of yours,” JJ said.

“She does this every time with her covenants.” Anna Molly said. “I’m going to go train. Don’t bother me unless it’s important.”

JJ rolled his eyes and took his syringe in hand and pressed it against Marry’s arm. There was no liquid, no pain, no needle that went into her skin, or even a sound when they made contact. What did happen was the immense amount of aura and nen inside of the syringe instantly poured into Marry, and you could feel the pressure in the room.

“You liar,” Diora said, grinning. “That was no weak syringe.”

“True,” JJ said. “None of my elixirs are weak. I was just trying to be modest. Now Marry, be a good girl, and now go kill someone for me. I’m feeling a bit faint from not doing it myself, but you will have to do, love.”

“It tastes like bubblegum.” Marry replied, licking her lips. “Gross.” She turned then, and the others watched as the armor around her body grew in width and size. Her height increased as her legs were encased in dark armor wrapped in fiendish spikes. The armor rose up and encompassed her head, and she didn’t so much as say goodbye as she disappeared into the next room and headed to meet the island visitors.

“Well, we all have some preparing to do,” Diora said cooly as she crossed her legs.

“Yes, yes, let’s get on with it,” Niro said, interrupting Diora and entering the room.

“Ah Niro, there you are!” JJ exclaimed, holding his arms out mockingly. “I missed you and your robes that love to tease me with a view that even lava couldn’t melt from my memory.”

Niro was indeed still wearing a robe, but this one was different from the one before. This one was even more ornate and decorated with gold and silver. His chest was showing as the strangely bright strings struggled to hold itself together. He wasn’t a big man; in fact, he was skinny and lean. The fault of the wardrobe lies with the wearer.

“JJ, lucky for you, you have the intelligence of a Rocksnail and the memory of a FlufferFish,” Niro said, standing in the doorway.

“That’s cruel to the sea life, Niro. Don’t insult them.” Diora said, grinning.

“Moving on,” Niro said before JJ continued the banter, knowing if he obliged the man, it would never end. “We need to start planning, and I need to know more about these visitors of ours.”
“You know what I know,” Diora said, shrugging. “Helleran encountered them once, and Marry will bring us back more information than he would.”

“Very true,” Niro said, nodding. “Shall I set the labyrinth to any liking that I wish then?” The grin on Niro’s face showed teeth and held a menace to it that was contagious to those of an equal disposition.

“Oooh, let the boy play with his toys,” JJ said, returning the grin.

“It’s not like you need my permission.” Diora sighed. “Do what you will with the labyrinth. As of right now, it’s in your total control.”

“Very well,” Niro said, putting his hands behind his back and turning to leave. He tried to hide the grin on his face, but you could hear it in the words he spoke. “I guess I will prepare a warm greeting for our visitors then.”

“You think they will make it here?” Diora asked, curious. “You think Helleran and Marry will fail?”

Niro began slowly walking out of the room, the smile on his face slowly receding even if no one could see it. “We’ve been here a long time, Diora.” He said. “Eventually, we are bound to run into some bad luck.”
“Very forward-thinking of you,” JJ said, standing. His legs were still weak, and it was visibly frustrating him. “Cursed damn legs.” He said in between breaths. “Luck comes for those who give up.” He said to Niro's back.

“And survival comes to those who plan ahead,” Niro said as he left.

“What are you going to do, JJ?” Diora asked after a few seconds of silence.

JJ sighed and started walking towards the exit as well. “I have an insatiable desire to meet these visitors, but alas, I am not able.” He clutched the walls as he moved, leaning against them and slowly shifting his weight forward. “For some damned reason, this body refuses to learn to walk again, like some fledgling child. If it remains this incompetent then I’ll force it into action.” With his words, he produced a syringe in his open hand and swiftly inserted it into his leg.

“If we lose Marry or Helleran, you will have ample time to get acquainted with our guests,” Diora said. “Force yourself too fast, and your body will fail you regardless.”

JJ Kool choked on his words, which was a rare thing for the man who never shuts up.

“JJ?” Diora asked, but she was answered by silence as she realized she was the last one sitting and the only one still in the room.

“It seems time has affected us all,” Diora said to herself as her head rolled around in past thoughts.

She stood then, interrupting herself and her thoughts, and went out to get some fresh air. She took the long way out, through the many rooms of the labyrinth just how Helleran did when he first arrived. She knew both Helleran and Marry would be stalking their prey, studying them, and waiting for an opportunity to attack. They were similar in their hunt but for different purposes.

Diora reached the outside; feeling the sun on her skin, she realized how long it had been since she bothered to leave the confines of her room. It had only been her and Helleran awake for over a decade now, and he served little to no company, preferring his creatures or the careless adventurer. Diora took in a breath of air that floored her lungs to the inside of her chest. Even with the ample ventilation systems and freshwater sources, they created underground, the real thing was still far greater than what they could manage far below the surface of the island.

Sighing to herself, she moved forward, this time at a pace that would make the fastest animals jealous. In no time at all, she closed in on the entrance Helleran talked about and saw the visitors. Helleran was nowhere in sight, but she knew he was watching, keeping his optimal distance for his ShatterSpear emission attacks. He loved this part of the hunt, the stalking the fear he puts into his victims. Helleran was the predator and enjoyed playing with his meals. She knew that Marry was watching with a different approach, one more methodical and calculated. She would study and hope to learn of their abilities and gauge their powers and teamwork. She was silent and throughout, but Helleran was volatile, and his impatience would…Diora’s thoughts were torn into abruptly by the blinding light of Hellerans Shatterspear as it broke into five pieces and blasted the makeshift walls the visitors had made into pieces.
She watched as the younger boy, even with his sight, moved quickly into position and shouted for the others.

Diora climbed a nearby tree that stood high into the air and made herself comfortable. Marry, and Helleran were not the only ones who loved to watch.

Chapter Text

The sun was at its peak, but the trees that grew far above the rest blocked the worst of the heat if you knew where to stand. Ging was not that lucky as the formation and planning took him from area to area with little chance to stop in the shade.

“Silver?” Ging asked. “Can you make me a shield?”

“Sure.” Silver said with little warmth or exaggeration. She bent down, which felt like the hundredth time in the last hour, and pulled iron and precious minerals from the ground. Shaping it took some time, as she was running low on what Nen she had left. Barricade after barricade lined the area, some reinforced with trees, Bullion felled and strategically placed, others thin and weak, only to serve as distractions.

“Thank you,” Ging said, feeling like he should. He knew Silver was at the edge of her powers, and it was he who was pushing her. He also knew that this emitter from before would not be an easy foe, and if he were complacent, they would die.

“You can get some rest now,” Ging said to her as he fit the shield around his arm. It was small and compact and barely fit the way it should, but he decided he would not push the issue. Its purpose was to be expendable anyway, and it would suit that purpose. She slowly walked away, her feet heavy with the threat of exhaustion.

Taking their positions, they separated at a distance that would allow them to either help each other or retreat if needed.

“Someone’s watching us,” Dorus said, turning his head to the large mass of Nen he pointed out earlier.

“The Emitter?” Bullion asked as he sat up from his meditation. He was drawing as much strength as he could and preserving it as well.

“No, someone else,” Dorus said, shaking his head. “A woman.”

“Find the Emitter!” Ging said with a bit of irritation in his voice. “He is the hunter; she might only be here to watch. Let’s hope she isn’t here to help.”

“The Nen we felt from before is still near the other’s,” Dorus said as sweat dripped down his head.

“I said, find the Emitter!” Ging yelled, taking cover behind a tree that was twice as thick as he was.

“Right, right, sorry.” Dorus apologized and turned his head slowly in a scanning motion. “Oh.” He said quietly.

“What?” Ging asked but was interrupted by a tremendous flash that lit up the area as if the sun fell into the clearing they inhabited. It blinded them all with such vigor that they felt paralyzed and weak. Dorus threw up as his Hatsu deactivated uncontrollably and began shaking. Ging felt the emitter’s presence like teeth ready to clamp around his entire body. Then it faded in a heartbeat.

“His En is huge, but he can’t sustain it for very long. He is unstable; we will use that to our advantage.” Ging said to the other’s trying his hardest to keep them together in the fight. As his vision came back, he saw that Silver and Bullion looked unfazed. The Gyo they masterfully accumulated in their eyes faded as they looked to Ging for his command. Ging didn’t have to try and keep this team together. Except for Dorus, who was still on his hands and knees, the drool and sweat falling from his mouth and pooling on the floor.

“Dorus…” Ging started saying. “You fall back, don’t try and help. We can’t afford the distractions.” Bullion looked from the corner of his eyes at the man, and Silver did the same, but they stayed silent. Dorus nodded and started crawling back away from Helleran and fell into a hole that they had dug. It was reinforced with what little they could, and he pulled the hatch over his head and stayed there for a while. Shivering like he was caught in the dead of winter, naked and alone.

“This is a fight of attrition,” Ging said, going over the plan with Bullion and Silver over the radio as they continue to separate, using the trees for cover. “We survive and let him use his powers; when he slows, we try to go on the offensive.”

“Will he just run away again?” Silver asked over the radio they each held in their hands. Her skills for technology paid off as they were able to communicate long distances with much more efficiency than the modern phones of the time would allow. Ging was several miles away from her and Bullion, and even farther from Dorus. The idea was to force him to split his attacks, assuming it requires more Nen to do this, wearing him out faster.

“If he does,” Dorus said, his voice trembling up and down as his breathing slowly grew more stable. “I’ll follow him with my Hatsu and let you know what he does throughout the whole fight as well.” Dorus clicked the radio button off after he spoke and went silent yet again, but Ging felt the Nen as he activated his Hatsu. The man would not help in the actual fight with his fear taking hold of him, but he would do his part.

The air didn’t fill with light, but they all felt the pressure as another attack was launched. This one was faster and more robust, a by-product of not using the blinding light, Ging thought to himself as he saw several barricades and trees turn into nothing but dirt and splinters. Bullion’s barricade was hit dead center, but he was there to enhance it with Nen, yet it struggled under the blow.

“We have some time, repair what you can, and stay moving,” Ging said as he rushed over to a different tree that they reinforced. His trip was cut short as an emission projectile came for his head. Seeing it from the corner of his eye, he reflexively lifted his arm and protected himself with the help of Silver’s makeshift shield. It shattered on impact, but Ging was able to put some Nen into it, and he was launched far through the air. He flung sideways, the blow propelling him in circles as his legs smashed against the trunk of a nearby tree that was destroyed moments earlier. The force and the splintered ends of the tree tore into his arm and left a gaping wound that refused to stop bleeding.

“Go, go, go!” Ging head Bullion saying, as the big man shifted sideways with one of the barriers hefted in his arms. Silver was behind him, taking cover as they ran. Another blast came, this one a lot weaker, but Ging knew the purpose as soon as he saw it. Instead of splitting the attack sideways like Helleran had this whole time, he split it vertically and sent several bolts into the ground below the shield. Dirt and rocks flew up into their eyes, and rocks smashed into ankles and bone. They were strong, Bullion and Silver, and pressed through the brunt of it by enhancing their bodies in microseconds with near-perfect control.

Bullion brought the shield down on the blast halfway through, and it was good he did so because another blast came shortly after and dug itself into the ground yet again. Ging watched from the little cover he had as the attack split horizontally and then vertically, digging into the ground in several different areas.

“It was pure luck.” Ging thought to himself as Silver quickly slid to him.

“Quickly now, child.” Silver said, surprising Ging. Did she sound...motherly? He laughed to himself, thinking of how he would tell Copper later. She tore a piece of her shirt and wrapped it around Ging’s right arm to stop the bleeding. Ging held back a wince and began talking.

“I think he delays his attacks to split. It’s like a game of chess.” Ging said to Silver quietly.

“No time, talk over the radio, get to some new cover.” Silver said as she moved away and back to Bullion’s cover.
Ging scoffed but decided she wasn’t entirely wrong. He grabbed a nearby rock that was the size of his head and poured some Nen into it. He didn’t strengthen it like usual; he just washed the rock with Nen and launched it far to the other direction of Silver and Bullion. A smaller attack came from the air and hit the rock, shattering it, and Ging was already moving, ducking under the debris of the rock; he lept behind a well-fortified barrier and put both of his hands up and enhanced it, this time for strength.

“Just as I thought,” Ging said as a blast fell hard into his barricade. It shook and cracked near the center but stayed firm. Reaching into his back pocket, he quickly grabbed his radio and started telling the others what he thought.

“He has two attacks.” Ging started. “One small one that he uses as a reaction, and the big ones he splits. I think he has to use his En to determine distance, and then he places a timer on the ones that split.”

“Ok, say I believe you.” Bullion said, fumbling with the radio. “What does it matter?”

“Change of plans, old man,” Ging said as the same pressure cut him off as before. It was quick just like before, but this time even thicker with menace. “He is getting aggravated,” Ging said in response. “Did you feel it in his En?”

“He is,” Dorus said timidly. You could hear the shaking in his voice. “I think he is getting closer. Expect a big attack.”
“I don’t think he can sense Dorus in the ground,” Ging said. “We need to survive this next barrage then when he activates his En the next time, Bullion, you need to unleash yours as a distraction.

“Unleash my En?” Bullion asked, uncertain.

Ging hung up the radio and placed it in his pocket, and ran as fast as he could. He made his way for Bullion and Silver, who even if it was against the original plan, we’re still together. In mid-stride, Ging felt an overwhelming power coming from all around him. They were two different feelings, one the formidable cold menace of their foe and the other a calculated hunter from back at the ship. He was distracted for only a second, but it was long enough for Bullion to panic.

“Duck, Ging!” Bullion shouted as he tossed the barrier in front of him at Ging and turned his back as the enormous blast split into two. It was slower than the previous attacks but made up for it in pure density and strength. The split turned into Ging’s barrier at an angle and launched it into a tree, severing it and getting pried into another. The main attack bore into Bullions back as he activated his Hatsu and took the full brunt of it on his flesh.

“THIS IS NOTHING!” Bullion shouted and turned as the attack finished its relentless assault. He started walking forward at Helleran, both of them with looks of murder in their eyes. Ging sparred a glance at Bullion as he quickly repositioned around some trees, trying to find an angle on Helleran. The previous attack tore open Bullion’s shirt and left what skin remained on his charred and scabbing.

“DIE, AND DIE SLOW!” Helleran shouted as he drew back his arm and gathered his Nen like a cannon. They were half the distance as they were before now, maybe 20 meters at most, but Bullion could barely move when he activated his Burden of Atlas. Helleran released his arm and let his attack fly, one very similar to the one before. It had no light effects on it, just raw power, but he didn’t charge very long, but he also didn’t focus on speed. The blast ripped through the air with such raw force that it looked as if it was pushing right through the world as it moved. Bullion surged in power as his feet dug into the ground as he met the blast with both of his arms, lifting up and catching it on his chest.

“COME ON, COME ON!” Bullion shouted as he struggled to fight the blast back. His legs dug farther into the ground all the way to his knees. Then he heaved a great sigh and lifted his arms, sending the emitters attack upwards where it disappeared into the sky.

“Our turn.” Silver said as a series of crude metal stars were launched around Bullion’s head and headed directly for Helleran. The first volley was entirely accurate, and the first one drew blood, cutting across Helleran’s face just below his eyes and severing his nose nearly in half. The second star he blocked in anger, swatting it down with a splatter of blood from his face.

“Eyes on me,” Ging said as he launched into the air feet first into Helleran’s legs. Helleran grunted as the tiny boy's momentum caught him off guard and brought him falling headfirst into the ground as Silver’s second volley of stars made its way for his new position on the ground. He fell easily, trying not to catch himself and caught both stars in his flesh, as he curled up into a ball and brought Nen to defend his arms and legs. In an instant, he was up on his feet, the stars falling out, barely drawing blood this time as he launched a kick at Ging, who turned just in time to receive it full on his ribs.

“YOU'RE FIGHTS WITH ME, YOU DAMN BASTARD!” Bullion yelled as he continued his slow stomp toward the hand to hand combat. Ging was still in the air, ten feet high, as he saw a flash from the corner of his eye. He used what momentum he had from the kick and turned his body with it as he went farther into the air. His leg extended and turned, making contact with a metal sphere Silver launched his way and directed it down onto the top of Hellerans head.

“Try me, you island scum.” Silver said as Helleran was still recoiling from the blow. Silver was directly under his torso, her small frame fitting perfectly as he keeled over from the impact of her elbow across his solar plexus. The man coughed blood and recovered quickly, lashing out in an uncontrolled fury as Silver dodged and parried them perfectly. She sidestepped and danced around the tall emitter as he desperately tried to keep up with her. Ging landed hard on the ground flat on his back, struggling to lift himself high enough to see the last of the events unfold.

He saw Bullion then, five feet away as Silver danced a bloody melee with the deranged enemy. She was struck hard across the face and once in the ribs, but she dealt more than her fair share of blows. Three feet, Gin thought to himself. Two feet, one foot. Silver danced expertly behind Helleran as he committed fully into a powerful backhand, and she launched him with a kick that pushed him back into the possibly the only embrace he had ever encountered.

“Finally, caught you, you little fly.” Bullion said as he laced his hands together around the man and arched his back. It was over in an instant and as easy as breaking a stick. Bullion let his aura fade as he tossed the man to the floor, his lifeless body bloody and frozen in anger and menace.

“So much for all my planning,” Ging said on the radio, too sore to try and shout the words.

“What is that?” Dorus asked nervously.

“What is what?” Silver asked, looking around defensively. Her hands were up, and she was ready to fight. The bruises she earned fighting hand to hand with Helleran were threatening to show themselves against her pale complexion.

“That thing, that sphere that’s leaving Helleran’s body!” Dorus said, exclaiming with his hands as he stayed tucked away inside his bunker with no one to see his motions. “Oh, for christ sakes!” He said, realizing his mistake and storming up and above ground.

Silver, Bullion, and Ging all instantly used Gyo when they heard Dorus’s explanation.

“I see nothing,” Ging said, standing shakily on his feet.

“Same.” Bullion and Silver said together. Bullion had dropped his Hatsu, the aura and mass of his body shrinking back to normal. Ging looked again at his back and winced. It looked like the man stood his back against the sun and let it poke at him with its heat.
“It’s moving quickly,” Dorus said, following it with his eyes. “Oooh, it’s going to the woman from before! Towards the Nen maze!”

“I’m guessing you either lost your damn mind, or you can only see it because of your special little hat there,” Ging said, reaching down to touch his feet. Stretching always made him feel better after a long day of training, so it was worth a try, he thought to himself.

Dorus deactivated his Hatsu and reactivated it. “You are correct.” He said. They had all walked closer to him, turning off the radios so they could finally talk face to face. By the time they were all together, he had deactivated his Hatsu yet again. “She has it, whatever it was, and she turned and left,” Dorus said, sighing out loud.

Ging filed the sphere away in his mind for later; as of right now, he lacked any information on it and needed to know what was next. “Do we check with the others?” Ging asked, looking up at Bullion.

“I think we have to.” Bullion said, smiling. “If that’s what one enemy can do, imagine if we had to fight them all. We need to do this together, and then come up with a new plan.”

“Can you see that far, Dorus?” Silver asked as she reached into the hidey-hole the scared man had been in earlier.

“No, not that far; we went way too far for that.” He said, shaking his head. Silver pulled a pack out of the hole and opened it, revealing some bandages and some medical supplies.

“Kneel, you big oaf.” Silver said through clenched teeth. She had the bandages in one hand and cut through them with some nen on her finger. Handing it to Ging, she pulled out some cream and squeezed it into her hands.

“Oooooh!” Bullion said, clenching his fists. “That tickles!” His words were a mix of pain and laughter, and Ging was pretty sure he saw a tear or two forms on the big man's eyes.

“Big baby.” Silver said, smiling as she rubbed the ointment on his back. “I’m not going to wrap your whole back, so we will need to apply this again in a few hours.”

“I’ll heal by nightfall.” Bullion said assuredly. “I’ve seen far worse than that.”

“He could have killed you,” Ging said, cocking his head to the side.

“Yeeeah, true.” Bullion said, grinning. “But, he didn’t.”

“Are we ready?” Dorus said, pulling a spear close to himself Silver made sometime during the last few hours.

“We go at the slowest pace.” Bullion said, holding up a hand. “When we are close enough, Dorus, you get eyes on everything.”

“Yeah, let’s hope it’s not too late.” Dorus replied.

“I still feel the aura coming from them,” Ging said quietly. “Sol and Copper, and another.”

“Apple is there too.” Silver said, nodding her head. “You just have to try harder.”
Ging didn’t know if it was a jab at him or a jab at Apple. Maybe it was both, but the sincerity in Silver’s voice helped wash away the rude manner she spoke in.

Ging nodded and focused his senses, trying to feel Apple among the titanic strengths around her. “Oh, yeah, she is there, and Majordomo,” Ging said, surprised.

Silver sighed and said. “She is actually pretty good at concealing her presence, I will admit.”

Bullion began moving, attempting a pace that everyone could follow. His long legs kept him ahead with little ease as the other’s followed along. Ging felt the soreness ring through his body with every step, but he pressed on. Bullion’s back was a grotesque view in front of him, the raw peeled skin glistening in the sun thanks to the ointment Silver applied. He decided not to stare at it and moved to the side with the others who probably had the same idea. In a triangle formation, they moved at a pace none of them agreed with, but Bullion seemed to pick up on this feeling and accelerated. Slowly at first, his strides grew longer and longer. Ging had forgotten to keep his eyes and senses on high alert until Dorus activated his Hatsu yet again. The crown wrapped around his head, leaving his mouth showing, and Ging watched his lips curl tight and his jaw clench.

“What is it?” Ging said calmly. But he didn’t need an answer, for it came at the same time to all of them as Bullion stopped. The presence from before which they knew to be an ally of the Emitter was gone, and so was Apple’s. They had vanished, leaving Sol and Copper by themselves. Ging looked side to side at the others, watching as their faces mirrored Dorus from just a few moments ago. Lips pursed, and jaws clenched as Bullion spoke.

“Stick to the plan; we group up.” Bullion said and began moving at speed just above the one from before. They passed through all the same areas as earlier, as it was the quickest route back to the ship, but this time it was far slower. Ging couldn’t help but wonder who it was they were staying at this pace for? His arm was injured for sure, but he could still keep up. Dorus? Or was it Bullion? Ging decided he wanted to see the enhancer’s face and get an idea of what was happening.

“What are we doing?” Ging said as he raced ahead. He came up next to Bullion, taking three strides for every one of his, and stared at him, watching for what he could. To his credit, Ging thought, he kept a strong face, but Ging knew him already.

“Ging to group up, what do you mean?” Bullion said, surprised.

“We're running at this DragonTurtle's pace, for what reason?” Ging asked. “I can keep up, and Silver can keep up, so that leaves either you or Dorus who can’t or some other reason you aren't sharing.”

Bullion ket up his stride, but it faltered for a step or two before he recovered. “Alright, you damn brat, listen.” Bullion started saying. He was angry, but Ging had the feeling it wasn’t with him. “You weren't kidding back there. That Emitter could have killed me, and it was one guy. Now, Team B is or was under attack, and Apple is either dead or taken.” Bullion took a deep breath and sighed. “Start thinking of plans, Ging.” He said, making eye contact with the young boy. “And I mean for everything. “None of us will give up this expedition. I can promise you that, so we need to push through this.”

“You're stalling to try and think of a plan before we get there?” Ging asked, amused. “Not a bad idea, I suppose, except for the fact that they have radios, and we could just communicate with them.”

“God damnit.” Bullion said, annoyed. “Get ahold of Copper.” He said, turning to Silver, who only nodded and took her radio out.

“What’s happening?” Silver said to the device, a hard metal box that could fit in one hand, carved with patterns and buttons. Ging tried to listen but couldn’t hear Copper’s end of the conversation even as he jogged closer to Silver.

“They want to wait until we get there to tell us.” Silver said, looking up at Bullion.

“What about Apple?” Bullion asked.

“She has been taken by the enemy.” Silver confirmed, hanging up her radio. “Can everyone keep up?” Silver had already begun moving faster before she asked, and Ging stayed with her. Was she worried about Copper? Ging asked himself. He decided he would watch and find out for himself when they all grouped up. He sparred a look behind, and Bullion and Dorus kept up easily, confirming that the slow pace was simply because Bullion’s reluctance not to have a plan was stronger than his base logic.

They pushed through in silence at a pace much more Ging’s speed. Breaking through the trees, they opened up into the clearing where they settled their boat. The Boombeast was scattered on the ground, the trees around it either uprooted or severed into splinters. The broken ship remained half torn on the shore, and the sailors were gathered around it. Ging saw the captain and one other moving about, and some laying down covered in cloth; he assumed they were dead.

“Hey, guys,” Copper said, greeting them. She was disheveled and worn down. Ging thought she looked the worse for wear.

“What happened?” Bullion said, clenching his fist as he surveyed the area. It was terrible, Ging thought.

“It looks like a warzone,” Ging said. Copper just remained silent and let out a small sigh, motioning them to follow. They walked quickly to Sol, who was sitting cross-legged on a flat piece of stone with his eyes closed.

“What are you doing?” Ging asked curiously.

“These are no ordinary people,” Sol said, the smile on his face struggling to emerge from its usually carefree position. It eventually showed, but it was forced and on edge. “So…I will stay as strong as possible, in case they come back.”

“Tell us what happened.” Silver said, sitting next to him.

“Everybody regain your energy; this is going to be a long night,” Sol said. They all sat down reluctantly. The adrenaline was still high, and the smell of blood and death in the air did nothing to help ease the nerves. Sol sat in silence only briefly, sensing the tension the group brought with them. When he started talking, he told the story of what happened to team B at nearly the same time that team A was fighting Helleran.

Chapter Text

Sol watched as the sailors put together what they could of the ship, but it was ultimately futile, he knew. They had no chance of repairing the ship with standard conventions.

Team A had left some time ago, their auras disappearing into a mass of trees the Island seemed very fond of. Massive strong timbers, who went up fifty feet high and went for as far as the eye could see. It wasn't as compact for a forest, but the trees themselves were great enough to encompass a large quantity of space.

"What should we do, Sol?" Copper said, dropping some wood in a pile. "I can chop trees all day, but we still won't finish repairing this ship before the others find us a new place to relocate."

"True," Sol said, smiling. "Let the sailors work, they need something to do, and this is.." He stopped to search for the words in his head. "This is very devastating for them." He finished after a moment.

"The boat, you mean?" Copper asked. Sol only nodded. "Yeah...the boat is their life after all, and it was ripped from them in mere seconds." Copper turned and looked at Sol, cocking her head slightly. "Why did you bother to save the ship? Would it have been better to let it go?"

"Debatable, as most things often are," Sol said. "I concede to both sides of the argument. My decision gives them small hope for something that is far beyond their reach, while what you suggest snatches the hope from the air like a bug." He mimicked this act as he spoke, grabbing a glowing bug from the air. He held it in his right hand and held up his left clenched as well. "You weigh options as you go and try your best to never get lost in finding them in your old footsteps." He opened both hands, and the bug flew from the other hand, that was by his side only moments ago.

"Nice trick," Copper said honestly. "When did you switch hands?"

"I didn't," Sol said. "I caught it with this hand and placed it back down before you realized it.

"No way you are that fast. Mom's not even that fast." Copper said, raising her eyebrows. "Silver, I mean, she isn't that fast, and she is pretty fast." She stumbled on her words.

"She is your mother," Sol said, smiling. "No shame in saying what she is." Copper turned her face, the blushing evident even on her tanned skin. "She is faster than you think, although I think I might still be faster."

"Anyways," Copper said, changing the topic. "What should we do? You are in charge of Team B."

"I don't suspect that Team A will go far before finding a place to settle," Sol explained. "The sailors can't move as we can, and now Bullion and the others can travel without anybody to slow them down."

"So they will probably try and contact us soon," Copper said, nodding.

"They will." Sol agreed. "And when they do, we form a plan from there. As of right now, do what you wish. Help the sailors, search the perimeter in case of invaders, converse with Apple. These are all good ways to pass one's time."

"Would you train me some more?" Copper asked excitedly.

"You mean to show you a game where you and Ging can master in a day and then pervert it to the point of it being unrecognizable?" Sol said, putting on his best serious face. Copper didn't fall for it, and the grin on her face grew with his more contagious one.

Copper had a tinge of excitement as Sol was about to open his mouth. The thought of having a training method to teach Ging was enticing, despite trying to fight her urges. Her excitement was cut short as the box of technology on her side pocket buzzed and vibrated. It was her mother calling, so she turned and answered it.

"Any good news?" Sol asked after Copper hung up the radio, clipping it back on her pocket. She turned around and had a drawn expression that was torn between confusion and surprise.

"Not really," Copper said quickly. "They were attacked."

Sol only nodded, having felt the sensation of power from a far distance some time again.

"You knew?" Copper asked, surprised.

"I had a hunch but couldn't be sure until now; please continue," Sol said, the smile on his face helping ease Copper from whatever emotion was chewing at her psyche.

"Well, the attacker was powerful, an emitter, and then I told them about the ship," Copper said, continuing the story. "Bullion wants us to contact the Hunter Association and get two ships sent here instead of repairing it."

"Now that is interesting," Sol said, the smile on his face shrinking as his eyes opened wide. "He must have some strong assumption on what kind of Jenny we will be making from this trip."

"Should I contact them?" Copper asked, unsure of herself.

"Do it, and ask the sailors if there is anything they want to be requested as well," Sol said. Copper nodded and went over to talk to the sailors. He watched as they began rummaging through some packs and started pulling out parts. After a few minutes, they had the barebones of a larger radio that should be able to reach the Hunter Association.

Sol turned to face the trees in the direction of Team A and walked towards them. He held up both of his hands and unleashed his En as a prod of sorts, looking for anything that shouldn't be there, but he found nothing. Pulling back his En, he let out a sigh that was long and deep and turned to see how Copper's progress was going.

"How is it going?" Sol asked, approaching Copper, the sailors having gone back to work to leave her to hers.

"Fine," Copper said tersely. "We lost some parts in the attack from the Boombeast, but nothing I couldn't figure out."

"Well, that's lucky," Sol said, smiling.

"Kind of," Copper said, moving piece after piece and attaching them together. "Mom brought the parts out with her, so they weren't on the ship during the attack, but they still took some collateral damage."

"Everyone says your mother is the whiz with technology, but it looks like you could give her a run for her money," Sol said, leaning down to see the work more closely. The antennae were destroyed. The box itself took some superficial damage. The controller, Sol guessed, was smashed and in pieces.

"Psht, I only know all of this because of her," Copper said, finishing up the box and antenna repairs. She turned her attention on the controller box, which had taken the most damage from Sol's perspective. "She leaves her projects all over the place, and I get bored and end up finishing them. I'm almost done here, then I'll reach out and see who picks up."

"Anyone who can contact a close Hunter will do." Sol said, when you find someone you call back for me, they will want to hear my voice."

"What are you going to do?" Copper asked, continuing her work.

"Keep an eye out for any unwanted visitors," Sol said, forcing his smile not to fall.

"You think they will attack us already?" Copper asked, finally putting her full attention towards Sol.

"You just worry about the radio," Sol said soothingly.

"Treat me like a kid during training, and that's fine Sol, but on this island, after Silver and the rest of Team A have already been attacked, you will only do me a disservice."

Sol was surprised at the maturity at which she spoke but only slightly. "You and Ging are perhaps the brightest two people I've had the pleasure of meeting, you know that?" Sol said chuckling. He looked her in the eyes and came out with it. "They will attack us, yes."

"How do you know?" Copper asked.

"I guess technically, I don't," Sol said, shrugging. "But it is unlikely that this one Emitter is by himself, so I will wait for his friends."

"What happens after we fix the radio?" Copper asked.

"I imagine we will rendezvous together and do our best not to separate again," Sol said.

Copper bit her lip and looked down at the floor. "That means the sailors will be left behind." She said, more of a statement than a question.

"Most likely." Sol agreed. "I need to inform Apple of everything. Keep doing what you're doing."

Copper had already turned her attention back to her tasks. The familiarity of it helped ease the tension caused by the conversation with her mother. She nodded and stayed quiet as Sol walked away.

Walking slowly to not alarm Apple or any of the sailors, Sol made his way over to the Spanish beauty. She sat in a shaded chair; the umbrella that hungover was white and silver and had a drapery that hung from it made of fine silk. The silk was dark green, and it matched the colors of Apple's family, Sol knew.

"Apple, I would like to catch you up on the plans so far," Sol said, using his hands to talk. The woman wore shaded glasses, and they were as dark as a beetle's skin. Not being able to see her eyes made Sol uncomfortable, but he persisted.

"Of course, of course, Sol," Apple said, smiling and patting the chair next to her. Sol found his way to it in a few strides and sat down with as much prosperity as he could muster.

"You really are just a handsome man, aren't you?" Apple said. "Así como tú, me los recomendó el majordomo." She spoke fluently, and Sol struggled to discern which language was her first, and instead decided to ask.

"Did you learn English of Spanish first?" Sol asked, smiling.

"Oooh, smart man changes the topic so brilliantly!" Apple said this as she craned her head back and gave her Nen butler Majordomo a malicious grin. "This one might be a keeper!"

To Sol's amusement, the butler blushed and giggled, which for the massive framed conjuration was a sight to behold.

"Skip the formalities, my dear. What are these plans?" Apple asked, grabbing a fan and gently putting it to use.

Sol filled her in on the plans putting details where he saw fit and lingering on the Emitter that attacked Team A for dramatic effect.

"I see, I see," Apple said. "What shall I do?" She asked quickly.

"You were hired not as part of the offensive but as more of a supportive role," Sol said, choosing his words.

Apple scoffed at him. She added elegance to it that robbed it of most of its edge for a usually ugly expression. Her words brought it back tho and cemented that she was no pushover. "No, I am no brute nor devourer of worlds, but I will not flee in a fight. We of the Mine's family fight in more ways than raw strength."

"My pardons," Sol said, still trying to play the part to make her at ease. "When the fighting starts, do what you can, but do not put yourself at too much harm, or my plans will be altered."

"When the fighting starts?" Apple asked, dragging the words along.

"The fighting will, indeed, happen." Sol agreed. "I have no doubt that this Emitter is not alone. The odds are very slim of the alternative."

"Indeed," Apple said curtly.

"Can you tell me anything about how you will fight?" Sol asked, curious.

"The Three T's," Apple said, grinning yet again. This time she showed more teeth, and the effect was not as intimidating as she would think against Sol.

"And those are?" Sol asked.

"Now now, a woman must have her secrets," Apple said, fanning herself again. "Be a good guard, and get to your job."

Sol smiled, knowing she jested more than anything and stood to leave. As he did so, he heard Apple talking to her nen butler. "Majordomo, do you have everything we need?"

Sol left them to their idle chatter, trusting Apple's words that she would be useful in a fight. He once again made his way to the edges of the tree line that surrounded them and let his En fly. He found nothing, yet again, but he felt eyes on him.

"They are watching us," Sol said to himself. He felt annoyed that he didn't have one of those radios now as he looked to see Copper was too far away to talk to unless he shouted. He wished he told Copper to fix the broken one that was supposed to be his. It and three others were broken in the attack from the Boombeast.

"One thing at a time." Sol had to tell himself to console his thoughts.

Deciding to preserve as much energy as possible, he found a comfortable spot overlooking the majority of the trees and sat cross-legged. Even without his En, he would be able to sense all but the best at hiding their presence. To do this, they would need to be very good at Zestu. Thinking this to himself as he sat, he noticed that a presence had disappeared from his senses from behind him. He quickly looked back at Apple and saw that she was still there under her umbrella. She saw the look Sol gave her, and at nearly the same time, Copper also did, and she grinned wide.

"You're pretty good at that," Copper said to Apple. Sol was too far away to hear the words, but he was positioned just that he could read her lips, a skill he practiced religiously in his youth. He couldn't read Apple's reply, but Copper smiled back and went back to her work, so Sol did the same.

"I guess she will be useful." Sol thought to himself as he straightened his back and waited.

The time went by slowly, but in reality, only five minutes had passed. The fury of the events happened so fast that Sol struggled to catch up to them at first. Sitting there, actively searching for his enemy, releasing his En every minute into the treeline from behind him, he heard a rush of motion. It was one lunge, one foot hitting the ground and propelling itself forward. He looked and sat up at the same time, instantly on guard as he saw a mass of dark armor flying through the air. How did he miss the enemy?! Were they behind the treeline this whole time? It was the only answer, he knew, yet he struggled to see how it was possible.

Controlling his thoughts, he yelled at Apple. "Look out!"

She was slow, far slower than the opposing force coming at her, and a leg wrapped in cold metal came up and slammed into where she was sitting. Her umbrella flew, shattering into pieces, and the dust from the impact resembled a small mushroom as it bloomed in the air.

"Apple!" Copper screamed, instantly enhancing the piece of metal she had in her hands and launching it at the armor. Sol admitted it flew fast, but it wasn't enough as it just sank into the armor like a viscous liquid. The armor grew back like regenerating skin and vomited the foreign object from its metallic coat.

"I'm Marry." The person in armor said as the helmet peeled away to reveal her face. "Now you know who you fight. May I have your names?"

Copper answered her with an enhanced projectile and, at the same time, a swift lunge. She was very close to where Apple was sitting, able to cover the ground in one lunge, similar to how Marry attacked Apple, but not as fast.

Sol watched as something landed in the water several yards away, and he assumed it was Apple flying through the air. With timing that could only be a coincidence, Copper landed a punch on Mary's armor at the same time Apple landed in the water. The sound was similar to that of a Bearbeaver's tail hitting the water, hard and soft at the same time. Copper's punch sunk into the armor, collapsing it all the way to the skin, yet Marry didn't even bother to move. Like before, the armor began regenerating itself but not before a metallic leg rose up and struck Copper clean in the jaw.

Curse you!" Sol yelled, already moving to assist Copper in her melee. He let his Sol Sphere fly, it's gold hew racing towards the dark opposition. Marry moved deftly to the side, keeping her back to the water to not be flanked from behind. Sol heaved his body to the side, and his sphere followed, careening hard into the side of the armor, splitting it open from arm to leg. Copper landed on her back and quickly propelled herself up as the dust settled yet again.

"Will, you not share your names?" Marry asked again, as her armor regrew around her. She had taken the blow and knocked it aside with her other arm, the sphere dissipating into the air behind her.

"My name is Apple Mines!" Apple said, crouching behind the woman, dripping wet.. She had a knife in her left hand, and her right was covered in blood. It was an awkward angle, her left-hand slicing for Marry's left, but she slipped it through the armor before it entirely grew and left a gnarly gash on Marry's arm. She didn't even flinch or move from the cut, but she did fling her arm back and landed a knuckle across Apple's head. She went for another attack, but Majordomo was there in time to intercept it.

"Ah, I see." Sol thought to himself. "Majordomo took the brunt of the kick from before."

He moved forward, Copper as well, and they went to surround the woman, but she was fast.

Marry moved to the side, shifting like she was born a dancer. Her first hit sent Majordomo and Apple back a few inches, but they struggled to recover. Apple was covered in water from her impromptu swim in the bay, and she was actively working to keep up on her feet. The blood that ran from her mouth was quickly wiped away as she tied her hair back up and repinned it with her dagger.

"I'll support you," Sol said to Copper as they converged on their locations.

"Ok," Copper said and took off from the momentum on her back foot. She caught up with Marry, and they entwined into a flurry of blows that rang out when either landed a blow or blocked a counter. Copper leaned forward, her goal evident to anybody watching or involved in the skirmish. She wanted to create space between the others. Sol didn't mind this one bit and quietly praised the girl's quick decisions.

Marry was no slouch herself and quickly picked up on the tanned girl's plans. Getting out of those plans was another task altogether.

Copper was favoring her boxing skills, her punches were swift and accurate, but Marry countered them deftly. Copper landed a few, one to the chest, one to the arm, and one across the helmet. The armor tore with each hit, Copper enhancing her fists twice as heavy before impact, yet Marry stood firm. Taking the last punch to the helmet, Marry planted her feet and raised a knee hard into Copper's sternum.

"Grrh," Copper gasped as the metal knee drove the air from her. But she snapped back so quickly that she could see the surprise on Mary's face as she grabbed the lifted leg and pivoted. Copper's back was facing Sol and Apple, but with her maneuver, the mingled combatants traded positions, and Marry flung through the air towards Sol.

"Regenerate from this," Sol whispered to himself. His arms were outstretched, and the power he emitted was radiating. His Sol Sphere came from his hands in a crescent shape, the bottom of its tip tearing through the ground like a great sword through the water. Marry curled into a ball in the air, unable to change the flight of her course, and smashed directly into Sol's attack.

Sol watched as her armor fought against his attack, regenerating almost entirely as fast as his sphere could do damage to it. The way Marry landed in the crescent shape allowed her to slide down the sphere and onto the ground yet again.

No one waited for the dust to settle as Sol, Copper, and Apple all rushed for the offensive. They all seemed to have the same idea, keep the armor from regenerating and land a fatal blow. Currently, Marry's helmet was half-healed on the right side, and the rest of her body was in a similar state.

The silence was uncanny as the three converged on their target. Marry flew sideways just like before, her movements graceful in their deadly perfection. She headed straight for Apple, Deming her the weakest of her adversaries. She wasn't wrong, as she collided with the primed up woman and drove an elbow hard into the side of her face. Apple spat blood from the blow of the impact and was sent spinning sideways twice before she landed.

Marry cleaned her face with her free hand that hadn't regenerated yet, the blood sticking to her eyes and blurring her vision. By the time she brought her hand down, Copper had struck her from below, a heavy kick that would have broken bones. And it did just that. Mary's left leg bent in two as the armor sealed shut. Sol was there in time to land his own blow. But the armor was already threatening to close, so he opened his hand and struck with the tips of his fingers hard into her ribs. He felt ribs break and separate. He started pulling his hand out, but the armor clamped on them and peeled the skin from them like razors.

Copper spared a look over at Apple, which cost her a blow to the head from the side of Marry's fist as she spun, kicking Sol at the same time as he recovered his hand.

Everyone snapped to positions after the exchange of blows. Sol and Copper with their fists raised and Marry, standing on the balls of her foot, agile and imposing.

"How are you still walking on that leg, let alone kicking with it?" Sol asked her from a distance.

He started circling to the side as Copper circled to the other. They simultaneously tried to keep one of them in her blind spot until Sol caught the look in Copper's eyes. She kept shooting frantic looks at Apple, who laid on the ground covered in a mixture of blood, dirt, and drying ocean water. Her back heaved up and down, still breathing, but she struggled to pull her face from the ground.

"Take one more step towards the woman, and I'll kill her. "Marry said, staring directly at Copper through the iridescent eyes of her metallic helmet. "Have you not figured out yet, what my condition is?" Marry asked Sol without taking her eyes off the teen.

"Are you paralyzed?" Sol asked as he and Copper stopped circling like vultures.

"I am." Marry said with some amusement. "By choice, it is the covenant that allows my armor, the...uh Armor of Marry." She said this so innocently that Sol felt like if he could see her face, she would be blushing. "It allows my armor to regenerate." She said, finishing quickly.

"Then you manipulate it, instead of your body," Copper said, surprised at the depth of the covenant.

"Very good, child." Marry said. "I dabble in enhancing as well, but the strength comes from my covenant and my skill alone."

"Too bad you are already dead, you armored bitch." Apple said. She pushed her head up just enough to spit the words along with some blood.

"Explain, please." Marry said, still refusing to take her eyes off of Copper.

"I'd rather die, and when I do, I'm taking you with me." Apple snarled. The words were harsh and ragged in her throat. Sol had never seen the woman like this before; Apple was always so dainty and prim.

"Then, I will pry the words from your bones." Marry said as she snapped to the side, charging for Apple like she had previously. Sol was ready, but Copper was faster. She kept up with Marry, in fact, closing the distance before Marry realized she was there. It was inevitable tho as she couldn't get to Apple before the agile armored woman. Sol pulled his sphere up hard from the floor in front of Apple. He set it there earlier after Apple fell and hid it with his In, a technique used to hide aura and Nen's visibility. The sphere came up, but Copper was too close to Marry.

"Damnit!" Sol cursed as he slowed the sphere down, not wanting to hurt Copper in the mix-up. He left it in her hands and rushed to meet them just in case the stalemate went in their favor.

Copper and Marry were only a few feet away from Apple now and closing the distance quickly. They easily lept over the sphere, which was only barely sticking out from the ground. Neither of them saw what it was, so they over jumped the mysterious hole in the ground. In the air, they were vulnerable and slowed by gravity.

"Fall upon your death!" Apple said as she raised her hand and summoned Majordomo. He must have vanished some time ago, and no one realized. He sprung into existence in front of Apple and didn't even have time to blink before Marry broke through him, and he disappeared into a cloud of light purple dust.

"Halt." Marry said, wrapping one arm around Apple's neck. "We will meet again, I hope." Her armor was opening and expanding, and Sol and Copper just watched, not wanting to harm their companion.

"The Three T's!" Apple shouted before the armor closed around her. Marry turned and jumped into the water, a perfect dive assisted with Nen that took her far from the shoreline in one stroke.

"What just happened?" Copper asked, slowly lowering her fists. She was stunned in disbelief.

"Marry just turned the tides of the battle in her favor," Sol said as he walked over to the water and watched the bobbing form propel far from his reach. "I hesitated, and it cost us the fight."

"That's just not true, Sol," Copper said in the hope to console him.

"It's ok Copper, I don't need the help, although it is appreciated," Sol said, showing the faintest of smiles. "I was the leader of this team, and I should have done a lot differently. I accept that, and next time they will not find me wanting."

"What do we do now?" Copper asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Check on the sailors, but I don't think Marry targeted them at all," Sol said, snapping straight into his leadership role. "Silver will try and contact us soon; you tell her Apple has been taken and that we need to group together."

Copper went on to check the sailors instantly as if it was a thought she had long before Sol mentioned it.

The time went by quickly as Sol and Copper put themselves into the work ahead of them. Copper tended to the sailors who were mostly unharmed from the second attack around them in one morning except for one fatality of a man who took stray shrapnel to the throat.

The sun was leaning towards its opposite rising side as Sol realized just how hungry he was. He decided to wait until the other's were here and preserve his powers just in case the enemy wanted to strike while they were recovering.

He made his way to the area Team A had left from a few hours ago and sat down to meditate. He heard Copper's radio and her voice in the distance, but she didn't bother him, knowing the plan already. Sol opened his eyes as he heard footsteps breaking into the clearing where they had landed a full-sized boat this morning.

Chapter Text

"Yeah, you ain't kidding." Bullion said as the food was passed around the fire, they made in a hurry. Logs laid in awkward angles, causing the heat to be unevenly distributed. "These villains are nothing to be trifled with."

"You all seemed to fair pretty well," Sol said, spooning a small portion into his mouth. "A few injuries here and there, but mostly in good shape, I'd say."

"You know better than that, Sol," Dorus said, shaking his head. "We were inches from being turned into ashes; if that guy wasn't so damned hostile, we would have never gotten within his reach."

Sol's appetite was not what it should be because of the events he earlier encountered, but he forced himself to eat anyway. "This is the first meal without Apple," Sol said quietly. He lifted his spoon and let the thick cream or soup he wasn't sure, fall into the bowl.

"No more of this melancholy mood!" Bullion said loudly. "The sailors did well preparing our meals, and we have done well so far on a hostile island. Apple, wouldn't want us just wasting away now, would she!?!"

"That reminds me," Sol said, looking up as Bullion stood. "Apple mentioned something called the Three T's, do you know what that means?"

Bullion took a hard bite out of fruit from the island that the sailors collected nearby. The sailors had claimed it was non-toxic and Bullion trusted their word on the matter. "That's the poison's the Mines family specializes in, but really all of the Ten Dons and the surrounding families use them."

"Poison, what kind of poison are we talking about here?" Sol said, instantly curious.

"Well, it's a complicated poison, really." Bullion said, straightening his back to seem smarter than he was. "The ingredients can't be mixed before entering the bloodstream or anywhere for that matter."

"Why is that?" Ging asked, having eaten his food and starting a second bowl.

"Uh, because the components tend to uh, not be so vigorous in their toxicity if they uh." Bullion said, stammering.

"Oh, give up." Silver chided. "You were too busy ogling over Apple to listen to her explain it, weren't you?"

The party snickered as a whole, knowing Bullion's weakness for haughty and attractive women. Silver continued the explanation for him as Ging elbowed him in the side as a sign of jest. "All three ingredients are harmless by themselves or even in pairs." Silver started, holding up her finger and producing three shapes with her Nen. "Tripharelyn, Trapenold, and Testosterone."

"Testosterone?" Ging asked, surprised. "A hormone in our bodies?"

"Yep." Silver said, nodding. "Most male victims produce enough testosterone to only require the other two ingredients to be added. One Tripharelyn is made from a herb found in the water near shorelines. And yes, before anyone interrupts again, I would bet that's when Apple salvaged some into her mouth when she was drop kicked fifty feet through the air and into the water.

"So that's what Apple spit into Marrys face!" Copper exclaimed excitedly.

Shaking her head at her own daughter's interruption, Silver agreed. "Yes, yes and all the Mines family already have the other ingredient with them."

"The Trapenold," Sol said, agreeing. "It's a rare ingredient made from the tails of Plunderbugs.

"Wait, what's a Plunderbug?" Ging asked, curious.

"Plunderbugs are elusive creatures that steal from other creatures for their food and have a penchant for shiny objects," Sol said after Silver nodded for him to pick up the conversation. "Most notably for this story, they travel into molten magma near where they live and find gemstones that form there."

"So where does the tail being turned into a poison come into this tale?" Copper asked, sitting up with her back straight. Most of the crew had finished eating, and their energy and spirits were returning to normal. Sol reflected that a discussion of Apple's last fight was the reason for their return to form and smiled for it.

"Well, the magma in these particular volcanoes are far greater than your average magma, and we struggle to cultivate the gemstones from them," Sol said. "The Plunderbug wraps its tail around these gemstones and carries them to their den, which is even harder to track down, but far less risky to near death." He stopped to take a drink of water and continued. "So, long story short, you need a great deal of money for the third poison as it's made from the gemstones we call Trapenolds. Or far less money to find the tails of a Plunderbug with trace amounts of the minerals on them and harvest those instead."

"So," Copper started. "The only other blow Apple landed was with her knife. That means she had the mineral-laced onto her Ben's Knife already?"

"Yes, and because Marry was, in fact, a woman, she transmuted Majordomo into testosterone, which sealed Marry's fate in the end."

"She did well to bait Marry at the end," Ging said admiringly. "Do you think you all could have beaten her without the poison?"

"You two have experience in combat." Bullion started. "But Nen combat is a different animal entirely. You never know the limits a persons' Hatsu can be pushed to or the secrets they withhold."

Sol and Silver nodded together in agreement, and Sol picked up where Bullion left off. "One on one, I think I had a chance." He said. "Together with two people, I had no idea how they fought, and with the surprise that Marry struck us with, everything changed within moments."

Ging and Copper listened intently, absorbing what they could and engrossed in the conversation entirely. The talk dithered down as they talked more of combat and teamwork. Now, traveling as a whole unit, they would need to rely on each other even more, and they would need to learn how to benefit each other as a team.

"Well, what's the plan, boss?" Ging asked, turning towards Bullion. The day was coming down to its end, and the sun was threatening to rob them of it's light within the next hour or two.

"The sailors won't follow us, I know that." Bullion started. "I don't even need to ask them. It's written all over their faces." The others looked and agreed as they studied the sailors who had lost half of their unit and half of their ship. "Did you make contact with the Hunter's Association, Copper?"

"Kind of," Copper said hesitantly. "I talked to some people who said they could deliver the message, but other than that, we have no other broadcasts within our range."

"Then, we hope for our reinforcements and continue our journey." Bullion said.

"Details, please." Silver said, tapping her foot and folding her arms.

"Yes, yes, yes, don't get your panties in a bunch." Bullion said, the jibe at Silver obviously making her uncomfortable as she turned her now bright red face away. "I say this in the order of importance, and you will all save your judgment of me for later." Bullion took a deep breath before continuing and let the words out in a rush of air. "We discover the secrets of the Dark Continent, we make enough jenny to retire off of, and we save Apple."

The air was quiet except for the sounds of the sailors who tirelessly worked in the background. They worked hard to establish a camp for themselves to get through the rough night they suspected laid before them.

"You don't plan on saving Apple do you?" Copper asked with her eyes down to the ground. This, with the fact that the sun was moments away from retiring, made it hard to see the expression on her face. But everyone knew Copper well enough at this point to know where this conversation was headed.

"We will save her." Bullion said quietly. "But only if it doesn't jeopardize the mission."

Copper stood abruptly at his words, her bowl crashing to the ground with the utensils she used to empty it. "She damn near sacrificed herself to stop one of our enemies, and you won't even put her before jenny?"

Her voice was strong and harsh, but Ging noticed it was on the verge of tipping, almost cracking like rocks balanced on the side of an old mountain. The wear and tear of stress, causing them to slowly teeter off the edge.

"No, and I'd do the same for all of you." Bullion said sternly. "I told you all this before you started this mission, do not act like a child now, Copper."

"A child!?" Copper yelled, her voice cracking just how Ging pictured it would. But now, with tears forming in her eyes, being held back by anger and possibly necessity. "Even a child would choose a friend over something as petty as riches and glory!"

"We are not friends! We are acquaintances with similar goals that happen to align on this island." Bullion said, still somehow keeping his calm.

"You know Apple!" Copper shouted. "You've known her a long time, and I dare say you've known her as more than a friend!"

"Copper, keep quiet about matters you don't understand." Silver said harshly. Her eyes bore into the side of Copper's head as if tempting her to challenge them.

And Copper did just that in a heartbeat. She turned and locked eyes with her mother, the would-be tears no longer there being replaced with confusion and malice. "I understand enough when my own mother would seek to replace a friend as this man's flavor of the month before her corpse is even cold."

The slap was so thunderous that even the sailors stopped what they were doing to see what happened. Silver's hand was flat across Copper's cheek, but she was as solid as a pillar. To Copper's credit, she didn't even so much as flinch or blink, and Ging admired her greatly for it.

"Well, what needed to be said was said." Sol chimed in as the sailors went back to their work, and the group of merged teams A and B sat in cold silence. "Bullion, I've known you the longest here, even longer than Apple, and I'm afraid I'm on Copper's side."

Bullion sighed an exaggerated sigh that seemed planned. "I figured as much, old friend. I am half tempted to do my best to force all of you to adhere to my rules and follow me to the end."

"But Hunter's don't work like that, do we?" Ging said, finally chiming in. "I'm with Copper and Sol on this one, Bullion."

"You what now?" Bullion said, shocked. "You never care about other people. You barely even care about me."

Ging scoffed. "Barely is an overstatement. To be honest, and now don't be mad Copper, but I don't know Apple, nor do I care about her in the slightest." Copper turned towards Ging and gave him a look, one equal measure of disappointment and shame.

"Then why even try and save her?" Sol asked curiously.

"Why not?" Ging said, shrugging. "If you two are going to try anyway, I might as well help. That seems far more fun at this point. Finding Apple also aligns with our main goal."

"And what is that?" Dorus said, who had been extremely quiet this whole time.

"Discover the secrets of the island and get rich in the meantime," Ging said, repeating what had been said. "Do you all really think Marry and her people will let us just roam the island? Not a chance in hell."

"I would take a vote, but I see I am already outnumbered." Bullion said, folding his arms and pouting.

"Take the vote anyway," Ging said, taking over the conversation again. "We have spent enough time idling. If we mean to save Apple, then let's get to it."

Everyone seemed to be in agreement on the matter, but no one acted at first. "All in favor of making Apple our primary objective, say aye," Sol said, being the first one to speak. Ging, Sol, and Copper instantly raised their hands.

"All opposed?" Sol asked. Silver and Bullion's hands raise. "Dorus?"

"Consider me the outside force," Dorus said, picking at the ground with a stick. "I go where you all go. Just let Ging guide me in a fight. He knows how I like to do it."

"What, you mean as far away as possible?" Ging said, jesting.

"As far away as possible, AND well protected," Dorus said. "Also, well hidden if you can manage it, little hunter."

Ging scoffed at his jibe and moved the topic along. "That's three to two. The new objective is to save Apple, and everything that happens with it will happen. Everyone in agreement?" Everyone nodded.

"Then, for the love of god, let's either get planning or get moving, it's nighttime, and we don't have Apple's legendary camp to stay in tonight," Ging said.

"You have no idea!" Bullion said exasperatingly. "You've never even stayed in her camp. I'm talking foot massages, chocolate fountains, the best wine you could ask for…"

"Yes, yes, that's the joke, Bullion." Silver said, annoyed. "Let's move on."

"Ok…" Bullion said, putting his full attention to the group and reading the room more. "I understand, we just lost someone, but."

"No, buts! We are all Hunters here, and no one, if I'm not mistaken, wants a pep talk either," Ging said quickly, doing his best to keep the sting from his words. He didn't want Bullion entirely dismayed, but this was not the time.

"Right, the plan." Bullion said, stammering slightly. "We have only one entrance we know of, so it isn't rocket science to say we head on over there."

"Are we just going in together as a team?" Copper asked. "Even I know that this is probably what they want."

"The labyrinth is their home turf. "Dorus agreed. "If we go in there, the plans that we make with no information quickly go out of the window."

"I can form plans as we go, not a problem," Ging said. "But they will try and divide us." He said this last thought with perfect assurance, knowing full well they would try and do just that.

"What are you proposing?" Bullion asked.

"Well, we have two options." Ging started. He picked up a stick and quickly drew a makeshift labyrinth of horrible proportions. "We do what we just discussed, and anybody who gets separated knows it's every hunter for themselves."

"Or?" Copper asked, pushing him along.

"Or we divide up yet again with one team looking for another entrance... Or even yet, we all look for another entrance. The chances they have another entrance are slim to none, I might add."

"Why wouldn't they have another entrance?" Silver asked. "If they have a cave-in or get stuck in there, they would have no way out."

"I never said they didn't have another exit. I said they most likely won't have another entrance." Ging said, shrugging. "I am going to assume they have been here a while, and if that is the case, they have everything they need in that labyrinth for them to survive. I am also willing to bet that none of them will leave while they still breathe."

"You probably aren't wrong." Bullion said, "But I don't make plans on possibilities and maybes."

"You have no other choice in this matter unless you want to spend the next week doing recon and hoping we can survive that long," Ging said. "We go into this blindly and feel our way through the dark, or we don't go at all."

"I agree with Bullion," Copper said. "But only slightly. "I like the idea of getting more information before we rush on into our deaths."

"Again," Ging said. "The chances we find any new information is very low. And whoever goes out by themselves will be dead if they are ambushed."

"I will go," Sol said after a few moments of silence. "This last encounter made me realize my full potential can't be used with a crowd." Sol held up his hands as the others tried to talk. "Let me finish. I am also the most versatile fighter here and have the highest chance to survive in most types of encounters."

"Would it be wiser to send someone who can hide their aura with In?" Silver asked.

"Apple was probably the best at that here, followed by Dorus." Sol agreed. "Yet, if they catch Dorus, we lose our navigator and no offense Dorus, but you have no chance against the enemy by yourself."

"None taken." Dorus agreed. "Apple has inspired me to lean towards the creative side in my next forway with the enemy, yet I still hope that day never comes." The man was visually stricken still and shook slightly at the thought of it, but Ging appreciated his ability to try.

"Sol goes to scout then, are we all agreed?" Bullion asked. They all nodded in agreement. "Then, so be it. Silver, try and teach him anything you can about the radios before he takes off, and let's all prepare for our little night raid."

The next half an hour went by quickly as they all scuttled around in anticipation for the night ahead.

Silver taught Sol quickly how to operate the radio and change the battery if it died while he was out scouting. She then made her way over to the sailors and helped them set up some defenses for the night with her Hatsu, turning the surrounding ground and minerals into walls and barricades.

Copper helped the sailors, as well, and showed them how to contact the distant Hunter Association relay so they could keep reaching out and be updated with information. Sol, Bullion, and Dorus repacked their bags with supplies, and Ging wandered the area doing whatever he saw fit.

"It's about time we get moving," Ging said, standing on a rock as the rest of the party was going over last minute preparations.

"Yeah, I think it is." Bullion agreed. "Let's head out."

They waved at the sailors as they left.

Thanks to Nen and their natural abilities, the party was mostly healed and ready to fight. The only lasting injury as of right now was Ging's arm, which only needed a good night's rest to recover.

Bullion led the pack in a Nen enhanced sprint that no one struggled to keep up with, as they pressed through the dark forest with Dorus guiding them with his near-perfect vision.

"You can even see in the dark with that thing?" Ging asked, pointing to his helmet he had used so often already.

"I can see pretty much anything," Dorus said boastfully. He was proud of his ability, Ging could tell, and rightfully so. As far as non combat Hatsus went, Ging appreciated Dorus's Divine Vision.

"Let's stay focused." Bullion said through gritted teeth.

"Why so tense?" Ging asked, attempting to jest with the man.

"We are being followed." Bullion said matter of factly. "Pay attention, and develop a plan. That's your job!"

He was much more testy than usual, Ging thought to himself, but he was right. They were being followed, and not by humans. "Creatures," Ging said. "Similar to the one's from before when we fought the Emitter."

"A lot more than that." Silver said quietly. "I sense at least twenty."

Dorus gulped down a cry before he spoke. "I see twice that. And somethings wrong with the leader."

"What's wrong?" Bullion asked, not slowing the pace of the team. They were close to the entrance that they set up defenses for earlier that day. He was determined to reach it before they were completely surrounded.

"It's big and disgusting," Dorus said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"That's it?" Copper asked, surprised.

"No...it has the exact same Nen as the Emitter we fought." Dorus said slowly.

The group grew cold and quiet as thoughts ran around their heads, but Ging was the first to break the spell. "That thing you saw flying from his body. Do you think it was his soul, or something similar?"

"I have seen something like that before, yes," Dorus said, explaining. "It could be that he needed to attach to the nearest living thing that could support his power."

"How grotesque is this beast?" Bullion asked.

"Three times the size of the other animals, but that's all I can make out at this speed," Dorus said.

"We stick to the plan." Bullion said before any objections could be made. "Sol, you feel free to split up whenever you want, before or after we reach the defenses."

"I'll wait," Sol said. "I want to know where I need to rendezvous back to, in case everything goes horribly."

"Are we sure you want to go out there by yourself?" Copper asked worriedly.

They reached the entrance they found earlier, and Silver's now destroyed barricades. The makeshift house she made still stood firm, and they entered it as rain started pelting the ground.

"Yes." Bullion and Sol said together. Bullion gestured for Sol to continue. "We surely walk straight into a trap if we use this entrance. I'll scout ahead and make my way back here when I'm done."

"Doubtful," Ging interjected. "The plan will go sour way before that." The others stood and stared at him, waiting for his next words. "The rain, the creatures, or just dumb luck will cause your radio to not work, or better yet, you forget entirely to even try it. Then, this crazy psycho in a dog's body will try and get his revenge, most likely on Bullion seeing as he is the one who killed him. At the same time, his hordes of creatures attack us in swarms."

"How did you know there were other creatures besides dogs?" Dorus asked, impressed.

"Let's call it a haunch, but really, why wouldn't there be," Ging said, shrugging. "He had birds last time. He will have aerial creatures this time; he may even have things that like the rain. I say Sol needs to move, and move quickly."

"Way ahead of you, Ging," Sol said as he turned away from the group. "I'll do my best to stay in contact. You all do your best to survive the night."

"We won't have that long," Ging said, extending the words out in a mocking tone.

"Just don't die, ok?" Sol said again, preparing to run. "If worse comes to worst, I'll send a flare up into the air. You can't miss it."

"He isn't joking." Bullion said. "I saw that flare from a continent away once." Sol had already taken his first few steps that put him far beyond earshot of Bullion's words and far past the limited sight that the night and rain would allow.

"Now, what?" Copper asked as they all stood there waiting.

"We do as Sol asked," Ging said. "We survive the night."

"Any plans, oh master strategist?~" Silver asked Ging with her first as far as Ging knew; playful tone since he met her.

"Well, Dorus, how bad is this?" Ging asked the helmet totting man.

"Pretty bad," Dorus said, taking a drink of wine he packed for himself. His hands shook as he lifted the flask and slowed down as he finished the adult beverage in one solid gulp. "You were right so far. There are at least another fifty creatures, and these ones are all airborne. Worse than that…" He said, pausing for dramatic effect or to choose his words. "They are starting to get closer."

"Did any of them follow Sol?" Bullion asked. Ging nodded, seemingly agreeing with the question.

"Not many or maybe none," Dorus said. "The rain hinders my sight slightly. It mostly just making it harder to focus, but they seem very intrigued with us as of right now."

"Where is the big boy?" Copper asked as she was stretching, preparing for a fight.

"Disappeared," Dorus said through a hiccup.

"Well, that's not ominous or anything," Ging said sarcastically. Silver was busy creating weapons similar to that from before, spears or swords depending on who wanted what, and no one heard Ging's remark. He decided to let it slide based on the seriousness of the situation before them.

Ging could hear them now through the rain, the pitter-patter of slow and steady steps, or the shuffle of furious and quick steps. Nervousness, anticipation, and hunger, he heard it all in their movements. They were coordinated but not as well as they could be, not like Ging and his team.

These creatures were threaded together loosely, Ging could tell. The biting and yipping, nibbling at each other, the bright colored eyes flashing side to side. They were pieced together by fear from their leader, who hid among them.

"I say we take the fight to them before they attack," Ging said to Bullion and the others. They all nodded and waited for him to continue. "Silver and Copper, you probably have the best teamwork out of all of us. Breakthrough their lines and scatter them. We need chaos, as much as you can get. We will pick off the stragglers and hold this spot. Come back here if you get into trouble. If you let them close you off, you will need to carve your way back here."

The mother and daughter's reactions to Ging's words were little, but they nodded of acknowledgment before they both launched off their heels straight into the dark of the night.

Silver and Copper were side by side, equal in speed, but opposing in the weight of their steps. Copper's feet hard and strong with a graceful weight, while Silver danced over the now muddy terrain, barely making an indent.

Ging lost sight of them quickly, and Bullion and Dorus drew close together and formed a circle. The chaos was slowly unraveling itself.

Chapter Text

Sol was long gone into the night as he searched for a secondary entrance into the Nen labyrinth the team wished to infiltrate.

Ging and his companions were currently being surrounded by their first enemy Helleran, who somehow survived his death and took on the form of a wolf-like creature. Helleran, in this form, was leading a group of similar canine-like animals on the offense. As well as a host of aerial monsters and some not yet encountered by the party.

Copper and Silver launched themselves into the hordes of animals. The darkness mixed with the pouring rain clouded the surrounding vision, and they were soon gone from sight.

"Let them come to us!" Ging shouted at Dorus, who was pushed against him tightly back to back. "If you need to move, you move. I'll stay on your back!"

Dorus struggled for words as the fear gripped his throat as if he was trying to swallow his tongue from inside out. All that he managed was a furious nod that Ging barely noticed in the scene's chaos around them.

"I'm calling them cydogs!" Ging blurted randomly.

"WHAT!?" Bullion yelled in confusion.

"Well, they have one eye and are kind of like dogs!" Ging replied. He was currently looking one dead in the eye as it lay unbreathing in front of him. It rushed ahead of the pack, unable to control its bloodlust, and Ging cut it down with Silver's Nen crafted stone sword.

"Just focus!' Dorus yelled, his voice pitching uncontrollably.

"Fine, fine, you guys are no fun," Ging said, striking a pose against Dorus's back. He knew Dorus had little chance of keeping up when the attack starts. The Treasure Hunter lacked confidence in himself, and Ging wanted to provide some of that to the man, if only for a moment.

The cydogs came in waves after the first death, first three at a time, one for each defender. Bullion punched through his attacker with ease, and Ging did the same. Dorus missed his first swing, earning him a bite on the arm that he quickly remedied with his sword's quick swipe. Then the pace picked up so abruptly that Ging abandoned his plan almost instantly. He struggled to count how many attackers came, but there was barely any space left in their surrounding area.

Ging saw a small opening in front of him; it was a few feet above him between several cydogs and the flying sharp taloned birds that flew overhead. Launching himself forward, he enhanced his sword extending its reach with a similar aura blade that took on similar properties as the emission attack used before. As he spun through the air, his sword cut through many beasts disintegrating them near instantly as he landed.

He didn't want to end up far from the trio, so he took the time to glance back at the spot he left open. Dorus did his best to enhance his own body, but it was far from the potency the others could muster, and he was quickly piled on the ground after cutting down two beasts.

On the other hand, Bullion was a sight to see as his aura rose like a pillar of flames. The big man landed a punch onto a cydog that sent a shockwave that broke the bones of any creature behind it for several feet. Ging ducked as another shockwave went over his head when Bullion's second punch landed on another dog.

Ging couldn't make it back to Dorus in time after ducking, so he quickly charged his left hand after switching his sword to the right and launched the same emission attack from before. It was small and weak, but it was enough to burn a hole through the first bird beast and burn the cydog that had its jaw latched onto Dorus's neck. But the cydog flinched only for a moment before sinking its jaws on the other side of Dorus's neck.
The man instinctively activated his Hatsu this time, and the conjured helmet closed itself around the dog's head, killing it.

"Release your Hatsu!" Ging said, helping Dorus up as Bullion swatted birds from the sky like flies. Dorus was squirming on the floor, trying to get the pieces of dog skull from his helmet. He did as Ging asked, and Ging didn't even have time to criticize the man as drones of creatures came to finish the job of the first wave.

Ging counted his breaths as he inhaled. They were being surrounded yet again. Two breaths were all the time he had to react as claws and talons tore at them from all sides.

Dorus reactivated his Hatsu as claws scratched off its surface. The blood from his neck dripped down under his collar mixing with his shirt and staining it dark. Bullion threw haymakers like a boxer in the ring, and Ging wielded his sword as deftly as he could.

"Where are they?!" Ging shouted, mostly to himself. If any wanted to listen, he wasn't opposed.

As if on command or divine judgment, Copper and Silver showed up from the opposite side they left; in a flurry of crimson. The blood from their swords and their limbs flew through the air mixing with the rain and diluting it before it ever reached the ground. They were a cohesive unit, mother and daughter tearing through the lines to regroup with their comrades.

"There are too many of them!" Copper said as she stood above Dorus. He was knocked to the ground again, but this time by Ging to save him from an attack in the air.

"Stay down, Dorus. We need to clear some space," Ging said quietly to the man on the ground. "Pick a corner, and do as much damage as possible!" Ging shouted to the others.

The aura surged from the three without hesitation at Gings' words. Within the next few seconds, the area around them was littered with bodies. Ging was focused too intently on his corner to see how the others cleared their enemies. But he still relied on his Emission blast amplified as strong as he could. The result was far fewer bodies in front of him but a lot more ash from the disintegrated corpses.

"Dorus, where is the alpha, cydog?" Silver asked worriedly. He still had the helmet that allowed him to detect life forces and scanned around in a circle.

"Good god, there are still so many of them!" Dorus squealed. "The alpha is there!" He pointed in front of Bullion.

"Ooooh, the puppy wants to play!" Bullion taunted as he made eye contact with big red eyes illuminating from the darkness. The bodies around them slowly started disappearing as they were drug away, and the sounds of chewing and chomping flesh sickened the team. Copper fought back vomit in the back of her throat, and Dorus barely remembered to deactivate his helmet as he lost his.

"I think he wants you dead, Bullion. "Ging said, making his way over to him. "He might remember who killed him. Very interesting."

Ging's thoughts were interrupted by a piercing sound that split his head in three.

The red eyes in front of them grew more prominent as the alpha walked closer and closer. It walked into sight after what felt like an eternity. While Ging and the others struggled to keep on their feet as their knees threatened to buckle and fail.

The alpha's jaw came into view; its long pristine white fangs were shivering and vibrating as the sound grew more and more deafening. Then the muscular shoulders, massive and scarred, mutated, and unnatural, appeared. Long dreads were next to arrive. They grew from its torso and it's head, dripping in blood.

Ging was the first to bring his hands to his ears, and calling the Nen to his palms blocked the sound from rattling his brain around his skull. He lunged with his hands still occupied, an awkward movement that combined with the rain, blood, and corpses, left him far from the distance he wanted to reach. The two prominent fangs pierced into Bullion's shoulder, penetrating his usually tough skin with ease.

Ging lunged again, getting close enough to draw the alpha's attention, which turned piercing eyes onto Ging and swiped hard with a single clawed paw. It was a long and jagged claw that Ging knew from watching what the fangs did to Bullion could not be allowed to touch him.

With its concentration torn between two targets, the sonorous sound faltered down to a grievous annoyance. With the stranglehold on all their senses lessened, they struggled with the quick wave of claws and teeth that took its place. Ging dodged the single clawed alpha by inches, it's barbed tip drawing blood from his cheek.

"Wanted another hug did you?!" Bullion yelled as he grabbed for the furry beastial head whose tooth was still lodged in his shoulder. The alpha pulled back and escaped into the darkness far faster than Bullion could react. His body was still woozy from the effects of the alpha's attack.

"Scared chicken shit demon beast!" Bullion shouted as he lazily swiped the smaller creatures away from him. The others were similarly defending themselves, their sloppiness and inebriation slowly leaving their bodies.

"We can't do this all night." Silver said as she knelt down to the ground. In moments the earth sunk and twisted, then rose again in crooked patterns. They were sharp enough to slow the beasts down but nothing more.

"You want us to try and find Sol?" Ging asked. "Seems like a worse idea than us waiting for him to come back."

"I think we have the worst of it now," Copper said. "They really want us dead."

"They really want me dead." Bullion said, smiling. "I could be the decoy?"

"Not worth it," Ging said. "Even if it works, if you dilute the team enough, you end up with just water."

"That was an oddly worded metaphor," Copper said with a snort. "What do we do then?"

"Sol seems like the type to arrive when you want him to," Ging said, glancing over to Bullion.

Silver had wrapped her shirt around his shoulder tightly, and now he saw the bruises she earned from the fight with the Emitter on her skin. She didn't have the healing powers quite as strong as the Enhancers in the group, but she seemed unphased by it.

Bullion caught the glance and nodded. "He will show up. He always does."

Ging wasn't allowed any more words as the attacks came in like swarms of bugs on a corpse.

They were more coordinated this time, the bloodlust still strong in the air but tempered by failure. Ging's eyes went back and forth, up and down, scanning for weak areas, but there seemed to be none. Every angle was covered, on the ground and in the air, and Ging and the others began the fight all over again. The group dropped many bodies, but this time Ging leaped onto Bullion's back for extra height.

Silver and Copper surrounded Dorus as he struggled to keep up with the furious beasts around him.

The ground shook and crumbled in front of them and was illuminated like the rising of the sun. A massive sphere was ripping through the earth and everything that was in its way. Behind it was Sol, pushing it forward with his hands, staying near it for safety.

"I found an entrance," Sol said, wasting no time. "But it could be a trap."

"How many creatures did you see out there?" Ging asked, jumping from Bullion's back and going behind his sphere. The others quickly did the same, using it as a wall, which was one less angle they could be attacked from.

"Hundreds. Maybe thousands." Sol said, shaking his head. "Trying to sense all of them at once is near impossible."

"Then we go to your new entrance!" Ging yelled. "We can't go slow. We can't win this game of attrition."

"Dorus?" Copper asked. "Can you keep up?"

Dorus was breathing hard in his mask, and the others could hear the sound of wounds as his voice struggled from his throat. "I will keep up."

The others wasted no time in agreement, and Sol took his hands from his sphere, and it disappeared into nothing.

Turning the opposite direction, back into the darkness where he first emerged, Sol sent another sphere out that was far faster than the first. It broke through the night and scattered the creatures that were smart enough to not be caught in its path, and the group ran for the now cleared space.

"Took you long enough," Ging said to Sol.

"Did you miss me?" Sol replied mockingly.

"Only a little." Copper chimed in as she kicked away claws and fangs from the darkness.

"What are we doing?!" Silver yelled through the chatter. "Take this seriously, will you all!"

"Just keep following my sphere," Sol said, pointing. "I'm guiding it; I know the way back."

"What kind of entrance is this we are headed into?" Bullion asked worriedly.

They took a moment of silence to fend off the attacks around them. The creatures were getting more ferocious and more determined. They pressed their attacks together and in greater numbers than before, surrounding Ging and the others at any moment they could.

"A collapsing doorway that's currently being flooded by water," Sol said quickly. "It is unlikely to be a trap, while the entrance we knew of most certainly is." He said this last statement as a defensive measure, knowing the judgment would be strong in the following debate. Ging noticed this and responded before the others could.

"How far underwater is it?" Ging asked.

"Twenty feet and growing," Sol said, holding his hand out to catch the rainwater as his other hand ended the life of an aerial attacker.

"Any objections?" Ging asked loudly. He was met by a silence that said more than the words that were not shared. He knew there were objections and lots of them, but they were desperate for time and desperate for a choice.

Someone needed to make the decision, and it needed to be decisive. Ging stayed silent and turned his attention to assisting Dorus, who was struggling the hardest among the group to defend himself.

It felt like a heap of time had passed before Bullion spoke, but in reality, only a few moments had passed.

"We go to the new entrance." Bullion said. "Sol leads the way, and everyone else files in after. I go last."

"You're going to seal the door behind us?" Ging asked Bullion before turning a second question on Sol. "How much farther do we have to go?"

Bullion only nodded at his question as Sol spoke. "Not much farther," Sol said. "I'll bring us straight to the water. When you see my sphere flicker, it has hit the water, and we cannot hesitate to follow it."

"Please don't tell me they have creatures in the water like they were talking about earlier," Dorus said heavily. It was hard to see through the dark and rain, but from his breathing, Ging could tell that the man's injuries were starting to add up.
"They have something in the water, yes," Sol said grimly. "They did not like me snooping around, but the door is illuminated."

"Get moving!" Silver and Copper shouted together as they appeared from opposing sides of their brightened path.

"What in the hell were you two doing?!" Bullion asked, mad at himself for not noticing the two had broken off from the group.

"The alpha is planning another attack. This one will be bad." Silver said, struggling to calm herself down. The mother and daughter were covered in scratches, yet Copper's Enhancer regeneration barely struggled to keep up with the wounds. Silver's wounds, on the other hand, had dirt packed tightly on her left arm, which Ging assumed was there to stop the bleeding.

Many things happened in the next few moments.

The sphere that Sol used to guide their way flickered in front of them and violently shuddered as Bullion lunged forward on both feet. With masterful Nen control, he shifted most of his power into his fist and aimed his hand at Sol. Sol turned on his heel and mirrored Bullion with his own hand, and they slapped hands together in the air. The resulting concussion from their Nen high five broke the eardrums of anything within a thirty-meter radius.

Everyone except for Ging knew what was happening, and for once, Ging was happy someone intervened on his behalf. From behind him, Copper wrapped her hands around his ears and covered them with Nen as she directed Nen to surround her own ears just as the impact happened.

"In the water!" Sol yelled before anyone had a chance to blink. Ging surveyed the area around him and whistled as the others dove into the water, Bullion waving them in one at a time.

Cries and shrieks filled the air as the flying beasties fell from the air in shock, and the cydogs shivered and drooled, struggling to pursue their prey.

The thought of thanking Copper skimmed the outer traces of Ging's mind, but the events' hurried pace quickly pushed it aside.

"Don't hesitate now, Ging." Bullion whispered as the boy rushed past him. Ging had no intention of slowing down, but he still wondered why Bullion spoke those words as he dove hands first into the water.

Ging was no stranger to swimming, growing up on Whale Island and the many laps around the ship on their voyage here. He quickly caught up with the others as he heard an ungracefully flop from behind him as Bullion entered the pool of water.

Ging's head began to pulsate again in a similar fashion as before when the alpha debilitated them with its voice. He and everyone had the same idea as Nen converged on their ears once again. They had no form of communication in the watery depths, and their vision was obscured even further than on the surface.

Ging felt more than heard the commotion behind him, and he spared a glance back towards Bullion.

The alpha had its jaws protruding into the water while keeping its body held back on land. This was enough for the creature to have its desired effect ripple through the water. Bullion at least had a warning this time and continued on swimming as hard as he could, but Ging saw the second part of the alpha's plan.

Three many handed serpentine lizards slithered into Bullion's direction as the alpha tried to slow him down. The Emitter beast couldn't hold his breath underwater any longer and pulled his razor fanged jaw back out of the water.

Ging met eyes with Bullion, who ended up rolling his eyes. Bullion was giving him that look, he knew, the one that said, "Do as I say, and don't you even dare." all in the same look.

So Ging balled up his fist and sent the Nen where his practice and experience told him to, propelling himself forward. Doing this a few times caught him up to Silver and Copper, who stayed close together with Dorus. Sol was in the lead again with his hand outstretched, guiding one of his spheres down the impromptu path he created.

Yet again, Ging felt pressure behind him, and this time, he struggled to glance back and see what was happening. Mentally sighing to himself, he gave in to his temptations and turned his head. Ging chuckled so abruptly at the sight behind him, he took some water in his lungs and quickly sobered up.

Bullion was paddling his arms in front of him with such tremendous power and speed that the serpents surrounding him were pushed aside at every stroke. He was gaining momentum so fast that the others were threatened at being passed by the man who Ging thought resembled a mole burrowing through the dirt.

The group swam like this for close to two minutes. Ging realized that either Sol was lost or lied about the distance to the underwater door. Ging chose the latter in his mind and continued swimming. He knew he could hold his breath for at least four times longer than what they currently had to, but he wasn't so sure about the others.

The questions rattling in his brain were shortly answered as Dorus went limp just a few feet in front of him. Silver and Copper both grabbed an arm by the sleeve and kept up their pace as best they could. Ging caught up quickly and timed his snake-like underwater lunges with them as he pushed on Dorus's unconscious feet. Silver and Copper realized what he was doing and promptly synced up with his timing.

Bullion was now going faster than Ging, Copper, and Silver and caught up with their slower pace. Quickly turning with a flip to face the creepy serpents with three-fingered hands. He waved them away with force from his arms, which doubled as a backstroke of sorts. He kept up with the others as they persisted for another couple of minutes.

How much longer? Ging thought to himself yet again as they hit close to the five-minute mark. He saw in the faces and the sluggish movements of his allies that they were running dangerously low on oxygen.

He looked ahead, between flailing limbs that Sol's face was barely being illuminated by a light hanging from what looked like a metal door. His hands were outspread, and something was coming for them.

Bullion must have seen or sensed that they were close, or perhaps he was just so low on oxygen that he acted accordingly in his desperation. He pulled up behind Ging and waited for them to do their swimming technique, learning the timing. On Ging, Copper, and Silver's next push, Bullion added his force, launching the group much farther with his assistance.

The serpents were closing in just as Sol' Sphere wrapped around the team in a spiral, spinning its energy around them like impenetrable ribbons. It took only one more timed paddle to reach Sol, who quickly opened the door as they all propelled into what they hoped was breathable air.

Sol was the first to enter the door and was the only one to land on their feet. Ging, Silver, Copper, and Dorus were spewed into the room like bullets from a gun. At the same time, Bullion rewound his hands as he entered and slammed the door shut in a similar motion to his backstroke.

The force of the slamming door was thunderous, but no one could hear it except Ging. The others were too busy as their lungs struggled to pull the oxygen into their bodies while trying to disperse the water they drunk on the way here.

"What the hell is this?" Ging said, looking around. The room was solid white and smooth, which he thought was done by hand.

"Learn what you can," Sol said as Ging scanned the area. "We need to get the others ready."

"I thought this was a safer entrance?" Bullion asked as he spits out a jet of water. Ging thought the big man must have had some enormous lungs to keep that volume in them.

"I said it was better than the obvious trap," Sol said, trying to pull Dorus to his feet as Silver and Copper got up on their feet, wiping their mouth of the spit and rainwater.

Dorus was in by far the worse shape and struggled to get up with Sol's assistance. The bespectacled man fell to the floor, not breathing. Sol quickly applied pressure to Dorus's chest and blew air into his mouth. He was successful on the first try as Dorus came back to life, breathing like a fish out of water, flailing with eyes wide and bloodshot.

"What do we now?" Bullion asked, trying to get a hold of the situation before them.

"Not sure," Ging said. "Silver, is this a type of rock or mineral?" Ging had walked over to the nearest wall near the door that they just forcibly entered.

Silver took a deep breath and let out an exasperated sigh. "It's Cold Marble." She said. "It is usually a soft rock that is used for carving. It shouldn't be able to hold up this labyrinth."

Dorus laid on the ground, still refusing to get up. "I think I'm going to die here."

The others didn't mean to ignore him, but they also were unsure of how to reply. The result was an awkward silence that caused Dorus to release a sigh as well. "There is a lot more to this labyrinth than just Cold Marble; look closer."

"Can we not take some time to regroup?!" Copper said, her voice betraying her as it cracked under stress. Silver looked at her daughter sharply and began to open her mouth before they were cut off by a voice that echoed throughout the room and the walls.

"I wouldn't be much of a purveyor of hospitality if I just allowed you to lay there on the floor, now would I?" The voice said. "My mother would roll in her grave if she only knew that I wasn't accommodating to my new guests."

Ging and the others perked up at the talking as they all took fighting positions.

"But I digress as some may know, mother also taught me to not play with my food before I eat it. You met Helleran, who I believe has taken a keen interest in the big hairy man who goes by Bullion, if I'm not mistaken."

The voice stopped to chuckle at his own comment as the others turned and looked at Bullion, who was mentioned by name. "Some of you also met Marry, our armored little sister, as we like to call her."

The voice grew closer on the last sentence and seemed to stop it's reverberating. The sound was no longer coming from what seemed like speakers from across the room. But from a single point in front of them. They also now heard the footsteps from across the room that stretched far and wide.

"My name is Niro, and I will be the conductor to your opera of misery soon to come. Ging, Sol, Copper, Silver, Dorus, Bullion, and of course, Apple. Aaaaah, my precious guests."

"Where is Apple?!" Copper shouted across the massive room.

"Tss, tsk, all in due time... ~child," Niro said. "Soon, you will meet my family, but before that, I have some grand schemes planned for you all."

The man's voice vanished as quickly as it appeared, and the walls creaked with dust and debris. As they all watched the walls shake, Ging kept his eyes open for the man, listening for footsteps. He thought just may be that he was invisible and didn't want to let his guard down.

Carvings of markings and symbols light up the room and spread throughout the walls like vines until they were completely covered in them and then stopped shaking. The room grew silent as the others waited for what was to come next, their thoughts running rampant and wild.

From across the room in the same area that Niro's voice emerged came a woman who seemed vaguely familiar in movement and mannerisms. She moved almost robotically towards them until she stopped her advance and stood still.

"Who are you, and where the hell is Apple?!" Copper shouted as the silence grated on her mind. She was covered in blood and guts still, as not all of it washed off in the swim, and she was tired. The day and night had been long, and they were barely allowed a moment to rest on this cursed island she was growing weary of.

"My name is Marry." The woman said, lifting her chin. "I don't know the name of this body, but we have met before. It was I who took Apple and she who took me."

"Took you?" Copper asked, raising her eyebrows.

"She killed my old body, the one sheathed in armor, it was a very..." She paused for a moment. "Very peculiar fight."

"Where is she?" Copper asked yet again. "I will not ask again." Copper released her Nen in a threatening manner and let it waft towards the woman called Marry. Marry's medium-length blonde hair danced in the force of Copper's Nen, but she remained standing and didn't even flinch.

"You will find out in time, I think," Marry said, opening her hands. "I am here to kill you, and don't mistake my next few words for anything other than that."

In her hands grew a Nen conjured item that resembled a long staff twisted around itself. "This is an invitation." She said as the others listened. "You cannot escape this room, even though the big man there seems to think he can possibly punch his way through the walls and draw Apple into his arms."

Marry looked at Bullion and Silver as she caught the looks on their faces at her words. "Yes, I know the relationships you all have with Apple Mines, and I find them intriguing. Take this invitation, and my game begins."

"Couldn't live with myself if I didn't try." Bullion said, shrugging. In a few great strides, he found a wall near them and the doorway they came through. He wound back his arm and activated his Hatsu, putting as much Nen as he could into his knuckles before the hit and landed a deft blow onto the wall. It seemed to eat the Nen like a mouth inhaling the air around it. His knuckles crashed into the bare wall and left a small dent.

"That." Bullion said with his back still turned to the others. "Bloody fucking hurt!"

"What is this game?" Ging asked, deciding to take the initiative and moving the show forward.

"Don't agree to this, Ging!" Copper said.

"If Apple is alive, then all we do is waste time," Ging said, cutting her off and the others who looked to agree with her. "Does anyone have any other ideas? Look at these symbols and carvings. We will not be able to break through this before we die from some other treachery. We have been offered a means to an end, and we take it."

Ging said the last words with such certainty that the others found it hard to argue, even Copper, who wanted to argue with him just because it was Ging who said the words.

"Me versus you six. The winners leave, the losers die here." Marry said, presenting the staff in her hands as it floated slowly to Ging and the others.

"Last chance for second thoughts and brilliant plans," Ging said as it came towards them.

"I'll trust you," Copper said, trying her best to calm herself down. The others agreed in fewer words, mostly just the nods of their heads as they all converged on Ging's location, where the staff was headed.

"I'll touch it first, just in case," Ging whispered.

"You will all touch it at the same time. Anybody who doesn't will die if I am victorious." Marry said, hearing his whispers.

"We have a higher chance as a team?" Ging asked, his thoughts shifting rapidly.

"Yes." Marry said, smiling to herself like it was a secret thing that she should not have given away but did regardless.

"Who wants out then?" Ging asked. No one replied, and they all reached out with their hands simultaneously, looking side to side to line up their reach with one another. Ging was surprised by the lack of hesitation they all showed and then surprised that he was surprised still. After everything already on this island, what was a little game to all of them?

"Don't be so surprised," Sol said to Ging, seemingly reading his thoughts.

"We have all been through more trials than you have thus far in your life."

"I do believe he will surpass us all," Dorus said, holding back the sweat and shakes from his voice and body.

"Concentrate!" Bullion said sternly and with command.

It wasn't a harsh bark, but it was a bark, nonetheless, and the others understood his thoughts. None of them liked the idea of going into a Nen activated game without knowing the rules. They felt trapped with their backs up against the wall since the first time since they got on the island.

The gnarled, twisted staff arrived before Ging's thoughts ran free, and they all held still, allowing the staff to enter their grips instead of trying to grab at the same time. As they closed their fingers around it, a square box grew around them, pale and bright. It was a small room, empty and desolate, and before them stood Marry in her new body on a podium. The question of how she got a new body hung in Ging's mind as Marry begins to speak.

"The game starts with a sacrifice."

Chapter Text

"I offer my life." Marry said with no hesitation.

Ging was surprised at first until he gave it a second thought. This is the same person who seemingly paralyzed herself just so her Hatsu, Nen infused armor would be stronger.

Marry was no stranger to hard sacrifices.

The small Nen world that they all volunteered to enter seemed to shrink as a presence formed behind Marry as she spoke her words. The Nen infused presence resembled a grim reaper as it floated behind its creator. One arm was a gaudy scythe that was twice its size, which was saying a lot as the creature towered over Marry. Looking down with its hooded eyes. Ging noticed those eyes were hollow and empty, showing no sense of life in them or emotion.

Reaching up over its head as much as it's stunted scythe-arm would let it, the reaper brought it's death down on Marry, cutting through her from head to toe. The action was symbolic as Ging, and the others quickly realized as the scythe passed through her and she remained standing.

"Who wants to go first and offer a sacrifice?" Marry asked, not directing her question to a single individual.

"What are the stakes, what are the rules?" Ging said, stepping forward. Bullion and Sol opened their mouths and stepped forward in response to Gings' words, but Ging held up a hand anticipating both of them.

"I will only learn about the game. I won't volunteer first," Ging said, trying to ease the tension.

"Your offer dictates almost everything in this world." Marry said. "Make of that, whatever you might."

"You won't give us any more than that?" Ging said, scoffing.

"A girl needs to have fun." Marry said, smiling. The words and the smile seemed unlike her, Ging thought. She had such a stoic and cold-hard demeanor up to this point. Why was she starting to change so much? He was only drawing this conclusion based on the story the others had told him; he reminded himself. Technically, this was his first meeting with Marry.

"So what is this game exactly?" Ging pressured.

"A game of questions, a game of answers." Marry replied. "Failure demands payment of the offer, success demands whatever it may."

"So who wants to make the first offer?" Copper said, gathering the team together from their previous positions.

"I offer my use of Nen," Ging said, cutting her off.

"You idiot!" Bullion said, reaching for Ging but was repelled by a force that nearly broke his arm.

"No physical contact is allowed within the game." Marry declared as the reaper behind her locked its eyes on Bullion. "This is the one and only warning. Failure to abide by these rules warrants a swift and effective death."

"You can't Ging!" Copper and Silver yelled at the same time, but for different reasons. Silver was annoyed with the boy, growing tired of his headstrong arrogance, while Copper was genuinely worried about the one friend she felt she has made in the last few years of her life.

"Too late now," Ging said, shrugging. "Let's see how this game plays. Everyone best be paying attention. I won't be holding anyone's hand this time around." Ging grinned, but it was to himself and Marry because the others were forced behind him, the Nen world not allowing them to step closer.

"Shall we begin?" Marry asked, returning Ging's somewhat infectious smile.

"Get on with it." Ging pressed. "Apple is waiting for us, right guys?" Ging said, addressing the others. He felt more than saw their hesitant nods.

"Than here is the game." Marry started as the reaper behind her disappeared and found itself directly behind Ging. Bullion and the others reacted by instinct, but Ging responded first.

"Don't you dare!" Ging yelled as he turned on his heels. "Stay where you are!" They froze at his words, but strangely enough, they froze just before they all realized. Simultaneously they all looked down at their hands and tried calling Nen to them, each failing in succession.

"Nen is not allowed in here either." Marry said. "That goes for me as well."

The reaper hovered behind Ging, who turned around to face eye to eye with the spectral being. It had a menacingly cold presence that felt wet on Gings' skin. He turned to face Marry again, feeling the reaper behind him like an ever watching warden, here to keep Ging jailed against his will.

"Now, the game." Marry started again. "I give you a word or a phrase. In this case, I can give you quite an extensive-phrase as my offering was a more than sufficient sacrifice." She took a second to pause, letting the words register. "This means the sacrifice you make as the game begins dictates the number of guesses you are allowed. You guess one letter at a time. If the letter is in my phrase, it will appear above me."

"And if it doesn't, then big stinky here might have something to say about it?" Ging asked, tossing his hand behind him, gesturing at the reaper with his thumb.

"Correct." Marry said, nodding. "He will take his due every time you fail. When you take your final answer, the reaper will take your sacrifice and then enact whatever my phrase may say."

"He will enact your phrase?" Sol asked as calmly as he could. Ging saw that this game and the recent events had the slightly older man on edge. But Ging could only guess at the reason, which was that Sol currently blamed himself for choosing this entrance over the other. Ging understood the worry but also understood that either entrance would have brought them to the same fate.

"If my phrase says, "Kill everyone outside of this room," it will not happen." Marry said, explaining. "However, if I said the same sentence but directed the action to only the vicinity of this room. Then yes, the reaper would kill anyone in my Nen conjured room who wasn't under the protection of my offer."

"So only Ging is susceptible to your phrase currently?" Sol asked.

"Correct." Marry said, giggling before adding, "This is far more fun than I thought it would be, and I am struggling to figure out why. Anyways, if you win, then I must suffer whatever my phrase was in return. Also, if the boy Ging does succeed and moves on, he will no longer be under my protection from any phrases yet to happen."

"So let's get this straight. "Ging started. "I made my sacrifice, and that gives me a certain amount of failures to guess."

Marry only nodded and let Ging continue. "You already made your sacrifice. Showing either supreme confidence or hints at death not being very detrimental to your well being. This means you are allowed some complicated phrases or commands for the reaper. The reaper will enact or enforce whatever your phrase is, which will be forced onto the loser of that round, does that about cover it?"

The others furrowed their eyebrows in annoyance, but everyone followed the explanation and had a general understanding of the game.

"That is correct, yet again small boy." Marry said, smiling. "There are some rules and small print you will surely discover along the way, but for the most part, you are correct."

"Then let's begin, shall we?" Ging said, taking one more step forward as another podium, not quite as tall as Marrys appeared as he moved forward. He planted his two feet on it, and it rose slightly higher yet again but still not matching Marry eye to eye.

"I like looking down." Marry smiled. "I am usually stuck inside these small vessels, even in birth, so I shall enjoy it while I can... I think."

"The phrase?" Ging said, showing his impatience.

"Idiot!" Silver yelled. Copper was beside her, surprised she agreed with her mother. "If the enemy chooses to indulge information, then take it!"

"Yeah yeah, you all have your time to pry for whatever information you want on your own turns," Ging said, shooing them away like pests. "I am more interested in this Nen construction." He looked around the small room, studying it. "What kind of covenants can make a game like this?"

"Oh no, you are smarter than that by all accounts." Marry said, slightly shaking her head. "You tell me."

"Well," Ging started yet again as if he was going to recap for the entire room. He wanted to learn more about the labyrinth dwellers just as much as the others. But he also had a bad feeling about taking too long in this Nen room. What else was happening while Marry delayed for time?

Ging had no delusions of whether Apple was alive or not. He would let the others worry about that. He was only concerned about finishing this mission, which grew exponentially more complicated as time passed.

Ging decided to not delay in his usual ways by indulging in his curiosity. "Maybe at a later time." He said. "For now, let's proceed with the game. Give me your phrase."

"Very well, then." Marry said as lines appeared above her head, smoky black lines that bobbed in the air. "These lines each represent a letter. As you guess, the letter will appear in the correct location if it can. If it can't, then that's one strike." Marry gestured to her right, where another Nen projection appeared.

It was a silhouette of Ging, made from the same dark smoke material.

"This silhouette will reflect what the reaper takes from you as your game proceeds. You probably think that sacrificing of your Nen would be a fairly good and strong offer." Marry shook her head at Ging's slight nod.

"It is not."

"How in the bloody hells not?" Silver said, chiming in.

"This world has some limitations." Marry explained, unphased by Silver's outburst. "You would lose your Nen for some time, yes, and if I so desired; even in my death make it so you could still not use Nen, but we all know there are exorcisms for these types of events."

"Still, exorcisms are rare and expensive," Sol said, finally talking. It seemed the game and the conversations had finally melted the part of him that was freezing up, at least slightly.

"It is a passable sacrifice." Marry agreed. "But, far from the best, as mine is undoubtedly."

"When do I start making my guesses? Do I know how many failures I have?" Ging asked, retaking the lead.

"The reaper, as you have all began calling him, decides how many failures you get depending on the bargain you made." Marry said, pointing to the imposing figure behind Ging. "You could guess forever if you kept getting the right choices, and you can make a guess at the phrase at any time. But a wrong guess counts as a failure."

"Yet again," Ging said a little impatiently. "How many failures am I allowed?"

"Ten is the max." Marry said, chiding the boy with her eyebrows—"Such an impatient child. Your sacrifice earned you five failures. Take your first guess."

Ging stood awhile studying the black smoke lines in front of him. There were 19 letters divided into six words. The smallest words contained two letters. The first and the last words each had four letters. The rest were three with one word consisting of two letters. "This seems almost too easy," Ging said as he thought to himself. "My first guess is S."

"You are wrong." Marry said. The reaper behind Ging sent his scythe fast into Ging's right arm. It exploded in pain; the feeling akin to burning needles within his skin struggling to break through his flesh and escape.

"What?!" Ging screamed through gritted teeth, clutching at his arm.

Behind him, the others struggled to hold themselves back as they all flinched forward by instinct to help him. They remembered the warning from Marry, however, and held back yet again.

"What did you do to him?!" Bullion shouted, the effect not as threatening as his former shouts as he couldn't enhance his voice like he usually does.

"You were correct in your assessment." Marry started. "This would be too easy if it was just guessing some letters. Essentially you would just bet your life, and with ten guesses. How could you not eventually figure out the answer, am I correct?"

The others stayed silent with clenched fists and teeth as Ging struggled to contain the pain on his arm, clenching it with his free hand. It looked completely normal to the others, so the confusion on their faces finally eased up as Marry continued talking.

"Pain will be inflicted on your failures, be it physical or mental, adding a twist to an otherwise innocent child's game." Marry was smiling now, but it lacked the malicious intent Ging expected it to. "I don't necessarily enjoy inflicting pain." Marry said as Ging realized the needles in his arm, slowly releasing their grip on him. He was able to let go of his arm within a few more moments, but he couldn't feel it anymore, nor could he use the fingers in that hand.

"You could have fooled me," Ging said, grinning. Despite the pain, he was far more invested in this game now, and the feeling both excited him and scared him. Ging knew he must keep his cool. But for now, he needed to direct all of his attention on Marry, he finally realized.

"E." Ging said, standing back on his feet. "My second guess is E." Marry stood in silence for a few moments, seemingly letting the drama build up around her.

"Get on with it, will ya?!" Copper shouted as she stamped one of her feet. Her arms were crossed tightly around her torso, the pressure of it evident in her face and forehead. They were wrinkled in tension, and anyone could tell how much she hated playing this game right now.

"Correct, there are four of the letter E in my phrase." Marry said, obliging Copper and her outburst. Above the ancient's head, the letters appeared like a slow and heavy smoke until they were black and bold. "Choose your next letter."

Ging studied his letter and where it fell in the word spaces he was given. Two of them were on the last word and one for each of the first two words. He focused on the first two as something in his head reached for them and could feel them on the tip of his tongue. "T." Ging said, guessing, mostly for the first word.

Marry only nodded as the letter appeared as the very first letter of the phrase.

"Well, give me an L next," Ging said before the letter even finished fully forming from its smoke.

"Two L's." Marry said, gesturing up with one hand.

"M." Ging said even faster this time that he almost cut Marry off completely.

In response, she only smiled and moved her hand slightly while one M appeared on the second word.

Ging now had, Tell Me as the first two words and four more failures.

His confidence was fairly high at this point. He wanted to get his team's first victory in record time, partly out of his competitive nature and partly because he knew the game would only get harder from here on out. At this thought, he chided himself silently, wishing he didn't rush in first, but it was too late for that now.

"H. Than R," Ging said with utter confidence. Marry lowered her arm and let the letters appear on the last word forming: Here.

Ging cocked his head back and stuck his tongue out at the reaper who hovered behind him, just waiting for him to fail, but the boy was pretty sure he had this figured out already. "The phrase is Tell Me Why You Are Here," Ging said, locking eyes with Marry.

"That is very correct." Marry said as the phrase formed it's missing letters and glowed red hot before exploding into a small display of Nen fireworks.

"Now, first things first." Marry said, nodding at the reaper who bent down and breathed a similar translucent smoke onto Ging. At first, he reacted as you would expect, defensively until he remembered he couldn't use one of his arms. Until the smoke touched him, that was, and he felt his arm again like pins and needles after your foot had fallen asleep.

"I have lost, so I must carry out the phrase." Marry started again. "Unless that is, none of you wish to listen to me talk?"

"Bullion, your call," Sol said, cutting off Silver and Copper as they turned at the same time to talk. Ging smiled to himself at Sol's decision. They both knew that the mother and daughter had different opinions on the matter, and Bullion would struggle to please both of them.

Silver would want all the information she could get about the enemies. While Copper would like to get information so they can retrieve Apple as soon as possible.

Dorus just stayed back chewing on his fingernails, a habit Ging didn't notice he had until now.

"Tell us why you are here and make it quick." Bullion said, deciphering the room's mood as quickly as the others and making the decision he thought would best please them all.

Copper clenched her teeth in anger yet still turned to Marry as though she was going to listen to her tale. Fighting between her helpful nature and her curiosity about the Island inhabitants. However, her true nature won, and she blurted out, "Would you tell us about Apple first?"

"No, but if you go next, I can possibly oblige." Marry said, smiling.

The reaper who had teleported behind Marry as soon as Ging had guessed his phrase correctly turned it's glare down on Marry harshly. "I know, I know." She said to the creature behind her. "I best get on with it; my friend here was not born of the patience variety."

"I am here because I see something in your group that I have not seen for over a hundred years." Marry said as she gestured with both her arms in an open sweeping motion.

"And what is that?" Ging asked quickly.

"Camaraderie? Friendship?" Marry said, shaking her head. "I am unsure of the word, and how to express it, I am afraid. But, I digress. That is why I am here in this new body, playing this game with you. I told Niro and the others that I was to be the first to greet you into our home and that I would take at least one of you to the grave with me."

"Like bloody hell, we would let you!" Silver and Copper said together yet again. Despite their misgivings and the distance growing between them, they shared so much in their lives and some mannerisms it seems they share as well.

"We will see." Marry said. "Does this explanation suffice for the reward, or shall I go on?"

"More." Bullion said, grinding his hands together in fists. He was uncomfortable in his position as the leader. In most situations, he could punch his way through any obstacle. But in this situation, he felt like he was slowly drifting away from the grand scheme of it all. Clenching at the invisible wires that were keeping him suspended above an endless hole.

"Very well." Marry said. "There are six of us. Me and Helleran you have met. Niro, you heard briefly, then there is Diora, JJ Kool, and Anna Molly."

Ging was tempted to ask more questions but decided to allow the conversation to flow naturally, hoping the others would do the same. He was relieved in the next few moments when no one spoke up except for Marry.

"We escaped from the Dark Continent many, many, many years ago." Marry said, shaking her head. "None of us remember when anymore. Our original bodies are....as of right now gone to us, and we seek a way off this island."

Bullion's fist released at the mention of the Dark Continent, and his eyebrows stood up on end. Sol would have shown a similar emotion if he didn't suppress it quickly, which was an ode to his experience in these matters.

The conversation came to a tipping point. There was a lull in the flow of information being provided by Marry. Ging sensed she could either carry on with the game. Or if somebody wanted Marry to continue with her story, a question must be asked. Ging was inclined to do the latter and did just that. "You all came from the Dark Continent?"

"We did; we escaped a life of servitude and malicious slavery." Marry said, putting her hands behind her back. She looked surprised at her own words as if it was the first time she had said them in recent memory. "I do believe this is enough for the game to continue, do you agree?" Marry said as she looked over her shoulder at the reaper behind her. A low rumble was all she received in return, but she smiled at the sound.

"Who goes next?" Marry said. "The boy Ging is now immune to the failures of others. Enjoy it."

"CopperNickel will go first, yes?" Bullion said before Copper could blurt what was obviously going to be her volunteering. "I know you want to. We all bloody know you want to, so let's all start agreeing on some things, ok?"

"Ey boss," Ging said, nodding. The others agreed quietly as well, returning the nod with their own.

"Play it smart, Copper. Just betting the best thing you can think of doesn't mean you will win in ten guesses." Ging whispered to her.

"I know," Copper said, agreeing. "She said she can inflict mental pain as well. I could make one mistake and then not be able to think clearly for the rest of my match, but that doesn't mean I can make a weak sacrifice also."

Ging just nodded, thinking to himself. He didn't want to complicate the matters more by mixing his thoughts with Copper's.

"I will go next," Copper said, stepping forward. Just like before, the podium manifested under her feet, lifting her a few feet above Bullion's height.

"Make your offer, and I will reveal my phrase." Marry said as she stood coldly above Copper.

Copper was torn in her mind between offering the sacrifice she had on the tip of her tongue or turning and asking the group for suggestions. Considering how they all just berated Ging for doing the former, she leaned towards not following in his footsteps. But, she told herself that her emotions were getting the best of her, and she wanted to lean into them as they had rarely let her down before.

"I have an idea for my sacrifice," Copper said before she turned around to face the others. "You all might not like it, but it should get me plenty of tries."

"Follow your gut, I say." Ging shrugged as Copper turned around to face her teammates.

"I have to agree with the little pain in the ass." Bullion said. "I don't have any better ideas."

Silver stayed quiet, but Copper could see the effort it took her as she bit on her tongue to hold the words she wanted to say. No doubt it was to belittle and chide her, Copper thought to herself.

"If she tells us her idea, does it count as her saying it to you?" Sol asked Marry.

Marry smiled at Sol and nodded. "It would. She already stands atop the podium. She should choose her next words wisely, or else the reaper interprets them as a sacrifice."

Copper turned again to face Marry, this time with the full conviction that she somehow dropped only moments before. Mentally she reached down on the floor and grabbed that conviction to scoop it up. She found herself doing this quite often in her head as if the near physical thought of it helped bring it into reality. "My sacrifice will be, My friends, my family, and all that I love," Copper said sternly.

The others all gasped at the same time while Ging and Sol were the only ones to keep their mouths shut. The same couldn't be said for their eyes, which bugged open huge and wide like the deers who were caught in the streets of the city lights.

"Well, that will do it," Ging said, grinning.

"I am tempted to let your friends talk." Marry said as Bullion and Silver started to open their mouths. "Alas, the reaper grows impatient and says I have given you enough time."

Ging made a mental note of this rule that Marry yet again forgot to mention. "It would seem that we only have a certain amount of time between us going on the podium and a small window for us to make a sacrifice as well," Ging said to the others. "Start thinking of sacrifices now."

"Very good young man, yet again you impress." Marry said. "But let's see if the elder child can reach some heights I have yet to see. Your sacrifice, as some would guess, can be interpreted in a few ways."

Marry paused for the dramatic effect that she seemed so fond of or buying time in a game that didn't allow for much time, Ging thought.

"First of all, the sacrifice could be taken as the literal extermination of your friends, family, and loved ones within my sphere of influence that I call my Nen world." Marry said, holding up one finger.

"You didn't even name your Hatsu?" Ging asked, smirking. His comment, tho brash, was perfectly timed as the sense of panic rose with the interpretation that Marry explained. The chance that they could all be killed if Copper failed now was a mistake that Copper could never let down, he knew.

"No, I have lived with so many that I suppose I grew tired of the act." Marry agreed. "But if you insist, I will name this one Reaper's World."

Marry seemed pleased with this name and moved on with her explanation. "Secondly, it could be a Nen state of sorts where you could never interact with any of those people you mentioned after you lose."

"It could also erase them from her memory and make it impossible for her to connect emotionally with another person ever again."
Silver said as she crossed her arms and stomped one of her feet rhythmically.

"It could." Marry said, raising a third finger in the air. "But none of these matter to me. I leave the decision up to the reaper, and it will be shown to you as your failures increase. That is how Reaper's World works."

"Get on with it," Copper said, frustrated with the whole situation. She made a good choice, she knew. A larger sacrifice would be far safer than a small sacrifice with a limited number of guesses.

"How many failures do I get?"

"You get the full ten failures." Marry said, nodding to the reaper. "And here is your phrase."

The smoke from earlier, when Ging was up on the podium, arose and moved, forming line after line. Settling into its formation, Copper grew more anxious as the phrase was sprawled out before her. At first, when she read only two words, she thought that the anxiety would diminish, but it didn't.

"It is time to begin. Please impress me."

Chapter Text

"I do wonder..." Copper said to Marry as her phrase finished forming above her head. It was identical to Ging's from just moments ago, the mesmerizing smoke solidifying at will until it no longer resembled itself anymore. "When I was a kid, I watched them play a game similar to this, as I am sure we all have." Marry only stood and allowed Copper to finish her sentence, her face unreadable. "The game was called Hangman, but in every iteration of the game I have seen, from town to town, the total amount of failures only went as high as five. So, why would you give us the option for ten, why make the game easier for us?"

Marry smiled as Copper finished her sentence. "You claim the game is easier before you even play it? The innocence of youth is something once lost, never found. Though I miss it, I only miss it like a bittersweet love, like a favorite sweet that would kill me if I didn't stop eating it." Marry shook her head. "Find the answer for yourself. Take your first guess, young one."

Copper tapped her foot a few times rhythmically, mimicking her mother Ging noticed. Copper seemed to notice at the same time and force herself to stop, and instead bit her lip. "S," She said confidently; the first letter of her mom's name might as well start somewhere familiar, she told herself.

"One S," Marry said as the letter formed at the back of the phrase the second last letter of the last word.

Copper took a second to study the lines before her. She had five words, most of them small except for one, the second word. "A." Copper said shortly after the thoughts entered her head.

"Your first failure." Marry said.

Copper bit her lip again as a pressure formed in the top right part of her brain and pulsated like a radio speaker. She tried talking. "Wha, what?" It was all she managed to say as every word caused the speaker inside her head to pulse. Holding her hand to her head, she shook it off in a few moments.

"Are you ok?" Ging asked, yawning. "You just stood there for a while."

"What do you mean?" Copper asked. "I got a small headache, but it only lasted a few seconds."

"More like five minutes," Ging said, holding up his open hand to indicate five.

"Your second guess?" Marry said, interrupting them. As she spoke, Copper felt the pulse again in her head, but this time it was smaller and more manageable. Copper stifled back a yawn, cursing Ging for giving it to her, knowing that they were contagious.

"E." Copper said as she heard Bullion let out a huge yawn that resembled a cow. Copper turned and glared at him mid-yawn and rolled her eyes as he shrugged. Simultaneously the whole team, including Marry, all yawned in response.

Marry giggled slightly to herself before speaking. "One E."

"D." Copper said and knew instantly at the answer to her guess as the left side of her head split open like a coconut. The right, not to be outdone, was pulsating again at even the slightest sounds.

"What's wrong now?" Silver asked as they all watched Coppers' knees start to buckle slightly.

"It's my head." Copper barely managed through clenched teeth. She fought back the pain and tried explaining herself. "The right side of my head beats like a drum when anyone speaks, and the left side feels like it's split open with sharp and constant pain."

"This is the start of your failures." Marry said cooly. "Do you know what these pains represent?" She asked.

"The loss of my friends?" Copper asked.

"Perhaps." Marry said, shaking her head. "I will give you a hint. Your failures start from the smallest inconveniences and save the best for last. The Reaper and I will let you decipher that as you will, but I have a feeling that it will be made clear soon. Take your next guess."

Copper gave up entirely on suppressing her foot and let it tap against the podium below her. Luckily for her in this world, it made no sound. "O." She finally said after taking a deep breath that did little to ease her head.

Marry nodded as the letter formed early into her last word.

Copper studied the two words for a moment; the act of giving her head something to do helped ease the pain, if only for a time. "Well, the first letter of mom's name worked for the first guess. Let's try mine; I guess C." She said.

The pain was blinding and came in such a rush that Copper had no time to react. Her knees hit the podium as she keeled over, her hands stopping her from falling off of it entirely. "Fuuu!" Copper tried cursing, but her head was melting, an erupting volcano that was already spilling what couldn't be contained anymore. And then her sight went black, and then white. She came to, curled up in a ball on the podium with drool pooled up around her chin.

"You expect us just to stand here!?" Copper heard from the voices she knew, yet she struggled to discern who they belonged to. "You agreed to this game, did you not?" She heard from a voice opposite the others.

More curses and shouting. Copper could feel the anger in the words being released. But it was more than anger as well, concern and worry, annoyance, and exhaustion. She heard yawning then and sat up as her mouth yawned back, and her head seemed to clear slightly.

"Stop yawning, damnit," Copper said, getting up to her feet. "Ok, get me back up to speed," She directed to her team behind her.

"Three failures, three successes as you can see above you," Sol said after a moment of silence. "We are limited to the amount of physical aid we can lend you, but not the amount of mental aid."

"He means, let us help you, girl!" Silver said, snapping her teeth and stomping her feet.

"Three out of ten failures is not that bad so far," Copper said, snapping back. "You are all overreacting."

"I would normally agree," Ging said quietly at first, before talking at normal volume. "I think because you have so many failures, that the punishment for them is far severer than what mine was."

"This is correct." Marry said, smiling to herself.

"Mind your business, she-devil," Copper said to the architect of her suffering. "Let me take a few more guesses than see how it goes from there, ok?" Copper didn't wait for their approval and went straight into her next guess. "My next guess is B."

"Wrong, try again." Marry said.

Copper yawned into the palm of her hand. "What? No suffering and mental anguish?"

"I grow weary of what will happen to your psyche and choose to withhold one of your failures for safekeeping." Marry explained. "This is called Reaper's Debt and can be paid for by your teammates or be added to your final punishment if you fail, or even take away from your reward should you succeed. You can choose after your next failure, which will no doubt, be soon."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Dorus said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Christ, I am tired."

"Fine, let's get on with it," Copper said. "I guess I."

"One I.," Marry said, waving her hand quickly.

"In such a rush, are we?" Copper said mockingly.

"Not for the reasons you would think." Marry replied, frowning. "Would you like to guess again?"

"L." Copper said shortly after the question.

"Also one." Marry said, waving her other hand.

Copper studied her words for a second and felt complete annoyance as she did so. After five correct letters, she still didn't see the words before her. The first one was especially confounding, a four-letter word with the I as the second letter.

"Any suggestions?" Coper asked the others.

"I think I know the second word," Dorus spoke up above the others. "Yourself, maybe, but that first word seems to make no sense.

"It can't be Yourself. The first word messes it up. It has to be something like Bird or Dive." Silver said, practically shouting.

"What logic is that?" Bullion scoffed. "It could be Tits or Pimp also, but I highly doubt they are."

Marry chuckled to herself, dryly up on her podium.

Ging chimed in next. "I would go with Yourself, as well. They don't have to be a command, but they need to be something that can be acted out."

Sol stayed quiet and was the only one to do so. So Copper took his silence as agreement and went with Dorus and Ging's suggestions. "Y, U, R, and F." Copper stated with confidence.

"As much as I would love to see the result of five failures, those four, plus your one in debt. You are correct in your guesses." Marry said, clapping her hands lightly together like a prim school girl. "Your second word is Yourself, how curious."

"Stupid bunch of idiots, taking that many guesses on a whim?" Silver chided from the background. "Look what that last failure did to her! Do you think I'm going to take that debt if she fails again? I'm already bloody exhausted."

"Well, mother, it couldn't be Bird or Dive because I already used D and B for my failures," Copper said, turning a glare on Silver. "And, for the record, I don't need anyone taking my debts for me. I will be taking them myself."

"Can you?" Sol asked quietly. "I mean, Marry, can she accept her own debts?"

"Of course, though the effect is multiplicative." Marry said, nodding.

"Meaning that it would be worse than if she took them one at a time?" Dorus asked nervously.

"Yes." Marry replied curtly.

Copper stood quietly for a while, the other as well at the new information. "I am pretty close to winning, but I think she doesn't mean to let me make it to my tenth failure," Copper said.

Marry smiled and made eye contact with Copper for what seemed like the first time since she stood on top of the podium. "At long last, you amuse me, how jovial." She said.

"How long have we been here?" Sol asked as he and everyone yawned yet again. "I should not be this tired. And what is that noise I hear?"

"Very good, very good." Marry said, clapping her hands softly together. "At long last, the pieces seem to be falling together."

"How long?" Ging asked as the pieces fell into his head as well. "The main objective of this game was to kill time, wasn't it? But not because of Apple, because of something else."

"It was." Marry said. "But that noise was not part of the plan." She said, looking up and around. The sound was faint, like it was far off in the distance, but it also felt as if it could be right next to them but only muffled.

"She won't answer us," Ging said to the others. "But we can assume we have been in here for at least a full day."

"It has been a week." Marry said, still looking around. "We have set things in motion for you, some things to even the playing fields a bit."

"Even the playing fields?!" Bullion shouted. "You took one of ours, and you feel outmatched?"

"Most of us just woke up." Marry said. "We needed time to rehabilitate. What in the blasted hells is that sound!?!" She asked herself.

"Let us out of this cursed game!" Copper said. "If I forfeit, will we be allowed to leave?"

The others watched as Marry slapped her right hand to her head in what looked like pain or at least mild irritation. "Oh, I see." Marry said to herself. "Helleran has arrived to add an element of chaos as usual."

"Helleran, the crazy Emitter who haunts the body of an even crazier wolf creature?" Dorus asked, gulping at the thought. "The very same!" Marry said, chuckling. "I am afraid he doesn't like his family very much right now and hates you all even more."

"What is he doing?" Silver asked. "Will you let us leave?"

"He has brought every creature on the island he could muster into the front entrance, the one you originally intended to enter, and they are breaking through the door, which, honestly is surprising."

"WHAT?!" Bullion shouted in anger. "You are telling me that I could have just punched my damn way out of here all this time!"

"Unlikely." Ging sneered. "They wouldn't just let you punch the wall for a whole day."

"It has been a little over a week." Marry said as her podium began to fall slowly. "Do you except a draw, CopperNickel Mihaly? If you do, then the game will be over, and we will share the punishment."

Copper turned to look at the others, who all stayed quiet except for Ging. "Take it, your far stronger than some cursed phrase." He said. He was straightforward with the delivery as he usually was. Ging rarely gave out compliments, and when he did, he often hid them behind his gruff personality. Copper knew this and accepted the remark with one of her own.

"What happens after the draw?" Copper asked.

"We go our separate ways. My family calls to me." Marry said.

"They are your family now?" Ging asked, grinning at her. "You seemed so resigned to death not too long ago."

"I have decided to give this life one last try." Marry nodded. "If I meet you all with a new body, it will be the last time we meet."

"Don't let Helleran kill you first," Copper said coldly. "I still haven't forgiven you for taking Apple, and I want you for myself." Her words were dark, especially for her.

"Than I won't torture you anymore." Marry said. "Accept the draw, and I will tell you of Apple Mines's fate."

"I accept the draw," Copper said as Marry approached her and held out her hand. They clasped hands, and Marry repeated the phrase. In mere moments the white room around them slowly disappeared, revealing the old room they were in before. It was still just as massive and covered in carvings, lit up with Nen. But the walls were shaking and dripping dust. The sound of attack from the other side of the walls filled the room with an atmosphere of dread.

"We just got away from these damn beasts!" Bullion said, clenching his fists, trying out his Nen. They all did the same, realizing quickly that the Nen came rushing back to them like it had never been gone.

"Do me a favor?" Marry asked. "Kill me. This body has served its purpose."

"Tell me what happened to Apple first!" Copper shouted at her as she started taking steps forward, one clodding step of hate at a time.

"She is dead." Marry said matter of factly. "She died..." But her sentence was cut short when Copper reached her with her last footstep and extended her palm up and into Marry's jaw. The sound was crackling and wicked as a few teeth fell to the ground along with Marry's limp body.

"Christ, did you kill her already?" Ging asked, a little disappointed. "I wanted more information."

Ging was next to Copper, now standing over Marry but keeping an eye on both of them. Behind them, the others were talking and formulating a plan, and Ging knew that he should be doing this as well, but he had a plan, and the others were not going to like it. He wanted to leave them and find how the labyrinth was being controlled.

"Wake up, damn it, I didn't hit you that hard," Copper said to Marry as she lightly kicked her with her shoe.

"This body…" Marry replied weakly. "Is not designed for hand to hand combat." She sighed and slowly crawled onto her hands and knees, not quite able to get to her feet.

"Whose controlling the labyrinth, and how do we get out of here?" Ging bent down and asked the woman who was now missing several teeth.

Her speech was lispy, and airy thanks to the blow Copper landed on her jaw, and she struggled to close it between words. "Damn, I haven't felt this kind of pain in a long time." Marry said. "Niro controls the labyrinth; you were told as much when he talked to you. As for getting out." She paused and looked around for a brief moment, the drool forming on her chin from her unclenched mouth. "Do what the big man likes to do and punch your way out. I don't care."

"When will the side effects of the curse take effect?" Copper asked, grabbing Marry by her face and turning her head towards her as Copper knelt down. "What was the phase, and how could it have been a week already?!"

The questions poured out of Copper faster than Marry could keep up with as the events that happened before them unfolded fully in Copper's mind. Yet again, they were surrounded and outnumbered, and as the adrenaline began to ease back, the hunger and exhaustion set in like concrete over her entire body. Ging felt the same effect as Copper did, his body being hit by a wave of sickness and overwhelming tightness that made him want to sleep and vomit at the same time.

"We can't fight like this for very long," Ging said as Marry starred up into Copper's eyes, slowly edging towards lifelessness. "One punch, and you're ready to die on us?" Ging asked Marry.

"The phrase was, Jinx Yourself." Marry said slowly. "You don't know this jinx, not yet. It lives inside your head, deep down, like an insect that burrowed when you were young, and it just waits. It waits, and it waits, but not to evolve or to turn itself into some new and improved form of itself; it waits to self destruct inside of you."

Marry spit blood onto the floor, the act which could have been in defiance robbed of its power by the lack of strength she possed, so instead, the blood half made it on the floor and half congealed on her lower lip. "My job was to buy time, and I bought a week within my Reaper's Game. Find me again, children. Give me a reason to live."

Copper's response was a blow to the side of Marry's head that snapped her neck instantly and sent her body to the floor.

"Get any good information?" Sol asked as he approached the two kids shortly after the final blow was struck. Sol's cheeks were sunken and pulled in, and his eyes are starting to get bloodshot and dry. "I believe her about the time frame," Sol said before Ging or Copper could reply.

"Copper is cursed with some deep desire or fear. There doesn't seem to be any way to escape the curse that Marry knew or would tell."

Now that Ging's attention wasn't on Marry and the conversation they were having, he noticed the room again. The entire room was vibrating rapidly, and cracks were forming along the walls, floor, and ceiling, especially near the door opposite of the one they entered.

"The soul thing again!" Dorus said, interrupting every conversation that was currently happening.

"What, and where?" Ging asked as he turned his full attention on Dorus.

"From Marry's body, just like with Helleran the first time we killed him," Dorus said, pointing with his finger, following the object he claimed was moving. His Hatsu was activated; the ornate helmet allowing him to see far better and far more things than normal eyes could. Ging followed his finger as it pointed up the walls and into some stone piping that went into the ceiling.

"The soul went into the piping?" Silver asked.

"Yeah, I can still see it going through the pipes now…" Dorus said as he trailed off when his eyes landed on the likely source for the shaking room.

"What…?" Ging asked nervously.

"It's Helleran…" Dorus said as he swallowed a lump in his throat. "He isn't like he was. He is bigger and more grotesque."

"We need a plan." Bullion said as he and Silver approached the rest of their teammates.

"I feel like a week's worth of shit hit me in the face all at the same time," Ging said, shaking his head. "I need to sleep, eat, use the bathroom, drink several gallons of water, and possibly kill me a few evil demon dogs."

"I can help with the water and the death of some demon dogs," Copper said. "The water is here." She said as she handed out some water from her pack. "And the demon dogs are inevitable."

The door behind them split down the middle, a substantial crack that unleashed the sounds of the intruders on the other side. It was the snarling of dogs and the shrieks of birds with the scraping of claws and teeth. Inbetween those sounds were pure hatred and hunger wrapped in fear and control. They were desperate, starved, and confused, Ging thought to himself...just like us.

"I wouldn't say inevitable," Sol said after he took a long drink of water and passed it to whoever greedily reached for it next. It ran out quickly, and Copper took another bottle from her pack, and the cycle continued. "Naturally, you have been using your Nen ever since we got out of that game to preserve your energy and prevent the effects of the lack of sleep and nutrients?"

"Naturally," Ging said in agreement. "Have you not been?" He asked.

"No…" Sol said as he sighed deeply. "I can make a big Sol Sphere, and I mean big. It will be enough to kill a majority of the creatures that wait for us, but I don't know about Helleran."

"He is a slippery little devil, isn't he!?!" Bullion muttered under his breath. "You won't be conscious after an attack like this after all this time."

"No…" Sol said, exasperated again. "You will have to carry me, but I don't know what the plan is after this."

"I'm leaving," Ging said before he drank the water that was handed to him. "I'm going to follow those pipes Dorus said Marry's soul went into and hope it leads me to a way to Niro."

"And why in the hells would you do that?" Silver asked as the ground split yet again. "God damnit, we don't have time for this."

"Someone needs to get ahold of this chaos," Ging said, shrugging and swallowing a big gulp of cold water. He took the time to drink again, just in case his conversation was cut short by their unwelcome visitors. "I am going to assume that he will change these rooms as soon as a winner is decided. He doesn't want us or Helleran to find him too easily, but he isn't quite sure who the greater threat is."

The others found what little food they could and began eating it as Ging talked, listening intently.

"Don't rush into a fight." Bullion said with a mouth full of hard bread and cheese. "You can't take them on without your full strength."

Ging nodded in agreement. "I will be able to rest in the pipes, but I am not so sure about all of you."

"You are a planner," Copper said, wiping the food from her mouth. "We prefer to improvise." The others chuckled and agreed without as much as a word.

"Than it's settled?" Ging asked, looking at Bullion.

Bullion walked over to Ging and handed him some of his food. The big man was charismatic with most things except with kids, especially Ging, and it showed during moments like this. "Just." Bullion started saying. "You know, be careful and stuff."

Ging chuckled and took the food, eating it much faster than he realized he should, but his body practically forced him to feed it before it collapsed. "Will do, bossman. You try and keep everyone together after all the plans go to shit from here."

Then, as if it were on cue, the door that Dorus said Helleran was at split in half and blew open, collapsing onto the ground. To the surprise of Ging and the others, the creatures didn't rush in all at once but stayed back, holding their growls and sounds of frustration at bay.

They looked just beyond the now shattered door and saw Helleran with his two sharp jagged teeth sticking into the ground, vibrating as they did before. He had been the sole reason for the collapse of the building, Ging thought to himself, and how long had he been using this power? Within a few moments that dragged on as if they were still in Marry's Reaper Game, Helleran pulled his teeth out from the ground and stepped into the room.

His body had changed, just like Dorus had said. He was five times his regular size, standing above twelve feet tall and six feet wide. His muscles bulged with veins that carried a toxic looking purple blood. His hair was matted and jet black and covered the top of his head, back, and feet but left the rest of his body bare. His red tautly pulled skin only exaggerated the veins and muscles as he walked forward towards the party. Then his eyes darted as if he snapped back into himself or back into something else. Ging wasn't entirely sure until the giant dark eyes landed on Bullion and froze.

The snarl rose in the back of the mutated creature like fire and burst into a howl. The animals that were currently waiting for their command charged into the room, flooding it like a river of fur and death.

Ging took a stance, but it didn't resemble that of the others who had their hands raised Nen drawn at full strength and eyes gliding from enemy to enemy. He was low and taut like a spring pulled tight, ready to release as the chaos started to unfold before him.

Chapter Text

Ging stumbled mentally for a second as he scanned the events unfolding before him. Sol had his arms outstretched wide, the pure pressure of them shaking his limbs up and down. Ging was behind him, but he could tell that his eyes were bulging, and most likely, his nose was bleeding as drops of blood dropped down to the floor between his equally outstretched legs.

In front of him, the culmination of the stress he put on his already weak and frail body was a sphere of pure emission. The sphere was a supreme specimen of pure Nen that went forth biting through the air evaporating the water and oxygen around it. It was enveloped in such immense heat that several creatures who came near it convulsed and died almost instantly.

Ging watched as Helleran barked orders at the other creatures with a steady baritone of a voice mixed in a husky growl. The other animals obeyed near-instantly like a hivemind as they fell back and formed a wall with Helleran. The birds landed on the black beast's back. At the same moment, the normal island dogs and a Boombeast struggled to huddle around the space near Helleran.

"Are you ready?" Bullion said to Ging, snapping him out of his trance. "It's way too late for second doubts. Unless you're worried about us?"

Ging grinned and shook himself of his stupor. He wasn't entirely sure what his problem was, he realized. A part of him was worried for them, but a more significant part of him didn't want to miss out on the next few moments. The sight before him was mesmerizingly profound. He realized he was in awe at Sol's power to bring forth, even after a week of no food and rest, such a great display of Nen.

"No, I am ready. I just wish I didn't have to miss the show," Ging said finally.

Bullion glanced over at Sol, whose legs now were wavering manically in every direction.

"Yeah, that sounds more like you than what I suggested, doesn't it." Bullion said, sighing. "You really are nothing like us sometimes. You know that?" Bullion bent down to Ging's level before the boy could respond, and Ging knew what to do, taking in what the older man said without complaint or debate. He turned toward the pipes on the wall.

"Just don't miss! Last time we did this, you sent me a few inches cock-eyed into a wall," Ging said, curling into a ball as Bullion lifted him by his feet.

"Oh, shit!" Bullion said. "Don't forget the radio thingies!"

Bullion reached into his pocket and handed Ging a portable radio like the ones they were using before. "Silver thinks they will work if we are all inside the labyrinth, but Copper has her doubts. You know those two."

Ging smiled and took the radio from Bullion's massive hands. The radio seemed tiny as he reached for it until he found out he could barely wrap his hands around the device before shoving it into his bag.

They nodded to each other, and Bullion drew back and launched Ging into the air towards the pipe.

"I'll be damned," Ging said to himself as he landed perfectly under the pipe, grabbing it with one hand. He contorted slightly in the air to give Bullion a thumbs up and caught Copper looking at him as well. She raised her index finger, and Ging stumbled for a second before using Gyo to see what she was doing. She made the smiley face above her finger similar to the game they played on the ship before the island's chaos encompassed them in its embrace. Ging held up his hand palm side and conjured a small nen object as well. He pulled himself up with both hands and started climbing through the pipes as he saw a smile across Copper's face.

Ging heard so many sounds behind him that it was hard to discern what all of them were. He did hear the silence of Sol, which he assumed meant that the man had exhausted what powers he had left to him.

Crawling on his hands and knees, the pipes took Ging across the room's width and broke into an intersection. As Ging reached the crossway, a giant rock smashed into the pipes in front of him, interrupting his escape. Luckily the pipes were strong, very strong in fact. They were made of similar material as the walls that withheld a full-force attack from Bullion and took several days for Helleran to crumble.

"I hate you, Helleran. Die for good, you ugly beast!" Ging yelled through the newly formed crack caused by the boulder that Helleran had the Boombeast throw. He figured out who threw the rock as he was looking out the pipe and saw that the frog-like creature was searching for another piece of the door to throw, not a boulder.

Ging scanned the room for his allies before starting to crawl again, and he saw Bullion by the upper half of his torso. He was shirtless, and his body was strained to the point of popping like a muscled balloon as he landed punch after punch into the ground. He was starting to lift something up before Ging turned his head to the side to keep moving.

Ging moved forward in a crawl that was steady in pace. The pipe was strong and surprisingly well insulated except for the few holes that the Boombeast caused when he threw the chunk of the floor at Ging. Because of this, Ging quickly went past the holes and into pure darkness. Behind him, the sound of his allies' fights faded away from his ears. By the time the sounds faded completely, he was at the intersection he saw earlier. It was illuminated slightly on each end by what he assumed was more holes that allowed the walls to rotate as Niro manipulated the labyrinth. He kept going, deciding that he would use his En when he reached the turn in hopes of sensing something that would help him decide where to go.

Ging berated himself for not asking Dorus which way he should go, but it was too late for beating himself up, he knew.

From behind him, he heard a clunk like the tossing of a much lighter rock and stopped to look back on instinct. He was happy he did as it was not a rock behind him but something moving near the area he entered the pipe. One of the flying creatures or even the dogs must have entered the pipe to come after him.

"Curses!" Ging swore to himself and kept moving when he heard the sound of claws and snarling behind him. He listened as he moved, and Ging was certain two creatures were behind him, and he wasn't accustomed to fighting in cramped, dark areas while they could all most likely see in the dark.

Ging moved and came to the intersection quickly, deciding he needed to save all of the Nen he had, and took the left turn strictly by guessing. He moved forward with a pace of urgency and fought back a smile as he thought of himself as a helpless animal crawling from a threat it had no idea how to fight against. His heart skipped a beat at first when he heard the creatures behind him getting closer and closer, but it nearly skipped another when he saw the next intersection.

Just a few feet ahead of him, the next intersection, instead of going left or right, went up and down. The pipes opened up just enough for him to stand in shortly after he spotted the intersection, and he did just that. Getting to his feet, Ging sprinted; his shoes were struggling to stay on his Nen enhanced feet.

A crash from behind and the sickly gross sound of something being smashed against a hard surface made him, like most occasions, tempted him to look back, but he knew better. He stopped with his toes over the edge of the decline and looked up. The pipes opened up so much wider that he didn't think he could scale them with his outstretched limbs. Judging from the durability they had, he knew he couldn't climb them with a sharp object like a knife either.

"Scraaaa!" He heard behind him, It was the high pitched throaty warble of a bird-like creature who struggled to crawl as its wings scrapped against the roof of the pipes.

"God, you're ugly!" Ging said, sticking his tongue out in disgust. "I could just kill you," Ging said to himself. "But let's see how far you will go, shall we?"

Ging leaned back slightly and let gravity take hold of him as he fell down the shaft of piping. He fell and fell for some time, looking up the whole way and never once seeing the bird follow him. He was about to give up as something poked its head out the top of the clearing and started falling down.

Grinning to himself, Ging turned in the air redirecting his feet to the sides of the walls with his hands on the opposite. With as little Nen as he could muster, he slowed his fall a little at a time, not knowing when the bottom would arrive.

"It can't be much farther," Ging said to himself. "He knew he had a bad habit of talking to himself, but he also told himself it had been some time since he had been alone and needed to make up for it. Ging was correct in his assumption as he barely made out the bottom of the pipes coming fast underneath him. He poured the Nen into his limbs and slowed down drastically, then let go landing firmly on the pipes' hard structure yet again. He quickly picked a direction and moved just in case the creatures following him showed up sooner than later.

Ging stood there for a few moments, looking up with his hand above his eyes as if to block the glare from the sun. Realizing he didn't need to do this and getting bored from the wait, he shrugged and took a seat. He regretted his decision instantly when the bird-like creature he saw earlier smashed into the ground in front of him and splashed him with blood.

"Gross!" Ging shouted, angry at himself for not thinking ahead. "I must be tired, going to need to find somewhere to rest for the night and get to full power." He said to himself.

He quickly took a look up the pipes the creature dropped from and saw nothing else coming down. Tearing a piece of cloth from his shirt, Ging wiped his face with a little bit of water. He chose a direction from the paths the pipes gave him and began walking. The pipes here were much bigger than before and ran with a chilly air that held moisture like that from the ocean.

"It probably is from the ocean," Ging said to himself. He sniffed the air and opened his mouth, trying to catch the breeze on his tongue. "It is salty. They must use these pipes to bring fresh air into the labyrinth. Better than dying from poor air quality, I suppose."

Ging moved forward slowly, one step at a time, realizing now that the adrenaline was gone that his body was coming to a complete and utter halt. The sounds in the pipeline were quiet except for the sound of a gentle breeze until Ging heard a thud from behind him. It was not unlike the bird creature's sound meeting the ground, but it was significantly softer.

"Either a smaller creature fell long after, or something made it down willingly." He thought to himself. "Seeing as we saw no small creatures as of yet, my votes with the later."

Ging picked up his pace, jogging even though he knew he already had a lead on the foe behind him. "Hopefully, they won't be able to figure out what pipe I went down." He said to himself as he entered a clearing.

The pipe he was jogging rose into a square room with four holes leading out of it. "What the hell kind of room is this?" Ging thought to himself as he entered the room. He scanned it for a few moments, realizing that the pipes still continued even if the room made it feel like a dead end. The difference was that the pipes here were grated and blocked off but not by the same metal as the pipes, the Nen immune, and super durable pipes. These pipes were regular metal, corroded and rusted by the salty air and moisture.

Thud, thud, thud. Ging heard from behind him. "How in the hell did you find me and catch up already?!" Ging yelled. "Fine! Come fight then, you ugly mutate!"

"Hey!" A voice shouted back. "They said you would be mad, but you don't have to insult me, Ging!" The voice was feminine and young but not as young as Ging.

"Wait a second, who is there?" Ging asked, backing into the center of the room. The four holes that lead out of this room were letting a small amount of light into the otherwise dark interior. The voice was still coming from the pipes. Ging couldn't see even the slightest hint of movement.

"Take a guess, you piss-ant," Copper said as she stepped into the light.

"Wait, Copper wouldn't call me a piss-ant!" Ging said, putting his fists up in defense. "You're either some enemy trick, or I'm finally having delusions of fatigue."

"I call you much worse when you're not listening," Copper said, taking a few more steps into the room and scanning the area with her eyes as well. "Must be some repair room."

"Repair room?" Ging asked, letting his guard down slightly.

"You already trust me?" Copper said, frowning. "If I was an enemy, I think I'd kill you right now."

Ging fell flat on his butt and laid down with his arms spread out. "I don't even care anymore, just get it over with, creature," Ging said.

"Stop calling me names!" Copper said, stomping over to him.

"Definitely is the real Copper," Ging said, awkwardly nodding his head as he lay. "So, how did you follow me?" Ging asked.

"Your bloody footprints," Copper said, kicking Ging in the leg.

"Ow!" He squealed. "I'm tired and defenseless, have some pride!"

"I landed near that bird-creature and slipped on the blood myself, so I crawled around in the entrances to each direction until I found the one with bloody tracks," Copper said. "Then I used what Nen I had left and just started running."

"You could have run right into a hole. It's pure darkness in these tunnels except for this room," Ging said. "Oh yeah, how is this a repair room?" Ging said, sitting up.

"We need to sleep and preserve our energy," Copper said, taking a seat next to him.

"And why are you here?!" Ging said after staring off into the distance for some time. "I said I was going alone!"

"One thing at a time, Ging," Copper said, shaking her head and beginning to untie the pack on her back. She, in fact, had two bags tied tightly around her. After the first knot was undone, she let out a sigh as the other came undone easily at her fingertips.

"Bullion and Mom gave us some of their food and water." She said, handing some to Ging. "Let's eat again before we get some sleep, start with a small portion, and we can try for more tomorrow."

"Yeah, if we overeat, our bodies could go into shock," Ging said. "It happened to me once on Whale Island, or off the coast of the island that is. I left without telling anyone; this was when I was a fair bit younger and stowed away on a ship. Turns out the ship was full of pirates who had a run-in with a sickness and weren't too keen on stowaways regardless of their physical conditions. I stayed in the storage room for three days before they landed and then started traveling back home. Within the first hour, I caught several fish, ate all of them along with a salad of greens I made from near the water and threw it all up within the second hour."

"I'm surprised Mr.Perfect can make mistakes," Copper said, finishing her dried meat and crackers.

"Few and far between, but I can have some occasionally," Ging admitted. "Now, I am pretty sure I figured out how this is a repair room, but tell me why you think it is."

Copper scoffed and started talking as she rolled out a blanket to lay on. "I knew it wouldn't take you long to figure out this room. The only thing I couldn't figure out is how we ended up with the only pipe system not barred off by this grate system."

"Well, just look," Ging said, pointing to the area they both came from earlier. "The grates were there at some point, but they seem to be made out of normal metal and rusted away." Copper looked as Ging rolled out his own blanket and saw that he was right.

"Then just lucky, I guess," Copper said. "Though, if it is just regular metal, we could just have beaten our way in."

"Very true," Ging said, laughing. After laying down and moving back and forth, making the adjustments his body dictated he needed to make to get comfy, Ging let out a loud sigh. "Why did they send you after me?"

"Not because they thought you were weak or any nonsense like that," Copper said, rolling her eyes. "They just wanted to make sure we had a better chance at survival."

"And?" Ging said, rolling his head over to lock eyes with Copper. She held his gaze for some time before finally giving in.

"And." Copper started. "And, Bullion's plan was not very good…I don't think they had a lot of faith without Sol."

"Without Sol?" Gig asked slowly. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't worry, he isn't dead," Copper said, shaking her head. "Not yet anyway, just unconscious. After you left, he was just about to use another Sol Sphere before Bullion launched me into the pipe."

"How was his aim this time?" Ging said, grinning.

"Better than your turn, a little too good actually," Copper said. "I went directly into the pipe and just about busted my head open."

"Sounds like the big oaf," Ging said, laughing. "What was he doing with the floor?"

"We really should be getting some sleep, you know?" Copper said, rolling on her side. They both had the ends of their blankets propped up as a makeshift pillow.

"Even a week without sleep and I feel restless," Ging said. "Indulge me and feed my curiosity. It will help."

"How about a deal?" Copper said. "I tell you Bullion's plan, and you tell me yours?"

"Sure, that's a fair trade," Ging said, holding out his pinky.

"A pinky promise, huh?" Copper said as she wrapped her pinky around his. "I actually have never made one before."

"Don't worry, it's nothing like a contract with that damn Marry," Ging said.

Copper's face grew drawn and pale at the mention of the contract Copper had made not long ago. "Uh, yeah, I guess it isn't," Copper said, clearing the frog in her throat. "You go first."

"Well, I don't really have a plan except to find Niro, the guy controlling the labyrinth, and hopefully make it easier for Bullion and the others," Ging said, shrugging on the ground.

"Yeah, not much else we can do right now." Copper agreed. "For some reason, I expected more from that crazy head of yours."

"I have some ideas, but they aren't part of the plan everyone else has," Ging said, rolling over onto his side to face Copper.

"Will you tell me those ideas then?" Copper asked curiously.

"Maybe," Ging said honestly. "Maybe, after I have more information and know what ideas will stick when I toss them."

"Tell me tomorrow, regardless," Copper said. "I have ideas of my own, and I need something to bounce them off of."

"Something?" Ging said. "I'm insulted."

"Fine, fine," Copper said, waving her hand like she was shooing away a fly. "Someone to bounce my ideas off of, and that someone is you."

"Ok, your turn," Ging said. "I told you my very obvious plans, now what is Bullion up to."

"I didn't have much time," Copper admitted. "And you know how he's been acting this entire trip."

"Yeah, he most likely started saying something, then your mom glared at him, and then he stuttered and tried to shoo you away."

"Essentially," Copper said, nodding. "And that is another reason that I believe I am here with you now. I don't think we would agree with their plan, or Bullion is ashamed of it."

"So you don't really know what it is either?" Ging asked.

"Not really," Copper admitted. "He broke a hole into the ground, and they entered a pipeline similar to this one. Other than that, I have no idea where they are going."

"Another pipeline, really?" Ging asked. "This place is more boring and more well thought out than I figured."

"Well, it does seem they had a few centuries to upgrade the place," Copper said. "If we are to believe Marry, then they have been around a very long time."

Ging moved and rustled on his blanket-pillow combination, struggling to find a splinter of relaxation. "I believe her." He finally said after settling on a position. "She was consigned to her death before we convinced her otherwise."

"What convinced her, do you think?" Copper asked. "She confuses me, her, and this entire team of hers."

"The way she explained it." Ging started. "She grew tired of her so-called family, but seeing all of us together made her want to try again. Or at least something to that nature."

"What about this dysfunctional group of people would inspire anyone?" Copper said, sneering.

"Judging from what we have seen of them so far, less dysfunctional than her family," Ging said, laughing.

They laughed together and laid in silence for a moment. Copper starred up into the roof's Nen-infused metal and imagined the sun running across the sky, followed by some puffs of clouds.

"I am reaching my witts end with this island." She said. "We technically only spent a few days here, and already it feels like it's been years."

"I kind of like it here," Ging said. "From moment to moment, I never had a chance to stop or slow down. For the first time, it felt like the world was moving at a pace that I needed to keep up with, instead of the other way around."

"You think the world has to keep up with you," Copper said, chuckling.

"Nothing ever happened on Whale Island," Ging said, shrugging uncomfortably on the ground. "Nothing happened when I got my Hunter's License either, just more barriers. Barriers of Jenny, barriers of greed and paperwork." Ging tucked both of his hands under his head, propping himself up slightly and sighing. "Here, it almost feels like its own world."

"This place is still subject to greed and the usual demons of the human heart," Copper said quietly. "It isn't impervious to the tribulations of mankind like you think."

"I know that," Ging said, rolling his eyes. "But still, something about this place just calls to me. I think I will come back and repurpose it one day."

"You have that much confidence in us succeeding in this mission?" Copper asked. "What if we all die a horrible death?"

"I think," Ging said. "That they will offer us a chance to join their team."

"What?!" Copper said. "Why would they do that?"

"Marry will try and convince them," Ging said. "If Bullion and his team win against whoever they send against him next, then they will be running low on family members."

"They could have a hundred people stored away for all we know," Copper said. "There is no way for you to just assume something like that."

"No one has Nen abilities that powerful," Ging said. "Whoever it is that controls the souls should only be able to control a certain amount, and my guess is around five. I could be wrong. It is only a theory at this point."

"So you plan on stopping the labyrinth and allowing Bullion and the others to win their fight," Copper said. "Than what? You plan on joining the enemies?"

Ging rolled over and laughed at Copper. "Hell no. I have no interest in immortality! I can barely amuse myself for one lifetime, and there is no way I want to be bored for an eternity." Ging rolled back over and yawned deeply into his hand. "We help the others any way we can, then we go from there. I need more information still to make a better decision. Still, a lot of improvisation is in our near future, I would imagine."

Copper sighed and nodded. "Fine, fair enough, just tell me if you have any crazy ideas and change your mind about this. I would much rather leave the island now than watch you become some crazy demon dog-like Helleran."

They both laughed and shared a yawn. "It's time to get some sleep," Copper said.

"I somehow find it impossible even for me to say no to that," Ging replied.

The kids both drifted off into a deep sleep before either of them realized it. They set no defenses nor slept with one eye open, as the saying goes. Their bodies nearly shut down and lulled them into peace.

Chapter Text

Ging found himself within something he rarely ever encountered, a dream.

At first, he thought it one of his own creations as the surroundings reminded him of memories he had somewhere deep in his head. He was standing dead center amidst a body of water while a fog slowly crept along its surface. The fog wasn't blindingly thick, but it wasn't thin enough to see through either.

Ging took a few steps forward but not willingly because he felt he had no control over his body. In fact, he felt like he was looking down on the events happening before him as if he was an outside peer looking in.

Ging sighed, but not the Ging whose feet walked on water but the Ging who was watching from above, and the fog seemed to disperse at his breath. As the heavy mist fell away from view, monstrous land masses plagued by creatures and everything imaginable was revealed, and Ging knew it was the Dark Continent.

Ging rose out of his sleep in a burst of energy, his hands reaching for a weapon he didn't have.

"Damnit, I don't need a weapon anyway. I have Nen." He muttered to himself.

"Are you awake already?" Copper asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "How long do you think we slept?"

"A few hours," Ging said. "You know, you never told me how this was a repair room."

"Well, two reasons, really," Copper said, sitting up and stretching. "Those grates made out of regular metal make me assume they wanted to make sure entry wasn't impossible."

"And the second are the holes giving us light?" Ging asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are entry holes of some kind," Copper said, folding her blanket and packing it into her bag.

"Pretty stupid of us to fall asleep in an area that could easily be accessed," Ging said as he packed up his rest area as well.

Copper shrugged. "Either rest here or rest in the dark where the creatures can see us, and we can't see them. Sometimes, it's not about the most logical right decision but just the best one at your disposal."

"Oh, thanks, master Copper, for that nugget of wisdom," Ging said teasingly. "What other philosophical teachings do you have for me today?"

"Is the baby cranky?" Copper said, teasing back. "Did the baby not get enough sleep?"

"I never get enough sleep!" Ging said, digging the earwax out of his ear. "I'm hungry, I stink, and we have some people to kill."

"I vote we exit through the hole instead of traversing farther into the pipes. How about you?" Copper said after her bags were packed except for two sandwiches, water, and a dried piece of meat. She broke the amount of meat in half and handed it along with the sandwich to Ging, who gladly accepted it.

"I agree," Ging said through a full mouth of food. "I feel a hell of a lot stronger now, and who knows what happened while we were sleeping."

"Only one way to find out," Copper said, punching her fist into her palm. "I'm ready when you are, Captain."

"Want to race?" Ging said, grinning.

They both stared up at one of the holes that stood ten feet up the wall, covered by regular metal grating.

"Winner gets what?" Copper said, smiling.

"Winner is the captain for an hour?" Ging offered.

"No thanks, you can be the captain. Think of something better," Copper said. "Not all of us like to take the lead, you know."

Ging rolled his eyes and groaned. "Winner gets a private lesson from Sol?" Ging finally offered after a few seconds.

"Oooh, now that sounds fun!" Copper said. "On three?"

"One." They both started counting down together. "Two. Three!"

The two teens skillfully sent the Nen they had accumulated from their long rest into their legs for a burst of speed and then again for the jump.

"Damnit!" Ging yelled as Copper pulled herself up just ahead of him. "Damn tall and older people always have the edge."

"Shhhhh!" Copper said, shushing the young boy beside her.

Ging realized a little too late the reason for her shushing as the footsteps in front of the metal grate came to a stop. They both reacted instantly and pulled their bodies up and over the grate in one smooth motion causing only the slightest sounds.

Above the grate was a small cavity that they both barely fit into if they crouched as low as they could. Ging poised himself over the grate with both hands splayed open on alert. Copper cocked back her right hand for a punch and centered her Nen around her knuckles.

The footsteps had stopped, but they heard the sound of sniffing and deep breathing; it was one of the dogs, perhaps doing a patrol around the area. It was quiet for what felt like a few minutes until the dog clamped its jaw down on the grate and pulled it from its resting place. It caught at first, but the second pull detached the gate, and it got sent flying from the jaws of the creature's mouth.

"Got you," Ging whispered as the dog stuck its head through. Ging grabbed it by the sides of its head and yanked it up hard as Copper struck it dead center between the eyes. Ging held onto its limp head as Copper slipped down to the now open hole.

"Nothing here, store the body, and let's go," Copper whispered.

Ging swung the body and checked the dog even though he was sure it was dead. Leaving it in the cavity above the pipe, he propelled down and into the hole after Copper.

Ging pulled himself up and rolled to his feet as Copper scurried across the room and grabbed the metal grate the creature peeled off with its teeth. It was bent in a "U" shape, but Copper's Nen enhanced grip made short work of it. She twisted it back close to its original form and placed it back.

"Now what?" Copper asked, looking around. They were in a hallway lined with the same Nen etched metal as the rest of the labyrinth seemed to be in. The walls were only 7 feet tall, tiny compared to the first room they were in.

"These must be hallways that lead to other rooms," Ging said, guessing. "I want to assume Niro can sense us in the labyrinth at least somewhat, so let's hide and conserve our Nen with In."

"Makes sense," Copper said as she quickly hid her aura to the best of her ability. "Even if he can sense us, he will struggle to pinpoint us with Helleran and his beasties running around."

"I choose that way," Ging said, pointing down the hallway that led in the opposite direction that they came from the pipes. "Simply because it should go deeper into the labyrinth, and why not?"

"Give me the radio Bullion gave you," Copper said, holding her hand out. "The radio I had stopped working."

"Good idea," Ging said as he handed it over.

Ging started walking slowly down the hallway as Copper stayed behind with the radio. The turn was only a few feet away. Ging hustled forward with a few quick steps and peered around the corner. He saw nothing but more walls and empty space, but he did hear the sounds of snarling. "Any luck?" Ging asked behind him as Copper quietly fell in behind.

"They don't work, just like I thought." She said with a smug tone. "Way too much interference in here even if we are only fifty feet apart."

"Can't wait to tell your mom you were right?" Ging said, smirking. His head was still peeking around the corner, trying to hear or see what was around the next bend.

"Maybe," Copper said to herself. "What do you see?"

"Let's get closer and find out," Ging said, moving forward without warning. Copper kept up with ease, using her slightly longer stride to catch up to Ging as they reached the next corner.

"Some sort of fight," Copper whispered to Ging as she stuck her head right above his and peered along with him. Ging only nodded slightly as he watched two dogs circling a semi shelled reptilian-like creature who had a series of bones protruding along its back. It was smaller than the dogs but not by much.

"Do we help?" Copper said with a high-pitched cry to her voice.

"No, I wanna see what it can do!" Ging said, trying to elbow her off his head, which she was slowly learning more and more on.

He didn't have to wait long as one of the dogs grew impatient and struck with its fangs at the reptile. The dog's fangs hit the shell, bounced off, and made the dog hit the floor with a small thud. As the dog laid slightly stunned, shaking its head, the lizard's tail slipped out from under the shell on each side of the spine and whipped at the dog. The lizard's tail was fast and lean but did no damage, yet the dog squealed in pain and backed away several steps.

"Oooh, some sort of poison," Ging said. "More like acid, I think."

The second dog grew worried and snarled at the reptile as its tail went back into its shell. The dog, having a fair amount of intelligence, knew what that meant and slowly backed away. It starred down the lizard for a moment and then glanced back at its companion, who lay motionless on the floor with melted holes on its face. The dog growled in anger and retreated, leaving the shelled reptile alone in the hallway.

"Well, well, consider me impressed. "Ging said. "I think it's a Flicker Lizard!"
"What's that?" Copper said, gasping. "Are they dangerous or friendly?"

"No idea, I just named it now," Ging said, taking a step around the corner. "Only one way to find out." He took a few steps forward, not hiding his footsteps, so the lizard knew he was coming.

"Hello, there, big guy," Copper said in her cheeriest voice, surprising the boy with her proximity. "I'm Copper, and this is Ging. I know he doesn't smell much better than those dogs, but I promise you he isn't nearly as vile!"

"Haha, funny," Ging said, getting closer to the lizard. He got right up to its face and bent down, holding out his hand with the palm up towards the lizard's mouth. Its mouth sprung open, and a big forked tongue smacked Ging's palm and retreated back into its mouth.

"Did you just feed it something?" Copper said. "Or am I just really tired and imagining things."

"I caught a bug on the wall on the way here," Ging said, shrugging. "I assumed it had a diet similar to most reptiles."

"Some reptiles eat people," Copper said. "Or dogs." She watched as the reptile walked towards the dead dog and let out a sigh when it just walked past it.

"You know, I think animals like good Hunters," Ging said as he watched the lizard march down the hallway and take a turn. "Let's follow him."

Copper nodded as they quickly followed the Flicker Lizard, who Ging named after the acid it builds up under its two shells, then flicks it at its enemies.

"Silver...mom, she said something about animals liking good Hunters before, and I heard Bullion say it also."

"Seems more like something Sol would say, doesn't it?" Ging whispered as they neared the next corner.

"Another room," Copper said once they saw where the lizard was headed. At the end of the hallway, a massive pure black door, except for a worn part near the bottom, stood cracked and broken. Instead of being damaged by age, the door looked forced open at the point of discoloration.

"What could make a hole through that metal when even Bullion couldn't break through it?" Ging asked Copper as they both walked closer to the door. Their little lizard friend quickly walked through the hole without pausing and disappeared behind the door.

"Interesting," Copper said. "The plan?" She asked as Ging tapped his foot on the ground.

"Curiosity is fighting against my logic," Ging said, getting annoyed.

"We have a mission," Copper said, rolling her eyes.

"I know, I know," Ging said. "But, one peek?" He said the last words with such a grin on his face that Copper couldn't resist.

"Fine, let's make it quick," Copper said as she started forward on deft and quiet feet, her back slightly slouched to stay low. They took separate sides of the door and stuck their heads in. The room was lit by the Nen encased walls and glowed along with the floors from some sort of liquid.

"Is this…" Copper started. "This is a den for the lizards?"

"I think so." Ging agreed. "I think the liquid on the ground is acid from the younger lizard's tails."

"Then that means an adult probably melted through this door," Copper said, admiring the slight glow along the frayed edges that they stuck their heads through.

"I want some of the adult's acid," Ging said. "But how do we store it?"

"You want what now?" Copper said, giving him a look.

"Just think of how handy that acid could be if we get caught," Ging said. "I could burn a hole right into the walls, and, presto, we are gone."

"Yet again, we are on a time-sensitive mission, Ging!" Copper said.

"Well." Ging started. "I am getting that acid whether or not you help me, so the choice is yours."

Ging bent down and picked up a piece of the Nen carved door that was on the ground. It was jagged and shaped like a teardrop and was a few inches deep inside. "I'm going to infuse this with more Nen and see if it can hold the acid.

"And how the bloody hell are you going to get this acid?!" Copper said a little louder than she meant to.

They heard rumbles from inside the room and the glow of the floor rising up far past their heads. The light rose higher and higher even until below it, two enormous eyes appeared and stared directly at them.

"That's the adult," Ging said.

"That's the adult." Copper agreed as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I go left, you go right," Copper said. "Don't you dare try and hurt them! We get your acid, and we get out."

"Now, now Copper." Ging started. "Let's see what happens here. I think we may have an ally in disguise."

Copper bit back the words on her tongue as she saw what Ging meant. Just ahead of them came the small Flicker Lizard from before trotting along toward them. It locked eyes with Ging and then Copper. Without making a noise, it just flicked its forked tongue out and stood.

"Ok, I understand," Copper said, stepping forward. "Give me the bowl, Ging."

"Why would I do that?" Ging said, raising his eyebrows.

"He wants to help," Copper said. "I need to find a way to tell him what we need."

"You speak to lizards?" Ging said doubtfully.

"No, you dummy," Copper said, snorting. "Kindness is a universal language, and my specialty is...something similar."

"Ok, let's see this specialty in action," Ging said, nodding his head.

Copper took the bowl from Ging's hand and studied it quickly. It would hold enough acid, that's for sure, as it took her both hands to grab it, but would it survive?

"I need some of that acid from your tail," Copper said, trying to mime the words.

"It's just looking at you funny," Ging said. "Is this special ability the same as your Hatsu?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's what I meant," Copper said. "I'm going to use it, but it might draw Niro's attention."

"I doubt it," Ging said. "This room was abandoned a long time ago. He won't actively be searching for it with Helleran and his demons tearing everything apart."

"Makes me wonder if Helleran would even dare come here either," Copper asked no one in particular. "Anyways, here I go." Copper activated her Hatsu and started drawing in the latent Nen around her. From the metal itself all around them to the little lizard staring at them, she absorbed a tiny portion of its lifeforce as she called the Nen into herself. "Ok, now for part two," Copper said as she put out her hand for the lizard who was reluctant to step forward.

"Go ahead," Ging said, encouraging the young child. "She doesn't have a bug, but it's ok."

Copper held back a retort she was about to say to Ging when the lizard slowly extended it's head forward. "Well, ok then," Copper whispered to herself as she touched the creature on the head and returned the Nen she borrowed.

"What did you do?" Ging asked, interested.

"Took some of the Nen around us, including some from the lizard. Added my thoughts with my own Nen and gave it back." Copper explained. "I never tried it on anything but a human, so I don't know if it will work."

Her inquisition was answered quickly as the lizard turned to face the adult and let out a croaking squeal like sound. Copper watched as the adult slowly glanced down at the child and returned a low croak.

"Think it worked?" Ging asked, stepping back as he heard rustling from behind the adult. "Or did we just insult them?"

"Only one way to find out, isn't that right, Ging?" Copper said, teasing. "Or are you turning into a scaredy-cat on me now?"

Ging didn't have time to respond before an enormous four-pronged tail slowly descended in front of them. Each prong was laced in acid that, as the creature dipped its tail, fell onto the metal floor and began eating it away.

"Thank you!" Copper said as she held out the bowl carefully. The lizard held completely still with its wide eyes, never losing focus on Copper. Once the bowl was full, she pulled it back slowly.

"Well, I think it worked," Ging said. "Now we just need to get to the other side and past this room."

"You don't want to go back the way we came?" Copper asked as she made eye contact with the adult Flicker Lizard.

"No," Ging said cooly. "We push forward. There might be other reasons that this room has been abandoned, and my first guess is that it goes somewhere we want to go."

"Ok then, you hold this," Copper said as she handed Ging the bowl of acid.

"Ok," Ging said slowly. "Why am I holding this?"

"Just be patient," Copper said as she took a step forward towards the adult lizard.

Keeping eyes locked with the lizards, she continued walking one step at a time, doing her best to not trip over the rough ground underneath her. The floor's once flat surface was cracked and bubbled by the acid throughout the years, almost as if the stone was boiled in firey water.

"Ok big guy, let's talk, shall we," Copper said to herself as she lifted her hand up above her head. The little lizard let out a squeak behind her, and Copper soon felt the presence of the massive lizard's head lowering down to her hand. As they touched, Copper felt the adult's hard scaly skin and used her powers just as she did before, pulling it in, mixing it with her own, and sending it back as a form of communication.

"Oh, you're the momma," Copper said, shivering where she stood. "What an overwhelming sense of protection."

Copper was overwhelmed with the thought of her mother and the other team members as she connected with this ancient matron. A tear came to one of her eyes as she heard a footstep behind her, so she quickly brushed it away with her free hand.

"Are you ok?" Ging said as he came up beside her. "Your shaking."

"Yes...yes," Copper said, tripping over her words slightly. "She just surprised me, is all."

"It's a girl?" Ging said. "Must be some sort of matriarchy. What did you say to her?"

"You'll see," Copper said as she lowered her hand and suppressed her Nen again.

The mother lizard closed her eyes and didn't even bother to get up as her tail receded back into the dual shells on her back. The four-pronged tail split evenly as half went into each shell and then flicked dramatically back out.

"Ooooh, I see," Ging said. "Good job, Copper."

Ging was already moving around the enormous lizard head to see the full effects of the acid as the tail receded yet again for one more dousing of acid. He turned the corner just as the tail flicked with a crack and splashed the closed door that stopped Ging and Copper from moving forward.

"Let's go, Copper," Ging said, already moving to the door, which was still dripping with acid.

"Slow down, Ging!" Copper yelled. "You're going to drop that acid on your foot or get some on your head from the door!"

"I'm bored. It's time to move on!" Ging yelled back as he hefted the bowl of acid up above his knees when the weight of it caused him to drop it slowly. "It's a time-sensitive mission anyway, isn't it?"

Copper bent down low and bowed to the young lizard and the elder whose eyes were still shut. "Thank you both!" She said as she quickly ran and caught up to Ging.

"Idiot!" She yelled as Ging was just about to cross through the acid melting door.

Thinking quickly, Copper grabbed a chunk of broken tile and lifted it over her head, crossing the door just as Ging was. The acid dripped down on the rock slab, and she tossed it behind them.
"Very good, Copper. I knew you'd catch up." Ging said smugly.

"I think you didn't," Copper said, glaring at Ging. "Do you want to die?"

"Not particularly," Ging said nonchalantly as he surveyed the area they entered. The room was dark, just like the lizard's home. But unlike the lizard's place, this room had not been entered in a very long time. "We need some light," Ging said, trying to think.

"I have a few glow sticks," Copper said as she rummaged through her pack and produced two sticks that she bent and shook until the light within them slowly started to manifest. "They will get brighter as we go." She said, holding one in each hand.

"Hmm," Ging said to himself, pondering. "I'll trade you, I have some ideas, and I can't rightfully act with this thing bogging me down."

"Getting tired?" Copper said, teasing.

"Yeah, I need the big strong Enhancer to help me out," Ging said, giving it right back. "I'll bet this hallway leads to another door just like always."

"You're starting to sound bored already, Ging," Copper said. "You and boredom only means danger's ahead."

Copper put the glowsticks down and grabbed the acid-filled bowl from Ging, and he retrieved the glowsticks.

"Not bored, just disappointed," Ging said. "Centuries to build the labyrinth of your choice, and they stick to squares and rectangles. I would build on the entire island!"

"And do what with it?" Copper asked, amused. "Turn it into some sort of no-boredom allowed island?"

"Exactly!" Ging said as they walked forward, taking calculated yet quick paces forward.

The glowsticks were, in fact, shining more light as they moved. Warming up with Ging's hands and revealing a wide hallway that seemed to only go straight. "Well, this hallway is at least a little different. It just goes straight instead of off in every cardinal direction, I guess that's something."

"Look at that," Copper said, monotonous. "Another big door, whatever shall we do?"

"If only we had some sort of viscous liquid that could eat through the earth and into the pits of hell itself," Ging said dramatically.

"Tsk." Copper chuckled. "That's laying it on a bit thick, huh?"

"Just pour the acid on the door, will you," Ging said impatiently. "I want to know what these labyrinth secrets are!"

"Just like a greedy goblin," Copper said as she heaved the bowl back and widened her stance. "Might want to move, Ging." She said as the Nen rose around her and her aura condensed.

"Yep, good idea," Ging said as he quickly scurried behind her. "Let it fly, you big strong Enhancer!"

Copper chuckled to herself as she took a deep breath and turned her torso, launching the bowl forward with a calculated force. She didn't want to just smash the bowl against the wall and waste the acid that would splash all around. Copper wanted just enough power to collide with the door without it falling miserably to the floor. The result was very close to what she envisioned as the bowl thudded against the metal door and cracked to pieces as the acid started burning through the door.

"Maybe we should have done a small amount at a time?" Ging said as he watched the acid burn through the door and through the floor below it. "I forget that lizards tend to run down and not forward."

"Should be fine," Copper said, shrugging. "Even if it doesn't burn all the way through, if it weakens the door enough, I can just." She stopped talking as she charged Nen into her fist and punched straight into the weakest looking part of the door, the center of the impact from the bowl. Her blow didn't puncture through like she wished, but it did make the sounds of cracking and crumbling one would associate with progress.

"Good enough," Ging said. "My turn." Ging stepped forward as Copper traded places, and the young man took a stance and sent the Nen directly into his fists and mimicked Copper. The blow was enough to break a hole this time and allow them both to reach in and start pulling pieces out.

"Let's wait a few moments," Copper said as she watched the remaining acid melt and disperse into the air.

After a minute or two, they both went to work at the same time, pulling crumbled rocks piece by piece until they had a hole smaller than half of their own heights but big enough to squeeze through.

"Here we go," Ging said as he quickly began crawling into the hole. "Too late to turn back now."

Copper debated on protesting but gave in to Ging's contagious energy, following behind him shortly after his feet disappeared past the door.

She knew that this room was going to be different before she even entered it. Because for the first time, this room had a light source of its own. Still, she pressed on into the hole of light after Ging, unsure of what was ahead of them yet itching with anticipation and wonder.

Chapter Text

Bullion struck his fists into the ground, over and over, then over and over again after that. The Nen that he initially used to deal the first blows fell from his hands, and his head spun like a top. He saw stars, bright lights, and then darkness. The cycle repeated, once, twice, then he lost count and kept punching.

"Finally." He croaked to himself as the sweat dripped down his face and along his back. His shirt was torn to shreds from the repeating motions and the swelling of his body from his Hatsu's instability. When Bullion designed his Burden of Atlas, one of the conditions he set was that it needed to be activated every day, like the release valve protecting a pressurized gas container.

Seven days they were trapped inside Marry's game. For seven days, his Hatsu had built up to a proportion he had never experienced.

"We are running out of time." Silver said from behind Bullion. "Can you get us out of here?"

"I can." Bullion said through a deep breath. "Grab Sol. Dorus needs to guide us when we get into the underground he claims is here."

"Will you be fine after you activate that Hatsu of yours?" Silver asked, glancing sideways at the ragged Bullion. His hands were bloodied and battered, near dragging on the floor as his back hunched over dramatically.

"No idea." Bullion said. "I can't use it here. I need to wait until we get under."

Silver nodded and turned towards Dorus, who quickly dispatched one or two stray beasts that maneuvered around Sol. The nervous man ran to Bullion, a look of surprise on his face as the two stray creatures fell to the ground.

"Go ahead," Dorus told Bullion. "Silver and Sol will make it."

Bullion didn't even utter a word back as he bent down and jumped in the air. He didn't go far into the air, the sheer mass of his body overflowing with power. Yet, it was high enough to generate enough force for him to bring his hands down like a hammer and smash through the remainder of the floor. At first, it only faltered and swayed slightly. The cracks and dents running with the blood from Bullion's hands made it hard to see, but the structural integrity of it all was hanging on a small beam of balance.

"What's wrong?" Silver said as she approached with Sol wrapped around her shoulder. As she stepped on the area that took the direct damage, she slipped that balance over, and the resulting chain reaction was cataclysmic in nature.

The floor broke underneath them instantly, and they began falling. What creatures that followed Silver came crashing down around them while some aerial ones took vicious swipes as they fell.

"Get me to the wall!" Bullion shouted as they fell through the air. They all landed on their feet, using what Nen they could muster to soften their landing. While Bullion smashed solidly into the ground. He took a breath and tried to move, struggling to bring one foot forward.

"I can't move you!" Dorus said as he tried pushing Bullion from behind. "You're fucking heavy!"

"GO!!" Bullion yelled as he looked up and watched the dog creatures falling onto the floor. Their lifeless bodies made a horrible squelching sound that mixed with the sound of their bones cracking. These creatures were not why the man yelled. Because above them in the faint light, a shadow was cast on them by a massive shape falling directly above.

"I'm tired of running!" Dorus yelled back as he struck a fighting pose behind Bullion. "I'll be your shadow. You just get to the wall, bring it down on top of all of them!"

"How the hell!" Bullion yelled as his arms shot up on their own. They moved much faster than his legs, he noticed and arrived just in time to intercept a Boombeast by the head. The giant shadow fell, and it went headfirst into him like a kamikaze, suicidal and effective. Its eyes were black and mixed with blood as it impacted into Bullion driving his legs into the ground.

"I don't know…" Bullion yelled. "How much I can hold back!"

"Do it, now, use what you can and get that thing off of you!" Dorus yelled as he fought off the aerial animals that now harassed him. Silver did her best to protect Sol as well, who now lay unconscious on the floor. She stood over him in defense like a mother over her child and wielded two swords made from the rubble that she found.

Bullion didn't argue and released his Hatsu. It was the smallest amount he could manage, and it poured out of him like a miniature volcano. With a burst of speed and power, he launched the Boombeast up. It flew up and up, past the broken floor, and smashed into the roof that used to be over their heads. It stayed there motionless, and so did Bullion.

"I…" I…" Bullion tried speaking, but the Hatsu was seeping out of him so rapidly that he struggled to keep it under control.

"Shut up and move!" Dorus shouted. "We need you, Bullion, we need you to go!"

Bullion chuckled slightly to himself at the forceful nature of Dorus, the man who not too long ago coward in fear at every creature in sight. Bullion sparred a glance at the man and saw that he was shaking, quivering within the clothes he wore, but his face was taught tight in determination.

Bullion didn't speak, knowing that its action distorted his concentration, and bent forward, placing his hands down on the ground. His hands were fast, much faster than his legs, he knew, so he grabbed the floor and pulled, propelling himself forward like an ape. His legs tried keeping up but only slacked behind, so he kept going, relying on his arms to launch him a dozen feet at a time. He was within range of the wall now, one more arm propelled hop, and he was there.

"Get together!" Bullion shouted, turning his head slightly around. He caught a glimpse above him as he did so, a glimpse of the unforgettable jet black-haired beast starring down below. Then he sprung forward and released his Hatsu as he did, the vision disappearing from his eyes instantly as the Nen unleashed and shattered through the surrounding area around him. He felt it rise up like a tree, cracking up and up the wall and blowing a hole somewhere above him. Then another hole, and another.

The explosions continued until he heard the walls and the ceiling collapsing around him. His body reacted again from the Hatsu, sending another burst of Nen around him. More explosions, more senses of trees of destruction rising through the rubble. He fell, the weight of his body lessened but not drained. And it happened again, the release of Nen. This time he felt the trees grow and run through flesh, creature flesh. He felt the flesh in the air, on the ground all around him. Then he opened his eyes and saw death starring back at him.

"Get off him!" Silver screamed as she rushed Helleran, who was hovering over Bullion. Dorus was beside her, beaten and bloody. His glasses were broken, and his left arm hung limply along his side.

Silver seemed as spry as ever, dashing through the air and leaving a shallow gash on the back of Hellerans head with a weapon she made from the rubble yet again.

"Yeah...YEAH!" Dorus yelled from the side. "Get off him, you animal possessing...uh.."

"Just fight him!" Sol shouted from behind. He was on his feet, now able to carry himself forward, launching small emission attacks from his hand that were barely fist-sized. When they connected on Helleran's face, they seemed to sting more than doing damage.

Bullion glanced to his side where he lay and saw Dorus charging forward with a weapon in his hand that glowed a sharp yellow. Drawing what strength he could in his arm, Bullion slugged Helelran across the face turning his head into Dorus's head-on charge.

"Oh." Dorus squealed. Blood dripped from his mouth and down his immobilized arm, falling to the ground. His weapon, a conjured sword of sorts, was lodged into Hellerans skull while his fangs were sticking out through Dorus's back.

"Shit!" Bullion shouted, trying to scramble to his feet. "Get them, get them out of him!"

Silver and Sol were moving already, Sol falling with every other step having to pull himself back up to his feet. Bullion tossed the rocks and rubble off his legs, one at a time, pushing himself up as he did so. Finally, getting to his feet, he propped himself up to his feet, only to fall down again and stumble behind Sol, who struggled as well.

"Come on, Dorus, come on." Silver said quietly. "I need….I need bandages and water." Silver said, tripping on her words. Dorus was cold in her arms, and the blood was pooled on her legs, which she had him propped on. "I'll seal the wound with my Nen. It will cauterize it."

"Just stop," Dorus said, crying. "I can't...my body won't heal after all of this, you know it."

"Shut up!" Bullion said. "Just do it! Sol, give me some of your shirt for the bandage. I'll find some water."

"What water!?" Dorus tried yelling as the blood caught in his mouth, dribbling onto his chin. "The packs are gone, Bullion, and you all need to go! Look, just look." Dorus said, pointing.

They all looked up and saw the hordes of creatures above them still pacing back and forth. The red in their eyes was diluted with the death of Helleran, but they seemed more crazed.

"He was controlling them." Dorus said, "I could see it in their auras."

"You don't even have your goofy helmet on," Sol said as he knelt on the floor beside him.

Dorus chuckled. "I don't need it. Somethings, you just know."

"We do need to go." Silver said, snapping back to the moment. They started hearing the snarls and snapping sounds above them now. "The flyers will come for us if the dogs can't."

"Does it hurt?" Bullion said. "Want us to ease it?"

"It doesn't hurt," Dorus said. "I feel light and peaceful. I think I just need to get some sleep."

"Get some sleep then." Silver said as she moved her legs from underneath him. "Get some sleep, and we will come back for you when you wake."

"Don't take all the treasure without me." Dorus said, closing his eyes, "We had a deal, Bullion."

"We had a deal." Bullion agreed as he was already moving. "A treasure for you and a piece of the Dark Continent for Apple."

"Apple's back?" Dorus asked as Silver and Sol got up as well. "Tell her to have Majordomo make me the veal with cranberry sauce."

"You tell her, Dorus," Sol said as he walked away. "You tell her when you see her."

"Let's go." Bullion said after a few seconds. "It's time." Sol and Silver moved to take their positions besides Bullion.

"Is the big dog dead?" Dorus said faintly behind them. "Did we finally get him?"

"HE IS DEAD, DORUS!" Bullion shouted. "YOU HEAR THAT YOU MANGY MUTTS!" Bullion was so angry now that the Nen he intended on using to amplify his voice warbled around his throat. "YOUR DEMON DOG LEADER IS DEAD, AND DORUS APOTHILON KILLED HIM! NOW GO TO SLEEP DORUS! Just go to sleep…." His voice trailed away, and they all heard as Dorus's body went limp behind them.

"He's dead." Silver said as they began jogging. The sounds of turmoil above them was a cause for alarm that kept the adrenaline pumping in their bodies, perhaps the last thing keeping them moving at this point.

"They are both dead." Bullion agreed. "Dorus and that cursed Helleran."

"Without Dorus, we have no idea if he is actually dead," Sol said from behind. "His soul could possess another one of the creatures."

"DAMNIT!" Bullion shouted. "I didn't even think of that! Why can't he just stay dead!"

"We need to get moving, rest up, and formulate a plan, Bullion!" Silver said with a bit of edge in her voice.

"I know what we need to do Silver, let's go." Bullion said with just as much edge.

They moved faster now, a steady speed between a run and a jog as they passed through a doorway that was collapsed with time and decay.

Bullion went to open his mouth to call for lights when the area around him glowed a bright red as Silver produced some glow sticks. She handed one to Bullion and Sol each and found another for herself. They kept moving, sparring no glance behind them, hoping to lose the trail before their pursuers could find them.

Another room came up and was sealed, and together they all turned and kept running. They found a passage, Bullion was sure was just a hole in the wall, and they lept through it and continued. Again, another room where they lined the walls, hoping to go unnoticed until another passage was found.

They heard all around them the sounds of dark dwelling things such as bats and rodents, but they continued forward.

"How many more?" Silver asked finally as her breaths grew more ragged by the second.

"Last one." Bullion said. "We go up there." He lifted his light source up, and they saw a hole ten feet or so above them. With mastered ease, they cleared the height with one jump, each landing softly on the other side.

"Sol, start setting up camp. Silver and I will clear the room." Bullion said after they took a few steps forward in silence.

"I'll need the packs," Sol said. "I only found one of mine."

"Bullion's is gone, came apart when his shirt did." Silver said coldly. "I grabbed what I could from its remains, but we only need beds, food, and water."

"Yep, will do Silver," Sol said, taking her pack and unsheathing its burdens.

The room was dry and old, the air stale with the haunt of time, but it was small. At a quarter of the room's size, they fought Marry in. Silver and Bullion met within a few minutes.

"All clear on my side." Silver started. "No exits and very few creatures."

"The exit is over there." Bullion said, pointing to where he was only moments ago. "A few small rodents as well, nothing dire."

"Who gets first watch?" Sol asked, standing over the three makeshift beds.

"I do." Silver said before anyone could protest. "You two decide on the second shift." Silver took the food and water offered to her by Sol and walked over to the area Bullion pointed to earlier. "Decide, quickly."

"I'll take the second shift," Sol said, sitting down. "Bullion, you need a significant rest after that Hatsu backfire, and I want the leader well prepared for tomorrow."

"Fine." Bullion said, agreeing. Silver was just within earshot as they decided, but by the time Bullion looked back, she was in front of the exit, watching her post.

"She is not very happy," Sol said, handing the food and water over to Bullion as he took some for himself.

"None of us are very happy." Bullion said, sulking onto his bed. He sat down hard and let out a deep sigh. "This journey has not gone to plan, old friend."

"It has gone horribly as of late," Sol said, agreeing. "But it is not over."

"Shouldn't she be watching the other entrance?" Bullion whispered. "The one where the creatures might come from."

"They didn't follow us," Sol said, shaking his head. "They were afraid. Something down here might be worse than Helleran."

"Crazy piece of shit." Bullion said as he tore a piece of dried meat apart. "Apart of me wishes he can come back just so I can kill him again."

"Dorus…" Sol said quietly. "He surprised me."

Bullion smiled. "Yeah...he always surprises me, but never like this before."

Sol chuckled lightly. "Yeah, usually he surprises you by taking the most absurd and unimportant thing and telling us it's priceless."

"Then!" Bullion said, cutting in. "Then you find out it's not worth the dirt it came from except to Dorus and his particular tastes."

They laughed quietly together as the glowsticks beside them flickered slightly and then returned to full strength.

"Let's get some sleep," Sol said.

"Yeah, let's get some sleep." Bullion said.

"Do you think we can still find Apple?" Sol said.

"Find her alive, you mean?" Bullion said, shaking his head. "I don't know anymore."

"Know in the morning," Sol said as he laid down. "Silver won't forgive you if you wake up without a plan."

"I have to make the plan while I sleep now?" Bullion asked, annoyed.

"You know her," Sol said. "She is even more headstrong than the best Enhancers, and she wants results."

"She's scared." Bullion said as he laid down as well. "We've never lost two in a journey like this."

"What are you scared of then?" Sol asked as his stare bore into Bullion.

Bullion attempted to keep eye contact and failed within a few seconds. Sighing, he began speaking in a hushed tone. "Well….I still don't know if I should tell you."

"Just tell him already!" Silver said from her post. The pure depth at which they were underground made it easy to hear as their voices carried farther than usual down here.

"Fine!" Bullion said, snapping back. "That woman will be the death of me." Sol only grinned, knowing full well that these two had more feelings for each other than either would let come to the surface.

"Anyways, you know Apple's family, the Mines, they are very high up the food chain around Yorknew City. Whether they are part of the Ten Don's or not, I'm not sure. The secrecy is unparalleled when it comes to them. But I do know her family has significant funds and influence."

"They were the ones to fund this expedition?" Sol asked, cutting to the meat of the story.

"They were." Bullion said, nodding his head. "They are, I suppose, they will be sending ships, the ones we requested if the messages were relayed correctly."

"So, the problem lies with Apple, I would assume?" Sol said as his face shrunk into a frown.

"Apple is our main tie in." Bullion started. "When they find out that she has died, well, if she has died. Then the retaliation will be swift and unending."

"I've met the Shadow Beasts," Sol said. "You could take them in a fight if it came to it."

"I appreciate the confidence." Bullion said, laughing. "They can do more than just send the Shadow Beasts after me. They will hire better Hunters if they have to. They will freeze the money that I do have. They will make it impossible for me to do anything until I am dead. And yes, I think I could survive for a long time, perhaps until I die of old age, but I'm not very interested in that kind of life."

"Fair enough," Sol said, yawning against his will. "I... don't want to admit it just yet, but I do believe she is already dead."

"I know." Bullion said. "When this is over. I need you to do something for me."

"I know, as well," Sol said, laying down. "Make things right with the Dons?"

"Take care of Ging and Copper." Bullion said, looking over at Silver. "Silver went in as a partner with me, they will come for her, but they don't know about the kids."

"But they can find out," Sol said.

"You know about my accounts in Yorknew." Bullion said. "You get there, you take all the Jenny out and then go to the Dons. Do whatever it is they want, and they will forgive us."

"Let's not talk as if we are all dead," Sol said quietly. "Not just yet. Wait until the situation is more dire first."

"I won't have time to tell you anything if I waited for that." Bullion said, grinning. "Time to get some sleep then."

Silver listened as the two men behind her talked. Her eyes fell deep into her skull like they were ready to dry up and vanish. Her breathing was slow and shallow as her head started leaning forward.

"Snap out of it!" She whispered to herself. Then again. "Snap out of it!" She said this last phrase with a low growl, doing her best to keep it menacing as if to scare herself into submission.

Bullion and Sol had just laid down, finishing the talk they should have had back on the boat as they headed to this island. Silver and Bullion argued repetitively about telling Sol about the journey and the repercussions of failure. And at every crossroad they found themselves, Bullion had won. She trusted him, as she always had, and now she was beginning to question this entire mission and the events that had unfolded.

"Two dead?!" She whispered to herself again. "That's right, just keep talking to yourself. You need to stay awake. Let's start walking." She did just as she told herself and took a few steps forward into the exit that they would most certainly be following after they all got some sleep.

She kept moving forward, her feet clogging unevenly on the ground as her limbs struggled to muster the strength to lift them. The air was dusty and cold and grew even more so the farther she went. Turning her head back, she glanced to see how far she had come, but the light from Bullion and Sol's glowsticks still radiated slightly at a distance.

"I shouldn't go much further." She said to herself. "It's time to regain my strength and not fall asleep." Sighing, she leaned against the wall and looked back again as if to make sure the two men hadn't moved. She wasn't surprised as she figured out that they indeed hadn't, so she crossed her arms and leaned into the wall harder.

Activating her Hatsu, she felt her consciousness enter the wall as her eyes shut. Silver called this her Seeing Stone, where she usually would use it on a stone and throw it to extend her vision or watch her back.

For this instance, however, she was looking at her own body from the inside of the wall as she slept leaning against...herself? The point of reference sometimes got confusing but what mattered was that her body was resting now, and she could keep watch on two areas at once, one with each eye. Leaving her left eye to watch over her body. She moved her right eye vision along the wall and into the room where her allies were supposed to be sleeping.

"There's more you're not telling me," Sol said quietly as Silver eavesdropped through the walls unintentionally. She didn't really care, she told herself. Watching over them was what her job currently was, and this is how she would do it.

"There is more, yes." Bullion said. "Some of it I don't understand or know myself. Some of it you'll need to figure out on your own."

"Afraid to tell me, old friend?" Sol said, using the friend monicker to take some of the sting away from it.

"Something like that." Bullion said.

Despite herself, Silver had her vision focused on Bullion, who was laying on his back, facing up toward the ceiling where Silvers vision was. She felt as if she was cold, suddenly as if he was staring at her. But without a body, the sensation was uncomfortable.

The conversation died out, with neither man attempting to re-stoke the fire of words as sleep took them over and Silver's ears became overrun with snores. Time passed slowly at first until Silver eased into a lull of concentration that helped smooth out the flow of time. Within a few hours, she saw Sol stirring and decided it was time to see how long it had been.

She snapped into the vision of her own body so abruptly that she felt like throwing up. She knew when the first time she did this, she had thrown up, and only that experience helped keep it down. After a wobbly first few steps, letting the blood settle in her legs, and her head stops pounding, she turned and started towards Sol.

"I wonder how long it's been." Silver said to herself as she walked through the doorway. Her words were quiet and spoken mostly to herself, but knowing that Sol was stirring, she expected an answer none the less.

"Can you stop talking to yourself? I'm trying to sleep." Sol said quietly from behind her.

"Sorry, Sol, get some more sleep. I'll wake you for your shift in a few more hours." Silver said cooly, but Sol was already back to sleep, while Bullion snored loudly nearby.

Silver sighed and took her post, waiting as the hours passed. She went from pacing to performing some light exercises to help ease her mind of thoughts of the dead, the lost children, and the uncertain future. Each punch and kick help shoo away the bad ideas and after what she was hoping was around five hours, she went back to Sol and woke him up.

"Your turn." Silver said as she shook Sol gently, hands shaking from exertion.

"Very well," Sol said, sitting up. "You look a bit rough for wear, Silver. Is everything ok?"

"Yes." Silver said sternly, biting her lip. "I shouldn't have woken you. Continue sleeping as I am sure nothing will bother us down here. It's been quiet all this time."

Sol looked at her for a moment and cocked his head. "I will take your word on this, but if you are so sure of no attack, why didn't you go to sleep hours ago instead of finishing your shift?"

Silver bit her lip in annoyance. "I was distracted, is all!" She said with a little sting to her voice. "Now get some sleep, damnit."

Sol went back to sleep near-instantly, realizing just how exhausted he still was. Despite assuming that she wouldn't fall asleep with her racing thoughts, Silver followed right after him.

They slept in the dark, quiet underground until they grew stiff and sore.

Nothing stirred around them as they rested, but Silver's head swam with dreams of dead faces who refused to look her in the eye. They walk by her in a silent progression. People she knew in the past from her time in Meteor City and then as a Hunter.

Her dream was silent and felt as if it were being projected from the labyrinth itself.

It repeated itself over and over again, the faces from the shadows intimidating but welcoming. Over and over again, their eyes didn't meet, but Silver knew who they were. Each silent greeting was long and deep yet ended quickly.

Then a pair of silver-grey eyes that matched her own caught her attention. Silver slowly turned and stared at her daughter, who was marching with the dead.

Unlike the others, she glared at her mother as she strode forward. Then the dead girl opened her mouth to speak. But the phrase was spoken so slowly that Silver strained her eyes and her ears, making sure she didn't miss a word. Pain pricked her eyes, and she blinked for one second. Once Silver opened her eyes again, her daughter's face was replaced with her own, and the woman watched herself marching to nowhere with the dead.

The words Silver strained to hear sat quietly in the air. "It's your fault."

Chapter Text

Ging and Copper both brought themselves to a halt as their eyes made out what was in the room before them. They saw just a few feet in front of their faces a body lying perfectly still inside some sort of gel. Ging poked his head out and looked around, seeing more bodies lining the walls.

"Dead bodies?" Ging asked Copper who was beside him. "Or something else."

"Something else," Copper said, shaking her head. "We know that Marry was able to take another body, the one with the game she made us play. These might be those bodies."

"Makes sense," Ging said, agreeing. "No one alive seems to be here. Let's go?"

Copper only nodded as they both stepped out into the room. Realizing then that the body that was closest to them was pressed close to the wall, Ging went first, and Copper followed after.

"These bodies." Ging started. "They don't seem normal. Copper grimaced and kept her mouth shut as they passed from body to body. "Wait…" Ging said. "What if these are like...their original bodies."

"That's grotesque," Copper said. "Marry hinted that they have been around for hundreds of years. Why would they keep their old bodies?"

"Attachment issues?" Ging said, shrugging. "Let's find someone and ask them.

Copper grinned. "Straight to the point, as usual, let's go then."

Ging led the way around the room, taking in what information he could but swiftly moving along around the small room. It was dark, secured, and from what he could tell, there was a pile of over fifty bodies here. They were stacked together in the same gelatin-like substance five high, and he saw at least ten piles.

Ging held up his hand in a gesture that meant to halt, and Copper did so instantly and quietly, lining up beside him as they peered into a doorway. The door was slightly ajar and opened into a room full of electric light, bright as the sun with more bodies and a woman patrolling the area.

They could hear her talking from the distance they were, perhaps a handful of feet away, but they saw no one else in the room.

"Prep the bodies, Ana, find the kids, Ana." The woman was saying as she walked with some device in her hands. Her head snapped up, and she glanced around. Ging pulled his head back, and so did Copper.

Copper held up her finger up to her mouth in a "be quiet" gesture, and Ging pointed to the side. Together they moved to the spot with their profiles low like they were sneaking.

"Interesting," Ana said as she opened the door. "Now, now, do we have children, or do we have some beasties that escaped?"

Ana slid her hand through the door and turned on the lights as she entered the space. It was illuminated brightly all around, the light flickering a few times then stabilizing.

"If you are the kids from the outside world, I offer you an exchange of words," Ana said calmly as she scanned the room. "Niro and I wish to discuss matters with you. If you are interested, then you can approach me anytime. Be warned, I will not let my guard down from now on. He warned me that you were not to be taken lightly."

Ging and Copper watched as the woman who called herself Ana, an elegant woman draped in layers of clothes, walked out of the room.

"It's not cold in here. Why is she bundled up like that?" Copper asked after she left and pulled the door closed behind her.

"Who knows," Ging said as he turned his attention around the room. "She left the lights on, and I don't know if that was on purpose or an accident."

"You think she can see the room with monitors or something?" Copper asked. "I don't see any."

"Neither do I," Ging said. "She could just have detected us with En as well, but she didn't even try."

"I think they are playing with us," Copper said.

"Yeah, they really want us to choose to talk to them." Ging agreed. "I'm still leaning towards kicking their asses and getting off this island. How about you?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Copper said, grinning.

"Let's go then," Ging said as he worked his way over to the heap of bodies. "She might be smart enough to realize that the only other ways out of here are back where we came from or out these vents."

Ging and Copper quickly made their way up the gelatin-like structure, being careful not to use any Nen. On the off chance that they were still being tracked, they wanted to make it as difficult for the enemies as possible.

"Want to help me here?" Ging said. "No Nen, if you didn't already get the picture."

"Yeah, I figured that out also," Copper said as she grabbed hold of the vent screen with Ging. It was made with the Nen-enhanced metal from earlier, but it was not activated in this room for some reason.

Ging went first into the vents, and Copper followed quickly after. These were not like the pipes from earlier; these were the standard vents that you'd find in bigger buildings except made from the Nen infused metal. Climbing on their hands and knees, they turned towards the room before Ging realized something and tried to turn his head around quickly. He didn't have enough space to turn entirely around, but he could see Copper behind him.

"Did you put the grate back, so she doesn't know?" Ging asked just as he heard the door open from under them. Copper held her finger up in the gesture for silence, and Ging did so, doing his best not to move.

"Children?" Ana said. "I grow impatient. Where have you run off to, or are you still cowering in fear?" They could hear her walking around the room, moving things, and checking all the nooks and crannies. "No, that is unlikely, isn't it? From all accounts, you outsiders fear very little, especially us."

They listened to silence as she seemed to not do anything for some time, Ging assuming she was scanning the room with her eyes. Then they finally felt her Nen in the form of En as she attempted to locate them. Ging closed his eyes, willing himself to be invisible, to not be there, and could only hope Copper was doing the same thing. He stayed that way, tucked away as if he could will himself out of this world until he heard the door shut behind.

"I think she couldn't detect us?" Copper said. "Is our Zetsu that good?"

"That or she isn't as strong as the others," Ging said. "Or…" He said, looking around him. "These pipes are activated with Nen, but that room wasn't. I think it helped hide our presence."

"Oh yeah," Copper said. "We would just be a jumble of Nen in here just like the vents are."

They both started moving as if on cue and soon found themselves face to face with a vent that peered into the room they saw from the open door earlier. Ana was there still, roaming around on her device or writing down things on pieces of paper. Copper crept up as close to Ging as she could and tried whispering so it wouldn't carry down the vent and into Ana's ears.

"What's the plan?" Copper asked. "And don't say breakthrough the vent and beat her up, or I'll hit you right now."

"Need more information," Ging said. "But what I'm leaning towards is one of us distracting her in the other room while the other sneaks into this room."

"So I have to crawl backwards back to the vent and knock on her door?" Copper said, sighing. "Can you even break through this grate by yourself? I think it's Nen reinforced."

"Good point," Ging said. Let's keep moving. "Oh!" Ging said just as he turned to start moving. "Can you use your Hatsu to drain the Nen from the grate and allow me to get through?"

Copper looked at Ging as her eyes began to widen in realization. "Damn!" She said almost too loudly.

They both looked through the vents to make sure Ana didn't hear and were happy to see that she was still going about her work.

"Damn, why didn't I think of that. Let's give it a try." Copper put her hands up against the grate and concentrated her aura. Focusing it entirely into her palms, she slowly worked around the edges, trying to pull the Nen from the grates as she went.

"It works, but the Nen comes back so quickly," Copper said, shaking her head.

"Let's try this, then," Ging said, shifting up next to her. "I'll cut it as you go, I'll follow behind your palms."

Copper nodded and began again as Ging pointed one finger and followed her movements as a small stream of Nen protruded from his finger like a blade of energy. To her surprise, it was working, the metal being cut slowly as they progressed.

The position they were in was starting to gain increasingly uncomfortable as Copper was reaching forward past Ging. He had to try and contort backwards with his hand as the vents were not big enough for them to turn around in.

"Leave this piece," Ging said as he stopped the cutting. "I'll use it to put the grate back up while you crawl back towards the room and cause a distraction."

"Ok," Copper said, agreeing. "What happens after the distraction?"

"I sneak into this room and find a way to bring her back here. If you can sneak in behind her, do so. If you can't, I'll let you in somehow." Ging said, going over the plan that formed in his head.

"Than what?" Copper asked indifferently. "If we wanted to fight, we could just fight her head-on."

"I'm looking for the master of the labyrinth, Niro," Ging said quietly. "If we take this fight and fail...the others could be in trouble, and I'm not even sure we can beat her by ourselves." Ging took a moment to extend the plan in his mind, looking for a way to ease Copper's doubts and finding none.

"Fine...I'll trust you, Ging," Copper said after a moment. "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"Can't be worse than the last few days, can it?" Ging said dryly through a forced smile.

"It could," Copper said. "We could be dead by now or turned into those weird jelly corpses."

"Fair point," Ging said. "Let's do this."

Copper started backtracking towards the first room they entered, taking small shuffles until Ging could hear her rustling with the grate opening. He listened as she shut it behind her and hated himself for not telling her to leave it open just in case she needed to make a quick escape.

"Crack!" Came a sound from the door that Ana had gone in and out of moments before.

She looked up for a moment and grinned to herself. "The children have finally grown restless and want out of their room?"

She took a few steps over to the door and waited until another "CRACK" slammed against the door.

She grabbed the handle and went into the room with Copper, and Ging quickly lifted his grate and slid down into the room she had been guarding.

"Ana!" A voice called from the back end of the room that Ging couldn't see past the piles of books and devices.

"Shit!" Ging swore to himself and quickly looked around the tables, grabbing a small piece of metal and hiding under a table that was close to the door but not directly near it.

"What is it, Niro?" Ana said as she turned around and came back into the room. She pulled the door shut but didn't hold onto it, and Ging wrapped the metal tube in a small amount of Nen and threw it like a dagger. It hit the top of the door frame without making so much as a sound and kept the door from closing.

Ana was several steps away, moving frantically at the call of Niro, and didn't so much as glance back.

"There's been disturbances in this area, a lot of them," Niro said. "I've already activated the Nen pipeline in every part of the labyrinth except those going to Diora. I think the children are using them to travel apart from the rest of the outsiders."

Ging watched as Copper's face pulled up next to the door and peered through the cracks.

"Come on!" Ging whispered as he gestured for her to hurry and get into the room. He knew already that the grate she had shut behind her would be sealed up, and he was afraid she would get stuck either in that room or have to leave through the door they came through earlier.

Copper opened the door and jumped just a few inches off the ground, grabbing the metal tube of Ging's in the door frame and landed softly on her feet. She crouched and moved closer to Ging, having to go under a different table to do so. When she got to him, she held up her finger for silence, and Ging understood why as he heard footsteps nearby.

"I had just heard two loud sounds coming from this room." Ana had said to Niro as they both walked to the door that was now closed behind Copper.

Their conversation continued as they entered the other room, Ging and Copper incapable of hearing what else they were discussing. Niro stayed at the jam of the door, making sure it couldn't be shut behind them while Ana seemed to be doing something in the other room full of corpses.

"Plan?" Copper asked Ging next to her.

"We can't fight both of them. We need to isolate and outsmart them." Ging said quietly as he looked around the area. From under the table, he had a limited view of the room, but he could guess where Niro came from, so he decided that leaving this room was the correct choice. "Let's go. They will search for us and then use their En, which we cannot escape from."

Copper nodded and followed behind Ging, who moved surprisingly fast in his crouched position. They ducked under another table and were forced to stand up as they quietly bound over a small metallic table blocking the way. Haven't been seen, they continued and pushed through the doorway they assumed Niro came from not too long ago and glanced around to see where they were.

"This must be the main control room," Ging said. "Look at this."

In front of him, in the center of the room, was a dais with what seemed to be a small 3d model of a series of connecting rooms.

"It's the labyrinth?" Copper said. "I think he manipulates it with this. It must be his Hatsu."

"Let's find out," Ging said and waved his hand through the image, passing through it and causing not so much as a stir. "Hmmm," Ging mumbled to himself, looking around the room for answers. The walls were lined in old books, some dusted off recently while others cuddled together in their cobwebs and dirt.

"How about this," Copper said as more of a statement than a question as she launched her leg in a kick at the bottom of the dais. It connected hard and cracked at the base.

Ging looked back at the door to see if it was closed and was happy that it was, hoping it would block the sound and buy them a little more time.

"Again," Ging said. "I'll strike the other side, on three.

"One, two, three!" They counted down together, and both kicked as hard as they could. The cracks split up the base of the stone, and the image began to falter. Ging glanced at the door again and heard some sort of shouting and rustling. Then he felt it, the double presence of Niro and Ana's En wash over him. It was a mix of anger and pure annoyance coupled with a hint of amusement.

"AGAIN!" Ging said a little louder than necessary, and they both stepped back and kicked without the count down, their timing nearly in perfect sync. Copper's kick went high, and Ging's low as the bottom collapsed, causing the top half, assisted by the force from Copper's leg, to go flying into the wall.

It shattered into pieces, and Ging quickly grabbed Copper's hand and fled. He pulled her into another door just as he heard the sounds of Niro and Ana entering the room.

"Creeeeeak." They heard all around them, then a loud crash, like something that was stuck had finally broken free. The ground was rumbling a low earthy roar, and they felt that faint hint of sickness like they were being spun on a children's ride.

"I think it worked," Ging said as he let go of Copper's hand, forgetting he was holding it.

"I think so," Copper said, nodding. "We stick to the plan, divide and conquer?"

Ging nodded, and they began looking around their surroundings yet again.

"YOU LITTLE SHITS!" Niro shouted from the other room. "I'm starting to want them dead more than anything, Ana!"

The voice was closer now, and Ging was no further from a plan than moments ago. His eyes went downwards, glancing along the ground where he saw a piece of the wall on the floor, no longer activated with Nen. Quickly scooping it up, he broke it in half and sent his own Nen into it and watched as it sprung back to life with a faint white glow.

"Take this Copper and split up," Ging said, handing her his piece. "Activate this one, and we should be able to track each other. Go go go!."

Ging had already turned and bolted for cover, which luckily for him was in abundance. The room was full of rubble that continued to shift and fall from the ceiling as the labyrinth shifted in instability. Finding a pillar-like object, Ging hid behind it, using his Nen to try and amplify his hearing.

"You need to find a way to stabilize the labyrinth!" Ging heard Ana shouting at Niro.

"I can't!" Niro said, shouting back. "I need to make an exact model of the area I want to manipulate, and how the hell am I supposed to do that? It would take me weeks if not months to rebuild that model."

Ging was moving now, going farther into the room, dodging the debris as it fell. Remembering the metal in his hand, he concentrated as he took cover behind a boulder and tried to locate Copper. He got a small headache pulsating on the left side of his skull and decided that he would try and go in that direction. Hoping Copper was finding her way to him or finding a way out of this room.

"Where are you, children!?" Niro yelled as he crossed right in front of Ging. He was speeding forward, knocking stones and pillars aside with ease but not putting the most attention towards his surroundings. Ging glanced back to make sure Ana wasn't behind Niro and ran after him, hoping he wouldn't look behind himself and keep bolting forward.

In mid-stride, Ging saw a sphere of Nen in front of him like a blanket that wanted to pull you in and wrap around you.

"Must be Ana's En," Ging said to himself, stopping dead in his tracks. "She can't scan the whole room, and neither can Niro."

Glancing side to side, he went forward and to the side, towards the headache and in between both Niro and Ana. Ging crouched down as he saw the sphere again from an area not far from where it was before. From his other side, he saw Niro use his En, which more resembled four pillars connected in a square.

"I wonder if they know Copper is there, or if they are doing something else…" Ging thought.

An idea formed in his head, and Ging hurried to make it. He grabbed the pieces of metal around him that were etched like before and sent his Nen into them. Making a pile of them, Ging arranged them in the shape of a body and did his best to hide it in some rubble. Happy with his fake double, he ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and climbed a nearby pillar. Tying the shirt around a broken part of the pillar, he tucked a stone into the shirt and sent his Nen into it. He produced as much heat as he could until the shirt caught a small flame.

"Perfect," Ging said as he jumped down quietly and looked again for where Copper would be. His headache switched sides, moving to the center of his head just between his eyes. He was currently, from what he could gather, facing the back wall from where they entered. If this room was like the others, a door would most likely be there, and maybe Copper had found it and left.

Ging glanced up at the shirt, deciding how long he had left, and shrugged. "Let's just get on with it." He said to himself and bolted forward, staying low. He focused all of his Nen into concealing his presence and nothing else as he moved, relying on his natural speed to carry him as fast as he could.

He saw one sphere of En around him, and behind him, he heard a solid THUD. It wasn't very loud, but it was enough to seem like maybe he or Copper had tripped or accidentally made some noise. His trap seemed to be working, the shirt burning up and the rock falling. Now Ana and Niro just needed to find his fake body, and Ging and Copper could get into the next room.

The En sphere next to him quickly vanished with the sound of the noise, and he heard footsteps coming from that direction as he hid yet again. Then footsteps from where Niro was also converging on the sound of his trap.

Ging bolted again, this time enhancing his legs as he sped through the rubble and saw the door. Behind him, he saw their En just as before and heard shouting and the tossing of debris. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Copper sprinting as well, gaining distance faster than he was but from farther away.

She nodded to him, and he nodded back as they grew closer and closer. She reached the door first and opened it, slamming it shut as Ging passed through it. Ging looked around as this room was slowly crumbling, just like the one from before. The difference was that this room was smaller, and the four main pillars were holding up the space far easier. Ging and Copper grabbed what rubble they could, pushing boulders over and blocking the door before taking a moment to breathe.

"Do you think they know where we went?" Copper asked, panting.

"If they don't, it won't take them long," Ging said. "And I don't know if this rubble will keep them at bay. I saw Niro breaking through stones already."

"Let's get moving then?" Copper said. "When Ana was close to me, I felt her En, and I agree with you from earlier. I don't think we can beat them unless we work together against one of them at a time."

"The problem is now, of course." Ging started. "How exactly do we separate them?"

The floor was rumbling underneath their feet still, but it was slowly starting to fade and seemed to calm down as the moments passed.

"Maybe Niro is trying to stabilize the walls and cause it from collapsing?"

"I think," Copper said, looking around. "That the majority of the damage that would have happened has happened. We, mom, and I were in a cave system last year looking for materials for a job. It had a cave-in similar to this one, and the layout was sort of similar. The town had long since moved into the cave abandoning the outside world after it was raided by bandits of sorts. They built rooms in a square formation like this one, and after the cave-in, it appeared to hold itself up once the damage was done."

"Makes sense," Ging said, looking at the pillars. "This is probably even more well off than that one considering this Nen infused metal." As he said that, the two teenagers watched as Nen went through parts of the walls and grew rigid with strength.

"I think we are both correct," Ging said. "That looks like Niro is trying to put some Nen into his construct, which we must not have broken entirely."

"The damage to the real labyrinth probably reflected what happened to the construct," Copper said. "We mostly destroyed the base of the labyrinth, so the rest of these rooms took minimal damage, mostly some collapsing and damage to the structural integrity it would appear."

"I think," Ging said, moving along the small room. "We set up some traps and prepare this room."

"You think they will come here?" Copper said.

"We will lure Ana here and hope Niro is too occupied with his construct," Ging said as he moved some gravel with his feet.

They got to work quickly after they came to an agreement. Ging went about setting what traps he could, and Copper went towards the far wall that was the most intact. With her hands on the walls, Ging could feel her pulling the power from the Nen-Metal like a vacuum. Ana would sense this and come before long, so Ging needed to work quickly.

"Wait," Ging said as he shaped a piece of metal with his hands. "Did you see a lower level on that construct before we destroyed it?"

"A lower level?" Copper asked as she took her hand from the wall, needing a small break from its overwhelming amount of Nen. No, it was a mostly flat model, I think." Copper said, trying to remember, her eyebrows furrowed as she spoke.

"Wait," Copper said. "Yes, I think I remember some sort of darker rooms that were under the labyrinth, but those ones surely got destroyed when the stone pillar got shattered."

Ging looked at Copper for a while, his head spinning in thoughts. He gulped after a quick moment, and Copper opened her mouth in a question and seemed to find the answer for herself.

"Bullion, Sol, and my Mom," Copper said as sweat ran down her face. "They were under the labyrinth, weren't' they?"

"I think they were," Ging said coldly. It was one thing for them to die on this mission, but he didn't want to think about them having accidentally killed the rest of their team. "We don't know." He finally said.

"Children." A voice said from outside the door and the rubble. "When I come inside this room, and I will come inside this room, there better not being any traps or hostility."

They heard stones being tossed from the other side of the door and then the handle turning slightly. "If there are...then we won't be playing any more games, no matter what Niro says, I will kill you myself."

"It's about time," Copper said as she bounced on the balls of her feet. Ging was finishing his task and took position shortly behind Copper.

"Yeah," Ging said, cooly. His head was tossing around ideas more than the labyrinth was tossing around rubble just moments ago, and he struggled to tame it. He needed a distraction he knew and couldn't have been happier with Ana's timing.

"Come on, you immortal demon," Copper said. "You will find more than hostility on the other side of this door."

Chapter Text

Silver woke to the sounds of snoring beside her and the quiet tones of Sol rustling nearby. "Did you ever even wake him up?" She asked Sol with a hint of annoyance edging her words.

"I didn't need to," Sol said as he pointed to the door entrance. "I set some alarms and got some sleep myself."

"Seems particularly dangerous of you." Bullion said as his snoring ended abruptly. "Good thing I trust you, otherwise I would have woken up myself."

Sol snickered, but Silver was the first one to speak. "Yeah, I'm sure it was all part of your master plan."

"MY master plan is far greater than just that." Bullion said as he sat up and stretched. "Your puny brains just couldn't handle it."

"Makes me feel like we are the group of children," Sol said, laughing slightly. "Ging and Copper seem far too serious. Maybe we should do something about that when this is all over."

"Trust me, I've tried." Bullion said. "Every time I think one of them is opening up, they clamp back down like a vice."

"Let them be serious." Silver said, shaking her head. "There are greater things to life than jokes and playtime."

Sol gave her a face like that of someone who disagreed and didn't want to start an argument, and Bullion just sighed quietly to himself.

"Speaking of the little devils, I suppose they are waiting for us." Bullion said to break the awkward tension. He rose to his feet, the last one to do so as Sol and Silver were already moving. He felt a quick rumble from underneath him and a shift in the air that caused his body to feel like it was out of rhythm with itself.

They were lifted up off their feet then, and the world felt like they were in space, unable to move their bodies. Then they broke through the air and smashed against the wall as the area around them shattered into pieces.

His vision was dark as he reached out in front of his face. Bullion felt stone there and moved it aside. Light shone through as he continued until his torso was free and his other arm as well. He dug himself out and looked around the room. What was a dark underground lair was now a mess of dirt, water, and rock. Above him was open and seemed to go into the labyrinth again but was far above their heads.

"Where are you?" Bullion shouted. "Silver, Sol?"

A hand shot out from some stones and began the same motions Bullion had just done. Bullion rushed over to find Sol and helped him pull himself out. He was mostly unscathed, using his Sphere to encircle himself in protection. Silver appeared above them behind some rubble, looking dirty and battered.

"That hurt." She said as she climbed down, nimble and alert.

"What in the hell was that." Bullion said.

"It may have been our meddling children." Silver said, shaking her head.

Sol chuckled dryly. "I would bet my money on that."

"Well…" Bullion said. "I was uncertain how to reenter the labyrinth, but it seems they might have provided us a way of doing just that."

"Any ideas on how we will get up there?" Sol asked as he looked up, craning his neck back as far as it could.

It seemed farther than when they fought Helleran, maybe half as much. Parts of the floor from adjoining rooms seemed to remain, but mostly it was a clear shot straight up into the labyrinth, which appeared to be intact from what they could see.

"Yes." Bullion said, grinning. "You might not like it, but I will."

Silver rolled her eyes and only sighed.

"Explain then," Sol said.

Bullion took the time to explain his idea to the others. All while they could hear the rumbles of earth above and around them as if the surrounding soil and rock wasn't done settling in its new area just yet.

"It….does," Sol said, grinning. "It does sound quite fun."

"Let's get it over with." Silver said, standing next to Sol.

"Remember to reach back for me." Bullion said as he activated his Hatsu. His muscles bulged, and the veins protruded from his skin, ready to burst.

Sol activated his Sphere and encompassed himself and Silver in it. He left a small hole in the back end as Bullion lifted them and heaved them up.

"Here." Bullion started. "We." He started spinning in circles, gaining momentum with each word. "GO!"

He released his friends, who were holding onto their stomachs as they spun around in circles. As Bullion let them fly, Silver stuck her hand through the hole and caught Bullions arm as it was slipping away from the Sphere. Bullion deactivated his Hatsu right at the same moment lowering his weight and barely slowing the momentum down of the now flying Sphere.

They climbed at a fast pace, with Bullion trailing behind them like the tail of a meteor.

"We are almost there." Silver yelled out the hole to Bullion. "Sol will deactivate the sphere soon, and I'll let go of you."

Bullion just kept grinning and enjoyed the ride.

The sphere burst and Sol was propelled down onto the ground.

Silver tried to let go of Bullion's hand as he started surpassing her, his momentum not being slowed by the disappearance of the Sphere like the others until she realized that he was still going too fast. They both pulled together at the same time, countering some of the force at which he was moving. The result was Silver going up into the air and Bullion flipping overhead at a slower speed but still steady. Their hands came undone from the twisting motion, and Silver landed close to Sol.

Bullion drew Nen into his skull and fists and shielded himself as he impacted the above ceiling. He stopped the force with enough Nen, and the impact barely affected him as he fell a long drop to the others. Deciding to preserve Nen, he landed with his unmodified legs with a loud thud that caused the dust to mushroom cloud around him.

"Round two, anyone?" Bullion asked as the others fanned away the dirt.

"You're as insatiable as Ging," Sol said, hiding a smile. "I still cannot decide on who is the worst influence on the other."

"It's a dead tie." Silver said, squinting her eyes at Bullion in slight disapproval.

"Don't be such a tightwad." Bullion said as he got closer to Silver. "Or I'll start showing you affection in front of people and make you uncomfortable."

Silver's face was turning red as the shirtless man kept inching towards her threatening a hug.

"Ok, ok," Sol said knowingly. "I'll take the first shift next time and give you two some alone time."

"Sol!" Silver said, flustered as she punched Bullion, pushing him back. Her face was flushed thoroughly now, the blood having rushed as fast as it could to her face in record time.

They chuckled lightly together at the light-hearted situation and then felt the ground shift underneath them. The walls quaked with a wild heave that felt like they were in a globe upon someone's desk, and it fell to the floor.

Bullion looked down the hole that they just traversed and saw its entirety disappear into a black abyss.

"What the hell just happened?" Silver asked as they all found their grounding.

"Our children." Bullion said, shaking his head. "I think we should get moving. They are miles ahead of us."

"We can't let them have all the fun now, can we?" Sol said as they all began to move towards a door. "Look at the walls."

Silver and Bullion looked and studied the walls, not sure what Sol was getting at until they both realized.

"The Nen isn't running through them." Bullion said. "They must have deactivated it somehow."

Bullion got to the door first and kicked it open. It flung off the hinges in one hit, snapping the metal in two. "We go, room to room until we get enough information to make a better decision."

Why not." Sol said, shrugging. "Can't formulate a plan without knowledge."

"This place is falling apart." Bullion said. "I won't forgive them if they bring this place to a dead end."

"Forgive them?" Sol said. "More like, you would be mad that you didn't do it yourself."

"Or mad that he didn't get all of the treasure before they did it, and they made him have to dig around for it, which isn't very fun." Silver said.

"Bingo!" Bullion said as they kept running. They were coming up on another door, this one in a long room lined in a thin layer of water. The walls were lined with massive black cords that Bullion suspected contained a significant amount of electricity when the room was active.

"Bingo to which one?" Sol asked curiously.

Bullion opened his mouth to speak just as the walls started to glow and radiate with sound. Bullion instantly realized what was happening and turned quickly to Silver. "Electricity on the floor, quick!"

The words were all he managed to utter before Silver was leaning down and infusing her Nen into the ground.
Bullion and Sol watched as the patterns etched into the floor slowly returned to life, gaining increasingly closer and closer. Then they sprung up into the air about five feet on a pillar that Silver had erected. Bullion quickly swung his hand with his fingers closed and splashed away as much of the water off of the surface as he could. The effect was like a fan as Silver quickly bent the pillar's corners down to help the water run off the side.

Just as Bullion suspected, the large black cords running along the walls popped into existence with a thunderous crack. The floor around them took on a radiated sparkle as the sparks danced on the surface of the water.

"Not bad." Bullion said, grinning. "Can you get us to the door?" He asked Silver.

"Yeah, give me a moment." Silver said as she sat down, taking the pressure off of her knees where she knelt. In a few brief moments, she had created an equally tall bridge that went straight for the door.

"Let's go." Silver led the way this time, and the others let her just in case anything needed to be altered with her creation as they ran.

I don't think they are targeting us." Bullion said, trying to ease the minds of the others. "They are simply struggling to get control of the mess the children made."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Sol said, agreeing.

They got to the door, jogging at a brisk pace. Silver turned her profile sideways as Bullion wound up to punch the door open. Luckily for them, the door had taken some damage in the earlier collapse. It was riddled with holes and tension cracks which, even with the Nen infusion trying its best to connect itself stood no chance against his blow. The hole blew back deep into a new room that showed signs of recent inhabitants.

"WHO IS HERE?!" Bullion shouted as he broke through the rest of the hole, clearing enough space for the others.

It was a well-lit room, lights strewn across the many suspenders on the ceiling and along the walls as well. One of the vents that run through every room in the labyrinth traversed the center and went into a walled-off cavity that they couldn't see through.
Tables and chairs were arranged around the open space with the tables full of objects and tools. The room smelled of blood and salt.

"I SAID!" Bullion started.

"It is I, Bullion." A voice said from just around the walled area. Or was it from inside the room? Bullion was unsure. He did recognize the voice but was struggling to bring it to the forefront of his mind.

"And who is that?" Bullion said more quietly this time. He was moving forward cautiously while Sol and Silver moved on his flanks in a forked position. He could feel the Nen being called to their bodies and see the alert tension in their profiles from the corners of his eyes.

"Reveal yourself." Bullion demanded. "Or you will die."

A door swung open, and Sol's hand went up, a small sphere formed in his palm, ready to be released. From behind the door came a woman, tall and slender. She was elegant even in the worn-out cloth garb she was wearing, and her face was bruised on the one side.

"Apple!?" Bullion shouted. "Is that, is that really Apple Mines?"

"Wait!" Silver said as Bullion took a leaping bound forward. "Just wait!"

Silver had conjured a weapon, from which Bullion wasn't sure, but when he glanced from side to side, he saw that the others had not let their guard down. Did they see something he didn't, even now?

"It's Apple. Why the hell would I wait?" Bullion said, annoyed. "She is why we came here, right? Well...one of the main reasons."

"Are you really Apple?" Sol asked quietly. He had never stopped moving, and he was stepping sideways now like a cat. His movements were precise and purposeful as his angle grew more and more on the opened door. "Whose body is that?"

"What body?" Bullion said, confused.

"In the room," Sol said. "There is a body on a chair."

"You should recognize that body." The would-be Apple said. "You did spend a week together after all."

Bullion's cheeks flustered as he clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. "You're…"

"I am Marry, yes." The woman replied curtly with a little bow.

"You took Apple's body?!" Bullion said through clenched teeth. Silver was posed now ready to spring, and the Sphere in Sol's hand had taken on a menacing hum.

"Let me explain myself." Marry said as she held up her hands. As she held up Apple's hands.

"Just kill her now," Sol said with a flat tone to his voice. Bullion rarely heard the man jump to the extremes of death so quickly, and the brashness of his words took Bullion by surprise.

"If you kill me, I will just come back." Marry said, shaking her head. "Isn't that much obvious by now?"

"I don't believe you," Sol said, staring directly into her eyes. "Our youngest members seemed to have riled up your plans, and I imagine getting to the source of your little soul exchange will be more difficult."

Marry met Sol's eyes and held their gaze for a moment. "You are not entirely incorrect." She said. "I will be honest with you as proof of my loyalty. Our former leader Diora was the person in control of our souls. She has grown...unstable lately, and we no longer trust her."

"Why is she unstable?" Bullion asked as he waved for Sol and Silver to lower their threats and to assess the situation. They were here for information he wanted to tell them, and it's being given to us on a silver platter.

"I can't tell you that." Marry said. "I don't know the reason for her madness, only that the others wish to overthrow her and start over."

"You have another way to control the souls?" Silver asked, curious.

"They have an idea," Apple said as a frown formed around Apple's pretty face. "They wish to convert your children and use the boy to develop the power. He has shown enough capability with Nen to possibly create such an ability."

"And what of Copper?" Silver asked with her eyebrows raising.

"She would be more than capable as well, but her moral compass isn't as...cloudy, let's say, as we would prefer." Marry said.

"Are you allied with the others then?" Bullion asked. "You can't really think we would allow you to brainwash the children."

"I am not." Marry said, shaking her head. "I...have changed allegiances more times in the last few days than I ever thought possible." Marry said, laughing. The laugh was stale in the others' ears, nothing like Apple's, which held all of her confidence and unique personality.

"Apple was dead before I got here." Marry said as she studied her own hand as if it was the first time she had. "I just want you to know that before we move forward."

"We still haven't decided if we are moving forward." Bullion said as he crossed his arms. The action, which was usually non-intimidating, held a degree of power. He released his Nen towards Marry in a wave that was like fire.

Marry staggered back in the initial hit and struggled to keep her eyes open, covering them as if from the sun. "I have just entered this body, and even if I had time to develop a new Hatsu, I know you all could kill me." She said after Bullion controlled his aura. "I offer you a deal, one that I learned from Apple herself."

"When you tortured her for information?" Silver said, tapping her sword. She felt like they were constantly threatening a woman who already knew she was dead, yet it was hard not to showcase their own power.

"I was not there for the torture. That is Niro's domain." Marry said. "I learned this moments ago when I entered Apple's body. All of her memories are my own." She said this last sentence with a turn to Bullion. Their eyes met, and Bullion swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I offer for you to take me off of this island, where I will pretend to be Apple Mines." Marry started. "And I will help ease the tension between you and the Mines family, which would be far better than what would happen if they found out I, Apple was dead."

"This is utter nonsense," Sol said as the power around him culminated into a ball and launched towards Marry, who in Apple's body was still weak and fatigued.

"Whoa, whoa!" Bullion said as Silver's weapon launched and collided with the Sphere. She had enhanced the weapon with Nen, which caused it to move the Sphere slightly as Marry couldn't have reacted in time.

"Sol, you need to let us think about this." Silver said as she put her hands up as well.

Sol had turned to them now, his hands pointed toward them not accumulating Nen but still as threatening. Sol's Sphere had collided into the wall where Marry's old body was, and the sound snapped Sol back into what seemed like his old self.

"Bullion explained this to me already," Sol said, straightening his back and easing his fighting stance. "I do not believe the threat of the Ten Don's to be sufficient enough to smuggle this demon in the skin of Apple for the rest of our lives. That is not a secret I wish to live with."

"The Ten Don's?" Marry said, chuckling gently. "There are far worse things to fear than them, isn't that right, Bullion?"

"Sol, I want to explain everything to you, but the story would be way too long." Bullion said as he walked around and put himself in front of Marry. "The Hunter's Association and several governments have their hands in my pocket, and this expedition has dire consequences on the future."

"Take the time and tell me everything," Sol said, starting to show his irritation. "You should have told me from the beginning, Bullion."

"I thought." Bullion said, shaking his head. "I underestimated this mission, and it's slowly getting farther and farther out of my reach, old friend."

"Old friend?" Sol said with a tone that felt harsh from the lips of the smiling man. "We have known each other for only a few years, and up to this point, I would have returned that sentiment."

"Think of the children!" Silver said with surprisingly convincing sincerity. "Marry, I mean Apple, could help us save them. We need all the help we can get right now."

"They are not strong enough to beat the others." Marry said. "Eventually, they will be found, and depending on who, they will be killed."

Sol stood for a while, his eyes darting back and forth from all three of the eyes staring at him. He felt sick to his stomach, and his head was cold and cloudy. "I dislike this." He finally said, putting his hands down. "But, for the children, I will listen to what you have to say, and then I will plan accordingly."

Silver and Bullion sighed heavily and finally relaxed as well, while Marry smiled through her teeth.

"How fun." Marry said. "A family squabble, I don't think I have ever been a part of one before. My family tends to themselves more often than not."

"We are no family," Sol said harshly. "And if we were, you would not be a part of it. Tell us how to get to the children. And Bullion, Silver..." He said their names slowly and met their eyes, daring them to drop their gaze, but they never faltered. "We have unfinished business, and you owe me far more than an explanation, and you owe the kids far more than that."

To Bullion's surprise and to his thanks, Marry took the conversation and ran with it. "From now on, if we are to get off of this island and make it convincing, you should refer to me as Apple and not Marry, agreed?" Apple said. She looked from face to face for confirmation and got it from every nod except from Sol. "Two out of three will not be convincing."

"I will not refer to you as Apple," Sol said, still very unhappy. "I will not refer to you at all unless the situation was so dire that I would make a deal with a demon."

Marry couldn't help but feel the sting in his words and felt something hard in her throat that she struggled to name. "I understand." She said and continued. "From now on, the others can refer to me as Apple. The plan as far as I can tell is to find Diora and kill her, unless your journey brings you here for some ulterior motive I do not know?"

Bullion and Silver shared a sideways glance before Bullion spoke up. "We can talk about the mission later."

"You will tell me now," Sol said coldly. "Or I will retrieve the children and leave this island without you, all of you." Sol looked at each of them and settled on Bullion, waiting for him to speak again.

Bullion finally sighed. "We are after the bodies of people from the Dark Continent." He said.

"The bodies?" Marry asked. "What do you mean?"

"The intel was originally that bodies were spotted on the island that contained immortality." Bullion started to explain. "We are to retrieve them, or their DNA as well as anything else from the Dark Continent with value."

Sol shook his head and looked at Silver. "And you knew about this? You and Apple?"

"Yes." Silver said, nodding. "I spent some time with someone who had been to the Dark Continent before and grew close to some of the families of the Ten Dons. Bullion knew Apple and grew close to the rest of the families. Our mission was made almost simultaneously without either of us realizing."

"Why would you ever bring the kids to a place that could hold the threat level of the Dark Continent?!" Sol shouted. Spit flew from between his teeth as he clenched his jaw tight in frustration.

"The original intel only knew about one living being, Helleran." Bullion said. "Or at the time, a tall, dark man that stalked the shores of the island with his beasts."

Marry nodded and spoke up. "He and Diora are the only ones who don't go into Ana's Life Jelly, but Diora rarely goes to the surface."

"Life Jelly?" Sol asked, still annoyed. He turned to Bullion and Silver and pointed a finger to each of them in succession. "This isn't over. You two have a lot to answer for, but we need to get moving; the children surely have not slowed down their pace."

"Ana Molly, one of the other members of my old team." Marry said. "She is a transmuter who makes a jelly that we store the bodies in."

"Why?" Sol asked with a strong hint of curiosity lining his tongue. Despite himself, the mysteries of these people still held his mind in check.

"I could tell you, but the story is long." Marry said, shaking her head. "Would you prefer that we talk on the run or tell you the short story?"

"Give me something to stop me from killing you," Sol said.

"Sol!" Silver said. "Enough with this; this isn't like you."

Sol released a wave of power at Silver and Bullion, who raised theirs back in defense. "If the next words out of either of your mouths are anything except how to find the children, then we will have no more words to speak to each other."

Bullion stepped forward into the mass of Nen that Sol was exuding. It was full of hate and malice. The threat was unmistakable, and Bullion grew sad as he thought of his old friend whose trust he had lost.

"Ok, Sol. I understand." Bullion said. "Marry, lead the way and tell us about your people and where you think the children could be."

The power in the room fled as the three brought their power under control. Marry was crouched in a ball where she stood with her hands wrapped around her knees. "You three are far stronger than I expected." Marry said, smiling. "This body, however, is not so much."

"How long will it take you to develop a Hatsu?" Silver asked, attempting to change the topic.

"Everybody is different." Marry said as she stood up.

"Move, and talk!" Sol shouted after listening for only a moment. "Did we not just agree on this?!"

"Sorry!" Marry said as she turned and led them to a door. "I won't be much help in a fight, but I can give you all the information that I have."

They were moving at a brisk pace and reached the door in only a few moments. Marry grabbed the handle and pulled it open, heading first into a room while the others followed. It was crumbled and battered as all the rooms would be now, but the lighting was incandescent and multifaceted. Vines of all sizes hung from the ceiling and covered the walls in their embrace. Bulbs grew from them that pulsed with the colors that they were seeing.

"We are from the Dark Continent." Marry said as everyone entered the room. "Much like these plants, we ran and survived. A handful of us escaped and on our way into your world. Your much smaller and frail world we were cursed with immortality."

Sol, Bullion, and Silver looked at her with her last words, unsure of their validity.

"Our original bodies can't die, but their brains…." Marry said as she looked down. "We were like infants. Drooling, rage-induced children. I watched friends kill themselves from hysteria and lovers kill each other out of misery. Diora was able to use her power to separate her soul and then recruit five of us."

Marry took a few steps forward and brushed through a mass of vines that seemed to favor the color purple. "This room is only designed to buy time, but I know how to traverse it." Marry said. "Are we ready?"

Bullion, Silver stayed quiet, still unsure of their new ally but forced to make decisions that would typically take a great deal of consideration to finalize.

Sol, however, was calm with an annoyance that burned deep in his head and his heart. This mission had gradually turned into far more than what he was promised.

Now the children were alone in a world unlike their own, against enemies that would give some of the best hunters a run for their money. Sol looked back behind him and saw the bloody footprints they all left behind and checked the bottom of his feet.

"The blood won't last forever," Sol said to himself as the others moved forward behind Apple. He sighed as he followed them into the thicket of green life before them. If the children found themselves in this room, he would make sure that they wouldn't be stuck here longer than needed.

"Come, Hansel and Gretel, the family needs to come together again," Sol whispered as he tied a scrap of cloth to a bright red bush adorned with berries.

Chapter Text

Diora sat at the head of the table. A tall chair hand-carved by an old member of their team who couldn't handle the body-swapping and opted to return to the slumber within Ana's Life Jelly.

The table sat eight, which was more than the amount that Diora could bring into new bodies. Including herself, she could manage a total of six, but today only two were present, herself and JJ Kool.

She knew...somewhere in her head where the others were, but her thoughts were fighting in her head like two champions fighting in an arena. At times, the fighting got so bad that all she could think about was the intense hunger inside her that made her froth at the mouth. It was entirely primal in nature, she knew, but why it was happening she couldn't place.

"We have a major issue here, Diora." JJ Kool said as he tapped his fingers on the table. He was crescendoing them from pinky to index finger while the thumb watched in silence. His right foot tapped as well, almost like the drum to the finger guitar playing above it.

"And what issue is this?" Diora asked, squinting her eyes. The headache was here in full force, hammering into the back of her eyes, and the hunger was anything but quiet.

"Come on!" JJ said, hitting his fist against the table. He must have thought he hit it too hard as he repeated the motion again, this time softer as if to redo it entirely. "Two dead, two missings, and you can't tell me you haven't noticed the labyrinth crumbling around us for the last five minutes."

As if on cue, the walls that were shaking stopped as JJ looked around, his eyes wide with annoyance.

"Just a small earthquake, it appears to be over with," Diora said, explaining the shaking away.

"Bullshit," JJ said. "A few centuries and we have never had an earthquake in this waterlogged piece of dirt you call an island. And you know why; the unmanned rock provides so much power that this place is as stable as the strongest mountain. No way in hell was this an earthquake."

"Niro seems to have it under control," Diora said as she craned her neck down and bit her lip.

"And what in the bloody hells is wrong with you?" JJ asked. "You shake your head like you are in pain, and your acting like you can barely remember anything I tell you. I've told you about these issues three times now since the shaking started, and this is the first time you've used bigger words than a toddler would use. I think you need to go into the Life Jelly and rest for a while, Diora. How long have you been up?"

Diora tried thinking just how long she had been awake, but the memories were jumbled up again. Shifting around and rarely staying in one place. "Six years, I think?" Diora said, more of a question than a statement.

"You've been awake as long as Helleran?" JJ asked as he stood up slowly. "You woke Niro and me for maintenance three years ago, just like always, to make sure everything was ok with the labyrinth. You made it seem like you had just woken up yourself back then."

"I think you are right, JJ," Diora said, shaking her head. She regretted it instantly as it only amplified the headaches. "I think I just remembered how long Helleran was awake. It must only be a few years for me."

"Curious," JJ said as he approached Diora in her chair that sat far away from the others. "Have you had these headaches for quite some time?"

"No, they started only recently, I think," Diora said.

JJ Kool walked towards Diora, who in her chair had her feet at eye level with JJ. "Try and be precise, Diora," JJ said after a moment of silence. He struggled against himself, trying to remain calm for his friend of a few hundred years. Still, he was antsy with anticipation and the unanswered questions in his head.

"Yes." Diora said as if answering the unasked "Are you sure?" That he was implying, and she continued on. "They started very recently, but I couldn't tell you exactly when."

"Two days ago, somewhere around then?" JJ asked. "When Helleran died? What other symptoms do you have?"

JJ produced a syringe in his right hand. This was his Shot of Kool, as he called it. One of many needles he could conjure and enhance with his innate Enhancer abilities. This one was meant for show and only helped to ease the tension he felt when he grew too impatient or needed to convince someone that the syringes were safe.

"I'm going to take a syringe, Diora," JJ said as he injected it into his neck. "I'll ask again, what other symptoms do you have? Maybe one of my syringes can help."

Diora watched as he injected himself and his muscles relaxed. His feet stopped jittering, and the fingers that moved like they had a mind of their own, subside into a peaceful lull.

"I'm hungry," Diora said, licking the drool from her mouth. "So hungry that it feels like it's killing me. I can smell blood when there isn't any, and…" Diora stopped for a moment and starred at JJ Kool, who had taken the syringe out of his neck, which then vanished.

"And what?" JJ asked, cocking his head at her. "And what else, Diora?"

"Oh," Diora said, snapping back to herself. "I don't remember what I was going to say, JJ. I'm just not myself."

"I think I know what to use on you," JJ said. "I have this here." He held up his left hand, and a syringe appeared in it. It was see-through with gold and silver inlays all around it. "This is my Shot of Reality." JJ was grinning and took another step towards Diora. He was now within reach of her legs. "This will get rid of your headache and bring you back to yourself. It will make you tired, Diora, I won't lie to you, but when you wake up, you'll feel like you were at a hundred and fifty percent, I promise."

"I don't want to sleep," Diora said. "I want to eat. I just need food."

"No, no, Diora, we have seen you like this before. You need sleep," JJ said as his hand went out with the syringe pointed at Diora. He was just grabbing for her leg to roll it up and find the skin when Diora kicked out at him. Her leg was strong, stronger than JJ remembered, and sent him horizontally flying across the table.

"What the hell, Diora?!" JJ shouted as he tumbled to his feet over the table. By reflex, he conjured two syringes, one in each hand as the one that he was attempting to give to Diora shattered on the ground and vanished. "Have you lost your damned mind?"

"What?" Diora asked as she turned her head towards JJ. "I...did I hit you?"

"Did you hit me?!" JJ said as he injected the syringe in his right hand. His right hand always produced shots that he should inject into himself, while the left produced shots that should go into others.

If they were ever mixed, however, then death was inevitable. He would have to inject the right-hand shot into someone first, powering them up and making it harder for him to inject the left, but the payoff was obviously worth it.

"I am sorry, JJ," Diora said as she stepped down from her chair. "I am….so sorry." She was walking towards him now, her strides sloppy and her feet sliding like her limbs were struggling to move her forward. "I….I just need to feed."

Her eyes snapped up, and they were filled with red and black, a spiral of color that danced as JJ looked into them. She rushed at him fast, her hand in front of her conjuring a wisp that JJ knew was her one and only offensive ability.

"Will-o-wisp!" Diora growled. The words came out of her mouth gurgly as if she choked on them.

JJ parried her hand with the syringe in his left hand, using the reach it gave him to his advantage. He tried slipping it up her sleeve and into her arm, but she was too fast and turned in the air, using the momentum he gave her. Diora's foot, the opposite of the one he was kicked with from before, landed on the other side of his face.

JJ went into his best-enhanced perception, slowing down the world to the best of his abilities by increasing his own speed to that of inhuman proportions. He rolled the kick, having been ready for it this time, and used his hands to cartwheel through the air. His knee connected with Diora as she continued through the air, and she went flying, sliding on the ground.

Diora screamed an inaudible sound that sounded almost nothing like her. JJ heard her voice caught somewhere in the sound and barely had time to reach out to her before she was pressuring him again. She was barefoot, he noticed against his better judgment, knowing that he needed to focus on far more critical matters.

The soft soles of her feet padded quickly as she cut the distance between them and swiped her hands at JJ like a clawed creature. Her Will-o-wisp was in both hands, a small dusty mass that looked like air personified. JJ squared up with her, deftly parrying blows to the side, avoiding the palms of her hands and doing his best to avoid her nails as well, which looked more like claws now. His shirt quickly grew to tatters as he took cut after cut.

Diora finally slipped, seeing JJ stagger back and going for blood. JJ stepped back in his stance and redirected her lunge. He had her up in the air, ready to toss her when he manifested a syringe in his right hand and slipped it into her stomach.

"DIE!" Diora screamed as she was impaled by the syringe. JJ had given up the momentum of his throw, and Diora tossed away his right hand and landed a foot into his neck, grabbing his left hand with hers and pulling. As she pulled up, she dragged her claws up his arms, tearing into his flesh. The wisp in her palm had dispersed when she was stabbed as she was unable to control her Nen for that moment.

JJ yanked his arm down and slammed Diora into the ground as she continued to hold onto his arm. His other hand clenched back and thudded against Dioras temple, sending her head into the stone floor and releasing her grip.

"Stop, Diora!" JJ said as he manifested a syringe in his battered left hand and held it to her throat.

"JJ!" Diora said, finally sounding like herself. "It's Helleran! His soul, it's…"

JJ faltered for a moment at her voice, a mistake he realized too late as her palm pushed through the air in a quick moment and hit him in the sternum. He realized that he couldn't breathe before he even landed back on the ground. By instinct, he conjured another syringe in his right hand and injected it straight into his heart, an easy task thanks to the hole in his chest that the wisp had caused.

Diora was already in the air lunging for him, sensing the kill. He threw the syringe in his left hand at her, happy he was able to hold onto it in the air, and rolled as she landed on the area he used to be. The ground separated before her blow and sent him flying again, but this time he was able to correct himself in the air thanks to the last syringe he injected.

"I never had to use two syringes before Diora," JJ said as they both took a moment to stare each other down. Diora was circling him like a wolf stalking its prey, and JJ tried his best to keep his back from her.

"If Diora is still in there," JJ said, shaking his head. "You know that I'm going to die now because of this syringe. When I use two is too short of a time, my body won't be able to handle it."

Diora just growled at him, her feet leaving dents on the floor, and he saw that even her toes were growing claws. "I need to know if you're in there, Diora," JJ said. "Just give me any sign."

He didn't get the sign that he wanted. Instead, he found himself bobbing his head down as debris came flying towards him at breakneck speeds. Diora had kicked up the ground at him and was rushing forward.

Amped up with his syringes, JJ was by far the strongest of the team physically, even this hellhound infested Diora. He quickly dispatched her charge with a stiff jab to her head. The blow collapsed her body like a spring, and before she could regain control of herself in the air, JJ kicked out at her, sending her across the room.

His heart skipped a beat and then skipped another while threatening to miss again before he wrapped Nen around it and manually pumped it himself.

His life was inches away from leaving him, a feeling he had felt so many times that he knew it like the palm of his hands. He chuckled at his own thoughts, knowing full well that he barely knew these hands. He couldn't even count how many bodies he had cycled through and as Diora crashed into the wall, he came back to himself and rushed for her. He let go of his heart with his Nen now that it had been started again and let adrenaline carry him forward as he knew he needed all the power he could.

Diora landed on the wall on all fours like a beast strung up on pure reflexes. They collided again, and JJ won the exchange again, this time with Diora in the air.

He threw a syringe again at her, trying for his trump card, the two-hit combo that would kill anything he had ever come across. But Diora deflected it with a cartwheel and sent it back down at him. The syringe smashed into his shoulder and bounced away, unable to penetrate his Nen-infused skin.

Diora was on the ceiling now, her claws digging into the stone as she scurried along. Her head was turned inhumanly watching JJ, never taken a glance away.

"You are relentless!" JJ yelled at her. "I am far stronger than you, but...goddammit, you heal so quickly, and your stamina is uncanny."

JJ was shaking his head as she circled him from her height advantage. She was thinking he knew how to attack, having failed twice now, and he wished he could only study what was happening to his old friend. He found himself utterly fascinated with the events.

"Maybe…" He said to himself as Diora growled in anger. She was growing impatient now and would attack soon.

JJ's heart stumbled on itself, not nearly skipping a beat this time but faltering slightly. He sent Nen down to it just to make sure and got his heart regularly beating just before Diora released herself from the ceiling.

JJ bent down and conjured two more syringes, and injected them into his heart. His skin had healed since his last injections, and it was more difficult this time to puncture his own skin now that the cavity wasn't there. He chuckled at himself again until his body shivered. He grew instantly unstable, his mind going blank and his body feeling as if it wasn't there at all. He could see from his eyes, but they moved like someone else was moving them, and when they locked onto Diora, he only saw claws before darkness.

"Oh, Diora, I had a wonderful idea," JJ said as he heard her claws tearing into him. He couldn't see anymore, and he couldn't feel anything as well. "I'm going to come join you and Helleran. I know, I know you two wanted some bonding time, but he can be a bit of a handful, so I plan on helping you out."

JJ's last words didn't even come out of his mouth if he even had one anymore, but he had said them in his head.

“GAAAAAAH!” Diora screamed as she was caught in an explosion. It wasn't like a chemical explosion, forceful and concussive in nature. This one was like a wave of energy. It hit her and didn't move her except for the pain that burned through her skin and down to the bone. She looked at her hands as the fingers melted and the bone showed, growing back rapidly just to be melted again. Her vision weaved in and out of her head, sometimes one eye and then sometimes the other.

It felt like an eternity before the pain was over, and she laid there drooling, barely conscious on the floor.

"What?" She asked herself as she surveyed the room. It was in shambles, and her head was on fire. It felt like the thoughts in her head were flickering in every direction, and the moments before her were black.

"JJ?!" Diora said as she approached his body, a charred mess in a hole burned deep into the stone. Just before she was a few steps away, her body froze and turned her around.

Her head drifted in and out as she tried to fight for the reigns of control over her own self. Diora knew what was happening, it was something she had feared when she first created this power of hers, to manipulate souls, and she had a plan just for this.

"Sever!" She said after finally gaining control of her vocal cords, and her right hand shriveled down to the bone. The decorations she wore, the metal trim, and chains fell to the ground, and her head eased for a moment.

She could no longer sense Marry, Ana, and Niro. However, there were still JJ and Helleran inside her head, inside her being. Fighting each other and fighting her when she tried to intervene. Her eyes rolled back, and her vision darkened. But in her mind, the war raged on.

When she woke, it was like she was looking through the back of her own eyes. Her body was moving, both hands in front of her eyes one at a time, examining everything taking it all in slowly. She felt her mouth move up in a grin so piercing that it pulled at the corners of her mouth, and then she started walking.

She smelled blood, then tasted iron on her tongue as her vision slowly wanned into the back of her eyes. She was getting closer; it felt like; being pushed from behind into her own body, and when she tried looking behind her, she sensed JJ. He was warm behind her while the presence in front of her, the one in the body, was as cold as ice. They pushed together, her and the warmth until, in an instant, she was in her body again.

"I'm no longer Diora." She said to herself. "We are three now." She held up her hands to her face and saw that her left hand was healed already. Where her metal glove used to be now rested a light dusting of fur, and her nails were sharp and jagged.

"How many more can we bring in?" She said to herself. "How much power can be combined?" She stood then, realizing that her knees were pressing into the stone and melting them where they rested. "They will call us Mosa, the Mosaic of Souls."

Chapter Text

Ging watched as Copper bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. Swinging her head back and forth, she was ready for whatever happened next, but Ging wasn't sure he was.

Ana Molly, who had been at the front door, seemed to have gone silent for the last few minutes, which was never a good sign.

Looking around, Ging studied what plans and traps he could have made in the short time they had to themselves, and a frown came to his face unwillingly. He grew annoyed with himself as he saw the failures in his plans. All of his energy was directed directly at the one door, and no backup plans had been made for the surrounding areas.

What if Ana knew a way to come around the other door? What if she just wanted to trap them in here to die? Even worse, Niro got the labyrinth under his control again and just planned on moving them wherever he wanted.

Ging suddenly felt like a rat in a cage when something pulled his concentration back to the front door.

"Where are you, demon lady?!" Copper was yelling as she stepped closer to the door. Ging watched her and felt a pressure wash over him, so he activated his Gyo.

"Wow," Ging said as his enhanced sight saw the aura around Copper. She had absorbed so much Nen from the walls and the surrounding area that she radiated a multicolored hue of Nen.

"Don't get too close to the door," Ging said quietly yet loud enough for Copper to hear.

"What?!" Copper snapped. "And why not, Ging? I'm ready to get this over with!"

"This is rather unlike you, Copper," Ging said, cocking his head to one side. "I thought you were the more stable one of us."

"You make the plans, and I kill everyone, how about that?!" Copper said with a deep tone in her voice that Ging hadn't heard before.

"Interesting…" Ging said as he watched the aura within her flicker to darker colors, a blood-red and a jet black that kept attempting to overtake the other colors that she exuded. "Maybe you should expend some of that aura, Copper. I think it might be affecting your mood."

"I'll expend some of this damn aura when this DEMON BITCH COMES AND FIGHTS ME!" Copper yelled as she was now only a few feet from the door.

Ging decided that she would not listen to him, and he currently didn't want her to trade sides and turn on him. If worse comes to worst, he will force the aura out of her himself, but he hoped that Ana and Niro would do that for him.

He turned his attention to the door behind them, quickly scanning the area around it for the possibility of setting an alarm to warn him if it was opened. He settled on a simple piece of metal across the opening that would snap when the door was pushed open. He broke the metal in half himself and then semi-reattached it with a strand of Nen that held a ball of Nen that would pop and emit a wailing sound he created inside the ball.

Satisfied with this, he turned back just as Copper was expending her aura at a tremendously rapid rate.

Ging ran back to her as quickly as he could and saw what the problem was instantly. A gel-like substance was pouring into the room from every crevice that it could find. From under the door and all around it to the cracks in the walls, it came in slow and insidiously as Copper did her best to fend it off.

"You didn't yell for me?" Ging questioned as he came back.

"I had it under control at first," Copper said, shaking her head. "I feel like I've been awake for a week straight and ready for another week. What happened to me?"

"I think it's the aura you absorbed from the labyrinth," Ging said as he pulled up next to Copper. Her aura was still overwhelming as he grew closer to her, but the maliciousness seemed to fade. Out of curiosity, he activated Gyo again and glanced at Copper. Her aura was significantly calmer now as her standard Copper-ish color overtook the darker tones that infected it from earlier. But those colors were still present, and the effects of them could be felt.

"I kept sending my aura at the gel, and it seemed to pull back. But now it's coming too fast and from too many areas," Copper said as she directed her aura towards the door, which was the fastest threat.

"It's the same gel we saw the bodies in earlier," Ging said as he started to look around the room. "She wants us trapped inside of it."

Ging instantly realized the biggest error he made yet as he turned and ran for the back door. Grabbing the handle and breaking the makeshift alarm he made just moments ago, the door swung open into a sheer pane of glass. Niro was on the other side of the glass, smiling at him with his arms folded behind his back.

"Yet another room we have to get out of," Ging said, shaking his head at Niro, who started to say something and exaggerated his lips so Ging could read them. So he knows we can't hear each other? Ging said to himself.

"Niro said, Good luck, you little devils." Ging turned and yelled at Copper. He slammed the door behind him on Niro's face, imagining that it surprised him but knowing it was unlikely.

"They think we are devils?" Copper said as she stopped sending her aura at the gel and stepping back towards Ging. "Wait until we get out of here. I'll show them something they haven't seen."

"Not without me, you won't," Ging said, grinning. "What are you doing to keep the gel at bay? How are you sending your aura at it?"

"I'm just moving my aura in front of the gel," Copper said. "I think the gel gets confused and thinks it's the walls and therefore not an open space."

"Makes sense," Ging said. "But it won't help us get out of here."

"Not unless I can block off every hole and crevice these walls have," Copper said as they watched the gel ooze into the room from the walls.

"Can you?" Ging asked, scratching his nose. He knew the answer, but he figured it didn't hurt to ask.

"No, Ging," Copper said, rolling her eyes. "I can't. Now, this is where you think of some weird idea to get us out of here."

"You can try punching through something while I think," Ging said, sitting down in the middle of the floor. The gel was moving slowly, and he watched a rat being pushed out of the walls get engulfed in the substance. Its foot had gotten stuck, and the gel slowly took it over and suspended it in a never-ending still animation of its former self.

"Hmmm, why not," Copper said as she went back to the door where Niro was and opened it. Niro was gone now, and she looked into another room, but it was hazed and blurry through the previously transparent glass.

Ging looked around the room as ideas bounced through his head. He heard some muttering from Copper followed by a few hard thumps against the wall. They were the taps of someone testing the strength of something other than the full force blows that would certainly come after. Then he heard the sound of crumbling stone and looked back to see a hole five feet in diameter to the left of the door. The glass that was in front of the door fell to the floor and puddled there.

"The glass was just more gel?" Ging asked, annoyed. "They tricked us, but why?"

"We can leave this way, Ging!" Copper said as she tried looking into the next room without fully entering it.

"Why would they make this so easy?" Ging asked Copper as he jogged towards her.

"Let's not overthink it," Copper said. "Move forward for now, right?"

Ging nodded, realizing she was right. There was no reason to overthink the situation, but he knew he needed to keep the thought in the back of his head. Walking into a trap right now would be the worst thing they could do.

"Let's go," Ging said as they both stepped into the next room. "What, this is the same room from before?"

Ging realized what this meant too late as from the side of his vision, a blow came crashing down towards his head. He shifted as best as he could, avoiding the brunt of the impact as a staff-like object scraped down his ear and struck his shoulder. He hopped back as the assault continued, Ana lunging forward after him.

Copper quickly intercepted the next blow, using a heavy mass of Nen that she borrowed from the labyrinth earlier. Her deflection caused the staff to bend around her arm, so she grabbed it and pulled. Directing the Nen to her other arm, she landed a punch into Ana's stomach but not before the older woman clapped her hands around Copper's head.

Ging's right ear was burning from the blow, and he imagined Copper's entire hearing was compromised currently. Looking her way, he realized that Ana had clapped her Life Gel onto Copper with her strike and quickly rushed to help her.

Ana was sliding on the ground from Copper's blow, giving Ging enough time to swat the gel from one ear as Copper took care of the other.

"Children, children," Ana said, grabbing the staff and bending it back to shape. The staff was a dark metal with carvings on it, very similar to the labyrinth's walls and surroundings. "I want to kill you, and Niro wants me to offer you one more chance."

"We are so grateful," Ging said, unsure if Copper could even hear yet. "But the answer will always be no."

"We will find out soon enough," Ana said, grinning to herself. She pointed the staff down at them in one swift motion as she spoke. "Let's dance, shall we?"

She rushed forward as the last word came out of her mouth, and her spear was lodged into Ging's stomach before he could move. She was far faster than he realized, but her power was lacking compared to Bullion, who Ging had trained with many times. He stopped the brunt of the blow with Nen and grabbed onto the staff just as she started to swing it at Copper.

The surprise weight on the end of it caused Ana to stutter just enough for Copper to duck the staff and, with her hand push Ging and give him momentum. Like a top, Ging spun around the staff and caught his heel on the side of Ana's head while Copper swept at the older woman's feet with the momentum she still had from below.

To Ging's surprise, Ana was able to turn the momentum into a sideways flip and landed before Ging and Copper finished their moves. She used her speed to get a better angle, moving to her right and opting to strike the ground just in front of Ging and Copper. The blow sent a flurry of metal, which was already crumbled from the labyrinth's destruction, into their face.

Ging felt another blow in his stomach, but this time the staff retracted far too quickly for him to grab it, and then he heard Copper next to him get struck as well.

"Separate!" Ging yelled, not knowing exactly where the blow had sent Copper. Ging just cleared his vision of metal debris when Ana charged him again. She fainted for his face and then struck the ground again to launch more distractions at him. Ging summoned Gyo quickly to his eyes which protected him from the attack, and dodged as another blow came for his head.

"She wants to distract us. We need to find out why!" Ging yelled behind him, hoping Copper was listening.

Then Ana took two quick steps back as Copper came flying from the side. She threw punch after punch and ended with a flying kick that would have sent a weaker opponent to the ground. Ana took the blow and grappled with Copper.

She turned with a sudden twist after grabbing Copper's leg and threw her towards Ging. Ging looked behind him with an itch in his mind and realized what Ana's plan was. Copper was flying through the air straight into the doorway behind them, which at some point had rotated to the previous door that was covered in Ana's Life Gel.

Ging braced himself and attempted to catch Copper but was lifted off his feet when she collided with him. Just before his feet left the ground, he pivoted up, trying to change her trajectory.

Copper, realizing that his plan was failing, pushed hard on Ging's chest and sent him to the ground and her up just above the door that she was about to collide with. She summoned Nen to her hands and head and hit with the gel seeping out of the room. The Nen protected her from the gel as it tried to wrap around her limbs.

"Very fun!" Ana said as Copper landed on the ground, which was now lined in a thin layer of gel. The Nen on Copper and Ging's feet allowed them to walk on its surface, even as it snapped up at them like a hungry child.

"Why are you not trying to kill us?" Ging asked as he and Copper stayed moving. If they stopped moving for too long, the gel would reach up and start grabbing at their ankles. So they circled around while Ana watched, grinning to herself.

"We want you to join us," Ana said. "Although this fight has been entertaining, I don't really wish to prolong it for very long."

"And why is that?" Copper said, circling in the opposite direction as Ging. Her aura was still strong, Ging realized, unsure of why she hadn't used more power in their first exchange of blows with Ana.

Then it hit him as to why. Copper was waiting for him to make a plan. She knew just as well as he did that they would not walk out of this by just punching until someone was dead. They needed to find an actual way out. Ging started turning his full attention to the situation, formulating a plan, and leaving the talking to Copper.

"I already explained this to you, didn't I?" Ana asked, frowning. "No, I wanted to, but instead, you answered very rudely by destroying the labyrinth or trying to."

"Well, take the time to tell us now," Copper said as she ended up behind Ana. The kids were still circling the older woman, and she wasn't reacting to them at all. Ging looked entirely focused, his eyes locked onto Ana as he walked. Copper guessed he was deep in thought and didn't want to get caught looking around the room and giving away that he was planning something.

"Why?" Ana asked, smirking to herself. "So you have more time to formulate a plan?"

Copper reacted to her words, but Ging didn't, and she was glad that she was behind her for her slight lapse in control.

"Well, you said you were here to give us one last chance," Copper said. "We are here, so take your opportunity."

Ana moved her shoulder underneath her layers of clothes. The sight was funny to Copper from behind as the woman looked like a polar bear trying to do a shimmy or a dance.

Copper and Ging were each on one of her sides now, perfectly across from each other. Ging's eyes shot up just as Copper made eye contact. At first, she didn't pick up on his cue, but within half a second she was airbound. Her young legs carrying her high into the air as Ging's arm went outstretched in front of him and launched an emission attack.

The attack was similar to the one he mimicked from the first Helleran battle, but this one was pure light. Copper covered her eyes and summoned Gyo to help shield them as she grabbed onto the ceiling and pulled her face up to it like a spider.

Ging aimed his attack down at the gel, reflecting the light up and into Ana's eyes before she could react. Using his Nen to strip the attack down to as much pure light as he could. The attack was far faster than your regular emitter attack but far weaker.

Ging's plan was to blind her for the next phase of his plan, and Ana's gel helped.

The idea came from a winter he spent with Bullion training. They spent so much time in the snow and sun that the villagers nearby told them they could suffer from snow blindness, and now Ging wanted to amplify that effect.

“AAAAH!” Ana screamed as she curled into a ball and hid her face in her many layers of clothes.

Ging had spent the last few moments gathering the necessary Nen he needed for this attack as well as for the Gyo he needed in his eyes. He had layered the Gyo as much as he could, using precise control to form it one layer at a time. Ging looked straight into the blinding light he created and saw clearly as he would on a sunny day. The light was draining, and he had to focus on it and the Gyo simultaneously, and soon this attack would wear off, and he hoped Copper was ready to fight.

Ging closed his hand, and the light dispersed slowly, staying some time in the room as it bounced unseen around and got absorbed into the walls. Ging didn't want to speak as that would give Ana enough time to react.

Luckily for him, the next part was easy as Copper let go of the ceiling and free fell down onto Ana, releasing more than half of the built-up energy she had stored from her previous meditations. The blow was at least equal to one of Bullion's best, if not greater, as Ana's body slammed into the gel and threw it into the ground. The crater was deep, around four feet down. Copper, after a moment, leaped out of the pit so she wasn't stuck down there with Ana.

Ging started the next part of his plan.

"My blow didn't connect entirely!" Copper shouted as she looked for Ging. Her eyesight wasn't back to full yet, but Ging didn't have time to stop what he was doing. He quickly came up to the hole that Ana was in, opened his opposite hand from earlier, and released another stream of light. This one he kept to a slow speed. Ging wanted the beams of light to reflect and bounce for as long as possible, staying down there and keeping Ana from moving.

With his sight, he saw that the layers of jackets she wore were torn to shreds, a vital part of his plan as he was afraid she would use them to charge forward and get out of the hole.

"You little devils, this is why I wanted you dead!" Ana screeched from the hole.

"Get the gel!" Ging yelled to Copper as she turned her face.

Realizing what his plan was, Copper began moving, feeling her way around the area and running Nen through her hands and down straight into the gel. By now, the room was full of a thick layer of gel thanks to Ana reflexively using her Hatsu. She had been using it to fill the space the entire time they talked and battled as well as the excess gel that flowed from the room behind them.

Copper pulled up a layer of a gel-like pane of glass, similar to the one they were tricked with by the door. She moved and pried another piece nearby, both as tall as her, and got on the other side of them. Ging moved just as she pushed the slabs down on top of Ana.

"Do the attack again!" Ging shouted as he pried up some of the gel himself.

Copper leaped into the air, nearly touching her head to the ceiling, and came crashing down just as Ging added his gel to the pile.

Copper crashed onto it, and the pile shrunk into the hole. Bubbles came out of it, one by one, and Ging was sure that Ana would have time to counter, so he began with the next phase of the plan, just in case.

In his mind, Ging wanted Copper to bring the ceiling down on top of Ana, but in hindsight, he realized this would bury them and they wouldn't have a clear indication of the woman's death.

"ARGH!" A scream came from the gel just as Ging was moving away from the hole. A hand and a face popped out of the gel and grabbed his ankle, crushing it instantly. He felt the bones separate and run away from themselves in his heightened awareness of adrenaline. The pain, luckily for him, was far away at the moment.

Reacting simultaneously, Ging brought an elbow down on the hand around his ankle. He felt only two fingers loosen as the grip stayed tight and true.

At the same time, Copper released what Nen she had gathered from her meditations and kicked at Ana's head like a soccer ball. With a crack, her head craned back, and Ging felt the last of the fingers loosen around his ankle.

"The gel?!" Ging said as he pulled himself away from the hole and onto his good foot. The gel was melting and dispersing into the air.

"It's disappearing with her death," Copper said as she tore off a strap from her pack. She did her best to wrap Ging's ankle as he looked down into the hole.

"She is definitely dead," Ging said as he winced slightly. The adrenaline was slowing down, and in its place, the pain was taking over.

"You know…" Copper said as she laid back on her hands. "We are way too lucky that this is the only injury…."

The doorway from the room they were nearly trapt in started making an eerie noise and had the sense of Nen that they were unfamiliar with was creeping out.

"Do you feel that?" Ging asked.

"That Nen?" Copper asked. "It feels....dead."

"It could be some post mortem Nen from Ana," Ging said, shaking his head. "But...why wouldn't her gel just stick around then.

"Could it be?" Copper started asking. Her question was interrupted by the sudden sound of footsteps approaching, followed by tearing and biting sounds. Through the doorway, a body appeared, and then another. They looked at Ging and Copper across the room and locked eyes.

"It's the bodies from the Life Gel," Ging said as Copper stood up. Ging was limping now, unable to put his full weight on the ankle that was broken.

"Let's go!" Copper said as she put Ging's arm around her and then sent Nen into their legs and feet. "Big jumps, only use your good leg!"

Ging listened, and they took off, timing each jump together with the best they could. They only went a few feet at first, the distance growing as they grew better and better. In the air on the third leap, Ging turned his face and saw the dead bodies running for them.

"Get us to the next room!" Ging said as he charged his free hand while they glided through the air. He sent an emission attack forward just above the doorway they were headed for, and it slammed into the wall and crumbled.

They landed, jumped, and Ging repeated the process.

Ging took the time to look one last time behind them and was thankful that the previously dead bodies were fighting each other, tearing into each other's flesh and some even into their own.

They made the last leap and landed in front of the door as Ging sent his last attack up and into the wall. Copper opened the door and threw Ging inside.

"Get off me!' Copper yelled as one of the deranged humans clawed into her back, ripping the pack with the remaining strap off and slashing into her skin. She kicked back with her heel, and the pseudo-human went flying, and Copper stepped in the room and closed the door.

"Somethings wrong with them," Ging said as Copper locked the door and braced it. Thuds rained on the metallic door, denting it, one hitting against Copper's head, causing her to back off from the door.

Ging fell to the floor and took his pack off, digging in it for an ointment. "Let's get this on your wounds. We don't know what diseases they can carry."

Copper sat down in front of Ging and kept her eyes on the door. "I used a lot of Nen back there, Ging." She said as the cold cream was applied to her back.

"Well, I think you will need to use more," Ging said as he pulled his hands away from her back. The wounds were starting to turn a dark brown-black, and Ging had a suspicion that they carried a disease with them. "Concentrate and heal these wounds as fast as you can."

Copper turned a glare on Ging as she started to open her mouth but decided against it and instead closed her eyes. Ging felt the Nen around her stir and converge on the wounds. He watched as the cuts, not too deep, started to close slowly. The dark hue that her skin was turning started to recede, and Ging decided to check on the bodies from earlier.

Approaching the door, Ging noticed that the sound of fury had stopped, and now he heard nothing. Curiosity told him to open the door and see what was happening, but logic made him fight back this urge.

"They stopped fighting," Ging said to Copper as he turned back and checked on her back again. The wounds were bright pink and red but not fully closed.

"I can't heal anymore," Copper said, shaking her head. "All I could do was sense something wrong and purge it out of my body."

"What did it feel like?" Ging asked, curious.

"Like something trying to take over my body," Copper said, standing up. "It was definitely like a disease; I had one once in Meteor City from swimming in a septic pool."

"Why did you swim in a septic pool?" Ging asked with a disgusted face.

"It seemed clean at the time…" Copper said, shrugging. "There wasn't a lot of fun in Meteor City, so sometimes….us kids would do whatever we could honestly."

Ging bent down and pulled out a blanket in the backpack and tore it to size. With Copper's help, they wrapped the blanket around her torso and then strapped the backpack to help keep it tight. "I want to check on the bodies," Ging said.

Copper sighed deeply. "Fine...curiosity wins over caution this time."

"It wins every time with me," Ging said, grinning.

"I saw you at the door just a moment ago," Copper said, hitting him in the shoulder. "I think that curiosity lost there."

"I knew it would win after you were bandaged up," Ging said, shrugging. "It's good to have you back, Copper. That Nen you absorbed was starting to get on my nerves."

"You have no idea," Copper said as they took positions next to the door. "I was starting to feel like a completely different person.

They nodded to each other as Ging opened the door slowly. Copper being taller, was behind him, and they both looked in the room.

"They are?!" Copper whispered. "Eating themselves?!"

"That's gross," Ging said as his eyes went to each of the self-digesting and previously dead bodies.

"I don't think they are dead," Copper said. "Close the door. We need to get moving."

Ging nodded and shut the door slightly.

"I agree. I think those humans have some disease, and you almost got it from the scratches." Ging said.

"Why would the preserve people afflicted with a disease like this?" Copper asked as they walked forward and scanned the room they were in.

"Only one way to find out for sure," Ging said.

"Let's find the ones that we know can talk and demand some answers?" Copper said, punching a fist into her hand.

"Exactly," Ging said, looking around. The room they were in was drawing his attention. "People have been here recently."

"Very recently," Copper said as she bent down to look at the blood. "That room, someone was in there. The blood is coming from it."

They both walked slowly, suppressing their Nen and hiding from anybody who was trying to find them out of instinct.

"It's Marry," Ging said first. He was closest to the door, while Copper took a farther position just in case a trap was sprung. "She's dead."

"Then, she has a new body," Copper said, shaking her head. "I doubt this is how they usually switch bodies."

"I highly doubt that also," Ging said. "This is…" He counted in his head, looking down and out of the small room containing Marry's body. "Four sets of footprints."

They both followed the footprints to a doorway that was still open, the room behind it a forest of beautiful vines and plants, trees and shrubs as far as you could see.

"You see the way these footprints are drugged on the ground and how they splatter?" Ging asked Copper.

"Too big to be mom's, and too small to be Bullion's." She said. "Is Sol injured and limping?"

Ging took a few steps into the next room, his eyes shifting slowly around, taking everything in. "Look." Ging pointed to a shrub off in the near distance. "More blood."

"Seems unlikely to get up there by itself," Copper said.

"Well, we know two things." Ging started, holding up the finger he pointed with. "They are traveling with Marry for some reason, and Sol is leaving a trail for us to follow."

"Then my guess is this room is just like Marry's game," Copper said, shrugging back towards the dead body. "Meant to buy time and distract us."

"What are we waiting for?" Ging said, grinning, and they nodded to each other and started off in the direction of Sol's trail.

Chapter Text

Bullion found himself in a room that seemed to open into another room and then another. Each time the room seemed to double in size, and Bullion struggled to see into the third room from where he was standing.

"What in the hell is this room now, Apple?" Bullion asked as he spared a glance at Sol. He would try his best to get the man used to referring to their new ally as Apple, even if it cost him their friendship. The Mines family, the Ten Dons, and the deal struck with the Hunter's Association go farther than Bullion knew how to explain to Sol, but the importance needed to be stressed.

"There are only three rooms that Niro can't move with his Carnival Construction," Marry said now in Apple's body. "It wasn't part of his Nen contract; it was just that these rooms are connected to something that his power has no control over."

"And what is that?" Silver asked from behind them as they walked.

"You will find out when we get there…" Apple said. "It will be far easier than trying to explain."

"Who is that?" Sol said as he drew the power to his hand. In front of them, nearly a mile away, was a wiry man who looked bloodied and battered.

"That's Niro," Apple said. "He won't be hard to kill, and he won't want to be your friend."

Bullion grinned to himself and started talking. "Aaaw, I hope he doesn't hurt my feelings." If he was honest with himself, Bullion could use something to hit right now, and this labyrinth controller seemed to be the perfect target.

"Marry!" Niro said as he turned and saw them all approaching. "Why are you with these outsiders?!"

The man was dripping in sweat, and his left arm seemed to be limping to his side as he dragged the alternating leg forward to move. Realizing the hostility the team showed him, he stepped back to where he was standing and took cover behind a podium of sorts. "You've traded sides, have you?"

"Yes, I have Niro," Apple said. "My name is Apple Mines now. I am no longer Marry Onette if that was even my original name."

"It was not." A voice said, booming through the walls and reverberating until the words slowed down and vanished. "I know your true name. I know all of their true names." The voice said again, waiting for the words to finish their echo and die off.

"Who the damned are you?!" Bullion yelled. "I'm tired of all the secrets and new introductions!"

"Then we shall have none." The voice said with an absolute balance in its voice. It seemed to show no hostility, malice, or enjoyment. "Just know that Diora is gone, and I stand in her place. Just know that there will only be two options, join me or die, and when you die, you will join me."

"Then that sounds like only one option…." Bullion said, a bit annoyed. "You could have just said there is only one option, and...oh who cares." Bullion said. "I want him dead!"

"Wait!" Silver shouted as Bullion took his first steps forward. "What is that?" They looked now past Niro to a wall behind him which opened into the next room.

"It's some kind of liquid?" Sol said. "Something inside of it." Sol had the best sight of the four here, and the others struggled to even make out what it was.

"Apple?" Bullion asked. "What is it?"

Apple shook her head and frowned. "An experiment that Helleran spent most of his waking moments on. As long as Ana doesn't die, we have nothing to worry about. That liquid you see is actually a gel Ana makes by using Transmission Nen."

Niro was backing up into the room that opened up into the massive chamber that housed the gel.

"It's...enormous," Sol said as they all slowly walked forward after him. "I've never seen something that size before. What kind of creature is it?"

"It's a creature?!" Bullion asked, shocked.

"It's a creature trapped in her gel, yes. That's how we sleep for years at a time without aging very fast." Apple said. "The creature." She said, turning to Sol. "It's.... complicated to explain."

"It's not natural," Sol said with conflicting tones in his voice.

"Helleran called it his chimera, the rest of it referred to it as the Minotaur guarding the labyrinth," Apple said.

Niro was running now, as best as he could, his lame leg limping alongside him.

"I don't understand what he is doing," Apple said, shaking her head. "He knows this is a dead end."

"That's called panic." Silver said coldly. "Have you never suffered from it?"

"No," Apple said flatly. "I don't believe I have."

They watched as Niro approached the monster, touching his hands to the massive cube of gel. "Wake up!." Niro started yelling. "Wake up, you ugly beasty, and kill these intruders. WAKE UP!" Niro gasped as his hands slid into the gel as it melted slowly away, and he pulled his hands out. They all starred as the gel kept melting, pooling up on the floor just to disperse into the air and vanish.

"Ana?" Niro said, shaking where he stood. His voice was cracking, and the others could hear the tears forming in his eyes from behind him. "Ana must be…"

His words were cut short by the rhythmic breathing of the beast before him. It was curled tightly into a ball and the only movement for a few moments was from its deep breaths until an eye opened and locked onto Niro.

Then the beast started to unravel itself. Its dense muscles relaxing as it moved, arms and legs opening wide, revealing a face of stony menace. The horns protruding from its head seemed to glow ablaze in flame as it snorted from its nostrils. The beast grew as it stood, threatening to fill the room around it. A tail unfurled around its legs and whipped behind it, causing a boom that echoed off the walls.

"Ana...what have you done," Niro said, shaking his head and turning to the others. "Marry, the core!"

They were the last words he said before a single claw came down and impaled the man through the top like a skewer. Bullion winced as he watched the beast lift Niro into his mouth and swallow him whole.

"This is bad," Sol said as all four of them drew Nen around themselves. He felt a surge of remorse for the creature as he watched yet a fear in his own mind as well from its presence.

The beast turned its eyes on them and licked its lips. Taking one step forward, they expected a hollow thump, but the thing was surprisingly graceful for its size.

"Any ideas?" Bullion said, gulping down a lump in his throat.

"Yeah," Apple said. "Don't die."

"A new concept for you?" Silver said, looking at the woman not in her own body.

"Very new indeed," Apple said, nodding.

The creature lunged for them, its shoulders cocking back with its hind legs and launching itself forward. The tail came around snapping in front of its bulky frame while all four of them jumped over it. Horn and claw caught them all in the air, sending Apple and Bullion backward the way they came and Sol and Silver sideways. Sol absorbed his hit with his Sphere, the blow denting into the Nen construction. It slowed just enough for Sol to grab onto the claw that was striking him and send an emission into it. The effect was a two feet hole in the hairy paw of the beast.

"What shall I call you?" Sol said as he landed on his feet, the creature screaming in pain. "The multi-beast Minotaur that guards the labyrinth indeed. I got it!" Sol exclaimed as he looked around. "The Manytaur!"

Bullion watched from the inside of the wall as Sol turned and exclaimed loudly. "Manytaur!" There was no doubt in his mind that this was the name Sol made up for the beast, as many times has the man named a creature, even ones who already had names in documented books.

"Are you ok?" Bullion asked Apple next to him.

"Fine, I'm not so sure we can fight this thing head-on," Apple said, pulling herself out of the wall and onto the floor.

"This wall." Bullion said as he did the same. "This must be similar to the other walls but not as strong?"

"It's the natural stone around here," Apple said. "The stuff in the labyrinth was manipulated by one of us, in a body that died years ago."

Wanting to ask more questions, Bullion was interrupted with the roars of the Manytaur whose purple blood, guzzled on the floor from its paw. Bullion saw Sol's maneuver and the attack that penetrated its skin. Looking now and breaking into a jog, he saw as the wound closed with a burst of flame and the blood stopped. The healing process seemed to have hurt it more than Sol's attack, and Bullion was in awe at the rate it could heal.

"Apple never was physically strong. Can you develop a new ability while we fight?" Bullion asked Apple.

"I'll stay behind and try," Apple said, nodding and drew the Nen around her.

Bullion trusted her to stay behind to develop an ability, one that would at least help in the fight, not to beat the monster, and took off in a sprint. Looking up, he saw a small glimmer above the Manytaur land on its head as Sol focused on dodging swipes that took chunks out of the walls.

---

Ging and Copper continued forward, the blood that Sol left behind leading them through the maze of vines and greenery. They grew to realize it would have been a difficult jungle to navigate normally without the help.

"How much more do you think there is of this room? How big is it?" Copper asked as they spotted a small trail of blood wiped on the wall.

"It's more like the maze brings us back and forth than it is big," Ging said, shaking his head. "The room seems to be nearly the same size as the others otherwise."

Ging pointed to yet another marker, this one a piece of cloth stuffed into a bit of dirt that housed transparent bulbs from a plant neither of the children had ever seen.

"Should be almost there," Ging said. "I think." And his words were cut short by the sound of the ceiling above them being torn apart.

"Watch out!" Copper said as they both moved and dodge the debrief that fell. Their senses were assaulted by the sounds of battle and destruction as a tail hovered over where the roof used to be.

"I think we found them!" Ging said, grinning. "Now, this is interesting. Let's go!" He didn't wait for Copper's reply and moved forward, jumping up with his one foot just after the tail moved away, and the sounds followed it. Before he could see into the next room, he could hear Bullion and Silver yelling to each other.

"Just keep distracting it!" Bullion shouted, amplifying his voice, causing it to carry to Silver, who Ging saw played a balancing game on top of the beast's enormous head.

"Don't let the Manytaur focus!" Sol said. "Give us the biggest window you can!"

Ging watched as they formulated their plan, and ideas of his own raced through his head. He didn't want to distract them himself, but neither did he want to stand by and watch them fight.

"Look," Copper said with a chill tone to her voice. Ging looked at her and followed her gaze to the far wall where Apple Mines was focused intently and not moving.

"Gyo," Ging said as he drew the power to his eyes. "She is…"

"Is it her?" Copper said, shaking her head from the tears that threatened to fall.

"Unlikely," Ging said, frowning. "Be ready for anything, Copper.

"I know," Copper said, choking. "What's the plan?"

"Well, I can't fight as good as I'd like," Ging said. "I have one leg, and what about you?"

Copper realized he was asking her a question, and she pulled her eyes off of Apple. "I'm weak…" She said. "I used a lot of power just to kill Ana. I had to use my own Nen as well, not just what I absorbed."

"Then we stay out of the way until they need us," Ging said.

"It's not Apple," Copper said, pointing. "She is making a new Hatsu, look."

Ging watched as the person in Apple's body conjured something in front of her. Then her eyes locked onto Ging and Copper's, and her hand went up, beckoning them over.

"She knows we are here," Copper said.

"Let's go. I think she has a plan." Ging said as he lifted himself up the wall and down it, landing on his good leg gracefully. Copper followed him, jumping down easily and catching up in a few strides. To their right, they watched as the destruction continued, an enormous head wreathed in blazing horns charging for Bullion as he held his ground. His body was bulked up larger than Ging had seen it previously, and yet he still could only wrap his hands around one horn. The Nen that was released sent a wave that blew Ging's hair aside, and then Bullion was able to redirect the creature's momentum. It went sideways, colliding into the wall and tearing it to pieces. Silver fell through the air off the creature's back and landed next to Sol, who was charging an attack.

"Children!" Apple's voice called to them. "I need your help."

Ging did his best to ignore the hostility coming from Copper next to him as they approached the woman. But his leg slowed him down while Copper lunged forward and slugged the woman across the face. The blow was strong but unamplified by Nen.

"You know who I am, then?" Apple asked.

"Marry," Copper said as Ging bobbled alongside them. "Explain why I shouldn't kill you again."

"No time, Copper," Ging said as he grabbed her hand. He turned her head over to Bullion and the others.

Bullion was standing in a pile of blood, a red and purple swirl underneath his feet. "The red is his; he took a huge hit from the horns of the...Manytaur, I think Sol said?" Ging phrased the last words in a sentence and turned to Apple for clarification.

"Yes, it's a beast made by Helleran," Apple said. "I am Marry. We can explain more later, but first, let's try and defeat this thing."

"What do you want us to do," Ging said, letting go of Copper's hand as it shook in his grip.

"This is my new Hatsu," Apple said. "I call it the Trigun."

Ging looked at the device, which appeared to be a mounted piece of artillery with three seats. "You want us to sit on it with you?"

"Yes, I'll take the middle barrel. When you put the headset on, it will show you what to do." Apple said as she moved quickly into her seat.

"Copper," Ging said. "Are you ready?"

Copper clenched her fists, then opened them, repeating the process until the shakes were gone. She turned to Ging, emitting anger from her eyes for only a second before quickly sitting to Apple's right.

Ging took his seat in the last remaining chair, and a helmet appeared that he quickly put on. His vision was obscured with numbers, and a voice popped into his head. It started talking as he watched Sol conjure a sphere that burned the horn off of the Manytaur while Silver burned the wound on Bullion's side. Ging could see his ribs, the skin gone around them now cauterized shut with Nen. "If he lives this, that's not going to be easy to heal...and the scar will be a story to tell," Ging said to himself.

"The words from the helmet came quickly, almost downloading into Ging's head. In a moment, he knew what trigger did what, how to move and control the device, and everything that Marry, now Apple, did to create it.

"Are we ready?" Apple asked, not taking her eyes off of the Manytaur.

"Not entirely," Ging said as Copper clenched her teeth together. "Let's take a practice shot."

"Fine." Apple said, "But the Manytaur will come after us once it knows we are a threat."

"Then be ready," Ging said, shrugging. "One practice shot, then the killing blow."

"We won't kill it," Apple said.

"Then what is the damned point?!" Copper said, turning her visor towards Apple, which moved the gun barrel she was assigned to.

"My barrel will do some damage, but the Manytaur regenerates quickly, very quickly," Apple said, explaining. "I died three times when we originally tamed this creature, and that was before Helleran mutated it with his corruption."

"Is he in there?" Ging asked. "Like the last beast?"

"No," Apple said, shaking her head and the barrel of the gun mimicking her. "I think...We can explain later after the fighting."

They watched as the others struggled with the fight, Sol and Silver showing wounds now that might match Bullions in severity. "My barrel will deal damage, and yours will slow it down with force."

"Ok, go," Ging said, agreeing that the battle in front of them was more important.

"On three," Apple said as she counted down. "One, two, three!" And they all released the Nen they had accumulated in their barrels. Apples fired first, the beam a crackling blaze of red that wavered and moved as the three struggled to control the kickback.

"Get your heads in the game!" Apple yelled with an intensity they seemed to not see from the woman before. "We need to have the same target, and you two need to have the same goal, the same ammo unless you decide to use something different than you need to load the ammo as such!"

Ging and Copper's beams were far worse than Apple's, going off in a spray of force and momentum that broke the floor in front of them, sending the tile flying at the others deep in combat.

They heard a noise like a gurgled roar from the Manytaur as Apple's beam slashed across its belly, up its torso, and into its face. The weaker attack from the Trigun burned its flesh down to the bone. Bullion and the others dodged around, avoiding the beam.

"It's going to come for us now," Apple said, charging all of her Nen into the conjured artillery.

"I agree on the ammo," Ging said to Copper, careful not to turn his head. "We slow it down, let the others come up with a plan."

Copper gave him a slight nod and a look out of the corner of her eye that Ging took for acceptance, and they poured what Nen they could in a short amount of time into the barrels in front of them.

Their attack was much more centered, this time wavering only slightly in a small circle. Apple's beam punched through the Manytaurs chest and into the wall behind it, going farther than they could all make out. Copper and Ging's beam, delayed as it was locked onto the beast and pushed it back, its feet skidding across the ground, tearing into it as it took steps forward. The Manytaur coiled its body up and down, figuring out the best way to move toward its attacker and finally settling on crawling on all fours, digging claws into the ground one at a time.

"Look!" Ging yelled as Sol concentrated his Nen in his hands and conjured a sphere. With the Trigun visor's amplified vision, they could see that the Sphere was indeed very powerful and condensed into a small shape that seemed unstable as it crackled with power. Bullion pulled up next to him as the Sphere finished, the Manytaur now only a few more strides away as Silver landed gracefully between beams in front of the Trigun wielders.

"Don't let up for a second!" Silver said, turning her head to Copper and Ging. But they were already failing. The three beams wavering in and out of existence and, with each dispersion losing power. Apple, Ging, and Copper all knew that they were at the end of what power they could put into the attack, but neither said anything, doing their best to concentrate. Apple switched her beam over to one just as similar to the children's, and the extra force was enough to slide the Manytaur back a moment.

Silver bent down to the ground where the exposed floor was now dirt and stone. She brought forth a series of barricades, spikes, and walls in front of the Manytaur, who with minimal difficulty broke through them with each stride.

"HURRY UP!" Silver yelled across the room and regretted it instantly as the Manytaur turned its attention on where she was yelling. Its eyes landed on Bullion with his Hatsu activated, towered over Sol. His eyes bulged as the Manytaur let go of the ground and launched itself toward him and Sol. The force that the Trigun was projecting only helped his ascent.

Bullion bent down low in his pose, a stance Ging had seen many times before. As his arm cocked back, Sol gently tossed the Sphere in the air, and Bullion released his punch. The Sphere flew forward at breakneck speed, the impact of the hit snapping against their ears like a sonic boom.

Ging was glad for his temporary hearing loss as the Sphere went through the Manytaur's body length-wise and exploded. The creature was going too fast, and the explosion was late. Only disintegrating its tail and both of its hind legs. As it went forward, racing through the air, it swiped madly at Bullion and Sol, catching the latter hard in the chest.

"Get the body!" Apple said as the Trigun disappeared and Ging and Copper fell flat on their butts. Her words were still jumbled, the hearing they had lost not fully back yet, but Ging watched as her words began to make sense.

Silver was moving, her speed blazing as she passed by Bullion and gained on the Manytaur. But the creature was fast and still had momentum. Its front half, the only part remaining, coiled out like a serpent and slammed into the wall. It continued through the wall and into the next room, the debris slowing Silver down.

"Don't, not by yourself, damnit!" Bullion said as he struggled onto his feet. His Hatsu was deactivated now, and his size back to normal. "Where's Sol? Get everyone together!"

"Get the body, don't get the body!" Silver yelled as she stomped her feet back to the group. "Make up your damn minds!"

"I am fine, by the way," Sol said as he limped from behind some debris.

"How bad is it?" Ging asked as he limped over himself.

"Many...broken ribs, a fractured skull, and…" Sol stopped talking as he reached down and relocated his knee. "A now relocated knee." He jumped up and down, testing his balance and regretting it as he felt the pain from his ribs.

"I can bandage you as we think about what to do," Apple said, moving forward and conjuring a cloth-like substance. "Apple was rather good at conjuring. This cloth should be fine for an hour before it disappears."

"Apple was good at a lot more than just being a conjurer," Copper said, stopping the woman with a grab to the wrist. Grabbing the cloth, Copper turned and walked towards Sol. "Only allies mend each other's wounds, and I don't trust you yet."

"Don't be a damned brat, Copper." Silver said. "If it wasn't for that distraction she caused with that damn gun, we could all be dead!"

"And if it wasn't for you," Copper said through gritted teeth. "If it wasn't for you, your greed and your lies." Copper pointed a finger at Silver from across the small distance they were, put her hand down, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Don't start that shit with me, girl!" Silver said, taking a few steps towards her daughter. "At the time, it was a need-to-know basis, and you did not need to know. None of you did!"

"And that's an excuse to put your child at risk of death?!" Copper said, now yelling. "Or...or to put Ging in that type of danger, where full-grown adult hunters are dying like flies, being swatted from the air lifeless and cold?! Where's Dorus?!? I don't see him anywhere. We can't even give him or the sailors a proper burial. They will die forgotten and alone!"

"Dorus was a Hunter!" Silver said as she stepped within a breath away from Copper. "Dorus knew what he was signing up for, and so should you. You're a damn Hunter as well!"

"You made me!" Copper said, the tears now falling hard. "You forced me to take the exams. I was a damn child!"

Ging watched as they exchanged words, one eye on them and one eye on the ceiling, which creaked and heaved heavily above them. Apple had snuck past the two arguing and tended to Sol's wounds, conjuring another bandage.

"You have treated us like expendable tools," Copper said, gaining control of her voice, the rising and falls of her pitch steadying to near normal. "And you." the girl said, turning to Bullion. "I can't decide if you are just the same or even worse."

Bullion wore an earthly expression on his face. It was stone, hardened and covered in darkness. "My intentions." He started.

"Copper cut him off. "Were for yourself." She said. "As with all Hunters."

Ging was thankful for the silence that these last words brought as his fears steadily grew around him. "I think," Ging said slowly. "When Niro died, this labyrinth is starting to fully collapse."

The group looked around now, realizing what they were not noticing during the heated exchange of words.

"Let's go." Bullion said calmly. "Ging, you and me work together to make the plans as we go. But do we all agree that we have to finish this?" He asked the words with a hint of desperation in his voice that Ging had never heard from the big man, and he couldn't decide what he thought of it.

"Let's go," Ging said, urging the others forward. He knew that they would be wary of listening to Bullion now. The team dynamic all but fractured as badly as the labyrinth. But Ging wouldn't take the lead and cause the man to lose what dignity he still had left. He would only assist like he has been doing.

"Marry, or Apple, where do we go?"

"You missed the one-sided conversation with Mosa," Apple said, shaking her head. "Just before you came here, an old friend of mine told us where she was. We should go toward where the Manytaur went."

"This is not over," Copper said as she locked eyes with Bullion and then Silver. Dropping the conjured bandage on the ground, she turned and started for the hole in the wall that the creature had made. She moved ahead of Ging, whose injured leg still slowed him down, and the rest of the team followed slowly after.

Chapter Text

After the team of primarily injured hunters found their way to the hole, they jumped up and continued on listening as the labyrinth creaked and groaned around them.

"How long before this cursed place falls down all around us?" Ging asked Apple as they moved through an uneven and disheveled path not meant for travel.

"It should have already," Apple said, shrugging. "I think... it's being held up by Diora, though she goes by another name now just like I do."

"This is the Mosa you were talking about?" Ging asked, pulling himself up a large chunk of wall.

"Yes...usually we have a sense of each other." Apple started. "She was responsible for us being able to transfer bodies. She is a Specialist that can store souls."

"Souls?" Copper said, annoying herself for asking.

"Yes, that's at least what we call them," Apple said. "But now...I can no longer sense her or the others. It's like they have all disappeared."

"What did she say?" Ging asked. "Just before we got there."

"Not much," Apple said. "She threatened us, and that's about it."

"She never said her name." Bullion said, stopping his walk and looking at Apple. "She never said her name, just that she had replaced Diora, so how do you know to refer to her as Mosa."

"Like I said," Apple said defensively. "It was like I could hear them, but now I can't, somethings stopping me."

"She told you her name in your head?" Bullion asked, still unsure.

"She said far more than that," Apple said. "I know exactly where she is and what she's doing."

"And why would the enemy give you this much information." Silver asked, walking up behind Apple a little too close.

Apple turned and looked Silver straight in the eyes. "She wants us to go to her. I thought that much was obvious."

"It should be," Ging said, standing right next to both the older women. Without hinting at them to separate themselves, Ging stared daggers and continued speaking. "You two and Bullion started this new alliance. I think you might want to remember that."

Silver turned her eyes on Ging, the beady centers of them full of squinting anger. "Don't try to remind me of my place, little boy." She said, leaning closer to Ging.

"Enough." Bullion said, stepping up with his heavy foot crushing a rock underneath it. "Leave the boy out of our mess."

"The adult says something reasonable for once," Copper said, shaking her head as she sat on a ledge leading down into the center of the labyrinth. "Just because the labyrinth isn't collapsing on us doesn't mean this Mosa isn't up to something nefariously dangerous."

"The child uses big words." Silver said as she turned from the four-way deadlock and walked past Copper and Sol, who was next to her. "Let's not waste time then."

"Fine, take credit for my idea," Copper said, standing up. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"Let it go!" Bullion said as Silver turned on her heel again, ready for another retort. "My head hurts from all this damned bickering!"

"What's that?" Ging asked, putting all of his acting skills on display. He heard nothing out of the ordinary, but he knew an endless circle of hatred when he saw it. "I think it was more of those zombie things!"

"Zombies?" Sol asked, amused. "I heard nothing, but what are these zombies?"

"I'll tell you as we walk," Ging said. "I heard the noise from down there."

"I know what he means, I think," Apple said. "You mean the bodies that were stored near Niro's miniature Labyrinth, which he controlled?"

"Yeah," Ging said, trying his best to lead the group forward and avoid more fights. "When we killed Ana, the bodies woke up from her gel, and…" Ging trailed on.

"And?" Sol asked with increasing curiosity. "Zombies first, then tell us about how you beat Ana."

"Well.." Ging started again, looking for the words he wanted, mostly just to buy more time. "They came after us at first."

"Then they turned on each other," Apple said with a heavy frown on her face. "Than on themselves."

"What were they?" Copper asked quietly. "They did this to my back."

"What?!" Apple exclaimed. "Let me see!" And she was moving now to see Copper's back. The wounds that the zombies had clawed into her now mostly healed over.

"You've healed them?" Apple said, astonished. "How did you know what to do?"

"I've been sick before," Copper said, moving away from the woman who was uncomfortably close. "I call it a Nen Purge. You push the disease, the infection, or whatever out of your body one cell at a time until enough is gone for your body to fight it off."

"This one is different," Apple said.

"I agree," Copper said, nodding. "I had to purge every last bit out of my body. It kept washing over my cells like water."

Apple starred at Copper in amusement or amazement. Ging wasn't sure for what, but it seemed like a long time. "Get moving," Ging said finally to Apple and Copper.

"Sorry, I am just impressed, is all," Apple said. "That is not an easy skill to master, and you two children tend to surprise me the more that I learn about you."

"Don't get used to it," Copper said, returning to the harsh tones of earlier. "When this is all over, I intend to never see most of you again."

"Copper!" Silver said like she was scolding a child.

"Don't," Copper said briskly. "We have more pressing matters than you trying to control me, and we will discuss it later, believe that."

"Keep moving." Bullion said as he kept leading the way. Sol gave him a genuinely disheartening look, and Ging sighed as he followed. To his surprise, Silver listened without much of a fuss and kept the train of walkers moving.

They walked for some time, the distance growing farther and farther as Ging methodically checked behind him to help judge the length they traveled. His glances were for nothing as he quickly lost track of time and distance.

"This seems a lot farther than it should," Ging said, looking at the ceiling. "The collapse of the labyrinth seems to have stopped also. I dislike this mission and the lack of information we had coming into it."

"Than in the future…" Bullion said, nodding his head. "Make sure to gather all the information you can before a mission. Your plans are far greater than most, but there is only so much improvising any one person can do."

Ging agreed with the man's words, but they were unexpected from the big Enhancer. The boy didn't find himself speechless, but the words he had seemed inappropriate for the tense atmosphere around him, so Ging kept his silence.

"I agree," Sol said. "With everything that was said but particularly the distance and time we have been traveling. Apple...Marry, you are the only one with a slight semblance of what is happening. I do believe it is time to explain all that you can."

Apple nodded her head in agreement. "I don't know why we have been traveling in circles. Other than that, maybe the exit hole was collapsed behind the Manytaur, and possibly behind us as well."

"Then tell us what you know of Diora's powers, and we will find a way to break our way through these walls," Ging said.

"Keep next to the walls and start listening. We should hear something." Bullion said, agreeing with Ging.

"Listen for the sound of electricity," Apple said. "The core of this place is a large ore of unmanned rock."

"Unmanned rock?" Silver said as her jaw clenched in nervous anticipation. "The rock from the Dark Continent?"

"Yes," Apple said, surprised. "Very few seem to know about the rock."

"You tell us." Bullion said, cutting off Silver. "What we know is from an old book and nothing more."

"The unmanned rock, when submerged in water," Apple said, shaking her head. "Can produce unheard of amounts of electricity. Unheard of for you that is, the denizens of this world."

"And you have a large rock submerged in water?" Sol asked quietly. "How much electricity are we talking about, and how large is this rock."

"The smallest pebble that I had ever seen was enough to power a small village for nearly a year," Apple said. "We don't know how much of the sphere that we call our core is unmanned rock. Some of it seems to be regular stone that was fused to it. Or it's surrounded by a build-up of sediments throughout the years."

"Did you bring it here?" Silver asked as her ears seemed to perk up with wonder.

"No, it was here," Apple said. "It has helped us lead the lives we have lived, helped us power this labyrinth, while Niro manipulated its movements. It is also not fully submerged in water, luckily for us."

"Luckily?" Ging asked as Copper extended a hand for him to climb up over a ledge easier. He took her hand and thanked her quietly with the nod of his head.

"The room is surrounded by waterfalls of sorts," Apple said. "The water trickles down on it and gives it a constant source of power without burning it out as if it was submerged entirely." "The room grows very unpleasant to be in after some time, thanks to the sheer amount of power coming from the rock."

"And Diora is doing what in there?" Ging asked as he pressed his ear to a wall as he walked slowly. He had heard the sounds of electricity sparking from behind the wall just before Copper had helped him up. Still, he was buying time, trying to get all of the information he could before they entered into this final breach of danger.

"That I don't know," Apple said. "She is no longer Diora first of all, she is Mosa, and I don't entirely understand what that means either."

"So this is where our knowledge meets at a crossroads of untraveled paths," Sol said. "Where do we go from here, and how do we go about it." His words were less of a question and more of a statement directed at Ging and Bullion. Ging looked then up at the big man who had closed the gap between them as Ging continued to move as slowly as he could.

"First things first." Bullion said, shrugging his dense shoulders. "Find the damned room."

"It's down there." Ging and Copper said simultaneously.

Grinning, Ging said. "I wanted to wait until I had all of the information before I said anything."

"I was trying to pull some Nen from the environment," Copper said, shaking her head. "But this rock...it seems sucked dry. I have never seen anything like it."

"These walls," Apple said. "We never had any luck with them. The unmanned rock seems to have changed them somehow."

"Well." Bullion said after a few moments of silence. "Ging, what do you have for a plan?"

"Can't say I have much," Ging said, shaking his head. "I see a group of severely injured individuals who have never been so far apart in their lives." Ging took a moment to look around at his companions' faces and was not surprised to see agreement written placidly over all of their faces. "But." He said, cutting off Silver, who looked to be compiling her thoughts and mixing them into words of some sort. "But, we have no other choice."

"Get on with it," Sol said, grinning to take some of the sting from the words. Ging thought to himself how little smiling the man had actually done since their latest reunion. The boy wondered about it, filing it away in his head for later inquiries.

"Mosa appears to be in this room for one reason, and that's the Unmanned rock," Ging said as he took a stick and started drawing in the rock below him as he got down on his knees. Using Nen to amplify the stick, he carved a circle and a rough sketch of waterfalls and its centerpiece, the unmanned rock.

He handed the stick to Apple, who for a moment looked confused and then went down on her knees to fill out the would-be map that the boy had started.

"And obviously, it would be to use its power somehow," Ging said, standing up on his bad leg, which had begun healing very decently. Ging took a hard breath and let out a deep sigh before continuing, anticipating an argument from his next words. "We need to get Silver to the rock."

Ok." Silver said, nodding. "Than what."

Ging was surprised. "I expected more rejection," Ging said, shaking his head and letting it go as the beady stares of the others bored into him. "I don't know what you can do with it after that," Ging admitted. "But we get you to it, and you do what you can, we hold off Mosa as best as we can, hopefully, kill her and then find whatever it is that we came here for in the first damned place and then leave."

Ging waited only a moment for everyone's silent agreement and went on. "Mosa is powerful. We are currently weak and divided." Ging said.

"Don't try and convince me otherwise." He said, cutting off any who would want to. "Face the facts, and we might be able to get through this, but currently, if I had to guess, we are looking at multiple deaths in the near future, if not all of us."

"You know how to motivate the room." Bullion said, scratching his chin which now housed a fair amount of growing fur. "But I can't argue like you said. It is just a fact."

"Good," Ging said, standing up and looking at their map. "We don't approach this like a fight. We enter the room cautiously, and we get what information we can out of Mosa."

"Feels like walking into a trap." Silver said, crossing her arms.

"It might be," Ging said, shrugging, a gesture he was getting annoyed with doing, he admitted to himself. "But I don't think so. If Mosa wanted us dead, she could have intervened in the fight with the Manytaur at any time, especially at our weakest."

"You think she has an ulterior motive?" Sol said. "Something to do with us." His last few words were more of a statement than a question, and Ging wholeheartedly agreed.

"I think she wants something from us, but neither of us knows what, so let's go find out," Ging said, turning to the wall he heard the electricity from earlier. "Start knocking on the door, Bullion."

"Yes, sir." Bullion said, grinning to himself and strutting to the door in a few strides. With two deft blows, the fallen rubble scattered, and they looked into a burrowed hole similar to the one they were in now. "This is where the Manytaur went, that's for sure."

"Everyones properly bandaged up and ready?" Copper asked just as they started moving.

"Ready." Said everyone except Silver at nearly identical times. Copper ignored this, knowing it was just the way she was, and they all began moving down the crackling tunnel.

The sound of the power coursing through the unmanned rock was unmistakably electrical, but it also held a deep resonance that faded off into an echo almost instantly. Ging felt that the effect reminded him of a dark night near during a storm that only showed up once in a lifetime. A storm so powerful that even the deep sea creatures scurry deeper into the depths just to escape its wake.

"You have taken your sweet time," Mosa said, using whatever power she used to reverberate her voice off the walls. With the echo of the unmanned rock's electricity, it held an even more potent power as they blended together eerily.

"We wanted you to have some alone time," Ging said as they walked into the room, which looked near exactly as Apple had explained it. The small...difference being the dead Manytaur torn in two, lifeless on the floor and the horde of zombie creatures from before standing docile under Mosa. She was floating or standing in a sphere suspended in the air that encompassed her and the unmanned rock. The zombies looking up at her dead-eyes as crackles of lightning struck them constantly on their foreheads.

"I see that that was unnecessary," Ging said as he and the others fanned out slowly.

"Don't," Mosa said as a forked bolt of lightning struck on either side of the team. Bullion led the right and Silver the left, and neither startled an inch from the bolt as it drove into the ground.

"Interesting," Sol said quizzically. "You control the unmanned rock?"

"Of sorts," Mosa said, smiling. Her face was stiff and lifeless and altogether full of too much personality at the same time. When she moved, it seemed almost as if her body had to catch up to how fast her brain was going.

"How did you manage that?" Ging asked, trying to keep the information flowing.

"I know your plan," Mosa said, the smile never leaving her face. "It is a plan of desperation and lack of knowledge."

"Well, I know your plan," Ging said, shuffling his feet and limping on his would-be bad leg.

"You don't," Mosa said as a strike of lightning landed right in front of Ging. "You don't even come close to me, child, but you could."

"I could?" Ging asked, amused. "Enlighten me."

"Such a talker, this one," Mosa said, cocking her head sideways in a fashion that seemed overstretched and forced. "Your leg, is it injured? I only wish to talk with the strongest of you, strongest of mind and body."

Strongest of mind and body? Ging thought to himself, his head whirling in thoughts and ideas of why she would want that.

"That's." Copper started saying before Ging cut her off.

"Some of us are strong of body, and some of us are strong of mind," Ging said. "Why do you care?"

"You," Mosa said, locking her gaze onto Ging's. "You are the leader of this group? At such a young age."

"I am the leader." Bullion said, attempting a step forward. A bolt of lightning struck, but this time it was farther away. Ging, amused by that, took a step to the side just as a bolt struck near him.

"Yet you let this kid take charge?" Mosa used. "Among us, the strongest leads, there is no other option."

"Among us, we all have roles to play," Ging said, attempting another shuffle to the right. Copper seemed to pick up on Ging's current plan and started moving to the left. The lightning struck Ging's side first, missing by several feet than another near Copper of equal length.

"I like you," Mosa said to Ging as a smile slowly crept upward along her face. "But your body, it is not whole. I need someone of keen mind and body, now," She said as she turned on Copper. "You started to speak; let's hear what you had to say."

Copper wanted to glance towards Ging. But also didn't want to give anything away to the woman in front of them. "I am the strongest of the body."

"But not of the mind?" Mosa said, looking at Ging. "I think you are close enough. You picked up on this boy's plans, and together I assume you have deduced I cannot fully control the electricity."

"Correct," Ging said as Bullion, Sol, and Silver all began moving out in more defensive patterns now that they understood. "Unless you are trying to trick us."

"I don't rely solely on deception," Mosa said, amused. "Yet...it has its uses. For instance." She said as the bubble around her disappeared, and she remained floating next to the unmanned rock. "This bubble isn't for my protection."

With her words and the sudden disappearance of the bubble, the electricity from the unmanned rock lurched out like hands, forking wildly in a brilliant light of destruction. Ging leaped with his good leg while the others took to their own maneuvers. The bubble appeared around Mosa and the rock again, and the electricity ceased.

"Makes sense," Sol said, nodding his head as a sphere of his own vanished from around him. It was struck dead center by the power of the rock and burned a hole through it, and forked nastily into his shoulder. The wound was cauterized shut near-instantly, and Ging was amazed by Sol as he stood there seemingly pain-free. "You use an ability similar to mine. Have you always had this ability?"

"Yes, and No," Apple said as she pulled herself up off the ground harm-free. "I believe the sphere is actually part of her soul pulled out from her body, but...how?"

"How indeed, Marry Onette," Mosa said, grinning at the woman with two names. "This is only part of my soul, mostly his." She said, pointing to the Manytaur who lay dead on the floor. "I have others as well, but they are unneeded for this."

"Others?" Apple asked, squinting her eyes.

"JJ Kool, and these others, or at least partially," Mosa said, fanning her hand out to the dozens of nearly lifeless zombies under her. "Their souls are….not what you would think anymore, but they will serve their purpose."

"What purpose is that?" Ging asked with a glance at Silver, who was far to the left. She was fast, a lot faster than Ging gave her credit for, and now she was placed nearly close enough to make a dive for the unmanned rock, but would she if Ging could get the bubble lowered again?

"Why did you all not fight me head-on?" Mosa asked, frowning. "I had heard that you all fancied a good straightforward brawl. This seems uncharacteristic of you."

"Would you fight us if we did?" Ging asked.

"You would die, I think," Mosa said with no malice or overconfidence, merely an unfiltered truth that she believed.

Ging fought down the thought that agreed with her in the back of his head. "Then why don't you just kill us?" Ging asked, looking for something, anything to help formulate the rest of his plan.

"Very well," Diora said, forcing a sigh a few seconds later as if she remembered that she should have done it. "In the process of gathering the souls of these around me, I found myself...attached to this unmanned rock."

"Attached to the rock?" Ging said as he activated Gyo, mad at himself for not having done it earlier. He wasn't the only one who thought of it as every other member did the same, each of their faces ranging from annoyance to concern. "Your soul?! With a rock?"

"Interesting, I know," Mosa said. "The massive surge in energy at the wrong time. The water within my body, my ability being activated at the same time, it all accumulated...to this." She said, motioning to the tiny sliver of her soul that connected her to the electrically charged rock.

"It's not actually your soul, then," Sol said, shaking his head slightly. "It's your Nen, which...I suppose could be taken as your soul in some ways."

"That is how I see it," Mosa said ruefully. "All Nen, whether in life or death, can be seen as a mirror into our souls, but I digress."

"Why did you come down to this room, and why are you trying to take in souls?" Ging asked, looking for more answers and buying more time.

"You stall, little child of the mind," Mosa said. "And the ones before you try and catch up to your plan as it moves faster and faster down its tracks. But you and I know something that they don't, don't we?"

"Just answer the questions," Ging said, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"I will answer my own question first," Mosa said, grinning. "Most of you will die." She said, roving her eyes around the room of scattered Hunters. "Maybe all of you, in this plan that I see, you are expendable."

"Expendable?" Copper asked as her jaw tightened. "What does she mean, Ging?"

"We can't beat her without sacrifices," Ging said straightforwardly. He hesitated for a moment before turning to meet eyes with Copper, who was the closest to Mosa, only a few paces away from her and the crackling energy that surrounded the conglomeration of a woman. "I don't know who it will be. But I don't expect us all to survive, and I imagine none of them do either," he said, gesturing to Sol, Silver, and Bullion in succession.

"You all expect to die here?" Copper asked. "Are we all just vying for the last Hunter standing?"

"You and Ging will survive," Sol said with no hesitation. "Is that understood? We will not stand here and let this abomination turn us against each other."

"I don't need to," Mosa said. "You had turned on each other far before I became who I am now. I don't need the souls of those who fought you to see this. I just have to look around. Scattered and distant, you push away from each other farther and farther by the minute."

Ging agreed with her but was surprised that she didn't mention that they might be doing this out of strategy and not only from the gap made between them emotionally during this voyage. Yet, with her words, he didn't want to give her the idea and hoped she merely didn't bring it up out of ignorance.

"I've made my assessments," Mosa said. "But first, to answer the child's questions, purely out of my goodwill. I came down to this area looking for more souls, and I found these nearly lifeless creatures and the rest of what happened I told you."

"And why do you want our goodwill?" Ging asked as he felt the tension rising around him.

"My assessment is this," Mosa said. "You two children have the most potential. Yet you have a lame leg." She said, pointing to Ging. "And you," She said, turning to Copper. "Are riddled in an emotional crisis that might interfere with who I am."

"So every soul that joins you has some influence on who you are?" Sol asked curiously as he took a few steps forward boldly and without hiding them. "Then you take me, I know where this conversation is headed, take me and spare the rest...at least spare the children."

"You've given me nothing to want you," Mosa said with a look that was on the edge of disgust. "Your mind seems stable and calm, but your body...I have seen fewer injuries on the experiments of Helleran's."

"You seem highly dependent on our physical condition," Ging said as he realized Sol's advances were not punished by lightning and took a few steps of his own. This time to the side farthest away from Silver.

"To the point, I see," Mosa said with a smile that rose to her eyes as she closed them. "I am in need of a new body. This one can no longer serve me."

"I think I've had enough of your advances," Mosa said, putting on her best charming voice as a crack of power struck out at Ging and Sol. Ging and Sol were both hit in the chest, and immediately Ging felt his vision turn white and pale as the world around him split in two. He could, for a moment, feel his body being separated behind him as his vision moved forward, closer to Mosa. Ging looked then and saw Sol from behind, who was in a similar situation as far as he could tell. Then the boy snapped back, his vision slamming hard back into his own head and with it a headache that felt like he was struck by lightning.

"Are...you guys ok?" Copper asked curiously.

"Yeah…" Ging said through clenched teeth. "Did you just try and steal our souls?" he asked Mosa. "With that lightning?"

"I thought maybe I could," Mosa said, frowning. "But it would appear that I need to do that physically." She said as she opened and closed her hands in a fanning gesture. "That brings us to plan B, I suppose."

"You want to blow this whole place up unless we give you someone's body to take over?" Silver asked.

"Precisely," Mosa said, looking at her. "I want her." She said, pointing to Copper. "The boy would have done just fine, but I don't like the look of that limp."

"You can have me." Silver said, taking a step forward.

"Unexpected," Mosa said, turning her head to Silver and frowning. Ging and he guessed everyone else in the room agreed but didn't want to say as much.

"You've spent this whole time trying to get around me and flank me." Mosa started. "Just to give that up?"

"You are not as dumb as you look." Silver said, grinning to herself and partially to Mosa. "She is my daughter, and this is our mess." Silver said as she cocked a thumb back towards Bullion, who was struggling to keep up with the unfolding narrative before him. It wasn't that he was a stupid man, it was more that he needed time to see the greater picture before him, and they lacked the time he needed.

"I don't want you," Mosa said gingerly. "If I am to leave here with a body, it will be one with more potential than yours."

The words hurt Silver, Ging could see, but she bit back her anger near perfectly and kept on. "You can't have her." Silver said. "We would rather die with you here."

"I will arrange that," Mosa said, locking eyes with Silver. "It is not a question of wills, who would break first you or me. It is simply the longer game, the future plans. With your body, after I escape, what am I left with? Very little choices for my future, with hers...the plans are exponential."

"She is the weakest one here." Bullion said, chiming in for the first time in what felt like ages. "Significant potential, yes, but the weakest currently."

Ging was unsure of the power difference between him and Copper, but if he had to guess, they were damn near even, and this was Bullion's attempt to help.

"The muscle talks," Mosa said, smirking. "I agree with you that the children are the weakest here, but my plans have changed in the last few moments. Currently, I find it more beneficial to have a young body as I know your people will...how shall we say it, turn a blind eye to a child more so than an adult. I can also assume that you elders." She said, waving her hand. "Are well known, if not partially known among the others of your...clan if you may, the Hunters, and I wish for anonymity."

"Maybe I can try and contain the energy," Sol said as he took another step closer. He was now only a few arm spans away from Mosa and her bubble. "My power is similar to that one you use," Sol said as he conjured a small sphere as a demonstration.

Ging instantly saw the plan that Sol had weaved. The man would lower the bubble hopefully long enough for Silver to make the jump.

Ging berated himself for only a moment for not thinking of it first. But he already knew before Mosa spoke that she would not fall for it, so he went back deep into his head to start plotting further, his ideas weaving and tangling into what he hoped was organized chaos.

Chapter Text

"You would have me lower my defenses simply to try and prolong the inevitable?" Mosa said, looking at Sol. "You have come far too close mortal, it is time for you to distance yourself from me."

With her words and the motion of her hand, she sent a wave of electricity out and a small expulsion of Nen as well.

"Wait!" Ging said, trying to stall and distract long enough just to keep Sol in his position. Sol dodged the wave of Nen but was struck in his leg by the shock. As a result, he was now half the distance he just was and no longer as close as Ging would prefer.

"No, I tire of these games and the trivialities of speech," Mosa said as she released her En. It darkened the area around them, filling it in a black mass of Nen where the only light that broke through it was the spark of electricity that the unmanned rock produced.

Her En was far stronger than any Ging had ever felt, the sheer weight of it forcing him down on his knees and cramping every muscle in his body. From his angle, he could see the similar effect it had on everyone except Bullion, who stood tall yet actively struggling to hide his strain. To their credit, Silver and Sol were able to move, albeit slowly.

"I will have the girl and be done with this island." Mosa started. "I will finally rid myself of my years of confinement, I seek freedom, and you will be my vessel."

As she spoke, she dropped her bubble, sending a sphere of Nen forward with a small line connected to it. It wrapped around Copper's leg and reeled her in like a fish. Mosa's En released as soon as Copper was in her hands and behind her bubble.

"Let go of me, you jumbled up psycho!" Copper said as she contorted and sent a kick for the head of her captor. The kick landed, but Mosa stood there steel-jawed and unflinching.

Ging saw now before him how his plan would unfold, the turning of events and the course that lay before him. He knew for a fact that each would play their role. Ging saw not a plan that he had made but the reality of what was to come. He didn't need hope. He had only to accept the truths and progress with them as they unfurled along their paths.

"You don't think we would just let you leave with her body, do you?" Bullion asked as he took a hard step forward. "That we would go blindly and leave one of our own behind?"

"You don't think…" Mosa said, turning a confused face on Bullion. "Even in the face of death you… Oh, such bravery, or is it stupidity, my selves can't decide."

"I've felt your En." Bullion said as he activated his Hatsu, the air around him condensing on him in a mere instance. "And here I still stand."

"But for how much longer?" Mosa said, grinning.

Then Ging launched off both of his legs, putting his full power into the action. Mosa saw him, a look of amusement and acceptance but ultimately unfazed. He went farther to the side in one leap, his second lunge bringing him behind her. He was the distraction. He had faked the injury on his leg, or over-exaggerated it to be precise as the damage was real. But he wrapped Nen around the broken bone and stabilized it for the time being.

Mosa turned her head, almost rotating her body. But the second delay that Ging bought Bullion and the others was all he needed.

Bullion lunged forward, his bad arm cocked back with a large amount of Nen, and his fist was surrounded by a sphere that Sol was controlling.

Copper had been draining what Nen she could from Mosa ever since she was first grabbed, but now the girl activated it with every ounce of power she had. She reached into Mosa's influence of Nen like a hand going into a running stream of water. The sheer force of her Nen kept Copper at bay, but still, her hand came out wet with some of the residue. Tapping into the power and using her own Nen, Copper bit down on the hand that was now wrapped around her throat. To Copper's surprise, her jaw went clean through the finger she aimed for, but Mosa didn't so much as flinch.

"Blahg!" Copper groaned as she spits out the finger.

Bullion's fist collided with the bubble of energy protecting Mosa and shattered it into a requiem of light particles just as Ging took his third lunge aiming straight for Mosa. He turned just as he lept and corkscrewed in the air just as a bolt of power came from the flick of Mosa's wrist.

Then another one came, but Ging was prepared, using his emission attacks to push himself mid-air and then another to correct his course.

Sol was moving now, along with Silver. Both with the same goals in mind but with slightly ulterior motives for their outcome. Silver was fast, far faster than Sol, even if he was closer. Mosa tucked her arm to herself, head butting Copper in the face and launching her back towards her mother. Silver flipped gracefully over Copper, and they shared glances for only a moment that seemed to slow down as they careened through the air past each other.

"Enough!" Mosa said as she manifested another bubble around herself in which Sol and Ging collided with. "Your attack was valiant, but it is not enough," Mosa said as she stood tall and proud. "Even at your full power, you would struggle to tear me down. I had but move only slightly to deter your attacks."

"Yeah, well...your dumb." Silver said as she wrapped her hands around the unmanned rock. Mosa turned on her and saw Silver there and showed the signs of actual fear for the first time.

"I smell that fear." Silver said, starting to gain more of her concentration back. "This damned rock...holy shit...I can't…."

"Are you ok, Silver?" Bullion said with a crack in his voice. Ging looked as he picked himself off the ground, surprised at the tone in the man's voice. Ging realized he was seeing fear on the faces of his elders, who for so long laughed at death, and that thought terrified him.

"I'm fine." Silver said easily. "We win, you soul-sucking bitch."

"Not yet," Mosa said as she took a step towards Silver, who started to talk just as Mosa wrapped her bloody hand around her neck.

"That boy," Mosa said, glancing at Ging. "You struck the ceiling and caused a piece of rock to fall before my bubble could form, causing a delay long enough for her to make it here."

"You kill me, and we all die." Silver said, choking on the words.

"Either way, I die," Mosa said. "At least this way, I find some pleasure and take that brat with me." She said, grinning at Ging again.

"Stop!" Copper screamed. "You can have my body. Just let my mom live!"

"That's not part of the plan!" Bullion yelled just as Silver gurgled some unheard words; Ging thought mirrored his. "

Ging! She made it to the rock. What's the next part of the plan!"

Ging slowly met the eyes of Bullion and Copper, bouncing back and forth between each one. He knew what he had to say, yet he struggled to say it.

"This was as far as the plan went," Sol said quietly. "Ging saw no other way for us to survive, and neither did I."

"You what?!" Bullion said, enhancing his voice. "Make a new damned plan then, and start NOW!"

"We are Hunters." Ging started saying.

"Shut up!" Bullion shouted. The power of his voice caused the walls to shake, loosening more rocks from the ceiling, causing them to crash to the ground around them. "Then….then I'll carry them and that damn rock out of here!" Bullion said as he started for the bubble around Silver and Mosa.

"Stop, what good would that do!" Sol yelled back.

Mosa clamped her hand around Silver's throat, and the unmanned rock started to tremble with a deafening monotone. It burst into a wave of power, throwing Mosa into her own bubble, cracking it as Silver coughed up blood and gained control of the rock.

"Touch me again, and I'll just blast you straight to hell." Silver choked out at Mosa.

"Kill me, and I blow that rock myself," Mosa said straight-faced.

"You can't control it." Silver said. "Not like I can. You only fused with it on accident. Your greed will cause your death."

"Apple is gone," Ging said, cutting into their conversation. "I think she left during our attack."

"Go get that bitch!" Silver shouted, turning to Bullion, the effort of it causing her to cough again.

"No!" Ging said as he held up his hand on a confused Bullion who was torn between ideas the way a child is torn between right and wrong. "If she escapes, we can find her later. If she dies, then she would regardless of what you did now, Bullion."

"He speaks the truth," Sol said. "Leave her be and focus on the situation at hand."

"I can hold this!" Siler said. "I can contain this while you go get her!"

"You can't!" Copper said with tears through her eyes. "Look at your hands, your arms!"

Silver looked down at her hands which were charred and shriveled up images of what they used to be, and her arms were slowly meeting the same fate.

Mosa, reacting on a whim and with little care for herself anymore, destroyed her bubble and fell to the ground. "I thought so." She said as she turned her stare on the others as Silver struggled and climbed on top of the rock. "I'll kill you all and just take the girl's body, thank you, mother dear." She said to Silver.

The small area quickly turned into chaos as the zombies who were docile and motionless up this point turned and bared their teeth. Prompting a berserker fury that resulted in them attacking the nearest person aside from Mosa.

Ging quickly shot a few more attacks at the ceiling, hoping to drop some rubble on the attackers. At the same time, Sol maneuvered around them, dispatching several. Bullion arrived to help Silver as zombies attacked her and Copper, who was fending off the first few to do so.

Sol met Mosa in a flurry of punches. The injured man took several blows to the head only to use his superior experience to sweep Mosa and blast her head against the ground with his Sol Sphere.

"We can't stay here!' Ging yelled as he crept up next to Sol, who was kicked away by Mosa as she stood up from the ground. "Silver can't hold this forever!"

"I can hold it damnit!" Silver said, screaming as the smell of her arms burning wafted around the room.

"Mother!' Copper said, turning towards her, which caused her to take a hit from a zombie, which Bullion quickly destroyed with his good fist. "Just let it go. We can all escape!'

"Copper!" Ging said, trying his hardest to say with his voice what he couldn't say with words. "Come on."

Ging's voice was pleading. He knew that Silver would not survive this and that they had a limited amount of time to get as far away as possible. Yet, he also knew that they would be caught in the explosion no matter what they did.

Sol condensed a large amount of Nen, large enough that Ging felt the pressure nearby like a thousand needles digging into his skin. The older man released his power then, a giant sphere that he sent backward and upwards at around a 45-degree angle, creating a hole in the wall. "We must go, go through the tunnel."

"You GO!" Bullion shouted as he dispatched two more of the zombies that clung to his back. "You get the kids out of here, and you do as we talked about, Sol!"

"NO!" Copper shouted back. "I'm tired of you all and your damned plans, not taking Ging and me into account for anything. I'M TIRED of all of this, and I won't leave without my mother!"

"Just go, Copper!" Silver yelled just as Mosa pressured Sol and Ging. Her attacks were quick and precise, but they held their ground. "Go girl, I can contain this and then regroup with you later."

"I'll be here with your mom, Copper. We will find you all together, I promise." Bullion said quietly as the zombies cautiously circled around him.

Mosa landed a kick to Ging's bad leg, and he did his best to absorb the blow, but he felt it reshatter where it had broken before, and the force of the hit sent him tumbling overhead. Sol was then hit by a stroke of lighting, which Ging couldn't tell was bad luck or through the means of Mosa. Either way, the hit burned to the bone in the man's arm and distracted Ging long enough for Mosa to land a few hits to his stomach. Just as Sol returned an attack of his own, sending her flying back and damaging her slightly.

"We must go." Ging started saying again.

"Ging and Sol say we must go as if there is no other way, and you two make empty promises," Copper said, shaking her head. She was right next to Silver, now on a pillar that elevated to the same height as Silver, who was still clinging to the unmanned rock.

Ging grabbed a rock on the ground and smoothed it with his Nen, enhancing it as he drew back and flung it with half of his strength.

Bullion and Silver sensed the rock, but Copper was too distracted, too distraught. "Go, little mineral." Bullion said.

"Little mineral?" Copper said, turning to Bullion. "You two haven't called me that since I was…" And her words drifted off as Ging's rock hit her in the back of the head. Her eyes closed as she fell unconscious, and Bullion went to dive to catch her, but Mosa was barreling towards them at full speed.

"She is going for Copper's body!" Ging yelled as Sol was behind him, sending more Nen into his earlier attack, which was now burrowed through the labyrinth and out the other side. He saw a hole going straight out, and for the first time in how long, he saw the bright sun across the sky.

Silver lashed out with one of her arms, the hand on it completely disintegrated and gone from sight. The effect was still powerful, launching a bolt of lightning twice the size that Mosa was flinging, and it nailed the monstrosity straight in the chest. The bolt was fast and powerful but not enough to pierce through Mosa, only knocking her far back and directly into the wall.

Bullion tumbled and caught Copper before she hit the ground and got on his feet quickly, taking a few huge strides and handing her over to Sol, who gently tossed her over his shoulder.

"It won't take her long to wake up," Ging said, grinning at Bullion. "We have to at least start leaving before she does."

"Then I guess it's time for you to go." Bullion said, looking down at Ging. "We've never been much for goodbyes, you and me."

"No need to start now," Ging said, turning his head. "Meet you outside, don't take too long. We have places to be, treasure to find."

Bullion snorted and looked back on Mosa, who was crawling her way out of the crevice that her body made in the wall. "This rock….and the zobaes...this is why the Hunter Association sent us here. Tell Copper for me, later of course, but you know...Sol, tell her everything she needs to know."

"I think she can figure out what she needs to," Sol said. "She is a smart girl, you know."

"Bullion!" Silver shouted as Mosa popped out of the wall like a vengeful robot. She looked to Silver and then straight at Sol; seeing Copper on his back, she took off in a sprint.

Underneath Silver, the top half of the Manytaur rose from the dead. With a spark of life in its eyes that looked both hungry and desperate. It reached for the small woman as she tried to fend it off with her bolts of lighting. Silver danced around the unmanned rock, unable to let go, the power waning back and forth as her concentration was pulled in every direction.

"I have to stop that thing." Bullion said. "Mosa is all yours."

"Give her a farewell present before you leave, at least?" Ging said as he and Sol started jogging up the Nen-formed tunnel to the outside world.

"Of course, of course, you think I wouldn't?" Bullion said as he grabbed the nearest pillar and activated his Hatsu. His body grew in size, growing and growing until the pillar erupted from the ground and sprayed dirt from its base. He swung it with one deft motion, and it careened into Mosa like a fly being swatted by a stick.

But she anticipated the attack this time and stuck her feet hard to the ground bracing herself and drawing the power she rarely revealed. Her En washed over them again, sending shivers down Ging and Sol's spines. She stopped the majority of the blow, shattering the pillar into pieces and launching a portion of its rubble directly at Silver's head.

"Duck!" Ging heard Bullion shout, the sound of it far off now as he and Sol continued moving. He could smell the salt in the air, the fresh breeze of the morning wind, and in contrast, just how badly he needed a shower.

"She is coming," Ging said to Sol. "Put Copper down as far up as you can. We fight on our way up and hope Copper wakes up in time.

Sol nodded and swung Copper in front of him, ready to launch her with his emission just before Ging stopped him. "Maybe this will help," Ging said, as he grabbed a rock from the rubble they stood in and heated it up near-instantly with his Nen., The rock gave off an odor, not pungent but strong, and he held it up in front of Copper's nose and blew it at her. "Ok get her up there."

Ging turned in time to roll the kick from Mosa just as it was aimed at his head. He rolled with the blow, his heel catching Mosa's back leg and moving her slightly off-balance as Sol pushed with his palm and sent her back, not nearly far enough.

"Get her up there!" Ging shouted unnecessarily as Sol had already moved Copper up the tunnel with a bit of his Nen wrapped around her like a blanket of energy.

"I understand...perseverance, but sadly I struggle to wrap my head around futility," Mosa said as she picked herself off the ground only feet away.

Ging saw behind her Bullion in a clash with the Manytaur creature and several zombies. Silver did her best to help him as lightning struck out wildly.

Ging didn't have a chance to respond as Mosa took to the offensive again, this time choosing Sol as her main target. Her front foot stomped viciously in front of her causing a chunk of rock to form. She struck it quickly and rushed behind it. Ging ducked under it and launched his own attack low, a push of Nen meant just for the pure pressure behind it. Mosa was fast enough to jump the attack, launching herself up and onto the low ceiling around them. She struck it where she landed, causing a cloud of dust and debrief to fall around Ging and Sol as they lost track of her.

Sol pulled himself back in a few quick lunges in a defensive posture, getting as close to Copper as he could just as Mosa appeared from inside the wall across from him. She was poised forward, her good hand thrust forward pulled back tight as her bad hand sprung out, flicking blood into Sol's eyes just before the punch landed on his chin.

Sol took the hit full on and slammed against the other wall recovering himself quickly to parry the next blow and dodge the next. He whirled sideways, getting himself unpinned from the wall as Ging struck from behind where he was. Ging's kick landed in Mosa's stomach, but she was much stronger than they anticipated, the blow bouncing off with little worry.

Ging treated her like a wall, turning his force upwards with his other leg and enhancing it with as much Nen as he could muster. The blow hit her square in her jaw, lifting her very slightly off her feet, but her arm came down with such force that Ging felt his leg break in other locations.

"We have barely made it any further up this damn tunnel," Ging said to himself.

Sol had sent a few smaller spheres at Mosa. But she was smart enough not to try and block them, using her inhuman speed to move around, dipping and sliding around like a human-hybrid.

"WAKE UP!" Ging yelled, putting Nen into his vocal cords and aiming it at the wall in front of him, hoping it would bounce and carry itself to Copper.

Luckily, it had worked but not before Mosa took to the offensive yet again and rushed for Sol. Who stood in front of Copper like a guard over the wounded.

But Copper was anything but wounded, and to Ging's happy surprise, her head was at full wits as she jumped to her feet quickly. She turned on her Hatsu, mixing her Nen with what small amount she had taken from Mosa earlier, and met the woman squarely in the air.

Mosa and Copper traded the first blows. While Sol eating a kick that broke some of his ribs. At the exact moment, Copper finally dished out a blow that seemed to make a lasting effect. Her palm smashed into Mosa's stomach, causing her to gasp out a breath that did more morally for the team than it did physically.

Ging rushed forward to enter the three-way lock up, but a blast from behind sent him falling straight on his face. The explosion was dense in energy. The sheer weight of it felt like the sky fell on top of him for a quick instant. The blast took the others by surprise as well, causing all of them to stumble but leaving them otherwise unfazed.

"What was that?" Sol yelled at Ging as he quickly fell back to help him up off his feet. Copper and Mosa were back in the fray of trading blows, Copper winning the exchanges by a margin that grew smaller and smaller by the second.

"Silver is losing control of the unmanned rock," Ging said quietly so Copper wouldn't hear. He knew she was walking on the smallest line in her mind. Only focusing entirely on the fight as long as the threat was in front of her.

"Consider it a pre-explosion," Ging said to Sol, who had already figured that out himself as well. "More will come, and eventually...the big one."

"We can't be here when that goes off," Sol said, frowning as he looked back and forth between Copper and Bullion and Silver. "Someone I love once told me decisions are like beds. You make them, sleep on them, then wake up in them."

"Then I will make the decision for you," Ging said without hesitation. "This plays out only one way, we fight Mosa, we win, you protect us from the blast, and we survive. I've said my goodbyes, and so did you."

"Copper never did," Sol said, frowning. "You knocked her out."

"Now Mosa might do that again if we don't start helping her," Ging said as Mosa landed an elbow across the side of Copper's head, opening up her skin and causing the blood to fly with the blow. Copper wasn't finished just yet and countered with a Nen enhanced rock that she wielded in her hand. The rock-cut straight across Mosa's thigh, but she didn't even flinch.

"Fine," Sol said. "But you will deal with Copper after if your plan works."

"I wouldn't call it a plan," Ging said, shaking his head and grabbing a few pieces of stone. "It's just the natural course of things. The plan is how we make those things happen."

Without giving Sol a chance to respond, Ging threw one rock and then the other putting as much Nen into them as he could. The result destroyed the bulk of the rock down to a small ring that was deadly sharp. Both stones lodged into Mosa's back, causing her to turn momentarily, which Copper quickly took advantage of with a kick that sent Mosa straight up into the low ceiling.

Sol was moving now, quick on his feet, despite his injuries. He arrived just as Mosa was falling back down to the ground. Then another shockwave came, this one strong enough to send Ging flying into the air as well as launching the others forward down the tunnel. Sol collided with Mosa in the air, a tangled mess of sloppy blows, while Copper got up and pulled Mosa off as the blows started piling up on Sol.

Copper bent back with Mosa in her arms and slammed her into the ground, and Ging hobbled closer to the fight, grabbing a larger rock, this one he could barely fit in one hand. He tempered it with Nen, bent down, and poised himself in a low stance, taking his shoes and socks off. His bad leg was a darkened mess of bruises. Sol twisted on the ground next to Mosa and landed a kick that he transitioned into a flip-up that got him on his feet.

"Three, two." Ging was counting down to himself, but his count was off just by a few seconds. Still, he could feel the tremors through the ground in his bare feet and launched himself into the air just as the pulse launched him forward. Mosa had just stood up as Ging flew past the falling Sol and Copper.

Ging flew with such a speed that if the small boulder wasn't in front of his eyes, they would be stinging with pressure. The downside to this was that Ging couldn't fix his aim even if he wanted to. Luckily, or skillfully his aim was true. The boulder in his hand smashing deftly into Mosa's face with such power that Ging felt the teeth in her mouth loosen and her nose get pushed sideways, broken.

Ging rolled over Mosa and landed far past her. The damage to her was very successful, but his main goal was getting on this side of the fight. The next few shockwaves, or even the very next one? He wasn't sure, but soon it would be the last.

"The waves will start coming sooner and sooner," Ging whispered to himself as Mosa turned a bloody gaze on him.

"I've had enough of this," Mosa said. "The timing couldn't be much better."

"Timing for what?" Copper said as she paced around Mosa. Stepping in a circle like she had done many times before in her past. The feeling always made her feel like a cat, one of the big cats that hunt their prey, slowly circling them until the right moment.

"For us to trade places, and for me to leave this place," Mosa said. "This sanctuary of power and isolation no longer amuses me."

"Yeah, yeah, we all heard your damn speech," Copper said. "You want me? Come take me."

Ging watched as Mosa and Copper talked, too far to hear every word but doing his best to read their lips. After the first few exchanges, he turned to Sol and watched as the severely injured man shimmered behind Copper, who now had her back to Ging. Every one of them was in the ideal position Ging wanted. Now he just needed to distract Copper and hope Sol could handle the rest.

"It's Apple!" Ging yelled at Copper just as she and Mosa took their fighting positions. Copper turned and looked back at Ging, and within a quick moment, Mosa had grabbed her with one hand around each of Copper's arms. Squeezing tightly until she could hear the bones pushing against each other.

"Stay!" Ging yelled at Sol, who went to dash to help Copper and the man listened, stopping instantly on his heels. Then the shockwave came, this one carrying a thunderous boom with it that popped Ging's eardrums and filled his head with heat.

"Shield her!" Ging yelled, annoyed that Sol wasn't acting and was seemingly frozen in place. The older man knew that Ging had a plan but not what it was. Ging scoffed at himself for being so far away, annoyed with the one if not many flaws he noticed as the events unfolded before him.

But Ging shook his head free of the doubt. Just then, a blast from the unmanned rock, a mass of blue and silver heat storms into the shield Sol made in front of Copper out of the last of his Nen and battered into it unrelenting in its power.

Chapter Text

Ging watched as Sol and Copper were pushed back, the explosion from the unmanned rock smashing into the older man's Nen shield, and Mosa caught on the wrong side of it.

Ging's ears were damaged since he forgot to use Gyo until the last second before the shockwave hit. But his hearing wasn't entirely impaired. To his small delight, he could hear Mosa scream in complete agony for the first time since they met her. But the sounds of Copper and Sol's screams intermingled with them took away from the pleasure.

Ging moved then, hobbling on his good leg and dragging the broken mess of his other one behind him. If he was only walking at this pace, he would never reach them in time, but thanks to the sheer force of the explosion, they were being pushed back at increasing speed.

The boy could hear around him the collapse of the island's entire structural integrity, and he knew that this wasn't all that the unmanned rock was capable of. He knew that Silver and Bullion had bought them all of this time, and he would not waste it.

There was, however, not much else to do. Ging's plan is coming to fruition as best as it could. Now they must only survive long enough for the explosion to kill Mosa and find a way to land.

"Copper!" Ging said as soon as he was in hearing distance of the startled young woman. Mosa still had her hands wrapped around Copper's arms, tightening more and more as she grew closer to death, the shock of it causing her body to spasm and tighten. "Take her power. We need you to help with the Sol Sphere!"

The Sol Sphere that Sol had made and flattened to fit in this tunnel was beginning to shatter at the edges. Its effect was similar to glass being slowly shoved in a hole it didn't fit in.

Copper stopped her yelling as soon as Ging had shouted her name and started drawing power shortly after. But it was too much, the Nen of Mosa, the complete and utter power of the unmanned rock, and the girl struggled to contain even the smallest amount of it.

"I curse you!" Mosa said, shrieking at the top of her lungs in too many voices. As Ging poured his Nen into the barrier holding back the explosion. The bits of it that wrapped around Mosa's arms, blocking Copper from the blast, were starting to crack, so Ging focused his power there. Repairing them and then starting on the corners that threatened to give out. "I will never leave you, not even in death!"

"I've already been cursed once by one of you, and I'm still here!" Copper shouted back with her face only inches away from Mosa's, whose skin was peeled back by the heat.

"I'll take everything from you!" Mosa shouted as her hands let go of Copper, and the young girl drifted back behind the safety of the barrier.

"You already did!" Copper yelled back as she put her power into the barrier. It wrapped around Mosa's hands and severed them cleanly, and with the plugging of those holes, they felt the pressure pushing back on them even harder.

"She was all I had left!" Copper shouted as the trio pushed hard against the pressure from the explosion. They were at a stalemate, with the explosion winning every time it had one of its more powerful waves. Copper choked on her words, her head swimming with thoughts of Silver and Bullion as they fought down the tunnel, doing their best to buy as much time as possible. "I loved her, I loved Bullion also, and NOW I WILL NEVER GET TO TELL THEM!"

With her words, they overcame the pressure, moving it back for the first time a few inches that felt like miles.

Mosa shouted words of unintelligible pain and anger as she slammed the stubs of her hands into the barrier and started shoving. Physically, she was far stronger than them, but it was doubly so with the aid of the force behind her.

"She wants to push us out and over the edge!" Ging yelled as he looked behind him. The act of it causing him to lose his balance momentarily, which sent a massive spike of pain up his bad leg, pulling his attention back to what was in front of him.

Copper wasn't listening. She and Mosa locked in a duel of faces, their expressions mirroring the emotions that coursed through their veins like blood.

A boom hit them from all sides, and it felt like the earth itself was inside their head. It was deafening in power and unimaginable in scope as the intensity of the tunnel rocked them where they stood, and even Mosa had to take a moment to admire it.

The moment passed quickly, Mosa the first to break out of it as she launched herself against them, putting her entire body, her whole being, into the effort. Her Nen poured out of her, and Ging felt it crawl across his arms and around his entire body.

He felt everything she felt, not emotionless but toned down to such a low degree he almost mistook it for muteness. They were the emotions of conflicting personas all coming together in a cocktail of repression. Bubbling up and threatening to spill out.

So Ging emptied his body of all of his Nen. He dug deep into his being, his core, and let out what he felt, trying to counteract this overwhelming feeling Mosa had started to embrace them in. Sol and Copper near motionless up to this point followed shortly after. The four beings were yet again at a stalemate of wills.

"Why won't she just die!" Copper said with tears in her eyes from the words unspoken. Ging looked at her face and wondered if he looked the same, far older than when this journey started.

Then Ging turned his face on Mosa's, his head latching onto Copper's words. "She is dead." He said. "Her Nen…"

"She is dead, yes," Sol said. "Some grow stronger in death...this would be one of those."

"What do we do, Ging?" Copper said. "She will push us out of the tunnel and off the cliff edge eventually. Or this damn island will explode."

"It's already exploding." Ging wanted to say. "Bullion and Silver are dead, and soon we might join them." He also kept to himself. Instead, he twisted his thoughts and his words in his head, morphing them just before they reached his tongue.

"We have only a few moments left," Ging said almost too quietly. "I think."

His words were cut off by a push that sent him flying into the air. His eyes felt welded shut against the pressure as his body seemed lifeless flying through the air. He knew that the unmanned rock had finally blown, but he couldn't grasp the scope of the explosion until he was far into the air, the pressure released off of his body.

Opening his eyes, he looked down and across from where he was moments ago, struggling against Mosa, who poetically had become a Nen zombie herself. The sight was like nothing he had ever seen. He had heard of the devices of war, the bombs, and missiles of the future. But this was far more as if the sun landed on earth but only for a moment.

After what felt like an eternity, Ging finally got some sensation of control over his body. But he felt weak and frail as he attempted to turn his head or body to see the others. He saw, just out of the corner of his eyes, Sol and Copper spinning frantically through the air. Sol managed to get a sphere around them, a frail thing compared to all the others Ging had seen up to this point.

Turning his body slowly away from them, he managed to see where he was headed straight on.

The good news is that he was headed for the body of water that they sailed on days ago. The bad news was that he was so far up in the air the collision would kill him if he wasn't careful.

He already knew as he glanced back at the spinning sphere of Sol and Copper that they had no way of helping him. Ging spared one more barrel roll in the air and was content to not see Mosa anywhere in the air.

Spinning back to face his trajectory, he put his arms out like wings and closed his eyes. He dug into himself, his inner being, and looked as hard as he could for his Nen. He felt it after a time, the last dredges of Nen he had left in him, a dribble in the pool that he was used to, but it would have to do.

He opened his eyes again and started counting. He felt a rhythm in his head as he counted, which helped build his confidence as he flew.

Then, he finally started to descend, his heartbeat growing faster and faster with his counting. The wind tore into him from the left, and he went rolling sideways, tucking in his arms and doing his best to roll with it. Recovering after a few rolls, he got his bearings back and opened his arms again, trying to get the distance he needed to clear the island.

His heartbeat reminded him to count, and so he started it up again. This time, he set the rhythm himself, not letting the speed affect his pace.

"One, two, one-two," Ging counted in his mind. "One, two, one, two."

The body of water grew closer and closer, and he now knew he was clear of the guaranteed death of the island's hard surface.

Ging judged, in his head and by the trees knocked over, dead on the ground that he was fifty feet above the ground. As soon as he cleared the last of the surface, he was twenty feet above the water. Ten feet, five, and then he released it, all of the Nen he could find and drew it out under his arms in a thin layer of conjured energy and some on his good leg.

The abrupt stop of it slowed him down and jerked his head back, but his speed was too great, and he slid across the surface of the water, his good foot sliding and helping to slow him down. He caught a small wave on his heel and went headfirst into the water, his vision going to black instantly.

"Not bad, Ging," Copper said, grinning over Ging as he coughed up the water from his lungs. "You only seemed to manage a few broken ribs, a concussion, and a severely damaged collarbone."

"And a broken nose," Ging said as he tried breathing through it.

"Well, I thought that was a given," Copper said, sitting down. "When you get the chance, you should look." She said as she nodded her head in the direction of the island.

Ging managed to move despite the pain and sat back next to Copper as they looked to the place where they just spent over a week. It was insurmountably different, a poster child for nothing like it used to be. The epicenter of the explosion had destroyed the entire island around it, and nothing but the water remained. The trees nearby were blasted away, the wildlife killed almost instantly. Ging realized his mouth was stuck open and closed it to turn to Copper. When he saw her, he was just as shocked as her skin was marred with deep scars that radiated a faint light.

"What happened?" Ging asked through a sore throat.

"Drink some water," Copper said, handing Ging a waterskin that he had no idea how she got. "You were out for a while. A lot has happened."

"I mean your scars," Ging said after he drank from the waterskin greedily.

"Sol thinks they are from Silver, from my mom," Copper said, shaking her head and bringing her knees to her chest to hug them. "He thinks when she died that part of her was in the explosion, her Nen infused into it, and it latched onto me when I drew its power with my Hatsu.

They sat there for a moment in silence, the gravity of the last few hours slowly working their way into their heads.

"I killed them, Ging," Copper said quietly. "And I almost killed you and Sol."

"They killed themselves," Ging said. "We were only along for the ride."

"Not Bullion and Mom…" Copper said as she stretched her legs out in the raft. Ging took a moment to look at his surroundings and realized that they were indeed on a small raft that would be used for rescues.

"They knew what they were getting into..., and I hate to admit it, but I am sadder about the deaths of the others than I am about them."

"You mean Dorus and Apple?" Ging asked, trying to keep the confusion from his voice, but Copper was crying now, the sobs a mix between the full-on shoulder-shaking heaving cries and the light tears of those who had time to grieve.

"No." She finally said. "They also knew what they were doing, but we...we stormed into this island and killed everyone and damn near every living creature that was here. Look at that Ging!" She said as she stood up and pointed with her right arm.

Ging noticed now the damage that she had taken from the crash as well. Both her arms were bruised and battered, a gash running up the side of her right arm that could scar, and her left leg was splinted with two pieces of wood and some cloth. Her face, how did he not notice Ging battered himself, sported two black eyes that were nearly swollen shut and a fat lip that she somehow managed to talk normally through.

"I never thought of it like that," Ging said, sighing and laying down as a few moments passed in silence. "I thought...at first of finding some way to justify what we did...that they were bad guys, villains that if not stuck on this island would terrorize it...but I have no proof of that, and I'm not in the mood for lying."

"And I'm not in the mood to listen to your reasoning, so you made the right choice," Copper said with a cold blank stare. "When are you going to ask where we are and how long you were blacked out for?"

"I figured you'd tell me when you wanted to," Ging said, folding his hands under his head. Regretting the action as his body protested in agonizing pain. "Also, you had more important things to talk out."

"I didn't take you for the sentimental type," Copper said, finally sitting down, this time in a cross-legged pattern.

"I'm usually not," Ging said calmly. "I understand what you're going through, the idea of it, but there is no one like that in my life that I would feel it for."

"You didn't love Bullion?" Copper said, turning a look on Ging that he took at first as disgust but quickly deciphered as interest.

"I didn't," Ging said cooly. "I knew him for only a year. Did I enjoy his company? Well, sometimes. Will I cry for him? I don't think I can."

"You don't think you can cry for anyone, or specifically Bullion?" Copper asked.

"I don't know," Ging said, surprising himself with his honesty.

The thought of not having anyone he cared for threatened to stop his heart for a split second. But he realized it was only a feeling that he knew others would expect to see. Then he looked at Copper and realized he was talking to her more openly than he had anyone up to this point and couldn't figure out when that had first started to happen.

"I hate...," Copper started. "Hated… my mother. She used me for things that no one my age should ever be used for. I've seen her happier with rare minerals in her hands than with me by her side. Now that she is gone and I'm torn between a burden on each of my shoulders. One says, mourn the woman who brought you into this world, and the other says to rejoice in the freedom that her death will bring you."

Ging sat up after a cramp in his back forced him to, and he juggled some words around on his tongue, none of them convincing him to open his mouth, so he just stayed silent.

"I know what you're thinking, or what most people would be thinking," Copper said, chuckling. "You probably don't care but thank you for humoring me anyways. What most people would be thinking is that it couldn't have been so bad, that no matter what happened, how could you not forgive your mother."

She shook the tears from her face this time, refusing to let them fall down and flood the raft as if they threatened to do just that. "Love shouldn't be defined just by my relations, but by the actions that happened when we spent our lives together. Love shouldn't be conditional. It should be mutual, god damn it!"

"I have never had anyone like that," Ging said finally after Copper panted in anger. "My parents were not in the picture much, although my grandmother did her best to...tame me." He smiled a rare smile that Copper saw was actually genuine. "I grew up with no one except her and Mito, my cousin who was younger than me and frankly couldn't keep up. I don't know if what I feel for them is love…"

"How can you not know what love is?" Copper asked. "Did your cousin and grandmother not show affection?"

"I know what love is," Ging said, shaking his head which he regretted instantly as pain shot to the back of his head, causing him to wince. "And yes, they loved me, that much I am certain of. But...if they die...I will be sad...but not like you, or other people seem to be."

"Everyone processes grief in their own ways," Copper said. "I won't judge you if you never cry or act out of passion."

Ging sighed and starred off and realized that he still had no idea how much time had passed and where this raft came from, so he turned to Copper and changed the subject. "So, where's Sol, and what all happened?"

Copper noticed instantly that Ging was changing the topic and shutting himself out from her. She watched as his face tightened, and then the relaxed smile returned turned into one of mischievous glee that almost doubled as a facade. She thought "almost" a facade because she knew that he enjoyed the life he was living. Still, it also served as an escape mechanism, somewhere safe he could go when things didn't go the way he wanted to.

"The whole world is your palace, isn't it?" Copper asked. "When something doesn't go the way you want it to, you just leave and go somewhere else. That's why you are a Hunter."

Ging just turned a look on her and grinned, "It's one of the many reasons." Ging said.

Copper sighed and started explaining. "The Hunter Association showed up finally, the backup we called for over a week ago."

"They took their time," Ging said, grabbing a paddle and attempting to steer them back to what remained of the island.

"That way," Copper said, grabbing the other paddle and turning them around. "The big boat, then we go up to the blimps, where Chairman Netero wants to meet us."

"I noticed the boat but didn't see any blimps," Ging said, curling his eyebrows. "They didn't want to come closer just in case of another explosion?"

"Sol said it was more that this island is not in the Association's territory, and we weren't supposed to be here, to begin with," Copper said. "They are covering up everything, Ging."

"And everyone?" Sign asked. "Have you been threatened yet?"

"Not outright…" Copper said. "But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what they want to say. The Chairman, on the other hand...might be different."

"Have you ever met him?" Ging asked curiously.

"During my exam, but I didn't know it then. Also, I've seen him talking to Bullion and Mother. How about you?"

"Only at my exam," Ging said as they picked up speed towards the large crew boat they were headed for. They paddled in silence after that, letting the waves and what strength they had left carry them farther and farther.

When they grew close enough for earshot, they were hailed by a sailor. A regular human Ging guessed unable to use Nen, similar to the crew they started with, who were most likely dead by now. After a rope was lowered down, they tied themselves to it and ascended up slowly as two adult men pulled them up.

"Come this way." One of the men said, trying his hardest to seem stern and authoritative. Ging smiled gleefully to himself, knowing that he could run circles around both of the men in seconds, even in his mangled state.

Ging and Copper were not escorted with weapons or threats beyond this. As they walked, they realized this was indeed just a regular ship with regular people.

Once led to the cabin that was their destination, the sailor told them that they would reach the Hunter's Association within a handful of minutes. So Ging and Copper sat down and took advantage of the food and drinks put before them.

Ging first ate a bowl full of grapes, a slab of meat poorly cooked, and then a half a loaf of bread that was stale more with age than lack of skills. "They have a baker turned cook," Ging said, trying to lighten the mood he saw Copper slowly falling into. "The bread is well made, but this." He held up the meat with one hand and grinned.

"Yeah, I had some earlier. I ate about as much as you." Copper said, grinning. "Don't forget to drink. The orange glass is pretty good."

Ging turned his head and grabbed the orange glass next to the normal clear one full of water and sniffed. His nose was hit with a wave of smell that resembled a fruit cocktail mix with coconut. "I hate coconut," Ging said and sighed.

"Drink it anyway," Copper said. "They put a lot of medicinal herbs into it, and it will help you heal."

Ging shrugged and downed the glass in one go sticking his tongue out after the flavor hit him full blast.

"Chase it down with the water than you big baby," Copper said, leaning back into her chair. Ging took her advice and grabbed the other glass, swallowing it in two gulps and feeling significantly refreshed after.

"So, to answer your questions from yesterday, you were knocked out for only a few hours."

"Surprised I didn't die," Ging said, wiping his mouth with his arm. "Or you and Sol, for that matter."

"I felt like a hamster in a ball of death," Copper said, smiling. "The sphere he encapsulated us in protected us from the initial hit. But we still bounced around it the whole time. How did you even survive the fall?"

Ging explained his descent from the moment of the explosion up until he hit the water and blacked out. "After that, the next thing I remember is you and being in that boat."

"A lot happened in those few hours." Copper nodded. "Sol explained some of it to me, but he said Netero would explain the rest. The long story short is that the government isn't happy with everything that happened, and they want to blame it all on us."

"Interesting," Ging said, watching as a few sailors moved frantically back and forth past them. "What else?"

"Well, Sol has been busy talking the whole time." Copper started. "They had boats surrounding the whole island and blimps in the air much farther away. I think they aren't allowed to come close to the island."

"Who isn't, the Hunter Association or the government?" Ging asked.

"Probably both," Copper said. "But that doesn't explain why some boats are allowed closer than, like this one that picked us up."

"They must have hired locals," Ging said. "I think it is almost time for us."

Ging and Copper looked around as the pace of sailors increased and increased. One moment they would be doing one task, sometimes with rope or a tool. The next they would be helping someone with something else.

"Come with me!" A burly man said. "The rope is being lowered on the main deck. They said they would pull you up as you might not be able to climb!"

The man was yelling slightly over the sound of the blimp above them, but Ging thought he really didn't need to. Walking to the main deck, the giant blimp barely produced a sound for as big as it was. The large engines or turbines in the back were gently whirling away as the rope landed with a thud on the boat deck.

"Race you?" Ging said, grinning.

"No!" Copper said, hitting Ging on his good arm. "Let's not be that stupid.

"Fine, fine," Ging said as they both grabbed the rope and looped a foot into the already tied knot at the bottom. They were instantly pulled up, a sudden jerk followed by nothing, then repeated. "First one to touch the blimp wins?"

"You are incredulous," Copper said, rolling her eyes. "I'm taller. I will win."

"Then take the easy bet," Ging said, trying to shrug as they moved closer and closer to the blimp. Looking up, he could see two men pulling them up, the one on his side only barely bulkier than the one pulling up Copper.

"What does the winner actually win?" Copper asked.

"Loser buys dinner." Sign said.

"If we live to see another dinner," Copper muttered.

"If they wanted us dead, we would be," Ging said. "They will feed us again when we get up there, question us, then inform us what happened to Sol."

What happened to Sol?" Copper asked with worry lining her voice. "What do you mean?"

"They seem to be separating us," Ging said. "I imagine they have questions to ask him as well, some of them about Bullion and Silver, some about Apple, some about the Dark Continent. Regardless, once they make sure we know nothing, they will let us go.

Ging watched as he slowly rose above Copper's head, his man the one pulling his rope inching barely ahead of his counterpart.

"Don't take the bet," Ging said, sighing. "I will win. It's no fun if I know I'm going to win."

"And just how do you know you're going to win?" Copper said, grinning. "Fine, I take the bet. The loser buys dinner." She said as she cut Ging off from his next words and leapt into the air off one foot and pulled herself up at the same time using Nen. The result was her up on top of the blimp, and Ging left with a face of amusement and delight.

"Figured you would be more upset than that," Copper said, pouting a little as Ging finally made his ascent. Copper reached down and pulled him up.

"I'm finding I like to be surprised," Ging said. "I also never said where we were racing too, so some could argue that the bet hasn't been made."

"But you won't do that, will you?" Copper said as the two men that just spent the last few moments pulling them up gestured for them to follow. They did so, walking down the beginning of a hallway that seemed to loop around to the blimp's front deck.

"No, I owe you dinner," Ging said, agreeing with her earlier question. "But I have one condition."

"And what's that?" Copper asked just as Ging grew close enough to her for even the faintest whisper.

"Don't mention anything about the zombies, the unmanned rock, or the Dark Continent," Ging said. "If Sol didn't tell you already."

"He didn't," Copper whispered back, her words full of unspoken questions that she wanted to ask, but the two men in front of them turned their heads around as if on guard. Then she noticed something that amused her and annoyed her simultaneously. She activated her Gyo and saw that the two men that had pulled them up were indeed covered in a small mass of Nen. And on their sides seem to hang a small chain from their pockets.

"They are Hunters," Ging said, this time not lowering his voice. "And our watchdogs."

"Not at all." The bigger man said. "More like a contingency plan, just in case you felt like running."

"Seems the same to me," Ging said, shrugging. They continued walking in silence after this exchange, Copper and Ging now both tense in their shoulders and in their arching strides. The blimp was massive for what it was, but the walk didn't take more than a few minutes. Taking some stairs up that circled back inward, they finally came to a door that opened into a small room.

"Wait here. The Chairman will be out to see you shortly." Said the smaller man after the big man entered another door in front of them.

Ging waited for both the men to leave before he turned and addressed Copper. "Do you feel that?" He asked.

"That feeling of...what is it...not malice like Mosa and the others, more like…" Copper started. "Like a deadly playfulness."

"Very impressive." A voice said from behind the door. "Now, who can tell me where the feeling came from, and I don't mean me, hooohooo."

The man that walked through the door was Chairman Netero. Ging and Copper had both seen him before, online or from some distance away. He laughed whimsically at the end of his sentence, and Ging couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at it.

"From two areas," Ging said before Copper. "From directly behind us and then from the doorway you're in now."

"Of course, it was too easy after all," Netero said, frowning slightly, although his eyebrows continued to remain amused. "I must let Beans know that he was correct in his assessment."

"Were you testing us?" Copper asked. "Seems a bit cruel considering everything we went through."

"Hoohoooo, Beans agreed, but I couldn't control myself," Netero said as he walked farther into the room, leaving the door open. "But Sol had told me so much about you in such a short time, and I found myself interested."

Before either of the kids could ask where Sol was, he entered the open door, closing it behind him. He turned his head slowly to Ging and Copper, the smile on his face a watered-down version of the radiantly bright one Ging still had in his head.

"It is good to see you safe, Ging," Sol said, taking a seat next to Netero, who now had his legs crossed on a dark brown-colored chair.

"You too. Copper filled me in on how you two survived." Ging said as he and Copper took their seats as Netero waved them to them.

"I am sorry I could not get to you in time," Sol said, frowning deeper. "For some reason, you were blasted off in a trajectory opposed to us."

"It happens," Ging said. "I don't think I would have enjoyed the hamster ball for death anyway."

"Death!" Netero said, chiming in with a chuckle. "On that topic, we bring us to our meeting today."

Sol let out a breath he seemed to have been holding in, and Netero continued talking before anyone could ask any questions.

"You have lost a lot of people on this mission, in fact, only three remain. I myself had a journey of sorts where only three returned alive, do you know where this journey was?"

"No." Ging and Copper answered together.

"The Dark Continent!" Netero said, holding up a finger and swapping the legs he had crossed in his chair. "Now the Dark Continent is something you two are familiar with, aren't you?!"

"Not at all," Copper said soberly, doing her best to keep her face straight and relaxed, but her posture betrayed her. She was tense, and her jaw was threatening to shake as her words came out.

"I know some," Ging said, shocking Sol and Copper as they both turned dark looks on him. "I read a book when I first became a Hunter, a book called Journey to the New World.

"And did you enjoy the book?" Netero asked with a beaming smile at Ging. "Did you learn a lot?"

"No, it was rather boring and didn't teach me any more than I would learn from asking someone else," Ging lied. "Matter of fact, I am more interested in seeking out dungeons and mysterious islands, such as this one. In hopes of making a lot of Jenny, of course."

"Making lots of Jenny, of course!" Netero said. "And you young lady? What interests do you have?"

"Interests?" Copper asked slowly and with some annoyance. She knew that these two were playing a game, but she did not want a part of it. "I don't quite know."

"A Hunter must always have a goal," Netero said, turning his grin onto Copper and solely onto Copper. She felt like they were the eyes of a demon, a bright nightmare born from the sun, and the effect was altogether intimidating and calming. "I...uh...I don't know."

"She knows," Ging said. "It is a secret of ours, a bigger project that we haven't fully detailed yet."

"Hmmm…" Netero said, studying Copper and Ging back and forth. He turned to Sol and spoke after a few moments.

"You were correct on these two, as usual, Sol. Very well then, I need to fill you two in on only the details that I really care about. One, you will not talk of this mission to anyone until Sol or I say so. Two, this is not a sanctioned mission by the Hunter's Association. Therefore, you cannot claim a Hunter star or any rewards from a job listing that you might have previously taken for said job. Is this clear?"

Ging and Copper both nodded, and Netero was quick to move on. "Good, good! Now, you two need to heal up and get on your way, is there anywhere you would like to go?"

"Neither of us really have a place to go," Copper said as Ging started thinking. Ging simply shrugged and nodded his agreement. "I suppose you could drop us off in Yorknew City, and we can make our own way."

"Nonsense," Sol said, smiling. "I think it's time you meet my family."

"You have a family?" Copper asked with a little too much excitement.

"Yes, a kid and...wife of sorts," Sol said with an enormous grin.

"How very exciting!" Netero said, chiming it. "You will all go to Sol's house and heal up, knowing absolutely nothing about anything we discussed, correct!"

Ging and Copper nodded, and the grin disappeared from Sol's face.

"And Sol here already knows everything he needs to do, I'll have my eyes on you two."

"I imagine you mean that in a different way than what one would expect," Ging said mischievously. "Almost as if every word you said today had some sort of double meaning."

"Nonsense!" Netero said, getting up and walking to the door. "Not every word, only a few. How long will it take to get to where you live, Sol?"

"In the blimp, not even a few hours," Sol said as he scratched his beard.

"So not enough time for these youngsters to heal…" Netero said, sighing. "I guess I will have to limit the amount of fun to only this."

"Well, someone needs to come to check up on them in a few days to make sure they didn't remember anything. Why can't that be you, Chairman?" Sol said.

"Be careful, Sol," Netero said, grinning as he turned around slightly. "You might be onto something. Alas, the Association is busy enough as is, so I must decline."

"I invite you, Chairman Netero, to my lovely home in one week," Sol said, rather politely. Ging looked and almost saw a slight bow.

"Oh, if you insist!" Netero said loudly, rather too loudly. They were putting on a show Ging realized, but for who, this was an Association blimp.

"Uuuh…" Copper started saying before she was cut off.

"See you then!" Netero said and left, the door shutting behind him as he departed.

"Just play along," Sol whispered as he gathered both Copper and Ging in his arms. "I will explain when we arrive at my home."

Ging and Copper simply nodded and followed Sol out the door they came from earlier and out into the side deck, which had windows overlooking the sea.

The blimp was already turned in a different direction from when they entered it. Ging saw, for the first time, the number of boats that had been assembled. There must have been a hundred boats at least, and in the air, he saw two other Hunter Association blimps flying off in separate directions.

"Who was on the other blimps?" Ging said, asking a question he knew was fine for listening ears.

"The Zodiacs mostly," Sol said. "The ones who could make it, that is."

"They assembled a team that important and strong?" Copper asked. "Why?"

"Who knows," Sol said, lying through his teeth.

Copper picked up on the lie instantly and closed her mouth, taking a seat next to Ging. They sat in silence for the next two hours as the large mass of buildings started to loom in the distance. Ging and Copper both knew where they were headed, York New City.

Chapter Text

"No way do you live in York New City," Copper said as she turned a face of bewilderment on Sol. "You love the outdoors!"

Sol only shrugged and grinned sheepishly as the blimp approached the edges of the continent that housed the industrial marvel.

"Must be time to go," Ging said as the blimp appeared to hover in place.

"Back down the ropes, we go," Copper said and sighed heavily. They walked together, all three of them to the ropes, and started their descent. This time, they had three ropes being lowered by two women and a larger man.

"Here's what's going to happen," Sol said quietly yet loud enough for them to hear over the gentle roar of the wind. It wasn't a particularly windy day, but this high in the air and this close to the ocean caused enough of a breeze to need to be heard over. "I don't live here. I just couldn't give away the particulars of my home to those who could be listening."

Sol held up his finger and held onto his rope with one hand as Copper opened her mouth to speak.

"Just listen, don't speak until we are back out into the water. I know you probably won't want to be back on a boat, but this is the only way currently. Anyways, we get on a small boat and sail for a few hours to where my family actually does live, understand?"

Making eye contact with both Ging and Copper, he waited for each of their slow and assuring nods, and then they let go of their ropes and landed on the ground. Sol stood there a few moments while the blimp pulled its ropes up and took off on its course, going completely past York New City and off into the skies.

"Let's go," Sol said and led them to a gathering of rocks, three that were over ten feet in height and half as wide, surrounded by several that were a fraction of the size.

"The Chairman…." Sol started as he climbed on top of the rocks, said it would be….aaah here we go." Sol pulled what Ging thought was a part of a boat and tossed it in the grass. He then pulled another part, and then another. "Ok, help me get these closer to the water, and let's put it together.

"That part there...good, and this one here," Sol said as he guided the pieces together, snapping them in place with a hard shove of Nen-enhanced muscles.

"Now, the sail," Ging said as he lifted the mast and slammed it hard into the slot and twisted it, locking it in place. The sail was still tied up tight, and Sol left it as such. But Ging started to think the man was paranoid as he looked around them, in this empty field for miles.

How possibly could anyone be listening to them here? But the boy listened, trusting the man who was a hugely instrumental part of the children's survival of the island not even a day ago.

So Ging pushed with what little strength he had against the back of the newly formed boat. It splashed into the water, and Copper and Sol lept into it. Copper holding her hand out for Ging, who grabbed it and felt his feet leave the ground as she pulled him hard into its open cavity.

Sol opened the sail and held up his hand. After only a moment, a rush of air churned out from his palm, and the boat reeled with speed before balancing back down, stabilizing itself with its own weight.

"Steer us with the masts if you need to." Sol said I'm going to get us up to a reasonable speed."

"Steer us where?" Copper asked indignantly. "I have no idea where we are going.

"Oh yeah," Sol said, laughing to himself. "We can talk plainly now. I forgot to mention that."

"I think I would rather nap," Ging said, laying down gently. "It seems like you will fill us in once we reach your house anyways."

"You are correct," Sol said, nodding. "Might as well get some rest as well Copper, it will be another hour or so at this speed and with both of your wounds, and rest is best."

"You're a poet now?" Copper said, grinning. "I don't think I've seen you this happy since we started our mission together."

"I don't think I have been this happy since," Sol said, nodding gently. "This mission took more out of me than I care to admit, and still it isn't over."

"For you, you mean?" Ging asked.

"Correct, but more once we reach the island," Sol said. Ging and Copper listened, and both were asleep within moments.

Sol, swapping hands every few moments for rest, kept up his Nen wind and steered them as straight as he could. Twice, he had to take up the oars and redirect his course, but otherwise, the voyage was smooth sailing.

"This is my home," Sol said, waking Ging and Copper up with his words. "The Stray Islands!"

Lifting his head and slowly propping himself upon his knees and eventually to his feet, Ging groaned in sore pain as his eyes scanned the island before them. The sight was reminiscent of when they first arrived on their unnamed island where most of his team had died. The volume of everything that had happened hit him, and he felt the pressure in his chest rise and threaten to suffocate him before he knew what it was. He swallowed it down in one gulp and turned to see how Copper was doing. She, like most occasions, wore her heart on her sleeve as the tears poured down her eyes as she struggled to wipe them away.

"I do apologize," Sol said, frowning to himself. "I wish I didn't have to bring you to another island so quickly after everything that happened, but there was no other way."

"I know," Copper said. "I understand. It's not your fault Sol."

They cruised in silence as the boat slowly came up to a pier, where Sol grabbed the rail and pulled himself up.

"Toss me the line," Sol said just as Copper was already moving. She launched the rope to him, and he quickly tied it as both Ging and Copper stepped up onto the pier beside him. "Come on, you have some introductions to make."

"This is the main island, as I like to call it," Sol said as they hiked their way up a gentle slope. The island was covered in light green grass, the island's trees long and slender with fruit on the top surrounded by forked leaves.

"The Stray Islands themselves are a chain of thirty-three smaller islands, and my wife and I started rescuing and researching beasts and bringing them here. Now, after four years, we have a small group of like-minded beast Hunters that help us manage the islands, yet we are far from occupying all of the islands."

"How many islands do you use?" Copper asked in awe as she saw a small oval-headed creature pop its head out of a hole and stare at them. Its eyes were small and beady, dark with red rings around them and bushy eyebrows, but that's as much of it she could see, the rest hidden under the ground.

"Only this island and four others," Sol said, sighing. "I miss the others greatly, but what I regret most about our little island adventure was the extinction of so many creatures on that island."

"Even the one's Helleran raised?" Ging said, smirking.

"Even those ones," Sol said, shrugging. "Nature isn't picky about good or bad, docile or aggressive, and neither am I. Up this way." He said as a trail formed, and they saw the house that it led to.

"I...struggle to understand that," Copper said as they quickly made their way up the trail. "Ging, on the other hand…."

"Agrees, for the most part," Ging said, chiming in as Copper gave him a glance.

"I figured as much," Copper said.

"And I, for a part, disagree." Said a soothing woman's voice as the door to the house opened up. The woman who stepped out was thin with a very defined figure whose baggy clothes hid them well. "Sol and I have always debated, and I lean more towards the idea of Triage."

Copper and Ging looked at the woman and then back at Sol, who had the most genuine smile on his face that they had ever seen.

"Is that blushing, I see?" Copper said, teasing Sol. "You must be the wife we have only recently heard about!"

"Oh, Copper!" Sol said, stuttering slightly. "It was only!"

"We don't like to discuss our relationship very often." The woman said with a strong giggle. Her voice was low for a woman's but only to a marginal degree. "Forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Tenaloowey Lapoy; everyone calls me Tena."

Ging and Copper shook her outstretched hand, and Ging noticed that she was strong for her build, her grip firm, and her knuckles coarse.

"You must be a Beast Hunter as well?" Ging asked. Tena nodded with a smile on her face that seemed to brighten as the moments passed. "Could you explain your idea on Triage?"

"Certainly!" Tena said, standing straight, her and Sol perfectly even in height. "But first, let's get into the house. I imagine you all have had enough island life for quite some time."

"I'll never grow tired of new locations," Ging said as they followed her into the house, Sol closing the door behind them. "Well then," Ging said as he scanned the house, which was one huge room separated only by collapsable pseudo-walls.

"This is...cozy," Copper said honestly. "I have never seen a house like this. Where are you from, Tena?"

"I'm from an island not far from where you just spent the last week or more," Tena said as she showed them to some homemade chairs decorated with carvings and stitched pillows. "Everything you see here isn't a cultural thing. It is just what Sol and I have made throughout the years being here."

"We try to use what we can from the island." Sol said as he sat down with a deep sigh that extruded the "finally home" energy Ging had seen from Bullion on many occasions. "We, and the other's on the island made everything here, even the house."

"Explains that handshake," Ging said, looking at Tenaloowey. "You are a lot stronger than you look."

"Those in the cities, the bigger and rapidly growing metroplexes of civilization will lose something the more they grow to rely on technology," Tena said, shaking her head slightly. "Those who work hard maintain that part of humanity that we were born with."

"And Triage is related to this?" Ging asked curiously.

"Possibly, in a way," Tena said. "But not my version of it. Sol having his way would let the world grow and make its own road, while I would help steer it, hoping to avoid things that are inevitable on the current path."

"Playing God, without being a god?" Copper asked. "We just met someone like that. It didn't go over so well for her."

"I understand," Tena said, turning a gentle smile to Copper. "I don't wish to control or manipulate if at all possible, but I also can't stand back and watch the world burn itself to ashes."

"These islands," Ging said, waving his hands. "They are practice for you? Once you can control creature populations, you wish to guide humanity?"

"Not at all!" Tena said with a bit of heat in her voice. "I do not have the power, the knowledge to even begin with the human race. These islands are how Sol and I have met half-way, how both of our ideals can converge and hopefully set an example for the future that we won't see."

And with that as if on cue, Ging and Sol heard crying from a far corner of the house that was covered by two walls that shaded the spot. "Oooh, my girl, I'll be right back!" Sol said and quickly got up, moving with long strides.

Tena smiled and watched as Sol disappeared behind the wooden panels, the sounds of baby talk filling the room gently. "I don't enjoy manipulation, yet I am a manipulator." She said, looking at Ging. "But...I would always do what needs to be done, and I suppose that is why I am a manipulator after all."

"Your idea…" Ging said after they sat in the soothing sounds of a father with the child he hadn't seen for some time. "It isn't really Triage."

"That's what I have always said," Sol said as he approached them from behind. "It is inherently manipulation, but we do try to put a better spin on it."

Tena released a deep sigh. "Yet another person who agrees with Sol, sometimes I wonder why I even bother."

"I didn't say I agreed with Sol," Ging said, shrugging." Just that the term may be incorrect. I prefer survival of the fittest in most aspects of life."

"And you Copper?" Tena asked politely. "What do you believe?"

Copper swallowed her words hard, and everyone noticed them as if her original thought was no longer accurate in her mind. "I uh, I am not so sure anymore." She finally said. "Originally, I would take Sol's side, but lately, I find myself open to more discussion."

"Fantastic!" Tena said with somewhat contagious energy. "You will have plenty of time for discussion while you are here healing those wounds. Have you told them exactly what's happening, Sol?"

"No, we were being monitored," Sol said. "They bugged the Chairman's blimp."

"The government?" Tena asked, raising her eyebrows. "How interesting. Then fill them in on everything. I will prepare the water."

"What water?" Ging asked as she walked away.

"The water for your healing." You two don't have much time, and I am afraid Sol has even less."

Sol sighed as Copper and Ging turned curious eyes on him. "Usually, we would take turns leaving the islands, but because of Bullion...and Silver, I have much more pressing matters to attend to."

"Apple's death and the Dark Continent," Copper said as Sol offered them some drinks he brought on his way back. He followed that offer up with some bread dipped in honey that Ging and Copper both ate uncontrollably, the taste of it warm and sweet in their mouths.

"First, let me clarify some things," Sol said as he wiped the honey from his own mouth. "You two will not be going with me, and honestly, even if I wanted you to, you just can't. Where I am going, you wouldn't be allowed anywhere, and frankly, it wouldn't be very amusing for you."

Sol stopped to drink some water and continued. "You will spend however many days here getting better than you can do as you please."

"And what will you be doing?" Copper asked. "What did mother and Bullion drag you into."

"Several things from this trip happened, and the details have not all been given to me either," Sol said. "The Ten Don's are furious that Apple Mine's has died. The V5 is mad the Hunter Association was in the middle of a disastrous explosion illegally, and several governments are fighting over the wreckage that we left behind."

"They want the unmanned rock?" Ging asked. "That could power the whole continent for who knows how long."

"I believe it to be mostly destroyed," Sol said. "But yes, they will try that, and they want the secret to the zobaes we faced. They want the secret to immortality."

"How cliche," Ging said. "They want immortal soldiers, don't they?"

"Yes, they do," Sol said. "And, of course, you don't know or understand any of this. You are just dumb children who managed to survive."

Ging and Copper both nodded and let Sol continue. "It may not seem like much of a threat to you, and that is partly thanks to Netero keeping both of your names out of the whole affair. Otherwise, you would be leaving with me to places you don't want to be and seeing people you don't want to see." Sol said in one breath.

"I understand," Ging said. "You have not only the Hunter's Association breathing down your neck but at least two different governments. Not only do they want you to make up for things that happened back on the island, but they also want you to find more answers."

"You're being pulled in two different directions by two powerful forces," Copper said. "And you were just as badly damaged as we are, with no time to heal."

"That…" Sol started. "Is half-true, yes. I received some very potent Nen healing from a specialist on the blimp. An old friend of the Chairman's and a top notch Nen user."

Tena came down as a lull in the conversation had formed and stood next to Sol, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Sol will have to leave within a few hours, and he does need to heal a fair bit more, just in case, so he is first to bathe."

Sol smiled up at his wife and simply nodded to her as he stood up and walked until they couldn't hear his footsteps anymore.

"I am surprised at how big this house is," Ging said. "From the outside, it doesn't seem that large."

"It is pretty deceiving," Tena said as she sat where Sol was moments before. "Mostly, it is just the way it is laid out that makes it seem larger than it is, and the wooden screens we have." She said as she pointed to them. "Those are Nen enhanced to dampen sound, which makes the area feel larger."

"Anyways," Tena said with a small sigh. "Usually, like Sol said earlier. I would be leaving on a mission, and he would stay home to watch our baby girl Podungo. But his situation will be rather demanding of him for the foreseeable future."

"How long will we be here to heal?" Copper asked as she shifted in her chair.

"As long as you like, honestly," Tena said. "I have a few friends arriving tomorrow with two new creatures to add to the island, and the habitats aren't finished yet. You can help with that as you heal, and I will make sure to train you while we work."

"Do the animals stay here forever?" Ging asked. "That would seem like a bad idea."

"It certainly would be," Tena said, nodding. "This is more of a way station for them as well. If the animal is injured, we heal them and bring them back to their habitat. If they are almost extinct, we will keep them here for a few years, perhaps longer as their population increases. Everything we do here is with the notion of releasing the animals back to their original homes."

"Except for me." A voice said from behind Tena's chair. "I simply live where I wish to."

"Who was that?" Copper asked, curiosity heavily coating her words.

"I am Chugs." Said a fat orange cat who leaped up onto Tena's lap. "You would refer to me as a Magical Beast, while I prefer to just be called Chugs."

"Chugs?!" Copper said excitedly. "You are adorable! Where did you come from?"

"My old home was far away from here, but this is where I live now," Chugs said, purring as Tena gently stroked his back. He was big for a cat, thirty pounds, and looked a little plump to the point where his neck barely protruded from his torso. Chugs fur was medium length, and it was draped over him like a winter jacket which only contributed to his overall chubby demeanor.

"Never heard of a talking cat before," Ging said, inching his face closer to Chugs as if examining a smear on a window.

"Then I imagine you have never met one of me before," Chugs said smugly. "Elsewise, you would not be surprised."

"Fair enough," Ging said, chuckling slightly, which led into a long, drawn-out yawn that Ging struggled to contain.

"That's contagious," Copper said after finishing a long yawn of her own.

Tena laughed lightly and said. "I do imagine you both are more tired than you have let on. If you want to get some sleep now, I can wake you in whatever order you want for your baths?"

Ging and Copper nodded slightly, then turned quick glances at each other. "Rock, Paper Scissors!" They both said, and Copper grinned, having won.

"Ok, I will wake Copper first, now get some sleep," Tena said with a bit of amusement in her voice. To Ging's surprise, neither of them argued as they laid back in the handmade chairs and closed their eyes. Within moments they were asleep.

Ging woke when Tena shook Copper slightly and walked her to the newly drawn bath. With his eyes barely opened, he watched as Chugs jumped onto Sol's shoulders as he walked around the open area with their child in his arms. Ging shifted slightly, and the pain in his limbs kept him from falling back to sleep, so he sighed and sat up straight.

"Can't sleep any longer?" Sol asked as he moved over and sat down with Chugs and the young child. "This is our daughter Podungo Lapoy. We decided to stay with Tena's family name as mine was one I made up for myself in Meteor City."

"I forget sometimes you are from there," Ging said. "Most I have met from Meteor City have a...certain deposition."

Sol chuckled quietly, trying not to disturb the baby. "It is not a place that you can just walk away from," Sol said. "If it wasn't for the friends that I had and my desire to live up to this imaginary leader who never breaks his smile, I don't believe I would have survived."

"And what about your friends?" Ging asked, moving in his chair again, the aches and pains causing him to fidget.

"Most did not survive," Sol said solemnly. "Some I keep in touch with, and the odd few made their own way in life, yet they are all my family."

"Family?" Ging asked. "Not biological for sure?"

"Not biological, no," Sol said. "Yet my family all the same, just like you and Copper now are."

"Copper and I are your family now?" Ging asked, scrunching his eyebrows. "You would think I would be a part of this deal that made us family, but this is the first I've heard about it."

"You are always so opposed to emotion and affection," Sol said, standing and putting the child into a rocker just behind his chair. "And that is ok. You don't always need to show who you are, but remember that sometimes, some people might like to see that side of you."

Ging scrunched his entire face into a frown, an act that took a great deal of effort. "Most Hunters don't like to talk about these sorts of things. We are, by our own nature, a very selfish group of individuals."

"Humans are selfish in general, yes," Sol said, sitting across from Ging. "That isn't a bad thing either. One thing that Tena always says is that a Hunter is someone who understands who they are while everyone else struggles to accept their own identity."

"How can you not know who you are?" Ging asked. "It's easy being yourself."

"It is easy being yourself," Sol said. "When you are alone, but when you are in the company of others, it gets exponentially more complicated. Take you and Copper, for instance. Copper can't decide whether to hate or love her mother and is stuck somewhere in the middle, a limbo of emotions. And you, you either don't care about something or care so deeply that you struggle to express those emotions to others and choose to show that love in other ways."

"Like what?" Ging asked, amused. "In what ways?"

"For instance, you could have taken over our entire island adventure from the beginning," Sol said. "After you proved yourself a capable leader, everyone would have followed you, even Bullion after he stopped sulking about it. Yet, instead, you let Bullion do what he enjoyed, only stepping in when necessary."

"Could just be laziness," Ging said, reclining back in his chair, putting his feet up on the table in front of him.

"You are a lot of things, Ging, but lazy is not one of them," Copper said as she came up from behind him. "I have never struggled to keep up with anyone as much as you. You just like to pretend."

Ging sighed heavily to himself and shot up to his feet. "Guess it's my turn, what's after this? Do we start training?"

Sol and Copper laughed together and shook their heads at Ging. "

Lazy indeed." Sol said as Copper took Ging's spot as he stood up. "This is a night to relax, I leave in the morning and you two are free to heal and go your own ways after that."

Ging nodded and followed Copper's wet footprints to the now freshly drawn bathtub. It was a smooth, stone-carved, and oval-shaped tub that looked like it took years to make. "Can't believe they make all of this by hand," Ging said to himself.

"I helped with the tub." Chugs, the magical cat beast, said as he strolled past Ging. "It only took three months."

Ging watched as Chugs kept walking past and chuckled to himself. Stripping down and stepping into the bath, Ging instantly felt the heat of the water and the fatigue in his body slowly releasing into the air like a pain-easing sweat. He laid back, his head resting awkwardly on the headrest made into the tub, designed for someone a bit taller than himself.

As he did so, his mind raced again as it does on a regular basis. Ging fiddled with the idea of leaving tonight while everyone slept. He thought of training more on this island, seeing what Tena could show him, and he even thought of home for the first time in years, Whale Island.

He remembered Mito and their grandma. The slow mornings fishing by himself and the chaotic days when sailors would bring exotic trade goods to the island. Ging even remembered the island's wild creatures.

He let his head sink into the water, stopping it just below his nose as he blew bubbles with his mouth as he remembered why he left the island in the first place.

"I still need to get Jenny," Ging said, sighing to himself. "All of that planning and nothing came of it except death."

And just like that, Ging was locked back into his dream, his main goal, and within his head, he started plotting the next voyage.

"First things first," Ging said, standing up and getting dressed in the clean clothes laid out for him. They were baggy like Tena's, just not as much. The colors faded as any that were home dyed would be. "See what Bullion left behind for me."

Ging walked back to where they were all eating earlier and saw Copper was already back asleep. Glancing to the side, Ging saw out of the window that the sun was already down. The darkness of night folding around the house.

"What did Bullion leave for me?" Ging asked Sol. "If he left anything."

Sol, who was laid back in the chair himself, opened an eye as he was clearly not asleep and said. "Not much, to be honest. He spent most of his Jenny funding this expedition, as you probably know."

"Figures," Ging said, stretching slightly than sitting next to Copper. "Any plans or ideas at least?"

"He left you about 100k, Jenny," Sol said. "Enough to last you a while if you are smart. Or enough to start another journey, but he didn't have any ideas planned after this one. He was not that farsighted, I am afraid."

"That's ok," Ging said. "Easier if I don't have any loose ends to deal with. How do I get access to this money?"

"I have it here," Tena said, approaching quietly on the balls of her feet. "Sol says you would try to leave in the middle of the night if I give it to you, so you will need to wait until morning."

"You know me too well," Ging said, grinning. "It can wait until morning then, and I will decide what to do from there."

"For now," Sol said, shrugging. "You might as well get some rest and relax for a change. I have something...that might help you sleep. It is what I usually use as well."

Sol got up and walked off while Ging and Tena made small talk about Chugs, the island, and Ging's plans. After a few minutes, Sol came back and handed Ging a tall glass of lightly colored water.

"It's a tea I make from a plant Tena personally raises," Sol said. "Drink it all in one go, it doesn't taste the best, but you will get some sleep."

"Cheers," Ging said as they clinked their glasses together. "It tastes like the bottom of a rock."

Tena and Sol laughed. "Sol said it tasted like a beetle he ate once in Meteor City, but Chugs loves it."

"Of course he does," Ging said, laughing with the others.

"Ok, it's time, I think," Sol said as he and Tena stood up. "See you in the morning, Ging. If you want to leave, you can catch a ride with me. You have all night to decide on what you wish to do."

"I think," Ging said, struggling to hold up his heavy eyelids. "I think sleep does sound good, actually, so I'm going to just focus on that."

Sol gently picked up his child, who was also fast asleep, and he and Tena left the room in silence.

Copper, who fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, slept through the night, and Ging, for the first time he could remember, did the same.

His head wasn't full of plans and mysteries, of journeys and trials. It was just empty. In the dark, enshrouded cabin, he let down his barriers and enjoyed the best sleep of his life.

The End