Jack's arrival in HxH world - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Bloodstained Bus and the Descent into Darkness

The bus rumbled along the narrow, winding road, its tires crunching against the gravel. The atmosphere inside was tense, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood and the lingering fear of the passengers. Jack sat near the back, his eyes scanning the others.

Illumi Zoldyck, disguised as Gittarackur, sat near the front, his needle-covered face expressionless.

Siper, the assassin with the sniper rifle, leaned against a pole, her sharp eyes watching everyone. The remaining passengers—a burly man with scars, a nervous girl, and two men who seemed to be partners—huddled together, their unease palpable.

The humanoid turtle driving the bus had warned them that the road to Zaban City was fraught with danger. Jack knew this was no exaggeration. The Hunter Exam was designed to test their limits, and this bus ride was just the beginning.

—

The second attack came without warning. A small, fluffy owl landed on the bus’s windshield, its large, round eyes staring at the passengers. It was undeniably cute, and the nervous girl couldn’t help but smile.

“Aww, look at it! It’s so adorable!” she said, her fear momentarily forgotten.

But Jack’s system pinged, and a notification appeared.

—

Warning: Hypnotic Owl Detected

Ability: Hypnotizes anyone who perceives it as cute.

—

Before Jack could warn her, the girl’s eyes glazed over. She stood up, her movements robotic, and walked toward the owl. The burly man with scars grabbed her arm, but it was too late. The owl lunged, its sharp beak tearing into her eyes. She screamed, blood streaming down her face, before collapsing to the floor.

The owl let out a triumphant screech, but its victory was short-lived. A larger beast, a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes, pounced from the shadows and devoured the owl in one bite. The passengers stared in horror, their fear renewed.

—

The next attack came from a different direction. A sleek, venomous snake slithered into the bus through a crack in the floor. Its scales shimmered in the dim light, and its forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air.

The burly man with scars noticed it first. “Snake!” he shouted, grabbing a metal pipe from the floor. He swung at the snake, but it dodged with unnatural speed, its fangs sinking into his arm.

He cried out in pain, dropping the pipe and clutching his arm. The venom worked quickly, his skin turning pale and his movements sluggish. Jack rushed to his side, using his Detoxification skill to neutralize the poison. The man groaned in relief, but the damage was done. He was too weak to continue.

—

The final attack came in the form of a massive cat-like monster, its fur bristling and its claws extended. It leaped onto the bus, its yellow eyes gleaming with malice. One of the two partners, a man with a cocky grin, drew a knife and charged at the monster.

“I’ve got this!” he said, overestimating his abilities.

The cat monster swiped at him, its claws slicing through his knife and cutting deep into his chest. He fell to the floor, blood pooling around him. His partner screamed, rushing to his side, but it was too late. The man was dead.

The cat monster turned its attention to the remaining passengers, its gaze locking onto Illumi. It lunged at him, but Illumi didn’t even flinch. With a flick of his wrist, a needle shot through the air, piercing the monster’s skull. It let out a final yowl before collapsing.

—

The attacks had pushed the passengers to their limits, but Illumi’s patience had run out. The man who had attacked the cat monster had also, in his panic, accidentally struck Illumi. The assassin’s eyes darkened, and he released an overwhelming wave of malicious aura.

The bus shook violently, its windows shattering and its frame buckling under the pressure. The humanoid turtle, terrified for his life, slammed on the brakes and turned to Illumi.

“Please, forgive me!” he begged. “I’ll take you directly to the Hunter Exam! Just spare me!”

Illumi’s expression didn’t change, but he retracted his aura, the bus falling silent once more. The humanoid turtle wasted no time, driving the bus at breakneck speed toward their destination.

—

Of the seven passengers who had boarded the bus, only three remained: Jack, Illumi, and Siper. The others had either died or been too injured to continue. The humanoid turtle dropped them off at a secluded restaurant, where they were given a secret code to access the Hunter Exam.

The code led them to an elevator, which descended 100 floors below the surface. The ride was silent, the tension between the three survivors palpable. Illumi and Siper, both assassins, had no interest in conversation, and Jack was too focused on the challenges ahead to break the silence.

—

When the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a massive underground tunnel filled with examinees. The atmosphere was electric, the air buzzing with anticipation and fear.

A small, green bean-like creature approached them, introducing himself as Bean, Exam organise.

“Welcome to the Hunter Exam,” Bean said, handing them their registration numbers. “Here is your registration.”

[Illumi Zoldyck got number 301.]

[Siper got number 302.]

[Jack got number 303.]

Jack took his number, a sense of accomplishment washing over him. A notification appeared in his vision.

—

Quest Complete: Reach the Hunter Exam Site

Reward: 5,000 EXP

…

New Quest: Pass the First Phase of the Hunter Exam

Reward: 5,000 EXP

—

Jack smiled. He was one step closer to his goal.

As Jack made his way through the crowd, a friendly-looking man approached him, a wide grin on his face. “Hey there, new guy! I’m Tonpa. Welcome to the Hunter Exam!”

Jack recognized him immediately. Tonpa, the self-proclaimed “Rookie Killer,” was infamous for sabotaging new examinees. He handed Jack a can of juice, his smile never wavering.

“Here, have a drink. You look like you could use it.”

Jack knew the drink was poisoned, but he also knew it was just a mild toxin designed to cause food poisoning. He accepted the can and drank it, his Detoxification skill neutralizing the poison before it could take effect.

Tonpa’s grin widened. “Good luck, rookie. You’re gonna need it.”

Jack nodded, his expression calm. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

As Tonpa walked away, Jack couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity for the man. Tonpa’s joy came from breaking the dreams of others, but Jack had no intention of letting him succeed.