Leorio the Shadow Monarch - Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Zevil Island Gamble & Target Acquired
The transition from the engineered confines of the Trick Tower to the untamed wildness of Zevil Island was abrupt. The short journey via naval ship did little to dispel the lingering tension from the Tower’s final, frantic moments. Fewer than fifty applicants remained now, a collection of the skilled, the lucky, and the tenacious. Leorio watched his companions – Gon vibrated with nervous energy, Killua scanned the horizon with practiced Zoldyck vigilance, Kurapika maintained his usual stoic calm, though his eyes were sharp. Leorio himself felt a surprising sense of readiness. His power level felt solid, his system reliable, his mind sharp. Phase 4, he knew, was an individual trial. A hunt. And for perhaps the first time, he felt genuinely equipped for it.
The ship docked at a primitive landing carved into the shoreline of the island. Zevil Island. Even the name sounded vaguely menacing. As they disembarked, the air hit them – thick, humid, heavy with the scent of damp earth, decaying vegetation, and the salty tang of the sea. Dense jungle pressed in on all sides, alive with the chirps, screeches, and rustles of unseen creatures. The atmosphere was one of primal challenge, a stark contrast to the artificial dangers of the Tower.
A woman with a practical demeanor and the tired eyes of someone used to dealing with Hunter applicants introduced herself as Khara, their guide for this phase briefing. She wasted no time.
“Welcome to Zevil Island, the stage for the Fourth Phase of the 287th Hunter Exam,” Khara announced, her voice carrying over the uneasy shuffling of the candidates. “Your objective here is simple in theory, difficult in practice. You have seven days. Survive, and acquire six points.”
She held up a standard applicant badge. “Your own badge, the one bearing your number, is worth three points. Keep it safe.” Then, she explained the core mechanic. “Before boarding the ship, each of you drew a card indicating the badge number of your designated target. Acquiring your specific target’s badge is also worth three points.” She paused, letting the implications sink in. “Any other applicant’s badge you happen to acquire is worth one point. Six points total are required to pass.”
Leorio did the math quickly. Target’s badge + Own badge = 6 points. The most direct route. No need to hunt randoms unless things went sideways.
“How you acquire these badges is largely up to you,” Khara continued, her tone becoming slightly grim. “Hunting, tracking, negotiation, theft… all are permitted. This is a test of your survival skills, your resourcefulness, and your ability to operate independently under pressure. Lethal force against fellow applicants is, officially, grounds for disqualification.” She added dryly, “However, accidents do happen on Zevil Island. Do try to avoid them. You have one week. Your time starts the moment the ship leaves.” She gestured towards a simple table where small, sealed boxes presumably containing their badge information waited. “Collect your information, and prepare yourselves.”
A tense silence fell as applicants lined up. This was it. The moment luck assigned them their prey. Leorio joined the queue, his mind calm but alert. He subtly used `Observe Lv1` on some of the applicants near him, refreshing his memory of their levels and perceived threats. Most were in the Lv 10-15 range.
Manageable. His real concern remained focused on two specific individuals he made sure to keep track of – Hisoka, leaning against a tree looking utterly relaxed, and Gittarackur, standing stiffly near the back, pins glinting. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Finally, it was his turn. He stepped up to the table. Khara handed him a small box. Inside were two sealed cards. He opened the first: `#403`. His own number. Standard. He opened the second, the target card. His eyes scanned the number printed clearly: `#246`.
Recognition clicked instantly. Badge #246. Ponzu. The quiet girl with the round hat, the one who used chemical-filled bees. Leorio almost let out a sigh of relief, catching himself just in time. Compared to the monsters he could have drawn – Hisoka, Gittarackur, even Hanzo or Killua – Ponzu was practically a gift-wrapped target.
Okay, Ponzu, he thought, mentally accessing his knowledge of her. Not a direct combatant. Relies on traps, poisons, incapacitating agents delivered by her bees. Her main strategy is likely to find a secure location, like a cave, and fortify it.
His `Observe` skill, used briefly on her during the earlier phases, likely pegged her level somewhere in the low 10s, maybe even lower.
Threat level: Low (Physical), Moderate (Environmental/Traps). Objective: Acquire badge #246. Method: Locate her hiding spot, neutralize traps (Shadow Pigs as trap detectors?), avoid getting gassed, retrieve badge. Should be straightforward if I’m careful. He recalled her grim end during the Chimera Ant arc and felt a brief, irrelevant pang of sympathy.
Focus, Leorio. This is the Exam.
Khara’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Remember, just as you have a target, someone else has your number. Watch your back.”
Right. Badge #403 was someone else’s prize. Who drew him? He scanned the remaining applicants, looking for tells, trying to use `Observe` discreetly again. It was hard to tell; everyone looked tense or determined now. He focused on the Amori brothers – the triplets who always stuck together. They seemed overly focused, perhaps, whispering amongst themselves. He hit one with `Observe`.
—
Target: Amori (Identifier: A?)
Level: 8
Condition: Nervous, Determined, Consulting Siblings
Threat Assessment: Low (Individually), Moderate (Group Tactics)
Thoughts: [Target #403 looked strong… need all three of us… ambush?]
—
Bingo. Or at least, a very strong probability. Observe Lv1 wasn’t perfect, but picking up surface thoughts relating to his badge number and planned tactics? That felt conclusive. One of the Amori brothers was hunting him, and they planned to use their triplet teamwork, likely via ambush.
Leorio almost laughed. His hunter was one of the stooges, likely needing his two equally weak brothers (Lv8) just to stand a chance. Against his current stats? STR 70, AGI 43, VIT 47, plus twenty Shadow Pigs? Unless they managed the luckiest ambush in history, they were barely a speed bump.
His strategy solidified instantly.
1. Primary Goal: Locate Ponzu (#246). Use `Observe`, `Shadow Pig` scouting (within 38m range initially), and enhanced Senses to find her hiding spot.
2. Badge Acquisition: Neutralize her bee/gas traps carefully. Perhaps send shadows in first to trigger them. Obtain her badge with minimal fuss. Avoid direct confrontation if possible; no need to harm her unnecessarily.
3. Hunter Defense: Keep an eye out for the Amori brothers. My high SEN should make ambushes difficult for them. If they attack, overwhelm them quickly with superior stats and maybe a few Shadow Pigs as backup. Their badges would be worth 1 point each if he needed them later, but weren’t the primary goal.
4. Avoidance Protocol: Maintain constant vigilance for Hisoka and Gittarackur/Illumi. Use `Observe` frequently on his surroundings when moving. If either is detected nearby – immediate strategic retreat in the opposite direction. No engagement, period. Their `Lv ??? / FATAL ERROR` ratings were non-negotiable warnings.
5. Timeline: Seven days. Plenty of time if he was efficient. Get Ponzu’s badge early, then find a secure spot to lay low and run out the clock, maybe continue his `Path to Strength` training in seclusion.
It felt… manageable. Almost easy, provided he didn’t get arrogant and kept clear of the two resident psychopaths. The overwhelming power difference between him and the average applicant gave him a massive buffer.
Khara gave the final signal. “The ship is departing. Your seven days start now. Good luck, candidates.”
The heavy thrum of the ship’s engines starting up signaled the true beginning. Instantly, the forty-odd remaining applicants melted into the dense jungle treeline, vanishing like smoke. The clearing was empty within seconds, the tense camaraderie of the previous phases dissolved, replaced by the primal energy of hunter and hunted.
Leorio took one last look at the departing ship, then turned towards the suffocating green wall of the jungle. He picked a direction, away from the main cluster of dispersing applicants, and started walking, the humid air clinging to him like a shroud. The sounds of strange birds and unseen creatures formed a disquieting symphony. Zevil Island welcomed its latest players. Phase Four, the hunt, was on. And Leorio, for perhaps the first time since arriving in this world, felt like he might actually be the predator, not the prey. As long as he watched out for bigger fish.