“Gittarackur!” Gon’s voice called out Illumi by his still unknown fake name outside, just as all newly-minted Hunters dispersed around. “Where did Killua go?”

“Following him isn’t a good idea.” His answer carried not an ounce of hesitation.

“Don’t give me that!” clenched his fists Gon. “Killua is my friend! I’ll get him back! I swear!”

“Am I correct in assuming they are going with you?” asked Illumi, looking behind Gon.

When he turned, he saw Kurapika and Leorio standing by him, and the smile bloomed on his face at their support. It whilted in confusion as his gaze fell further, behind his friend’s backs, causing them to turn as well.

Chuu stood there, serious and not looking at anyone else but Illumi. 

“Yes,” she squinted her eyes. “You are.”

“Are you going to cause trouble for the estate?”

Chuu snorted and pointed at the boys. “With this team, causing a problem on Zoldyck mountain? Fat chance of that,” she squinted her eyes at Illumi, tone diving down. “No, I am just going to make sure Killua gets out again and for good,” her voice dipped into a threatening territory, “no strings attached and all that.”

Nonpulsed by her hostility, Illumi nodded. “Good.” Ignoring the second half of her statement, he looked back at Gon. “She knows where to go,” before turning his back on the group, leaving.

“What does he mean?” Kurapika turned to Chuu, confused.

“It is widely known in the underworld that Zoldycks live on Kukuroo mountain. Even more, civilians know this information too: there are tours held up to the gates of the estate.”

“Tours to an assassin’s home?” Incredibility oozed off of Leorio’s words and Chuu felt the same, when heard about this the first time at eleven years old.

“Yes, but only to the gates.”

“That is still very close!” brightened Leorio at her remark.

Chuu abstained from commenting.

HyunJin was borderline running around the halls of the hotel and its many little gardens, searching.

The only thing she could use here was her nose, but the man seemed to just vanish in thin air again and again, making her run circles. Her wounded leg and ribs were not helping either, face scrunched into a fierce scowl of pain she did not bother to hide.

Her head snapped towards a whiff of grime, flowing through the open doors heading to the outside, and she rushed out, only to stop in her tracks, eyes fixed on her target.

Hisoka, in turn, was staring at her, light amusement playing in his features.

“Why, hello there, lovely,” he started, a smile growing half an inch wider. “Shouldn’t you be careful for now and not move around much? Jogging around for twenty minutes seems counterproductive.”

She ignored a mockingly raised eyebrow, moving closer, until there was only a meter between them, which earned her raising the second one.

“Since I am so weak that I need to postpone my jogging training plan,” started HyunJin, staring him dead in the eye, trying to look less confrontational than she felt, “what would you recommend me to do after I heal so I can do better?”

Now this, it made him pay attention.

“You want to get stronger? And you come for advice to me ?”

Ignoring a weird lilt in his voice, she nodded. “Since you fought me at my best, I thought you could give me good advice.”

A shudder washed over Hisoka’s body, but it passed as fast as it came. “Well, my dear, I am truly flattered since you decided to come to me and not to the shinobi or one of your friends...”

“Hanzo fought me already wounded and girls never sparred with  me,” interrupted him HyunJin, at which he squinted.

“Do not interrupt me, kitten. Since you came for advice to me over them,” he took a pause, waiting for her to urge him up, but when she didn’t, continued with a smile, “know, that Heaven’s Arena is the best place for you to train. I fight there too, sometimes,” he smiled good-humoredly, though a smile turned predatory almost immediately after. “Maybe, when you feel strong enough, you should challenge me to a fight.”

HyunJin nodded, memorizing the name, tuning out all other reactions Hisoka had. “We’ll see.”

She her heels, leaving, ignoring the drilling stare Hisoka was giving her back.

Next stop, Chairman Netero’s office. 

Wandering around, looking for either Gon or Kurapika or Leorio (who she felt safe in assuming were together) or Choerry or Chuu - to be fair, that was almost anybody -, HeeJin walked around the hotel, finding such a big building with its wide halls and lobbies unfit for the almost eerie quietness it had. However, it felt like a mountain dropped off her shoulders after her agreement with HyunJin, so when she searched around, she did it with a little spring in her step.

The feeling of solitude was strong enough that she jumped a little when someone called out her name. And, oh, this was her legal name now, what a relief!

HeeJin was even more surprised when she faced the approaching person - it was Hanzo, of all people.

“Yes?”

“Congratulations on passing,” he started, “I wasn’t thinking you will be one of the successful ones,” he admitted somewhat sheepishly. HeeJin felt a pang of bruised ego, but now, looking at other people around her who became Hunters, couldn’t help but agree. 

Didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling somewhat angry at him breaking HyunJin’s arm. 

“Thank you,” she nodded, acknowledging the truth of his words. “Looking back, I wouldn’t bet on me either.”

He smiled gently, satisfied she was not taking this as an offense, before getting to the point. “During the failed second phase and later on the ship, you paid extra attention to me. On the boat and island too, but not as strongly. Was there any reason in particular?”

Ah, this. She desperately hoped she didn’t rediate her embarrassment.

She looked around but realized she probably wasn’t the best one to do it and sheepishly asked Hanzo instead. “Is there anyone around?” At his shake, she took a deep breath, deciding to get over this as quickly as possible and if he thinks she was weird, she’ll survive, not the first person to do so. “Back home I heard a lot about shinobi - both my family and our friends sometimes hired them for protection and various jobs,” she continued, aiming for an unbothered voice. At Hanzo’s continued curiosity, she explained further, “and despite how many times it happened, I never crossed paths with one, since I was kept away from any business and, after some time I, kinda… became a fan. Of a concept?” She tried her best to get across her temporal childhood obsession without actually confessing it, but couldn’t escape making the last bit sound more like a question.

God, she was definitely blushing.

“So when I first saw you, I felt very glad but also nervous and. Agitated would be the best word to describe, but coming up to an unfamiliar person at a Hunter Exam with no real motive would have been stupid. So I just stared.” Maybe she should leave right now, ignoring what she just said, having the last word, however shaky, hers.

“Do not worry,” she risked a glance at him and saw him looking serene with eyes closed and one open palm raised. “Shinobi art is an old and honored side of our culture that takes years to perfect and it is widely known among non-civilians.” He opened his eyes, which lacked a single spec of humor. “It is always a pleasure to know that somebody outside of these circles became deeply interested in it.” HeeJin swallowed down a relieved sigh. “I do not know where you come from, but do not fear. I believe some of what you heard may be wrong or exaggerated and it would be my pleasure to answer all your questions unless they are about our secret knowledge.” He paused. “Later. I have to get going soon. But visit our village some time, Hidden in the Cloud, I will show you around,” he presented her a business card to her incredibility. “It was a pleasure meeting you, HeeJin,” he nodded respectfully.

“Ah, you too, Hanzo. I will definitely take you up on that invitation. Later. Far later,” HeeJin clutched the card, relieved she wasn’t laughed on. “See you. But only if you give some advice to HyunJin,” she leveled a serious gaze over him. “For the broken femur.”

“Of course, she is already invited as well. Well then. Farewell, HeeJin.” He nodded composedly and vanished in front of her eyes.

Showoff, huffed inwardly HeeJin. And frowned at the card. For all intents and purposes it looked just like a regular one, with name, occupation, organization and contact information. 

Cool, she didn’t know shinobi had such ordinary cards.

She giggled, a first laughter in a while. She had an invitation to a shinobi village!..

“I have a fan! Oh my god, I have a fan!” he was way over himself in his gleefulness, having to take a moment to compose himself before approaching some of the other newly-titled Hunters.

HyunJin walked up to Netero’s office. Or what was functioning as such for the time being.

As she was rising to knock, the door opened and there he stood, smiling. Netero stepped to the side, inviting her in.

“When I was younger, I was told not to run around on damaged legs,” he said out of the blue. “Everyone told me I'll understand when I grow older.”

He walked back to the table, a couple stacks of paperwork on, some sorted in the files, sitting behind it.

As the pause became pointed, HyunJin took the bait. “And? Did you understand?”

Netero made a silly face and shrugged, raising open palms. “Still no idea! Probably still not old enough.”

“Probably.” Agreed HyunJin, deciding to humor him, easily imagining how she would answer if that was her mother. “How long do you think you have left to wait before you gain that wisdom?”

“Another twenty or so years, if I had to make an educated guess. Or a visit to the doctor. Whichever comes first.” Netero brought his hands together, sitting sideways to the table, dropping his goofy expression. “It feels slightly wrong to end your hunt so fast after you became a Hunter, but a promise is a promise. After all, you definitely won’t stop the Hunt that easily.” With an all-knowing smirk that old people often had, Netero looked at her heavily. “Was there any particular aspect of me jumping off of the blimp or is it a general act you were curious about?”

“Your landing with no damage.”

Netero hummed, putting hands on the table, turning to it properly. “Any reason? The more specific you are, the clearer my answer will be,” he offered.

HyunJin pursed her lips, looking down. There was no real reason to not tell him. She did not tell anyone about it besides her mom, but only because of how unbelievable that was. She was sure that her story would be easily dismissed by anyone she told it.

But this was Chairman of the Hunter Association. He had who knew how many Hunters working within it, encountering and creating unbelievable things. 

She tightened her healthy fist over the crutch’s handle. If he did not believe her, she would lose the biggest lead she had. But it was never the one she followed initially, not the one that took her to the Exam. This was a bonus. Breathe out and relax.

She would just work to meet other Hunters and ask them.

She read about them for years after it happened and before she became eighteen - HyunJin was sure she could live and work as a Poachers hunter, making connections until she learned what had happened to her.

Taking in a shaky breath, she steadied herself and looked one of the most powerful people on the Earth in the eyes. “I fell off a cliff, 300-400 meters down before I hit the ground. I am sure I died and can recall the moments before my death.” No reaction. HyunJin had to push herself - this sounded just as unbelievable as it was the first time. “But then I woke in the evening unharmed at that same place of landing, in bloodied remains of my clothes, and went home.”

Netero did not answer, staring back at her with unreadable eyes.

“I am sure I died,” stressed out HyunJin, alarmed by his lack of reaction. “Please believe me.”

Netero opened his mouth, eyes focused and serious. “I believe you and have no doubt that you died.”

HyunJin felt unsteady, having to consciously steady herself.

“Nen. That’s the answer you are looking for. A force that can greatly strengthen your body or even heal you and it is controlled by a person’s will. To learn it,” he took a folded paper off his desk and offered it to her. A pre-written answer to her mystery, “call this number and explain your situation to him. Or don’t - every hunter knows nen, simply forbidden to tell non-hunters about it, - but since you became a Hunter, there shouldn’t be a problem if you latch on one of them.” He smirked in his mustache. “Few of them feel socially responsible enough to teach. That one,” he glanced at the paper, “isn’t.”

HyunJin walked up to the outstretched hand and took the paper. Her hands shook.

There was a reason. A tangible, real reason that she could grasp.

“Word of warning,” continued Netero, “you likely did die, for a short while. If you have problems with the fact, you have all the time necessary to come to terms with it.”

She was silent. Then, sourly, “So I would’ve got a definite answer even without a bet? It was all a trick?”

He barked a laugh instead of answering. Then he softened his tone. “Any immediate questions?”

She shook her head, stepping back to the door.

She opened .

“Am I… sort of undead?”

The old martial artist smiled at her small voice, warmth seeping into his eyes. “No, HyunJin. You are as alive as you could ever be .”