The dawn of the sixth day pierced the gloom of the cave, bringing a bone-chilling dampness.
The silence within was heavy, no longer filled with the focused intensity of previous days but thick with anxious anticipation.
Gon, Killua, and Leorio sat in a circle near the dying embers of the fire, their respective stones inert in their hands. Leorio's gaze kept darting to the dark entrance, his fingers drumming nervously on his knee.
Four days without a sign of Kurapika, in a trial where every second counted to gather a thousand points…
Leorio had reason to panic, even if his concern for Celeste had proved unnecessary. The core issue remained: would they have enough points themselves? Was Kurapika…?
A faint stir at the cave's entrance, more a shift in the air than a sound. Then a silhouette emerged in the growing light.
Kurapika.
He stood there, pristine. No dust on his light tunic, not a scratch on his skin, his blond hair perfectly in place. He entered with the same unnerving calm as when he'd left, as if returning from a morning stroll rather than four days of relentless hunting.
"I'm back," he announced simply, his steady voice breaking the tense silence. A faint smile touched his lips. "Did you miss me?"
Relief washed over them, but it was fleeting for Leorio. He shot to his feet, his white quartz falling carelessly to the stone floor.
"Miss you?!" he exploded, worry morphing into exasperation. "We were more worried about our damn points than your miraculously unscathed hide!" He jabbed a finger at his own smartwatch, then at the others'. "Do you realize what time it is? The last day! And we're all in the red! Gon's at 700, Killua's at 920, I'm at 500, and you? How many you got? Enough to pull us out of this mess, or have you been meditating in a clearing the whole time?"
Kurapika didn't seem fazed by the outburst. Instead, a light, rare, and surprising laugh escaped him.
Leorio froze, his momentum cut short.
"The points…" Kurapika said, his smile fading but lingering in his eyes. "Indeed, that's the priority now. I'm curious about your progress with the stones… but that can wait a moment." He raised his left wrist, gently turning his smartwatch so the screen was visible to all.
The number blinked in vivid red, sharp and undeniable in the cave's dimness: 1880.
A low whistle slipped from Leorio's lips. "1880… Holy hell! You rob an entire army or what?!"
Killua, meanwhile, had already done the math. His sharp eyes flicked from Kurapika's number to the others', lighting up with instant understanding. "700 for Gon, 920 for me, 500 for you, Leorio…" He counted quickly on his fingers, a glint of approval in his gaze. "700 plus 920 is 1620. Plus 500 is 2120. Plus Kurapika's 1880… that's exactly 4000 points." He locked eyes with Kurapika. "Four candidates. Four times a thousand points. Just what we need. Not one more."
Kurapika nodded, a quiet satisfaction on his face. "Precisely. The trial clearly states: 'Obtain 1000 points.' It mentions no bonus for excess. In an exam like this, where rules are often traps, hoarding far more than needed could've been seen as cheating, stockpiling, or just grounds for elimination. I judged that hitting the exact target with surgical precision was the safest strategy."
Leorio's eyes widened, impressed. "Surgical's the word… You're a damn metronome, Kurapika. But hell, thank you!"
But Gon hadn't reacted. He stared at the ground, brows furrowed in an unusual look of unease. His fist still gripped his bluish pebble tightly.
"Gon?" Killua asked, the first to notice his silence. "What's up? You should be stoked, we've got our points!"
Gon looked up, fixing his gaze on Kurapika. "It's just…" He hesitated, searching for words. "…I'm not sure this is right."
Leorio's mouth opened, already flushing with anger. "Not right?! Gon, you're losing it!"
"Let him speak, Leorio," Kurapika cut in, his voice soft but firm, eyes locked on Gon.
Gon took a deep breath. "Kurapika did all the work." His voice was calm but laced with troubled conviction. "For four days, we stayed here, training with our stones… while he was out fighting, collecting points for all of us." He gripped his pebble tighter. "It's… it's like we cheated on the trial. We didn't earn these thousand points. Not like this."
The silence that followed was thick. Even Celeste, in the background, stopped toying with a strand of her hair to watch with heightened interest.
Leorio growled, ready to erupt again, but Kurapika stepped toward Gon.
He crouched to his level, his gaze free of reproach, only deep intensity and unexpected understanding.
"Gon," he began, his low, clear voice carrying in the cave's silence. "Your reaction comes from a righteous heart that values effort and fairness. That's a strength. But understand this: what I did, I deemed necessary."
He glanced around, taking in Killua and Leorio. "Our shared goal goes far beyond this trial. You know that. Getting a Hunter's license is a means, not the end. The time we spent here, focused on forging the core of your will in Nen, was critical. More critical, in my view, than chasing points in a blind frenzy. Every minute of focus, every second you maintained your presence on those stones, strengthened your foundation in a way weeks of chaotic fighting couldn't have."
His eyes returned to Gon, piercing. "I took on the 'point collection' because my situation, my current abilities, and my… personal goal… allowed it." A fleeting shadow crossed his scarlet eyes. "But don't see this as cheating, Gon. See it as… an investment. A debt."
Gon blinked. "A debt?"
Kurapika nodded slowly. "Yes. A debt I take on today, giving you this time and safety for your foundational training. A debt I'll ask you to help me repay later."
He stood, his gaze sweeping the group again. "A day will come, I'm certain, when I'll need your strength, the will you're forging here in this cave. To face something far bigger, far darker, than this mere trial. When that day comes, I'll count on you. That's the price of these thousand points. Not a cheat, Gon. A pact. A trust in the future we'll build together. Do you accept this debt?"
Gon stared, his inner turmoil visibly shaken by the sincerity and gravity of the explanation. He looked down at his pebble, where his aura suddenly stabilized, warmer and more present than ever. Then he raised his head, his frank, determined smile returning.
"Okay, Kurapika," he said simply, with renewed conviction. "When you need us, we'll be there. I promise."
A palpable relief swept through the group. Killua gave a small nod of approval. Leorio let out a loud huff. "Well, there you go! No need to overthink it, Gon! We're a team, that's all!"
"Good," Kurapika concluded, his expression turning practical. "We have just under twenty-four hours until the trial officially ends. Let's use them. Show me the results of your focus. Gon, Killua… are you still maintaining the connection with your stones?"
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