Chapter 2: Summer Night × Separation × Alistair
Alistair darted nimbly between the trees, with the Shadowfang Beast hot on his heels.
"Now!"
He twisted mid-air, slipping perfectly through a narrow gap between the branches.
Just as the Shadowfang Beast was about to grab his ankle, it came to an abrupt halt.
—Due to its massive size, it got tightly wedged between the branches.
It couldn't move forward or back, letting out a helpless, frustrated roar.
Alistair turned to look and grinned from ear to ear. "Ha! After two and a half years of training, the student outwits Shadowfang!"
He gathered some vines, tied them into a strong rope, and looped it around the Shadowfang Beast's neck. Then he secured the other end to a higher branch.
Dusting off his hands and clothes, he whistled and flashed a victory sign toward Kite.
With his usual smug expression, Kite could only shake his head.
He leapt down from the treetop and delivered a firm smack.
Thwack!
"Ouch! What the hell? Didn't I just complete today's training?! What's that hand for?"
Alistair clutched his head in pain.
Kite turned away expressionless. "That's your special reward for two and a half years of training. Enjoy it."
"You stingy old man. One day I'll make you pay in gold coins," Alistair muttered bitterly.
Seeing that Kite had no intention of waiting for him, Alistair quickly caught up.
"Hey, ol'—uh, Master! Wait up!"
"Is Shadowfang Beast edible?"
"You're really hungry."
"I can eat anything."
The sunset stretched their tall and short shadows far behind them. In the darkening sky, the first stars had begun to twinkle.
It looked like tonight would be another clear night.
As night deepened, the early summer heat lingered. At the edge of the jungle and cliffs, everything felt extra quiet.
Down in the port town, faint lights flickered. Next to a campfire, Kite was mending Alistair's tattered clothes.
Alistair sat cross-legged nearby, one hand resting on his firelit face, the other poking at the flames with a stick.
"Can't you just buy me new clothes? So many holes. Last time at the market, a vegetable vendor stuffed eight pounds of green onions into my arms—said I looked like I'd been abducted."
Of course, the Hunter x Hunter world had no beggar clans, but shady organizations still abducted kids and used them for begging.
Kite didn't respond, so Alistair kept running his mouth: "Those aunties said you didn't look like a good person. Long hair and eyeliner? Please."
"…"
Kite gave him a death glare—one more word and he was done.
Alistair knew his master too well. He dug his nose and wiped it on Kite's hat. "But I stood up for you."
"Oh yeah? What'd you say?"
"I told them, 'Are you blind? She's obviously a woman.'"
A scream echoed through the valley.
Kite hurled the newly mended clothes at Alistair, now with a face swollen like a pig's.
"This was bought just last month! You act like a savage every day—fighting monkeys for apples, leopards for rabbits, and the most ridiculous one—stealing bugs from wild chickens! Are you human?"
Kite truly didn't know what to do with this kid. Over the past two and a half years, it wasn't so much that he had changed Alistair, but that Alistair had changed him—softening his previously cold nature.
"I gave it back in the end, didn't I?" Alistair mumbled.
"You gave it back, but the chicken was gone."
"You didn't eat it?"
"…"
Kite's clenched fist rose slowly, his eyes closing as he tried to calm himself.
The moment he opened them again, Alistair had leapt into the trees, smugly leaning against the trunk.
"Try something new. I know what move's coming just by your butt's twitch."
"Oh yeah?"
Kite's gaze turned icy, and he vanished instantly.
Alistair hadn't even reacted when—wham—pain shot through his backside, and he was dragged down from the tree.
Kite grabbed him and tossed him next to the campfire, slowly approaching.
Alistair held his butt, backing away in fear. "You're so strong—can't you let me go for once?!"
"Nope."
"Coward!!!"
Looking at the brat in front of him, Kite was equal parts angry, amused, and a little melancholy.
He believed Alistair to be a surviving member of the Kurta Clan who had forgotten the trauma of the massacre. Maybe that's why he was so playful and obnoxious.
Kite didn't want him burdened with hatred. Being a carefree idiot was just fine.
"I'm heading out to sea tomorrow to follow a lead," Kite said suddenly.
Alistair lay on the soft grass, gazing at the stars. A warm breeze ruffled his hair—it was rather pleasant.
"Let me guess—more clues about that 'cheap master' of yours?"
"Yeah. This place I'm going to is actually his hometown."
"Alright, get to the point."
Kite replied, "It's a bit far. I may be gone for three months."
Alistair stared hard at him, repeating: "Say. The. Point."
"…I'm not taking you this time. Wait for me in town," Kite said, turning his head away.
Alistair shrugged and looked back at the sky. "Oh."
He'd already guessed it. After all, Kite never gave advance notice when taking him along—he just left with him. This time felt different.
Kite sighed. "It's not that I don't want to take you…"
"Whatever. Go if you want. It's not like I care."
Alistair stood with a kip-up and dashed off into the dark forest.
Kite watched his back and sighed helplessly.
Ging Freecss had once tasked Kite with finding him, but three years of training Alistair hadn't brought him any closer to that goal.
This time, he decided to try Ging's hometown for leads.
Less than five minutes later, Alistair returned, casually kicking stones like nothing had happened.
He might not have been the most hardworking, but he had one strength—his mood swings passed quickly.
He stopped in front of Kite and held out his hand. "Living expenses."
Kite looked at him and smiled. "You done pouting?"
"Not yet!" Alistair snapped.
He jiggled his hand insistently, demanding money.
Kite batted it away. "Then ask again when you're done pouting. I'm going to sleep." He crawled into his sleeping bag.
Alistair crouched down, still holding out his hand. "Fine. I'm done. Gimme the money."
"Don't have any," Kite said, eyes closed.
---
The next morning, the sun lit the cliffs and the dense forest below.
The early summer breeze was refreshing, rustling the grass and trees at the edge of the cliff with a gentle whisper.
Alistair slowly woke from sleep. Squinting into the light, he stretched and sat up, looking around—Kite was already gone.
"He left without saying anything? Classy," Alistair grumbled through clenched teeth.
As he packed up, he found 50,000 Jennies in bills, his mended jacket, and a small note tucked beneath his sleeping bag.
It read:
"Wait for me in Elgardo Town at the base of the mountain. I'll come back for you once I'm done. Don't forget your daily training."
Alistair carefully folded the note and tucked it into his inner pocket, clutching the orange jacket tightly.
"Tch. Old man."
In the past few years, Alistair had gained a decent understanding of Jennie's buying power—roughly equivalent to Japanese Yen.
50,000 Jennies was about 2,500 RMB.
Judging from Kite's past behavior, though he said "three months," he'd probably be gone for three and a half or even four.
Still, Alistair wasn't too worried. Prices in Elgardo Town were fairly low.
He didn't need to rent a room or buy food every day either. He usually hunted for meals and only splurged on snacks and drinks occasionally.
With 50,000 Jennies, he had more than enough—and might even save some.
One day, with enough savings, he wouldn't have to rely on that stingy old man ever again.
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