Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The shady Merchant
With the end of the second test, the night was fast approaching, and slowly the sky turned a starry black.
Once on the airship, the 42 contestants were gathered together to be given the details of the next phase.
Netero gave a brief speech and sent everyone on their way.
…
"Enma, you bastard! How come you are excluded from the next phase! Unfair!"
"My dear Leorio, as the chairman said, as the only one who passed the initial second test, I'm excused from the next one. I'm awesome just like that"
Enma said flicking his hair.
Both Killua and Leorio scoffed at that.
"Bah! You were lucky! You knew the dish in advance…"
Meanwhile Gon Asked:
"Hey Killua! Why don't we go to explore the ship??"
"Yeah! Let's go."
Leorio shook his head at that scene.
"Kids…they are so energetic. (Yawn) I'm going to sleep, what about you 2?"
"Same" said Kurapika yawning himself.
"I'll go eat first."
They started walking in the same direction.
"…I wonder how many test do we still have to go through."
Kurapika was busy analyzing their situation when someone interrupted.
"Usually there are 5 to 6 test for each hunter exam!"
He was a short and familiar fat man.
"That means another 3 or 4 to go…"
Kurapika thought aloud while holding his chin.
"Also, I would suggest you to not sleep at all, but rather stay alert. For all we knows, the third test could be held on the ship itself at any given moment. Next thing you know you get disqualified because you overslept."
"Oh…thanks for the advice.."
"I'm here for that."
Tonpa waved and parted with the trio.
'I just want you all to be tired for the next test tomorrow muhaha'.
…
"That was totally wrong… The chairman said we can do whatever we want, he didn't say to await for orders.."
"I agree with Enma, I think it's safe to rest."
"That fatso is a bit too paranoid.."
"Yeah well, I think he is trying to sabotage us.."
"What?? Let me fuck him up."
Leorio was fast riled up.
"Leave him be… He can't deceive you when you know he is trying to. Well guys, see you tomorrow."
"You are right. Good night."
…
-Examiner's private room-
"A lot of talented people this year! Even if I initially failed almost everyone, there are a lot of interesting participants"
Menchi said while stuffing her mouth with a chicken leg.
"Yeah! The rookie are especially good for this year's batch!"
"You are right…I think between them number 254 and number 1 are the ones that piqued my interest the most. What about you Satotz?"
"Number 99…"
"Bohoro?"
"Well, he is not a rookie…but number 44 is definitely one to observe closely.
Number 1… He doesn't look that strong…"
"His culinary ideas are really something tough, that's why I picked him."
"Mmm… Also being number one means that he was the first to find the hunter exam location. Maybe he is hiding something… His weakness could be an act, he may be a wolf in sheep's clothes."
…
"Fuuu! That hit the spot!"
After eating and showering, the satisfied contestant number 1 was roaming the hallways of the ship, searching for the common rooms.
It was well past midnight and the ship was deserted.
From time to time he would stop to look at the outside's view.
In his mind, scenes of the events that happened that day kept repeating themselves over and over again.
Every time he brushed past the strange encounter in the underground cave, he couldn't help but think that there was something more to it that could meet the eye.
'That was too bizarre of a situation. Hallucinations? That can be ruled out. This is not earth...
Does that mean that there really was a person in the middle of nowhere in a random cave?? A merchant at that? It is less logical than hallucinations.
Stop! In this world, normal logic doesn't apply!
What is it then? There is something I am overlooking.'
It was at that moment that, reflected in the glass window, he saw a black shadow turning at the end of the corridor.
'That hump! Is that guy again!'
"Wait!"
Recognizing the man as the mysterious figure he encountered before that day, he sprinted in chase.
Once at the corridor's intersection, he turned and went the same way the shadow went.
The new, narrower, corridor was a completely empty dead end. It only went few meter deeper before leading to a single room.
Enma stopped.
Unlike the main hallway, the lamps on the wall where extremely dim, painting a really eerie atmosphere.
Mist was hovering at the teen's feet.
Enma gaze was fixated on the single room door few meters ahead. For some unknown reason, he felt compelled to go forward.
Green light was flickering through the keyhole and the space between the door and the floor.
The ravenette carefully held the handle of the door and slowly opened it.
More mist came out.
The room was dark and only the all too familiar green hue gave some sort of visibility.
It wasn't a stall this time…
It was a booth, one not so different from a fortune teller's one. The light came directly from the little opening in the front.
The man clad in black was there inside, probably sitting on a stool. He seemed to be waiting for the teen as, as soon as the latter entered the room, his eyes bore on to him.
"Welcome, young traveler. The shady merchant is once again at your disposal" He said with a small bow and a cheeky but creepy smile.
"Who are you? Are you following me? What do you want from me?!"
"Who? What are you talking about? Ahh I see…How sad.. you still can't understand"
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it young man. What is, in this world, the common factor that unites all supernatural events?"
"C-common factor…? Could it be…!!"
"Ding-ding-ding ! Finally you get it!"
"You are a nen user! But what do you want from me exactly?"
The merchant sighed.
"Sigh! Wrong.. I thought you were brighter than that mr. Thompson.."
"..! What did you say?"
Enma panicked. His reincarnation was his most personal secret. Nobody should have known.
'How the hell does he know? Was he sent by King Enma? Are his nen abilities capable of reading my mind?'
The boy retreated and drew his now loyal sword.
"Puh! We did this already! I mean no harm. I would never hurt my master.."
The merchant was disgusted to be, once again, on the other end of a blade.
"…Your master? Explain yourself clearly! Wait…no way…are you..?"
The Merchant, as if knowing what Enma was thinking, beamed with joy.
"Bingo! Yes! Yes! Say it! Say it!"
"You are my nen ability!"
"HAhahaHaHA cough! Cough! Hahah"
As if hit by a sudden train of information, he continued.
"My nen ability: Shady Merchant!"
'How could I not think about nen! I need to abandon all the preconcepts of my past life as soon as possible.
To think the merchant is my ability… Doesn't that mean I'm a specialist? Only specialist can manifest their ability unconsciously and before unlocking nen.
That is strange, according to Hisoka's personality test, I'm more similar to someone like Kurapika, or maybe Killua.
Is it because of my transmigration? Is it because of this body? In fact, now that I think about it, personality wise, Sasuke would have definitely been a specialist.'
"So? So? Come here young master, let me show you my items, hehe."
Enma focused once again his attention on the merchant and slowly approached the booth.
With a swish of his bony hand, the merchant made 3 boxes appear out of thin air and on the little counter.
The boxes were rather crude looking. Entirely made of old and darkened wood, nobody would expect them to hold something valuable inside.
'The boxes are small, surely nothing too big would come out, right?'
"Don't be too disappointed before even looking inside.."
The merchant seemed to take that personally.
"…I've told you before. You will not regret it, of that I'm sure.."
With another wave of his hand, the three boxes opened, revealing their inside.
"…Empty?"
"Tsk! Such impatience!"
"Ehm..Sorry.."
Abruptly, the 3 boxes shimmered with light and 3 closed parchments hovered in the air above them.
The merchant proceeded to say.
"On every Monday, 3 and only 3 new articles will be present on the counter of the shady merchant booth.
You can only choose one between the 3 to redeem.
About the 2 items that you discard, they may possibly never appear again at the booth…
Lastly, if you don't choose any of them, as a penalty, all 3 of them will surely never appear again.
Now, why don't we start…"
'That is reasonable. From what I can understand, it's better to always choose something, even if I don't need it. The last restriction is still troublesome nonetheless, imagine if I can't summon him for a week… I would lose permanently something maybe precious or useful…
Finally the redeeming part. I can wait a whole week before choosing one of the 3 it seems, that is convenient.'
The first parchment unrolled.
"…first item…"
[Ikki Korugane's nobel art: 'Itto shura'. (A.N. Through amassing all of his body's vigor and stamina, as well as ignoring his natural survival instincts, he can bring out the full hidden power of his body, thus granting him abilities far exceeding his limits for a minute of time.)
Price:
-Stab the same person more than 100 times.
Time limit:
-1 day]
"Wow! Lucky draw! Very lucky draw indeed. Special abilities don't come out often." The merchant nodded his head.
A surge of emotion were visible on Enma face.
'This count as an item??This..this is amazing!
Ikki Korugane is a character from the anime 'Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan', I remember him. When it comes to bare physical abilities and martial arts, he was a real genius.
That skill 'Itto shura' is the real deal… What kind of amazing feats could it bring if coupled with nen??
However… What's with the price?? Stabbing someone 100 times?? What the hell?'
"Good, second one"
[Hanzo's accomplishments in the ninjutsu arts.
Price:
-Slap Hanzo's bald head with all your strength 3 times. The 3 slaps must occur at least 1 hour apart from each other.
Time limit:
-1 week.]
'This also is incredibly good! So I can also get abilities of the people in this universe?
The conditions this time are even more difficult than those for the first item. The me right now would never be able to accomplish that.'
"Last item…"
[Jack Sparrow's compass.
Price:
-Visit 10 different city of at least 5 million inhabitants each.
Time limit:
-1 month.]
'Hiss! This one is probably the best of the three. Having this thing on the dark continent…'
"All done!! Hehe how is it? Impressed?? Now choose. Choose very carefully.."
"What happen if I don't complete the price conditions on the time limit after redeeming one item?"
"The conditions reset. For example if you chose N°2, the time start at the first slap and, if you don't slap 2 other time in the following 7 days, the time reset and you have to start again from 0"
He said smiling evilly.
"Do I have infinite tries?"
"Yes… Ah! I almost forgot… Once you chose an item, you will get the parchment, which will automatically track your progress on the conditions.
You can only have a single parchment at the time"
"But.. What about the items I choose in the meantime at the booth?"
"They will go on a list of products always accessible at the Shady merchant stall."
'The stall… It should be the one I saw in the cave. I wonder if there are already things on the list…'
"What if I can't pay for the item I'm currently holding the parchment of? Would I be stuck forever with that parchment?"
"If you can't pay for an item you chose, just send it to the stall list and pick another parchment."
"Can other people 'buy' the items other than me?"
"Tut-Tut. That is not allowed. What do you choose?"
'It's between first and last… Instant gain vs long term planning.
If I don't pass the hunter exam, forget about travelling so much in a month time. Let's not even talk about the money, how about the passport and traveling documents? The hunter license would come to help.
On the other hand, a powerful physical ability… The condition is awful… Can I really stab a person 100 times?
The rules however are a bit lax. What does it mean by 'stab'? Is a little cut enough? What if I stab myself? Will it count? I am a person after all..'
"Make your choice!!! My time is almost up!"
"I…I choose number one!"
'I can only hope that the compass will show up again in the future.'
"Good!"
'I'm in desperate need of immediate strength right now, or I can forget about having the hunter license. At the moment even my life is at stake. The dark continent? Good luck with that when you are dead.'
The parchment shone brightly and flew directly in Enma's hand.
The paper had [0/100] on the low right corner as well as [24h/24h].
With the transaction completed, the merchant started to fade and turning into mist.
All the smoke were converging back in Enma's body.
"Wait, how can I summon you back!"
"heheh… you find out!"
And with that he was completely gone.
'I need to learn nen as soon as possible. Today's Monday, I have till next Sunday to learn nen in order not to lose the next pick, cause I doubt the merchant will ever reappear on his own.'
Thinking about that he took a card out of his pocket.
[Menchi B. 1 star Gourmet Hunter.
Phone Number: 035******]
"Maybe I've already found my nen's teacher."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Old_Fart_3269
Old_Fart_3269 Longer chapter... About the nen ability, I was inspired by an ability of the MC of a novel called "100% drop rate". Obv there is more to this ability to be discovered...
I know that the pace is slow.. Just bear with it for now, I think that the Hunter exam is perfect for character building etc.
Don't worry, I think 3 chapter and I'm done with the exam.
Have a nice one!
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