hunterxhunter:i Plunder Infinite Entries

Farewell and New Beginnings

"Rick... Really? Then... then I'm counting on you!"

Aunt Mito's eyes grew moist.

Last year, during the island's strength competition, Rick emerged as the champion.

Young, handsome, highly skilled, and powerful, Rick was the dream prince of many young women on Whale Island.

With his help, Mito indeed felt a bit more at ease.

"But becoming a Hunter is very dangerous. Rick, are you sure about this?"

"Of course. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Aunt Mito, thank you for taking care of me all these years."

Rick smiled warmly.

Whale Island was a paradise, a utopia.

But in this world full of powerful Hunters, if someone like Rick, blessed with a unique system, chose to live a passive life...

That would be a waste of his journey to this world.

Moreover, Whale Island's monsters had been mostly cleared out by him. Hunting here no longer held much challenge.

What next? Slaughtering four-hundred-year-old East Sea turtles?

Getting stronger!

That was the ambition of a real man!

The bonfire farewell party was more lively than ever.

Everyone sang and danced around the fire. Many young women from the island presented Rick with heartfelt gifts—scarves, gloves, and other handmade items.

The gifts piled up so high that Rick could hardly carry them all.

At fifteen years old, Rick was the dream of these young girls.

But dreams must set sail.

"Rick, will you come back to Whale Island after you become a professional Hunter? I'll miss you!"

"Rick, take care out there!"

"Sniff, sniff... We were supposed to go fishing this summer, Boss Rick!"

"Rick, when you come back, I'll let you marry my daughter, alright? Hahaha!"

Although it was Gon who first proposed taking the Hunter Exam, Rick had become the star of the farewell.

Rick's popularity on the island was unmatched.

Be it the elderly, children, or young girls, everyone had a favorable impression of him.

Always willing to lend a hand, Rick's departure tugged at everyone's heartstrings.

Of course, Gon also received warm goodbyes. Whale Island was a genuinely kind and harmonious place, free from intrigue and conflict.

The ship for the Hunter Exam arrived as scheduled.

All the residents of Whale Island gathered at the dock to bid farewell to Rick and Gon.

"Boss Rick! Safe travels!!"

"Gon! Stay safe out there!!"

"Come back and visit us! We'll miss you!!"

On the dock, Uncle Cohen, Aunt Mito, and the others waved their hands, shouting loudly.

Under the bright sunlight, Whale Island gradually disappeared into the distance.

"Mito! I'll definitely become the world's greatest Hunter! Once I succeed, I'll come back! I promise!!"

Gon waved his hand and shouted, his eyes brimming with tears.

This was his first time venturing so far from home. Yet, with his dream waiting ahead, there was no room for hesitation.

Besides, with Rick by his side, he didn't feel alone.

"The world's greatest Hunter, huh! Hahaha."

"You're underestimating Hunters, kid."

"The Hunter Exam attracts millions of skilled participants from around the globe each year. But only a handful make it through. Don't talk big, little guy."

Gon's declaration quickly drew the disdain of other examinees aboard the ship.

Rick scanned the crowd.

Name: Yamada

Traits: [One-Handed Swordsmanship] (White), [Theft] (White), [Weak Constitution] (White)

Name: Daisuke

Traits: [Strength] (White), [Dual-Blade Style] (White), [Impotence] (Green)

Name: Iwafuji

Traits: [Firearms] (Green), [Poison Mastery] (White)

All of them were... nobodies.

They even came with debuffs!

Rick couldn't muster any interest.

These guys weren't even worth a mid-sized fish's traits.

However, two figures in the corner caught Rick's eye.

Name: Leorio Paradinight

Traits: [Kindhearted] (Gold), [Medical Talent] (Gold), [Bargaining Expert] (Purple), [Leader] (Blue), [Close-Combat Fighting] (Blue)

Name: Kurapika

Traits: [Scarlet Eyes] (Red), [Avenger] (Gold), [Leader] (Purple), [Calm] (Purple)

Scarlet Eyes!

Red… a tier above Gold?

No wonder Kurapika, destined to single-handedly defeat Phantom Troupe members, appeared so exceptional.

The journey already felt worthwhile.

Should he kill Kurapika here?

No.

Rick wasn't that crazy. He wasn't even sure if killing someone would allow him to plunder their traits.

For now, it wasn't worth considering.

Noticing Rick's gaze, Kurapika raised his head slightly, frowning.

Rick nodded faintly in acknowledgment.

"Hey! What are you doing, Kazuo? Someone like you shouldn't even be a crew member!"

A scrawny man in a sailor's uniform was kicked out of the cabin, dropping a crate of green apples.

Several apples rolled to Rick's feet.

"Hahaha, what a klutz! Get off the ship already, useless!"

The older sailors mocked the young man mercilessly.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry…"

The rookie sailor Kazuo apologized profusely, hurriedly picking up the scattered apples.

Just as he reached for the last one, another hand picked it up and handed it to him.

It was Rick.

"Thank you!"

Kazuo expressed his gratitude earnestly.

"No problem," Rick replied calmly.

Rick glanced at the older sailors. All of them were... unimpressive.

Completely uninteresting.

The sailors ignored the two kids. For them, transporting exam candidates was routine, and they couldn't care less.

"Hey! Stop slacking off and get back to work!"

The cabin door burst open, revealing a short, stout, red-nosed captain, reeking of alcohol.

The sailors scattered instantly.

"These guys are getting lazier by the day. Don't mind them—they're not bad at heart. Care for a drink?"

The red-nosed captain offered Rick a flask.

"No thanks, I don't drink."

Rick smiled, taking note of the captain's traits: [Navigation] (Blue), [Wine Tasting] (Blue), [Judgment of Character] (Green). Decent life skills.

"You're a promising young man. Of all the candidates this year, you've got the best shot at passing," the captain said with a chuckle.

"Really, Captain? What about me?" Gon asked eagerly.

"You're great too, but you've got a lot of catching up to do compared to this guy," the captain laughed.

Suddenly, the sky filled with the cries of seagulls circling above the ship.

"A storm is coming," Rick said calmly, taking a deep breath.

Fifteen years of living on Whale Island had given him top-tier navigation skills as well.