HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

Whale Island was exactly that—a small island. A very, very small island.

The infrastructure was far from advanced. There were no bustling shopping malls, and the environment felt almost primitive.

But for someone on vacation, that was part of its charm.

When the private airship landed, it immediately drew a crowd of curious islanders.

"How did something like that end up here?"

"I haven't seen an airship this high-end in decades."

"Is something wrong? Why would it suddenly land here?"

Whale Island wasn't big, and its residents had all grown up together. Everyone knew each other.

A single unfamiliar face would be noticed immediately.

"Could it be that little Gon is back?"

"That kid's only been gone a few months, and he's already making such a grand return?"

"He must have gotten his Hunter License! That's a real Hunter for you!"

"Just what you'd expect from Ging's son!"

They were convinced that the airship was bringing Gon home in triumph.

By the time the hatch opened, the crowd had already raised their hands, ready to greet him—"Hey, Gon—"

But before the Gon could leave their mouths, they saw who actually stepped out.

One with golden hair. One with white hair.

No sign of that unmistakable green-clad boy.

The words died in their throats.

"Who the hell are these two?"

"Never seen them before. Total strangers."

"Wait… look behind them! Is that a magical beast?!"

One of the villagers pointed at the white-furred, single-horned tiger lazily following the two.

Even though it looked completely unbothered, the sheer presence of the beast was overwhelming.

Compared to the magical creatures native to the island, this one was far more terrifying.

The crowd instantly scattered.

In mere seconds, the once-bustling gathering turned into a full-blown stampede.

They had seen the airship. They had seen the strangers. That was enough excitement for the day.

Their lives were more important.

Watching them flee like startled birds, the newly disembarked Sora let out a sneeze.

It wasn't just any magical beast—it was an intelligent one. A creature capable of communication, one that rarely resorted to violence.

Still, that didn't seem to matter.

Maro, on the other hand, had already surveyed their surroundings. He took one look at the tiny island, devoid of entertainment facilities, and frowned.

"My lord… what exactly do you plan to do here?"

No matter how he looked at it, this place was far below his master's usual standards.

By all rights, they should've been headed to some ultra-luxurious resort. Pelisha had investments in several, and they could enjoy VIP treatment there for free.

Cyr, however, simply pulled a fishing rod from the curse's mouth and kept walking.

"I'm here to fish."

"There's a fish in the lake on this island—four to five meters long, weighing over a ton."

Maro stared at his master's back, then quickly caught up.

So that's why we're here…

If his lord was willing to make a trip just for this fish, it had to be something truly special.

Maro glanced at Sora.

Their eyes met—emerald green against pale blue.

A moment later, the tiger withdrew its gaze and took a step back.

"Understood."

Then, with a swift leap, it vanished from sight.

Maro picked up his pace, jogging to follow his master.

---

Suddenly, screams erupted in the marketplace.

A white tiger bolted down the street, pursued by several villagers wielding pots, pans, and whatever else they could grab.

The clattering of metal filled the air.

Chaos ensued—chickens squawked, dogs barked, people ran in all directions.

"A magical beast! It's attacking!"

"Run for your lives—!"

"It's the beast those outsiders brought with them!"

Still sprinting, Sora turned its head back toward the mob.

"I PAID FOR IT!" it roared.

It had paid!

So why the hell were these humans still chasing it?!

"Stop! STOP! It paid! It was just shopping!"

The fishing shop owner came running, panting heavily, hands on his knees as he gasped for breath.

"Doesn't matter if it's a person or a magical beast—if it pays, it's a customer!"

Had everyone forgotten how to treat paying customers?!

"Ah..."

"So it was just here to buy something..."

"I see..."

Some of the villagers who had already picked up their hunting rifles awkwardly hid them behind their backs.

They had thought it was a magical beast attacking the marketplace.

"You should've just explained properly," they grumbled at the fishing shop owner.

"Who was the first one to yell 'Magical beast attack'? You can't just shout things like that!"

"Wasn't me."

"I don't know."

"Definitely not me."

One by one, they all shirked responsibility, exchanging nervous laughs before awkwardly retreating to their shops.

---

With its tail curled around the two newly purchased fishing rods, Sora followed the scent in the wind and made its way to the lake.

There, it spotted its target.

A white-haired boy sat on a tree branch, one leg bent, the other stretched out, fishing rod in hand.

The bobber floated motionless on the water's surface.

Standing nearby, a golden-haired young man appeared to have been waiting for some time. When he noticed the approaching white tiger, he simply stretched out a hand in greeting.

"I was just chased through the village with people trying to kill me," Sora muttered, tail flicking as it handed one of the rods to Maro, its voice carrying deep grievance.

"…What did you do?" Maro asked, lowering his voice.

"I went into the fishing shop, grabbed two rods, paid, and left," Kō said, still baffled by the whole ordeal.

"…You mean you charged into the shop, went straight for the rods, snatched two of them, dropped some money, and bolted?" Maro added the missing details.

"What's the difference?" Kō tilted its head.

Wasn't that how shopping worked? You go in, take what you need, pay, and leave. Simple.

With its pale blue eyes and dark facial markings, it somehow bore a striking resemblance to him.

Maro sighed. Forget it.

There was no way he could scold something that looked so much like his master.

That was precisely why Sora remained so naive—like a spoiled child.

It was being pampered.

"See? I knew I didn't do anything wrong," it declared confidently—its tone eerily similar to a certain someone.

Then, wrapping its tail around the fishing rod, it gave it a flick and cast its line into the water.

Crouching by the lakeside, it joined them in fishing.

---

The Master of the Swamp was a figure of legend on Whale Island. It was akin to a mini-boss, a hidden encounter.

In games, creatures like this usually required a special event trigger. You couldn't just decide to find them.

Especially since Gon had already caught it once before.

Catching it again would be significantly harder.

The two humans and one tiger concealed their presence using Zetsu, blending perfectly with their surroundings.

Birds, butterflies—even insects—freely landed on them, unaware of their existence.

For nearly half a month, they waited in silence.

Until finally, the stillness of the lake was broken.

The bobber moved.

A massive, sapphire-blue fish flicked its tail, biting down on three separate baited hooks at once.

Then, without hesitation, it thrashed its body and leapt from the water, plunging back down with a splash before swimming away at full speed.

In an instant, the two humans and one tiger holding onto their rods were yanked into the air—soaring high above the lake.

They were about to be dragged straight into the water.

°°°

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