(discontinued) Another chance? (Hunter x Hunter x Male reader)

Trying to Avoid Hisoka, the second phase (edited)

Y/N's POV

As we ran through the dense forest, I felt Hisoka's stare boring into the back of my head. His presence was suffocating, like a snake coiling around my neck. The unsettling thought that he might actually throw a dagger at me at any moment lingered in my mind. I quickened my pace, desperately seeking some comfort and distance from him.

"Now everyone, stay close behind me," Mr. Satotz instructed, his voice steady and reassuring."Oh, believe me, I will," I thought fervently. "I need to avoid that psycho who thrives on fighting at all costs." I clung to Mr. Satotz like a lifeline. The sounds of terrified screams and the brutal deaths of other candidates reached my ears, but I forced myself to focus on staying ahead. Finally, I felt Hisoka's predatory gaze shift away from me, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Thank you for your sacrifices, group," I mused with a twinge of guilt. "Your deaths won't be in vain. Or maybe they will be. Who knows?" The cacophony of chaos around me was nearly overwhelming, but I steeled myself. A bird tried to mislead me into a trap, but I swiftly threw one of my smaller knives, pinning it to a tree. The bird fell silent, and I rejoined Mr. Satotz, feeling a mixture of relief and grim determination.

Time Skip                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Killua and I leaned against the gate, waiting for Gon and Kurapika. The sight of them passing through the gate was a wave of relief washing over me. We walked up to them, ready to face the next challenge together. "I was starting to think you weren't going to make it here," Killua teased with a smirk, "or make it at all." Gon, ever the optimist, scanned the area for Leorio. When he locked eyes with Hisoka, a chill ran down my spine. Hisoka pointed to the side, and there was Leorio, sprawled on the ground. We ran to him, urgency in every step. "Leorio, wake up!" Gon called out, his voice tinged with worry. "Man, my face stings," Leorio groaned, slowly sitting up. "How the hell did I get beat up so badly?" "The next phase will now begin," Mr. Satotz announced, his voice cutting through the tension. "I wish you the best of luck." A massive door creaked open, revealing a manor with cooking stations. Two figures stood in front: one woman with a bizarre hairstyle and blue hair, and a large man in a yellow shirt. "Welcome all, I'm Menchi, your examiner for the second phase," the woman said, her voice authoritative.

"And likewise, I'm Buhara," the large man added, his stomach growling loudly. A loud growl from Buhara's stomach echoed in the courtyard, breaking the silence. "Sounds to me like you're getting hungry," Menchi remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Not just hungry—famished," Buhara replied, rubbing his belly. "Well, there you have it," Menchi declared with a flourish. "The second phase will be... cooking."

Confusion rippled through the candidates like a wave, but I remained unfazed. The absurdity of the situation was almost comical. As the others laughed and questioned the challenge, Menchi and Buhara discussed the ingredient: pig. We headed into the forest to hunt. "This seems way easier than the first phase," Leorio said, sliding down a hill. We followed, bumping into each other at the bottom. "I found them," Gon said, pointing to a group of pigs chewing on bones. "Don't tell me they're carnivores," Kurapika muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.A pig snapped a bone and turned towards us, its eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. It charged, and we ran, fear propelling us forward. "That's got to hurt," I thought grimly, watching other candidates get knocked around like rag dolls.

We split up, and I managed to bring down a pig by its snout, dragging it back to my station with a sense of grim satisfaction. "I've never cooked in my entire life, but I'll pass anyway thanks to the Chairman," I thought, searching for supplies. I found an apron with a rabbit design and some spices, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over me. I cut pieces off the pig, seasoned them as best as I could, and started cooking. Nearby, others were roasting whole pigs, their frantic movements betraying their lack of experience. As I waited, I noticed Gon and the others struggling. Killua wasn't even cooking, his face a mask of indifference.

A contestant approached Menchi and Buhara, presenting his pig with an air of confidence. Menchi rejected him harshly, and Buhara devoured the food with a hunger that was almost primal. "It's a little below the crispness I wanted," I thought, flipping my meat and feeling a pang of anxiety. Finally, I finished cooking, plated my dish, and walked up to the examiners, my heart pounding in my chest. "At least one person isn't burning their pig," Menchi noted, taking a bite with a critical eye. "It's good," Buhara said between mouthfuls. "I just wish it was bigger."Menchi raised her hand, signaling an X. "You did better than anyone here, but you need to cook it more and season it better." Relieved that I didn't fail miserably, I returned to my station, my nerves still frayed. Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika presented their ridiculous platters and were 

promptly failed. As I prepared to cook the leftover portion for myself, Menchi yelled, "Exams over!" "Damn, I didn't even get to eat mine," I thought, frustration bubbling up inside me.

People started getting angry. Candidate 255 lunged at Menchi but was swiftly dispatched. Menchi spun her knives and lectured the crowd until someone fell from the sky, creating a dust cloud. Out of the smoke walked an old man—the Chairman, Netero. Menchi explained herself, and Netero suggested she retake the exam alongside the candidates.Menchi agreed, and we headed to Split Mountain for the new challenge: retrieving spider eagle eggs.
Time Skip

We stood at the edge of Split Mountain, looking down at the spider eagles' nest, a mixture of awe and fear in our eyes.

"Look past the web to what's underneath. Those are called dream eggs," Menchi explained, her voice carrying an edge of excitement. The eggs dangled from webs, looking impossibly fragile. Menchi demonstrated by jumping down, grabbing an egg, and riding a gust of wind back up, her movements fluid and graceful. "That looks fun!" Gon and Killua exclaimed, their eyes sparkling with excitement. The five of us—Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, and I—jumped first, followed by the others, our hearts pounding with adrenaline. As we dangled from the webs, impatient candidates jumped and fell to their deaths, their screams echoing in the chasm below. Leorio grew restless, his face a mask of frustration. "Hey, when do you think the next draft's coming?" he asked, his voice strained. "Any minute now," Gon replied, his eyes scanning the sky. The webs began to break, unable to support our weight. More people fell, their cries cut short. As the web snapped, Gon yelled, "OKAY, NOW!"

We all grabbed eggs and let the wind carry us back to the surface. The sensation was exhilarating, the wind lifting us like leaves in a storm. We placed the eggs in boiling water and waited, the tension palpable.

When the eggs were done, we peeled the shells and took a bite. The taste was extraordinary, unlike anything I had ever experienced. "Wow, this is so good,"  I thought, savoring the flavor. "Who would've thought I'd be eating food from my favorite manga?" As we finished, Gon gave his egg to Todo after taking a bite. We headed back to the airship, our ranks significantly thinned, but our spirits unbroken.