Who Says A God Can't Be A Hunter Too?

Chapter 16

The ship's anchor was lowered as we neared the shore of the Island, and the gangway was put down. I stood up and stretched, feeling much better now that the medicine I requested from Khara kicked in. Although she was quite awkward to talk to at first, we soon realized we had spent the entire two hours chatting away about the Exam, among other things. It felt nice to talk to someone normal for once, and she had even helped me wrap my ankle, which luckily the swelling had gone down on. I was in a much better mood when she and I exited the cabin to call the applicants to attention, and I strolled to the front, eager to start this next phase.

"Thanks for your patience, everyone," Khara said, her mood once again bright and cherry as she stood before us all. "We've finally arrived at Zevil Island!"

From what I could see, the Island was covered in green, and a rush of excitement surged through me.

"Now, please disembark in the order by which you cleared the Third Phase. After each person disembarks, we'll wait two minutes before the next person's turn. You will stay on this island for exactly one week. During that time, you must amass your six points of ID tags and return here. All right then, the first person may start!"

Hisoka stepped up, the first one to go.

I kept my eyes forward; although I was itching to watch him leave just like all the other's whose eyes followed him as he stepped onto the gangway. Before Hisoka departed from the ship he turned, his golden eyes trailed directly on me, and I could feel the fire they set in my blood.

"A word of caution," he purred, "If even a hair is harmed on the wild card's head, you'll become the prey I hunt next."

His cold words sent shivers down my spine even standing in the warmth of the sun. But despite his warning, I already knew others would come after me. I had presented a challenge, and I was sure most of the applicants remaining were too prideful to turn it down, especially if defeating me assured them a solid victory in this phase.

Hisoka turned his back, and my aura surged out towards him, engulfing him as he walked off the ship. Our energies mingled together, and I made it clear that this time I wouldn't depend on him. Our connection broke as he disappeared into the trees and his presence was erased, and Khara started the two minute countdown.

"Two minutes have passed," Khara said, stopping her watch. "The second person may start!"

I stepped forward, giving Khara a sincere smile. She smiled back, and her eyes wished me luck as I stepped forward to depart from the ship. I took a deep breath as I stepped off the gangway, and my first footfall on the land resonated through the island. I felt the combined energy of every living thing seep into me, filling me until I was fit to burst. I could feel the great trees that had started from saplings and had for more than a hundred years grown to their towering height, the exotic and unusual plants which roots buried themselves in the earth. I could sense the animals that scampered around in the underbrush and swung through the trees, the ones that flew overhead and that lived buried beneath the surface, this island their home.

I was more excited then I let on, itching to run, to explore, but I stayed calm as I followed Hisoka's path into the woods.

While I did follow Hisoka's footsteps into the woods, I soon veered off to the right, know I had to stay off the beaten path. It wouldn't surprise me if those departing from the ship right now decided to come after me right away, and I wanted to evade them for as long as possible. I moved as quickly as I could with my injured ankle, but soon stopped to rest when I figured I had gotten far enough for my next move. Hidden away from the ship's sight and not detecting Hisoka's energy in the area, I called forth Jōki and was swept up in the cloud's soft folds. "You ready to do this? Don't worry, we're around plenty of water, so this will be a breeze," I grinned, my fingers running through my cloud lovingly.