Law led Gon into the forest.
From a distance, Whale Island looked like a whale with most of its body submerged. At the top of the whale's 'head' was a chimney-like structure… the island's only active volcano, which occasionally spewed out plumes of smoke.
During twilight, when the light was neither bright nor dark, Whale Island resembled a bizarrely shaped steamship, with the smoke from the volcano mimicking coal-fired steam.
Using the active volcano as a landmark, there stood a tall mountain that sloped downward into a rich ecosystem… forests, lakes, and even rivers.
Most of the island's residents lived near the port area, where a river flowed straight into the forest. A few households also lived in the plains along the river's midpoint, including Gon's home.
Law was heading toward the nearest forest, following the riverbank.
"My house has a fishing rod, but Aunt Mito won't let me touch it." Gon chattered as they entered the forest.
Hearing this, Law asked, "What kind of fishing rod?"
Gon looked up and replied, "It looks like a normal one, but the float is a red bead."
'So, the fishing rod left behind by Ging? The same one Gon used in the original work during the Hunter Exam.'
"Why won't she let you use it?" Law continued the conversation.
"Because Aunt Mito doesn't want me going into the forest." Gon answered seriously.
"Uh… but we're already in the forest," Law pointed out, glancing at the dense trees around them, the sounds of birds, animals, and insects rustling through the foliage.
Gon tilted his head and said innocently, "Because Boss Law is here."
Law was speechless at Gon's logic. He put on a stern face to tease him, "Aren't you afraid I might be a bad guy who kidnaps kids?"
"Nope. Boss Law isn't a bad person." Gon declared with absolute certainty.
Law could only smile helplessly at that, ruffling Gon's hair before dropping the subject.
To avoid sparking too much early interest in the forest, Law stopped at a small lake near the outermost area. Judging by its size and depth, the [Master of the Swamp] definitely wouldn't be here, but it was more than enough to teach Gon how to fish.
"Let's pick this spot."
Law surveyed the sparsely scattered trees nearby.
"Okay!"
Gon excitedly ran over to a large rock by the lake, pointing at his feet, "Boss Law, here!"
"Good choice."
Law grinned, then, under Gon's wide-eyed stare, leaped effortlessly across a distance of over ten meters, landing steadily on the boulder.
"Whoa! So cool!"
Seeing Law jumping to his side, Gon's eyes sparkled again, like a kid seeing something amazing for the first time.
"I've got even cooler stuff. Close your eyes, and when I count to three, open them." Law said mysteriously, switching the fishing rod to his left hand.
Upon hearing this, Gon obediently closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Law started counting… then immediately sped through the numbers, reaching 'three' in an instant while forcibly summoning Kuro.
Gon eagerly opened his eyes, and then he saw Law holding a black cat in his right hand, which looked like it was about to die, and exclaimed in surprise: "Wow, it's a cat!"
"Pretty cool, huh? I made it appear out of thin air. But there's something even cooler… do you want to see?" Law dangled Kuro like a suspicious uncle luring a kid with candy.
"Yeah!" Gon nodded vigorously.
"Watch this."
Law hooked Kuro onto the fishing line and cast him into the lake.
Plop.
The cat sank into the water while Law held the rod with a serious expression.
Gon's jaw slowly dropped, his innocent mind stunned once again.
A few seconds later, Law's eyes sharpened as he yanked the rod back… Kuro was pulled out of the water, a small fish clamped in his mouth.
"See? Fishing without bait."
Law pulled Kuro, who looked like he had lost all hope in life, in front of him, plucked the fish from his mouth, and handed it to Gon.
'For the trade… for the trade…'
Kuro repeated inwardly, steadfastly playing his assigned role.
Gon's mouth still hadn't closed, his face covered in metaphorical black lines.
'This… this is fishing without bait?'
Seeing Gon's expression, Law felt like his image had just crumbled. He coughed awkwardly, shooed Kuro away, and then took Gon to dig for worms.
'Time to salvage my dignity.'
Soon, they had a pile of earthworms. Returning to the boulder by the lake, Law began fishing the normal way.
As fish after fish was caught, Gon gradually forgot the traumatic scene from earlier.
Law's fishing skills weren't actually bad, as he'd honed them while practicing Reef Racing at Marvando Port. But using Kuro as bait would have boosted both efficiency and quality.
Now, Law demonstrated his true expertise before handing the rod to Gon, patiently teaching him the necessary techniques.
An hour passed quickly, and Law and Gon had caught over twenty fish.
Gon's face was lit up with an unshakable smile the entire time.
Whale Island didn't have many residents, and even fewer children.
Back in Ging's time, the only child his age was Mito. Now, in Gon's generation, the only one around his age was a girl named Noko.
In other words, Gon had no playmates, so Law's arrival gave him the kind of joyful companionship he rarely experienced.
The lake was on the forest's outskirts, small and not particularly rich in fish, with sizes varying greatly. Still, the larger ones looked like they had decent meat.
Law tossed the smaller fish back into the lake, keeping a few of the bigger ones. He started a fire by the shore, preparing to grill them.
Gon, who had finally gotten his hands on a fishing rod, though still a complete beginner, took advantage of Law's preparations to practice casting by the lake.
After a while, an intoxicating aroma drifted over, making Gon pause mid-cast and turn toward the fish roasting over the fire.
Seeing this, Law waved him over.
The smell was irresistible. Gon hurried to Law's side, plopping down eagerly, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the grilled fish.
Law picked up the largest one and handed it to Gon, then grabbed the smallest and tossed it to Kuro, who was perched on a nearby tree.
'Such blatant favoritism!'
Kuro grumbled in his heart.
Gon, seeing Law give him the biggest fish, became even more convinced that Boss Law was an amazing person.
"Try it. It's the best grilled fish in the world." Law said with a grin.
The seasoning used was something only Linne could produce… a rare, Nen-crafted ingredient infused with her unique fusion ability. It was, without exaggeration, one of a kind.
The moment Gon took a bite, he was hooked. He devoured the fish in seconds, exclaiming between mouthfuls how delicious it was.
Watching him scarf it down, Law chuckled and handed him a second one.
Between the meal and more fishing practice, time flew by. Before they knew it, dusk had fallen.
"Oh no! I have to get back! Aunt Mito will be so worried if she can't find me!" Gon panicked, glancing at the darkening sky.
"I'll walk you back."
Law escorted Gon home but stayed out of sight.
Under the orange-red glow of the setting sun, he watched as Mito, furious with worry, grabbed Gon by the ear and dragged him inside.
Gon glanced back toward where Law was hiding, disappointed that he'd refused his invitation to stay for a few days.
Night fell, the full moon hanging in the sky, casting a silver sheen over the plains. A few scattered houses glowed faintly in the distance.
Among them, a two-story house intertwined with a large tree was Gon's home.
Law crept closer, immediately hearing Mito's scolding voice, still laced with lingering anger, occasionally interrupted by a gentler, older woman trying to mediate.
'No wonder she's still single.'
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a soft chime reached his ears.
Looking up, he spotted a wind chime hanging from the eaves, swaying in the breeze, its clear notes ringing through the night.
For a moment, Law was utterly transfixed.
Even after all this time in the Hunter x Hunter World, seeing that wind chime in person sent an unreal sensation straight to his core… as if a whisper of the wind had taken root in his mind.
The moon's reflection rippled in a water barrel nearby.
On the second-floor balcony, an old wooden chair sat empty. The evening breeze stirred the chime once more.
In his mind, Law pictured Mito sitting there, gazing up at the moon as though looking at something, or someone, impossibly far away, her profile etched with quiet loneliness.
His thoughts settled, and he looked up at the night sky.
"The moon is beautiful tonight."
The words slipped out, and with them, that strange, lingering sense of unreality dissolved into the wind.