Chapter 39 – The Generous Tonpa (Part 4)
"Once every three years… only one in thousands of rookies passes."
Kurapika's calm, measured voice mixed with countless footsteps and echoes in the tunnel—each sound twisting together, digging deeper into Leorio's already fraying mind.
"Only those chosen can truly become Hunters? Then what about me? Am I just an ordinary man chasing an impossible dream?"
Doubt crept in, eating away at the firm resolve that had kept him running until now.
"Clack."
The sound of his briefcase hitting the floor rang out like a gunshot.
Leorio stopped dead in his tracks.
His legs felt like lead—each step a thousand pounds heavier than the last.
"Leorio!" Gon's shout echoed sharply through the tunnel as he turned back, eyes wide with panic.
Osren and Kurapika both spun around as well, ready to go after him.
"What are you idiots doing?" Killua called out, his tone puzzled but sharp. "That guy's done for."
"That's not true!" Gon snapped back, his voice loud and unwavering. "He's our friend—I'm not leaving him behind!"
Osren stepped forward and placed a steady hand on Gon's shoulder. His calm tone carried more weight than any shout could.
"Relax. Leorio will make it. He just needs a little push," he said, his eyes quietly confident.
Kurapika's tightly furrowed brow eased slightly. If Osren said it, then there was a plan. There was always a plan.
"'Friend?'" Killua repeated the word softly, his expression unreadable.
For someone born into a family that only knew assassination, "friend" was an alien concept. Maybe he'd heard the word before—but never truly understood it.
"Yeah," Gon said, smiling through his worry. "He's our friend."
---
"Stop it already! You'll just collapse for good at this rate!" Tonpa called, running up beside Leorio, feigning concern. His tone was syrupy, but his eyes gleamed with calculation.
He could already smell opportunity.
This was it—the perfect setup. If he could "help" and then "accidentally" sabotage the exhausted rookie, his role as a helpful veteran would look spotless.
Leorio was drenched in sweat, every breath ragged. But even so, his voice tore through the tunnel with defiance.
"Shut up! Stop nagging! I will become a Hunter!" he roared, forcing his trembling legs to move.
He staggered forward like a drunk, his gait uneven—but his will unbroken.
"Damn it… my legs aren't listening to me…"
Osren watched from a few paces behind, his expression unreadable. The corners of his lips curved faintly upward—not mockery, but quiet pride.
"That's the spirit," he murmured under his breath. "If he can shout like that, he's still got fight left."
---
Tonpa, however, saw it differently.
"Perfect," he thought, glancing toward his pack. "Just a few more minutes and he'll be ready for the 'refreshment offer.'"
But before he could make his move, a soft, almost teasing voice spoke up beside him.
"Mr. Tonpa," Osren said lightly, his tone polite but firm, "why don't you save your breath for running? The finish line won't come to you."
Tonpa froze. For a split second, he thought he saw a flicker of amusement in the boy's eyes—like someone who already knew every move he was about to make.
Osren smiled faintly and looked away, leaving Tonpa to stew in his own uncertainty.
For the first time in thirty-six tries, the self-proclaimed "Rookie Crusher" felt something unfamiliar:
a bad premonition.
No matter how hard Leorio tried, once he caught up to Osren and the others, his legs simply gave out. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his suitcase thudding beside him.
"Was it really just for money?" Kurapika asked quietly, a trace of old resentment in his tone. Even after Osren's earlier explanation, he still struggled to fully accept Leorio's reasoning.
But sometimes, the right kind of provocation could spark willpower better than encouragement ever could.
"Tch… annoying," Leorio muttered through gritted teeth. "Yeah, it's for money. Just money. No other reason."
He sat back on his knees, drenched in sweat but still defiant, as if admitting more would cost him his pride.
"This isn't the time to argue," Gon said urgently, turning to Osren. "Osren, do you have any idea what to do?"
To Gon, there was no such thing as a problem Osren couldn't solve. If Osren was here, everything would work out.
But before Osren could speak, Tonpa saw his chance. His patience had finally run out.
From the very start, he had his sights set on these rookies. Crushing newbies was his personal hobby—no, his calling.
Ordinary rookies were boring. But prodigies? Breaking them would be delicious.
He'd waited for this moment. Like a seasoned predator lying in tall grass, he had stayed quiet, waiting for weakness. And now, Leorio was crumbling.
"It's that scent," Tonpa said suddenly, feigning a thoughtful frown. "The sweet smell from the right-hand tunnel earlier. I think it might be from a tree sap that restores stamina. It could help him recover."
"Really?" Leorio blinked, struggling to lift his head. The idea of an easy solution seemed almost too good to be true—but when you were desperate, even a lie could sound like hope.
Instinctively, his gaze turned toward Osren, waiting for his verdict.
Osren didn't answer right away. He just gave a calm nod—an almost imperceptible one that told the others, don't worry.
Tonpa noticed, but misread it completely.
Perfect, he thought. He's letting his guard down.
And just like that, Tonpa's mind began weaving its cruel little fantasy:
First, the loud one. Then the strange kid. And finally… that smug brat with the calm eyes.
His lips curled upward.
"Let's start with a small victory," he thought gleefully. "The real fun's just beginning."
---
Across the tunnel, something else was happening.
After more than four grueling hours of nonstop running, even the strongest candidates were beginning to falter. The pressure of endless forward motion—with no end in sight—was taking its toll.
Then came the sound.
Clatter.
A small portable computer hit the ground, followed by a dull thud.
Nicholas had collapsed—flat on his face, arms spread, drenched in sweat. His bald head shone under the dim light like polished marble.
He didn't even twitch. Not a finger.
The first one had fallen.
---
Osren's eyes flicked toward Leorio, who was still panting hard but upright.
He's hanging on, Osren thought. Good.
Meanwhile, Tonpa was barely containing his excitement.
He could already taste victory—the satisfaction of crushing a promising rookie.
But that smirk on his face didn't escape Osren's notice.
"Oh, so that's how it is," Osren mused inwardly. "Our 'generous' Tonpa's finally baring his fangs."
His expression didn't change. He simply waited.
---
And then Tonpa made his move.
"Ah, that's it! I remember now!" Tonpa said loudly, snapping his fingers in mock revelation. "It's called the Healing Cedar Tree! Its sap gives off a sweet aroma that helps restore stamina. I've used it before—it works wonders! If Leorio rests there for a bit, he'll be good as new!"
He looked utterly sincere, even a little desperate to help.
If Osren hadn't known better, he might've believed it himself.
After all, Tonpa's performance could've won awards.
But Osren smiled faintly and stepped in, cutting Tonpa off mid-sentence.
"Oh, you mean the Illusion Cedar Tree, right? The ones that cause hallucinations when inhaled too long?"
Tonpa froze.
"…Huh?"
Osren's tone remained polite, his face unreadable.
"I heard they're used for mental cleansing. They force you to confront your deepest fears. Perhaps Mr. Tonpa wanted to help Leorio face his inner demons and regain confidence?"
The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he said it.
Kurapika blinked. "Wait—those trees induce hallucinations?"
Tonpa's fake smile twitched. "N-No, no, it's not like that. You see, I just thought—"
"Mr. Tonpa," Osren said gently, "that's quite… kind of you. Risking yourself to help a friend face psychological trauma? That's truly what it means to be a generous man."
Tonpa's face froze in a grotesque mixture of embarrassment and confusion.
Even Gon looked at him with wide, admiring eyes.
"Wow, Mr. Tonpa, that's amazing! You're so brave!"
Kurapika nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. To enter such a dangerous grove intentionally—it takes real courage."
"Wh—Wait, no, that's not what I—"
But it was too late.
Whatever Tonpa said after that was drowned out by Gon's cheer, Kurapika's calm nod, and Leorio's exhausted but grateful look.
Osren just gave him one final pat on the shoulder as he passed by.
"Good luck, Mr. Tonpa," he said softly. "We'll be rooting for you."
For a man known as the Crusher of Rookies, this might've been the first time Tonpa truly understood what it felt like to be crushed.