Chapter 40 – The Generous Tonpa (Final)
In the original story, Tonpa's "help" led Leorio straight into a nightmare.
Under the illusion induced by the Illusion Cedar Tree , Leorio faced his dead friend Pietro—who accused him of abandoning him to die.
Crushed by guilt and regret, Leorio nearly lost his mind in that false world.
Fortunately, Killua had appeared just in time.
Not only did he pull Kurapika out of his own hallucination of spiders, but he also helped Gon find Leorio and snap him back to reality.
And with a few well-placed explosives (courtesy of Killua's "friendly sponsorship"), they blasted their way straight through the tunnels—right to Examiner Satotz's feet.
Of course, once Leorio came to, the first thing he wanted to do was punch Tonpa into the next century.
But since the exam was still ongoing, he restrained himself.
Tonpa got away unscathed—though he managed to take down poor Nicklu in the chaos, so technically, it wasn't a total loss for him.
Tonpa had always been the undefeated "Rookie Crusher."
He'd sabotaged more rookies than anyone could count, always smooth, always in control.
But Osren believed that life couldn't be all smooth sailing.
Sometimes, a man had to experience confusion—and failure—to grow.
---
"Ah… th-this tree, well…"
Tonpa was sweating bullets now. He hadn't expected anyone to know about the Illusion Cedars—let alone bring it up so suddenly.
His words tangled awkwardly in his throat.
But Osren's expression softened, his tone turning almost admiring.
"Mr. Tonpa must have meant to help Leorio overcome his psychological barriers—so he could regain his confidence and push through his limits."
He even put his hand over his heart. "That's… really moving, Mr. Tonpa. You're such a good person."
The sincerity in Osren's face, voice, and even posture was award-winning.
It was so convincing that even the real acting veteran—Tonpa himself—could barely keep up.
"Y-Yes! That's exactly what I meant!" Tonpa stammered, seizing the lifeline Osren had thrown him. "Even though those Illusion Trees are… dangerous traps, in Leorio's case, they might actually help him face his inner fears! I-I believe he can overcome it!"
He said it with such earnestness that he almost convinced himself.
Osren nodded with a faint, knowing smile.
Inside, Tonpa was thinking, Heh… gullible little brats. They actually trust me. The short one's sharp, but at least he's giving me an opening. If I earn his trust, this'll be easy later.
But before he could enjoy that thought for long, Osren tilted his head and spoke again—softly, as if merely thinking aloud.
"Although…" Osren's tone was mild, almost hesitant. "If Leorio goes now, we might lose too much time. We could fall behind the examiner. That would be… quite the setback, wouldn't it?"
Tonpa blinked. "Uh—well, that's… true…"
He hadn't thought that far ahead. For once, he hesitated, completely unaware that he was already dancing to Osren's rhythm.
"I might have another idea," Osren said lightly, his eyes glinting. "I don't know if it'll work, but… maybe it's worth a try?"
Tonpa, desperate to maintain his helpful facade, smiled eagerly. "Of course, of course! Tell us—let's hear it! Maybe I can offer some advice too!"
Osren turned toward Killua. "Killua, do me a favor. Lend Leorio your skateboard, just for a bit. You're fast enough that it won't matter, right?"
The air stilled.
Even the sharpest in the group—Kurapika, Killua, and Tonpa—realized what Osren was up to almost immediately.
Kurapika adjusted his grip on his chain and gave a small approving nod. "That… would ease Leorio's burden. A smart solution."
Gon's eyes lit up. "Oh! You mean, give Leorio the skateboard so he can keep up with us! That's awesome!"
"Exactly," Osren said with a faint smile. "Simple and effective."
Tonpa didn't even try to interfere this time. The opening for sabotage had vanished; any attempt now would only expose him.
He could only stand there, pretending to nod in agreement while his teeth ground together behind his fake grin.
Killua, intrigued, shrugged. "Fine by me. It's just a toy anyway."
He kicked the board up into his hand and passed it to Leorio with a casual flick.
Leorio stared at it, dumbfounded. "I—I can use this?"
Osren smiled faintly. "Of course. We help each other, remember?"
Leorio clenched his fists, emotion swelling in his chest. "Damn it… you guys are really something else…"
Tonpa forced a laugh that sounded like it hurt.
This isn't how it's supposed to go.
But Osren just looked at him with that calm, unreadable expression.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Tonpa," he said warmly. "We couldn't have done it without your… inspiration."
And in that single, subtle line, Tonpa realized the truth—he'd just been outplayed, outtalked, and outmaneuvered by a kid half his height.
The "Rookie Crusher" had finally met someone he couldn't crush.
Killua cast a sidelong glance at the panting, half-dead Leorio. Honestly, lending him the skateboard wasn't a big deal—especially after Osren had just given him a handful of imported candies. Expensive ones, too.
And really, who could say no after that?
"Hmph." Killua exhaled softly through his nose, then handed the skateboard over without another word.
"Thanks," Osren said with a small, easy smile.
Killua turned his head away, slightly embarrassed. "Whatever. Don't make me regret it."
---
A few minutes later, when Osren figured Leorio had rested enough, he tossed the skateboard to him.
"Here. Try this out," he said. "With it, you should be able to keep up with the examiner."
"Yeah! Try it, Leorio!" Gon's voice was bright and full of energy. "If Osren says it'll work, it'll work!"
Kurapika, though more cautious, gave a nod. "It's worth a shot. If it helps you conserve strength, we might all benefit from it."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Leorio took a deep breath, steadying himself. His whole body was trembling from exhaustion, but the spark in his eyes hadn't died out yet.
"Alright… let's do this."
With a strained groan, he pushed himself off the ground, fingers gripping the board tightly. His legs wobbled—but he was up. The deadweight sluggishness from earlier was gone.
"Use it," Osren said calmly, his voice firm but reassuring. "Our goal is to reach the examiner, not to collapse trying to prove something."
Leorio hesitated. He was stubborn—too stubborn sometimes. To him, fairness mattered even more than pride. He'd been furious earlier seeing Killua use a skateboard; in his eyes, that had been cheating.
But now… now, he was slowing everyone down.
After a long pause, he clenched his jaw and gave a sharp nod. "Alright. I'll borrow it for now—just until I catch up. I don't wanna drag you all down."
"Good man," Osren said, stepping back.
---
Swish—swish—
The wheels rolled smoothly against the tunnel floor, the soft sound echoing down the dark corridor.
With the skateboard, Leorio's pace steadied. The strain in his legs eased, and for the first time in hours, his breathing wasn't ragged.
He wasn't exactly fast—but at least, he was moving forward.
The group had lost a little time, but not enough to lose sight of Satotz, the silent examiner gliding steadily ahead.
More than four hours had passed since the exam began. The first wave of exhaustion had hit the participants like a wall.
One by one, people began to drop—faces pale, bodies collapsing onto the ground.
The path behind them was littered with unconscious candidates, a trail of defeat marking the relentless test of endurance.
And yet, somehow, Osren's group stayed together—steady, balanced, and quietly efficient.
Osren, meanwhile, was back to chewing something again.
At first, Gon and the others had found it odd—how he always seemed to eat when things got tough.
But after seeing it a few times, they just shrugged it off.
"That's just how Osren is," Gon said cheerfully once. "He eats when he's tired—like a power-up!"
Kurapika nodded slightly. "A sensible way to replenish energy mid-run."
Killua, of course, didn't think much of it either. If Osren pulled out candies, he'd take one too, pretending not to care but clearly enjoying them.
Only Tonpa seemed puzzled.
"What's with that kid and food?" he muttered, watching Osren pop another sweet into his mouth. "Just… eating for fun? Tch, probably just a glutton."
He thought about it for a while longer, then gave up trying to understand.
Probably just a foodie, he decided.
Osren, meanwhile, had completely accepted the label.
"Fine," he thought with a wry smile. "If being a 'foodie' gets me through this test alive, then so be it."
---
As the group pressed on, Leorio's mind began to blur between exhaustion and hallucination.
"Leorio, you have to pass the exam," a voice whispered inside his head.
"Get your Hunter License… enroll in medical school… become a doctor. You couldn't save me, but you can still save others."
Leorio's breath hitched.
Through the haze, he thought he saw a familiar figure ahead—his old friend, Pietro, smiling faintly in the dark.