1 January 1999
Time passed, and Kairo grew stronger—but not taller. He had originally been expected to exceed two meters in height, yet the permanent muscle compression halted that growth. His muscles were densely hardened, veins standing out beneath his skin, and his strength, speed, and durability likely surpassed even Uvogin's.
When it came to weapons, Kairo took his craft seriously. He created a set of throwing weapons—poker cards inspired by Hisoka's—but unlike ordinary cards, Kairo's were forged from rare metals, giving them exceptional sharpness, durability, penetration, and lethality. These traits were further amplified by the Nen infused into each card, done almost instinctively, much like how Ben handles his knives.
Kairo (thought):Does that mean I'm a Nen genius too? Well… I guess that makes sense.
He chose this weapon for its practicality—easy to carry and plentiful enough to use without restraint. He also carried a separate set of cards coated with various poisons for more specialized situations. He doubted he would ever run out, and even if he did, pebbles or stones picked up from the ground would serve just as well in his hands. he could even use the weapon for close combat if necessary.
In addition, he carried several types of bombs: flashbangs and smoke bombs, along with specialized variants that released poisonous gas, sleeping gas, and other effects. Grenades, however, held no appeal—by his standards, they were simply too weak to bother with.
Kairo (Thought):Part of me wishes I had a portable version of Netero's compact bomb—something I could carry instead of having it implanted in my heart. But realistically… if it ever went off by accident, or if an enemy somehow triggered it, it wouldn't just kill me… it could wipe out everyone nearby.
All of this equipment could be easily concealed, as Kairo wore a cloak wherever he went, allowing him to keep his equipment hidden.
Kairo's body had improved tremendously. He had built resistance to many poisons, and the "steroid-like" enhancers he had used long ago had ceased to have any effect—nothing stronger existed, even on the black market.
Kairo (Thought):The only stronger steroid I know of exists in Greed Island. If I remember correctly, it's called the "Mad Scientist Steroid." I'm not sure if I plan to go there yet—I'll think about it later.
His training was brutal, pushing him to the brink of death countless times, but it was worth it.
Kairo didn't just train his body—he studied as well. He wasn't obligated to learn everything, only what he felt necessary, though he had already accumulated considerable knowledge along the way.
Some of the people Kairo hired for training were familiar to him from the story.
The first was Biscuit Krueger. Hired for combat training, she agreed after Kairo offered rare gemstones and constantly complimented her beauty. Even so, she noted that he barely needed her training at all. Kairo thanked her nonetheless.
The second was Bill. Kairo hadn't expected to encounter him so early, since he only appeared in the Dark Continent arc—he must have already become a Hunter by then. Kairo quickly hired him to apply his ability to enhance Kairo's growth, paying a substantial fee. Bill admitted the effect would be minor, given Kairo's already unusually high growth rate, but Kairo thanked him nonetheless.
Between training, equipment, and the people he hired, his fortune of over 5 billion jenny had been reduced to just one million—but Kairo was satisfied with the results.
Even so, he never underestimated this world. There was always someone stronger. He continued training relentlessly, but never fought without reason. Unlike most, he preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict. He trained because being strong was fun—and because strength made life in this world far less frightening.
With preparations complete, Kairo turned his attention to the next goal: the Hunter Exam. He remembered it would begin on January 6 or 7. His application was already submitted, and he had begun packing.
He decided to start from Whale Island, meaning he would likely encounter the protagonist and others. He could have headed straight to the exam site, but he figured he might as well take it easy for once.
After buying a ticket, he boarded the boat, still wearing the same attire—the cloak and domino mask he had grown fond of. He liked the look and decided it would be his primary appearance. More importantly, it allowed him to keep his identity hidden. Still, deep down, he knew that such concealment wouldn't last forever.
2-3 January 1999
Once Kairo arrived on Whale Island, he spent some time sightseeing. He didn't visit the protagonist's house or attempt to meet him—there was no real reason to. After exploring, Kairo decided to stay at a nearby inn for a while.
He hadn't expected to run into Kurapika and Leorio there. Kurapika glanced at him only briefly before looking away, showing no sign of recognition. Kairo was still wearing his cloak and mask, and even without them, he doubted Kurapika would have recognized him. Leorio, on the other hand, didn't spare him a glance at all, completely ignoring his presence.
The inn served fish—naturally, since this was Whale Island—and it was the best Kairo had ever tasted. He kept ordering plate after plate until he was finally full. The owner just laughed, having likely seen big eaters before, so Kairo's appetite didn't surprise him.
The people there were surprisingly friendly. Kairo found himself thinking that, once everything was settled, he might move there. A peaceful life on Whale Island didn't sound so bad—it was one of the safest places around, and the scenery was beautiful. Still, he set the thought aside for later.
4 January 1999
It was time to leave Whale Island, so Kairo boarded the ship bound for Dolle Harbor. Many villagers had gathered to bid farewell to the passengers. Among them, Kairo finally saw the protagonist—Gon. The boy waved cheerfully at the crowd, smiling brightly. Clearly, he had made a lot of friends here.
Kairo didn't speak to him. He only watched for a moment before turning his gaze back to the scenery, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter. Normally, Kairo didn't smoke—but now he didn't have to worry about lung problems, since he was essentially immune.
Not long after, Gon shouted to the captain that a storm was approaching. Moments later, the sky darkened, and all passengers were told to take shelter inside the ship. Kairo didn't really need to, but he went in anyway.
As the waves grew rough, many passengers panicked or succumbed to seasickness. Only Gon, Leorio, Kurapika, and Kairo remained completely steady.
Once the storm passed, the captain summoned them to his room to introduce themselves. Kairo decided to use a fake name, taking a variation of his past life's name—just "Ken," leaving out the "ji."
Gon: "Gon."
Leorio: "Leorio."
Kurapika: "Kurapika."
Kairo: "Ken."
The captain asked why each of them wanted to become Hunters. Gon explained he was searching for his father. Kairo answered honestly: for money, power, and the benefits of a Hunter License.
Leorio refused to answer, and Kurapika initially followed suit. Leorio appeared irritated that Kurapika didn't use honorifics, but everything changed when the captain revealed he was actually an agent of the Hunter Exam. Both were caught off guard and finally gave their reasons.
Leorio was about to speak first, but Kurapika cut him off. Just as in the original story, he declared his intent to become a Blacklist Hunter—to take revenge on the Phantom Troupe and recover the stolen scarlet eyes of his clan. As expected, Kurapika didn't mention anything about searching for Kairo.
Kairo (thought):Makes sense. There's no reason for him to look for me—he doesn't even know if I'm alive. And would he even bother searching? He should know I said I hated staying in the Kurta clan… even though that was a lie. Besides, we barely knew each other. He tried talking to me once, and I ignored him. That was our only interaction.
Still… this is the guy who remembers the exact number of Kurta clan members and every single name, even those he never spoke to. Impressive. Meanwhile, I only knew him and Pairo. I didn't know the others—not their names, not my parents' names, not even the elder's. I never bothered to ask.
That's exactly why I used a fake name. I don't want him to know I'm alive. I'm avoiding him not out of guilt, but because explaining everything would be annoying—he'd probably bombard me with questions. Still, if I ever use the Scarlet Eye power, he would definitely know it was me. I just hope I never have to use it.
Leorio then questioned whether revenge really required becoming a Hunter. Kurapika called it a foolish question but still answered—again without using honorifics—annoying Leorio even more.
Gon then asked why Leorio wanted to become a Hunter. Leorio answered simply: money, because money can buy anything. Kurapika mocked him, saying money couldn't buy class or honor. That pushed Leorio to his limit. Insulted and angry, he told Kurapika to step outside and fight—even in the middle of the storm—and even went so far as to insult Kurta clan.
Kurapika demanded he take it back, but Leorio ignored him and marched out. Kurapika followed.
The captain hadn't finished his questions yet, but Gon urged him to let Leorio and Kurapika go, so the captain relented. A moment later, a crewmember rushed in to report a waterspout approaching.
The captain ordered the sails lowered. Gon immediately volunteered to help, and the captain accepted. Kairo joined in as well—if he did nothing, he probably wouldn't pass this part of the exam. While Leorio and Kurapika were fighting, we got to work.
Kairo told Gon and the crew that he would handle one of the sails himself and instructed them to lower the others. Gon agreed, and although the crew hesitated, they changed their minds when they saw Kairo lower an entire sail with ease. Kairo finished quickly and when he moved to help with the others, the ship suddenly shook violently as the storm intensified.
One of the captain crew, slipped and fell overboard, passing right by Leorio and Kurapika. They both stop fighting and tried to catch him but failed—until Gon jumped after him and grabbed hold. Leorio and Kurapika managed to catch Gon, and Kairo pulled all of them up with ease while the rest of the crew continued lowering the sails.
After some time, we successfully avoided the waterspout and the storm finally calmed. Kurapika and Leorio scolded Gon for being reckless, but Gon simply pointed out that they helped catch him, so it all worked out. The two of them ended up apologizing to each other afterward. When Kurapika tried using honorifics, Leorio quickly told him to stop because it was embarrassing.
Kairo (Thought): Then why did you ask him to use them in the first place?
They also thanked Kairo. He simply nodded.
The captain thanked us as well and confirmed we had passed his test. He promised to drop us off at the closest port to the Hunter Exam site. Kurapika and Leorio sighed in relief, Gon jumped with excitement, and Kairo just nodded again.
After a while, we finally reached the harbor.