Hunter x Hunter – To Adventure - Chapter 15 Swindler’s Swamp

The Milsy Wetlands or Swindler’s Swamp, a place full of deadly beasts, mysterious creatures and killer plants, and of course the site of the first phase of the exam.

When Yuuki had come across the place in a book she simply had to read about it, and when she started reading about it she was dragged into finding more and more. It wasn’t the most amazing place in the world but it was chock a block full of creatures and flora who had evolved to ensnare and kill.

Although these creatures were incredibly fascinating and Yuuki would love to look at them, there was one thing she needed to see.

Swindler’s swamp had two registered magical beasts residing within it. The man-faced ape, which was barely considered one, and the winged water lizard of which there were two inhabiting the swamp.

When Yuuki was reading about the swamp however she found a hunters journal which hinted at the existence of a third beast.

The journal said that in a deep part of the swamp there lay a cave, the hunter approached it to explore it but a booming voice appeared in its head. I do not care about you little humans but do not disturb me.

Yuuki had no idea why she wanted to see this thing so badly. There was probably not even a chance that she would see what lay in that cave. However, she felt that if she did not, she would be missing out on something amazing.

When Yuuki found the cave she started to hold her breath, trying to be as silent as possible as she moved towards the entrance. She stepped through the cave down into a cavern supported entirely by tree roots.

There in the cavern lay a large, scaled, winged beast with long curved horns, it was asleep. Yuuki examined its body. Its scales were not the texture she expected them to be but instead like tough, old bark. Yuuki walked close to the body ready to examine it more closely, she opened up her bag and took out her notebook.

When she looked up from her bag she saw three bright, glowing emerald eyes look back at her. Yuuki let out a gasp. They were beautiful.

“What are you doing here?” A deep, booming voice came out of the beast.

“Wow, you are beautiful!” Yuuki said.

“Beautiful?” the voice questioned, “I am also very dangerous see.” The beast’s eyes glowed and soon the roots supporting the cave began to grow and transform, entangling Yuuki’s legs and hovering above her, sharpening into points.

“That’s a pretty amazing ability. Manipulation of plants?” Yuuki asked, “No, that’s not quite it, a specialist?”

The beast tilted its head, “In human terms, I guess it would be something similar to that.” It said, “although I sense an aura on you, you should not be able to use any abilities though?”

Damn, Yuuki thought. I probably shouldn’t know about nen.

“I tend to not think about things like this.” It said, “There are much stranger things out there where I come from. Knowledge is relatively easily attained if you have time to look, although very valuable.”

“Where are you from, then?” Yuuki asked.

“You ask a lot of questions, are you not afraid I will kill you?” The beast asked back.

Yuuki shrugged, “If you wanted to kill me you would’ve done it the moment I entered the room, and besides if you indeed tried to kill me, I doubt there is anything I could do to stop it.”

It looked at her, “That’s true.”It said, retracting the roots that were pointing at her from above. “You never answered my question though, what are you doing here?”

“I was just curious.” She replied.

“About me? Curiosity killed the cat you know?” The beast said.

“I’m sure it’s alright, cats do have nine lives after all.” Yuuki said.

“Cats are not humans either, I think that curiosity is one of humanity’s best features, although there is not a lot to choose from. It does seem to get them killed a lot though.”

“Yeah, well we do tend to do that.”

“You are taking the hunter exam correct?”

Yuuki nodded.

The beast closed its eyes, “you should probably leave, I can sense they are reaching the end of the swamp.”

Yuuki brought out a tablet out of her bag, it was right, Killua was standing still and Gon was closing in on him. Gon should be the last one to make it there before the next phase started.

“I will help you make it there.” The beast said.

Before Yuuki could respond, the roots coiled around her legs tugged her up, passing her out of the cave and passed her to the tree branches where she was quickly passed branch from branch through the swamp.

“I have a feeling you will be back very soon.” The beast said before resting its head down once more. “Is this fate smiling on me, or tricking me once more?”