Chapter 24: If I Leave, I've Been Fooled
No one knew exactly how Leorio crossed that line, but there was no denying it now—he was an outstanding physician. Regardless of how loud, irritable, or unserious he usually appeared, when it came to medical skill, he was absolutely top-notch.
"I need to work harder if I don't want to fall behind," Osren muttered to himself.
His mind began replaying the self-training methods he'd devised while navigating the hidden passageways. Osren resolved to refine those plans further—after all, the Hunter Exam wasn't just tough, it was deadly. Better to overprepare than end up regretting it.
As he ran simulations in his head, imagining different training scenarios, his eyes and ears stayed alert. There weren't supposed to be any magical beasts nearby, but still—better safe than sorry.
Meanwhile, Leorio carefully administered the last anti-inflammatory injection into the man's arm, letting out a small sigh of relief when it was done.
"Ah!" the man hissed sharply. The emergency treatment was finally over.
"That's it for first aid," Leorio said, standing up and neatly packing away his supplies. "Still, he really ought to be checked out properly. Is there a clinic nearby?"
"There is… but it's far. And there are magical beasts along the way," the man replied. He seemed a bit more energetic now, his voice clearer and steadier.
"If you're afraid of a few magical beasts, how can you even consider taking the Hunter Exam?" Leorio grinned, his confidence practically radiating off him.
"But my wife… my wife, he…" The man's words caught in his throat. He curled up in pain or sorrow—maybe both—and couldn't finish his sentence.
"Don't worry. With Kurapika and Gon out there, everything will be fine. They'll come back safe," Leorio said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt.
"They'll definitely be alright."
Standing by the door, Osren had overheard the whole conversation. His eyes remained fixed on the pitch-black forest outside, glinting with something unreadable. Still, his tone was calm and comforting.
Under the joint reassurance of Leorio and Osren, the man finally began to settle down.
"But where is this clinic, exactly?" Leorio asked again, frowning. He still needed a few more specific medicines—otherwise, recovery would take too long. He was already considering making a trip there himself.
When it came to treating the sick, Leorio was like a different person—serious, focused, driven. Probably because he still hadn't fully let go of a friend's death.
"It's… it's really far… over…" the man stammered, either struggling to remember or deliberately avoiding something. He couldn't seem to give a clear answer.
"Leorio, you should probably just gather herbs instead," Osren suddenly interrupted. "The clinic's likely too far, and there should be plenty of medicinal plants in the forest. It'll be faster that way."
"Hm? That's true," Leorio nodded, thinking it over. Osren's idea made sense—the clinic wasn't reliable, but forest herbs might just do the trick. "Alright then, I'll leave the patient with you and head out. I'll be back as soon as I can."
After a thorough inspection to ensure there were no missed injuries, Leorio found a bamboo basket in the house, slung it over his shoulder, and made ready to leave.
"Osren, I'm counting on you. I'll be quick," he said, trusting Osren with the patient without hesitation. With his strange assortment of skills and deep knowledge, Osren was someone you could rely on.
"Don't worry. I've got this," Osren replied with a nod. "Just be careful out there—whatever you see, stay calm and put safety first." He patted Leorio on the arm, offering a quiet dose of encouragement.
Leorio waved casually, then strode off with confident steps, disappearing into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Osren bent one leg and leaned against the doorframe. From this position, he could monitor both the inside of the room and what lay beyond the door. his expression remained calm, but in his mind, he started a silent countdown:
"10… 9… 8… 7…"
As expected, it didn't take long before the man inside the room began to sob softly, his voice low and mournful—sadder than the cry of a bloodstained cuckoo. He was going all in on this act.
"What's wrong?" Osren asked with concern, taking slow steps toward him. "My companion will be back soon. He'll treat your injuries for sure."
"It's not that…" The man shook his head, his voice thick with worry. "It doesn't matter if I'm treated or not. I'm just worried about my wife… It's been so long… I don't know what's happened to her…"
"Don't worry," Osren reassured him. "My other two companions are incredibly capable. I'm sure they'll keep your wife safe."
"But it's been too long already. Please… could you go check on her for me? I really can't wait any longer." As he spoke, the man struggled to get up, but his injuries seemed too severe—he failed to even lift himself from the floor.
He tried several times, breaking into a sweat with each effort. The bandages around his body loosened, and fresh blood began to seep through.
"Alright, alright, calm down," Osren said with a sigh. "If it means that much to you, I'll go check. They should be back soon anyway."
"Thank you… thank you so much," the man said with relief, visibly letting out a breath.
Osren rose to his feet and walked toward the door. His pace was slow and unhurried, like a casual stroll through a garden. As he reached the doorway—under the man's hopeful gaze—he turned around, a sly smile playing on his lips.
"If I step outside… I'll be falling into your trap, won't I?"
"…Huh?"
The man's hopeful expression froze, completely caught off guard. Everything had been going so smoothly. What had just happened?
"What trap? Aren't you going to help find my wife?" he asked, trying to keep his composure, though his smile was beginning to stiffen.
"Oh, come on now." Osren grinned. "You were trying to trick me into leaving, weren't you, so you could test someone else? Isn't that right, 'Guide Fox'? Or should I say… Mr. Sly Fox?"
"Cough, cough…" The man was clearly rattled. He coughed hard and slowly stood up. The wounds he had earlier? Completely fake. He stared at Osren for a long time before finally speaking: "How did you know?"
"When I disembarked, the captain warned me," Osren said. "He said everything we'd encounter on this journey might be part of the test."
"So when we arrived here—after going through all kinds of hardship—we found you claiming that the 'Kiriko' had captured a tour guide couple. There were only two options: it was real, or it was a setup."
"If it were real, then it'd be a huge coincidence to run into a monster attack the moment we arrived. But here's the thing—we lingered outside the door for a while before coming in. The Kiriko has excellent hearing. There's no way he wouldn't have heard us. So why was there no confrontation inside the room?"
"Once inside, I examined the surroundings. No signs of struggle. The door hadn't been forced open either. That rules out a break-in. So assuming this was real, the only explanation would be that the Kiriko snuck in silently. But even that doesn't add up."
"And why not?" the man—now revealed to be the Kiriko—tried to find holes in her reasoning.