- 4 days later -

I'd been training in Transmutation skills to strengthen the elements I used. Lizzy had been training in Manipulation skills to move things. Today was the last day of the auction, as well as the day of the screening.

"What? Kurapika left? Why...?" Lizzy whined after hearing the unexpected news from Leorio.

"He'll be back. He said to keep training hard." The man told us.

"Aww...He didn't have to worry about that." Gon whimpered.

"Wait a minute. I thought you were happy that Kurapika was leaving Yorknew City." Killua pointed out.

"I was. I just wanted to say goodbye." The spiky-haired boy looked down.

"Here." Leorio tossed a checkbook to him. "From Zepile. He said that you'll see him again."

"Huh? Mr. Zepile's gone, too?"

"Yeah, and he recovered your hundred million Jenny, just like he promised."

"He really did?" Gon gaped at the small book in his hands.

"Now you can buy back your Hunter License from the pawn shop."

"Yeah. Mr. Zepile's awesome! Really awesome!" He beamed with pure happiness.

"I know! He did help us out on everything!" Lizzy replied in her cheerful voice.

They had their eyes on the book, mentally thanking Zepile for his help with the auction.

The four of us were sitting in our seats, waiting for the selection to start. We'd trained so hard in the past four days, so we should be ready to go.

"I apologize for the long wait everyone. We will now begin selecting the players." The man announced. "As you all already know, you must be capable of using Nen in order to play this game. The test will proceed as follows. First, we'll need each applicant to demonstrate their Nen. We will make our decision once the demonstration phase is complete. The judge will be no other than professional Hunter Mr. Tsezguerra!"

I saw the same middle aged man who criticized our prowess step out onto the stage. I heard people murmuring about the Jackpot Hunter and his involvement in the game.

"Alright. We will now begin the test." He plainly announced. We paid close attention as he was about to explain the directions. "Come up one at a time and show me your Ren. A shutter and curtain will block the view of the stage, so others can't see what's happening. The test will end as soon as we have chosen all thirty-two players." With that said, the curtain and shutter lowered down, now blocking the view of the stage.

"Please step this way and form a line to participate." The man gestured to the side of the stage, pulling the curtain a bit. Some people made their way down to form a line and participate. The others were just sitting there watching them as they went in one by one, with no one coming out.

"Should we line up?" Lizzy asked.

"Wait. Did you notice the pattern in line? Ten people have gone inside, but no one ever came out." I softly spoke. "I noticed some people were watching them from the sidelines and a few who haven't moved at all. Now I'm thinking, what should we do?"

A chortle was heard from behind, and we turned to see a man in purple with blond hair and thick eyebrows. "Those guys are hopeless. They don't stand a chance to get in."

"Huh?"

"I'm talking about the ones that are still waiting in line, and those waiting nearby. Especially the ones who are hovering next to the line. They are probably waiting for someone to return so they can ask them what's inside. If only they've done a bit of research or used their heads for a second, then maybe they'd see there's no rush." He implied.

Battera said that it would be impossible to send in new players, which meant...

"I get it! They're not choosing 32 players, are they?" Killua surmised.

"Exactly. It's been ten years, and not a single player has cleared the game. And as you know, new players can't start Greed Island if old ones are still inside the game. Which means that they will have to save some spots in case any extraordinary players appear and want to join in on the fun that's packing with action! This round, I'd guess they'll choose around 20 or so. Personally, I'd say that those in line or those standing nearby have no shot whatsoever. Anyone worthwhile either got in line immediately, or figured out the trick and stayed in their seats to focus like we did. Wouldn't you agree, kid?"

I turned to see Gon's fist surrounded in aura, knowing that he realized what was going on. "Gon. You get it, do you?" I asked.

"Yeah. But it was just a hunch. I thought it was only natural that they would want to test everyone here. And if that was the case, then what does it matter if we stand in line or not?"

The guy behind us laughed, and we all looked at him. "That's very true. You win, kid. That's a big brain you got there. Very impressive." He remarked. "Not many people can stick to their own logic like you just did. The steeper and more dangerous the path, the better it is to turn half your brain off or you'll never be able to move forward."

"Alright, next please." The host announced for the next applicant to go.

The guy in purple stood up to take the test. "The name's Puhat. Nice to meet ya." He grinned and started to walk away.

"People who act smart are the ones who usually fail." Killua stated in a matter-of-fact tone, and Puhat deadpanned.

"I have to agree." I replied, and Puhat smacked his lips and groaned.

"You guys, he can hear you." Gon nervously whispered.

The ex-assassin was lost in thought for a moment before he stood up. "Well, I'm going ahead."

"Right. Good luck!" Gon cheered.

"You can do it, Killua!" Lizzy exclaimed, pumping up her fist.

"Give it all you got, cotton ball!" I smirked, causing the boy's cheeks to heat up and turn red. That just put a smile on my face.

"Tch. Whatever." He turned around and walked down to prepare for the test. I kinda liked it when he blushed like that. It could mean a clue to his true feelings. Sometimes, reality can leave hints to what lies ahead in time.

"Why would you call him such a name?" Gon asked me.

"Yeah, I'm wondering what has gotten into you with the teasing. You usually tease me, so why tease him?" Lizzy looked at me awkwardly.

"It's...it's nothing you should know right now! Besides, what you're thinking is wrong! He's just a brat who's too cold to feel any signs of affection!" I defended.

"Oooh, sounds like someone's experiencing denial..." She gave me a toothy grin and giggled. I scoffed and looked away.

"Next applicant, please!" The man called.

"Looks like I'll be going now." I sarcastically said and stood up to make my way down to the stage.

"Good luck, Lynn!" Gon shouted.

"You can do it! I believe in you!" My sister cheered for me as I walked to the side of the stage.

The only two abilities I can use are Aqua Spritz and Windy Roar. I can doubt that they can do anything powerful. I won't be attacking anyone, just showing off what I can do. I really hope I can pass.

I stepped inside the room and saw the man called Tsezguerra standing with a solemn appearance. I looked at him and stood in the middle, expecting him to demand that I show my Ren.

"Alright, little girl. Time for me to see your Ren." He asserted.

"Question. By Ren, do you mean any special abilities we harness instead of the technique itself?" I asked.

"You're exactly right. Show me anything that properly demonstrates your power. Prove to me that you can do better than the Ren I saw the other day."

"Very well." I began to conjure the four rings, and they instantly appeared on my fingers. Tsezguerra raised an eyebrow at my ability. I raised my arm, slightly wincing from the pain at the upper part. I then activated the power of my water ring, chanting, "Aqua Spritz!"

A burst of water shot up in the air, surprising Tsezguerra. I smiled and squirted another one in the air, followed by a couple more. The man widened his eyes as I performed one of my abilities. When I was finished, I slowly lowered my arm, careful not to cause any more shooting pain. Then I switched to using my wind ring, chanting, "Windy Roar!"

A gust of wind lifted me off the ground a couple of inches. I tilted my body and moved my arm to control the direction. I floated around the room, and Tsezguerra seemed pretty impressed with my skills.

I got down and dispeled the rings. I focused my attention to the man, waiting for his confirmation.

"Wow. I've got to say, those are some unique techniques. I'm impressed, kid." The fascinated man grew a small smile.

"There are two more that I can do, but with strict rules, it simply isn't the right time to use them. Is that okay?" I asked.

"Well, I'm surprised that you learned your abilities in only four days. Like that kid who passed before you did."

So Killua did pass, huh? I wonder what his ability is.

"Actually, I learned my ability about a week ago. In a single night, I set up my conditions and thought about the elements I have learned about and have exposed myself to all my life. And I used those four days to strengthen two of the elements to pass this screening. So yeah, I think I should be good to go here." I explained.

"You pass. Head through these doors and wait until the selection process is over." Tsezguerra reached his hand out to the doors, indicating my way out of the room.

"Thank you, sir." I said, bowing down before I opened the doors to a large room where eight other applicants were waiting, including Killua. I smiled at the sight of him and went to take a seat next to him.

"Hey." He greeted.

"So you passed, too? How?" I asked, wanting to know his ability.

"I'll show you a sneak peek." He whispered.

He held his fingers in front of him. He brought them closer until electricity sparked between them. I breathed with amazement.

"Pretty cool, right? Electricity can't bother me. I've been exposed to it since I was born." He stated, a smug smile appearing on his face.

"Yes, I knew that since you fought what's his name at Heavens Arena. I never knew you would have that power, though."

"Okay, how about you show me your ability?" He stopped using his electricity and looked at me.

"Well, I can't show you right now. Not here, obviously." I said, referring to the applicants who passed in this room.

"Oh, you're right." He nodded. "I wonder if Gon will make it."

"Same goes for Lizzy." I replied.

As soon as it was my turn, I walked to the stage and stepped inside the room where Tsezguerra was waiting. He gave me a slight smirk, wanting to test me for my strength.

"Show me your Ren." He commanded.

I took out my baton and placed it on the floor in front of me. I closed my eyes and began performing my ability. A hot pink shroud of aura surrounded my weapon and it started to move up in the air. I opened my eyes and focused on hovering it around the room, almost hitting Tsezguerra with it. I spun it around without moving from my spot.

Then I focused on altering the shape of my baton. It bent in half and then became a round sphere, much to Tsezguerra's surprise. I gave him a wide, innocent smile and said, "Restore on."

The sphere turned back into its original shape, and I grabbed the long weapon and deactivated my ability.

"So, what do you think?" I asked.

The man's eyes were wide in astonishment. He cleared his throat. "That was indeed impressive. I've never seen anything like it. You certainly pass, girl."

My smile became wider, and I jumped and pumped up my fist in high spirits. "Oh, yeah!"

He let out a low chuckle at my enthusiasm. "Please go through these doors and wait for the selection process is over."

"Okay!" I ran to open the doors and found my sister and Killua sitting in the back next to each other. I scanned all the other applicants in the room and found Puhat grinning down at me. I ignored him and went to sit next to them.

I noticed a young girl with blonde hair tied up in two pigtails was among the applicants that passed. It was surprising that someone our age had passed the test like I did.

"Lynn! I passed!" I exclaimed, taking a seat next to my brown-haired sister.

"Of course you did." She smiled and patted my head. I giggled.

"Pretty impressive for a crybaby to pass a tough test." Killua teased, and I brought up my fist and contained the urge to lash out at him, groaning softly.

A loud bang could be heard from the small room where Tsezguerra tested the applicants, capturing our attention.

"What was that?" I asked, and then one of the doors slowly opened to reveal the dark-haired boy that I loved so much.

"Gon!" Killua called and waved to him.

"Killua!" He ran over to us with that huge smile on his face. "Lizzy! Lynn! You guys are chosen. That's awesome!"

"Was that your ability that caused the loud bang I heard just a second ago?" I asked him.

He chuckled and held up his fist, which then was enshrouded in his aura. "Yep!"

After everyone was finished with the test, Tsezguerra walked in the room and announced, "Let me be the first to congratulate you all. The 23 people here have earned the right to play Greed Island. Upon clearing the game, you will receive 50 billion Jenny. All the details are in the contract, so read thoroughly and sign it before you depart at 5:00 P.M."

I took a good look at the contract, and understood everything.

We went to a pizzeria to celebrate our success with a good pie.

"Cheers!" Leorio, Gon, Killua, Lynn, and I clanked our drinks together and took a sip. "Congrats for making past stage one!" Leorio congratulated us.

"Could you look at this for us, please?" Gon handed the contract to Leorio, who read it carefully.

"A contract. It can be summarized in three points. One: you can't file any claims if you're injured or dead. Two: any items you bring out of the game belong to Mr. Battera. Three: if you clear the game, you will receive a 50 billion Jenny reward." After reading the contract, he gave a pleased grin. "I see nothing wrong with that."

"Good." Gon nodded in agreement.

"All you have to do is sign it, and you're all good to go!" Leorio gave him a thumbs-up and winked.

"Yay!" I cheered, pumping up my fist.

"The second point seems important." Killua spoke up, and we all turned our heads to face him.

"It talks about any item you might bring outside the game. That's why he's paying the big bucks."

"Yeah. Like what?" Leorio asked.

"I don't care. I'm not playing for items. I just want to get as close as possible to Ging!" Gon affirmed with determination.

"That's right!" I replied, showing support for my beloved. Although I wanted to help him, I still wanted to enjoy myself looking for valuable treasures like my mother used to do. If the game could manage to throw obstacles in our way, we could get through them together and be able to clear the game.

It was evening, and we had signed the contract and finished our dinner. We were now saying goodbye to Leorio, who was on his way to medical school to become a doctor.

"Well, see ya." He said, and I whined softly. "Do you really have to leave us?"

"Yeah. I need to take the exam, obviously. And as soon as I pass, I will become the greatest doctor ever!" He assured me.

"Good luck on your exam, Leorio." Gon said, smiling widely.

"Thanks." He replied, returning a grin. "You guys be careful, okay?"

"Next time we see you, you'll be a doctor!"

"Wait. Doesn't that mean that we won't see each other for at least four years?" Leorio sarcastically asked.

"We're gonna clear that game fast. It shouldn't take long." Killua stated.

He chuckled. "And I'll be ready."

I sat next to Lynn on the train, staying awake as I stared at Gon's sleeping form. The boys had fallen asleep while Lynn looked out the window and I continued gazing at the two leaning on each other, sleeping peacefully.

A couple of minutes had passed, and Lynn fell asleep on her own arm when she got tired of staring out the window for too long. I, however, didn't want to fall asleep just yet. Gon and Killua looked so cute sleeping together, but I adored Gon's lovable face more. Too bad there was only room for two people to sit on each space.

I yawned, meaning that I was getting sleepy from staring at his face for a while. I stood up and planted a kiss on his forehead, and he let out a small noise of pleasure and smiled. His snores were always adorable. My heart couldn't take the cuteness that was taking over the boy.

I let out a small giggle and sat back down on my seat to sleep for the rest of the trip. I leaned back and sank into my seat to let the drowsiness take over me.

- A couple of hours later -

"Lizzy...Lizzy, wake up!" I heard someone say, and I groaned, not in the mood to open my eyes right now.

"Lizzyyy..."

I continued snoring until I felt a pair of lips on mine, jolting me awake. I abruptly sat up and the first person I saw was a beaming Gon. My heartbeat increased dramatically when I realized what just happened.

"Did you just...peck me on the lips?" I awkwardly asked, pointing at him while my finger was shaking.

"Aunt Mito told me a bedtime story and heard that this was the way for the prince to wake up the princess, and I did it so you can wake up." He innocently explained.

Blood rushed up to my cheeks, turning them bright red. I shook my head and sheepishly grinned.

"Alright lovebirds, looks like we're here." Killua gestured his head to the window, and I stood up to see a huge mansion in the middle of the night.

Whoa! Is this where Battera lives? It looks so big! That guy's darn rich!

We were now standing in a room filled with computers and consoles. Tsezguerra stood in front of everyone and began to speak.

"Now, then. I'll just explain a few things before we get started. The individual game copies are not independent of each other. No matter which console you start from, you will all arrive at the same place. Think of it as a virtual area accessible to any spot on this planet."

Uhhh, what?

"I will hand out memory cards to each of you. Once I do, head immediately into the game. But first, we'll decide the order."

"Order?" I heard the guy named Puhat ask.

"Only one player may enter the game area at a time. We'll decide now to avoid any bickering inside the game." Tsezguerra stated.

"Fine, then let's do rock-paper-scissors." He turned to us with a smirk on his face.

"Waaahhh! I'm second to last place!" I cried, disappointed that I ended up in a bad position due to the unluckiness hanging around me.

"Wow, I got seventh place." Lynn said, not caring about her position.

"Yes! I'm first!" Gon cheered, proud of his position.

"Hold on. You're the boy who had obtained a save file." Tsezguerra pointed out.

"Dammit. I got 17th place." Killua grumbled, not satisfied with his position.

Gon pulled out the memory card and ring that was left by Ging and observed them.

"Do you want to use it?" The middle aged man asked him.

The dark-haired boy turned to Killua, and then to Lynn and I. We all nodded.

"Don't worry. Your initial destination is always the same, regardless of your save file." Tsezguerra reassured him.

He thought for a moment before making up his mind. "I'll use my own card."

"Good. Now put on the ring and begin the game."

He did as he told him and put it on his finger.