"Look! What a massive Kingfish!"
"This one is even bigger than the one Gon caught… It must weigh at least a thousand pounds!"
"No wonder the sea was in such an uproar. The power of a thousand-pound Kingfish is unimaginable."
"Huh? Wait! Look over there… someone just surfaced from that whirlpool!"
"That's… Lan Fei?!"
"He actually forced this beast out of the deep sea?"
"Look at that glow around him… what kind of technique is that?"
"Did he really dive into the depths and catch that Kingfish with his bare hands?"
"But that's insane! Even a fully grown adult would struggle against a Kingfish in the water."
"In the sea, Kingfish have unparalleled speed and power. Humans are at a huge disadvantage, yet he managed to fight and drag it to shore?"
"This kid is a monster! Just what kind of training has he been doing?"
Everyone on the coast was left in complete shock. Just moments ago, they had been awed by Gon catching a Kingfish, a feat that hadn't been accomplished in twenty years—only Ging Freecss had done it before. But now, Lan Fei had pulled off something even more absurd. He had caught a Kingfish with his bare hands, in its own domain—the ocean.
There wasn't a single person on Whale Island who could match this feat. Even seasoned fishermen knew that catching a Kingfish was already a Herculean task. But capturing one without any tools, while underwater? It was unheard of.
Most shocking of all—Lan Fei was only thirteen.
"This guy…"
Gon's expression changed as he watched Lan Fei wade toward shore, dragging the enormous fish behind him.
He had been so confident before. After all, he had finally caught the legendary Kingfish, something even trained professionals failed to do. But seeing Lan Fei now… Gon felt the difference between them.
Catching a Kingfish with a fishing rod was already a challenge. Catching one with bare hands was nearly impossible—even for someone like his father, Ging.
Lan Fei's raw strength, his control in the water, and the mysterious green energy surrounding him… it was unlike anything Gon had ever seen.
"Catching a Kingfish in the deep sea without equipment… even among Hunters, I doubt many could do it."
"He's already much stronger than me."
Gon clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes.
"Lan Fei… you…"
Mito gasped, her usually calm demeanor shaken.
First, Gon had stunned her by catching a Kingfish, and now Lan Fei had surpassed even that feat.
She had raised both of them, but she never imagined they would be this extraordinary.
"Aunt Mito, he fulfilled the agreement too," Gon reminded softly.
Mito let out a long sigh.
"Are Kingfish really so easy to catch now?"
"If I had known, I wouldn't have made that promise…"
She had no intention of letting them leave. They were her family, after all. But the Hunter Exam was no joke—it was a brutal test where failure often meant death.
Still, she could see it in their eyes. They had already made up their minds.
"Mito, I think you should let them go."
The gruff fisherman beside her crossed his arms. "These boys have trained for this moment. They deserve the chance to chase their dreams."
Mito exhaled slowly.
"…Since they fulfilled their promise, I won't go back on my word."
"Aunt Mito!!"
Lan Fei finally reached the shore, shaking off the seawater as he dragged the enormous Kingfish onto the beach.
"Tsk… this is the biggest Kingfish I've ever seen."
"Lan Fei, just how did you do it?"
"You've got arms like twigs, yet you manhandled that thing?"
"If we sold this, Aunt Mito wouldn't have to buy food for a year!"
The crowd murmured in amazement as they circled around the massive fish.
"Hm?"
Lan Fei finally noticed the Kingfish lying near Gon's feet. It was large—probably 300 or 400 kilograms.
"Oh? So you caught one too?"
"Yeah," Gon scratched his head, smiling. "I got it first… but I can't compare to you at all."
"But that doesn't matter! We both did it! Now we can take the Hunter Exam together!"
Gon grinned and lightly punched Lan Fei on the chest in a friendly gesture.
Lan Fei smiled back. "Yeah… we both kept our promise. Now it's time to go."
"Let's go pack!"
"Right!"
With that, the two boys ran off toward their house, leaving the crowd behind.
Mito sighed as she watched them go.
"These two…"
Then, she turned toward the burly fisherman.
"By the way, you're in charge of these Kingfish now."
Inside the House
Lan Fei and Gon packed their bags in silence.
Mito stood nearby, watching them, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
"Gon, don't overpack. We need to travel light."
"I know! I'm only bringing two sets of clothes."
Lan Fei, on the other hand, was packing something else—food. He had made sure to bring plenty of snacks, especially the ones Gon liked.
Mito remained quiet, but her heart felt heavier with every passing second.
They were really leaving.
"Aunt Mito, we're heading out," Lan Fei said, slinging his pack over his shoulder.
Mito felt her chest tighten.
She wanted to stop them.
She wanted to tell them it was too dangerous.
But she knew… it wasn't her choice to make.
Lan Fei and Gon had chosen this path.
"Be careful out there," she whispered.
She turned to Lan Fei. "Gon is younger than you. You're his big brother, so you need to protect him."
Lan Fei hesitated.
Then, unexpectedly, Mito pulled him into a tight embrace.
Lan Fei blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Aunt Mito…"
"I know you'll be fine," she whispered. "But I still worry."
"Aunt Mito, don't worry! We'll pass the exam for sure!"
"Yeah! And once we do, we'll come back to tell you everything!"
Gon's eyes shone with excitement as he joined in.
Mito let out a soft chuckle.
"…You two better come back safe."
She pulled Gon into her arms as well, hugging them both.
"…Alright. Go."
Lan Fei gently pulled away. Without another word, he turned and ran outside.
"Lan Fei, wait up!!!"
Gon ran after him, waving back at Mito one last time.
"Aunt Mito, goodbye!!!"
Mito stood at the door, watching them disappear into the distance.
"…Good luck, boys."
She wiped the tears from her eyes.
The adventure had begun.