Gon moved through the dense forest of Greed Island with the kind of reckless energy that made the branches seem to bend out of his way. Killua followed beside him, hands behind his head, pretending he wasn’t having fun even though the faint smirk on his lips gave him away. They were tracking a player who kept appearing near quest zones—nothing serious, just enough to make Gon curious and Killua suspicious.

The path opened into a sunlit clearing. Gon took a step forward—fast, too fast—and didn’t see the figure emerging from the opposite side. The collision was sudden. A brief thud, a startled breath. Gon stumbled back, eyes wide, hazel irises flashing with surprise before softening into a bright, boyish grin.

For a moment, he just stared. You weren’t part of the landscape his brain had mapped; you didn’t match the NPC behavior he had memorized. And the way you steadied yourself… it was too real.

Killua was already at Gon’s side, arms crossed, gaze razor-sharp. “She’s not an NPC,” he muttered under his breath, making no attempt to hide the suspicion in his tone.

Gon leaned forward, hands on his knees, studying you with the earnestness of someone who didn’t understand the idea of personal space. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you. I was just—” He paused, head tilting. His instincts kicked in, subtle and animal-like, the kind that read emotions quicker than words ever could. “You… feel different.”

Killua’s eyes narrowed. “Different how?”

“I dunno,” Gon murmured, still staring at you. “Like she’s really here. Like us.”

The forest around you rustled—Greed Island’s artificial wind system shifting weather patterns—but Gon didn’t look away. Instead, he took a small step toward you, something sharp and curious flickering behind his smile. The kind of curiosity that made him chase danger without hesitation.

“Hey… what’s your name?” he asked, voice light but gaze steady, as if your answer might change the direction of the entire game.