Chapter 12 – The "Cure"
Originally, Matthew just wanted to use the bus topic as a conversation starter, but he quickly realized that Osren and the others completely ignored him. His plan failed—yet he wasn't ready to give up so easily.
So he took the initiative.
"Hey there! I'm Matthew. I'm also here for the Hunter Exam. You're not taking the bus to Zaban City?"
Osren glanced at him with mild surprise, not expecting him to tag along.
"Then why aren't you taking the bus?" he shot back.
The reason Matthew kept trying to chat them up was simple: to him, they looked easy to exploit. Three kids—Kurapika wasn't tall, and Leorio, the only one who looked remotely like an adult, seemed clueless and naïve. Matthew saw an opportunity to take advantage.
After all, the Hunter Exam was a brutal gauntlet—a real thousand-horses-cross-a-single-plank scenario. Anything goes. Compared to a malicious newbie killer like Tonpa, Matthew was more of a sneaky opportunist—looking to cheat, not kill.
Naturally, Osren had already seen through him and had no intention of being friendly. In the original storyline, Matthew pretended to sprain his ankle and tricked Gon into carrying him for half a day—then even had the nerve to accuse him of sabotage when Gon tried to treat him with herbs.
Matthew quickly spun an excuse. "The schedule's tight, sure—but I don't like crowds, so I'm avoiding the bus."
"Is that so? I thought maybe Mr. Matthew discovered something wrong with the bus and decided not to tell us," Osren replied with a smile. "Guess I was just overthinking."
"O-of course you were! What could possibly be wrong with the bus?" Matthew laughed awkwardly, his eyes flickering downward for a moment. This kid… is no fool.
In truth, the so-called "express bus" to Zaban City was a complete trap—straight out of the original plot. The driver would aimlessly circle the area or go in the wrong direction entirely. If you asked when they'd actually arrive, the answer would be: "Depends on my mood."
Yeah. Mood. As if that wasn't enough, the driver would eventually stop the bus on a set of train tracks. If the examinees didn't beg and plead, the whole thing would've ended in an explosion.
That driver was a proctor—but easily one of the most unhinged in the entire series. In the anime, Leorio ended up jumping off after realizing they were being messed with, and Gon and Kurapika chased after him.
"I'm Gon! This is Leorio and Kurapika," Gon introduced cheerfully. "And this is Osren!"
Matthew shook hands warmly. Leorio, despite always ranting about how harsh the world is, had little real-world experience—so he naively returned the handshake.
Osren, on the other hand, made it clear from the start that he wasn't welcoming. So after finishing with Gon and Leorio, Matthew skipped him entirely and went straight for Kurapika—only to be met with a cold stare.
"Just ignore him. He's a weirdo," Leorio muttered, trying to smooth things over as Matthew stood there awkwardly.
"We could walk together, right? We're all headed toward the cedar tree anyway," Gon offered generously, and just like that, Matthew tagged along.
The city in the Hunter world resembled Northern Europe in the '70s or '80s—square-cut cobblestone roads with no patterns, flanked by crisp white buildings. It gave off a clean, bright vibe.
But thanks to the flood of examinees, the wide roads were now crowded.
"We didn't get to eat much on the boat," Osren said, handing Gon a signal. Gon quickly dug out soft loaves of bread from his huge backpack.
These were made by Aunt Mito before they left Whale Island. In the anime, Gon hadn't brought them—probably thought it'd be too much trouble. But Osren had no problem with it—especially since Gon was the one carrying the bag anyway.
Everyone got a loaf, even Matthew.
He muttered a few polite "thank yous," but his hands were faster than his mouth when it came to grabbing the bread.
After eating, they continued toward the cedar tree. It was located at the top of a hill—and as the saying goes, "When you see a mountain, your horse is already half-dead."
And these guys weren't even on horses.
Clear skies. White clouds. Green grass. Bright sun. Flowers in bloom. Everything seemed peaceful and beautiful.
Matthew behaved himself along the way. Everyone walked at a relaxed pace, chatting and laughing, until they reached the area where the white rhino appeared in the original storyline.
Suddenly, Matthew cried out with a dramatic "Ouch!" and fell to the ground, having tripped over a dead tree branch. He tumbled forward and let out a groan—supposedly twisting his ankle in the process.
At the front of the group, Gon suddenly doubled back, worry etched on his face.
"Mr. Matthew, what's wrong?" he asked.
Leorio, always quick with a jab, sneered, "You didn't see that massive branch in the middle of the trail? Clumsy much?"
Kurapika remained silent, watching coldly, while Osren put on an expression that said, I'm just going to pretend I didn't see any of this.
Matthew knew he couldn't fool the cold one or the clever one, so he pinned his hopes on Gon from the start.
"We're only halfway up the mountain," Matthew sighed. "There's still a long way to go before we reach the cedar tree... but my leg…"
Kind-hearted Gon immediately offered, "I'll carry you, Mr. Matthew."
"Thank y—"
Matthew's gratitude was cut short as Osren stepped forward.
"No need to make things difficult. I once knew a doctor who taught me a special method for treating sprains. It's very effective."
All eyes turned to Osren.
Kurapika, in particular, noticed the sly smile tugging at Osren's lips—and suddenly, he understood.
"A healing technique? That's amazing, Osren!" Gon grinned. "Mr. Matthew, let Osren take a look. He's a great cook!"
To Gon, this made perfect sense: Osren could cook, so he must be skilled with his hands. If he could make delicious food, surely he could fix a sprained ankle too!
But to Matthew, the logic felt terrifying.
Especially with that mischievous smile on Osren's face.
He instinctively tried to refuse. "That's all right, really… I think—"
"No need to be polite," Osren interrupted. "Gon, help me find a tree branch about two fingers thick."
"Got it!" Gon replied instantly, darting into the forest like an arrow. Being in the woods was like being home for him.
In no time, Gon returned with the requested branches—plus a few others, just in case the thickness wasn't right.
Osren examined them carefully, muttering something under his breath that only he could hear.
Matthew watched, thinking Osren would simply splint his leg. A crude technique, sure, but one that might help him hobble along. He figured he could still fake weakness with some groaning and limp posturing.
What's this kid even trying to do? Matthew thought.
That's when Osren sprang into action.
"Mr. Matthew, since you injured your left leg, please extend your right hand."
His right hand?
Confused but compliant, Matthew instinctively offered it.
The next moment—
CRACK! SNAP!
A tree branch came crashing down on his right palm with brutal force. The branch even broke in two from the impact.
Osren stood calmly, holding the shattered twig.
Matthew screamed in pain, clutching his hand.
---
Note:
Today Osren has prepared delicious dumplings for you all. Don't be shy—eat your fill!
And if you're feeling generous afterward, toss a like my way!