HxH: Battle Tendencies

Jojo had made his way back to the group just as the massive metallic doors—towering like sentinels—began to groan open. The sound echoed through the clearing, a mechanical hymn announcing the next trial. Beyond the threshold, all the examinees leaned forward, curious. Inside, two figures sat casually, unfazed by the attention.

One was a man who could only be described as large—in more ways than one. Despite his relaxed, almost lazy posture, his size alone commanded presence. Next to him stood a girl with striking turquoise-mint hair tied into five tight topknots, giving her a wild, untamed look. She wore a sheer mesh shirt that left little to the imagination, revealing a bikini top underneath and jean shorts that looked like they'd been cut from a larger pair in a hurry.

As the crowd of examinees slowly passed through the gate, they stood uncertain, nerves fraying. Everyone was prepared for danger, puzzles, or even battle. But to their left? A full row of kitchen stands—counters, cutting boards, utensils gleaming. The scene felt absurd.

"All right!" boomed the large man, his round face wearing a blush-colored smile, cheerful and serene. "You all made it through the first stage. Now it's time for Phase Two—nice and simple. Cook a meal for us."

Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some frowned. A blonde man with his hair tied up over an undercut and a sagging belly stepped forward, clearly irritated.

"Cooking? What is this, a joke? This is the Hunter Exam, right? What does this have to do with hunting?!"

The turquoise-haired woman took a step forward, heels clacking with aggression.

"It's because we're Gourmet Hunters, you brain-dead monkeys," she snapped, tone sharp and full of venom. "And we're the ones in charge of this phase. So maybe do the exam before you open that useless hole in your face again."

Before her anger could boil over further, the large man placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Menchi, calm down now," he said, voice still syrupy and kind. "No need to get worked up... hmm, the task is simple. You just need to go out into the forest and make a dish using pig—any kind of pig you can find. My preferred dish? A whole roasted pig."

"Buhara's right," Menchi added with a shrug. "Both of us are going to give you a dish to prepare. Impress us, and you pass."

The laughter and mocking didn't last long after that. No matter their feelings, they were still just examinees. And so, they scattered into the forest in search of pigs to roast.

"Yo, Jojo, what do you make of all this?" Diego asked, his expression thoughtful, eyes narrowing as if trying to piece together something deeper in this seemingly simple task.

Joseph scratched his chin, a half-serious look on his face. "Well, I've got a few ideas. First, there's no way it's just about making a meal. These two are Gourmet Hunters—I doubt they'll settle for some slapdash forest stew. They're after something unique. And second…" He paused, grinning slyly. "That chick was smoking hot."

"That's something I can agree on, Jojo," Leorio chimed in with a wide grin, casually strolling alongside Joseph. The two skipped off into the woods together like giddy schoolboys, leaving Diego and Kurapika cringing in disappointment.

Meanwhile, Gon and Killua whispered among themselves, already forming plans.

"I think it'd be more efficient if we split up," Diego eventually said, clearly irritated by the grown men acting like hormone-addled teens. "We'll cover more ground that way."

"That might be hard," Kurapika countered. "Not everyone's in good condition. Leorio especially—he's taken quite a few hits. Moving in a group would be safer, considering we don't know what's in the forest."

"Kurapika's got a point," Killua added with a cat-like smirk. "Even if it's easy for me, Leorio might slow everyone down. I mean, I am stronger."

"Killua, that's not very nice," Gon said earnestly. "Mr. Leorio's still pretty strong."

"Well, still," Diego interjected, "me and Jojo are mostly fine. We'll cover more ground if we split from the group." No one objected. So, with nods all around, Diego and Joseph peeled off from the others and disappeared deeper into the forest.

A few minutes passed. Sunlight filtered gently through the leaves above, dappled shadows playing across the forest floor. But no pigs were in sight—only the two young men walked onward.

Joseph wiped his forehead. His Hamon had stopped most of the bleeding, but not forever. A slow trickle of red still stained his shirt.

"Hey, Diego, mind if I ask you something?"

"Shoot. What's up?" Diego turned fully, his expression calm but focused, sensing something heavier behind the question.

"Have you ever heard of the Joestars before meeting me? And... what's your relation to the Brando family name?"

Diego's breath hitched. His fingers twitched slightly as he reached behind his back.