Until the Hunter Exam officially began, no one accepted Tonpa's juice, which might have been expected. Tonpa showed no sign of discouragement and remained as spirited as ever.
Yes, the juice with the powerful laxative was just an appetizer. There was no need to rush. For Tonpa, the real fun of tricking newcomers was yet to come.
The examiner for the first stage of the Hunter Exam was not a character from the original work. His challenge was "Dodgeball." Candidates who were hit by the ball before it completely stopped would be eliminated.
Over five hundred candidates crowded the hall, with limited space to move. Upon hearing the instructions, candidates standing close to the examiner immediately realized something was amiss and hastily retreated backward.
The candidates behind them were not to be trifled with either; they forcefully pushed the candidates in front of them forward, using them as human shields.
Amidst the chaos of the crowd, the examiner raised his hand and threw the ball.
The ball's direction was not towards the crowd, but towards the wall. The ball, about the size of a tennis ball, was extremely bouncy and incredibly fast. It continuously drew zigzag lines between the wall, the candidates, the ceiling, and the floor.
Candidates shoved those around them to dodge the ball.
Candidates who were unfortunately hit by the ball resigned themselves to their fate.
A stampede was inevitable.
Candidates hit by the ball were eliminated but not immediately removed from the venue. Thus, those candidates began to hinder others. They caught the slower-moving balls and threw them forcefully at other candidates.
According to the rules, the first stage would not end until the ball completely stopped.
To end the endless first stage, candidates began to attack each other, preventing those who wanted to eliminate others by throwing the ball.
No one touched the ball, and it finally came to a stop.
The hall lights suddenly went out. At this moment, people could clearly see the fluorescent traces left by the "Dodgeball." The ball was coated with fluorescent dye, which was likely one of the reasons the examiner wore gloves.
"Getting stained with fluorescence is the mark of elimination. Please try again next year." In the darkness, the examiner's green fluorescent ball was the most visible light source. "The remaining candidates, follow me. We are now going to the venue for the second test."
"Has the first test ended?" a candidate asked.
"Getting stained with fluorescence is the mark of elimination," the examiner did not answer directly. "It's time to go."
With that, the green fluorescence in the examiner's hand moved into the distance with his steps.
Many candidates quickly understood the examiner's implied meaning: as long as the mark of elimination was removed before reaching the second test venue, they would not be considered eliminated!
In the darkness, it was easy to distinguish the location of the fluorescent dye.
Some dye was on clothes; it could be removed by taking off the clothes or tearing off that piece of fabric. Some dye was on hair; with a bit of determination, cutting the hair would suffice. Some dye was on the skin; in that case, there was no way to remove it with ordinary methods.
Some people were busy cleaning the dye off their bodies, some wrapped clothes with dye around their hands to attack other candidates, and more were chasing after the departing examiner while avoiding the dye.
After approximately half an hour of walking through dark corridors, they reached the venue for the second test. Sixty-four candidates passed the first stage.
The examiner for the second stage was also not a character from the original work. Her challenge was "Goldfish Scooping." Scooping ten goldfish within an hour was considered passing.
"Then, I'll give you a demonstration first," the examiner took out a small, fan-like object from a nearby cardboard box. "You can only use this paper net to scoop fish. Any other method is considered a violation."
Holding the paper net in her right hand and a glass bowl in her left, she scooped the fish into the bowl in the blink of an eye.
Each person could only receive one paper net at a time. When the candidates discovered that the paper nets dissolved almost immediately upon touching water, they became anxious. Although there were many goldfish in the four pools, the number of paper nets for scooping goldfish was limited. Once the paper nets ran out, the second stage assessment would end.
"What's going on?! This net breaks as soon as it touches water!" a candidate immediately questioned. "The net quality is problematic!"
"Hmph. Is there a problem?" the examiner beckoned him. "Then I'll let you use the net I just used."
The net broke, even faster than the previous one.
"Idiot! If an unbreakable net is still called a 'test,' what is this?" Other candidates laughed mockingly.
Despite the mockery, everyone's goldfish scooping journey was not smooth sailing. Scooping two or three fish within the lifespan of a paper net was considered exceptional.
What was worse was that some candidates with poor skills frantically consumed the paper net stock, making other candidates so frustrated they wanted to eliminate those troublesome individuals.
In the examiner's demonstration, she placed the paper net into the water at a 45-degree angle, maintained the angle while moving, reduced resistance, aimed at the desired goldfish, and scooped. The entire process was not complicated; the key lay in the angle and hand speed.
Indeed, the exhaustion of paper nets signified the end of the second stage assessment. Nineteen candidates passed the second stage.
The venue for the third stage was a rainforest. Candidates needed to find and capture target insects within a week. One hour before the deadline, there would be a general broadcast. Returning to the starting point and submitting the captured insects within the time limit would be considered passing.
The target insect for everyone was the same, and the requirement was also the same: two must be captured, one male and one female.
As Killua, who was 12 years old in the original work, had commented, the difficulty of the Hunter Exam was not particularly thrilling. For professionals, it was somewhat boring.
No, one must not slack off. The Hunter Exam usually had five to six stages, and they were only halfway through. One must not be careless and capsize in a ditch. Therefore, Molser chose to follow Shalnark.
Based on the original character settings, Shalnark had a wide range of knowledge and was quite familiar with disgusting leeches. It was highly likely he also knew the habits of the target insects.
Insects and humans were different species. Who knew what strange habits they had? It was completely outside Molser's professional domain. Molser had no confidence in finding the target insects, let alone finding a pair, both male and female. It sounded quite difficult.
If Shalnark's method didn't work, she would steal from other candidates later. There was more than one way.
The most common creatures in this rainforest were insects, and poisonous insects were unavoidable. Soon, one could hear the screams of candidates.
Candidates with some knowledge of wilderness survival would observe the animals living there, look for special plants, and use the sap, flowers, or fruits of those plants to drive away poisonous insects.
Tonpa was indeed a permanent NPC in the Hunter Exam instances. There were casualties among candidates every year, yet he was still alive and kicking, having participated in the Hunter Exam instances until the main storyline of the original work, a total of 35 times, proving he was not to be underestimated. He found a broad-leaved plant and wrapped himself entirely in its leaves, which served as protection from insects and camouflage in the rainforest. Finding a specific species among countless dazzling insects was like finding a needle in a haystack. He had already decided to snatch prey from other candidates.
Wilderness survival was one of the basic courses for the Zoldyck family. With the "game backpack" as a cheat, many steps taught in this course could be skipped. Molser did not have to worry about supplies or poisonous insects, which made tracking much less troublesome. Thanks to the insect repellent spray developed by the Zoldyck laboratory, technology truly changed lives. Being rich and powerful was indeed good.
To repel insects, Shalnark chose to apply plant sap to his skin.
Originally, Molser was a little worried that her "En" might not be strong enough and that Shalnark would notice her. However, when she saw Shalnark take off his clothes and meticulously apply sunscreen… no, insect repellent, she thought her tracking had not been discovered. After all, characters like Hisoka, who displayed their nakedness in front of everyone with shameless openness, were extremely rare in the entire anime world.
On a side note, Shalnark's spider tattoo was on his lower back, slightly to the left, near the tailbone. No wonder Uvogin kissed Shalnark (on the cheek) in the original work. Was it because both of them chose to have their spider tattoos on their lower backs, making them gay? (Meaning intended.)
Very good, consistent with the original settings, Shalnark's spider tattoo had the number 6. Was the butterfly effect not too severe yet?
"Ordinary clothes won't deter the insects here. If you're not careful, one bite is enough to cause trouble," Shalnark muttered to himself, explaining his current actions. Perhaps he also felt that the scene of him coating himself in blue sap was a bit amusing.
"..." The old Molser would probably have found the blue-skinned Shalnark very amusing.
Without any emotion, Molser calmly thought that the part beneath the baby face was truly unpredictable. She wondered what Chrollo, also with a baby face, would be like if he took off his clothes. After all, Chrollo was the face of the Phantom Troupe's visual appeal, the most orthodox handsome guy among the "three beauties." It was hard not to think of him. Although Shalnark was also good-looking and could be a campus heartthrob, he wasn't a big shot, lacking impact. By the way, she wanted to see Hisoka taking a bath… stop.
Having solved the problem of poisonous insects, the next step was to secure a water source. Shalnark walked towards the river that flowed through the rainforest to survey it.
More dangerous than other candidates were the creatures lurking in the river. There was a type of fish that could spray water columns equivalent to a high-pressure water gun, attacking creatures by the river. When the creatures fell, swarms of carnivorous fish would rush forward, devouring an entire deer-sized animal to nothing in seconds.
Afterward, Shalnark chose to quench his thirst with tree fruits. Fruits rich in moisture generally grew in the tree crowns above 20 meters high. Once they matured to a certain extent, they would explode. If one was not careful, it was easy to get injured, and they needed to be handled with care.
"..." Watching Shalnark's wilderness survival live stream, Molser couldn't help but sigh at the convenience of the game backpack. Food, water, and daily necessities were all available.
On the fifth day, Shalnark still had no harvest, but he didn't seem anxious. Molser thought this might be related to the river, as he went to the riverbank every afternoon to check. Did the target insects usually appear by the river in the afternoon?
On the seventh day, one hour before the deadline, the general broadcast sounded.
No one had found the target insects, and almost all candidates thought they had failed.
As the broadcast reached its third repetition, mist suddenly rose in the rainforest. If one had trypophobia, seeing that the mist was entirely composed of densely packed insects would likely cause them to faint on the spot.
Those insects were the target insects for the third stage. They emerged from the ground and converged on the river surface. They were not aggressive and had short lifespans. After hatching into adults in the soil, they had to complete reproduction within a day, lay eggs, and then die.
The previous seven days were primarily to test wilderness survival skills. The last hour was actually the key. Candidates had to capture a pair of target insects within the last hour and return to the starting point.
Candidates were very active, and the predators near the river were also exceptionally active. One impatient candidate unfortunately lost his life.
The third stage assessment concluded, and 4 candidates passed the third stage. Tonpa was fine; he was eliminated because he did not meet the capture requirement.
Before the fourth stage began, there was a night's rest. The 4 candidates who passed the third stage could rest in the Hunter Association's airship and enjoy free meals.
In the dining room, candidates exchanged pleasantries or probed each other with intentions. Beneath the surface calm, undercurrents surged. After all, everyone except themselves was a competitor, and they might stand in opposition again in the upcoming stages. Casually leaking their own information would be disadvantageous.
In the Phantom Troupe, Shalnark was a cheerful and talkative character. Here, however, he did not converse with other candidates and was surprisingly quiet.
Could he be planning something sinister? Molser thought.
All the conversations were useless and not worth wasting time. That was Shalnark's thought.
In short, Molser really needed to get a good night's sleep. Seven days and seven nights of tracking had been exhausting.
The fourth stage tested teamwork. Candidates needed to capture a group of three poachers in the forest.
The poachers' greatest reliance was on their firearms. Their own combat strength was not particularly strong. With only one candidate injured, the group of three was successfully suppressed.
As the poachers' hands were tied, the injured candidate suddenly picked up the seized firearm and began to shoot wildly at the other candidates. One candidate died along with the poachers in the hail of bullets. Finally, Molser shot the injured candidate in the head.
The gunshots ceased, and the atmosphere was exceptionally somber.
The two surviving poachers wisely dared not move, while the two surviving candidates were in a standoff, guarding against each other.
Before this Hunter Exam, the four candidates had no prior interaction.
In such a team composed of strangers with competitive relationships, how could there be any team trust?
Did the injured candidate, considering his physical disadvantage, act to reduce competitors for the next stage? Attempting to catch them off guard and confront three candidates alone was either foolish or arrogant.
The deceased candidates might not have seen it, but Molser did. It was Shalnark who controlled the injured candidate with an antenna.
"We've come this far, let's not fight amongst ourselves anymore," Shalnark spoke first. "The Hunter Exam happens every year. The reckless actions of candidate No. 201 are worth learning from. No matter how much you want something, if you lose your life, you lose everything. It's meaningless, isn't it?"
"..." Molser made no statement.
Earlier, Shalnark seemed to want to get rid of Molser as well, using the injured candidate as his tool. If only one person remained, the Hunter Exam could end, right? After all, there were many records of only one person passing the Hunter Exam.
He needed the Hunter License to conveniently log onto the Hunter website to obtain information; he didn't want to become a Hunter. He probably didn't have absolute confidence in passing the final stage.
Because he was a member of the Phantom Troupe, being a bandit was his true profession.
"How about this? Let's escort the poachers together, one on each side," Shalnark proposed. "Even if I wanted to attack you, with two people and a corpse in between, it wouldn't be easy, would it?"
"..." Continuing the stalemate would be a waste of time. Molser nodded, temporarily accepting his proposal.
The two poachers walked between Molser and Shalnark. The poacher closer to Shalnark was responsible for carrying his companion's corpse. Shalnark spoke to Molser several times, but only received silence. Thus, he wisely shut his mouth.
Number of candidates passing the fourth stage: 2.
In the lounge, the examiners gathered, including the person who set the Hunter Exam's final stage, the Chairman of the Hunter Association, Netero.
"The remaining two are both newcomers?" Before setting the test, Netero would usually refer to the evaluations of other examiners.
"Not exactly. Neither of them is a simple person. Those tests are not a problem for them at all," an examiner said.
"Although the two of them present themselves differently, I sense the aura of the dark world from them. I wonder what their purpose is in obtaining Hunter Licenses," another examiner commented.
"Then let this be part of the final test," Netero said nonchalantly.
"What is it?" The examiners unanimously expressed curiosity.
"Ho ho, you'll know when the time comes," Netero replied with a smile.
The final test was conducted directly on the Hunter Association's return airship. Netero appeared and introduced himself briefly. Molser, as expected, saw a Boss health bar that filled her entire field of vision. The strongest Nen user in humanity, capable of overpowering the Zoldyck family's Boss, Zeno, was terrifying.
If the plot could proceed according to the original work, this Boss would not be a threat. A few years later, Pariston would use a plot device, leading to the demise of the strong individual Netero and initiating the Dark Continent arc of the original work.
"Why do you want to become a Hunter?" This was Netero's first question after his self-introduction.
"Because there are various conveniences. Whatever you want to do will be much easier," Shalnark saw that the elder in front of him was not easily fooled, so he did not lie.
The spiders of the Phantom Troupe were all obedient and dared not act rashly. Molser was also prepared to tell the truth. In the original work, even Hisoka could openly state his reason, "With a Hunter License, I can kill people without being held responsible." The examiners had already seen Hisoka kill people mercilessly at the Hunter Exam venue, but it did not prevent him from obtaining a Hunter License, indicating that the Hunter Association's tolerance was very high.
Molser took out a 10,000-jenny banknote.
In the past, she earned money by accepting missions on the Zoldyck platform. After obtaining the Hunter License, she could accept jobs on the Hunter website to earn money. Although she didn't expect to pay off the 89 billion debt through jobs on the Hunter website, she didn't want to live solely on the pocket money provided by the Zoldycks. That was too passive, and she didn't want to continue owing the Zoldycks. At least she wanted to earn her own pocket money.
"Okay, I understand," Netero said, stroking his beard and looking at the two candidates up and down.
The two, who were said to be from the dark world, were particularly sensitive to this gaze. As the weaker party, they felt the tension of being targeted by Hunters.
These two indeed possessed considerable strength. Living in a world mostly populated by ordinary people, they rarely experienced moments of being preyed upon, did they?
How fun, like teasing two little predators carefully hiding their fangs.
Slowly adding some killing intent, the pressure from the world's top experts was extremely terrifying. The fur of the two little animals was about to stand on end.
It's the Chairman's perverse taste; he's playing games again, an examiner sighed in his heart.
However, anyone who could be played by the Chairman was considered noteworthy. The Chairman would not be bored enough to play with people he was not interested in.
"Not bad, the young people this year," Netero removed his aura, changing to a playful smile. "It's hard to choose."
"Hmm—" He rested his chin on one hand, thinking for a moment. "Right, let's decide by flipping a coin. Luck is also a part of strength."
"..." xn
What Netero said was not false. He took out a coin, a commemorative coin imprinted with the Hunter Association's logo. "Just one round, heads or tails. Who wants to guess first?"
The probability of flipping a coin was theoretically 50%. The dignified Chairman of the Hunter Association, the strongest Nen user in the world, had no reason to cheat here. The final test was indeed about luck. It might as well be a slight show of politeness, displaying good manners, and perhaps earning a favor.
"Lady first," Shalnark said with a smile.
What gentlemanly demeanor could a bandit have? It must be fake. Could there be a conspiracy? Does the person who guesses first suffer a disadvantage? Or is it the opposite? No, perhaps he just wanted me to think that way. He predicted my prediction and made me give him the chance to guess first? Molser was troubled.
"..." After a difficult choice, Molser decided to follow the plot of Gon choosing short and long candles in the original work, abandoning ineffective thinking, and pointing at the side of the coin facing her in Netero's hand.
"Guessing heads, right?" Netero confirmed.
"..." Molser nodded.
She hadn't expected the final stage of the Hunter Exam to be about luck. It was too much of a scam. She silently watched the coin tossed high into the air fall back into Netero's palm, showing tails.
Thanks to the brain surgery, Molser, who had lost her emotions, calmly accepted the outcome of failing.
"What a shame, young lady, your luck isn't good," Netero sighed repeatedly. "I'll give you this coin as a consolation prize."
Well, the commemorative Hunter Association coin personally given by the Chairman of the Hunter Association could be put into the game backpack as a souvenir for reaching the final stage of the Hunter Exam.
"..." Molser spread her hands and accepted the coin.
"Then, this year's Hunter Exam ends here," Netero announced, making a scissor gesture with his index and middle fingers. "Candidate No. 26, Candidate No. 179, these two candidates have passed the test."
"?!" xn
"Although I am the head supervisor of the Hunter Exam, I am actually just a mediator who steps in to resolve problems," Netero said humbly, waving his hand. "The previous examiners have already recognized your strength, and I, an old man, have no constructive opinions to offer. The previous event was just a casual game to test luck. I never said that the result of the coin toss determined who would get a Hunter License."
"..." xn
In the eyes of some, the Hunter Exam, which attracted countless ordinary people, even causing them to lose their lives, might indeed just be a game.
The efforts of the weak were insignificant in the eyes of the strong.
Due to the brain surgery, Molser had cognitive impairments related to emotions, causing her to occasionally be unaware of her body's emotional reactions. Since those reactions were made by her body and did not pass through her brain, Molser did not realize that her cheeks were puffed out, showing an "unpleasant" emotion.
This detail did not escape Netero's eyes. Rather, he was anticipating similar reactions. Both young people were cautiously concealing themselves, lacking vitality. Especially candidate No. 26, whose presence was so thin, like a hollow puppet. Now it was finally a bit interesting.
"There's still some time before we reach our destination," Netero said with a hint of slyness in his cheerful smile. "Young lady, would you like to play with me?"
After all, a young lady who would name herself "Mo'er Dipped in Sauce" was rare in this world.