After collapsing from exhaustion, getting back up is very difficult.
But the chubby kid first overcame his mental collapse, then supported his body and stood up again.
This performance couldn't be called admirable, but many people couldn't do it.
'Pushed to the limit and rebounded?'
The scene, which is different from the original work, slightly stirred Law's emotions.
He looked at the chubby kid's wretched state, met his eyes that were clenched tight with unwavering determination, and said lightly, "I can tell you for sure, for you, what lies ahead is hell. Even so, do you still want to move forward?"
The chubby kid was panting heavily, as if he might stop breathing at any moment. After hearing Law's words, he could only nod slowly.
Law thought for a moment and said, "As you said, you helped me look up information. So I'll satisfy your desire to rush to your death."
After saying that, Law turned and picked up the chubby kid, also bringing along the laptop he had dropped.
"Th-thank you."
The chubby kid lowered his head in thanks, trying his best to adjust his breathing and recover his strength as quickly as possible.
Law didn't speak. He knew the chubby kid's spirit had undergone an important baptism.
'If he could survive this test... but that possibility was extremely low.'
This time, the kid had truly boarded a vehicle heading to hell. But this was also his own choice.
The bicycle started moving. This time, it was no longer slow, but light as a breeze.
In no time, Law and the chubby kid caught up with the group, passing them from the edge.
"What?"
Almost all the examinees running at a fast pace turned their heads to look to the right. There, Law was riding a bicycle, with the seemingly exhausted chubby kid on the back.
'Damn, you can do that?'
The examinees, even the Amori brothers, stared dumbfounded at that bicycle.
Gon and his group of four also saw Law riding the bicycle with a passenger.
"Hey, old man, this guy is the one breaking the rules, right? Go teach him a lesson quickly," Killua pointed at Law and said to the exhausted Leorio.
If he had known the person he was pointing at was Law, who knows how he would have reacted.
Hearing this, Leorio's face twitched. He was currently severely drained of energy, even speaking was difficult, let alone having the strength to refute Killua.
"Tch."
Seeing Leorio had no reaction, Killua immediately felt it was boring.
"At the beginning, he was so aggressive saying I was breaking the rules by using a skateboard."
Killua muttered.
Law noticed that almost all the examinees in the group were looking over, so he also turned his head and greeted them, "Hi."
'Hi your ass!'
Veins bulged on the foreheads of many examinees, suppressing the impulse to kick the bicycle.
Law paid no attention and directly increased his speed, quickly reaching the front of the group.
Who knows how much further it is to the exit.
'Having to match the group's pace the whole way is really too lengthy and boring. I might as well go directly to the second test site and take a nap. And then there's this chubby kid behind...'
Thinking this, Law rode his bicycle to Satotz's side.
Satotz turned his head and looked silently at Law, showing no particular reaction, not even glancing at the chubby kid.
However, he silently retracted his 'one eliminated' statement in his mind.
"Examiner, can I go directly to the exit?" Law asked, looking at Satotz.
Satotz glanced lightly at the bicycle under Law, then looked ahead without saying a word.
Seeing Satotz didn't answer, Law said, "The condition for passing the first test is to reach the venue of the second test, right?"
Satotz still looked straight ahead, not saying a word.
"Then I'll take that as your silent agreement." Law smiled slightly.
Behind them, the examinees in the group stared with astonished eyes at Law, who was both riding a bicycle and talking to the examiner.
The next moment, their eyes all widened. They saw Law's leg movements on the pedals shaking out a series of afterimages, accompanied by a strong gust of wind. The bicycle swiftly shot forward and disappeared from their sight in the blink of an eye.
'What kind of speed is that!'
'With such intense movement, the bicycle chain should break, right?'
The examinees stared dumbfounded into the dark depths ahead.
Satotz saw how Law's Nen smoothly covered the bicycle and couldn't help but think to himself, 'A Shu not to be underestimated. His strength is evidently deep. Among this year's examinees, there really are quite a few of the same kind.'
Images of the pin-faced man, Xiaoyu, Tonpa, and the others flashed through his mind.
Tonpa watched as Law disappeared in a puff of smoke, his eyelids drooping.
Law rode his bicycle, leaving the group of examinees behind, and quickly arrived at the staircase that stretched upward as far as the eye could see. Reaching here meant the exit was not far.
The bicycle's speed didn't decrease at all. The wheels rolled onto the stairs as if on flat ground.
The underground tunnel was located at floor negative one hundred. Going upward should be roughly the same height.
After a while, they saw the exit emitting light.
Exiting the tunnel, an endless expanse of muddy marshland came into view… the familiar Milsy Wetlands.
'Really brings back memories.'
Looking at the vast wetland, Law sighed inwardly, remembering the time he spent here with Biscuit and Sanbica.
"You should get off now. The time before the examiner and the other examinees arrive is all rest time for you."
Law quietly withdrew his gaze and, without waiting for the chubby kid's response, gently pushed him off the bicycle's rear seat with a slight application of Nen.
The chubby kid fell to the ground with a thud, looking at Law as if he were a monster. He had not only personally experienced the speed as fast as the wind but also witnessed the bizarre phenomenon of the bicycle climbing stairs as if on flat ground.
"Thank you."
The chubby kid had recovered some strength by now and hurriedly thanked him again.
Law bringing him to the exit early gave him a better place and time to rest.
The exit was constructed similar to a stadium audience passageway, built with brick walls. Next to the wall, a person and a monkey were curled up.
The person was ordinary, while the monkey had slender limbs and an overall appearance quite similar to a human. It was currently sticking out its tongue, playing dead.
This was the Man-faced Ape of Milsy Wetlands, capable of imitating human appearance. The human there was actually also a Man-faced Ape, fond of eating human flesh.
Law didn't acknowledge the chubby kid's thanks. He had noticed the two Man-faced Apes but had no intention of driving them away.
Bringing the chubby kid here certainly allowed him to get sufficient rest time, but before resting, the chubby kid had to survive the threat from the two covetous Man-faced Apes.
Since the chubby kid had decided to set foot on the path to hell, Law wouldn't help him eliminate this potential threat.
Suddenly, Law noticed the two Man-faced Apes fleeing.
He did nothing, and they ran away on their own.
This reminded him of the time he scared away the Zoldyck Family's dragon.
"Alright then."
Law didn't linger any longer. He rode his bicycle towards the wetland.
Seeing this, the chubby kid couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going?"
Law didn't stop or look back, replying calmly, "The second test location."
"Ah?" The chubby kid couldn't help but look back at the deep, dark passage and exclaimed, "But the examiner hasn't arrived yet, and do you even know where the second test location is?"
Law didn't answer, riding into the wetland.
Even though the terrain was muddy, the wheels moved as if on flat ground.
He could find the location of the second test, so naturally, he wouldn't foolishly wait here. He could go there first and wait for the main group of examinees to arrive.
Right now, his need for the book pages wasn't great. Plus, he wanted to get the Hunter License quickly this year, so he wasn't in the mood to save people.
'If possible, it would be great if the test could end in the second phase, but that's probably impossible, right?'
The chubby kid stared blankly at Law riding away, feeling that the other was profound and unfathomable.
'This is a true powerhouse.'
The chubby kid took a deep breath. He had always thought he himself was strong, but now he realized how laughable that was.
After more than an hour, Satotz walked out, followed closely by Gon, Killua, and Tonpa. Moments later, more and more examinees emerged.
They all saw the chubby kid sitting on the ground, but didn't see any trace of Law or his bicycle.
Satotz glanced at the chubby kid, then withdrew his gaze after a moment. Not seeing Law made him think of what Law had said to him in the tunnel.
However, he didn't care at all.
This was the exit, but the first test wasn't over yet. The hundred-plus kilometer marathon in the underground tunnel was just a warm-up.
The real long-distance sprint was next: crossing Milsy Wetlands.
'One hundred and five fell behind during the climb up the stairs. After this, the number can probably be reduced by at least half.'
Thinking this, Satotz began to briefly introduce Milsy Wetlands to the examinees.
Except for Tonpa, no one, including the chubby kid, knew that Law had already taken the lead and reached the second test location… a factory building located in the forest park.
'Law, could he already be...' Tonpa thought speechlessly.
Nearby, several veterans looked at Tonpa, who showed no signs of physical exertion, and were secretly astonished.
They knew Tonpa and also considered themselves to have superior physical fitness. But after running over a hundred kilometers, even sprinting up a hundred flights of stairs, sweating and panting were normal.
Yet, Tonpa was like nothing had happened.