Wutong swung a hand with a strike, sending it flying, then reversed his hand and fired a "Nen Bullet," knocking down a guy wearing a hood, took his number badge, and put it in his pocket.
The young butler was very dutiful; this was the third person he dealt with.
No one dared to take another step past his pointed shoes.
"Young master, the numbers have dwindled significantly."
"Beep... beep..." echoed endlessly. There were hundreds of candidates when they boarded the ship, and half were eliminated in just half a day.
[Nen ability "Form Change" +10]
After leveling up, the amount of experience gained also slightly decreased. Roy, holding a tree branch, remained motionless, contemplating the road ahead and comparing it to the season Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio took the exam. This session was indeed a bit unusual.
Too harsh, too brutal, it always felt somewhat overzealous. I really don't know what that "strongest human," who serves as the Hunter Association President, is thinking?
The image of an elderly man with a heavenly braid, dressed in martial arts garb, sleeves fluttering, and trying to be trendy like young people by wearing earrings, possibly watching this test from somewhere, came to mind.
Just as Roy thought...
Since Gon's session, recent Hunter Exams, because of loosened restrictions, saw quite a few subpar candidates. Netero, reflecting deeply, tightened the restrictions again.
Wearing a short sleeve in a bright martial arts room, he played with a volleyball, kicking it up with his foot, then bounced it on his forehead. The series of moves was smooth and carried a strong martial arts flair.
"The Hunter Exam has started, with thousands of candidates gathered at the five entrances, a thousand more than last year." Mamen Beans, in a sleek suit paired with a black tie, reported while holding sorted documents in hand.
Occasionally glancing, Zeno stood silently with arms behind his back at the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the ground, impossible to ignore despite his quiet presence.
"Ho ho... More is not a problem."
"Rather have fewer but better candidates, and it's okay if no one passes in the end."
With a light flick of his forehead, the volleyball flew up, bounced off the ceiling, and quickly fell again, seemingly about to drop right in front of Netero. The old man extended one finger, stopping it and letting it spin rapidly on the fingertip...
Turning to Zeno, he said, "Don't you agree?"
Zeno remained silent, a stubborn face coming to mind, chuckled softly, and said, "No, someone will definitely pass."
Hmm?
Netero arched a brow, flicked his finger, sending the volleyball slicing through the air towards someone's face, only to be caught firmly by Zeno's preemptive hand...
"What do you say? Finally letting your family head take the exam...."
The aged grow wise, and at a glance at Zeno's expression, Netero knew he guessed correctly.
He took a sip of the red tea handed by Mamen Beans, speaking faintly: "Unfortunately, the one guarding is Little Bo, and he is not as easygoing as I am."
"Little Bo?" Zeno raised an eyebrow.
Mamen Beans quickly poured him a cup of red tea and handed it over: "It's Botobai Gigante... He just got promoted to Two-star Terrorist Hunter and happens to have time, so he's guarding the final stage."
Ah... Zeno had an impression, a tricky character, sneaking a glance at Netero,
The old man acted oblivious, speaking directly: "Since the old man won't let me see Jager, I won't let his grandson pass the exam, which is fair."
You all... old kids, fighting like children at this age... Zeno didn't know what else to say, except feel helpless. One is a hundred, the other over a hundred years old, always bickering like kids, he as the grandson felt nothing but helplessness, yet...
"Nothing is absolute, Illumi I dare not speak for,"
"But that kid Roy, he might have a chance...."
"Oh?" This time, Netero was surprised, glancing sideways at Zeno: "So you think your family head has a chance against Little Bo?"
"I didn't say that." Zeno turned his back, looking at the scenery, faintly said: "Botobai is known for being upright, since it's not anti-terrorism, he absolutely won't make things hard for a few candidates given his nature...."
"And once he doesn't take it seriously, there's a chance."
That young face pursuing "freedom" wasn't just saying it for fun. At least... during Roy's days away from home, his grandpa constantly mentioned him....
Netero paused for a moment, interest piqued: "Ho ho... in that case, I'll be watching with interest...."
"Vroom....."
The airship sliced through the sky, leisurely flying towards the official Hunter Exam venue...
On the "Sea God," the brutal slaughter continued...
"I want to be a Hunter just to explore more places and uncover our history... Village chief, the Kurta Race cannot be confined to one place, we must integrate into the world..." Kurajing fled through the cabin, arms and legs marked with cuts, recalling the words she said to the village chief before leaving...
Never regretted deciding to take the Hunter Exam, only... underestimated the brutality of the Hunter World. As she previously told Maxim, this session is extraordinary!
"If you can't hold on, surrender, don't make me really kill you." Behind Kurajing was a man wielding a dagger.
From the "Nen" swirling on his blade, it was clear he had opened his Acupoints and awakened his Nen abilities as a Nen user.
Closer... Kurajing could already see the sunlight streaming down from the deck, clutching the stairs without looking back, climbing upwards, and with a cry of pain, she took another slash across her back.
She couldn't understand why her weapon would snap in two against his dagger, gritting her teeth, rushing onto the deck, rolling to Wutong's feet, pleading: "Help me..."
Kurajing wasn't a vase; on the contrary, she was extremely clever. Observing earlier, she realized that in the entire "Sea God," the people not to be trifled with were Pariston and his two bodyguards, who kept racking up points, and the other was... Wutong, who shot three "Nen Bullets" and knocked away three people.
"Young master..." Wutong glanced back at Roy, remembering his young master had looked at this girl twice at the airport, hesitating if he should save her.
Without turning, Roy said, "Ignore her."
Then lifted the tree branch, and caught another flying fish.
Seeing this, Kurajing gritted her teeth and said: "I have money!"
"As long as you help me, I can give you all my money...."
"How much?"
"One million..." The girl's own voice weakened as she spoke...she knew it wasn't much, but it genuinely was all she could offer.
Wutong: "...."
At a loss for words?
One million? Is that not a slap in the face?
Shooting a glance at the dagger man instead: "Aren't you going to act?"
The dagger man, initially hesitating, fearing, had stopped in his tracks, but now, receiving a "command," rushed in excitedly...only for a chill of light to flash by, severing his dagger, and skimming past his cheek, quenching his ecstatic heart in an instant....
"Damn it, wasn't it agreed I'd act first?" He fumed, wanting to cough up blood, glaring up to see —
The youth quietly fishing suddenly stood, drew his Staff Blade, and unleashed a Flying Slash!
Targeting Pariston's trio,
A slash hit Clark, severing his hand aimed at the weirdo amidst his horrific screams!
The eccentric was stunned for a moment, turning to look...the youth advanced, threw the tree branch to Wutong; beneath the calm exterior, burning flames of rage couldn't be concealed!