"Whoops."
beans took out five signs from his arms and handed them to the five participants one by one. Some things could change, but others could not.
Roy pinched the number 406 sign in his hand, then glanced at the number 407 sign in No. 18's hand.
After shaking hands and saying goodbye, beans waved his sleeves and walked away, leaving them behind.
As soon as beans left, differences began to emerge among the group.
The topic was cliché: what profession should a hunter pursue?
Especially after Roy's identity as a famous manga artist was exposed, the fact that such a talented cartoonist was participating in the Hunter exam with such a high mortality rate impressed Leorio and Kurapika even more.
Previously, on the Poseidon Ship, Kurapika and Leorio had debated over personal concerns, ignoring differences in philosophy about hunters.
Now, having overcome multiple challenges and finally arriving at the official venue of the Hunter x Hunter exam, they found themselves revisiting the same discussion.
Kurapika and Leorio began a heated debate over hunter professions, trying to convince Gon and Roy, but to no avail.
Gon's view of hunters was simple: becoming a hunter was a way to find his father. He had little concern for which kind of hunter he might become after obtaining his license.
He probably hadn't even considered the different branches of hunters yet.
No. 18 didn't care either, and Leorio's thinking was the same: hunter license equals endless money.
Kurapika tried to persuade No. 18, but she paid little attention, which made Leorio feel proud.
Earlier, Roy had expressed interest in learning the Heart Origin Flow Fist Technique, but his real goal was to meet Nitro, known as the top martial artist in the world.
In a trio of greats, everyone who could be number one deserved respect.
Roy wanted to test Nitro's strength and Ki, to measure where his real combat power stood in this world.
As for comic inspiration, that was just a bonus. Roy, coming from Earth, didn't lack creativity. The real question was which manga to publish next.
"Hmm… should I choose One Piece next? Or Death? Naruto? Saint Seiya? Devil Fruits, domineering styles, and six forms all sound great! Spirit pressure, Chakra isn't bad either, the Cosmo is powerful, golden sacred armor looks amazing… oh, so many options!"
For someone who had to choose, it was genuinely a difficult decision.
"Come on, don't overthink it. Fill your stomach first and eat," Roy said, pushing his thoughts aside. He opened his mouth and happily ate the steak No. 18 had prepared for him.
In a steakhouse, how could one wait without ordering a steak?
Seeing Roy and No. 18 so absorbed, Kurapika and Leorio suddenly felt deflated. Their previous argument seemed meaningless.
Roy and No. 18 had just delivered a critical blow to Kurapika and Leorio's "single-dog" debate.
The two gradually quieted down. Gon didn't understand what had happened but was happy to see the argument end.
Time passed. Roy raised his eyebrows, and a milky-white glow, invisible to everyone else, appeared in his hand.
He already knew today was the release day for the new issue of "Juvenile Magazine." It was almost time to activate a manifested item.
The Radiance Group was a unique Nen ability only Roy could perceive. Others could not see it.
After witnessing the chaotic street earlier, Roy knew something extraordinary would appear from the Radiance Group again.
Just kidding—Dragon Ball was immensely popular. The hotter the comic, the more advanced and unique items would manifest from his Nen ability.
Roy eagerly anticipated what might appear this time.
The milky-white glow slowly dissipated, transforming into a small gray bag.
"Huh?" Roy raised an eyebrow and weighed the bag.
Inside were crisp, unique sounds. Roy immediately realized what it was.
"I didn't expect this to appear now. I thought it would come later. I underestimated the popularity of Dragon Ball."
Just as Roy began to rejoice in this achievement, and Kurapika and Leorio had fully calmed down, the entire ground suddenly began to sink, and the surrounding walls began to rise.
Everyone immediately stood up. They all knew the official Hunter x Hunter exam was about to begin.