"Menchi, that's enough."
Satotz had originally been standing off to the side, simply watching the show. But seeing that Menchi was clearly about to go too far, he could no longer stay out of it. Left with no choice, he stepped out of the role of spectator and onto the stage himself.
"The turning point is here."
Lu Ou caught a subtle shift in the air. He knew that Chairman Netero's airship should be arriving any moment now.
Hearing Lu Ou's words, Gon and the others shifted their gaze toward Satotz, who had just appeared, assuming he was the so-called turning point.
Gon, however, lifted his head and scratched it, sensing that something about the air felt off. Still, he didn't actually see anything.
"Gon's beast-like intuition… perhaps only Killua can rival it."
Noticing Gon's reaction, Lu Ou couldn't help but sigh in admiration. After all, Gon hadn't even learned Nen yet.
"By now, no one should doubt Menchi's qualifications as an examiner," Satotz said calmly. "No matter what decision she makes, I—being merely the examiner for the first phase—have no authority to interfere."
"Then please refrain from voicing objections."
Menchi knew perfectly well that Satotz stepping in meant he disagreed with the results. She refused to accept that, so she struck first.
"No matter who speaks or what they say, I will not change the outcome of this test. Listen carefully—during the second phase, I wasn't only testing the strength of your martial abilities. I was testing whether you possess the courage to challenge the unknown."
"Even so, Menchi… to have only one person pass—don't you think that's a bit too harsh?"
A powerful, resonant voice descended from the sky. Despite coming from far away, it was sharp and perfectly clear.
"What was that?" "Who said that?"
A massive airship slowly floated above the group.
Unlike Menchi—who looked genuinely shocked—the examinees were filled with curiosity. Who could arrive in such a high-profile manner?
As the airship drew closer, not only did Satotz recognize it, but some of the examinees noticed the markings as well.
"That… that's the Hunter Association emblem! It's a ship from the Review Committee!"
Someone shouted involuntarily.
Whoooosh—
As the ship hovered overhead, turbulent air currents whipped up a fierce gust of wind.
"So this is the turning point Lu Ou mentioned?"
Kurapika immediately recalled Lu Ou's earlier words and realized he had misunderstood them. This must be what he meant.
"Yes… it should be," Lu Ou replied, though even he didn't sound entirely certain.
Looking up, he thought to himself that Hunters these days really loved dramatic entrances—descending from the sky and all that. They were quite good at it.
Boom.
Chairman Netero leapt straight down from the airship.
Unlike a parachute descent—where speed increases the closer one gets to the ground—his fall remained perfectly uniform. At the instant he landed, the air compressed violently, forming a roaring vortex that wrapped around his body like a dragon.
"Complete with special effects… all that's missing is background music."
Lu Ou could only mutter inwardly. After all, this was the strongest man in the world. Who knew if even whispering might be heard?
That would not be fun at all.
The Hundred-Type Guanyin…
As the air currents dispersed, an elderly man appeared before them.
He wore loose, kimono-like robes with wide sleeves, wooden geta sandals, and his hair was tied back neatly, leaving a gleaming bald forehead exposed.
"C-Chairman?!"
Menchi stared in disbelief. She had truly thought she'd imagined it earlier—never expecting the Chairman to appear in person.
"This is rare. I didn't expect the Chairman himself to show up."
As a seasoned professional spectator, Satotz firmly believed that unless absolutely necessary, one should never step into the spotlight. Now that someone had already arrived to stop Menchi, it was time for him to retreat gracefully.
Thus, while no one was paying attention, Satotz quietly climbed back up into a nearby tree.
Watching the show was, after all, one of life's greatest pleasures.
"That old man… who is he?"
Leorio watched the elderly figure slowly approach, feeling an inexplicable pressure weighing on him.
"The Chairman of the Hunter Association," Lu Ou replied.
"He should be. Menchi just called him Chairman, so that means…"
Kurapika analyzed aloud.
"To jump down from that height… that's amazing," Gon said in awe.
"Does that old guy have springs in his legs or something?" Killua muttered.
Only after Netero had walked away did they notice the ground where he'd landed.
A massive crater had formed—far deeper and wider than the footprint Menchi had left earlier.
"So strong…" "He looks incredibly strong." "I wonder who he really is…"
Some examinees who were standing closer couldn't help but gather around the crater, examining it in fascination. The more they looked, the more unbelievable it seemed. His landing had looked so light—yet it left behind such a deep mark.
"Remarkable…"
"It's been quite some time since I last paid my respects, Chairman Netero."
Menchi's voice softened. She clasped her hands—left fist into right palm—and bowed deeply.
"Mmm," Chairman Netero replied quietly.
The surrounding examinees, however, erupted like a pot brought to boil. Guessing was one thing—having it confirmed was another.
"Chairman Netero?" "Chairman Netero?!"
"He's the Chairman of the Review Committee—the highest authority overseeing the Hunter Exam," Satotz explained as he stepped out from the tree.
Now that the boss had arrived, there was no way he could stay hidden. A Hunter was, above all else, a member of the Association.
While answering the examinees' questions, Satotz approached Chairman Netero and offered a gentlemanly bow. Courtesy was one of Satotz's virtues.
"Whoa… he's that amazing?" Gon asked.
"He really is incredible," Lu Ou agreed.
He had known how powerful Netero was, but he'd never experienced it firsthand. Now, as the Chairman drew closer, Lu Ou felt as though every cell in his body was being suppressed.
He was terrifyingly strong.
"So that's why…" Killua finally understood.
"I'm just the one responsible behind the scenes," Chairman Netero said humbly. "I only step in when disputes arise."
"Chairman…" Menchi spoke up again.
"Yes?" Netero responded.
Menchi instinctively straightened her back and answered loudly.
"So even that tigress can get this tense," Leorio muttered.
Seeing the usually domineering Menchi standing there so rigidly felt strange. Still, it only reinforced Lu Ou's earlier words in his mind.
This really is the turning point.
His mood instantly improved.
"That just proves how big a deal this man is," Kurapika said quietly. "And for us examinees… he's basically a god sent to save us."
Kurapika's eyes flicked toward Lu Ou.
Though he was already convinced, he still couldn't help looking—just to be absolutely sure.