Dolle Harbor.
The battered ship limped into the port, its hull scarred by the storm.
On the pier, the Captain, Katzo, and the rest of the crew stood in a line to see them off.
"This is as far as we go," the Captain said, removing his hat. He looked at Ryker with profound respect. "The next exam site is close. Mr. Ryker, last night you showed me what true courage looks like. The world needs Hunters with your strength and your heart to protect it. I sincerely hope you pass."
He called him "Mr. Ryker," using the highest honorific.
The entire crew had been shaken to their core by Ryker's actions. They were sailors born and bred, but they had never seen a human plunge into a typhoon to save a rival and come out alive. To them, he was a monster—in the best possible way.
"Thank you, Captain," Ryker smiled warmly. "Safe voyages to you all."
Ryker felt a genuine fondness for this world. He had arrived alone, but the people of Whale Island—and now this crew—had given him a life worth living.
"One last piece of advice," the Captain said, pointing a finger towards the distant mountains. "See that giant cedar tree on the peak? That is the shortcut to the exam site. Head towards it."
"Thanks, Captain! We won't forget this!" Gon waved enthusiastically.
The four of them—Ryker, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio—waved goodbye and walked into the bustling port city.
Dolle Harbor was a metropolis compared to Whale Island. The streets were teeming with people, many of them aspiring Hunters from all corners of the globe, giving the city a vibrant, chaotic energy.
"Ryker."
Kurapika stopped walking, turning to face him. His expression was solemn.
"About yesterday... thank you. I owe you a debt I can never fully repay. If you ever need anything—anything at all—I will do it. But please, wait until I have completed my vengeance."
Leorio and Gon stopped too. They had bonded over saving Katzo, and now, forged in the fires of the storm, the four of them were officially a team.
"Don't mention it," Ryker replied. "And regarding your clan... I've only heard rumors about bounties on the Black Market for Scarlet Eyes. I don't know the Spiders personally, and I hold no ill will towards you."
"I know," Kurapika nodded. "I can feel it."
Now that he had calmed down, Kurapika's instincts told him Ryker was clean.
What he didn't know was that Ryker was clean because he already had the Scarlet Eyes. He didn't need to hunt Kurapika for them; he had copied the code directly from the source. Why kill the goose when you've already stolen the golden egg?
As for the other Gold traits... well, Ryker could farm those later. No rush.
"You two are so dramatic with the bowing and apologizing," Leorio interrupted, checking the map. "Look, are we sure about this? The application says the exam is in Zaban City. There's a bus right there that goes straight to Zaban. Why are we walking towards a mountain in the opposite direction? Did the old man go senile?"
He pointed to a bus stop where a sleek coach was boarding passengers.
"Ryker?" Gon looked to him for the final decision. "What do you think? The Captain wouldn't lie to us, right?"
Without realizing it, the group had unanimously elected Ryker as their leader. Even Leorio, the oldest, deferred to him.
"The bus is a trap for rookies," Ryker said simply, glancing at the sign. "It won't get you to the real exam. The Captain didn't lie. The path is that way."
He pointed toward the desolate mountain road.
"Let's go."
A Hunter License was crucial. It meant free access to 90% of restricted areas, free public services, and massive loans. But for Ryker, it was a stepping stone to his true endgame: The Dark Continent.
That was where the real monsters lived. If he could survive there, the Traits he could plunder would be god-tier. Immortality, reality warping, cosmic power... it was all waiting.
But first, he needed the license.
"Alright! Let's climb a mountain!" Gon cheered, shouldering his fishing rod and sprinting ahead.
Kurapika followed easily. Ryker didn't even break a sweat.
Leorio, however...
"Wait up! Hey! Slow down!"
One hour later.
Leorio was wheezing like a broken accordion. "I... hate... hiking..."
Ryker, conversely, wasn't even breathing hard. His stamina recovery rate—boosted by his traits—was faster than the energy he burned walking. He could do this forever.
They reached a midway point: a deserted, eerie town nestled in the shadow of the mountain. Dilapidated buildings lined the street, and crows cawed from the rotting rooftops.
"Creepy," Leorio shuddered, looking around. "Ghost town. I don't like it."
"No," Gon said, his ears twitching. "There are people here."
"Yeah," Kurapika agreed, hand drifting to his weapon. "Be careful."
"People? Where? Are you guys hallucinating?" Leorio squinted at the empty street.
"Breathing. Cloth moving against cloth. They're hiding," Gon whispered.
Ryker didn't need to hear them. He could read them.
Suddenly, a wooden cart rolled into view, accompanied by a troupe of masked figures in white robes playing eerie, dissonant music. An old woman sat at a table in the center, looking grave.
The "Exciting Two-Choice Quiz."
But Ryker wasn't looking at the quiz. He was looking at the floating text boxes.
Name: Examiner: Matthew (Disguised)
Traits: [Divination] (Blue), [Intimidation] (Blue), [Hypnosis] (Green), [Heart Disease] (Blue)
Name: Assistant Examiner A
Traits: [Martial Arts] (Blue), [Endless Stamina] (Blue)
Name: Assistant Examiner B
Traits: [Swordsmanship] (Blue), [Reflexes] (Green)
...
Blue Traits. Everywhere.
Ryker's eyes lit up.
Behind the old woman were a dozen masked figures. In the anime, they looked like weak extras. But Ryker's system revealed the truth: they were all skilled fighters with stats far above the average human.
It made sense. This was the second stage of the filter. If they were just random actors, any aggressive examinee would have slaughtered them. They had to be strong to enforce the rules.
Jackpot.
Ryker cracked his knuckles.
Why solve a riddle when you can farm XP?
"Ambush!! Look out!!" Ryker suddenly screamed, pointing at nothing.
"What?!" The group panicked.
Before anyone could react, Ryker launched himself forward like a missile, charging straight at the masked examiners.
[DING! You have entered Combat Mode with The Examiner.]
[DING! You have entered Combat Mode with Assistant A.]
[DING! You have entered Combat Mode with Assistant B...]
The system pings sounded like slot machines hitting the jackpot.
Sorry, grandma, Ryker thought as he closed the distance. But I need those Blue drops.