"Well, time has dragged on long enough. Let's begin the first phase of testing."
After rubbing his face, Ronnel crossed his arms and spoke.
The examinees all looked over eagerly.
Well, it would be better if their gazes weren't mixed with some weird looks.
Admiration was fine, even starry-eyed enthusiasm was acceptable, but Ronnel had actually caught unabashed admiration in the eyes of some burly men?!
What was that about? Admiration from women was one thing, but what the hell were these guys thinking?!!
Damn it, Netero! This is all your fault!
Ronnel silently raged in his heart, but outwardly, he remained calm.
"There are nearly 1,500 people participating in this year's exam. According to past tests, the first phase typically eliminates about three-quarters of the applicants."
"Shua!"
Upon hearing the expected elimination rate, the examinees' expressions turned more serious.
After all, they were here to take the Hunter Exam and earn a license. That was their first goal.
Just as they were calculating the numbers and heightening their vigilance, Ronnel's voice rang out again:
"However, that was when only a few hundred people participated. With this year's numbers, four-fifths of the examinees will be eliminated in the first phase. There shouldn't be a problem with that, right?"
No problem? Big problem!!
The examinees' faces instantly darkened.
Nearly 1,500 participants, with 4/5 eliminated—that meant only 300 people would advance to the second round.
That was far too few!
"Too many~"
Killua, who was hiding in the crowd, thought to himself.
It'd be great if we could finish this test in one round—I'm in a hurry.
"Alright, let's begin!"
Ignoring the examinees' reactions, Ronnel smiled and continued in a serious tone, "Now, I will announce the first-phase test."
"The topic of the first phase is... Digital Grouping!"
Digital Grouping? What the hell was that?
A hint of confusion crossed the examinees' faces before they quickly composed themselves.
"Don't worry. It's just a simple little game."
Ronnel's smile didn't reassure them. In fact, it made them feel even more uneasy.
"Number Grouping—the rules are very simple. I will randomly call out a number, and you must quickly form groups of exactly that size."
"Anyone who fails to find a group will be eliminated immediately."
"If there are too many or too few in a group—for example, if I call out fifty and a group forms with fifty-one or forty-nine people—then that entire group will be eliminated."
"As for how you form your groups, I don't care. I only care about the final result."
"Whenever I announce a number, you will have a set amount of time to organize yourselves. Once time is up, I will inspect the groups."
"When the number of examinees is reduced to 300, the first phase will end."
"Do you all understand?"
The examinees nodded instinctively.
"Then, let's begin..."
Ronnel's lips curled slightly as he saw everyone tense up.
"Five minutes. Five hundred."
After announcing the number, he stepped back to the iron gate and pulled out his pocket watch to keep time.
A: ".....?!!"
???
Starting with such a large number? That meant more than 400 people would be eliminated right away!
"Remember, you have five minutes. If you have too many or too few, you're out. I'd love it if the very first number met my expectations~"
Ronnel stood by the gate, watching leisurely.
Whoosh!!
The examinees immediately panicked, scrambling like headless chickens to find people and make up the required number.
The once-quiet underground warehouse instantly turned into a chaotic marketplace.
"Grouping by numbers? This is quite an interesting test~"
Behind the iron gate, Netero listened to the commotion and smiled.
Number Grouping was a widely known game meant to train attention, analysis, judgment, and reaction speed.
Using it here made it an excellent test of those very abilities.
"Attention, analysis, judgment, and reaction—all essential qualities for a good Hunter. This test evaluates them at a high level."
"Even more interesting is the extra condition added to the mix, making the test even more meaningful."
As a seasoned veteran, Netero immediately grasped Ronnel's intent and nodded in approval.
Looks like I picked the right guy. Maybe I should ask Ronnel to be an examiner for the Hunter Exam next time. That way, I wouldn't have to stress about picking out 633 candidates every year~
Just as that thought crossed Netero's mind...
Outside, Ronnel leaned against the wall, observing the examinees' movements without a hint of emotion.
Netero's assumption wasn't quite right.
"I don't care how you group yourselves." That rule alone revealed some of Ronnel's true intentions.
How boring would it be if the examinees just obediently followed the rules and grouped up like schoolkids?
With five minutes on the clock and this many examinees, it wouldn't take them long to identify 500 people and group up.
The real challenge began with the leftovers.
Only two full groups of 500 could form.
That left 489 people with no place to go.
And there was no way they would simply accept elimination without a fight.
They would do anything to secure a spot in the groups of 500.
And how would they achieve that?
Simple.
They would kick out the current group members and take their place.
Which meant the real test was about to begin.
And the longer time passed, the more intense the struggle would become...
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