Ryusei sighed helplessly, but kept his thoughts to himself. He knew Netero wouldn't change the match order just for him.
However, the other candidates were less reserved. Bodoro looked at Netero, his voice laced with suspicion. "That being said, some people clearly have more opportunities. What is the reason for such bias?"
Bodoro pointed out that he only had three chances to win and pass. Ryusei and Gon had five potential chances in their path. Leorio remained silent, holding the worst odds with only two chances, a position he shared with Killua. Killua, however, didn't seem to care, confident in his own abilities.
"I knew you would ask that," Netero replied smoothly. "This pairing is based on your performance in the previous exams, and it's also determined by your response methods. Simply put, it's about who performed better in the earlier exams. I'll give them as many opportunities as possible."
Netero was delivering the statement with a perfectly straight face, despite the subjective nature of his criteria. Ryusei knew Netero was talking nonsense. While Ryusei's official performance was average, Gon's had been exceptional—especially his successful, albeit temporary, acquisition of Hisoka's plate—a feat that far surpassed everyone else's.
However, Killua was clearly not happy with Netero's justification. "I can't accept your reason. Could you please tell us your scoring criteria?" Killua demanded, his eyes narrowing. If he only had two chances, it meant his score was similar to Leorio's, a comparison he absolutely refused to accept.
"Hmph, no way!" Netero responded by sticking out his tongue and making a face at Killua.
Killua, momentarily stunned, quickly became enraged, pressing relentlessly. "Why?! This isn't something that needs to be hidden!"
Netero burst into laughter, highly amused by Killua's exasperation. "Haha, the scoring method is top secret! I cannot tell you the contents." Netero looked suddenly very serious. In reality, he couldn't reveal it because his rating was entirely subjective and based on his personal whims.
Noticing the curiosity on everyone's faces, Netero paused and then offered a partial explanation. "As for how the evaluation was conducted, I can explain that much. The first step is to review the standards. It is roughly composed of Physical Ability Value, Mental Ability Value, and Impression Value."
"Physical ability is a combination of agility, endurance, strength, and the five senses," he detailed. "Mental ability value is the sum of values such as perseverance, judgment, and creativity. However, these figures are only for reference. After all, these skills can be tested in the final exam, so there's no real need to ask about them now."
"The most important thing is the Impression." Netero's expression became highly serious.
Ryusei pursed his lips. So everything before was just a preamble. The entire bracket was likely arranged based on Netero's personal assessment of their "vibe." However, if this were true, Netero seemed to have a surprisingly high opinion of him, given his position near the top of the loser's bracket. This gave Ryusei a small, internal swell of pride.
"Impression value refers to a certain quality that cannot be measured by the various numerical values mentioned above. If I really must articulate it... this must be what's known as the Hunter Aptitude Evaluation!" Netero declared. "Furthermore, after meeting with each of you in person, this is how the bracket was finalized." Netero looked at everyone calmly.
Killua, however, strongly disagreed, feeling slighted that his proven skills were ranked lower than Gon's. While others silently accepted Netero's vague terms, Killua stewed.
After giving everyone a moment to digest his words, Netero continued. "The competition format is also very simple. Weapons can be used; there are no other rules. Winning is simply getting your opponent to admit defeat."
He raised a stern finger, emphasizing the most critical rule. "However, if the opponent loses their life in battle, the victor will immediately lose their eligibility. At the same time, the remaining people will pass the exam unconditionally. Do you understand?" Netero didn't want any of these excellent prospects to die. Explaining this rule clearly was a prerequisite for starting the final phase.
All the candidates nodded, tacitly accepting the terms.
A referee, Mahtah, walked to the center of the field. "Then let's begin the final exam now. The first match is between Ryusei and Gon. Please come forward."
Ryusei and Gon slowly walked to the center of the field. Looking at Gon, who had a serious, determined expression, Ryusei felt a wave of frustration wash over him. The battle was pointless. Even if he won the fight, Gon's stubborn nature meant he would never admit defeat.
"I am Mahtah, who will be the judge for the final examination. Please give me your guidance." Mahtah looked at the two of them.
Gon and Ryusei simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well then, the time has come." Mahtah stepped back, clearing the space. "Start!"
As Mahtah's command rang out, Gon's stance immediately tightened, ready to fight.
"Wait a minute, Gon," Ryusei suddenly interjected.
Gon looked at Ryusei, puzzled, but maintained his defensive posture.
"Let's discuss this first!" Ryusei continued, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "If possible, I don't want to determine a winner through fighting. There's no need to determine a winner or loser through battle." Ryusei looked genuinely troubled. His complete lack of desire to engage Gon was palpable. He knew he could overpower the boy, but the true key to victory was the admission of defeat, and Gon would never yield.
"Not fighting? That would be very troubling for me," Gon replied, his expression deepening with confusion and frustration. The idea of not fighting for a win was baffling to him, especially since he didn't believe he would lose.
Hearing Gon's response, Ryusei nearly laughed out of sheer annoyance. "Ha, you'll be bothered! The one who's really bothered is me! Even if I win a fight against you, you won't admit defeat, so it's just a waste of my energy, and yours."
He stepped closer to Gon, lowering his voice slightly. "The key issue is that it also wastes time and energy that we both need. So let's just discuss a solution that we can both accept. Anyway, Chairman Netero said there are no rules. Regardless of whether the victory or defeat was determined through combat, as long as someone admits defeat, it'll be fine." Ryusei glanced pointedly at Netero.
"That's right, that's exactly it," Netero confirmed with a benevolent smile. He recognized the dilemma: Ryusei was correct; Gon's personality made him nearly impossible to defeat conventionally.
However, convincing Gon to abandon a direct confrontation was proving to be a challenge far greater than the fight itself. Gon looked from Ryusei to Netero, his fishing rod still at the ready, his commitment to solving the problem with action overriding Ryusei's appeal to logic.