Before that piercing bell rang out.
Hisoka's spotted-hyena-like behavior hadn't actually concluded yet.
However, when he noticed Kalluto's presence, almost instantly, all his attention locked onto Kalluto.
Then, without hesitation, he walked toward Kalluto.
This action was noticed by many examinees.
These examinees were all veterans, and due to the natural threat Hisoka exuded, they kept a constant watch on his movements.
When they saw Hisoka turn his target toward several children, even the most indifferent examinees couldn't help but curse him as a pervert in their hearts.
Of course.
Hisoka never cared about those obvious or hidden gazes from start to finish.
Among the crowd, Illumi, disguised with a grotesque face, also attracted the attention of many examinees.
That bizarre face was hard to ignore, but like Hisoka, he paid no mind to the surrounding stares, simply standing still like a wooden puppet.
But when Hisoka walked directly toward Killua and Kalluto, Illumi's aura nearly became disordered.
Fortunately, his concealment skills were superb, and he stabilized himself just as his aura was about to spiral out of control.
Then, along with the gazes of the other examinees, he discreetly observed Hisoka's actions.
His reasons for participating in this Hunter Exam were twofold: his work required a Hunter License, and he needed to make Killua and Kalluto obediently return home.
The latter was clearly more important than the former.
Because of Kalluto, Illumi no longer casually displayed numerous Nen needles on his clothes.
Instead, he embedded the Nen needles deep within his body, avoiding exposure while using them to adjust his physique, ensuring his disguise was more perfect.
He just hadn't expected Hisoka to be here too.
The disguise originally intended to deal with Kalluto ended up preventing Hisoka from discovering him first.
Illumi had no intention of revealing his identity to Hisoka, and while maintaining his disguise, he didn't particularly focus on Hisoka's behavior.
But if Hisoka targeted Killua and Kalluto...
Then he would have to intervene.
And so, amidst this chaotic intersection of gazes, Hisoka focused on Kalluto, Illumi focused on Hisoka, and Morrow focused on Illumi.
Until the piercing bell rang, the scattered gazes within the exam hall finally unified, focusing on the examiner holding the handbell.
Hisoka temporarily suppressed his impulse to ask Kalluto about Morrow's whereabouts.
He had actually considered using Kalluto's tracking ability to precisely locate Morrow before.
For this, he had even spent a fortune to commission Illumi, but unfortunately, the response was that Kalluto was unwilling to take the job.
Now Kalluto was standing within reach, with no other interfering factors.
So even though the exam's starting bell interrupted his previous action, he wasn't as urgent as before.
He had always been like this.
When he couldn't see it, his overly suppressed desires would gradually drive him mad;
When he could see it, he preferred to slowly enjoy the process.
At the front of the examinee line.
Satotz, serving as the first phase examiner, after announcing the start of the Hunter Exam, merely scanned the many examinees present, then began walking forward along the passage.
For a moment, his footsteps echoed through the spacious underground tunnel.
The examinees had no idea what the "test subject" was. Seeing Satotz stride forward, they could only follow behind.
After walking a short distance, Satotz seemed to recall he hadn't introduced himself yet.
"I haven't introduced myself to everyone. I am Satotz, the examiner for the first phase of the test. Next, I will lead you all to the venue for the second phase. Let me make this clear in advance..."
Satotz turned to look at the solemn-faced examinees behind him, raised his index finger, and said unhurriedly:
"The Hunter Exam is extremely rigorous. Those with bad luck or insufficient strength may suffer severe injuries or even lose their lives during the test. Anyone who wishes to back out can stop here now. Those unafraid of death, please follow me."
"..."
As Satotz's words faded, the underground passage fell into a brief silence.
The vast majority of examinees remained resolute, their eyes unwavering.
However, a portion of the examinees wavered.
Their gazes shifted restlessly, eventually unable to resist glancing toward Hisoka's figure.
Soon, some examinees chose to give up, turning back toward the elevator.
Once the first one made the move, it was like toppling dominoes. Those who had been hesitant quickly followed suit. In the blink of an eye, quite a few examinees had withdrawn.
Satotz watched them leave calmly, his expression unreadable.
He knew full well that these examinees weren't giving up solely because of his earlier warning.
His gaze subtly shifted toward Hisoka. Around Hisoka, it was as if an invisible barrier separated him from the other examinees, creating a vacuum.
Satotz had heard about the tragedy from the previous year.
Most of those who withdrew likely knew they couldn't escape unscathed in the presence of a dangerous individual like Hisoka.
However, the Hunter Exam was inherently brutal. Filtering out the weak-willed was part of the test.
Satotz withdrew his gaze and said plainly, "Well then, the remaining 476 examinees, please follow me and continue forward."
"What exactly is the test about?" one examinee couldn't help but ask.
Satotz continued walking forward as he replied, "Those who can follow me to the second-phase test venue will pass the first test. However, I will not disclose the location or duration of the venue, so you must stick close to me."
With that, Satotz abruptly picked up his pace.
Only then did many examinees realize that the first phase of the Hunter Exam tested endurance.
The examinees hurriedly followed behind Satotz.
Instantly, the passage echoed with the continuous sound of footsteps.
Killua had already retrieved his skateboard by this point.
"Kalluto, here."
He placed the skateboard in front of Kalluto.
Kalluto didn't refuse Killua's thoughtful gesture. Stepping onto the skateboard on his left foot in geta sandals, he began to glide along.
Leorio had initially wanted to complain that using a skateboard during an endurance test was against the rules, but before he could speak, he saw Killua give the skateboard to Kalluto and swallowed his words.
Killua jogged a few steps to catch up with Gon, lowering his voice as he said, "Gon."
"Hm?"
Gon turned his head.
"That number 444..."
Killua kept his eyes forward, but his tone was unusually serious. "Try to stay away from him."
Gon was taken aback for a moment before nodding solemnly.
In truth, from the moment he stepped into the underground passage, he had vaguely sensed the dangerous aura emanating from Hisoka.
As time passed, the presence of this dangerous aura grew increasingly intense.
That wasn't directed at him.
It was impartially aimed at everyone present.
And that was precisely why he could deeply sense Hisoka's dangerous nature.
Kalluto followed Gon and Killua on his skateboard, remaining silent after hearing their conversation, only glancing back at the restless crowd behind them.
At the rear of the examinee group.
Morrow ran at a steady, unhurried pace.
The time to strike will be when we cross the Milsy Wetlands...
With lowered eyelids, Morrow silently calculated in his heart.
Although Kalluto's appearance was an unexpected development, it wouldn't affect Morrow's plans.
In that wetland forest soon to be shrouded in thick fog, Morrow absolutely had to seize the opportunity to eliminate Illumi...
Time passed.
Inside the underground tunnel, the examinees closely followed Satotz.
After running 60 kilometers like this, the tunnel ahead still showed no end in sight.
But no examinee had fallen behind.
After all, these were individuals who had emerged from millions of applicants; in terms of endurance, they could be considered extraordinary.
The aimless long-distance run continued.
At the 80-kilometer mark, the first examinee finally fell behind.
It was the chubby boy carrying the computer.
Having exhausted his last ounce of strength, he staggered and fell to his knees, beads of sweat rolling down his flushed cheeks.
"Huff... huff..."
He watched despairingly as the crowd gradually moved away, his throat producing wheezing breaths like a broken bellows.
Just then, steady, unhurried footsteps sounded from behind.
The chubby boy turned back blankly, his blurred vision catching a sleepy-looking face in the dim light.
Morrow merely glanced at him indifferently before maintaining his steady pace to run past him, consistently keeping position at the rear of the group.
"W-wait..."
The chubby boy instinctively reached out toward Morrow, but his hand froze halfway.
He suddenly remembered the earlier incident when Tonpa played his dirty trick, how he had seen through it but chosen to remain silent.
If he had stepped forward to expose it then, perhaps...
The chubby boy let his hand drop listlessly, collapsing on the ground like a fish out of water as he gasped violently, allowing regret and resentment to gnaw at his heart.
Ahead.
Morrow could faintly sense the chubby boy's gaze but paid it no mind.
For a newcomer to find the first phase of the Hunter Exam and persist until the 80-kilometer mark...
Among ordinary people, the chubby boy would be considered outstanding.
Unfortunately, this was the Hunter Exam where on average only one newcomer passed every three years.
Compared to the other examinees present, the chubby boy had instead become the most inconspicuous one.
More time passed.
Under Satotz's lead, the group arrived before stairs leading to the surface.
Here, Satotz increased his speed again.
The steep, lengthy stairs, combined with the sudden demand for acceleration, became the final straw that broke many examinees.
By the time Satotz led the examinees to the surface, many had already collapsed on the stairs behind.
Morrow had maintained his position at the rear of the group, passing through the descending shutter door at the last moment to emerge with the other examinees onto the platform outside the exit.
The scene unfolding before them was the boundless Milsy Wetlands, already quite familiar to him.
"Huff."
Morrow raised his hand to wipe the dense sweat from his forehead.
He didn't deliberately appear out of breath, merely controlling his body to secrete enough sweat to dampen his face and clothes.
This kind of precise control over bodily functions was no longer difficult for him.
Once they reached the surface, he deliberately avoided looking toward Illumi, Hisoka, and Killua.
After all, the test had already begun. All examinees were now focused on the assessment itself, no longer sizing each other up as they had initially, nor would most gazes converge on a single person.
In such an environment, recklessly paying attention to Illumi or Hisoka, even a momentary glance, would instantly amplify one's presence.
At that moment,
most examinees were gazing ahead at the Milsy Wetlands.
Only seasoned participants like Geretta, as well as newcomers such as Hanzo, Gon, and even the bee girl Ponzu, paid no mind to the scenery ahead. Instead, they were all secretly wary of Hisoka.
Back in the underground tunnel, they had continuously sensed the dangerous aura emanating from Hisoka.
But now...
it felt far more intense.
It was practically signaling danger to them.
That guy... is about to start killing, isn't he?
Geretta lightly pressed down the brim of his hat, tightened his grip on his blowgun, and subtly shifted his position, moving away from Hisoka while edging closer to Satotz.
Around this time last year, Hisoka had openly radiated his intent to kill.
As an experienced examinee, Geretta naturally knew to steer clear of such sharpness.
Back then, the proctor, perhaps unable to tolerate Hisoka's blatant provocation or finding him too arrogant, had intervened, only to end up dead by Hisoka's hand.
In a way, it was the proctor's intervention that had spared many examinees from falling victim to Hisoka.
And this year's proctor, Satotz...
Many seasoned examinees discreetly observed his reaction, only to find his expression unchanged, utterly unruffled.
Just this composure alone made him far more formidable than last year's ill-fated proctor.
In other words, if no proctor stepped in this time, everyone present would become Hisoka's targets.
Realizing this, the veterans quietly gravitated toward Satotz.
Tonpa also blended into the crowd, subtly shifting his position.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the drenched Morrow and sneered inwardly.
What a pity. If you'd drunk my laxative-laced beverage, you could've at least withdrawn alive. Now... you'll just have to wait to be killed by Hisoka.
Tonpa moved along with the other experienced examinees toward Satotz, ignoring Morrow from then on.
In his view, someone as slow as Morrow would likely be among the first batch of examinees killed by Hisoka.
Hisoka's undisguised killing intent,
the veterans' cautious repositioning,
and the many examinees still unaware, focused solely on catching their breath.
Satotz took it all in.
He knew what Hisoka was about to do, but he had no obligation to intervene. He would only follow the rules and carry out the pre-established test content.
Based on this, even if Hisoka killed every other examinee on the way to the second phase test site, it wouldn't violate the rules.
However...
While Satotz wouldn't stop Hisoka's actions, he could, in his capacity as proctor, grant the examinees a longer rest period.
After patiently allowing them some time, Satotz finally raised his hand and pointed toward the muddy terrain ahead.
"That is Milsy Wetlands, also known as Swindler's Swamp. Passing through there will lead to the second phase examination venue. Additionally, many of the Exotic Beasts living in this wetland primarily feed on humans, so please exercise extra caution."
After giving this warning, Satotz strode forward into the muddy terrain ahead.
No further explanation was needed, the marathon test of endurance continued.
With 376 examinees total, differences in speed quickly formed them into a long, dragon-like procession.
Ahead, thick fog began to rise.
The dragon-like procession plunged headlong into the dense fog.
Hisoka narrowed his slender eyes, his golden pupils sharp like the edges of playing cards, slowly sweeping over the examinees passing by his side.
He had been suppressing himself for too long.
Only after discovering Kalluto did his hopeful mood slightly soothe his restless nerves.
No longer impatient, he now had the leisure to indulge in the surging bloodlust within his heart.
"~"
Hisoka extended his tongue to lick the corner of his lips, a playing card held between his fingers.
In the front section of the examinee procession.
Kalluto approached Killua's side and whispered, "Brother, let's move to the front."
"Mm."
Killua nodded, then glanced at Gon running alongside Leorio.
Elsewhere.
Under the cover of the thick fog, Morrow quietly separated from the group.
At that moment, one after another, screams tore through the wetland's silence.
The predators of Milsy Wetlands had finally bared their fangs.
These bizarre creatures, tempered by evolution, with their innate talent for camouflage and unpredictable hunting skills, quickly fragmented the dragon-like procession of examinees.
Even these carefully selected examinees were utterly defenseless against the attacks of these Exotic Beasts.
This was the dangerous side of the Hunter world, distinct from the backdrop of a developed modern city, and it clearly demonstrated just how crucial Nen was as a power.
The screams of the examinees undoubtedly became nourishment for the spread of panic.
At the same time, they created the perfect hunting environment for Hisoka.
Hisoka began to make his move.
Meanwhile.
Illumi was closely monitoring Hisoka's movements from the shadows.
If Hisoka made a move against Kalluto and Killua, he would definitely step in to stop it.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Illumi sensed an intense bloodlust.
What is this?
Within that concentrated bloodlust, Illumi detected a hint of familiarity, along with a danger that could directly touch his skin.
He was certain it wasn't Hisoka's bloodlust.
Then,
who could it be?
Was it among the procession?
Illumi momentarily had many doubts, carefully recalling his memories from the underground tunnel, but found nothing unusual.
Because when Killua and Kalluto arrived at the venue, his attention had been entirely focused on the two of them.
Are you "inviting" me...?
Sensing the highly targeted bloodlust, Illumi drew several Nen needles from deep within his body.
After a brief moment of thought, he consciously began to distance himself from Hisoka, Killua, and the others.
Once he had put enough distance between them, based on his assessment of the threat level posed by that bloodlust, Illumi did not hesitate to shoot Nen needles at the examinees whose figures flickered in and out of view within the thick fog.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...
As the Nen needles accurately pierced the back of the examinees' heads, Illumi instantly gained seven or eight Needle People.
But this wasn't enough.
Fortunately, there was an abundance of materials for Needle People.
Illumi's pitch-black eyes remained deathly still, showing no urgency to respond to the invitation laced with bloodlust.
His Needle People now possessed the ability to disguise themselves, allowing him to devise tactics without personally confronting the threat.
Meanwhile.
Hisoka finally made his move.
In an instant, more agonized screams pierced through the thick fog.
Morrow, on the other hand, lingered on the outskirts of the group, awaiting Illumi's response.
Even if Illumi chose to ignore it, Morrow had ways to force him to engage.
But he knew Illumi would most likely face the invitation head-on.
Because Illumi...
Had an intense desire for control, preferring to dominate situations completely.
Thus, he would never tolerate "unexpected variables" within his grasp.