The Captain, a weathered old man with eyes that had seen more than just sea and storms, gathered a few of us before we stepped off.
He didn't speak loudly. Just enough for a handful of us to hear, those who had proven ourselves during the storm. He looked at each of us with quiet scrutiny, like a man who had seen hundreds of hopefuls fail.
"The exam's not in town," he said gruffly. "There's a place inland. Most of the others won't make it, they'll be sniffing in the wrong places. If you want a real shot, follow the road north until you meet an old woman with a riddle. Don't trust the obvious answers."
He didn't wait for questions. Just turned his back and returned to his ship like he'd never spoken at all.
I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder again, feeling the comforting weight of my odd collection of tools inside: roller skates, taser, pepper spray, and power drill. It wasn't the kind of gear most people would bring into a high-stakes life-or-death exam, but then again, most people didn't prepare like I did.
As I followed the dirt trail out of Dolle Harbor alongside Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio, I kept quiet, eyes on the horizon. Gon had the energy of a wild animal, bouncing around in awe at every bird or tree. Kurapika was composed, his sharp eyes scanning the area. Leorio, he was a bit less loud.
We hadn't gone far before we saw her. The old woman.
She stood in the middle of the path like she'd been waiting for us. Small, wrapped in layers of cloth, leaning on a gnarled cane. Around her stood four others, silent, expressionless followers who offered no welcome, no warning. Just eyes like carved stone.
She raised her head slowly. "Only those who can decide may pass. But what if the decision itself is the test?"
Then came her scenario.
"A kidnapper has taken your son and daughter. You can only save one. Which one do you choose?"
Gon blinked, taken aback. Leorio immediately started to argue. "That's a trick question! I'd find a way to save both!"
But I knew this part, there is no right answer.
So I said nothing.
Gon stayed silent too, clearly unsure.
Kurapika narrowed his eyes and also held his tongue.
Leorio was halfway into a moral lecture when he noticed none of us had spoken. He clenched his teeth and pick up a log, as he was about to hurt the old lady, i grab his arms, to try and stop him for 10 seconds, but dam it he is strong.
The old woman nodded slowly. "You may pass."
Without another word, she tapped her cane on the ground, and one of her followers stepped aside, revealing a hidden passage, little more than a narrow trail veiled by trees and thorns.
As we walked, I felt something heavy settle in my chest. That question, the scenario, wasn't just a test of logic. It was a warning. The kind of life we were choosing meant we'd have to make decisions like that someday. As a Hunter, lives would be in our hands, and the universe wouldn't always offer a clean option.
But that thought was cut short when we reached the next challenge.
A clearing.
And a scream.
It happened so suddenly that instinct kicked in. A man stumbled into view, bleeding, yelling for help. Behind him, a monster, hulking, fast, snarling, burst from the trees and lunged. It was chaos.
I reacted immediately.
As the others split up, Gon sprinting after the creature, Kurapika analyzing, Leorio dropping to help the wounded man, I took a different route.
I circled around trying to catch the monster, and as i found him, i draw my pepper spray from the bag. The creature turned toward me, jaws open in a guttural roar. Without hesitation, I sprayed the beast dead in the face, then pivoted and drove my boot hard into its groin.
It crumpled with a wheeze, hissing in pain, and dropped to its knees.
The whole scene paused, like time had frozen.
The monster vanished into a poof of smoke and fur, shrinking into a humanoid form.
"You pass," said the now-unmasked creature, revealing himself to be a Kiriko, one of the magical beasts that could shift shape.
The man and woman he had attacked? Also Kiriko. They stood, laughing quietly, shedding their disguises.
"We were watching all of you. Each of you passed for different reasons," the Kiriko father explained.
They pointed to Gon, who had chased the "monster" with surprising speed and agility, and more importantly, had noticed something subtle, the monster's wife had changed places with him, and Gon could tell form the differet scent, alone.
"Kurapika saw through the act," the mother said. "He recognized the tattoo on the 'wife' a symbol used only by vow-bound sisters. No married woman would wear that."
"And Leorio," the son added, "offered first aid without hesitation. He didn't think of himself or what the reward would be. His actions spoke to the heart of what it means to protect life."
They turned to me.
"And you…" the father said without holding his Rage. "You attacked me and kicked me in the GROIN."
I crossed my arms. "You were trying to eat a guy. I went with the fastest takedown."
There was a pause.
Then the other Kirikos burst into laughter.
"You used your tools smartly. Non-lethal force. Effective. You didn't hesitate. That's the kind of thinking that keeps people alive." said his son.
They clapped me on the back, and the mother added, "You may not be flashy, but you're quick to act."
With the test passed, the Kirikos revealed their true forms, tall, winged, intelligent eyes and kind smiles. They weren't predators, not really. They were gatekeepers. Testers.
"We'll take you the rest of the way," the father said. "The Exam site is close, but not for just anyone. We ensure only the worthy find it."
Within moments, they lifted us high into the air. Flying with the Kiriko was both terrifying and exhilarating. The wind rushed past my face, my heart pounding with anticipation. The land below unfolded like a vast living map, forests, rivers, twisting paths.
Finally, we reached a lone town hidden among the cliffs.The Kiriko son landed before us. The Kiriko leaned close and whispered a password to us. Only then we went to resterrant and gave the code, and so, we were lowered underground, and saw a big metal door.
We stepped in.
I was inside. I had made it past the sea, the riddle, the shapeshifters. I was here, on the threshold of the 287th Hunter Exam.
My heart thundered with excitement.
Let the games begin.