The Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exam marked a distinct turning point in the evaluation process, where sheer physicality and strategy alone were no longer enough. Here, on Zevil Island, guile, manipulation, and psychological warfare reigned supreme.
Aboard the boat ferrying us to the island, the remaining 24 candidates each received a sealed envelope containing a card. On that card was a badge number. The rules were simple on the surface: survive for one week while collecting a minimum of 6 points in tags. Your own badge? 3 points. Your target's badge? 3 points. Any other badge? Worth 1 point each.
What wasn't explicitly said, but was painfully clear, was that this phase encouraged theft, betrayal, and bloodshed. We were essentially told: "You have 3 days to hunt anyone you like and survive being hunted."
But there was a catch: no combat was allowed on the first day. That created a tense, simmering atmosphere. Candidates couldn't engage directly, so they spent the day observing, tracking, setting traps… and scheming.
I had come prepared. From the other Phases I had quietly amassed 7 tags from dead or disqualified examinees. They were now officially worthless, but potentially priceless as tools of deception.
Upon arrival on Zevil Island, I immediately buried my real badge and the target's badge, the two critical ones, in a marked hole, 50 paces northeast of the beach where I landed. I memorized the tree roots surrounding it, the shape of the rock above it, and the shadow pattern it formed at high noon.
Then, pinned to my chest, I wore the last fake tag, easily accessible, to be used as bait, they would appear completely authentic.
The 2nd day were dedicated to scouting and reconnaissance, I perched in a tall tree and observed other candidates moving through the jungle. Each moved cautiously, uncertain who hunted whom, as watch to make sure no one knew where i hid my real tags.
An hour eariler.
Eventually, I spotted my target, a lean candidate with sharp eyes and a primitive blowdart setup. He had no clue I was observing him.
On the 1st day, when combat wasn't allowed, I deliberately approached him in a vulnerable-looking state. I made myself appear weak, uncertain, and twitchy. Then I did something audacious.
I offered him a deal.
"I don't want to risk getting killed. I have these six tags, and too many people are hunting me down for them," I said, slowly opening the pouch, revealing the six badges I had taken from dead candidates. " I'll trade all of these for your tag. Six for one, as your my target, so i will not need this many."
The target hesitated, but greed and fear danced in his eyes. He didn't know the tags I was offering were useless. They looked genuine. He bit the bait.
The deal was struck. I handed him six fakes and received his real tag in exchange. I then quietly buried it with my real tag, hiding them together in the same marked hole.
I left the scene pretending to be unarmed. Just another candidate trying to make it to the end.
End of flash-back.
By the third day, Some probably thought I was vulnerable. Others hunted me as i kept the fake tag pinned to my chest.
Eventually, two candidates cornered me near a stream. They moved in fast, clearly having stalked me for hours. I raised my hands and said, "I give up. Just Take it."
I unclipped the tag pinned to my chest, a worthless fake I kept for such situations. One snatched it from my hand and scoffed.
"That's it?"
"Yup, i not dieing over a tag" I replied.
They cursed, shoved me aside, and vanished back into the underbrush. But the message had been sent: I was a useless target now. Word travels fast among paranoid hunters. From that point on, no one hunted me. No one wasted time tracking a man who supposedly had nothing of value.
I became invisible.
For the remaining day, I survived quietly. I avoided conflict, drank rainwater, foraged wild berries, and moved only at night to avoid unnecessary attention. I made certain no one saw me go near the burial site.
The weather was kind, no storms, no landslides. The markers I had memorized, curved root, crescent-shaped rock, double-shadow from twin palms, remained exactly as I had placed them.
At the final hour of the seventh day, I returned to the site.
I dug carefully.
My fingers closed on plastic.
There they were: my real tag, and the target's tag, untouched, dry, and perfectly preserved.
I held them in my hand, and added three other tags I had stolen from sleeping candidates earlier in the today, just for insurance. That made 9 points total:
3 points for my own tag.
3 points for my target's.
3 extra tags at 1 point each.
9 out of 6 required. I passed.
Zevil Island's Fourth Phase was over.
Others fought. Others hunted. Others bled.
I didn't even fight once, as i planed everything out form the start.
And that is why I will get my hunter card.