"Such an ominous kid…" "We should be careful…" "That guy couldn't be some kind of mermaid, right? I heard mermaids are called the children of the Sea God—this is seriously creepy…" "He's got unbelievable pull…"
On the deck, some people were thanking Luo Ou, others were still in disbelief, but most felt a deep sense of wariness. This really was an absurd level of influence. Everyone who came to take the Hunter Exam had traveled far and wide, yet none of them had ever seen someone who could make even the Sea God give them face.
Just imagine—during the Hunter Exam, someone casually says, "Give me some face," and a bolt of lightning descends from the sky, striking down their opponent. That would be completely insane.
The long-awaited storm the Red-Nosed Captain had been hoping for vanished just like that, dissolved by what looked like a childish sea ritual performed by Lu Ou. As a result, from then on, whenever a storm approached, the captain's first reaction was to hold a sea ritual. Whether it worked or not… well, only heaven knew—and the captain believed.
Without the devastation of a storm, the promising Hunter candidates who would have been eliminated midway in the original timeline ultimately escaped that fate.
Thus, when the Sea God reached Doli Island, this Hunter Exam would have the highest pass rate in history.
At the moment, however, the Sea God was still leisurely sailing across calm waters. The sea was cooperative—there wasn't even a ripple. They would likely reach Doli Island by dawn, more than a day earlier than in the original story.
Since he hadn't managed to eliminate enough people as planned, the Red-Nosed Captain was much busier than he had been in the original timeline. Even so, through various excuses, he still eliminated half of the candidates, though a considerable number remained.
By habit, the captain handled registration himself. After finishing most of the work, only Lu Ou's group of four remained.
As the four candidates he valued the most, they were given special treatment and brought alone into a private room. This was similar to the original plot—except that in the original, only Gon and the others remained after the storm.
"What are your names?" the Red-Nosed Captain asked.
"I'm Gon. He's Lu Ou," Gon replied quickly.
Lu Ou missed the chance to speak and simply nodded in confirmation.
"My name is Kurapika," Kurapika said, standing straight.
"Ahh, what a hassle. I'm Leorio," Leorio said casually, seeing that everyone else had answered.
"Then why do you want to become Hunters?" the captain asked.
That question stirred a hornet's nest.
Those who had already been taught a lesson by the captain answered obediently—but when it came to Leorio, it hit a nerve.
"Why do we have to tell you? This isn't a job interview!" Leorio shouted.
Gon answered honestly, "Because my dad does this job, so I want to know what kind of work it is."
"I'm curious about what Hunters actually do," Lu Ou added.
Others didn't know it, but Lu Ou did—the Red-Nosed Captain was an examiner. Judging from what he had already shown, he was guaranteed to pass. Looking at the entire Hunter Exam, this captain was clearly affiliated with the Hunter Association. There was no reason to make an enemy of a future colleague over something trivial.
"Don't interrupt! Can't you see I'm talking to this old man?" Leorio snapped.
"But you're just giving a reason. What's the problem?" Gon asked, confused.
Lu Ou stayed silent.
"I won't say it. Absolutely not! If it's something I don't want to do, I won't do it—even if it comes to a duel!" Leorio roared.
"Leorio, I agree with you. My reason for becoming a Hunter is very personal. Why should I tell it to a stranger I just met?" Kurapika said seriously. "I have the right to refuse."
At that moment, Leorio and Kurapika reached an agreement.
"If you don't answer, Kurapika, Leorio, then you'll be getting off this ship. Don't you understand yet? The Hunter Exam began the moment you boarded," the captain said.
He pulled out a card representing the Hunter Association and continued, "Every year, there are countless applicants. If they were all examined directly, it would cost enormous manpower and resources. That's why people like us help screen candidates. I've already reported the unqualified ones to the committee."
"As for whether you get to take the Hunter Exam—that depends on my mood."
The Red-Nosed Captain was very direct.
Though his expression didn't change, Lu Ou could tell from how red his nose had become that he was genuinely angry at Leorio and Kurapika.
"What a pain… Fine, I'll tell you," Leorio muttered.
"I want to be a Hunter for money. Hunters can make a lot of money. With money, you can buy anything—big houses, fancy cars, fine wine, even women."
A dreamy expression appeared on Leorio's face, making it hard not to laugh.
"Leorio, money can't buy human dignity," Kurapika said.
"Brat, how old are you? Call me Leorio-san," Leorio snapped.
"Leorio, money isn't everything. There are many things money can't buy," Kurapika replied.
A trace of killing intent flickered in his blue eyes, as if he'd recalled something painful. Even facing the enraged Leorio, Kurapika remained unmoved, completely lost in memories of the past.
"I am a survivor of the Kurta Clan. I want to become a Hunter and live as a bounty hunter," Kurapika said.
"And your reason?" the captain asked.
"Four years ago, my entire clan was slaughtered. The culprits were the Phantom Troupe. I want to become a Hunter to capture them," Kurapika replied.
"The Phantom Troupe are all A-class criminals. Even veteran Hunters wouldn't provoke them lightly. You'd only be throwing your life away," the captain said.
"I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid that I'll forget this feeling of hatred," Kurapika said, his eyes wide.
"What a reckless guy. You don't have to become a Hunter just to get revenge," Leorio said.
"That's the stupidest question in the world, Leorio. Don't you know there are places only Hunters can go, information only Hunters can access, and actions only Hunters are permitted to take?" Kurapika retorted.
"That's the fourth time now. Get out. As expected, those with the filthy blood of the Kurta Clan are all ill-mannered," Leorio said calmly, clenching his fists.
"Take back what you just said, Leorio."
Leorio's words stabbed deep into Kurapika's heart. Kurapika clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, struggling to suppress his rage.
"Leorio-san. Come outside—duel!" Leorio said as he strode out of the room.
"Gladly," Kurapika replied, following him out.
"I'm not finished yet!" the Red-Nosed Captain said irritably. The situation had completely slipped beyond his expectations.
"Let them be. If you want to understand someone, you first need to know what they're sensitive about. That's something Aunt Mito taught me—and it's my favorite saying. I think they're angry because these things are deeply important to them, so it's better not to interfere," Gon said seriously.
"What do you think?" the captain asked Lu Ou, believing him to be the smartest of the group.
"This concerns both of their beliefs," Lu Ou said. "I agree with Gon. Outsiders shouldn't interfere. Leorio and Kurapika have fundamentally different values—this fight was inevitable."
The captain fell silent for a moment. Though he still didn't entirely agree, he said nothing more.
"Come on, Gon. Let's go watch," Lu Ou said.
Gon responded, and the two left the cabin one after the other.