"This airship will take all examinees to the second half of the third round of the test."
Just as the seventy-two-hour time limit passed, without even a moment's rest, the examinees of batch 287 boarded the airship heading to the next testing site.
If you managed to clear the previous stage and reach the destination earlier, you actually had ample time to adjust. Simply put, the time you have to rest is directly proportional to your speed in clearing the stage, which is essentially your strength.
One by one, the examinees boarded, and the airship set off towards the next destination.
As the airship slowed down around noon, it was clear to the examinees that they had arrived. Looking out the windows, they saw a sight of dilapidated shipwrecks, like a graveyard of sunken ships.
The destination was an island resembling a military ship or, more accurately, a massive warship itself, named Battleship Island.
After landing, the airship dropped off all the examinees on the shore and remained there, showing no signs of leaving.
The examinees assumed that the airship would take them away once the test concluded, so they paid it little mind. Most of their attention was drawn to an elderly couple standing in front of them, smiling kindly.
"Welcome to our inn~"
"Are they the examiners for this round of the test?" A few examinees wore puzzled expressions but quickly shook their heads. They were just ordinary people. The elderly couple cheerfully introduced themselves and explained the details about the island's inn.
They boasted about the inn, claiming that kings, princesses, and ministers from the Nebula Kingdom had specifically come here for vacation, among other things.
In short, after all the boasting, their objective was clear: a deposit of ten million Jenny was required to stay at the inn.
Ten million. Even in a six-star hotel, you could live comfortably for half a year with that amount. It's worth noting that, according to official records, hiring Zeno, Killua's grandfather, usually costs ten billion Jenny per job.
If the commission level is slightly higher, it starts at tens of billions. Even in the Heavens Arena, earning ten million Jenny would require climbing over a hundred floors.
Naturally, the examinees, not wanting to be taken advantage of, refused to pay such a sum, and they indeed didn't have that much money.
Amidst their collective outrage, the innkeeper, still smiling, offered a compromise. As antique dealers by trade, the examinees could collect some antique treasures from the nearby shipwrecks to earn free lodging.
The more valuable the antiques, the higher the quality of the room they could stay in.
Morin glanced at the surrounding shipwrecks and then at the couple.
They were indeed antique dealers, evident from the professional equipment they carried and the calluses on their hands from years of handling antiques.
However, they likely belonged to the Hunter Association, using the coming storm as an opportunity to have the examinees salvage treasures that hadn't been retrieved yet.
Testing and salvaging simultaneously, using examinees as cheap labor, saving a significant amount on salvage costs... What a well-played plan.
The examinees felt they were getting a good deal, stripping down to dive or explore the ships. Morin didn't mind; with his [Create Door Sticker], he could find a place to rest anywhere. As for what happened outside on Battleship Island, it wasn't his concern.
While the examinees were busily searching for treasures, Morin settled into his little house. In the distant sky, storm clouds rolled in.
In the blink of an eye, a day passed. As the dawn of the second day broke, Morin emerged from his [Create Door Sticker] house on time. The examinees looked exhausted.
Thanks to their collective efforts, the position of Battleship Island was successfully moved despite the dangers. Meanwhile, an airship slowly approached from the horizon.
A group of relieved examinees, still smiling, quickly concealed their emotions. After working together to overcome the challenge, they were once again competitors. The transition from cooperation to rivalry highlighted the harshness of the Hunter Exam.
As the airship picked up the examinees one by one, "Morin, there you are! We couldn't find you before, and during that storm, we were really worried about you!" Gon exclaimed happily upon seeing Morin while boarding the airship.
"The only one worried was you..."
---
Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika all looked speechless. They couldn't help but recall Morin's private room on the first floor of the Trick Tower. While they braved the elements outside, Morin was comfortably resting and sipping tea inside.
Leorio was practically green with envy, feeling so sour he thought his teeth might fall out.
"How have you been these past two days?" Morin asked, feigning ignorance.
"Pretty good, I guess?" Gon replied without much thought. "We encountered a storm, but thankfully, we all got through it safely! Mr. Guiding Angel was a huge help! 〃▽!"
Gon's left hand bore the [Guiding Angel], which made their test on Battleship Island go more smoothly. Morin looked around; including himself, only twenty-five examinees remained.
Among them were: Leorio, Kurapika, Gon, and Morin himself, numbered 403 to 406; the Amori Brothers, numbers 197 to 199; Hisoka, number 44; Ponzu, number 246; Gittarackur, number 105; Killua, number 99; Sedokan, number 9; Geretta, number 371; Bourbon, number 53; Tonpa, number 16; Sommy, number 11; Gittarackur, number 301; Hanzo, number 294; Pokkle, number 53; Barra, number 103; Stalker, number 10; Agon, number 21; Botobai, number 191; Greta, number 34; and Dragon, number 34.
From over four hundred participants in the Hunter Exam, only these select few remained, many of whom were veterans from previous years, elites among elites. They were all wary of each other, cautiously observing their fellow examinees.
Finally, the airship flew smoothly, transferring to a large ship midway, and as the distant Zevil Island came into view, all examinees realized that the true fourth round of testing had arrived. Once again, Lippo served as the examiner, explaining the rules to the examinees.
The examinees were to draw lots in the order they cleared the Trick Tower. Hisoka went first, followed by Morin, Gon, and the others. Hisoka casually picked a piece of paper with a number from the box, and then it was Morin's turn.
Number 53. Morin glanced at the paper and tossed it towards the examinee represented by the number.
"Hmm?" When Bourbon saw the number on the paper drifting towards him, he bristled instantly. "How could this happen?!"
His face turned grim. "Why did it have to be him?!"
In the entire Hunter Exam, Morin and Hisoka were unanimously recognized by the examinees as the ones not to provoke.
Hisoka was a notorious killer with terrifying strength, while Morin casually chatted with Chairman Netero and had a disciple in the Hunter Association's upper echelons. Facing either of them spelled certain doom.
"Whoo," the other examinees sighed in relief upon seeing Morin's target was Bourbon. No one felt confident they could escape unscathed if Morin targeted them. Forget about passing the test, surviving would be an achievement.
Even Kurapika and Leorio subtly relaxed. They particularly didn't want to face Morin. After drawing their lots and finding their numbers weren't 406, they slightly raised their eyebrows in relief. Their luck this time was exceptionally good!
Soon, the other examinees finished drawing lots and had their respective targets. The hunt and being hunted would take place on Zevil Island.
The rules were clear: a six-point system, with three points for your own badge, three points for your target's badge, and one point for other examinees' badges. Within a week, using any method, as long as they secured six points, they would pass the test.
A week later, when the ship returned to the island's shore, any examinee waiting there with six points would be considered qualified.
The rules were straightforward, and everyone understood them. After Lippo finished explaining, the examinees promptly removed their number badges from their chests.