Thank you all for voting power stones. I voted some too.
Sadly the Power Stones count reset before it could be counted as 20, but I will still release the additional chapter for today.
Leaving a review or just a like, that too can bring an additional chapter out. 5 Reviews/Likes = +1 Chapter
Have fun reading and I hope you have a nice day.
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Togiri looked out the window, taking in the breathtaking view of a mountain ridge stretching over a hundred miles.
Thick vegetation, diverse wildlife, and mesmerizing natural formations covered the landscape.
"Wow, I didn't know untouched nature could be this beautiful," Togiri remarked.
The day had just begun, with the sun still rising. The sky was a soft light blue, and the clouds were so fluffy and flawless that it felt like the sky had been painted.
---
The airship landed and all applicants stepped outside.
"What is this place? There's nothing here," someone in the crowd complained. The applicants found themselves in a vast, empty, and flat space.
"Ahem..." The examinees turned to see Beans, the green bean-shaped person who had previously distributed the number plaques, standing before them.
"Everyone, the exam's Third Phase is at the top of Trick Tower," Beans announced.
"Trick Tower?" Fang asked, but Beans ignored him.
"To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I wish you all the best of luck." Beans then boarded the airship and departed.
"No way," Leorio said, shocked.
"Hm Hm Hm. So it's finally my turn?" A man wearing glasses was seated behind a computer screen, flanked by two others who monitored dozens of TV screens.
They focused on a large screen showing the applicants and several smaller screens displaying the various rooms they would face in the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam.
"Best of luck, everyone!" Beans' voice came over the speaker system as the airship flew away.
Gon and the others looked down, realizing that the smaller tower they were standing on was man-made, unlike the massive natural formation of the Trick Tower below.
"Are we supposed to climb down?" Leorio asked nervously, clutching his suitcase against his chest and closing his eyes.
"That would be suicide," Kurapika replied, folding his arms. Everyone looked down except Togiri, who wasn't afraid of heights but was engrossed in a book.
"Haha. Maybe for a normal person," said a figure in a grey shirt, black shorts, green boots, a utility belt, and fingerless gloves, starting to climb down.
"But a top-class rock climber can handle this with no problem." "Wow! Cool!" Killua and Fang exclaimed in unison.
"He's going down pretty quickly," Gon observed. The group watched him descend, except for Togiri.
"Haha. Looks like I'll be the first one to pass the Third Phase..." Suddenly, a strange screeching sound filled the air.
The applicants looked around, puzzled, until a monstrous creature appeared. It was ball-shaped, with a gaping mouth, razor-sharp teeth, two short legs, and multiple arms. Its massive wings and unusually friendly-looking eyes made it even more terrifying.
"Stop! Stay away! Stop! Stop it!" One of the monsters grabbed the climber with its teeth and flew away, followed by the rest of the monsters.
"Help!" the climber's voice faded into the distance.
"G-Guess we can't climb down the side..." Leorio said, still in shock.
"Yeah..." Kurapika agreed, equally dumbfounded.
---
After half an hour, several applicants were either standing still or knocking on the ground. "What's up?" Leorio asked Kurapika, who had stopped walking.
"There are fewer people around," Kurapika said.
"What?" Leorio responded, confused.
"I count twenty-six, which suggests that almost half of the applicants have already found an exit," Kurapika concluded.
"No way. When did they do that?" Leorio asked.
"That means there must be some hidden doors that lead below."
"Kurapika! Leorio!" Gon called out from a distance, giving them a wink.
"What is it, Gon?" Leorio asked.
"Look, I found a hidden door." Gon demonstrated by pressing a pressure plate near his feet.
"I see now. So we can descend by activating the stones," Kurapika concluded.
"Okay! Great job, Gon! Let's head down!" Leorio exclaimed happily.
"But I'm confused," Gon said.
"About what?" Leorio asked.
"There are also hidden doors here, there, over there, and over there," Gon pointed out several locations nearby.
"That many?" Leorio asked.
"Five hidden doors in the same area. It sounds suspicious to me. Some could be traps," Kurapika speculated.
Killua added, "And it looks like each door can only be used once..."
"Seriously?" Leorio was incredulous.
"We tried opening a door that someone else had used, but it wouldn't budge. Judging by the door size, only one person can fit through at a time," Killua explained.
"In other words, only one person can use each door. We'll need to split up," Fang summarized.
"It's a team test," Togiri said for the first time since they left the airship.
"What do you mean?" Leorio asked. Kurapika's eyes lit up. "Ah! I understand. We'll need to complete this test as a team of five. That's why only one person is allowed per hidden door and they're located in the same area. Am I right, Togiri?"
"Exactly! I hadn't thought of it before, but all the tests reveal different aspects of our strengths," Togiri closed his book.
"The First Phase tested mental strength, the Second Phase tested adaptability, and now the Third will test teamwork. Hunters often need to collaborate with other Hunters."
"Oh, that makes sense," Gon said.
"But wait, we are—" Leorio began to count the group, but Togiri interrupted.
'I'd like to send Fang with them, but if I change the original story and Tonpa doesn't sabotage them, they will complete this test very quickly and Gon won't encounter Hisoka. No Hisoka means no Heaven's Arena, and so on.'
@I think you already disrupted that. There's no way that you and Fang saved a bunch of people, are participating in the Hunter Exam, and everything will unfold like the original story.@
"If not, then I'll ensure that Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika pass," Togiri decided. The group said their goodbyes, and Togiri and Fang each selected a pressure plate and fell into separate rooms.