The fierce Kiriko spoke, then flapped its wings, ready to take off.
Ronnel and Gon were each led by one of the Kiriko, while Kurapika and Leorio were dragged along by the Kiriko couple, soaring through the night sky towards Exam site under the bright moonlight.
They traveled through the night, reaching Exam site just as the sun was rising.
Holding on like this for hours is no small feat—it's a serious test of arm strength!
Once they landed, other Kiriko waited outside the city, while other reverted to his human form and guided the group of four to a small steak shop.
After a hearty meal of steaks, Ronnel and Gon found themselves seated in a small private booth.
"There's always something unexpected during the Hunter Exam," the Kiriko said seriously, standing at the door.
"There are millions of participants, but only one in 10,000 will make it to the official exam site. As newcomers, the three of you have done well. If it's you, I'd be happy to guide you again next year."
After his formal speech, the Kiriko's stern expression softened into a smile.
"Alright, that's enough of the official talk. Now for my personal thoughts: based on your performance so far, your chances of passing the Hunter Exam are quite high! Good luck, everyone!"
After a brief farewell handshake, the Kiriko waved his sleeve dramatically and walked off into the distance.
"Goodbye, Kiriko!" Gon called out cheerfully as the door to their booth closed. He then turned to Ronnel, excitement bubbling over.
"Hey, Ronnel! Have you been through the Hunter Exam before?"
"Yeah, I took it last year," Ronnel nodded. Just then, Leorio turned to Gon with a look of surprise.
"Wait, Gon, how did you know Ronnel took the exam before?"
"Because the Kiriko said 'you three have done well as rookies,' which means that Ronnel isn't a rookie like the rest of us," Kurapika explained before Gon could answer.
"Oh, I thought he just miscounted," Leorio muttered, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.
Kurapika rolled her eyes at Leorio, clearly done with the conversation.
"Ronnel, can you tell us what the Hunter Exam is like?" Gon asked eagerly, unable to contain his curiosity after learning that Ronnel had prior experience.
"How does it work?" Kurapika added, leaning in slightly.
Ronnel moved a chair and sat down, nodding as he began to explain. "Well, since I've already taken it, there's no harm in telling you. Last year, I got to the third phase of the exam, but due to some... circumstances, I had to quit halfway. In the first phase, candidates were grouped into pairs. The goal was to protect your own number tag while stealing the number tag of another candidate."
"Two-person teams? So, the four of us could form two teams?" Gon mused, already thinking of strategies for the exam.
Kurapika and Leorio exchanged thoughtful glances and nodded in agreement. Forming teams would definitely give them an advantage in unfamiliar territory.
"But that's only the first half," Ronnel continued, drawing them back to the present. "In the second half, there's a more difficult choice to make…"
"What choice?" Leorio blurted out, unable to contain his curiosity.
"You have to defeat the teammate you just worked with. The winner gets to move on to the next round."
"Defeat… your teammate!?" Leorio's voice trembled, and Kurapika's expression darkened. Even Gon looked conflicted.
"Ugh, this is just like that old lady's trick question earlier," Leorio groaned, tugging at his hair in frustration. The thought of having to fight Kurapika or Gon was clearly stressing him out.
"Well, that's the Hunter Exam for you," Kurapika said with a sigh. "Like the Kiriko said, anything can happen."
For a moment, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
After a long pause, Gon suddenly flopped onto the floor, spreading his arms and legs out dramatically.
"I can't think of a way for all of us to pass if we're forced to fight each other!" He groaned, clutching his head in frustration.
"That's just how Gon is," Kurapika muttered, watching their friend struggle to find a solution.
Then, as if struck by inspiration, Gon turned back to Ronnel. "So, Ronnel, what did you do? You said you reached the third round, so you must've passed the first. How did you handle it?"
Kurapika and Leorio both turned their heads, equally curious to hear Ronnel's answer.
"I got lucky," Ronnel admitted. "I teamed up with a trio of brothers. The two older brothers were on one team, and I teamed up with the youngest. In the first round, I was the only one who managed to steal a number tag, so in the second round, I knocked out the younger brother without hesitation and moved on."
"I see," Gon said, nodding seriously. "So, unless we can avoid this problem from the start, we're going to have to face each other eventually."
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