Ronnel observed as Satotz's movements seemed to glide across the ground, faster than most people could sprint, but with the grace of a gentleman. His strides and the swing of his arms were so subtle that only Ronnel, paying close attention, could detect the shifts in his pace. He marveled at the technique and soon found himself subconsciously trying to mimic Satotz's steps.
Because of Ronnel's previous clash with Hisoka, nearly all the other candidates knew not to mess with him. They kept a respectful distance, ensuring no one crowded his space as they moved forward.
Far behind, Killua, having fled his home on his skateboard, sped down the path. The three destined to meet—the protagonist trio—were about to cross paths.
The empty underground passage echoed with the sound of footsteps. The ten remaining candidates pressed on, their footfalls growing louder and quicker with each step. Time passed unnoticed as hours blended into one another, and finally, the faint sounds of fatigue began to emerge.
"Wheeze!"
"Tick, tock!"
Labored breaths and the steady drip of sweat hitting the ground reverberated in the tunnel. The marathon had taken its toll. For some, the strain on their bodies was bearable, but the psychological pressure of not knowing when it would end weighed heavily on all of them. In the dark, cramped space, it was easy to feel hopeless.
The endless running and the silent intensity made the suffocating atmosphere worse. Eventually, a loud "slap" broke the tension—the sound of a chubby candidate's computer hitting the ground. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing under the jeers of the Amori brothers. The first candidate had been eliminated.
Once one gave in, the resolve of others quickly crumbled. One by one, candidates dropped to the ground, defeated, their gazes filled with both despair and relief as the main group pressed forward at an even faster pace.
After six or seven hours, passing countless stairs, Ronnel felt he had learned Satotz's walking technique. Though he wasn't physically exhausted, he was mentally impatient. Just when the monotony became unbearable, a glimmer of light signaled the exit of the tunnel.
Even Ronnel breathed a sigh of relief—if he felt this way, the others must have been desperate for it to end. When the white light of the exit finally greeted them, the whole group visibly perked up.
Leorio, stripped to the waist, inhaled deeply and grinned at the sight of the world beyond. Even the strange forest and swampland before them looked beautiful in comparison to the oppressive passage they'd just escaped. Kurapika, following behind, also smiled. During the long run, Leorio had shared stories about his childhood and his dreams of becoming a doctor. Hearing this, Kurapika's last reservations about him melted away, and he truly considered him a friend.
Nearby, Gon bickered with his new friend, Killua, the first candidate to have reached the exit. Satotz scanned the group and nodded in approval.
"There are some promising candidates this year," he thought.
After explaining the dangers of the Milsy Wetlands, he was about to announce the start of the next part of the test when—
(T/N: Milsy Wetlands is a foggy swamp filled with deadly man-eating animals who use every trick in the book to trap their prey)
"He's a liar! Don't believe him! I'm the real proctor!"
A disheveled man dressed in green burst from the bushes, holding a tattered bag with a monkey inside. His face was bruised, and he glared at Satotz with pure hatred. The drama of the true and false proctor had begun.
Satotz remained silent, watching as the man-faced ape tried to rile up the candidates. He stood still, unmoved. This might serve as a useful distraction for the examinees. If any of them were foolish enough to fall for this act and act rashly, Satotz would not hesitate to deal with them. Anyone who could be tricked so easily by a mere monkey had no business becoming a Hunter.
"He's just a man-faced ape disguised as a human! If you follow him, you'll be led into a trap!"
The man in green's dramatic warning stirred a small commotion among the candidates, but it wasn't as chaotic as he'd hoped. Some smirked, watching the performance with amusement, while others, like Killua, eyed him like an idiot.
"What's going on?" Leorio whispered to Kurapika. "What if he's telling the truth? Why's no one doing anything?"
Kurapika calmly responded, "It's almost certainly a man-faced ape, but the one who led us here on the marathon is the real proctor."
"Why's that?" Leorio asked, still suspicious.
"Remember the fight between Ronnel and Hisoka at the start?" Kurapika replied.
Leorio thought for a moment. "Yeah, they exchanged a few blows before…"
His eyes widened with realization. "Oh, right! Only the real proctor could stop two candidates that strong!"
"Exactly," Kurapika nodded with a smile. "Do you really think a man-faced ape looking to eat us would intervene in their fight?"
Hanzo, the bald ninja standing nearby, subconsciously nodded, echoing, "Nope."
--------------
+136 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub