Li Ke glanced at the crowd. Almost everyone who had made it this far was among the elite. The green and white mixed cultivators had basically all been eliminated, and each person at least had one blue attribute. However, after a quick look... they were all rather mediocre items. If he eliminated all the candidates present, he might be able to piece together a purple one. But that would definitely not be a worthwhile deal for Li Ke. Alternatively, he could choose to take on the three big shots present: Hisoka, Nail-headed Man, and Hanzo.
"Um... thank you for saving me earlier! I'm Ponzu! Thank you so much!!" Suddenly, a soft, delicate female voice broke Li Ke's thoughts. It was the girl with green hair and a big hat, blushing as she thanked him.
"Huh? Me?" Li Ke was a bit surprised; he didn't recall having any interaction with this girl. Peng Si? In his memory, she seemed to have a rather tragic fate later on, dying in the chaos caused by the Chimera Ants. When did he save her? He had no recollection of it.
"It was back at the Lazy Frog Wetlands, when you punched and defeated the Lazy Frog, which allowed me to survive... I will definitely repay this kindness!!" Ponzu deeply bowed to Li Ke. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't have even had the chance to stand here; she might have already been digested by the Lazy Frog.
"Oh? That? No need to mention it, just a small effort," Li Ke realized, most likely he had accidentally saved her while grinding monsters.
"You punched the Lazy Frog to death? Is that for real?"
"Are you kidding? That thing is massive and tough; even ordinary swords can't kill it. How could it be taken down by a single punch?"
"These two must be deliberately boasting here, right?"
"Hahaha, that's really funny."
Ponzu's words drew laughter from several nearby contestants, all casting disdainful looks at Li Ke.
"Ah da—" But what awaited them was Li Ke's fist. The contestant who laughed the loudest was struck squarely by Li Ke's punch. He flew backward like a missile, landing at least a hundred meters away, crashing into the dense bushes behind, leaving a deep, bottomless gash, his fate unknown!
Li Ke wiped his smoking fist, raising an eyebrow at the few who had mocked him. "Can you take a punch from me with sixteen years of strength?"
In Whale Island, he was meek because that was where his family and friends were! Outside in the world, should he not fight back? That would mean his crossing over was in vain!
Of course, this punch wouldn't kill; it would only take half of his life. Li Ke was still quite restrained. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have had a chance to fly back; he would have exploded into a mist of blood right there.
His gaze swept over the other few who had mocked him. Instantly, they began to tremble violently.
Thud! Thud!
"I'm doomed! I was definitely blind just now, just talking nonsense; please don't take it to heart!"
"I forfeit! I forfeit!!"
"Woo woo woo, I want to go home!!"
Several of them were so scared they almost wet themselves, even forfeiting on the spot.
"..." A brief silence fell over the scene. What had been a lively atmosphere, with everyone discussing their thoughts on passing the first test and boasting, suddenly turned into silence, all eyes fixed on Li Ke. Especially those candidates near Li Ke, who actively stepped aside to give him a clear path.
In this world, the only thing to be feared was one's own strength. The principle of respect for the strong was the most basic tenet in the hunter world.
So strong! A single punch sent someone flying a hundred meters! That was something only a rare individual could achieve. At least among the candidates present, no one possessed such terrifying power.
"Truly a monster; the fruits you chose this time seem a bit prickly," Nail-headed Man turned his head mechanically, looking at Hisoka, who had his eyes slightly narrowed.
"The more delicious the fruit, the more exciting it is, hehe." Hisoka had a perverse smile on his lips, his body slightly trembling. That was not from nervousness or excitement; it was... exhilaration! Just thinking about plucking such fruit, or being subjected to such slaughter, made him unable to contain his excitement.
At that moment, a charming yet confident young woman's voice echoed from within the estate.
"Congratulations to all candidates who successfully passed the first test; please come inside! Welcome, I am the examiner for the second test, Men Qi!.