IDKjust
patreon
Chapter 378
🕑 Added 2025-02-17 16:03:01 +0000 UTCChapter 378
“Then what about Ron’s and your strength—how would that rank within the Phantom Troupe?”
“Probably among the top few,” Hisoka replied. “But I can only speak for myself. As for Ron’s exact capabilities, I’m not entirely sure. If you really want to know, go ask him directly. And if he does tell you, feel free to pass that along to me.”
“I can offer you a little extra help in dealing with the Troupe,” Hisoka added.
Kurapika didn’t give him a direct answer.
“So for now, the only thing I can do is continue the Hunter Exam?”
“That’s right.”
“Got it. I understand. Should we exchange contact information?”
“Just give me your number. When the time comes, I’ll contact you.”
“Alright.”
Kurapika left and returned to his room. He found Ron resting on the bed with his eyes closed. Kurapika didn’t ask Ron about the specifics of his strength. First, it was Ron’s own secret. Second, even if Ron told him, Kurapika had no intention of sharing that information with Hisoka.
He was glad to have the chance to cooperate with Hisoka, but he still couldn’t fully trust him—and he definitely wasn’t going to sell Ron out.
.................
..
.
The next day, morning came, and everyone made a discovery:
The two elderly examiners had quietly left sometime during the night. On this small island, only the examinees remained, with no means to contact the outside world.
A grim-faced examinee looked at the others. “We have to find our own way to the next test site.”
Nearby, someone else read the Hunter Association’s note. “I figured it wouldn’t be that simple—there’s no such thing as a break in the Hunter Exam. This must be another part of the test.”
“So how are we supposed to get there?” someone asked. “There’s no airship, no boat—are we supposed to swim? We don’t even know our exact location.”
The mood on the island became tense. Some people cursed their predicament, while others scrambled to figure out a solution.
A few examinees noticed an old but not-too-broken boat they hoped to repair. Others found a balloon they could patch up for use as a hot-air balloon. Geretta found a tiny one-person skiff that looked as flimsy as the little boat Luffy used when he first set sail in another story—any serious wind or waves would surely capsize it.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hisoka stayed apart from the others, as did Gitarraku.
“This part of the exam doesn’t really need my involvement,” Ron thought. “Let them handle it.”
He didn’t totally ignore things; he simply went along with the group at a relaxed pace. Events unfolded much like in the original scenario.
Two days passed quickly. Some had managed to fix boats, others patched the balloon, or took single-person boats. But the largest group pinned their hopes on the island itself—because this island was actually a battleship in disguise.
Leorio dived into the sea with some shells, while Gittarackur directed the firing. Hanzo took on a team leader role.
Suddenly, a storm came crashing down. Neither the small boats nor the patched balloon could withstand the raging weather. The massive battleship-island was the only reliable vessel.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shells rumbled, causing the sea itself to quake. Thanks to everyone’s cooperation, they weathered the storm, found the next exam site, and yet again their numbers dwindled.
At that point, a new examiner arrived and addressed the group. “Congratulations on passing the previous test. We’ll begin the next stage immediately.”
He stood beside a table holding a box that concealed its contents. “The site for the next exam will be that nearby island, called Zevil Island.. But before you set foot there, you’ll draw lots.”
He patted the box. “Inside are twenty-six numbered tags, corresponding to the twenty-six of you who made it this far. We’ll proceed in the order you passed the third exam.”
Ron glanced around. In the original scenario he remembered, only twenty-four examinees had reached this point, but now there were twenty-six. That meant there were two extra—one of them being him, and the other an unfamiliar person who still seemed oddly familiar. Ron sensed a faint aura from them, as though he’d encountered them before.
“That person is a Nen user,” Ron noted. “I didn’t pay much attention to them before because they hid their aura well—and they’re not that strong.”
That other examinee appeared not to notice Ron’s scrutiny. One by one, people came forward to draw a number until it was Ron’s turn. He reached in casually, pulled out a tag, and returned to his place.
Once everyone had drawn, the examiner spoke again. “I’m sure you’ve all looked at the number you drew. That number corresponds to another examinee, who is your target on Zevil Island. Your task is to capture their ID badge by any means necessary.”
He swept his gaze over them. “Traps, ambushes, open battle, teaming up—do whatever it takes. Killing your target is allowed if you must. Your final result will be based on a point system.”
He raised one finger. “Your own badge is worth three points. Your target’s badge is worth three points. Any other badge is worth one point each. To pass this stage, you must survive until the end while collecting at least six points.”
“Passing this test means proceeding to the final exam. Good luck.”
Upon hearing this, one examinee let out a sigh. “We’re almost at the end.”
Several others nodded in agreement. “It’s been a rough road. Let’s hope we can pass this and move on to the final stage. If we pass that, we’ll finally get our Hunter License. Then all this will have been worth it.”
“Still, by these rules alone, at least half of us won’t pass,” someone murmured.
“More than half, probably,” another said. “There’s bound to be a lot of lost badges. It won’t just split evenly.”
Three examinees nearby exchanged confident smiles.
