The man's words landed like a bucket of cold water on the Hunter aspirants, plunging them into deep confusion and disbelief. The question hung in the air, sharp, and full of suspicion: "Is Satotz a knock off?"
"Counterfeit? Is this what's happening?" Leorio exclaimed, his voice loaded with a mix of astonishment and distrust, staring intently at the man who had interrupted their march. Hanzo, for his part, remained calm, but his turn towards Satotz betrayed his own uncertainty. "Who is this person?" the ninja muttered, assessing both the accuser and the alleged impostor.
The confusion among the candidates was palpable, a thick fog that rivaled the surroundings. Just then, the man, with a dramatic effort, pulled at something that had been hidden by his side, revealing a being that made more than one person catch their breath: a monkey with a disturbingly human face.
"Everyone, look at this…!" the man announced with a triumphant tone.
All eyes fixed on the creature. The monkey was skeletal, but what truly captured the crowd's attention was its beard, identical to the one adorning Satotz's face. At first glance, the resemblance was undeniable. The only noticeable, and chilling, difference was that the ape possessed an extra mouth, almost imperceptible upon a quick inspection.
"Wow, looks like Mr. Satotz!" Gon shouted, the genuine surprise and innocence in his voice resonating amidst the tense silence.
Upon seeing this shocking similarity, many candidates immediately grew suspicious. The visual evidence was powerful. Ryusei watched the scene carefully, analyzing the two "apes." Both performances were perfect. The man, feigning outrage, and Satotz, maintaining an unflappable calm. If the man hadn't staged this spectacle, Ryusei thought the trick might well have fooled a few people.
The accuser, sensing the seed of doubt he had planted, decided to fan the flames of suspicion. "This is the Man-faced Ape that lives in the Milsy wetlands," he revealed vehemently.
"Ape?" several candidates murmured, bewildered. They had never heard of such a creature. The atmosphere became even more agitated.
Satotz remained completely silent, watching the drama unfold. He had already warned everyone repeatedly: the dangers of the wetlands were real. If, despite his warnings, someone fell for such a crude trap, they could only blame themselves for carelessness. He was an examiner for the Hunter Exam, not a babysitter, and his mandate did not include guaranteeing the safety of the aspirants.
Taking advantage of the examiner's silence, the man continued his macabre explanation. "Man-faced Apes particularly like to eat fresh human flesh," he said, accentuating the horror. "But because of their slender arms and legs, their strength is very weak. So they often pretend to be humans and use sweet words to lure people into the wetlands. Once there, they join forces with other creatures to hunt. This guy's goal is to catch all the candidates taking the exam!" he yelled, angrily pointing at Satotz.
Although most candidates were only slightly suspicious, a few were already completely convinced.
"Asshole…" Leorio glared at Satotz. Clearly, he had joined the ranks of the credulous.
"Indeed, that walking speed is definitely not something a human can achieve," Hanzo intervened, his face serious as he assessed Satotz. The examiner's defense was his own composure, but his lack of reaction was being interpreted as an admission of guilt by some.
It was then that the tension was broken by the sound of several cards shooting through the air.
Hisoka, either bored or perhaps impatient with the farce, had decided to intervene. But more than stopping the scene, Ryusei suspected the real motive was to test Satotz's strength. The cards embedded themselves in the accuser's head and chest before he could even blink, killing him instantly. The ones flying towards Satotz, however, were caught by him with astonishing ease, stopped dead between his gloved fingers.
"I see. I see," Hisoka said, a faint smile curving his lips. "Now the correct answer is revealed, this person is the real one!"
Hisoka was visibly satisfied with Satotz's display of strength. Nevertheless, the Ace of the deck knew that attacking the examiner carried the risk of disqualification, as had happened to him the previous year. For this reason, he offered a rare and serious explanation.
"The so-called examiner… is commissioned by the Hunter Association's Examination Committee," Hisoka began. "They are current hunters who serve for free."
Satotz, looking at Hisoka seriously, confirmed the assessment, though not without a warning. "As the hunter you admire, it is impossible to avoid an attack of this magnitude."
Referring to Hisoka, the candidate who seriously injured an examiner last year, Satotz was aware of the danger he represented. "I'll take it as a compliment and accept it with pleasure," the examiner replied. "But next time, no matter the reason, as long as you attack me, it will be regarded as defying the examiner's orders. I can disqualify you from the exam immediately, do you understand?"
Satotz did not want to constantly be on guard against Hisoka. Canceling his qualification now would mean Hisoka could attack him without any restrictions, and not even he was sure he could guarantee victory against the powerful and erratic magician. It was better to avoid conflict as much as possible unless absolutely necessary.
"Yes," Hisoka responded casually, his interest in Satotz momentarily appeased. He had no intention of attacking again; after all, he didn't want to be forced to take the Hunter Exam again next year.
With the impostor dead and the warning to Hisoka clearly established, Satotz resumed his march, heading into the Milsy Wetlands. Ryusei kept very close, sticking to the examiner. In the midst of the thick fog, losing sight of Satotz meant disaster and lost time.
Thanks to his caution and closely following the examiner's figure, Ryusei encountered no significant danger along the way and arrived at the second exam venue smoothly. It was a courtyard, unexpectedly built in the middle of the swamp, with a closed gate and a five or six-meter-high wall that prevented any view of the interior.
The candidates, including Ryusei, had to wait. About an hour later, the majority of the aspirants had arrived. The courtyard gate slowly opened, revealing the unusual headquarters of the next test.
In the center of the large courtyard were numerous stoves, and before the crowd, the two examiners appeared. Menchi, a tall, slender woman with bright green hair and dressed in a fishnet top, and Buhara, a three-meter-tall man, corpulent and with a face that radiated deceptive kindness.
"To everyone who passed the first Hunter Exam, welcome," Menchi said, greeting the candidates with a smile. "I am the examiner of the second phase—Menchi!"
"And I am the co-examiner, Buhara," the giant followed with a deep voice.
"Guu…!" a thundering sound, like distant thunder, emanated from Menchi's and Buhara's stomachs, causing the candidates to look at each other in complete bewilderment.
Menchi turned to Buhara with a smile, knowing the giant hadn't eaten breakfast due to the early hour of the exam. "It looks like you are extremely hungry!" she commented.
"I'm so hungry I'm almost starving," Buhara admitted, touching his large belly. His face reflected a childlike anticipation for food.
Menchi straightened up and looked at the crowd of aspirants. "So, here are the questions for the second exam," she announced.
The topic, tossed into the air with complete nonchalance, surprised everyone: "Cooking!"
The announcement made many candidates frown. In terms of strength and combat skills, they felt confident, but cooking was completely unfamiliar territory for most.
"Wait a minute, you mean cooking?" the Sumo wrestler Todo stepped forward to question Menchi. "We are here to take the Hunter Exam!" He could not fathom what connection cooking could have with the noble profession of a Hunter.
"Yes, cook something that satisfies us," Menchi replied with maximum calm. "That is the topic for the second exam."
"Why cooking?" Todo insisted, his incredulity palpable.
"That's because we're Gourmet Hunters," Menchi answered straightforwardly, unmistakable pride shining on her face. She was clearly satisfied with her specialty and her identity as a Gourmet Hunter. The astonishment on the candidates' faces was the only response she needed. The second stage of the exam promised to be as unexpected as the first leg.