After dealing with Illumi, Morrow still wore that perpetually sleepy expression, but he no longer deliberately maintained his previously clumsy Ten.
This resulted in him needing to continuously use aura to reinforce his disguised face, causing a subtle discrepancy in the aura state between his facial region and the rest of his body.
This allowed Netero to see through his disguise at a glance.
However, Netero's ability to further confirm Morrow's true identity wasn't solely based on this.
What truly convinced him was his memory of Morrow's "aura."
Perhaps due to his advanced age... In recent years, Netero had begun paying special attention to rising newcomers, among them Kurapika and Menchi.
And Morrow was the only young man who, despite not being a Pro Hunter, had captured his particular interest.
Back then, to recruit this young man into the association, he had even given Biscuit specific instructions.
But after waiting and waiting, Morrow never showed up to take the Hunter exam.
He never expected to see Morrow again under such circumstances.
Even more unexpected was that the current Morrow already possessed top-tier potential.
Such astonishing growth speed couldn't help but make Netero sigh with emotion.
It seemed that every twenty years, the world stage would welcome someone who captured everyone's attention.
The last one was Ging Freecss.
Now, it was the Morrow before him.
Although Morrow hadn't yet revealed his edge, Netero could sense from Morrow's actions during the assessment, he sensed the determined ambition to reach the peak, often seen in martial artists.
So compared to Ging, whose mind was set on distant horizons, Netero preferred Morrow's type.
"From the review committee's perspective, the temporary adjustment to the second phase test was necessary. But as Menchi said, it's indeed somewhat unfair to you."
Netero slowly turned around and probed, "So what are your thoughts?"
"I was wondering if there's a possibility..." Morrow said calmly, "for the review committee to directly grant me the license?"
"Hohoh."
Netero chuckled and shook his head, "I'm afraid that won't be possible."
"Then that settles it."
Morrow spread his hands and said, "Since the review committee has already implemented the 'temporary adjustment,' why bother asking for my opinion now?"
"Although I can't directly give you the license..." Netero said without changing expression, "you can make one reasonable request regarding the subsequent tests. How about that?"
"Forget it, I don't need it."
Morrow looked indifferent, but then his eyes turned serious as he said, "However, I do have a small question."
"Go ahead."
Noticing the change in Morrow's eyes, Netero raised an eyebrow.
Morrow raised his right hand and lightly tapped his cheek with his Index Finger, asking, "How did you see through it?"
"Rather than seeing through it, it's more that you didn't deliberately conceal it, allowing a subtle disconnection between the aura on your face and the rest of your body."
Netero hadn't expected Morrow's question to be about this, feeling somewhat surprised for a moment.
He hadn't explicitly pointed out Morrow's disguise method, so Morrow had probably noticed his extremely brief change in gaze earlier and thus realized this.
If not observational skills, at least he's very perceptive. Listening to Netero's response, Morrow thought to himself that even without deliberately enhancing the disguise effect, how could one easily detect such subtle inconsistencies without focused observation.
It was evident just how sharp Netero's eyes were.
He didn't dwell on the topic further and simply said calmly, "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
"Go ahead."
Netero nodded slowly.
Though he wanted to learn more about this young man, it wasn't the right time since the test was still ongoing.
Morrow turned and left.
Netero watched his retreating figure, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
Given his status and authority, issuing Morrow a Hunter License on the spot wouldn't have been a problem.
But that would have been too boring.
He wanted to see how Morrow would perform in the final test he had personally designed.
If Morrow knew what Netero was thinking, he'd probably mutter to himself about the old man being a troublemaker.
—--
Night enveloped Visca Forest.
When the clock struck ten, Hisoka returned to the brightly lit warehouse carrying a migratory sea fish.
He was the first examinee to return.
Beside the armchair.
Menchi stood with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the open warehouse door.
From the moment the exam resumed until now, she had remained as still as a statue.
When she saw Hisoka return with a migratory fish, her brow twitched slightly.
Before the test began, the hint she had given was about a phototropic fish in the lake.
But the purpose of that hint was to genuinely test the examinees' judgment and courage.
Because to reach the lake less than 200 kilometers away and complete the test within the time limit, there was usually only one shortcut.
That was to use the fast-flowing river that ran through the canyon nearby.
Menchi had originally intended for the examinees to retrieve Spider Eagle eggs from inside the canyon, which would align with the theme of challenging courage.
However, considering Chairman Netero's suggestion to only extend the test duration, she abandoned that idea.
Instead, she provided the examinees with an additional path to pass the test based on the original question.
Since the two requirements in the test question were difficult to fulfill simultaneously, she simply split them into two options.
Either take the risk of coming up empty-handed and search for the migratory fish Morrow used to make sashimi at an unspecified location while time was still ample.
Or face the time pressure and go for the phototropic fish she had explicitly hinted at.
Observation, judgment, courage.
Menchi left the choice to the examinees.
But she knew this guy Hisoka... didn't care at all about the core of the test question.
The reason he chose to catch the more challenging migratory sea fish was probably to make her retract her earlier "worst dish" evaluation.
Or perhaps he wanted her to say the word "delicious" that signified passing after tasting his dish.
Hisoka was indeed thinking exactly that.
Carrying the migratory fish, he cheerfully walked over to the cooking station.
With sufficient ingredients, it was easy to replicate the style of sashimi Morrow had made earlier.
So after Hisoka presented a plate of sashimi for Menchi to taste, he got what he wanted; Menchi's evaluation of "delicious."
"Heh~"
Hisoka turned around with satisfaction, flashing a knowing smile at Morrow, who could only wait in the arena for the test to conclude.
Menchi set down her chopsticks and muttered under her breath, "What a narcissist."
Seeing Hisoka's reaction of having to reclaim his pride, Morrow also thought to himself: I almost forgot, this guy has a narcissistic side too.
Hisoka became the second examinee to pass the test.
As time passed, more and more examinees gradually returned to the warehouse.
It seemed that once someone took the risk of using that river swifter than a flood, other examinees would likely follow suit.
Those lacking the courage to face the challenge might choose to give up on the spot.
But in a way, having the courage to give up could also be seen as a form of bravery.
When midnight arrived.
The second phase of the test officially concluded, with a total of 56 examinees qualifying.
As soon as the test ended, under Beans' arrangements, the exhausted examinees boarded the airship one after another.
Though Menchi had completed her task, she wasn't idle.
She personally took the remaining ingredients the examinees had desperately brought back to the airship's kitchen, cooking alongside professional chefs.
Before long, aromatic hot food was served before the starving examinees.
"This is..."
Seeing the fish-based dishes, the examinees who had gone hungry all day didn't overthink it and immediately began devouring the food ravenously.
Leorio was stuffing fried fish pieces into his mouth when he suddenly noticed Menchi carrying several dishes on a tray toward Morrow.
When he saw the artistic cuisine placed before Morrow, he quickly swallowed his food and blurted out without thinking, "Why does he get such fancy food?"
His words immediately drew the attention of the surrounding examinees.
Following Leorio's pointing finger, they saw crystal-clear ice-sculpted fish slices and a colorful sushi platter arranged before Morrow.
Compared to the common hot food in front of them, the difference was indeed significant.
Menchi heard Leorio's question and turned to give him a sharp glare.
"If you could take first place, you'd get the same treatment. But with your last-place score..."
She clicked her tongue disdainfully, "If I were you, I'd rather quietly eat an extra bowl of rice than make a fool of myself by shouting like an idiot."
"Urk."
This sharp retort pierced Leorio like arrows, leaving him feeling like a pincushion.
The other examinees who had initially felt the treatment was unfair silently averted their gazes.
Leorio sheepishly sat back down, but suddenly his eyes widened.
"Huh?"
The plate that had been filled with various hot foods moments ago now only had a few drops of sauce left.
Where's the food? Where did all that food go?
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. After confirming the food had vanished, he suddenly turned his head.
There he saw Gon and Killua with their cheeks bulging with food, staring wide-eyed at each other while mumbling indistinctly about who finished first and who clearly won.
Apparently, during the brief ten seconds when Leorio was distracted by Menchi, Gon and Killua had started a competition to see who could eat more.
"Hey, you two! I only took one bite!!!"
Leorio wailed, feeling even hungrier than before.
Across the table, Kalluto hadn't eaten much either, occasionally glancing toward Morrow's direction.
Noticing Kalluto's gaze, Morrow thought for a moment, then beckoned him over. Seeing this, a bright light shone in Kalluto's eyes.
However, he didn't immediately go over, instead glancing at Killua across from him.
"I clearly ate the most!"
"No way, it was me!"
By this time, Killua and Gon had already swallowed their food, completely ignoring the resentful-looking Leorio nearby as they argued.
Seeing that neither would concede, they suggested using another method to determine the winner.
So after saying something to Kalluto, Killua ran out of the dining hall with Gon.
These two young men who had just met seemed to have boundless energy.
Brother seems to be in a better mood...
Kalluto watched Killua leave, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, then without further hesitation, he went and sat beside Morrow.
Morrow pushed a new set of bowls and chopsticks in front of Kalluto, along with the specially prepared sauce Menchi had made.
"Um..."
Menchi opened her mouth to speak but ultimately swallowed her words.
She knew Morrow treated Kalluto exceptionally well.
If Morrow weren't so young, she might sometimes suspect Kalluto was Morrow's illegitimate child...
To ensure Morrow's dining experience, though reluctant, Menchi turned and returned to the kitchen to prepare a new batch of sauce for Morrow.
Kalluto glanced sideways at Menchi's retreating back.
"Hehe."
A big, triumphant smile spread across his small face.
—--
Early the next morning.
The airship landed atop a towering cylindrical structure that reached into the clouds.
As the examinees stepped onto the platform, they found only an empty, flat surface before them.
"There's nothing here..."
"What exactly are we supposed to do here?"
Everyone looked around, completely unable to guess the content of the third phase's test.
At that moment, Beans walked up to the examinees, raised his index finger, and announced:
"This is the top of what's called 'Trick Tower,' and also the starting point of the third phase. The examiner asked me to inform everyone that the third phase's test content is to reach the ground alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, the test begins."
Having said this, Beans returned to the airship.
A short while later.
The airship ascended but didn't leave, instead circling in the nearby sky.
Netero, Menchi, and several other examiners sat by the windows, observing the situation atop Trick Tower.
Beans approached Netero from behind and said softly, "I've already informed Kurapika about the change in schedule. He said he'd come before sunset."
"Mm."
Netero smiled and nodded.
In just these few short minutes, someone on the tower top had already found the hidden door leading inside.
Since the examinee who found the hidden door first didn't deliberately conceal their actions, all the other examinees learned about the hidden door's existence.
Soon, the examinees entered through the hidden door one by one.
"This year's examinees are truly quite good."
Netero stroked his beard, his eyes smiling as he watched the situation on the tower top.
At this moment.
Only about ten people remained on the tower top.
Among the crowd were Morrow, who remained standing still, and Hisoka, who was staring intently at him.
Another few minutes passed.
Only Morrow and Hisoka remained on the tower top.
Morrow paid no attention to Hisoka's increasingly intense gaze, instead looking up at the seemingly reachable blue sky and white clouds, then down at the blue ocean below.
"This place is spacious enough, and the scenery isn't bad either."
Withdrawing his gaze, Morrow looked toward Hisoka and suggested, "If you can't wait, why not start right here, in this place with no leverage..."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Hisoka recalled an unpleasant memory from last time, the fervor in his eyes slightly fading.
"No rush."
He spoke insincerely.
Morrow nodded seriously and said, "Suit yourself. I've already said, you can pick the location. As long as it's not in a restroom, we can still be friends."
"?"
Hisoka rarely showed a puzzled expression.
Morrow's lips curled slightly.
A long while later.
Unwilling to fight Morrow here, Hisoka could only enter the tower through a hidden door to find other examinees for amusement.
With Hisoka's departure, only Morrow remained on the tower's summit.
Morrow walked directly to the edge of the tower top.
—--
In the distant sky.
Inside the airship, Netero and the others were observing the situation on the tower top.
Then, they saw Morrow leap directly from the towering, cloud-piercing tower summit.
"Hoho."
This unexpected scene drew a chuckle from Netero.
Menchi remained completely unfazed, not finding it strange in the slightest.
Satotz and Buhara were somewhat surprised, while Beans let out a startled cry.
And so, Morrow landed safely on the ground.
Third phase of the exam, speedrun.