The final test was a team duel.
The interview from a few days ago had mentally prepared the examinees for this.
But... Morrow and Hisoka assigned to the same team?
How was this even fair?
They might as well just hand the Hunter Licenses directly to Morrow and Hisoka.
Looking at the glaring numbers paired together on the announcement board, the examinees who had struggled to reach the final test felt as if the sky was falling after their initial shock.
So this was the damn Hunter Exam.
Even with as many as twenty examinees advancing to the final test, the Hunter Association would use the cruelest methods to suppress the pass rate to a suffocating degree.
Dammit, after coming this far...
With only two slots available, pairing No. 502 and No. 444 together, how is this any different from pre-selection?
Although we knew it would be team-based, having two-person teams with only a one-in-ten pass rate is just bullying!
Though dissatisfied, none of the examinees voiced their complaints aloud, only harboring resentment in their hearts.
This resentment soon spread across their faces.
If only two people could pass, then as long as Morrow and Hisoka weren't paired together, they still had a chance to clear the final test.
But with things as they were now, what was even the point?
The entire open training ground was instantly enveloped in a deathly silence.
Netero observed the examinees' reactions but didn't immediately offer an explanation.
He deliberately let them suffer for a moment before slowly saying, "It seems you've misunderstood."
"Huh?"
Hearing Netero's words, the disgruntled examinees all turned their attention to him.
Facing their uncertain gazes, Netero chuckled, "As you can see, the team assignments are written on the announcement board, but... the condition for passing the final test is just one victory."
"Ah?"
Those who had been despairing and resentful of the outcome felt as if they had heard heavenly music.
Just one victory? That means...
Only then did they notice that the duel arrangements on the announcement board were somewhat unusual, not the typical bracket-style matches like 16 advancing to 8, then 8 to 4.
Netero raised his index finger and said, "The team that wins a duel won't have to fight again, while the losing team will 'advance' to the next duel. This continues until one team 'advances' to the top; that's when the final test ends."
So that means... the number of slots isn't two, but eighteen!
The examinees, now fully understanding the mechanism, felt as if they had been lifted from hell to heaven, their faces brimming with excitement.
From this perspective, pairing Morrow and Hisoka in the same team was actually a good thing.
After all, as long as the Morrow-Hisoka team won one match, they could immediately withdraw from the 'Advancement Battle.'
In other words, at most, only one team would be unfortunate enough to encounter this duo during the entire tournament.
Thinking of this, the examinees finally began to focus on who Morrow and Hisoka's opponents were. Initially, they thought only one team could pass, so it didn't matter who Morrow and Hisoka were up against. But now that they knew Morrow and Hisoka's team would only fight at most one match, they began to worry about which two unlucky souls would be pitted against this monstrous duo.
Then, they saw the pairing of No. 473 (Gon) and No. 294 (Hanzo) on the match schedule.
For a moment, most examinees cast sympathetic glances toward Gon and Hanzo.
Gon and Hanzo, of course, also saw the match arrangement.
Their reactions differed slightly.
Hanzo completely shed his usual boisterous and talkative demeanor, his expression turning grave.
Gon's expression was more complex, a flicker of fear in his eyes, yet also a faint trace of anticipation.
From despair and resentment, to excitement and relief, then to pity and schadenfreude, the examinees' shifting emotions directly reflected the atmosphere in the venue.
And this change in atmosphere was precisely what Netero's actions had deliberately provoked.
Even the proctors observing from the sidelines, including the relatively slow-witted Buhara, could tell Netero was doing it on purpose.
If they disregarded his respected status as Chairman of the Hunter Association, their impression of Netero's actions could only be summed up in one way:
This sly old man is downright wicked!
Netero paid no mind to the strange looks Menchi and the others gave him. After allowing the examinees time to digest the information, he continued explaining the rules:
"Each team will have at least two chances to win. Outstanding teams may earn up to five opportunities. This grouping is based on your previous test results, in other words, those with better results will get more chances."
Here, Netero raised a second finger and added:
"Any weapons are permitted during the fights, but there are only two ways to win: either force both opponents to surrender, or seize your opponents' number tags."
"Note that you only need to take one number tag from either opponent to win. However..."
"If you kill an opponent during the fight, the perpetrator will be immediately disqualified. The remaining examinees, including the other member of the deceased's team, will automatically pass, and the test will end immediately."
After stating the rules, Netero scanned the examinees, slowly lowered his hand, and calmly said, "Well, if you have any questions, you may ask them now."
"..."
The examinees reacted differently, but no one spoke.
A 90% pass rate, plus a rule that protected their lives, the final test was several times easier than they had expected. What questions could they possibly have?
As for the so-called winning opportunities, Morrow and Hisoka's team was the only one granted five chances.
But that seemed perfectly reasonable.
Even if this pair were given as many as ten chances to win, no one would raise any objections.
As for Hanzo, being the first opponent for Morrow and Hisoka's team, he remained relatively calm.
Even if he lost the first match, he still had three more chances afterward.
With this in mind, he had already decided to surrender immediately once the match began.
After all, the rule against killing opponents didn't mean they couldn't be severely injured.
Rather than taking risks in a hopeless match, it was better to concede outright and focus on the next one.
The gravity slowly faded from Hanzo's face, and he suddenly felt much more at ease.
His teammate Gon, however, quietly tightened his grip on his fishing rod.
Great, we can use any weapons...
Gon thought to himself.
—--
Outside the arena. After hearing Chairman Netero's passing conditions, examiner Menchi and the others instinctively glanced at Kurapika, who stood calmly nearby.
This year's exam was indeed unlike any before...
Just the guaranteed passing of 18 candidates alone was unprecedented.
With the final test's format now set, the first pair of duelists remained on the field while the other examinees retreated outside the training ground.
Satotz temporarily assumed the role of referee.
Though for this type of duel, a referee was hardly necessary.
His main responsibility was simply confirming both sides were ready and calling the start.
"The first match: Morrow & Hisoka versus Hanzo & Gon."
Satotz crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over the four examinees on either side.
To the left stood Morrow and Hisoka.
Morrow appeared completely composed; judging by his aura state, it resembled a silent river, revealing no emotional fluctuations whatsoever.
Beside him, Hisoka merely narrowed his eyes, idly shuffling playing cards while an undercurrent of restless energy subtly permeated the aura surrounding him.
To the right were Hanzo and Gon.
Hanzo's body language appeared relaxed, his expression carefree.
In contrast, Gon, who walked beside him, displayed an eagerness surprisingly similar to Hisoka's, both seemingly itching for action.
What an interesting combination...
Satotz mused silently. Seeing both teams now in position, he announced: "First match, begin."
The moment the words left his lips, he retreated from the duel's central area with feather-light steps.
"I forfeit."
Right as the match began, Hanzo promptly declared surrender.
This reaction drew no surprise from Satotz, nor even from Netero and the others.
Anyone who'd observed Hanzo's demeanor and body language beforehand could easily have predicted his intent to concede immediately.
However, for a 'surrender' to prematurely end the duel, both team members needed to submit forfeit votes.
Thus, after Hanzo's passive-game surrender, he naturally turned to Gon beside him.
In his view, unless Gon was an idiot, he'd surely make the same decision, preserving their chances for victory in the next match.
But unfortunately... What Hanzo saw was Gon gripping his fishing rod tightly, adopting a battle stance.
?
A giant question mark practically materialized above Hanzo's bald head.
"Hey, forfeit already?"
In his envisioned scenario, there hadn't even been a need for persuasion.
The disparity in strength was blatantly obvious, with room for error still available, only a fool would choose to charge headfirst into difficulty.
"No."
Fool-Gon refused outright.
??
Hanzo gaped in disbelief. "Are you joking? You actually think you stand a chance against those two?"
"We won't know until we try!"
Gon showed no signs of backing down, declaring earnestly: "Besides, this duel isn't about overpowering them, we just need to grab the number tags–"
"Idiot."
Hanzo's gaze turned razor-sharp.
Gon instantly sensed the shift in Hanzo's mood, momentarily taken aback.
"Did you think the no-killing rule was some protective charm for weaklings like you to act recklessly?" Hanzo said coldly.
"I–"
Gon was about to defend himself when Hanzo interrupted him roughly again: "Don't be naive. They might not kill you, but breaking your limbs and taking your number badge would be as easy as pie for them."
Before he even finished speaking, a chilling glint appeared in Hanzo's eyes.
"I've made myself clear enough. If you still insist, then I'm sorry, but I don't want to indulge your recklessness. To avoid being implicated by you, I might even consider taking your number badge and giving it to those two over there."
"..."
Gon fell silent for a moment before saying seriously: "Why take my number badge? If you really want to surrender, you don't need my permission. You could just throw your own number badge to the opponents."
???
Hanzo froze momentarily, then several veins bulged on his forehead as he roared: "Is that the point?!"
After shouting, he took a deep breath and had already decided to step back and watch from a distance.
Why not just throw his own number badge over? Yes, why indeed... Hmph, this brat.
Hanzo silently retreated several steps, then looked forward only to be startled upon realizing that Morrow and Hisoka weren't paying any attention to him and Gon.
Gon, who had been completely focused on how to win, also noticed the unusual situation with Morrow and Hisoka, immediately showing a puzzled expression.
At this moment.
Hisoka didn't regard Hanzo and Gon as worthy of his attention at all.
He enjoyed determining the value of unripe apples, but such things depended on the situation.
If he hadn't been paired with Morrow, he would probably be enjoying the pleasure of interacting with the unripe apples right now.
"If I had to name a reason for obtaining the Hunter License, it would be that after killing someone, in many cases, you won't be held accountable."
Hisoka held a playing card between his fingers, resting it near his chin as he looked at Morrow with an eager expression, a slight tremor in his voice. "But under these circumstances, I have no interest in the Hunter License, so let's begin right here."
"Are you sure?"
Morrow maintained a calm expression, raising his hand to point upward.
The training ground's dome opened to a circular sky in the center, while the surrounding ceiling remained enclosed.
Excluding the areas outside the field, the entire training ground was square-shaped and divided into multiple zones.
Some areas contained training equipment like iron stakes, while others were open sparring grounds.
They were currently standing in the very center of the sparring area.
Although the test didn't specifically designate a duel area, the fact that Netero and the others had directly retreated outside the training ground indicated that the entire training ground could be considered the combat zone.
In a way, this environment could be said to limit Hisoka's ability utilization.
Hence, Morrow's question.
Hisoka immediately responded: "Without a doubt."
"Good, as you wish."
Morrow knew Hisoka's patience had reached its limit, and he had anticipated this situation ever since Netero announced the pairings.
Because Hisoka hadn't made any attempt to conceal his intentions.
"Heh..."
Hisoka's face twisted slightly with excitement as he muttered in a suppressed voice: "Finally, finally..."
In an instant, an intense fighting spirit erupted from him, along with what could only be described as a distorted desire. The long-suppressed intention, now amplified by the aura, instantly formed an invisible Nen pressure like linear shadows, enveloping everyone present.
Those unfamiliar with Nen, when faced with Hisoka's aura pressure, only felt as if a tremendous sense of crisis had suddenly surged before them, their bodies reflexively responding with trembling or chills.
Hanzo and Gon, being closest to Hisoka on the field, had never experienced such aura impact before, not even during the first phase of the exam.
Gon, who had initially considered testing his limits, instantly froze like a block of wood.
Yet from beginning to end, Hisoka never spared them a glance.
As he had stated, he cared more about battling Morrow here than obtaining the Hunter License.
Since the seemingly vulnerable old man hadn't fulfilled this desire, he would take matters into his own hands.
"But before we begin, could you please revert your 'face'?"
Hisoka had reached his limit of patience, though he had to make this request before engaging.
After waiting so long for this moment...
Fighting through a disguise would be... rather dull.
Hearing Hisoka's request, Morrow nodded slightly and dispelled his facial transformation ability.
Instantly, Morrow's face twisted and shifted, stabilizing as his aura settled, restoring his original appearance.
This spectacle elicited even more stunned reactions from the examinees already trembling under Hisoka's pressure.
They hadn't found it strange when Hanzo and Gon turned against each other earlier, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
In their position, they would have made the same decision as Hanzo.
In such circumstances, hesitating for even a second would have been disrespectful to Morrow and Hisoka's capabilities.
But they never expected Morrow and Hisoka would also confront each other.
It made no sense to them.
Under these conditions, both Hisoka's terrifying presence and Morrow's face-changing delivered powerful visual impacts.
Not just the examinees, even Satotz and Buhara struggled to remain composed before such aura pressure.
Among all Nen users present, only Netero remained utterly unperturbed, as if he had anticipated this situation all along.
On the competition field.
Hanzo saw Morrow's restored face and had no time to ponder whether this ability related to the transformation ninjutsu; instead, memories surfaced in his mind.
It's him!
Hanzo recognized Morrow.
Or more precisely, he had once seen Morrow in his homeland of Jappon.
Others who immediately recognized Morrow included martial artist candidates and those with combat experience.
Countless gazes converged on Morrow.
Morrow showed no reaction, calmly opening all his aura nodes to release his formidable Lv.73 aura output.
Seeing Morrow prepared for battle, Hisoka abruptly initiated the assault.
Squelch–
His feet became enveloped in Bungee Gum, then compressed, compressed...
Until even his soles and calves contorted like rubber.
This was no longer pure Transmuter nature.
It involved physical structural changes touching upon Conjuration.
Effectively reaching the convergence point between Transmutation and Conjuration.
Whoosh!
The next instant, Bungee Gum, combined with the rubber-like elasticity of his body, compressed and released in an instant, granted Hisoka explosive power in that moment.
His figure vanished into thin air, leaving only a sharp sound in his original position.
When he reappeared, his fist was already striking Morrow's chest.
Thump!
A visible shockwave of white aura erupted from the point of impact on Morrow's chest, sending him flying backward like a cannonball.
However, just before the strike landed, Morrow had utilized his masterful Ryū to concentrate sufficient aura output on his chest, successfully defending against the damage from the punch.
Boom!
Morrow's body flew halfway across the training ground in an instant, crashing into the hard wall with a deafening sound.
As expected... only you can deliver this kind of thrill...
Realizing that Morrow had blocked the attack in time, even though the battle had just begun, Hisoka was already experiencing ultimate enjoyment.
His visible reaction only added to the already tense nerves of Hanzo and the others.