"Whew."
Ryker exhaled, standing atop a mountain of corpses.
Below him lay the broken bodies of nearly two hundred Great Stamps. The forest clearing looked like a slaughterhouse. Blood pooled in the mud, turning the earth into a crimson swamp.
Ryker, drenched in gore, looked like a demon god descending to earth.
The forest was silent.
The candidates stared, paralyzed. It felt like a fever dream.
Two hundred Great Stamps... wiped out.
Earlier, a team of five had tried to take down one pig and failed miserably. The pigs were tanks—fast, armored, and aggressive. Without knowing their weakness, they were invincible to rookies.
But Ryker?
He had soloed the entire population.
One man. Ten minutes. Extinction event.
"So... so strong..."
Ponzu covered her mouth, her eyes wide. The image of Ryker standing triumphantly on the corpse pile was burned into her retina. It was terrifying... and undeniably attractive.
Even the monsters were shaken.
"His stamina... is abnormal," Illumi murmured, his clicking teeth sounding thoughtful. "To maintain that level of output for this long... he isn't even breathing hard."
Hisoka's smile had faded. For the first time, the "Playful Magician" felt a chill of genuine danger.
The predator... and the prey... are switching roles.
He felt Ryker's gaze on him. It wasn't fear. It was hunger.
Interesting.
Gon, Leorio, Killua, and Kurapika stood there, jaws on the floor.
"Did he really just kill them all?" Leorio whispered.
But Ryker wasn't paying attention to them. He was listening to the symphony in his head.
[System Alert: Mass Fusion Initiated.]
[Fusing [Great Strength] (Blue) x180...]
[Fusion Complete.]
[Trait Upgrade: [Monstrous Strength] (Gold) -> [Divine Strength] (Red)!]
BOOM.
Ryker felt his veins ignite. It wasn't just strength anymore. It was authority. His muscles hummed with a power that felt ancient.
[Divine Strength] (Red).
Description: You possess the strength of a god. Physical limits are removed.
[Fusing [Thick Hide] (Blue) x150...]
[Fusion Complete.]
[Acquired: [Ironclad Tank] (Gold)!]
[Ironclad Tank] (Gold).
Description: Your defense and HP are massively increased. Conventional weapons cannot pierce your skin.
Ryker clenched his fist. The air popped.
He felt invincible.
If he had a health bar, it would look like a barcode now. He could probably tank a bazooka shell with his face.
Red Tier Strength.
Gold Tier Defense.
This exam was the best farming spot in existence.
Ryker looked up and caught Hisoka's eye. He smiled—a small, knowing smirk.
Hisoka's expression hardened.
"He's smiling at you," Illumi noted.
"Yes," Hisoka replied, his voice low. "Things are getting... complicated."
But deep in his eyes, a spark of madness flickered.
Ryker jumped down from the corpse pile.
"Alright everyone! The buffet is open! Come and get your ingredients!"
"ALL HAIL BOSS RYKER!!"
"RYKER IS A GOD!!"
"Boss Ryker! I owe you my life! If you need anything, just ask!!"
The candidates rushed forward, cheering like fanatics. They grabbed the dead pigs, dragging them back to the mansion, singing Ryker's praises.
They knew the truth: Without Ryker, half of them would be dead. With him? It was a free pass.
Some felt a twinge of pity for whoever had to fight Ryker later. Being in the same generation as this monster was a tragedy.
Inside the Mansion Courtyard.
"Menchi, I'm starving!" Buhara rumbled. "I don't care if they pass or fail, I just want to eat!"
"Hold your horses, big guy," Menchi scolded, checking her watch. "A good Gourmet Hunter waits for the perfect dish. Besides, those pigs are tough. If a third of them make it back, I'll be impressed."
Bzzzt.
"Menchi! Buhara!"
Satotz's voice crackled urgently in their earpieces.
"What is it, Satotz? Did they all die?"
"No... quite the opposite," Satotz sounded bewildered. "They... they all have pigs. Every single one of them."
"What?!" Menchi stood up. "Impossible!"
Through the gates, a procession of candidates marched in. Each one carried a Great Stamp.
The pigs were battered. Some had their skulls caved in. Others had perfect cross-shaped incisions on their foreheads.
"Did they find a stash of dead bodies?" Buhara scratched his head. "We checked the forest an hour ago. The herd was healthy!"
"This is absurd," Menchi muttered. "Even the weaklings have one? There's no way that skinny girl killed a Great Stamp!"
Then she heard the chatter.
"Boss Ryker is amazing!"
"He cleared the whole forest!"
"One man army!"
Menchi's eye twitched.
"Him again? Number 406?"
She glared at the crowd until she found him. Ryker was strolling in, dragging two pigs casually with one hand. He looked bored.
That kid... he ruined my test!
Menchi ground her teeth. The point of the exam was to filter out the weak. If Ryker did all the work, how could she judge the others?
Ryker sensed the hostility. He looked up and locked eyes with the turquoise-haired examiner.
Name: Examiner Menchi
Traits: [Gourmet Hunter] (Purple), [Nen: Hundred-Bladed Wheel] (Blue), [Knife Mastery] (Blue), [Taijutsu] (Blue)...
Ooh.
Ryker grinned. Purple trait [Gourmet Hunter]?
And her Nen ability... [Hundred-Bladed Wheel]. Interesting.
He winked at her.
Menchi's face turned red. Not from embarrassment, but from rage.
"Alright!" she shouted, stomping her foot. "Since you all have ingredients... START COOKING! And let me warn you: I am a very harsh critic!"