Dawn broke over the island.
But everyone soon realized something.
The two old men had vanished without a trace.
Now, the only ones left on the island were the candidates. There was no way to contact the outside world, no ships, no airships—nothing.
A candidate looked around, his face dark with frustration.
"We have to find our own way to the next exam site."
Another candidate frowned as he read the information left behind by the Hunter Association.
"I knew it wouldn't be that easy."
"Since when does the Hunter Exam have breaks?"
"This is just another test in itself."
"But how do we even get there?"
"No airships, no boats… what do they expect us to do, swim?"
"We don't even know the exact location!"
The atmosphere grew tense.
Kaizen, however, wasn't concerned about that. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Was the storm that would hit in two days a natural occurrence, or was it man-made?
...
The candidates reacted in different ways.
Some cursed their luck.
Some frantically searched for an escape route.
A small, barely seaworthy boat drew the attention of several candidates who began repairing it, hoping to sail away.
Others discovered a hot air balloon in a damaged state. After some quick fixes, it was deemed usable.
Geretta found a one-man boat—tiny, flimsy, completely unreliable on open waters. It reminded Kaizen of the rickety little vessel Luffy had first set sail with in One Piece.
One big wave, and it would capsize without a doubt.
Kaizen and Hisoka stayed apart from the other candidates.
Not far from them stood Gittarackur, who seemed disinterested in the whole ordeal.
"This next phase isn't really for me," he muttered. "Let them handle it."
Kaizen wasn't exactly eager to participate either. He decided to blend in, observing while keeping himself out of trouble.
...
Two days passed quickly.
Some candidates had repaired boats, some had restored hot air balloons, and others set out on their own makeshift vessels. Many, however, turned their attention to the island itself.
Because this wasn't just any island—it was a ship. A massive warship disguised as land.
Leorio dove beneath the surface, retrieving shells from the seabed.
Hanzo stepped up as the squad leader.
Then, the storm hit.
Small boats and hot air balloons stood no chance against the massive waves and howling winds. In the end, only the enormous Warship Island could weather the storm.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Shells exploded in the distance, the sea trembling from the impact.
Through sheer determination and teamwork, the candidates endured. By the time the storm cleared, they had reached the next exam site—but their numbers had dwindled yet again.
...
An examiner stepped forward.
"Congratulations to all of you who made it this far."
"The next phase begins now."
A table stood beside the examiner, upon which rested a sealed box.
"The exam will take place on a small island— Zevil Island."
"Before you enter Zevil Island, you must draw lots."
The examiner gestured to the box.
"Inside are twenty-six numbers."
"Each number corresponds to one of the twenty-six candidates who passed."
"Your number determines your role: hunter or hunted."
One by one, the candidates stepped forward to draw their numbers.
Kaizen glanced around.
In the original timeline, only twenty-four candidates had made it to this point. But now, there were twenty-six.
"Is this another butterfly effect caused by me?"
His eyes landed on an unfamiliar candidate.
Something about them felt familiar.
"They use Nen."
"I didn't notice before. Too many candidates, and they hid their aura well."
"But their strength… it's nothing special."
The candidate remained unaware of Kaizen's scrutiny.
...
One by one, the candidates drew their numbers.
Soon, it was Kaizen's turn.
He reached into the box and pulled out a slip of paper.
Then, he stepped back, waiting.
Once all candidates had drawn their numbers, the examiner spoke again.
"You've all seen the numbers you hold. The number on your paper corresponds to your target. Your objective is simple: capture their number plate."
"How you do it is up to you."
"Traps, ambushes, direct combat… even teamwork."
"As long as you seize their number plate, it counts."
The examiner's voice darkened.
"Even if you kill them, it won't matter."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
The examiner held up a finger.
"The scoring system is as follows."
"Your own number plate: 3 points."
"Your target's number plate: 3 points."
"Any other number plate: 1 point."
"To pass, you need at least 6 points."
"Survive, and make sure you have enough points. Do that, and you move on to the final phase."
A candidate sighed.
"Finally, we're near the end."
Others nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, it's been a hell of a journey."
"I just hope I can pass this part, enter the final exam, and get my Hunter License. Otherwise, all this effort will be for nothing."
Someone else frowned.
"But based on this system, at least half of us won't make it."
"More than half," another corrected. "Not everyone will be able to secure a full 6 points. Some plates will be lost entirely."
Nearby, three candidates smirked at each other.
"This is perfect for us. There are three of us—we can work together. No one will stand a chance."
"Yeah, we'll just team up and take whatever plates we need."
"The three of us are guaranteed to pass."
The examiner smiled.
"Alright, candidates. The boat has arrived. In two hours, you'll reach Zevil Island."
"Good luck."
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