Time flies.
But for some examinees, it felt agonizingly slow.
Kaizen had been observing one such person—Siper.
Her target was Gittarackur—Illumi, to be exact.
But Illumi had vanished.
Buried himself underground without a trace.
No movement. No aura. No way for Siper to track him down.
She was growing increasingly frustrated.
"Where the hell did he disappear to?" she muttered, pacing restlessly.
"It's like he vanished into thin air."
"Doesn't he want to pass the exam?"
"Doesn't he want a Hunter License?"
"Why'd my target have to be someone like that...?"
Siper gritted her teeth. It made no sense.
The target badge was worth three points.
A normal badge? Just one.
Taking out a target was way easier than hunting down three regulars.
At first, Siper had been confident.
Her ability was perfect for this kind of environment.
She was strong at range, dangerous up close, and better than most at gathering intel.
She could attack from a distance before the enemy even knew she was there.
By the time they realized it? Too late.
Back on Warship Island, her performance had been solid.
And from what she'd seen of the other examinees, none seemed particularly superior.
As long as they weren't overwhelmingly stronger, she could take them down.
That was the confidence of a sniper.
Kaizen had been observing her from afar but hadn't made a move yet.
He was waiting. Watching.
Timing was everything.
He glanced at Siper, then shifted his gaze.
A bee landed on a leaf nearby.
Not far from that, hidden in a bush, was a small figure trailing him.
Watching.
"You've been following me this long and still haven't made a move?"
Kaizen had sensed Ponzu stalking him for a while.
He'd even left himself open—deliberately showing weak spots.
But Ponzu never took the bait.
Either too cautious... or too scared.
Kaizen flickered, vanishing from the spot.
...
When he reappeared, he was perched in the trees, higher up.
From this vantage, he spotted a red-haired youth walking below.
He had a red nose, wore a faded purple coat, and carried a satchel.
Unremarkable.
But lurking not far behind, hidden in the tall grass like a predator, was another figure.
They slowly drew a bow.
Set an arrow.
Held their breath.
Aimed.
"Now," Pokkle whispered.
Thwip!
The arrow shot forward like a bullet, aimed straight at the redhead.
At the last second, the red-haired boy sensed the danger.
He twisted his body—just enough to avoid a fatal hit.
The arrow scraped his shoulder.
"Pfft!"
A thin cut opened.
But before the youth could celebrate surviving...
A wave of dizziness crashed over him.
His limbs felt heavy.
His face drained of color.
He was poisoned.
Thud!
He collapsed to the ground.
Pokkle stepped out of the grass.
Kaizen nodded silently from his perch.
"Bows and arrows have their uses in the woods," he thought.
"And Pokkle did a good job concealing his presence."
"Not bad for someone who made it this far into the exam."
But it wasn't enough.
Kaizen compared Pokkle's abilities to his own—back when he hadn't even learned Nen.
The conclusion?
Pokkle wouldn't be a threat to him, even then.
Kaizen would sense him long before the shot was fired.
And even if the arrow was loosed, dodging it wouldn't be a problem.
That kind of poison wouldn't work on him, either.
"His ability isn't suited for my team," Kaizen thought, dismissing the idea.
First off, he had other ways to replicate a ranged attack.
Second, Pokkle's showing in the original timeline was... unimpressive.
If he was going to recruit a combat member, they needed to prove their strength.
He could overlook more for support types—like Shalnark, Kortopi, or Pakunoda from the Phantom Troupe.
But a fighter? They had to deliver.
The Troupe crushed the Shadow Beasts.
Completely outclassed them.
Now? Kaizen could wipe out the entire Shadow Beast squad alone—without breaking a sweat.
...
Kaizen turned a corner and paused.
A green blur was crouched behind the brush.
In a blink, he vanished again.
It was Gon, crouched and waiting.
But Gon wasn't interested in the red-haired girl, or Pokkle.
They weren't his targets.
He had one goal: Hisoka.
And for that, he needed complete focus.
No distractions.
He'd even done special training, refining his reflexes and technique using his fishing rod.
Because under normal circumstances, stealing Hisoka's badge was impossible.
Gon was betting everything on a narrow window of opportunity. A sliver of a chance.
...
Kaizen stepped into a clearing beside a small stream.
He picked up a stick, scanned the water—
Splash!
With one precise thrust, he speared a fish.
They were small, but edible.
No need for seasoning—just a bit of fire and time.
He caught a dozen, then set up a fire.
Skewering them on twigs, he arranged them around the flames to roast.
Soon, the scent of grilled fish filled the air.
Kaizen sat on a nearby rock, watching them cook.
As the smell intensified, he pulled one off, cooled it slightly, and took a bite.
"Not bad," he muttered.
"No nutrients in this stream… but it survived just by enduring. Time alone gave it flavor."
Then he froze.
He set the fish down and looked straight at a nearby bush.
"You've been watching for so long... why not come out already?"
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