"Oh, you must be our Phase Two Examiner, right?"
Seeing his stunned look, I smiled and pointed to my numbered badge.
"…How did you—never mind."
He placed his left palm over his forehead and lowered the seat lever with his right hand.
He scanned me from head to toe… then locked eyes with me.
We just… stared at each other.In total silence. It got awkward pretty fast.
I was taken aback by our examiner's appearance — he barely reached my waist and was dressed in a triangular, plush, purple costume.I couldn't even tell where the fabric ended and the man began.
"Uhm… Am I not going to be—"
I didn't get to finish before he cut me off:
"No need to worry about that. The fact that you made it here at all tells me one thing:
You're qualified to take the Hunter Exam. After all… luck is a form of power too, especially for a Pro Hunter."
"Wait, are you saying—?"
"Yes. Congratulations. You're the first to pass the Second Phase of the Exam."
Overwhelmed by emotion — by all the anxiety and uncertainty — I instinctively hunched forward, arms pulled back, fists clenched tight against my sides, barely able to contain the burst of feeling.
"YES! I DID IT!"
I threw my hands up, shouting at the ceiling, letting out everything I'd been bottling up.
Whatever this was — dream or new reality — I no longer cared. I was done overthinking. It was time to live in the moment.
As I ran around the room in celebration, the examiner had his own thoughts brewing.
He activated Ryū — a Nen technique that merges covering of Aura and it's concentration, maintaining aura flow while enhancing perception.
It's often used like a hybrid of Ken — ten times the aura output of Ren — and Gyo, which focuses aura into specific body parts.
Being a Nen master, he could seamlessly weave it through Ten, rerouting aura flow to his eyes.
"That's odd… Let's try with Ren."
He flared his aura, gradually concentrating it in his gaze.
"No way… This can't be right. Ken!"
Externally, the kid still seemed like a completely ordinary person — Which meant In was the only plausible explanation: a technique that conceals aura completely.
But even then, he couldn't sense even a flicker of aura.
He forgot about defense entirely and channeled 100% of his aura into his eyes using Ken and Gyo, but still… nothing.
"I don't get it. I built enough conditions into that wall that no ordinary person could've made it through. To them it will feel like a real stone wall. Even a Nen user would've mistaken it for just another part of the hallway — Unless they knew about it."
"And everyone who does know was bound by a Vow and Condition. If anyone had broken that vow, my ability would've alerted me by now —Not to mention the aura boost I'd get as compensation."
"So the only remaining explanation is… he figured it out entirely on his own?"
"But how?! He's completely normal. Not a trace of Nen in him…"
"I've changed my mind!!" The examiner suddenly shouted, visibly irritated.
"E-Eh?! If I was too loud, I'm really sorry!"
Panicked, I nearly tripped over myself and gave a quick, deep bow to the man who controlled my fate in the exam.
"Ahem. Taking back my words would be irresponsible of me, however…"He awkwardly cleared his throat into his fist, then looked at me sternly.
"Your appearance here contradicts the intended structure of this stage. Upon further thought, I believe you used an unauthorized shortcut."
"I suspect you obtained information from the examination committee —which would be a direct violation of the rules."
"…That's total nonsense, of course. Even if he did learn it from someone, connections and resourcefulness are still valid forms of one person's strength."
"I feel kind of bad for lying and threatening a participant… But my curiosity is EATING ME ALIVE. I have to know how he bypassed my Nen ability!"
"W-Wait! This is a misunderstanding! I didn't get any insider info or hints!"
"Oh?" The examiner narrowed his eyes.
"Then how exactly did you pass through that wall? Just so you know, it's no ordinary hologram — a normal person wouldn't have made it through."
"Ah…"
"Crap… So it really was a Nen ability — and one with properties like that?! I'm screwed… Don't tell me I'll have to reveal my ability…"
"If you didn't receive inside information, then there's only one explanation left… Tell me — are you familiar with Nen?"
I twitched ever so slightly. A subtle flinch, but one that didn't escape the examiner's keen eyes.
"So… he knows about Nen."
Realizing there was no point in hiding it anymore, I relaxed my body. With a faint smile and a trace of ironic amusement, I gave in.
"…It's my Nen ability."
"I see. That would explain it… but you'll need to demonstrate it for me — at the very least," he said.
Noticing my hesitation, he added with a small wave of his hand:"No need to explain the mechanics. Just show me how it works."
"Could it be Obsession-based? Or a borrowed ability — some kind of Nen loan? Maybe even a Nen-infused object?"
Swallowing hard, I activated the ability.
Strangely enough, this time it didn't even demand a price.
The same golden thread appeared again — and now I could clearly see it was attached to the examiner's back.
"There it is." I gestured toward the glowing thread, its radiance intensifying now that I was closer to the target.
"Hm…" The examiner squinted.
But his next words caught me completely off guard:
"I don't see anything. Are you pulling my leg?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Flustered, I instinctively reached for the thread.
And as I gave it a tug —The chair moved.
So did the examiner — turning with it, pulled slightly off balance.
"How… how did he do that?"
The sheer shock of it sent a wave of bone-deep chills across the examiner's entire body — like an avalanche of cold.
"Tell me this — have you been intentionally hiding your Nen from me this entire time? I can't feel any aura from you. Is this… someone else's ability? One you borrowed?"
His voice quivered, though he tried to mask it.
He was desperate to understand this impossibly powerful Nen ability.
"Eh… it's nothing special, really. I just wanted to complete the second phase as quickly as possible — and this thread led me straight to you. I also used it to pass the first phase. Heh-heh… Sorry about that."
The examiner sat there, eyes wide, stunned silent.
"He's not lying. Biscuit's lie-detection method has never failed me. Which means… he can use that kind of monstrous Nen ability —without even awakening Nen?!
I examined his body thoroughly.
I can confirm with absolute certainty that all his aura nodes and pores are still sealed.
There's only one possible conclusion…
I might be standing before the greatest natural talent in Nen history!"
The examiner's body trembled —but not from fear or confusion anymore.
It was exhilaration.
A wild, surging wave of anticipation and awe.
This was the passion that had led him to become an Examiner in the first place —to discover hidden gems like this, and guide them to their full potential.
Right here, right now, he felt it in his bones: He had just met his true calling.
Meanwhile…
"Umm, Examiner?
Could you please stop looking at me like that…?"