The Kiriko (Mr. Ferocious Fox) convulsed violently for a long moment before finally stopping.
What was going on? He hadn't dodged or avoided the attack at all—these examinees were getting bolder by the minute.
"You're completely different from the one I fought earlier. Why are you seeking revenge? But if you intend to stand in my way, I'll fight you to the end."
Gon said firmly, gripping his fishing rod.
"How do you know we're not the same person?" the Kiriko asked curiously.
"Don't we look completely different?" Gon was even more puzzled than the Kiriko. "And your voice is higher and thinner. If you pay attention, it's easy to tell. Compared to distinguishing animal footsteps in the forest, telling you apart is much easier. Anyone could do it."
The Kiriko's eyes curved into a smile. First came a low chuckle, then loud laughter.
"Honey, are you there? I found something interesting."
As soon as the Kiriko finished speaking, another identical Kiriko suddenly appeared out of thin air in the clearing beside them.
The two Kiriko surrounded Gon as if he were a rare animal on display.
"It's been many years since a human could distinguish between us husband and wife. This makes us very happy."
"It's not just me—Lu ou could definitely tell you apart too," Gon said quickly, seeing how emotional they were and trying to comfort them. "Lu ou knows everything. Don't worry—there'll definitely be another person who can tell you apart."
"Then come with us. We'll take you to meet the others."
The two Kiriko grabbed Gon and spread their wings, flying off in the direction where Leorio was.
Clatter, clatter—
Loose stones kept falling as Leorio, carrying a basket of medicinal herbs on his back, carefully climbed up the cliff.
"This really isn't the life I ever imagined," he muttered.
Just as he was about to reach the top, a massive shadow suddenly flew past him and grabbed the other end of the rope he was climbing.
The tension instantly skyrocketed.
"This is bad… It's incredibly sharp. Running into a magical beast in this situation—this is practically certain death."
Leorio's expression hardened, eyes wide and fierce.
The beast said nothing, only slowly loosening its grip on the rope.
"It's trying to make me fall into the ravine. You can tell just by looking at it—magical beasts really are savage creatures."
Cold sweat rolled down Leorio's forehead as he clenched his teeth.
"Wait… that is—so that's it. I understand now."
Leorio's eyesight was exceptional. He quickly noticed the clearly visible red needle marks on the beast's arm and immediately understood everything.
"Mr. Ferocious Fox, were those wounds made to deceive us? As a future doctor, falling for something like that… I was far too careless."
Leorio sounded dejected, blaming his own lack of caution.
"What did you say?" the Kiriko asked in surprise.
"You're the owner of that house, aren't you? I could tell just by looking at the puncture marks and injuries on your right arm!" Leorio shouted.
The moment the Kiriko reflexively glanced at its arm, Leorio swiftly drew the dagger hidden in his clothes, threw the basket into the Kiriko's face, and leapt forward.
He knocked the Kiriko over with a kick, jumped onto its massive body, and pressed the blade to its throat.
"One move decides it—give over!"
"Tell me—are my companions safe?!"
Seeing that the person who should have been resting in the house had turned into a magical beast to intercept him, Leorio couldn't help but worry.
He trusted Lu ou's strength, but after everything they'd been through together, he had already begun relying on him without realizing it. The thought that Lu ou might be in danger made him frantic.
"Your companions are fine!" the Kiriko hurriedly said, staring at the blade about to pierce its throat.
It reacted just in time—if it had been any slower and gotten injured or killed, the Hunter Association certainly wouldn't be handing out any employee-of-the-month awards. That would've been a terrible loss.
Leorio knelt on one knee on the Kiriko's chest, holding the dagger with a vicious expression. The blade had already pierced into its fur, leaving no room for compromise.
"I'm an examiner. Of course I wouldn't hurt them," the Kiriko added quickly.
"We're the guide couple."
Two even larger Kiriko descended nearby, holding Gon, while another, smaller Kiriko landed safely with Kurapika.
Seeing Gon and Kurapika unharmed, Leorio finally lowered his dagger and jumped down.
"I'm the daughter."
The Kiriko holding Kurapika transformed into a beautiful young girl with markings on her face.
"I'm the son," said the Kiriko that Leorio had knocked over.
Gon and the others waved in greeting—it really had been a case of fighting before understanding each other.
"Our children pretended to be a married couple beneath the cedar tree, while we acted as magical beasts to test Hunter Exam applicants," the Kiriko couple explained.
"As Kurapika said, this tattoo is a vow made in service to the gods. Its meaning has been lost over time. To uncover the truth through vast knowledge and keen observation is truly impressive,"
the daughter explained, pointing to the tattoo on her wrist.
All four Kiriko bowed deeply to Kurapika in acknowledgment.
"And then there's Gon—possessing both the observation skills needed to distinguish us, something only one person achieves every ten years, and physical abilities beyond the norm. Truly outstanding," the Kiriko couple said.
"I'm sorry. If I'd known the truth earlier, I wouldn't have fought so hard," Gon said sheepishly, scratching his head.
"And then Leorio," the son continued. "Although you didn't identify my true nature until the end, your emergency treatment surpassed that of an ordinary doctor. You constantly reassured me and eased my worries about my wife's safety. Your attentiveness was deeply moving."
Leorio stood there sweating profusely, unusually embarrassed.
"Please stop… this is humiliating."
"And finally, simply by noticing the injection marks, you demonstrated exceptional observation skills. That, too, deserves praise," the son added, rolling up his sleeve to show everyone.
"So—all three of you pass," the four Kiriko said in unison.
"Hahaha! That's great!" Gon cheered.
"Lu ou, we all passed!"
"…Huh?"
The three of them suddenly realized something was off.
Three pairs of eyes snapped toward the four magical beasts.
"What's going on? Lu ou definitely passed too—where is he?!"
For once, the three spoke in perfect unison. They had no doubt whatsoever that Lu ou had passed.
Stared down by six intense eyes, even the thick-skinned Kiriko felt uncomfortable.
"Uh—cough—he passed long ago," the son quickly replied.
"But Lu ou isn't here," Gon said, looking around and finding no trace of him.
He stared wide-eyed at the Kiriko who had spoken, his face full of questions.