Damn it..., I screwed up. I didn't need to use Penetrating Palm back there. Honestly, against Netero—who thought I was just some amateur with a bit of physical ability—I didn't even need to use Willow Leaf Shaking to steal the ball. So why the hell did I do it?
…It must be because I was meeting Netero again after so long. Back in Ryushou's time, the most enjoyable moments I had were during matches with Netero. Even if the soul changes, memories and feelings don't…
But now what? That definitely made Netero suspicious. After all, within the Kazama style there are almost no practitioners of Penetrating Palm or Willow Leaf Shaking—at least, there weren't (maybe it's changed now). Penetrating Palm especially was a forbidden technique, passed on only to Riina. To the untrained eye it just looks like an ordinary palm strike, but…
This is Netero we're talking about. He must have realized it was Penetrating Palm. Otherwise, there's no way he would've bothered to counter with the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva… right? He must be wondering who I really am. He might even reach the conclusion that I'm Ryushou reincarnated… That would be bad.
…Wait, bad? Is it, really? Sure, reincarnation isn't exactly normal, and if I blurted it out myself, he'd just think I was crazy. That's why I couldn't tell him. But if he realizes it on his own… wouldn't that be fine?
No, but… what if he rejects me? If Netero rejects me, that would sting. A lot. Maybe it's better if I hide it… But at this point I've already done too much.
…Ah, screw it! Whatever happens, happens! If he finds out, I'll deal with it then. If he doesn't, all the better!
Whew… looks like while I was overthinking things, we've already arrived at the site of the Third Exam. Didn't get a wink of sleep in the end.
A towering spire reaching into the sky—the Trick Tower. So this is the Third Exam venue. Supposedly it's used as a prison for dangerous criminals.
The test is to reach the bottom within 72 hours, huh? No stairs leading down, so maybe there are hidden doors? …No way they'd have secret escape passages for the prisoners, right?
Well then, how should I get down?
Oh, look at that—someone's climbing down the outer wall! That's crazy… if they fall, they're dead!
"Whoa, amazing."
"They've already gone down that far."
"…But will they be okay? Something weird is coming from that side."
"Oh, you're right."
"Waaahhhhhh!!"
Ah, they got surrounded by those freaky birds. At this rate, they'll be killed. …Guess I have no choice.
Fff!
I hurl a rock at the birds. Ugh, gross things… oh, direct hits, all of them.
"Now's your chance—get back up!"
"Th-thank you!!"
They made it back up safely. I was worried they might slip and fall in their panic. Glad they're okay.
"Y-you saved me. I owe you big time…"
"It's fine. Good luck on the exam."
"Yeah, you too. If there's ever anything I can do for you, just say the word. I'll definitely pay you back."
After expressing his gratitude, the rock climber went off to look for another path. He might die on a different route, but I can't take care of him all the way. That was just a bit of empty kindness on my part. Self-satisfaction, really.
"…Hey, you."
"My name's Aisha, not 'you.' That's the second time we've had this exchange."
"Whatever. More importantly, I've got a question. Why do you help other people so much?"
"…Am I not supposed to?"
"That's not what I mean. But you did it in the First Exam, and again in the Second—you even tried to help that pro wrestler-looking guy, right?"
Sharp kid. To notice the tiny movement I made toward helping that wrestler before the examiner killed him… impressive perception.
"I was just wondering why you'd bother helping complete strangers. It's not like you expect anything in return."
"…"
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just curious."
"…It's something my mother taught me. If there's someone you can help within your ability, then help them. Always put yourself first, but if you have leeway, extend a hand to others… That's why I did it. Right now, I do have leeway. But if I were ever in real danger, I'd prioritize myself above everything else."
"…Sounds like a good mother. She loves you most of all."
"Yes. I'm proud of her."
"…I see. Must be nice. To have a mother who says things like that. Wanna trade her for mine?"
"No deal."
"Oi, don't be serious about it!"
Of course I'm serious. To even joke about trading my world's-best mom for someone else's unknown mother… impossible.
"Oh, and—why're you carrying such a massive backpack?"
"Huh? Well, the Hunter Exam is long, right? With all the clothes, food, and water I might need, it just ended up this big."
"…How heavy is that thing?"
"I'm not sure, never weighed it. Probably around 50 kilos?"
"…You're amazing, Aisha…"
"But seriously, you don't need that many clothes! And we got food on the airship."
"You don't know that for sure! What if they hadn't given us anything during the exam?"
"Then I'd just eat whatever I could find. Same with Gon, right?"
"Yeah. Nuts, fish, whatever's around that looks edible."
Wildlings, the lot of them! Ugh, I can eat hunted, safe food like fish or game… but bugs or scraps? No way.
"Uuugh~, I have to eat clean food whenever possible…"
"What kind of reason is that?"
It's not my fault! It's Mom's fault! Mom's…!!
Anyway, what should I do? Looks like there are quite a few hidden doors on the roof. Several examinees have already found them and entered the tower. But if I go that way, it'll take a lot of effort to get down. Maybe should I just jump?
If I release aura, I can maneuver in midair. It'll burn a lot of aura, especially since I'm already using Angel's Veil, but it's manageable.
Okay, decided. I'll wait until nobody's watching me, then jump. Too much trouble if someone sees.
First, Zetsu. Now it's nearly impossible for anyone to sense me. Then I'll pretend to search for a hidden door while sharpening my senses, making sure no one's watching. Casually move toward the edge, and the moment I'm free of attention—I can fly.
Checking with En—no one's watching. Everyone's either already descended through hidden doors or too busy searching for one. This is my chance.
No letting my guard down to the end… and—there we go!
I leapt, but surprisingly, I don't feel much fear. If anything, it's fun. I didn't feel fear even when I jumped off Mount Mafutatsu. Well, if I got scared at this level, I'd never stand a chance against Netero anyway.
Right, since no one's watching, I'll drop Angel's Veil for now. Keeping it up constantly is tiring. And ever since the Hunter Exam started, my aura consumption has been higher than usual… maybe nerves? Even though I've been using Zetsu to conserve aura, it's dropping faster than expected.
Ground's getting close. Time to prepare for landing. I release aura toward the ground to slow my descent, then gather it in my legs—land.
Whew, success. Netero managed to land straight from the airship, so maybe I didn't even need to release aura. Just Ken might've been enough. I'll test it next time I get the chance to jump from high up. Though I doubt that'll happen again soon.
Now then… I've landed, but where's the entrance? …Don't tell me there isn't one?! Okay, calm down, let's circle the tower. There has to be a door. Better reapply Angel's Veil, just in case.
Even if Netero figures out the reincarnation thing, I absolutely want to keep this aura's nature hidden. Why is it so unpleasant, anyway? Must be because I died once. No other explanation fits.
…Ah, thank goodness. There's the entrance! Of course there'd be one—this place is a prison. They can't exactly toss inmates in from the rooftop.
Still, the door looks ridiculously sturdy. Naturally it's locked. I probably shouldn't break it down.
"Excuse meee! Is anyone there?"
I call out at the door. A prison should have cameras, right?
"…Who goes there? Why are you at this place?"
Oh, good, a response! I won't have to force it open.
"I'm a Hunter Exam applicant. See? Here's my number badge."
"…Why is an applicant at the tower entrance? You should have started from the roof."
"No one said I couldn't use the entrance."
"That's not what I mean…"
"…So I'm not allowed?"
If so, I'll have to climb all the way back up. Please no…
"…Your badge is confirmed genuine. Opening the entrance. Enter at once."
"Thank you very much!"
Whew, that's a relief. That's the Third Exam cleared. Now I just wait three days… wait, three days?
"Um, excuse me—just one question."
"What is it? Speak quickly."
"During the exam, how's food handled?"
"…Those who clear the exam will be provided meals. Rest easy."
"Oh, good. I have rations, but they're bland."
"Don't expect much. It's prison food."
"…Eh?"
"The door's open. Get inside."
"…Eh?"
"Applicant #401, Aisha—first to clear the Third Exam!! Time required: 1 hour, 2 minutes."
◆
I had nothing better to do until the Third Exam ended, so I was lounging in the Trick Tower's break room, enjoying myself.
Naturally, what I was "enjoying" were the recordings of the previous stages of the exam.
My Nen ability, [Absolute Ruler of the Miniature Garden], allows me to view real-time footage of any exam from its beginning up to the present. Thanks to that, I can savor every last expression of despair twisted onto the candidates' faces. Becoming an examiner was the right call, heh heh heh…
While replaying the footage from the First Exam, I noticed something strange.
It was examinee no.190—Nicholas. That guy was priceless. After all, he was the only one who fell for the laxative-laced juice I prepared. I must have been grinning with sheer delight when he drank it.
But then something I couldn't quite explain happened. A plastic bottle suddenly appeared right in front of Nicholas. It wasn't hypnosis, and it wasn't some trick of speed. It was something far more terrifying… Nen.
In other words, Nicholas had conjured that bottle! His desperate desire not to soil himself had awakened his Nen and caused him to materialize it!
…No way in hell. Don't insult Nen.
If awakening Nen were that cheap, then what the hell were my three years of blood and torment for? "Cleanse your wicked thoughts!"—that's all they screamed while grinding me into dust. How many times did I pray for them to just kill me instead…
…Tch. Calm down.
Anyway, that bottle wasn't Nicholas's doing. The idiot can't even maintain Ten. There's no way someone awakened to Nen would have washed out in the First Exam.
So then—who conjured that bottle? It had to be Nen. Nothing else explains something popping out of thin air. But in my vision, in the sight of [Absolute Ruler of the Miniature Garden], no one else was there besides Nicholas.
Whose ability was it?
I replayed the scene a few times. That's when I caught it: something odd. Almost impossible to notice because it had no presence at all, but there it was—an outfit. Just clothes, bolting across the screen, carrying a massive rucksack.
I'm not losing my mind, and there's nothing wrong with my eyes. I really saw it—clothes alone, running. Like some invisible man wearing a schoolbag.
That rucksack looked familiar… right, it belonged to examinee no.401, Aisha.
At first glance she seemed like just another ordinary… no, actually, a very pretty girl.
So Aisha's a Nen user, then? Her ability is to turn her body invisible? The clothes just don't vanish with it? If that's the case, what a half-baked power. What's the point of going invisible if your outfit is still running around for everyone to see?
And yet… despite being right there, her presence was paper-thin. Even though "clothes running without a body" is blatantly weird, she was still hard to notice. Must be she's an expert at Zetsu.
No.401, Aisha… definitely a dangerous one to watch.
The next time I saw her was near the end of the First Exam.
I was watching the footage of Hisoka playing at being a proctor.
Hisoka… now that's a monster. Since awakening to Nen, I've only met three people who left me with such an overwhelming impression. Sure, there are stronger users than me all over the place, but he's in a class of his own. If I met him outside the exam, I'd bolt on the spot.
Luckily, he doesn't seem all that interested in me. So long as I don't antagonize him, I should be fine. Still, when he attacked me, I panicked on the inside.
Even knowing my ability would block it, that murderous aura and malevolent Nen—felt like I was about to die. All the more proof that [Absolute Ruler of the Miniature Garden] really is the ultimate ability.
So there I was, watching the monster amuse himself by playing proctor.
Other people's suffering really is sweet as honey. I could drink to this footage all night.
That's when I spotted Aisha again—just after Hisoka flicked his cards into the bushes. No one was supposed to be there, yet he was clearly talking toward the shrubbery. Not only that, but the moment his card struck, clothes leapt out from the grass.
So that's where she was hiding. Impressive Zetsu. And the stone that came flying at Hisoka—that was her too, wasn't it? What the hell was she thinking, drawing Hisoka's attention like that? Some kind of death wish?
But against expectation, Hisoka walked away toward the Second Exam venue. If he didn't kill her, that means she's still in play. Should I put her on my danger list?
…No, maybe not. Looks like she threw that rock to protect that other examinee—Leorio, was it? She may be strong, but she's just a bleeding heart. Hardly the type to qualify as a real threat.
Now here I am, watching the Trick Tower footage of the Third Exam.
The candidates are slowly discovering the hidden doors and heading downward. I wonder how many of them will entertain me this round. That's when Aisha popped into my thoughts again.
What's she doing in this exam? Time to take a look.
Found her. Easier than expected, since she wasn't using Zetsu. No surprise—when only the clothes are moving, she sticks out.
…Wait. That's strange. She's so obvious that others should be reacting, but none of the examinees are paying her any attention at all.
Maybe her power isn't invisibility after all? Then why do only her clothes show up?
Damn it, I don't know. I'm no Nen scholar. Maybe Riina-sensei would know, but…
No. If she found out what I've been doing, it'd be right back to those hellish days of training. Not happening.
Ah, damn. Lost sight of her. Where—? There. She's back in Zetsu again. If it weren't for the clothes, I'd never have spotted her at all. Damn fine work. She seems to be looking for a hidden door, but… why's she drifting closer to the edge of the tower?
…!? No way! She jumped! She actually jumped! She really does have a death wish!
That's it. She's dead. Even a Nen user couldn't survive a fall from that height. Only someone like Chairman Netero could. Unless… unless she can fly? Better check.
She's plummeting toward the ground fast. Doesn't look like she's flying. Really gonna die? And then—suddenly, aura bursts from her body!
What the hell!? How can a girl like that have such a sinister aura!?
And then, right as she was about to hit the ground—an unbelievable surge of aura erupted from her! Dense, overwhelming, monstrous aura!
The sheer force of it slowed her descent, and she landed gracefully on the ground. The amount of aura, the quality of it… that malevolent feel, almost indistinguishable from Hisoka's.
A good-natured pushover? Not even close. She's on par with Hisoka—maybe worse.
I immediately moved Aisha to the top of my danger list. I'll avoid her at all costs.
◆
…Something's wrong.
Even when resting in Zetsu, my aura isn't recovering. In fact, it's steadily draining away. Impossible.
At first I thought it was just nerves, but no—that doesn't explain this.
…Am I under the effect of some special Nen ability? That would make sense. If my [Boss Attribute] keeps nullifying it, that would explain the constant drain.
The question is—what kind of ability? And who's using it? Is it targeted only at me? For what reason? Surveillance, maybe? It must have been active since the First Exam—my aura consumption spiked from that point on.
Fortunately, the drain is small. Even while nullifying it with [Boss Attribute], it doesn't eat too much. As long as I don't activate [Angel's Veil], I should have enough aura to last through the end of the Hunter Exam.
Still… the fact I didn't even notice [Boss Attribute] was auto-activating is a problem. I've been getting sloppy. Need to tighten up.
Who's the user? The most likely suspects are the examiners or fellow candidates. If it's an examiner, Tonpa is candidate number one—he's been tagging along since the First Exam, and as a veteran Hunter he could definitely wield Nen.
Candidate two would be that needle-faced guy. Hisoka, though? Unlikely. He's not the type to bother with such a roundabout ability. Then again, there could be other examinees hiding their Nen, same as me.
Whoever it is, I can't say for certain. Might even be someone I've never seen. All I can do now is calm myself, rest, and recover as much aura as possible.
…Maybe I'll sit in Zen for the first time in a while… it's been since Ryusho that I last did so.