An hour later.
Burp!
Gon rubbed his round, distended belly, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "Those Navigators are such nice people! I can't believe they treated us to such a huge feast!"
"Yeah," Leorio agreed, picking his teeth. "When we become Pro Hunters, we definitely have to pay them back."
In front of Ryker sat a stack of thirty clean plates. He wiped his mouth, feeling his energy reserves topping off.
Ding!
Once the group was fully satiated, the chubby chef finally pressed the button under the counter. The "elevator" engaged.
"Four esteemed guests," the Kiriko's voice came through a speaker. "The exam site is below. Only one in ten thousand make it this far. The trials ahead will eliminate most, but I believe Mr. Ryker and his friends have a very high chance of clearing it. Farewell!"
As the elevator descended, the Kiriko father slumped against the wall of the restaurant, sweating profusely. He checked his deflated wallet, but his heart was light. He had survived the monster.
The elevator rumbled downward.
"He said we'd all pass! That's encouraging!" Gon beamed.
"Statistically, only one rookie passes every three years," Kurapika said, his expression grave. "His confidence likely stems entirely from Ryker's presence."
"Only one every three years?" Gon was shocked.
"It's brutal," Kurapika continued. "Many rookies break down mentally. Others are crushed physically by veterans who enjoy tormenting the new blood. Some never recover."
"That sounds... exaggerated," Leorio frowned.
"It's the reality. That's why Hunters are so rare."
"So, the exam will be a walk in the park for Ryker, but hell for us?" Leorio asked, crossing his arms.
"Essentially."
"Don't worry," Ryker chuckled. "You guys have a high probability of passing this year."
"Ryker?" Leorio raised an eyebrow. "You sound so sure. Are you planning to carry us? Or do you know the examiners?"
Ryker just smiled mysteriously. He didn't need to know the examiners. He knew the plot.
Ding!
The elevator arrived at the 100th floor underground. The doors slid open.
A vast, cavernous tunnel stretched out before them, illuminated by industrial lights. It was packed with hundreds of people—the elite, the desperate, and the deadly from every corner of the globe.
As Ryker's group stepped out, hundreds of eyes turned to assess the fresh meat. Seeing four young faces (and one looking like a businessman), a ripple of sneering laughter ran through the crowd.
More kids. Dead on arrival.
"The atmosphere here is completely different," Kurapika whispered, his hand drifting to his weapon.
"Yeah. Everyone looks dangerous," Leorio muttered, sweating. "Some of them are armed."
"You made it. Here are your number tags."
A small, green-skinned man in a suit—Beans, the Chairman's secretary—waddled over and handed them their badges.
#403 Leorio
#404 Kurapika
#405 Gon
#406 Ryker
Because they had stopped for the deluxe steak dinner, they were among the last to arrive.
Ryker glanced at Beans.
Name: Beans
Traits: [Delicious] (Blue), [Cowardly] (Green), [Diligent] (Blue)
[Delicious]? Ryker blinked. Wait, is he actually a bean?
He shook his head and scanned the room.
White and Green traits everywhere. A few Blues. The occasional Purple.
"Haha! Hey there! You guys must be new!"
A dumpy, big-nosed man with a friendly smile approached them.
"I'm Tonpa. This is my 35th attempt at the Hunter Exam. You could say I'm a veteran! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
The Rookie Crusher.
Tonpa scanned the group, his eyes lingering on Ryker. He could tell immediately that Ryker was the leader. If he wanted to crush this group, he needed to start there.
Tonpa extended a hand for a shake.
Name: Tonpa
Traits: [Deception] (Blue), [Weak Kidneys] (Blue), [Lucky] (Blue), [Poison Crafting] (Green), [Brawling] (White)
Three Blue Traits? And one of them is [Lucky]?
Ryker's eyes narrowed.
This guy was a twisted loser. Because he couldn't pass the exam himself, he found meaning in life by crushing the dreams of rookies. Destroying the confidence of geniuses was his drug.
"So, how do you plan to sabotage us, Mr. Rookie Crusher?" Ryker asked pleasantly.
"W-what?"
Tonpa's smile froze. His pupils contracted.
"Are you going to use laxatives in the juice? Or maybe betray us during a team phase to drag us down with you?" Ryker continued, his voice loud enough for nearby candidates to hear. "You've crushed over fifty rookies using underhanded tactics, haven't you? Mr. Tonpa, the man who has failed 35 times in a row because his only goal is to ruin others."
"I... I don't know what you're talking about! I'm Tonpa the Good Guy! Everyone knows—AAAARGH!!"
Ryker crushed his hand.
Crunch.
Tonpa screamed as the bones in his hand ground together. He dropped his bag, spilling cans of juice, unmarked pill bottles, and packets of white powder onto the floor.
Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio stared in shock.
Bam!
Ryker delivered a brutal knee to Tonpa's gut.
Tonpa collapsed, vomiting bile onto his own shoes. He was out cold instantly.
[DING! You have defeated Candidate #016 Tonpa.]
[Rolling for Copy (10%)... Success!]
[Acquired: [Lucky] (Blue).]
BINGO!
Ryker grinned. A one-shot drop.
[Lucky] (Blue).
Passive luck increase. In a world of random encounters and critical hits, this was invaluable.
"Nice to meet you, Tonpa," Ryker whispered to the unconscious body. "Thanks for the gift."