I'll never forget the moment I first laid eyes on Satotz, the man looked like something out of a surreal painting. Tall, composed, wearing a pristine puple suit, but the most jarring detail was his lack of a mouth. No lips. No opening. Just smooth, unbroken skin where a mouth should have been, as if it had been erased by an artist unsure how to finish the face.
And this was the man who would lead us through the First Phase of the 287th Hunter Exam.
We were handed numbered badges, our identities for the remainder of the Exam. I received mine, #420 ,and pinned it to my shirt without ceremony. The number didn't matter. For now.
Once Satotz had given his brief, toneless explanation, somehow still clearly audible without lips, he turned and, without warning, began to walk.
Not jog.
Walk.
The tunnel we entered stretched forward like a never-ending black vein carved into the earth. No curves, no light, no end in sight. Just a straight, cold underground corridor. It smelled like damp stone, oil, and faint mold, and our only source of light came from evenly spaced sconces lining the walls, flickering like they could go out at any second.
The crowd of applicants thundered behind Satotz, the sound of feet slapping stone echoing endlessly. Breathing grew heavier within minutes. The less trained began to lag almost immediately. Some even collapsed early from trying to match the unrelenting pace, as he started walking faster and faster.
But me?
I had a trick up my sleeve.
Roller skates.
Custom-built for speed and endurance, I'd spent years training with them, even on uneven terrain. The moment Satotz took off, I crouched, unzipped my duffel bag, and pulled them out. With practiced ease, I slipped them on, stood upright, and pushed off.
Gliding was a dream. Smooth surface, long tunnel, no curves—perfect. While others were already beginning to sweat, I was cruising.
Then came the complaints.
"Hey! That's not fair!" someone behind me shouted.
"That guy's cheating!" another voice chimed in.
Even Leorio, who I thought would be above the whining, grumbled loudly, "What's the point of training if you're just going to skate your way through?!"
I turned slightly and yelled back, "I trained, but i am a lazy person at heart."
They didn't have a response. They just kept running, panting harder.
I kept gliding. Pushed harder now and then to build momentum, letting the wheels carry me at a pace just behind Satotz. His stride was relentless, inhuman. But I could keep up.
Hours passed. The tunnel never ended. The monotony was its own kind of torture. People broke mentally long before they broke physically. The ones who gave up didn't stumble; they just sat down against the wall and let the mass move past them. Silent acknowledgments of defeat.
Somewhere around what I guessed to be kilometer 60, I noticed Leorio dragging his legs. His chest was heaving. Sweat poured from his forehead, and he was clearly on the brink of collapse. Gon and Kurapika weren't far behind, pacing themselves better but definitely feeling the burn.
I skated up beside Leorio and sighed.
"Grab on."
He looked at me like I'd offered him poison.
"I'm not taking a handout from a guy on wheels!"
"You're going to collapse."
"I'm-"
"Do you want to be a hunter, Leorio."
There was a pause. A long one.
Then, without another word, he reached out and clutched the strap of my bag over my shoulder. I shifted my weight and began to pull him along.
It wasn't easy. Pulling a full-grown man while skating requires careful control of balance. But I had practiced this for years. Plus it's easier than running.
"Don't tell anyone about this," he muttered through gritted teeth.
I smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it." as he rested and i pulled him along.
Eventually, the tunnel began to incline. Up ahead, we saw it a massive spiral staircase that reached upward like a coiled beast. This was the final stretch of the First Phase's first part.
I skidded to a halt at the base of the stairs, took a knee, and removed my roller skates, tying them back into my duffel bag. Around me, applicants were wheezing, barely able to stand.
But I wasn't. I was still fresh.
I tightened the laces of my boots and sprinted up the stairs, two steps at a time.
It was grueling, sure, but after skating most of the 80+ kilometers, i almost feel bad for everyone else. My lungs weren't screaming. I passed several examinees collapsed on the steps, barely pulling themselves upward.
When I reached the top, I felt the heat of fresh air and the scent of something damp and alive.
We had reached the Milsy Wetlands, the Swindlers Swamp.
And Satotz didn't slow down.
"This is the second part of Phase One," he announced without emotion. "Follow me."
The swamp was horrifying. Fog blanketed the entire terrain, making it hard to see more than ten meters ahead. The smell was swamp rot, sulfur, and something metallic, blood, maybe. The sound of distant screeches and shifting water echoed around us.
Here, the true danger was psychological.
The swamp was filled with man-eating monsters that mimicked humans. Some called for help. Others pretended to be fellow applicants. Some tried to lead people off the path, pretending to be Satotz himself.
But I had an edge. I had barely burned any stamina in the tunnel thanks to my skates. My senses were sharp. My body alert.
So I did the smartest thing possible.
I stuck to Satotz like glue.
I mean, really close. Uncomfortably close. I stayed behind him so closely that I could smell his lavender-like hair product, an odd scent for a man with no mouth. Maybe the scent came from his clothes. Who knows?.
Others hesitated, trying to navigate the swamp alone or second-guessing who the real Satotz was.
Not me. I was so close to him, people can call me gay, and i can tell he was uncomtable, but that is too bad for him, i don't mind it at all.
Eventually, the fog began to clear. The cries of the swamp beasts faded behind us. One by one, those of us who stuck to Satotz emerged from the wetlands.
Out of the hundreds who began the First Phase, only around 50 made it through. We stood in the clearing, caked in mud, soaked in sweat, and staring up at a massive iron gate that led into the site of the Second Phase.
I looked around at the survivors. Gon, Kurapika, Leorio was being carry by that freak, they all made it. Like normal.
One phase down.
I adjusted my badge.
And waited for what came next.