"Woooooo—"
The loud whistle of the Poseidon blew as it finally reached Dolly Island, its long journey full of storms and waves finally coming to an end.
As the anchor dropped and the gangway extended, candidates began stepping off the ship one after another.
Among them were Leorio, Gon, and Kurapika.
And at the front—was Roy.
Perhaps out of fear, perhaps out of reverence, no one dared to disembark before "Blind Brother" Roy—also known as Teacher Tianwei. He stood still at the deck's edge, radiating quiet dominance.
"Hehe, thanks for the generous farewell gift, Captain."
Roy casually caught several bank cards thrown by the red-nosed captain.
With a light flip, the cards disappeared into his pocket. He smiled at Hayden Maxey. "After the exam, I'll visit the bank. If the amount's off… maybe I'll drop by again."
His smile didn't say how he'd visit.
Hayden Maxey's face darkened instantly. He quickly ushered Roy off the ship with both hands.
"Take care now—don't see you, don't want to see you, never want to see you again…"
Damn it, if I wasn't afraid of him, I'd have kicked him off the exam!
"Haha, then goodbye," Roy said, tapping his stick and stepping off calmly, the very image of an unhurried storm.
"Uncle, wait for me!" Gon bowed politely to the captain. "Arigato!"
He then raced after Roy, waving cheerfully.
Seeing them go, Leorio and Kurapika shared a glance. The bad blood from their earlier duel had vanished, replaced by camaraderie. They nodded, then followed.
"Hey! See that cedar tree on the mountain?" Hayden Maxey suddenly yelled.
"That's the direction of the test site!"
The words had barely left his mouth before he regretted them.
Why the hell did I help him?! Stupid kind-hearted mouth…
Roy raised his hand and casually waved back, not even turning around. "Jana"
From afar, the cedar trees stood tall and proud. The wind carried faint cries of beasts from the forest beyond.
"Hmm~ That scent…" Roy's nose twitched as he muttered. "It's foxes."
"Huh? Foxes?" Gon sniffed around curiously. "I don't smell anything."
Roy chuckled. "You must have a faulty nose. I smell four."
"Four?!" Gon rubbed his nose hard, then ran to catch up. "Uncle! My nose isn't broken! Maybe you're the one who got it wrong!"
"Hehe… Maybe."
Roy smiled slyly and strolled right past the public road signs.
"Hey! Mr. Tianwei, wrong direction!" Leorio jogged up. "The bus to Saba City is that way!"
Roy didn't break stride. "Then go take it."
Just then, a man stepped out of the trees, dual sticks in hand.
"You're going the wrong way!" he said. "The express bus is over there!"
"…And you are?" Leorio eyed him cautiously.
"Matthew," the man said, flashing a too-friendly smile. "I'm a candidate too."
He extended a hand to Gon.
Roy sniffed again and pinched his nose. "Ugh. Gon, didn't smell that one either?"
"Uh… no?"
"Tch. So obvious. That's the unique smell of bad guys."
Roy waved his hand and walked forward, disgusted. "Stinks. Move."
Matthew froze. Veins bulged on his forehead. He opened his mouth to curse, but Leorio draped an arm over his shoulders.
"Don't mind him. I'll take the bus with you," he said. "Gon? Kurapika?"
Gon was already sprinting after Roy. Kurapika just shrugged. "I trust Tianwei."
Leorio sighed. "Fine. Matthew, let's go."
But Matthew growled and brushed Leorio's arm off, running to catch up with Roy.
"Hey! Blind guy," he said through clenched teeth, "I'm trying to help. You can't see. Why take the hard way through the woods? Why not just take the bus?"
Roy paused. His blank eyes gleamed.
"You're right. I do have trouble walking."
He turned toward Matthew with a sincere-looking smile.
"Can you help me?"
Kurapika and Leorio froze.
That smile…
They'd seen it on the ship before.
The smile of a man about to ruin someone's life.
"O-of course!" Matthew patted his chest. "Do you want me to help you take the bus?"
Roy shook his head. "Nah. I get motion sickness."
"But a horse would be perfect."
Matthew blinked. "There's no horse in the city."
"Who said anything about the city?" Roy grinned. "Aren't you a horse?"
"Wh—what did you say?!"
"I said," Roy repeated with a glint, "Of all of us here, your 'horse factor' is the highest. If you're not a horse, who is?"
"You bastard—!" Matthew drew his dual sticks.
Clang!
But before he could blink, Roy's whip of aura—coated in Armament Haki—hooked around his neck and yanked him down like a sack of flour.
Roy casually flipped and landed on Matthew's back.
WHIP!
"Drive! Yah!"
Matthew tried to resist… but his body wouldn't move on its own.
Instead, he fell to all fours like a beast, sprinting through the forest with Roy riding him.
"What the hell did you do to me?!"
Matthew screamed inside, humiliated beyond belief.
Invisible threads of Nen had slipped into his muscles—controlling him like a puppet.
They were similar to Illumi's needles… but Roy's threads could be laced with Haki or even Conqueror's Haki.
"You talk too much," Roy muttered.
With a wave of his hand, threads sealed Matthew's mouth shut.
Behind them, Kurapika and Leorio stood in shock.
Kurapika sighed. "Still want the bus?"
Leorio bolted after Roy. "Matthew's out—I'm hitching that ride!"
Kurapika smiled and followed.
Halfway through the mountain path…
Matthew collapsed like a dead dog.
Roy dismounted with a casual yawn. "Weak horse."
Through the leaves ahead, the silhouette of a desolate town emerged, chilled wind blowing in from its center.
It was the infamous Quiz Town—the next stage of the Hunter Exam.
"Mother vs Girlfriend questions, huh… gross."
Roy looked down. Matthew lay gasping, clinging to Roy's ankle.
"Don't leave me here! There are monsters in the forest! They'll eat me!"
Roy shook him off coldly and turned toward the town.
"Relax."
"No beast would dare approach while I'm here."
Matthew croaked, "How… how do you know?!"
Roy grinned.
"Because I'm the most dangerous beast here."
His aura flared briefly. Though he didn't release his Conqueror's Haki, the very foundation of a king shimmered in the air.
Beasts, monsters, and even nature itself—trembled.
From behind, Gon's voice echoed cheerfully:
"Uncle's always right~!"