Frivolous illusion.
What a successful magician craves is drama—the thrill of playing with fiction and reality amid the audience's applause.
People should never be able to guess what he's thinking, or what he'll do in the very next second…
Even when a wrist is broken, it should never reveal the law-abiding truth behind the scenes. That's the basic skill a qualified magician must possess~
Of course…
"Hiss—" Hisoka sucked in a breath. The smile on his face disappeared, and even the love he felt for Ilmi diminished by ten percent.
"Oh hehe~ You're so tough. Can't wait to be devoured by me, Ilmi~?"
Hisoka stared at Ilmi as the latter crudely reset his own wrist using a nail. Twitching from the pain, Hisoka was already scheming how to deal with him.
"Oh, this is your punishment for losing."
Ilmi pulled out the last pin and expressionlessly said, "610."
Then he looked at Hisoka coldly.
"You couldn't even handle a piece of trash. How do you still have the face to come back?"
0①… Wife, you've changed… Bah… There's something wrong with Ilmi.
Hisoka squinted suspiciously at him, as if he'd just uncovered a terrifying secret.
"Hey… you care about that blind brother of yours now?"
"I warn you," Hisoka added quickly, "I only have Killua in my heart."
Ilmi rolled his lifeless fish-eyes and replied flatly,
"Ah… is this still the same clown I knew?"
"Why? Does my blind brother suddenly concern you?"
"Concern?" Hisoka licked his lips, eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked at Roy.
"Pfft… I'm saying he's just that good."
"If I had to rate him…"
"Your blind brother is at least—"
"A+."
"Oh?" Ilmi was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Hisoka to give such a high evaluation. He glanced at Roy with a pale, nail-studded smile.
"I remember… Chrollo was rated A…"
Roy's score was higher than Chrollo's?
Ilmi froze.
Suddenly, a memory resurfaced—Silva had called him specifically. Not to warn him about protecting Killua…
But Roy.
"Yes, Chrollo's an A. Your little brother is A+."
"The chairman is a solid 5~"
"Oh ho ho~ Looks like another fruit tree has blossomed in my orchard. Sbarasi, Sbarasi…"
Hisoka lowered his head, his perverted grin stretching all the way to his ears. In the shadow, it looked especially terrifying.
"Uncle… that person seems to still be watching us~"
Gon noticed the attention from Hisoka and Ilmi earlier and whispered to Roy in warning.
Kuwabara, who had just finished taking a photo with Roy, also noticed Hisoka and the Ilmi disguised as Gittarackur. He frowned.
"You guys were the last to arrive, so you're not fully up to speed."
"That guy Tonpa was right. Hisoka and that weirdo with nails on his face? Stay far away."
"And not just those two… there are quite a few dangerous people in here."
Indeed.
No one who could enter this venue was a pushover.
They were in a whole different league compared to those rookies on the Sea God.
Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio leaned in, eager to hear what the experienced Kuer had to say.
Expert Watchlist (as told by Kuer):
No. 103: The "Indian guy" with an Arabian-style turban, dressed like a sheik, with a snake-handling pipe.
No. 197, 198, 199: Triplets wearing different-colored hats.
No. 246: A bizarre man with blue hair, blue eyes, and a big yellow hat buzzing with insects.
A bald guy claiming he was "enduring" it until now, taking the Hunter Exam just to find a fantasy scroll.
No. 53, 225, 384…
There were too many powerful contenders.
Listening to the list gave everyone tinnitus and headaches.
Finally, when Kuer stopped talking, mouth dry and breath heavy, Gon looked up at him with innocent, serious eyes:
"Also~ You forgot Uncle!" Gon said sincerely.
"You mentioned so many people, but none of them are as strong as Uncle!"
Kuer froze.
He looked at Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio's earnest faces… then glanced at Roy.
He didn't reply.
Mr. Tianwei~ I cried tears of joy reading his manga. He's my idol.
But as for strength… I've never heard of him showing any real power, or earning any glorious feats.
Even that handshake with Hisoka earlier—probably only happened because Hisoka didn't take it seriously. Otherwise… who knows what would've happened.
"Ding-ling-ling~"
A piercing bell echoed through the venue.
A metallic panel above the tunnel opened, and a man floated down from the ceiling.
He wore a suit, tie, leather shoes, and sported grandma-gray hair with twin mustaches that covered his mouth. In one hand, he held a strange bird…
The bell had come from the bird's mouth. A truly magical sight.
"Registration time is now over!"
"The Hunter Exam officially begins!"
Saci, the examiner for this round, made his grand entrance and solemnly announced the start of the 287th Hunter Exam.
"Gulp—"
"It's finally starting~"
"No… now I'm nervous…"
Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and many other candidates started to feel the pressure.
Only a select few—Hisoka, Ilmi, and Saci himself—remained calm.
"Ton, ton, ton~" Roy unscrewed the cap of his wine gourd and took a sip, watching the crowd slowly thin out as people started heading to the next phase of the exam.
His blind eyes turned lazily toward Saci…
Saci shuddered inexplicably.
His gaze accidentally met Roy's —though blind, Roy's eyes carried a sharp, spinning intensity that made Saci freeze.
Is that… Roy Zoldyck?!
But… how terrifyingly sharp his presence is.
That's right.
Even though he's blind—Saci felt it.
A gaze sharper than steel.