There Is No One Like Me In The World!
Maha noticed Netero's little smile and felt his stomach drop.
Something's off.
He frowned, glanced back at the TV—and froze.
Face instantly darkened.
No way. No…!
If that kid dies, my ten billion "pia~" vanishes right with him!
Rage boiled up in his chest. You dare gamble with your life at a time like this?!
Netero, delighted, rapped the table just like Maha had earlier.
"Oh ho ho ho… This the Zoldyck family motto?!" He grinned wide.
"Ahem~ Transfer the money, old man."
Maha: "…"
The old killer yanked out his elderly flip phone and stabbed the speed dial for Zeno. The call barely rang once before—
A blur on the TV stopped Ilmi's nail dead in mid-air.
In the corridor…
Psst—click.
The spinning nail meant for Roy's head suddenly stuck to something invisible. A thin strand stretched taut, then snapped backward like elastic gum.
"A stretchy love~"
With a lazy drawl, Hisoka flicked his wrist, recalling his Bungee Gum as if plucking a fruit from a tree. He stepped in front of Ilmi, his eyes curling in murder-laced amusement.
"Oh ho ho ho… Ilmi, I told you. Roy~ is my prey. You've crossed the line."
The air turned toxic. To Hisoka, life itself was a game of plucking fruit. Any hand daring to touch his "orchard" deserved to be severed.
Chairman's room…
Maha instantly hung up the phone, pretending he wasn't panicked. He sipped tea with forced calm.
"Boy, I haven't lost yet," he rasped. "It's far too early for you to celebrate."
Netero smirked, not even looking at him.
"Really? Then explain that." He pointed at the screen.
"Your grandson just got saved by a clown."
Maha's jaw clenched. His finger tapped his teacup rhythmically, trying to hide the twitch at his temple.
Back in the corridor…
The long passageway was dead silent, only the echo of distant footsteps… until Roy tapped his sheathed blade against the stone floor.
Da. Da. Da.
Soft, deliberate. Each knock made the candidates' hearts skip.
"Can you two idiots flirt somewhere else?" Roy's voice was calm, but his blind eyes burned cold.
"You're delaying my exam. Does this mean… you're trying to keep me from getting a Hunter License?"
The words were gentle. The smile on his lips—deadly.
Cutting off my license is like cutting off my money. Cutting off my money is like killing my parents.
Hisoka, delighted by the murderous pressure, shuffled his cards like an accordion.
"Oh ho ho ho~ My dear Teacher Tianwei, what do you plan to do?"
The air wavered with killing intent. Several candidates—including Satotsu—instinctively backed into the wall.
Roy ignored Hisoka completely. His gaze locked on Ilmi through that dead-eyed veil, and old childhood memories surged: that same cold, squinting stare.
"Maybe…" Roy murmured, "…it's time someone told you—stop squinting."
One move.
"Shave!"
A sudden gust ripped past Hisoka's cheek. He barely had time to blink—
BOOM!
Roy appeared in front of Ilmi and drove a fist straight into his chest. The punch was wrapped in dense black Haki and crushing fiftyfold gravity. Speed and weight combined into a meteor strike.
Ilmi's eyes bulged. No time to defend. The impact caved his ribs inward, air and blood bursting from his lungs.
CRASH!
He rocketed sideways into the corridor wall, vanishing in a cloud of pulverized stone—gone so fast and far it was like he'd never been there. Not even a sound of landing followed.
"…Gudong."
Everyone swallowed hard at once. Satotsu, Gon, Kurapika, Leorio—even hardened fighters like Hanzo and Greta—subconsciously covered their own chests.
It felt like they had taken that punch.
"W-what the hell…"
"Mr. Tao just… one-punched him…"
"I didn't even see him move!"
"This is insane!"
"Idiot, open your dog eyes. That's 'Shave.' Navy Six style!"
"Shave?!"
"Wait… don't tell me The One piece manga was based on himself?!"
"WHAT?!"
The corridor erupted in stunned whispers—until it fell eerily silent again, like someone pressed pause.
Roy calmly blew across his fist, expressionless, then turned to Hisoka.
"Stop your killing intent, or I'll send you west."
Shffft.
The fluttering cards Hisoka was playing with instantly closed together. Hisoka hugged himself, trembling with perverse excitement.
"Oh ho ho ho~ Teacher Tianwei… can you promise me one thing?"
"No."
"If you can't, I'll take that as yes."
Roy's face twitched. This bastard just makes up his own answers…
"Actually, I only wanted you to kill me… or be killed by me…" Hisoka's grin widened, arms spreading like a stage performer. "Oh ho ho ho~ let's play~!"
Roy's forehead darkened with black lines. "You make me sick!"
SMACK!
A single open-handed slap, but packed with so much force it blasted Hisoka down the corridor, spinning him like a ragdoll.
"Plop~!"
He landed headfirst, half-buried in the ground, legs still twitching. His clown shoes clattered off separately with a sad little clink.
The sound echoed like a hammer in every candidate's heart.
"Ahhh~ what a cheap thrill~" Hisoka mumbled upside-down, laughing even as blood dripped down his temple.
Roy wiped his palm on Gon's shirt in disgust, not even glancing back.
"Stop pretending. I know you're fine."
"Want to challenge me? Anytime. Just remember—"
Roy walked forward without breaking stride, voice cold and casual:
"Tell me your bank account password first. When you die, I'll collect your inheritance."
All down the corridor, jaws dropped. Satotsu and the candidates were collectively struck dumb.
One punch. One slap. Two monsters swatted like flies.
And this… is just the Hunter Exam?