Black Tier.
Ryker's heart skipped a beat.
[Martial Arts Pinnacle] (Black).
This was it. The ceiling. The reason Netero was the strongest. If Ryker could get that...
But for now, he was just a polite candidate.
"You must realize, Menchi," Netero turned to the sulking examiner. "You failed everyone because you lost your temper. That is not impartial."
"I know," Menchi hung her head. "He served me... something awful. I lost my cool. I will resign."
"No need for that. Just redo the test. But this time, you must participate. Show them how a Hunter does it."
"Fine," Menchi sighed. "New test. Mount Split-in-Half. We're making... Crab Pilaf!"
Crab Pilaf?
Ryker paused. In canon, it was Boiled Eggs. The timeline had shifted.
"To make it, you need the eggs of a Spider-Eagle. But also... the legs of the hatchlings."
Harder.
Catching the egg was easy. Catching the hatchling meant going deeper into the ravine, closer to the adults.
"We're cool, right?" Ryker asked Menchi, extending a hand.
Menchi blushed, then sighed. "Fine. Sorry for attacking you. Just... don't cook for me again."
"Deal."
Mount Split-in-Half.
The airship dropped them off at a massive canyon. The wind howled up from the abyss.
"Down there are the nests," Menchi explained, jumping off the edge.
She grabbed a web, waited for an updraft, snagged an egg and a small spider, and rode the wind back up.
"See? Easy."
"Wow!"
"Let's go!"
Ryker didn't hesitate. He jumped.
Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio followed.
"Wait for the updraft!" Ryker yelled.
Most candidates listened. A few greedy ones grabbed their loot and fell to their deaths, screaming.
Ryker ignored the eggs. He fell past the nests.
Deeper.
Into the darkness where the adult spiders lived.
Name: Spider-Eagle (Adult)
Traits: [Super Fertility] (Blue), [Climbing] (Blue), [Webbing] (Blue), [Spider Sense] (Blue), [Venom] (Green)...
Hundreds of them.
Ryker grinned as he free-fell toward the colony.
Hey, Spidey... want to dance?