The Second Phase of the Hunter Exam concluded.
The original fifty-plus candidates had been whittled down significantly again, leaving only a single-digit number of survivors.
The eliminated candidates boarded an airship provided by the Hunter Association to return to the exam site, while the successful candidates flew on to the location of the next phase.
...
After flying for a day and a night, the airship finally arrived at the exam site.
Yuu, who had been meditating in his room, heard the exam announcement again. By sheer coincidence, he opened his door and stepped out at the exact same moment as his neighbor across the hall—Hisoka.
The two exchanged a simple greeting, then walked side-by-side without incident.
For a moment, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.
Yuu felt a bit creeped out by Hisoka's unabashed staring from the side, and involuntarily quickened his pace. Unfortunately...
Even walking ahead, he could still clearly feel Hisoka's gaze.
And the focal point of that gaze moved from his shoulders and head down to his waist and below.
"This feels... even worse."
Yuu shuddered and silently retreated back to walk alongside Hisoka.
But even so, Hisoka's heightened emotions were hard to quell... The boy's progress was visible to the naked eye from his perspective. Although he had held high expectations for the boy before, the rate of growth was far faster than he had imagined.
Coupled with the call he received from Machi earlier, the news about the Leader made him lose all interest in the subsequent exam challenges. Staying at the exam venue now was purely because of his interest in the "fruit" that was Yuu.
"I can't hold back... I really want to fight him right now."
"Looks like I need to speed things up."
Hisoka's breathing became heavy. Carrying the killing intent buried deep in his heart, he soon arrived at the site of the Third Phase with Yuu.
A place called Gorba Cliff.
...
The examiner for the Third Phase was an obese man named Fox, who looked quite ordinary.
The content of the exam required candidates to form teams of up to 3 people and earn points by obtaining number plates buried in the cliff.
A total of 100 number plates were buried in the cliff.
An ordinary number plate was worth 1 point, while a number plate belonging to a candidate in the team was worth 10 points.
Candidates were allowed to interfere with each other or help each other freely.
Only candidates who reached the top of the cliff with number plates within the three-day limit could exchange their plates for points. Candidates who fell off the cliff midway would have all their number plates invalidated, regardless of how many they carried.
In the end, the top two teams would be determined by calculating the total points of the team, and they would pass this phase of the exam.
After hearing the rules, Yuu understood the purpose of the exam.
"The fact that teams are allowed and advancement is based on total team points already indicates that this round is a team competition.
"Moreover, the point difference between ordinary number plates and candidate number plates is so disparate. Being short one team member means needing to acquire ten more number plates."
There were only eight candidates in total, and in just a moment, two teams were formed.
It just so happened that Hisoka and Yuu were left out as independents.
However, Yuu had no intention of teaming up with Hisoka. Instead, he looked at the precipitous cliff with confidence.
Hisoka's thoughts were exactly the same.
Although the examiner emphasized that candidates were allowed to purchase necessary tools and food within one hour after the start of the exam and return to the exam site, both Hisoka and Yuu rushed toward the cliff the moment they heard the exam start.
"Rushing up the cliff without food or any tools, those two guys are really in a hurry to die."
Having passed the second phase set by Bisky, naturally, there were no fools among the remaining candidates.
They could vaguely sense the unusual aura coming from Hisoka and Yuu. Plus, with so few candidates left, careful observation revealed how different the two were.
From the perspective of either team, if these two guys united, they would be the strongest and most dangerous competitors in this round.
And their remaining goal would be clear: to eliminate the other remaining team.
But neither side expected...
The combination they feared most didn't team up at all, but chose to fight alone.
After all, there was a limited total number of plates.
Yuu and Hisoka started with a 20-point deficit compared to the two teams. To pass this round, they would have to be ahead by 21 number plates.
Thinking of this, the two teams immediately felt confident.
Also, recalling the examiner's emphasis on allowing free assistance, the leaders of the two teams briefly communicated and decided to unite.
They promised not to interfere with each other and to help when appropriate.
After all, eliminating those two...
Was absolutely the most favorable choice for the subsequent exams. So even if they each had their own ulterior motives, they still firmly united.
...
Meanwhile.
Hisoka and Yuu arrived at the bottom of the cliff one after another and began climbing immediately.
Yuu could feel the impatience in Hisoka's heart. Looking up, he saw the pink-and-white figure, feet wrapped in pale pink Nen, rapidly moving up the cliff as if walking on flat ground.
Yuu didn't need to think much to guess that Hisoka was using his unique Nen ability—[Bungee Gum].
It could be kneaded freely like gum and stick firmly to the surface of objects.
It fell under the category of Transmutation.
"Hisoka's physical fitness, speed, and explosive power are even more amazing than I imagined.
"And I didn't expect this guy to be so serious in the exam, as if he wants to eliminate all candidates in one go..."
Thinking of this, Yuu immediately set off.
Unlike Hisoka's Nen ability, Yuu chose to use the "gravity" effect of his Cursed Technique, which also achieved the effect of walking on flat ground.
But he was at a disadvantage in speed.
Relying on their respective abilities, the two raced up the cliff wall almost like a race, defying gravity while collecting number plates hidden in the crevices along the way.
Where they passed, not a single blade of grass grew.
In just half an hour, Hisoka and Yuu had climbed more than half of the mountain, which was over a thousand meters high.
At this moment, Yuu had collected more than 20 number plates, while Hisoka was estimated to have found at least 40.
Seeing Hisoka climbing faster and faster, Yuu knew that the other party had the same idea as him.
To collect all the number plates.
This way, no matter how capable the subsequent teams were, they couldn't pass the exam.
However, he didn't expect the gap in physical fitness between him and Hisoka to be so large. Unknowingly, the distance had widened to a hundred meters.
And the number plates collected by the other party were still accumulating rapidly. It was estimated that more than 50 number plates were already wrapped in Hisoka's Nen.
"What a cheater..."
Yuu chased silently, hoping to snatch as many number plates as possible.
...
Soon, Examiner Fox, who took the airship to the top of the mountain, saw the two cheat-like figures on the cliff through binoculars.
"What is that... how can they run so fast on the cliff?!"
Due to the limited field of view of the binoculars and the exceptional agility of Hisoka and Yuu, Fox couldn't see their movements clearly at all.
Chairman Netero happened to be there. Using "Gyo," he quickly captured the figures of Hisoka and Yuu.
Netero stroked his beard, first staring at Hisoka's figure, muttering to himself:
"Nen ability...? It looks sticky like glue, allowing his feet to stick tightly to the stone wall, and he moves freely in the process. It seems that attaching or detaching is also freely chosen by his thoughts. Looks like a Transmutation ability."
Netero had seen Hisoka among the candidates before, so he knew his name, but this was the first time he had seen Hisoka's Nen ability.
"What an interesting ability. With a guy like that around... no wonder few people pass the exam every year."
After speaking, Netero focused his gaze on the other white-haired boy.
"Number 672. If I recall correctly... registered name is 'Yuu Gojo', seems to be only twelve or thirteen years old."
Netero observed Yuu's figure carefully and found that his physical fitness wasn't very strong compared to Hisoka, but the state of his "Ten" was very stable. To be able to cultivate "Nen" to this extent at his age, he was already a genius among geniuses.
However...
Netero couldn't see what Nen ability the other party used to run along the stone wall just like Hisoka.
"This year's candidates are more interesting than I thought..."
...