"He should be here soon."
Leorio’s situation, to be honest, wasn’t great.
Physical strength had never been his strong suit.
But then again, brute force wasn’t everything.
During the Hunter Exam, Leorio barely made it through the first marathon, running himself into exhaustion. If it weren’t for Kurapika’s support, he might not have passed. However, later in the original events, after just a few days of training at the Zoldyck estate, he was able to push open the second gate of the Testing Gate.
And that was before he even learned Nen.
So, while he wasn’t the strongest physically, he wasn’t weak either. Everyone had their own strengths—some excelled in speed, others in raw power, and some in reflexes.
A mechanical sound echoed.
The heavy door was slowly lowering.
The deadline was approaching.
Gon and Kurapika kept their eyes .
Footsteps pounded against the floor.
A figure dashed toward the exit at breakneck speed.
Leorio burst through, gasping for breath, unable to speak.
Tonpa sighed dramatically, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
He smirked. "But if this first test is already this tough, I doubt he’ll last much longer. I can’t wait to see his face when he fails the next one."
Just then, a new figure appeared from the side, dragging an unconscious monkey behind him. He pointed directly at Satotz, his face full of anger.
"Everyone, don’t be fooled by this guy!"
His voice rang out with urgency.
"He’s not the real examiner!"
The man threw the monkey to the ground and gestured toward Satotz.
"I am the true examiner! This guy is a man-faced ape from the Milsy Wetlands!"
The accusation sent murmurs rippling through the examinees.
"These creatures attack travelers, impersonating examiners, luring them into traps to be devoured. You need to kill him now!"
Satotz remained silent, his expression unreadable as he watched the gathered candidates. Some of them hesitated, uncertain.
But the claim quickly fell apart under scrutiny.
Would the Hunter Association really allow some swamp-dwelling apes to infiltrate their exam? Could such creatures even defeat an actual Hunter?
Besides, if Satotz intended to harm them, why would he wait at the exit? Why not lead them into the Milsy Wetlands immediately, where his supposed accomplices could ambush them when they were at their weakest?
Nen users could sense intent clearly. And as the examinees focused on Satotz, his presence was calm, his aura steady.
The accuser, on the other hand, had no aura at all.
Kaizen scanned the crowd, noting the various reactions.
Illumi didn’t bat an eye.
Gon and Killua remained by Satotz’s side, unwavering in their trust.
Even seasoned examinees like Tonpa weren’t buying into the stranger’s claims.
Kurapika was analyzing the situation carefully.
It was only the newer participants—like Leorio—who seemed swayed, whether by doubt or frustration.
Some, perhaps, were simply looking for an excuse to lash out at Satotz after the grueling test.
Satotz glanced at the so-called examiner.
This wasn’t part of the exam.
But now that it had happened, he might as well turn it into one.
As the official examiner, he had that authority.
"If you can’t discern the truth," he said calmly, "and you choose to follow the man-faced ape instead, then you are simply unqualified."
Two playing cards shot through the air at incredible speed.
One flew toward the supposed examiner.
The other shot toward Satotz.
Both cards were laced with Nen.
Hisoka had used Zetsu to suppress his aura before attacking.
Satotz narrowed his eyes. Without hesitation, he focused his aura into his palm and caught the incoming card with ease.
The false examiner wasn’t so lucky.
The card embedded itself in the man’s forehead.
The imposter collapsed, his body warping as his disguise melted away—revealing the grotesque face of a real man-faced ape.
Kaizen noted something interesting.
Before Hisoka attacked, his gaze had flicked toward Gon and Killua.
A thought crossed Kaizen’s mind.
Was he worried they’d fall for the trick?
It wouldn’t be out of character.
Back in Heavens Arena, Hisoka had interfered to prevent Gon from entering the 200th floor too soon, ensuring he only faced worthy opponents.
He only wants to fight people who entertain him.
If Gon and Killua had been lured into the creature’s trap, they might have died prematurely.
That would have been unacceptable to Hisoka.
Hisoka wasn’t protecting them out of kindness—he was preserving them for his own amusement.
And yet... For origınal chapters go to 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥
There was another possibility.
Perhaps Hisoka simply wanted to test Satotz.
His attack just now had been relatively weak.
For a seasoned Nen user, even a low-tier C-rank, it wasn’t fatal.
The ape was just too weak to survive it.
Satotz met Hisoka’s gaze briefly before speaking.
"This will not happen again."
After a brief pause, he continued.
"First of all, congratulations on making it this far. However, the first phase of the exam isn’t over yet—it’s only halfway completed."
The candidates murmured in surprise.
Satotz turned toward the looming swamp ahead.
"Next, I will lead you forward. Follow my steps carefully."
He gestured toward the path leading deeper into the wetlands.
"This place is known as the Milsy Wetlands. It’s filled with deceptive monsters, and if you let your guard down, you’ll be their next meal."
His tone was calm but firm.
With that, Satotz strode forward into the dense, foggy landscape.
The remaining candidates exchanged glances before hurrying to follow.
Kaizen noticed something peculiar.
Hisoka was watching him.
A slow, amused smile curled on the magician’s lips.
Is he trying to set up a fight in the wetlands?
Kaizen wasn’t afraid.
They were both ranked as A-level in terms of overall strength.
But Kaizen had the advantage—he knew plenty about Hisoka.
Hisoka, on the other hand, knew almost nothing about Kaizen.
If he thinks he can challenge me so easily, he’s mistaken.
Kaizen wasn’t interested in pointless fights.
But if Hisoka made a move, he wouldn’t back down.
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