It was said that he had actually had the opportunity to pass the exam and become an official Hunter, but since passing would mean he could no longer participate in the exams, he chose not to pass in order to continue his hobby of tormenting newcomers.
Usually, he would leave during the third or fourth exam, sometimes being forced out and other times voluntarily withdrawing.
Akira was quite curious about what kind of Nen ability Tonpa would develop if he were to learn "Nen."
According to his estimation, it would likely be a skill related to danger detection! He could indeed be considered a rare talent.
"Sir, thank you for warning us" Gon thanked Akira, who was deep in thought.
If it hadn't been for Akira warning, he wouldn't have realized the danger so quickly. Among the three of them, it was probably Kurapika who first noticed something was off about Tonpa.
"It's nothing, just call me Akira!" After some conversation, the four of them began to get acquainted, and Gon and the others learned that Akira, like them, was a new participant in this year exam.
"Ding ling ling ling ling!"
Suddenly, a loud, piercing bell rang out from behind the massive stone gate. The bell seemed to act as a switch, and as it rang, the stone gate slowly began to rise, revealing a slender figure standing behind it.
As the heavy stone gate moved upward, it caused a slight tremor across the entire venue, making the examinees' bodies shake.
The man was dressed in a black suit, with short purple hair and two distinctive curly mustaches. In his hand, he held a strangely shaped little toy, which had just produced the ringing sound.
The man was none other than Satotz, who had recently fought alongside Akira!
"Thank you for your patience. The Hunter Exam officially begins... Mr. Akira?!!"
Originally, Satotz had a standard, expressionless demeanor, like a calm lake without a single ripple, as he delivered his opening remarks.
Until he spotted a familiar and deeply memorable face in the crowd. Satotz exclaimed in shock, even revealing the small mouth usually hidden beneath his curly beard.
"Yo, Satotz, it's been a while." Akira well-defined face broke into a warm smile as he casually waved his right hand in greeting.
Neither of them realized that their conversation had caused an earthquake-like stir among the other examinees.
"What? This guy knows the examiner?!"
"Hey, hey, how can someone who knows the examiner? Isn't this favoritism?"
"Who is this guy? How does he know someone like that?"
...
For a moment, the examinees buzzed with excitement. Some were amazed that Akira knew Satotz, while others worried that Akira might use his connections to gain an unfair advantage.
"That's amazing, Leorio, Kurapika! Did you hear that? Mr. Akira knows the examiner!" Gon looked at the smiling Akira with eyes full of admiration.
"Hmm, from the looks of it, Akira might be quite wealthy!" Leorio mind wandered, perhaps already dreaming about his future life after obtaining the Hunter license.
Seeing Akira fame, his first thought was that Akira must be rich. And Leorio wasn't wrong—Akira indeed possessed vast wealth.
In the crowd, Illumi, who had been continuously shaking his head, finally stopped, ceasing the "clicking" noise.
His bizarre face showed a thoughtful expression.
The name Akira seemed familiar—had he heard it somewhere?
Immediately, Satotz realized his lapse in composure. Suppressing his urge to question Akira, he addressed the restless crowd.
"From this moment, the Hunter Exam officially begins!"
"One final reminder, in this exam, if you're unlucky or lack the necessary skills, you risk severe injury—or even death."
"If any of you wish to leave, you may now take the elevator back the way you came."
Satotz paused briefly, and seeing no one move, he continued.
"Understood. All 405 examinees will participate in the first exam!"
Normally, with Akira joining, the number should have been 406. But during Gon and the others' conversation with Tonpa, an unfortunate examinee had his arms crippled by a displeased Hisoka, reducing the count by one.
After the announcement, Satotz turned around, arms and legs spread wide, and began running forward in an eerie, marionette-like posture.
"For the first exam, follow me to the location of the second exam!"
The examinees sprang into action, and from above, the continuous stream of people looked like waves crashing forward.
"Well... I'm not a fan of this kind of boring running. This is where having a mount comes in handy!" Akira glanced at the surging crowd beside him and muttered to himself.
...
"Hey! Look, what's that?!"
"Is this for real? Am I seeing things?"
"Is it magic? How did such a huge dog suddenly appear?!"
A large orange dog, like a flash of light, appeared at the front of the crowd in an instant, running side by side with the leading Satotz.
The large dog had an incredibly fluffy and abundant coat, looking as if it would feel great to the touch. It sported a big tail and black stripes on its body, giving it a majestic and imposing appearance.
It was none other than the Arcanine that Akira had recently obtained! And sitting atop the Arcanine was Akira himself!
In the corner, Hisoka jogged forward while tilting his head to keep an eye on the Arcanine, his narrow eyes revealing an inscrutable expression.
'Is that a Nen beast...?'
To ordinary people, the appearance of the Arcanine could only be seen as a magic trick.
Only Nen users would understand what it truly was. Seeing the Arcanine reminded Hisoka of the ferocious giant beast from earlier, which he assumed must also be one of Akira Nen beasts.
Leaving aside that giant beast, even the aura faintly emanating from the dog beneath Akira now seemed stronger than Hisoka himself!
As he watched the composed and relaxed Akira, the wariness in Hisoka eyes grew increasingly intense.