Ron and the others paused for a moment.
Netero was already quite advanced in age. For him to refer to someone else as an "old fellow," that person must be even older. And this person personally mentored Ron, which suggested he was likely still alive.
How long had he lived? Just how terrifying could such an ancient monster be?
"It's perfectly natural for Ron to have that kind of strength—he is, after all, a member of the Zoldyck family."
Netero did a quick count.
"Ron, Illumi, Killua… I never imagined there'd be three Zoldycks taking the Hunter Exam at the same time. Quite interesting. By the way, you know Gittarackur is Illumi, right?"
"Tell me about them."
Just then came a knock on the door.
"Perfect timing," Netero said. "Have a seat and join us. I'd like to hear about the promising candidates in this year's Hunter Exam."
Menchi thought for a moment.
"In terms of sheer strength, Hisoka, Ron, and Illumi stand out. They're already well beyond us examiners."
"As for talent," she continued, "Gon, Ging Freecss's son, Killua, Kurapika… all show great potential. Then there's Pokkle and Hanzo."
Satotz added another name.
"Leorio's not bad, either. He has good bursts of power. A few other examinees have their own distinctive traits—like Tonpa, who's taken the exam many times, Bourbon, who can control snakes, and Ponzu, who can control bees."
Meanwhile, Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua approached Ron.
Ron leaned against the airship's railing, the high-altitude wind blowing in his face.
"Ron, thanks for the medicine. I feel a lot better now." Leorio handed the bottle back to Ron.
"Ron, what do you think the next phase of the exam will be like?" Gon asked expectantly.
"No idea. But it definitely won't focus on cooking."
Ron sized Gon up, feeling a bit puzzled. During the cooking test, Gon hadn't complained one bit, yet now he was all fired up for the new exam.
Before they could say more, Mount Split came into view. It was a massive, reddish-brown dome of bare earth—like an enormous cracked bun or perhaps the humped back of a toad. A wide fissure ran through the center, narrow yet incredibly deep, so deep the bottom couldn't be seen at a glance.
"So that's Mount Split-Toad?" The examinees stared curiously.
"What kind of test can this place hold?"
"Boiled eggs—what's that about?"
The airship landed, and everyone disembarked. Menchi, Buhara, and Netero also stepped out.
"Everyone, follow me," Menchi said.
She led them to the edge of the fissure and looked down.
"This is your next test. By 'boiled eggs,' I don't mean ordinary eggs. We're talking about the eggs of the Spider Eagle here. Look down. That's where they nest."
Ron looked over the edge. Thick webs spanned between the cliffs, and the Spider Eagles lived on them, waiting for prey to fall in. Once something got stuck, it could hardly escape, because the cliffs on both sides were steep, making them nearly impossible to climb. If anyone fell, they'd probably die from the impact—or be devoured by the Spider Eagles.
Netero walked up, explaining as he went.
"That's why Spider Eagle eggs are so hard to obtain. People call them the 'Phantom Eggs.'"
A candidate's eyes went wide.
"You're not telling us to…"
Menchi smiled and nodded.
"Exactly. The real test is for you to head down there, retrieve a Spider Eagle egg, then boil it. You all dislike cooking, right? Then this should be more your style, a chance to show your strength."
Menchi's displeasure at how examinees had looked down on Gourmet Hunters still hadn't fully subsided.
"But…that's a cliff!" someone muttered, stepping back as though imagining a terrifying scenario.
"So what?" Menchi stepped forward.
With that, she leapt off the cliff under everyone's gaze. As she neared the webs, she reached out and grabbed a strand of spider silk, then waited.
One second, two seconds…