This must be breaking the Hunter Association's records, right? How many people in the entire Hunter Association could possibly hold titles of such caliber?
...
While Akira and Satotz were chatting, Gon and the others, who were diligently running behind, officially met Killua. Leorio was panting heavily, his mature, uncle-like face drenched in sweat.
Suddenly, a silver-haired kid zipped past on a skateboard. This carefree attitude deeply stung Leorio, who was struggling to keep up.
"Hey! Kid, what are you doing? How did you bring a skateboard in here? That's cheating!" Leorio pointed at Killua, his face filled with anger as he scolded him.
"Huh? That guy up there is riding a dog. Why aren't you saying anything about him?" Killua replied nonchalantly, using Akira as an example to counter Leorio.
"Well..." Leorio was at a loss for words. He, too, wanted to know where Akira dog had come from.
Seeing this, Gon quickly stepped in to defuse the tension.
"The examiner only told us to follow him. He didn't say we couldn't use tools." Gon explanation caught Killua attention and thus, the two future best friends officially met.
...
Inside the underground tunnel.
As the first phase of the exam progressed, more and more participants began to lose stamina, dropping out of the grueling endurance run. The remaining candidates were also in poor condition, most of them resembling exhausted oxen, gasping for breath and nearing their physical limits!
The dimly lit area was filled with the chaotic sound of footsteps, as everyone was too tired to speak. For them, every ounce of energy was now precious!
The long marathon was undoubtedly tough, but what truly tested them was their willpower. With no idea how far or how long they had to run, every step they took was a trial!
The dark tunnel felt like an inverted bowl, trapping them inside, and everyone's spirits sank to the bottom. And this was only the first phase of the exam!
No wonder only one or two people passed the Hunter Exam each year. Behind the shockingly high elimination rate lay a series of exams that were incredibly difficult for ordinary people!
Finally, in the eyes of the exhausted candidates, they saw a long staircase leading to a brightly lit endpoint! As each candidate crossed the final step, they collapsed to the ground as if they had narrowly escaped death.
Their chests heaved like giant bellows, their limbs numb, and the thought of standing up again seemed like a distant dream.
A few with stronger physiques managed to remain standing, resting without collapsing to the ground. They maintained a basic level of alertness, not letting their guard down even after passing the first phase, and quietly observed their surroundings.
After the endless tunnel run, what appeared before them was an endless expanse of wetlands. Not far away, there was a vast expanse of mist that obscured the landscape beyond. Behind that mist lay one deadly peril after another!
After a while, seeing that the time had come, Satotz glanced at the chattering crowd and calmly announced.
"The time for the first exam is up. Those who arrive here from now on will not be considered qualified."
With Satotz command, the massive stone gate connecting the wetland to the underground tunnel quickly descended until it was completely shut.
"Hey, hey, wait for me!" A few unlucky souls were almost within reach, but in the end, their efforts were in vain.
However, even if such individuals had passed the first exam, their chances of making it through the later stages would have been slim.
"This place is called the Swindler Swamp, also known as the 'Den of Deceivers.'"
"Every animal and plant you encounter here is extremely adept at setting traps to lure in prey."
"They are cunning creatures by nature, often preying on humans, so please be extra cautious!"
"This is the only path to the next stage. If you fall for their tricks, you will surely die! So, everyone, stay close to me."
Satotz calmly laid out the precautions, and the expressions of the surrounding examinees grew increasingly grave. Only Leorio couldn't help but mutter.
"Come on, if you know those creatures are out to deceive you, how could anyone possibly fall for it?"
Just then, a shout came from a corner nearby.
"Don't believe him! He's a fraud!"
A man with brownish-yellow hair, dressed in red, and bearing deliberately inflicted wounds on his face stumbled out. In his hand, he held an Ape that was already unconscious, and he pointed at the composed Satotz, shouting loudly.
"He's an imposter! I am the real examiner!"
"Look closely! This creature in my hand is the unique Human-Faced Ape of the Swindler Swamp!"
"Take a good look—doesn't this guy look exactly like it!"
...
The Human-Faced Ape, as a representative creature of the Swindler Swamp, naturally shared the same trait as other creatures here—expertise in deception.
Unlike other creatures that blend into their environment, such as disguising themselves as fruit trees or grass, the Human-Faced Ape has the innate ability to mimic human appearance, using it to deceive those who can't easily tell the difference.
Under the influence of the Human-Faced Ape words, the examinees began to argue, with opinions divided on which side to believe.
"Could that guy really be the true examiner?"
"I think this guy makes sense! These two look way too similar!" A bald ninja and Leorio were also inclined to think so...
Satotz and Akira remained silent, watching the two Human-Faced Ape put on their act as if it were a show. Satotz thought this was an opportunity to let the examinees fully understand that the "Den of Deceivers" was not just a name.
Akira, on the other hand, was thinking how much the Human-Faced Ape resembled Satotz...
He really wanted to laugh...