Only Bourbon looked utterly dejected.
Whether he took off his number badge or not, it didn't matter anymore.
Why is my luck so terrible...
He turned into a grumbling old woman, muttering incessantly to himself.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense and heavy, the young lady, Carla, who had been in charge of the draw, excitedly began sharing what she thought was good news with the examinees present.
"To all passengers participating in the fourth test, thank you for your hard work!!"
"Our ship is expected to reach Zevil Island in two hours. Additionally, all twenty-five examinees aboard will enjoy free passage to and from the exam site next year!"
"So if you don't pass this year, don't be disappointed! We welcome you to try again next year!!"
—A series of crows cawed overhead.
The examinees were all busy preparing for the next exam, with no time to pay attention to her.
Everyone quietly tucked their number badges into their clothing, avoiding eye contact to prevent revealing any information.
"For the next two hours, feel free to enjoy the journey!!"
Seeing the oppressive atmosphere, Carla hurriedly left after her announcement.
—She quickly jogged away.
On the ship, silence reigned as everyone contemplated who their hunter might be.
And, who might be their prey.
Gon leaned against the ship's railing, gazing up at the sky in solitude.
"Hey!"
Killua approached Gon with his hands in his pockets.
"What number did you draw?"
Killua plopped down next to Gon.
"What about you?"
Gon countered.
"Secret?"
Killua blinked playfully.
The two exchanged glances for a moment.
"Hahahaha!"
Suddenly, they both laughed.
"Don't worry, you're not my target, Gon!"
"And I'm not after number 99."
They shared a knowing smile.
"Shall we swap and see?"
"Sure!"
Then, Killua saw that Gon had drawn the even more "unlucky" number 44.
"Your luck is really bad..."
Even Killua thought drawing Hisoka was a terrible choice.
Gon chuckled awkwardly without answering.
"Whose number is this, Killua?"
Gon asked, holding the slip with the number 199.
"You don't know either?" Killua admitted.
"Guess we'll find out once we reach the island."
He shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's the number of one of the Amori Brothers."
Kurapika approached with a smile, accompanied by Leorio.
"Kurapika, Leorio," Gon greeted them, "Who's your target?"
"Similar to Killua's," Kurapika replied with a smile, while Leorio rubbed his hands together, grinning.
"Similar?"
Gon was puzzled.
But when he saw the slips of paper in Kurapika and Leorio's hands, he understood.
197, 19
Gon looked at the numbers Kurapika and Leorio had drawn, then at the card in Killua's hand, and couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows.
"You guys... really drew some good numbers."
"You think so too, right, Gon?" Leorio said excitedly.
"I was planning to keep a low profile and not let anyone know my number, fearing you'd draw mine."
"But when I noticed Kurapika starting to keep an eye on the Amori Brothers, I pretty much guessed his target!!" Leorio boasted confidently.
---
"After all, those three brothers are just too conspicuous, and I remember their numbers clearly."
"So when I saw that I drew number 197, I started keeping an eye on those three."
Leorio boasted excitedly.
"And then, this guy here also noticed that I was watching those brothers."
Kurapika continued,
"So the two of us exchanged numbers, and after realizing we had the same targets, we decided to form an alliance."
"Exactly!"
Leorio nodded repeatedly:
"Acting together will definitely increase our chances of passing!"
"Not only can we easily find our targets, but we can also ensure our own safety."
"We came to see if you, by any chance, also drew one of the brothers' numbers."
"And it turns out, Killua did draw the last one of the three brothers!!"
Leorio felt an elbow at his side as he spoke.
"Uh..."
Following Kurapika's gaze, he saw Gon lowering his head and quickly added:
"Here's the thing, Gon. Kurapika and I thought we could work together to get those brothers' number badges first, then help you deal with the other three examinees."
"That way, you can gather enough points, and we can all pass the test together!!"
"Exactly."
Kurapika nodded in agreement, "This is the best option for us right now."
Clearly, he thought it was unwise for Gon to face Hisoka.
"What do you think, Killua?"
Kurapika looked at Killua.
"I have no objections, whatever works."
He shrugged.
But in his heart, he leaned towards Kurapika's suggestion.
He didn't believe Gon could handle Hisoka.
"Thank you for your kindness..."
Gon suddenly lifted his head, smiling with determination:
"But I still want to try on my own!!"
Originally, Kurapika's target was Tonpa, number 16, and Leorio's was Ponzu, number 246.
Hanzo's target was one of the Amori brothers, number 19.
However, since Kurapika and his group, apart from Hisoka, were the first to pass, the draw order changed slightly, leading to different results.
Only Gon, as if by fate or a cosmic joke, still drew Hisoka's number, 44.
As for what number Hanzo would draw or who would draw Tonpa, it wasn't their concern.
The weather was clear, and the ship sailed smoothly over the sea.
Examinees were scattered across the deck; officially, the test hadn't started, but unofficially, it already had.
The deck was silent, eyes darting and crossing paths, some boldly assessing, others avoiding eye contact. Until two hours later, the outline of Zevil Island slowly appeared before them.
Zevil Island, also known as Spectacle Island.
The name comes from its shape, consisting of two large land masses connected by a narrow bridge-like passage, resembling a pair of round glasses.
The ship docked at a randomly chosen beach, where the examinees would reconvene in a week.
Soon, after the ship docked and the announcement to disembark was made, Hisoka was the first to leave the ship.
Morin was the second.
Instead of heading into the forest, he sat cross-legged at the beach entrance, waiting.
For him, it didn't matter where he was.
The sooner he completed this round of testing, the better.
Bourbon's expression turned even sourer seeing Morin's blatant, unhidden actions.
Others were once again thankful they didn't encounter Morin.
Morin's conspicuous position at the beach entrance defied the true essence of hunting and being hunted in this test.
Yet, it wasn't against the rules.
After all, according to the requirements, he had set foot on Zevil Island, fully complying with the rules set by the examiners.
Any hunting on this island was permitted.
Morin's bold stance undoubtedly added psychological pressure on the examinees.
It also reinforced a truth:
Those with great strength can indeed do as they please.
Any test can become a one-man show.
If Hisoka wished, he could camp at the entrance, eliminate three examinees, collect their number badges, and leave the others helpless.
Hunting and being hunted, in the end, come down to the strength of both parties.
Read 140 chapters ahead at:
[email protected]/NenMaster