Hunter: I became stronger even after I died.

Chapter 301 What Gum-Gum Fruit!
The final test was a team duel.

The interviews held a few days prior had given the candidates some time to prepare.

but--

Are Moro and Hisoka paired together?
What's the point of playing this game?

Why not just give the Hunter License to Moro and Hisoka?

Looking at the glaring numbers clustered together on the notice board, the candidates who had finally made it to the final test felt as if the sky was about to fall after their initial shock.

So this is the damn hunter test.

Even if as many as twenty candidates advance to the final test, the Hunter Association will use the most brutal methods to reduce the pass rate to a suffocating level.

"Damn it, we finally got to this point..."

"With only two qualified spots, how is it any different from pre-selection when numbers 502 and 444 are grouped together?"

"Even though I knew it was a team format, having two people per team and only a 1 in 10 chance of passing is just too unfair!"

Although the candidates were dissatisfied, they did not voice their grievances on the spot, but kept their resentment to themselves.

This feeling of resentment quickly spread to their faces.

If only two people pass the final test, then as long as Moro and Hisoka are not grouped together, they will still have a chance to pass the final test.

In this situation, what's the point of comparing?

A deathly silence immediately filled the entire open-air training ground.

Nitero observed the candidates' reactions but did not immediately offer an explanation.

He deliberately waited for the candidates to feel uncomfortable for a moment before slowly saying, "It seems you've misunderstood."

"Ok?"

Upon hearing Netero's words, most of the candidates, who were filled with resentment, immediately turned to look at him.

Facing the surprised and uncertain gazes of the crowd, Netero chuckled and said, "As you can see, the team formation is written on the notice board, but... the condition for passing the final test is just one victory."

"what?"

The candidates, who had initially felt despair and resentment at the result, seemed to hear heavenly music.

"Just one victory, that means..."

They then noticed that the matchup arrangement on the bulletin board was a bit strange; it wasn't the usual group matchup of 16 to 8, then 8 to 4.

Netero raised his index finger and said, "The team that wins the duel will not have to fight again, while the losing team will 'advance' to the next duel, until one team 'advances' to the top, which is when the final test ends."

"That means... there aren't two qualified spots, but eighteen!"

Once the test takers fully understood the mechanism, they went from hell to heaven, their faces beaming with excitement.

From this perspective, it's actually a good thing to put Moro and Hisoka on the same team.

After all, as long as Morosiso's team wins one match, they can directly withdraw from the "advancement battle".

In other words, at most only one team will unfortunately encounter this combination throughout the entire tournament.

Only after thinking about this did the test takers finally begin to pay attention to who Moro and Hisoka's opponent was.

They initially thought only one team could qualify, so it didn't matter who Moro and Hisoka faced.

But now that we know Moro and Hisoka's team will only fight one match at most, we're starting to wonder which two unlucky guys will be matched up against this monster duo.

then,

Then I saw the combination of number 473 (Xiao Jie) and number 294 (Hanzo) on the schedule.

For a moment, most of the candidates looked at Xiao Jie and Hanzo with pity.

Xiao Jie and Hanzo also saw this schedule.

The two reacted somewhat differently.

Hanzo completely suppressed his talkative and unrestrained nature, and instead adopted a serious expression.

Xiao Jie's expression was somewhat complicated, with a hint of fear in his eyes, yet also a faint trace of anticipation.

From despair and resentment, to excitement and relief, and then to pity and schadenfreude.

The candidates' emotional changes directly reflected the atmosphere at the scene.

The change in atmosphere was brought about by Netero's every move.

Even the slow-witted examiners, including the obtuse Buhara, could tell that Netero was doing it on purpose.

If we disregard Netero's dignified position as the Hunter Association president, their feelings about his actions can be summed up in one word:
That old geezer is wicked!
Nitro ignored the strange looks from Mencius and the others, and only continued explaining the rules after the examinees had digested the information:
"Each team has at least two chances to win, and the best performing teams can get up to five chances. This grouping is based on your previous test results. In other words, those who perform well will get more chances."

At this point, Netero raised his second finger and continued:
"Any weapon is allowed in the battle, but there are only two ways to win: either force both opponents to surrender or take their number plates."

"It's important to note that you only need to capture any one of your opponents' number plates to win, however..."

"If an opponent is killed in combat, the perpetrator will be immediately eliminated, while the remaining candidates, including another member of the deceased's team, will automatically pass, and the test will then terminate."

After explaining the rules, Netero looked around at the candidates present, slowly lowered his hand, and calmly said, "Well then, you can ask any questions now."

"..."

The candidates reacted in various ways, and no one spoke.

With a 90% pass rate and a rule to protect lives, the final test was several times simpler than expected. What problems could there possibly be?

As for the so-called chances to win, Moro and Hisoka's team is the only team with five chances.

But that makes sense.

Even if given ten chances to win, they wouldn't object.

Hanzo, as Morosiso's team's first opponent, seemed to have a calm mindset.

Even if he loses the first match, he still has three more chances.

Based on this, after hearing the rules, he decided to concede immediately after the match began.

After all, not being able to kill your opponent doesn't mean you can't cripple them.

Rather than risk a match where you have no chance of winning, it's better to simply give up and shift your focus to the next match.

The solemn look on Hanzo's face slowly faded, and he suddenly felt relaxed all over.

Xiao Jie, who was on the same team as him, simply gripped his fishing rod tightly.

"Great, I can use any weapon..."

Xiao Jie thought to himself silently.

off the field.

After hearing Netero's criteria for passing the exam, the examiners, including Menchi, subconsciously glanced at Kurapika, who stood calmly beside them.

This year's test was indeed different from previous years...

The fact that at least 18 people qualified is unprecedented.

With the final test questions finalized, the two contestants in the first duel remained on the field, while the other candidates retreated to the training ground.

Sats temporarily served as referee.

However, this type of duel does not require a referee at all.

His main responsibility is simply to confirm that both sides are in position and then shout "start!"

"The first match is between Morosiso and Hanzo."

Satsuma crossed his arms and glanced at the four candidates on his left and right.

On the left are Moro and Hisoka.

Moro appeared completely calm; judging from his Nen aura alone, he resembled a still river, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

Hisoka, standing next to him, was just squinting and casually playing with playing cards, but a hint of restlessness was faintly revealed in the aura surrounding him.

On the right are Hanzo and Gon.

You can see that Hanzo's body is very relaxed, and he looks very at ease.

In contrast, Gon, who came with him, seemed to be in a similar mood to Hisoka, both of them eager to try.

What an interesting combination...

Sartz muttered to himself, and seeing that both sides were in position, he immediately said, "The first match begins."

As soon as the words fell,
He moved away from the center of the duel in an instant with a gait as light as a feather.

"I surrender."

At the start of the duel, Hanzo readily conceded defeat.

Such a reaction was not surprising to Satsuma, or even to Netero and the others.

Because if you observe Hanzo's expression and body language carefully before the battle, you can easily tell that Hanzo intends to surrender directly.

however--

To end the match early by "conceding defeat," both players on the team need to vote to surrender.

So, after conceding defeat, Hanzo, who had been playing passively, naturally looked at Gon beside him.

In his opinion, as long as Xiao Jie isn't stupid, he would definitely make the same decision as him, leaving the key to victory and the opportunity for the next match.

Unfortunately...

What Hanzo saw, however, was Gon gripping his fishing rod tightly, striking a fighting pose.

"?"

At that moment, a big question mark appeared on Hanzo's bald head.

"Hey, just admit defeat already!"

The situation he anticipated didn't involve any persuasion at all.

After all, the disparity in strength between the two sides is an obvious fact, so as long as there is still room for error, what fool would choose to face the challenge head-on? "No."

Silly Xiao Jie refused.

"??"

Hanzo was immediately dumbfounded and said incredulously, "Are you kidding me? You don't actually think you have a chance to beat those two, do you?"

"Just try and you will find out!"

Xiao Jie showed no sign of backing down, and said seriously, "Besides, this duel isn't about strength; it's about who can grab the number plate..."

"idiot."

Hanzo's gaze suddenly turned as sharp as a knife.

Xiao Jie instantly sensed Hanzo's emotional change and was slightly taken aback.

Hanzo coldly replied, "Do you think the rule against killing is a shield for weaklings like you to act recklessly?"

"I……"

Just as Xiao Jie was about to defend himself, Hanzo interrupted him rudely again: "Don't be naive. They may not kill you, but breaking your limbs and taking your number plate is a piece of cake for them."

Before he finished speaking, a chilling glint even appeared in Hanzo's eyes.

“I’ve made myself clear enough. If you still insist, then I’m sorry, I don’t want to play along with your nonsense. And to avoid being implicated by you, I should probably consider taking your number plate and giving it to those two people over there.”

"..."

Xiao Jie paused for a moment, then said seriously, "Why did you steal my number plate? If you really wanted to admit defeat, you didn't need my permission at all. You could have just thrown your number plate to your opponent."

"???"

Hanzo froze, then several veins bulged on his forehead as he roared, "Is that the point?!"

After shouting, he took a deep breath and decided to retreat and watch from the sidelines.

Why not just throw your own number plate over?

Yes, as for why...

Hmph, that brat.

Hanzo silently took a few steps back, then looked ahead, only to be surprised to find that Moro and Hisoka were not paying attention to him and Gon.

Gon, who was focused on winning, noticed the strange behavior of Moro and Hisoka and immediately looked puzzled.

At this moment.

Hisoka didn't take Hanzo and Gon seriously at all.

He was keen to determine the value of unripe apples, but such things depend on the circumstances.

If he hadn't been on the same team as Morrow, he would probably be enjoying interacting with the unripe apple right now.

"The only reason I have to get a hunter's license is that, in many cases, I can get away with not being held responsible after killing someone."

Hisoka held a playing card between his fingers, hovering it under his chin, and looked at Moro with an impatient gaze, his voice trembling slightly, "But given the current situation, I have no interest in the Hunter License, so let's start here."

"Are you sure?"

Moro remained calm and pointed upwards.

The dome of the training ground divides a circular sky in the center, while the surrounding area is a closed ceiling.

Excluding the areas outside the field, the entire training field is square in shape and further divided into multiple zones.

Some areas are equipped with training equipment such as iron stakes, while others are open competition venues.

At this moment, they were standing right in the center of the competition arena.

Although the test did not specify the dueling area, Netero and the others' actions of retreating directly outside the training ground indicated that the entire training ground was the dueling area.

In a sense, this environment could be said to have limited Hisoka's ability to perform.

That's why Moro asked that question.

Hisoka immediately responded: "Without a doubt."

"Okay, I'll satisfy you."

Moro knew that Hisoka's patience had reached its limit, and he knew things would turn out this way from the moment Netero announced the group assignments.

Because Hisoka had no intention of hiding his thoughts at all.

"Ah……"

Hisoka's face contorted with excitement as he muttered in a suppressed voice, "Finally, finally..."

In an instant,
A sudden surge of fierce fighting spirit and a grotesque desire erupted from him.

The long-suppressed thoughts, amplified by the aura, instantly formed an invisible pressure, like a vast expanse of linear shadows, enveloping everyone.

Those who don't understand Nen will feel as if a huge sense of crisis is suddenly looming over them when faced with Hisoka's aura, and their bodies will react reflexively, such as trembling or feeling a chill.

Hanzo and Gon, who were closest to Hisoka on the field, had never experienced such a pressure shock.

Even during the first test, I didn't have this experience.

So much so that Xiao Jie, who had originally wanted to give it a try, suddenly froze on the spot like a piece of wood.

But Hisoka didn't even glance at them once throughout the entire process.

As he said, he would rather fight Moro here than get a hunter's license.

The old man, who seemed to be full of flaws, did not grant his wish, so he had to do it himself.

"But before we begin, could you please switch your 'face' back?"

Hisoka had reached his limit, but he had to make this request before he could take action.

After all, this moment had been a long time coming.
If it's through a layer of skin...

That's rather boring.

Upon hearing Hisoka's request, Moro nodded slightly and withdrew his face-shaping ability.

Suddenly,

Moro's face contorted and shifted for a moment, but as his Nen energy stabilized, his face returned to its original appearance.

This scene caused the examinees, who were already trembling with fear under Hisoka's oppressive aura, to react with even greater shock.

They weren't surprised to see Hanzo and Gon fighting amongst themselves; in fact, they thought it was quite reasonable.

Because if they were in Hanzo's shoes, they would make the same decision.

In that situation, hesitating for even a second longer would be disrespectful to Moro and Hisoka's strength.

They just didn't expect that Moro and Hisoka would also have internal strife.

I just don't understand it.

In this context, Hisoka's terrifying aura and Moro's sudden change of expression both brought them a strong visual impact.

Not to mention the examinees, even Satsuki and Buhara found it difficult to remain unmoved in the face of Hisoka's aura.

Of all the Nen users present, only Netero remained calm and composed, giving the impression that he had anticipated this situation.

On the competition field.

Hanzo saw Moro's face return to normal, but he had no time to think about whether this ability was related to the "Ninjutsu Transformation Technique". Instead, some memories surfaced in his mind.

"It's him!"

Hanzo knew Moro.

Or perhaps he had seen Moro once in his homeland, the Kingdom of Ryuo.

Those who recognized Moro at a glance included those who were martial artists and those who had some experience with combat.

All eyes were focused on Moro.

Moro showed no reaction to this, calmly opening all the pores in his body and releasing a manifested aura of up to Lv.73.

Seeing that Moro was ready for battle, Hisoka suddenly launched the first attack.

cuckoo-

His feet were enveloped by love that could stretch and contract freely, and then squeezed, squeezed...

Even the soles of the feet and calves felt like they were being squeezed together like rubber.

This is no longer a purely variable property.

Rather, it involves changes in the physical structure of the materialized system.

It can be said that we have arrived at the center of the transformation system and the materialization system.

Swish!
next moment.

The elasticity of love, combined with the rubbery elasticity of the flesh, is released through compression, giving Hisoka a powerful burst of energy at this moment.

His figure vanished into thin air, leaving only a sharp sound behind.

When he reappeared, he had already punched Moro in the chest.

Bang!
A visible white shockwave suddenly erupted from the spot where Moro was struck in the chest, and he was sent flying backward like a cannonball.

However, before being struck, he used his superb technique to gather enough manifest energy in his chest, thus preventing the damage from the punch.

boom!
Moro's body flew across half the training ground in an instant, crashing into the hard wall with a deafening sound.

"As expected, it had to be you..."

Realizing that Moro had defended against the attack in time, Hisoka was already experiencing the ultimate enjoyment even though the battle had only just begun.

The reaction he displayed
This immediately made things even worse for Hanzo and his men, who were already on edge.

(End of this chapter)