They all felt a mix of wariness and curiosity towards Morin, eager to learn more about him. It seemed like Tonpa knew Morin from before, so they gathered around him.
"I advise you not to provoke that person..." Tonpa's mind drifted back to a Hunter Exam twelve years ago, causing his body to tremble slightly.
The Amori brothers noticed Tonpa's uneasy expression, their confusion deepening.
"Is that guy a former examinee? We didn't see him in the previous two exams we attended." Among those present, no one had more experience with the Hunter Exam than Tonpa.
He had been participating since he was ten and had done so for thirty-five consecutive years.
Now at forty-five, he ranked second in the record for most exam attempts. Yes, there was another unknown tough guy who had participated even more times than Tonpa.
"That person joined the Hunter Association a long time ago, if you count back..." Tonpa chuckled bitterly, "It's been about twelve years now."
"Twelve years?!" The Amori brothers shouted in unison.
"How is that possible? He looks only about twenty. How could he have participated twelve years ago?!" The youngest Amori brother expressed disbelief.
"No, it's quite possible." At this moment, the eldest brother's eyes gleamed with wisdom. "If that person took the exam at twelve, or even earlier, like at ten, it makes sense. Just like Tonpa and those two kids." The eldest Amori nodded towards Gon and Killua.
"So, twelve years later, he's at most twenty-two or twenty-three." Amori analyzed with great "accuracy."
"I see!!" The two younger brothers suddenly understood. Meanwhile, Tonpa twitched at the corners of his eyes, looking at the not-so-bright brothers.
"That person looked the same twelve years ago," Tonpa kept this thought to himself.
Finally, after running continuously for six or seven hours, including a long stretch of stairs, they finally saw the light and the exit.
When everyone saw the white light shining through the exit, their spirits lifted. Was this torturous marathon finally coming to an end?
With this thought, the examinees quickened their pace, gradually making their way out of the tunnel.
Once outside, most of the examinees felt reborn. Leorio, who had already stripped off his upper clothing, let out a long breath, feeling the world was so beautiful. Even the peculiar forest and swamp before him seemed like a marvelous natural landscape.
Kurapika followed behind him, smiling as he caught his breath. But upon seeing Leorio, his eyes wrinkled in disdain again.
However, during their time in the tunnel, Kurapika learned about Leorio's past and his childhood friend Pietro. He realized that Leorio wasn't pursuing the Hunter title for money but to become a doctor.
This understanding dispelled Kurapika's last bit of reservation towards Leorio, truly accepting him as a companion. Because of this, he tolerated Leorio leaning on him with his "sticky coin."
Beside him, Gon was arguing with his new friend, the silver-haired Killua, about who was the first to run out.
Satotz surveyed the group, nodding. The number of examinees who made it this far was quite impressive, indicating some promising candidates this year. But most importantly...
Satotz's gaze silently shifted to Hisoka, who was playing with his cards, and Morin, who parked himself to the side, unapproachable by anyone.
These two.
"Here is..." The examinees observed the vast wetland swamp before them. Mist filled the air, revealing glimpses of tree trunks and forests. Occasionally, the roars of beasts echoed, highlighting the ominous danger of the wetland.
"The Swindler's Swamp, also known as the 'Nest of Deceivers,' is the path to the second test site. The rare and exotic creatures living here often prey on humans, cunning and greedy by nature. Please be extra cautious."
Facing the increasingly grave expressions of the many examinees, Satotz raised a finger:
"Once you fall into a trap, your life will be at risk."
As he said this, the large door behind the crowd slowly closed.
"Wait for me!"
Despite the cries of the examinee crawling on the ground, the iron door mercilessly shut. Even though the exit was within reach, it severed his hopes.
None of the examinees extended a hand to help him. Reaching this point was already pushing their limits; continuing further would be akin to courting death. The harshness of the Hunter Exam was evident.
"The creatures in this wetland will use any means to deceive and capture prey for food," Satotz continued nonchalantly, as if he hadn't noticed the scene,
"This ecosystem is composed of creatures that hunt through deception, hence the name 'Swindler's Nest.' Please, do not be fooled and follow me closely."
"This guy is strange. Knowing someone will try to deceive you, who would still fall for it?" Leorio and the bald ninja Hanzo thought simultaneously.
And at that moment—
"He's a liar! He's lying!!"
A man in green clothes, with a scarred face and holding a shabby bag containing a monkey, stepped forward, glaring at Satotz with anger.
"Don't be fooled by him! I'm the real examiner!!"
A new "Satotz"? Two new examiners?! A whiff of fried tofu?
The Man-faced Ape, a creature residing in the Numere Wetlands. Due to its human-like appearance, it often disguises itself as a human to lure and eat those who enter.
In places with large gatherings of humans, they dare to
create chaos and seize the opportunity to take a few people.
If successful, they feast; if not, they become mere bones. Such life-risking scams play out here every moment.
The timing of this green-clad Man-faced Ape's appearance was impeccable. Just as the examinees, having endured the long underground tunnel run, reached the outside, feeling a sense of relief after surviving a disaster. His intervention easily caused a stir.
"Fake? What's going on?"
"Look at the monkey he's holding; it looks just like the examiner."
"Come on, whether he's the examiner or not is uncertain. Didn't you notice his odd walking posture? It's not something a normal person can do."
"Could it be that he really is..."
Whispers of doubt arose among the examinees. Satotz watched the Man-faced Ape inciting the examinees with its antics, unmoved.
This could serve as a minor test for the examinees. If they were swayed by this monkey and acted irrationally, Satotz wouldn't be lenient.
If an examinee could be easily fooled by a mere monkey, it would be best for them to exit the exam early.
"He's a Man-faced Ape, disguised as a human, intending to lead you into a trap and eat you!" the green-clad man passionately declared. Some examinees, like Leorio and Hanzo, even began to waver.
"This little trick can cause such a commotion," Killua observed the chaos with a look of disdain. To walk such a long marathon distance and climb a hundred floors—what kind of beast could achieve that?
With such stamina and endurance, why bother with such a convoluted method? Why not just lead them to a dark place and devour them? Even if such a beast existed, it would be on the level of a Chimera Ant.
For the Zoldyck family, familiar with beasts like the dog Mike and dragons, Killua had witnessed their aura firsthand. Compared to Satotz, the green-clad man seemed more beast-like.
Moreover, if the examiner were truly a Man-faced Ape in disguise, intending to eat them, why not devour the "real" examiner after injuring him? The fact that he was alive was the biggest scam.
But clearly, none of the examinees had Killua's reasoning. Even Hanzo, who claimed to be a ninja, eyed Satotz with suspicion. The crowd subtly began to edge towards Satotz.
"These people really are quite pathetic," Hisoka mused, shuffling cards as if playing an accordion.
"It seems a cleansing is necessary in the upcoming tests. Otherwise, these weaklings could easily disrupt the fun of the game."
Hisoka had already decided to play a little game with the Hunter Examiner in the Numere Wetlands, planning to eliminate some examinees.
The earlier part of the test had been dull, especially compared to the aura clash with Morin.