“It seems we've been grouped together again,” Kurapika sighed, rubbing his forehead, a hint of resignation in his voice.
“Haha, this is good too! We’ll have a better chance if we’re all together!” Gon’s adaptability was always astonishing.
Rule: From here to the finish line, you must proceed according to the principle of the minority obeying the majority.
The five took their respective timing wristwatches, their gazes meeting in unspoken agreement—the team was set.
“Without Tonpa, that troublemaker, the risk of internal team conflict is indeed reduced, but true conflict never disappears, especially when facing life-or-death choices.” Ringo’s gaze subtly swept over his companions, quickly assessing each person’s combat strength and condition.
He knew in his heart that the real difficulty of this stage lay with the prisoners currently serving their sentences; the rules were set by them, putting the group at a disadvantage.
“With my newly awakened Nen Ability and current combat experience, while I can protect myself, if I take a strong hit, I could still be knocked off and fall into the abyss,” Ringo mused to himself. “There aren’t many opponents I can handle—that short guy who plays with candles, or the female prisoner Sharna, are both within my capabilities.”
But Ringo’s true target was not them, but Zha Hu, who looked fierce and heavily muscled, appearing at first glance to have killed countless people.
He was nothing more than a paper tiger who lived by fraud and intimidation, only capable of blustering performances, even going so far as to use the Genei Ryodan’s name to intimidate examinees.
“He’s perfect for practice,” Ringo silently decided on his target. This wasn't just about winning, but also about using this battle to gauge his own strength against this world.
Soon, the gate rumbled open, and the five stepped into a dark passage.
Further ahead was a bottomless circular abyss, with a square gladiatorial arena suspended in the center, cold concrete floor surrounded by lit candles.
On the other side, behind iron bars, the prisoners watched like predatory beasts, their eyes greedy and vicious.
Ringo and Gon stood on one side of the entrance, with the solitary dueling platform in the middle, and on the opposite side was one of the challenges of this stage—the prisoners currently serving their sentences.
“Hahaha, except for one old man, they’re all just kids… Is the Hunter Exam a game of house?” Laughter erupted from the prisoners, malice surging like a tide.
At this moment, the first bald prisoner on the other side shouted, “You need to engage in one-on-one matches with us. You must win 3 matches to pass.”
“I’m up first. Unless one side gives up, the fight will continue until death,” he said with a faint smile, his scalp covered in bulging veins.
Considering their strength, Kurapika’s eyes sharpened, and he took off his jacket: “I’ll go.”
He stepped onto the gladiatorial platform and quickly began to fight the bald prisoner. The sounds of fists and feet colliding, and muffled grunts, echoed in the empty space.
Ringo, meanwhile, closed his eyes, concentrating and silently stabilizing the aura around him.
After an unknown amount of time.
Soon, Gon also returned victorious. He had faced the short, explosive prisoner and quickly dealt with him through an unconventional approach.
Heavy footsteps sounded.
Zha Hu!
His ugly, balding head swayed, his body covered in scars glistening under the lights. He stepped onto the ring, deliberately letting out a low chuckle: “So far, I’ve killed nineteen people!”
“But I’ve never liked the number 19. Now I’m very happy!” he sneered. “It’s not exciting unless it’s a fight to the death.”
“I can’t accept a duel that stops at a certain point!” Zha Hu roared, “Bloody, brains splattered, suffering immensely!”
“Alright,” Ringo said after discussing with the others, and walked forward.
“What?” Zha Hu was startled. He looked at the teenage boy in front of him. “He didn’t hesitate at all. Why isn’t this kid scared?”
He shouted again, trying to crush his fighting spirit with words: “Unless one surrenders or dies, the duel will continue.”
“But… even if you quit midway, don’t expect me to stop attacking!”
“Alright,” Ringo replied again.
What?
Is this guy blind? He didn’t react at all to my terrifying appearance, and I just said it would be to the death!
Cold sweat trickled from Zha Hu’s forehead.
Why is he so confident? No, it could also be that he’s so scared he’s lost his judgment!
To deal with you all, I specifically prepared a trump card! It’s in my right hand and on my back!
At this moment, Ringo was not as calm as he appeared on the surface.
“I’m a Nen Ability user, so I shouldn’t be unable to beat an ordinary person, but this is the first time I’ve ever fought… Now, let’s see who gets fooled!”
From a distance, Leorio looked at Zha Hu’s mountain-like physique, worried: “Can Ringo win? That Zha Hu looks like bad news!”
“Don’t worry,” Killua said boredly, hands clasped behind his head.
Gon squatted beside a slightly tired Kurapika, adding, “Yeah, I also think the opponent isn’t that scary.”
And the match here had already begun!
In an instant, Ringo’s eyes sharpened, and the dormant aura within him erupted!
‘Ren’!
A violent surge of aura exploded from him, making his clothes flutter without wind!
Ren is a basic Nen Ability technique that explosively releases more aura than usual, increasing its total volume and density.
“What?” Zha Hu’s breathing hitched. He looked at Ringo, who seemed like a completely different person. He felt… something was different from before. What did he do?”
Ringo activated the aura within him to its maximum, then looked up, staring at Zha Hu and silently thought: “I’m going to kill you.”
When Nen carries malice, the targeted person feels as if they are in a world of ice and snow. At this moment, an invisible, viscous, almost tangible malevolence, like a beast unleashed, fiercely lunged at Zha Hu!
The atmosphere in the arena suddenly became stifling.
“Help me! Ahhhhhhh!!!!”
An unearthly shriek echoed throughout the arena. Zha Hu’s massive, mountain-like body trembled violently like a pile of mud. He was sweating profusely. “What is this? Why can he emit such an aura!?”
He felt goosebumps all over his body, and the air seemed to solidify into a swamp, trapping him tightly!
“This is… although far off, it feels very similar to what my older brother gives off.” Killua’s lazy posture vanished instantly, and he took a step forward, looking surprised and uncertain.
Gon also felt that chilling pressure: “It’s a bit like Hisoka’s aura, different from ordinary people.” He looked at Ringo with astonishment.
“Thump, thump, thump…”
Ringo walked step by step towards Zha Hu, extending his hand.
No! Impossible!
He’s just a kid! Zha Hu was terrified, with only one thought in his mind: escape! But his legs felt like lead.
I can’t win, absolutely can’t win!
“Huff… huff…” Zha Hu gasped for breath. The prisoners on the opposite side also watched suspiciously.
Back! Genei Ryodan! Right! I still have the Genei Ryodan mark! No matter how strong he is, he wouldn't dare provoke the Genei Ryodan! Like a drowning man grabbing a straw, a twisted courage supported Zha Hu as he straightened his back.
“Yes, that’s it!” he thought.
“Heh heh, kid, you’re not bad,” he squeezed out a laugh like a broken bellows from between his teeth, then roared, feigning bravery: “Seeing as you have some skill, I, Zha Hu, will be merciful this once and let you have one move!”
He took a deep breath, puffed out his chest in a forced display of toughness, and at the same time, rotated his body sideways in an extremely comical, twisted, and deliberate manner.
“Hmm?” Gon was watching intently when he suddenly felt Kurapika’s aura change drastically! The blond youth sat up, his lake-blue eyes locked onto the spider tattoo on Zha Hu’s back, an icy, bone-chilling killing intent almost overflowing.
Ringo had originally been wary of the steel plates implanted in the opponent’s arm, but now was the perfect moment to attack.
In that instant, Ringo moved, his figure like lightning. His left fist, charged with aura, ripped through the air and slammed without flourish into the soft flesh of Zha Hu's deliberately exposed side waist!
Pfft!
The fist plunged into Zha Hu’s waist like it was punching into snow!
“Aow—!!!!” A horrific, distorted scream once again echoed through the arena. Zha Hu’s massive body stumbled backward like a broken sack, tears and snot streaming down his face, and he collapsed to the ground: “I surrender! I surrender! Don’t kill me!”
Snot and tears poured out as he wailed with an open mouth.
“Ringo…” Gon and Leorio looked at the bloody scene on the stage, somewhat worried. The prisoners in the distance were also stunned into silence by the sudden turn of events, looking at Ringo with an indescribable dread.
Kurapika closed his eyes, forcefully suppressing his surging emotions: “This kind of person couldn’t possibly be from the Genei Ryodan.” He blamed himself for losing his composure.
Killua, meanwhile, stared at Ringo, who stood with his fist retracted, his eyes sharp. “His technique and strength are too far off. In a real fight, I could easily end the battle before he even touched me.”
But why? What was with that aura? The chilling malice from earlier echoed in Killua’s mind, his thoughts complex. “He was full of openings.”
Ringo was also startled by his own strength. He slowly withdrew his hand, bringing out dripping blood and shredded flesh. The sticky sensation and the warm, coppery scent made his stomach churn.
To have such great power in the Enhancement category as well, his Specialist type might be like Kurapika’s Absolute Time with his scarlet eyes, where he can achieve 100% in all categories.
There won’t be any side effects, will there?
Zha Hu was still on the ground wailing, while Ringo returned thoughtfully.
“Ringo!” Gon came over. “That was amazing! I didn’t realize you had that kind of strength.”
Leorio also strode over, still looking a bit shaken: “Whoa, whoa! Ringo! What was with that terrifying aura earlier? My heart almost jumped out of my chest!” He patted his chest with lingering trepidation.
Killua also came closer, arms crossed.
“Hmm… I can explain it once we’re out,” Ringo said, shaking off the blood from his hand, his gaze sweeping over the group of grim-faced prisoners opposite them.
Next was supposed to be Killua’s show, but the required number of victories had been met, and this stage was over.
Deep within the Trick Tower, in a dark room filled with surveillance monitors, Satotz, the examiner for the third and fourth stages, looked regretful: “What a pity, they didn’t even hold them up for a moment.”
After a moment of silence, an argument broke out among the prisoners.
“What happened! That kid, to have such strength, something’s not right!”
“If only we had let Johnny the Killer go first!”
The few who had held onto a sliver of hope were completely dejected. They quietly cursed their companion’s incompetence, but more than that, they felt regret and fear.
“Number 369, luckily we didn’t go up against that examinee!”
...“Rumble—” The duel ended, the gate opened, and the group passed through successfully.