Hey, wait for me…!"
Leorio panted heavily as he struggled to keep up with Lan Fei, Kurapika, and the others. His suit jacket was drenched in sweat, and his legs felt like lead.
Thud!
His briefcase slipped from his grasp and crashed onto the floor. Leorio's vision blurred, and his knees buckled as he slumped down, gasping for air.
"Leorio!" Gon turned back, concern flashing across his face.
"You're thinking about helping him?" Killua asked, frowning slightly.
"Leorio, don't forget why you're here," Lan Fei said, his voice firm. "Didn't you say you had a goal? If you give up now, then what's the point of taking the Hunter Exam?"
"I…" Leorio gritted his teeth. His exhausted body screamed at him to stop, but the fire in his heart refused to go out.
"I'm not giving up!"
With a roar, Leorio tore off his jacket, revealing his toned arms. He wiped the sweat from his brow and forced himself to his feet, pushing forward with newfound determination.
"We've been running for over 60 kilometers," Kurapika muttered, keeping pace. "Just how long is this phase of the exam?"
"The slope is getting steeper," Killua noted. His sharp eyes tracked the examiner, who was now increasing his speed. "We must be getting close to the next stage."
"Gon, Lan Fei, let's have a race," Killua suggested suddenly. "Whoever reaches the finish line last has to buy dinner."
"Sounds fun! I don't feel tired at all!" Gon grinned before turning to Killua. "By the way, why are you taking the Hunter Exam?"
"Me?" Killua smirked. "I don't really care about being a Hunter. I just heard the exam was tough, so I came to see how hard it really is. So far, it's been pretty boring."
"Boring?" Gon blinked in surprise.
"Killua, considering your family's background, it doesn't really matter if you pass or not," Lan Fei said meaningfully.
Killua's smirk faded slightly. He knew what Lan Fei meant. The Zoldyck family was one of the most feared assassin clans in the world—far more influential than any Hunter license could offer.
"Tch, whatever. If I'm here, I might as well enjoy the challenge," Killua shrugged.
"Alright, let's go!" Gon suddenly dashed forward.
"Hey! You got a head start!" Killua shouted, immediately giving chase.
Lan Fei chuckled and shook his head. "Competing with me in speed?"
Without warning, his entire body shimmered as he activated his technique.
"Yata no Kagami!"
A burst of golden light erupted from Lan Fei, and in the blink of an eye, his form disappeared, refracting off the walls of the passage like a flash of sunlight off polished glass.
"W-What the hell?!"
The other examinees gawked as the golden streak shot past them at impossible speeds.
"Did he just… turn into light?!"
"Am I seeing things?"
Hisoka's grin faltered slightly as his gaze followed the dazzling golden trail. "This kid… what kind of trick is that?"
Even Killua, a Zoldyck assassin trained from birth, was stunned. "That speed… No way. Is he really human?"
He had only ever seen such movement from his grandfather, Zeno Zoldyck, but even then, it had been through advanced Nen techniques, not sheer physical speed.
Ahead of them, the end of the tunnel came into view. A faint glow marked the exit.
"The finish line!" Gon shouted, picking up speed.
"Finally!" Killua muttered, matching his pace. Around them, exhausted candidates collapsed onto the ground, unable to continue.
Satz, the first-phase examiner, ran ahead with mechanical efficiency. But just as he approached the exit, something flashed past him—so fast that his mind barely registered it.
A golden light streaked ahead, reforming into a solid figure at the exit.
"What in the—?!" Satz's eyes widened as he skidded to a halt.
Standing there, completely relaxed, was Lan Fei.
"Gon, Killua, I win," he said casually, as if he hadn't just pulled off something impossible.
Both boys came to a stop, panting slightly, staring at him in shock.
Satz, a veteran of many Hunter Exams, had seen incredible individuals before. But this? A thirteen-year-old moving faster than him? No, faster than anyone he had ever seen?
"Turning into light… moving at that speed…" Satz muttered under his breath. "This kid… he's something else."
Even among the hundreds of applicants, Lan Fei was undoubtedly the most terrifyingly abnormal candidate in this year's Hunter Exam.