"There's danger ahead—stay alert."
"We might have lost track of the group," Kurapika muttered, his expression turning serious as he assessed their surroundings.
"Damn it! This fog is so thick I can barely see a thing," Leorio grumbled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Who knows if the figures ahead are real or just those shape-shifting creatures from the wetlands?"
WHAAAH!
A sharp scream rang out. Just as Kurapika and Leorio hesitated, another examinee rushed past them, oblivious to the lurking danger. Before he could react, a hulking beast emerged from the mist—the Cheapskate Strawberry Tortoise, a monstrous amphibian native to the Numere Wetlands. In an instant, it clamped its massive jaws around the unlucky candidate and swallowed him whole.
A wave of fear rippled through the remaining candidates. The grotesque sight of the tortoise's oversized mouth dripping with blood made their stomachs churn.
"Leorio, RUN!"
Kurapika didn't hesitate. He grabbed Leorio by the arm and dashed forward, determined to break through the blockade of monsters.
"Aghhh!!"
Another examinee screamed as a second Cheapskate Strawberry Tortoise lunged, tearing him apart mid-air. Blood sprayed into the mist, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
"Kurapika! Wait up!" Leorio panted, his face pale as he chased after his friend.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The ground trembled beneath their feet. More tortoises emerged, their heavy footsteps shaking the marshy terrain. Before they knew it, Kurapika and Leorio found themselves completely surrounded.
"Dammit!" Leorio cursed. "There's no way through!"
The situation quickly devolved into chaos. Frantic candidates ran in all directions, stumbling over one another. One unfortunate soul stepped on a Mine Mushroom, a plant notorious for releasing toxic spores. As its cap burst open, a noxious yellow cloud filled the air.
"Cough! Ugh…!" A cluster of candidates collapsed instantly, their bodies convulsing as paralysis set in.
Elsewhere, another group of examinees was drawn toward a strange fluttering motion.
"Wait—DON'T LOOK AT THOSE!"
The warning came too late. Three more candidates, mesmerized by the hypnotic movements of Lullaby Butterflies, fell to the ground unconscious.
"Damn it! How are we supposed to pass at this rate?!"
More and more candidates fell prey to the deceptive creatures lurking in the mist. Those who remained standing were rapidly losing hope.
Meanwhile…
Lan Fei, Gon, and Killua had pushed ahead, maintaining their composure despite the chaos unraveling behind them.
The screams faded into the fog, but they didn't stop running.
"A lot of people must have been eliminated," Killua noted, glancing back briefly.
"I'm more worried about Kurapika and Leorio…" Gon admitted, a frown crossing his face.
"You should focus on yourself," Lan Fei smirked. "Besides, don't underestimate Kurapika. He's not as fragile as you think."
Just as he spoke—
"WATCH OUT!"
Lan Fei reacted instantly, yanking Gon backward and flipping onto a rock three meters away. Killua, ever vigilant, kicked off the ground and landed beside them.
BOOM!
A massive Lazy Frog burst from the ground, its cavernous mouth snapping shut just inches from where they had been standing.
"Whew… that was close." Lan Fei exhaled.
"That's an understatement," Killua muttered, his gaze sharp.
Gon, however, seemed distracted. He sniffed the air, his sharp senses picking up something unusual.
"Something's wrong," he said.
"Forget about it. We need to keep moving," Killua urged. "We might still be able to catch up to the examiner."
Lan Fei hesitated, noticing Gon's concern.
Then, without warning, Gon turned on his heel and ran back toward the mist.
"KURA-PIKA! LEORIO NEED HELP!"
"YOU IDIOT!" Lan Fei groaned, shaking his head. "Seriously?"
With a resigned sigh, he turned and chased after Gon.
Elsewhere…
Kurapika and Leorio had barely escaped the tortoises' enclosure when they stumbled into a mist-covered clearing.
Leorio came to an abrupt halt. He adjusted his glasses, squinting into the fog.
"Kurapika… look over there."
Kurapika followed his gaze—and his expression immediately darkened.
Not far ahead, half-shrouded in mist, stood a familiar figure.
"Hisoka…?"
The magician was surrounded by six other examinees, their weapons drawn.
"You Are Not Worthy of Being a Hunter."
Candidate No. 76, a man wielding a staff, glared at Hisoka.
"I knew from last year that you don't deserve to be a Hunter."
Another examinee, No. 67, sneered. "Swear that you'll never take the exam again, and we'll let you live."
The group closed in, confidence evident in their movements.
Unfortunately for them, they had grossly underestimated their opponent.
Even Examiner Satotz would struggle against Hisoka.
For these candidates? This was suicide.
"Fine." Hisoka smirked. "I won't be taking the exam next year."
"Ha! Smart choice." Candidate No. 76 grinned.
But the fog around them was deceptive—
And so was Hisoka.
As the candidates relaxed for a split second—
"Too slow."
Hisoka's fingers twitched. A single playing card flicked through the air, slicing in a perfect arc.
SLASH!
A gust of wind followed the attack. Blood splattered onto the damp ground.
All six candidates crumpled, lifeless.
"…Pathetic."
Hisoka exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
Then, his head slowly turned—
And his gaze landed on Kurapika and Leorio.
A wicked grin stretched across his face.
"Now then… would you two like to play?"
He stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
Leorio's breath caught in his throat.
Kurapika's grip on his wooden sword tightened.
Hisoka's bloodlust was unmistakable.
The game had only just begun.