NOVEL NEXT [35] : Mika Killing Intent, End of Exam!
[#]: Advanced Chapters on Patreon!
[#]: Enjoy!!
<><><>
Hanzo → Gon → Airmid → Mellie → Killua → Gitarakuru → ← Leorio ← Bodoro ← Hisoka ← Kurapika ← Mika.
"The final test is a one-on-one elimination tournament, but only one person will fail," Netero explained. "Anyone who wins even one match will receive a Hunter License and become a true Hunter."
Hearing this, everyone turned their attention to the match chart.
The matches were divided into two brackets.
The first bracket included Hanzo, Gon, Airmid, Mellie, Killua, and Gitarakuru. The second bracket had Leorio, Bodoro, Hisoka, Kurapika, and Mika.
In this test, each person had at least two chances.
Those like Hanzo and Gon had up to six chances. As long as they won one out of six matches, they could become Hunters.
Thus, the further to the sides on the chart, the more opportunities one had, and the closer to the center, the fewer opportunities one had.
This seemingly unfair arrangement was based on the cumulative results of the previous four tests, various impression scores. and the earlier interviews.
The more chances someone had, the more qualified they were deemed to be a Hunter, based on their aptitude.
Killua was the most unable to accept this arrangement. Seeing Gon tied for first with Hanzo in their group, while he was second last, he couldn't understand why he, who was stronger, was less qualified to be a Hunter than Gon.
However, whether Killua understood or not didn't matter to the others, and the final test began.
The first match was Hanzo versus Gon. The gap in their strength was enormous, and Gon was no match for Hanzo.
According to the final test rules, this test could not result in death. If someone killed another, they would lose the qualification to become a Hunter, and the other participants would win by default.
Moreover, each match required a surrender for a win to be declared.
No matter how badly beaten someone was, if they didn't surrender, it wasn't a victory.
Gon refused to surrender, even when tortured by Hanzo and despite having his arm broken.
This put Hanzo in a difficult position, unable to deal with Gon's resolve. Ultimately, Gon's spirit moved Hanzo, leading him to surrender.
"Next is our turn, Kurapika!" Mika said to Kurapika after medical personnel took Gon away for emergency treatment.
After the first match in the first bracket ended, the first match in the second bracket was Mika versus Kurapika.
Upon hearing Mika, Kurapika immediately extended his palm and said, "I forfeit the next match!"
Everyone was shocked, clearly not expecting this. However, Kurapika had his reasons. As friends who knew each other since Whale Island, Kurapika had fought Mika before and always lost easily.
He couldn't use Gon's method of refusing to surrender either, as it would feel like receiving charity from a friend. Plus, Kurapika still had more chances.
Mika quickly understood Kurapika's reasoning. "Do your best next time!" he encouraged, patting Kurapika on the shoulder.
With Mika's immediate victory, the next match was Hanzo versus Airmid. Airmid stated, "I won't refuse to surrender like Gon. We'll fight fairly, and I'll surrender if I lose."
"Good!" Hanzo was relieved. He wasn't afraid of strong opponents but found it impossible to deal with someone like Gon.
"Let's begin!" the referee announced, and Hanzo and Airmid started their match.
In no time, the gap in their strength was clear. Airmid could only defend against Hanzo's attacks, unable to counter.
Mika wasn't surprised. Among the participants, excluding Mika's group, Hisoka and Gitarakuru were on a level of their own due to their Nen abilities.
Among the non-Nen users, Killua and Hanzo were similarly dominant, though Hanzo was still stronger than Killua. Both had overwhelming strength compared to others.
Mika realized that the people in this world had higher physical limits than those in his original world, Orario.
Even though many of these participants had physical prowess equivalent to Orario's level 2 adventurers, their overall combat abilities mostly hovered around the upper ranks of level 1. Only a few reached level 2.
Hanzo and Killua not only had level 2 combat abilities but were also among the strongest in that category.
Among Mika's group, only he could match them. Airmid and Mellie were not yet at that level.
Despite the strength difference, Airmid had exceptional defensive abilities, a trait of her race, the Dian Cecht Familia. They had endured countless trials under their god, Yahweh, making them unparalleled in defense.
After exhausting various techniques, Hanzo finally won due to his stamina advantage. "Why are my opponents always so troublesome?" he grumbled, panting heavily.
Airmid, who lost, was helped to rest by Mika. Under Mellie's cover, she secretly drank a stamina recovery potion and rested in Mika's arms, drawing envious looks from some onlookers.
Seeing this, Mellie leaned on Mika's shoulder, pretending to rest, which turned the envy into jealousy and anger.
After Hanzo and Airmid's match, the next match was Kurapika versus Hisoka. Midway through the battle, Hisoka whispered something to Kurapika and then forfeited.
Following this, the next match was Airmid versus Mellie.
As Airmid and Mellie prepared to battle, the audience couldn't help but feel excited. They were the only two women in this Hunter exam, both with special connections to Mika, and their previous actions had already intrigued everyone.
"I forfeit!" Airmid declared without even opening her eyes, disappointing the eager crowd.
As teammates, Airmid and Mellie had sparred countless times, easily over eighty or even a hundred.
Their close combat skills were extremely close, with Airmid generally having a slight edge. However, after the previous battle, Airmid was already exhausted. Fighting Mellie in her current state would be suicidal. Thus, she chose to forfeit.
Following Airmid's surrender, the next match began between Hisoka and Bodoro. Bodoro fought fiercely against Hisoka but refused to surrender. After a particularly brutal fall, Hisoka whispered something in Bodoro's ear, leading Bodoro to concede immediately.
After Hisoka's victory, it was time for Airmid to face Killua, but Killua immediately forfeited. He had no desire to fight the exhausted Airmid and was confident in his ability to win the upcoming matches.
"Thanks, Killua!" Mika waved appreciatively, to which Killua confidently responded with a wave.
According to the schedule, Leorio was supposed to fight Bodoro next. However, Leorio requested the referee to delay the match, allowing Bodoro time to recover from his injuries against Hisoka.
Thus, the match between Killua and Gitarakuru was moved up.
Leaning against the wall of the test hall, Mika watched as Killua and Gitarakuru stared each other down. Knowing the original story, Mika recognized Gitarakuru as Illumi Zoldyck, Killua's brother.
This confrontation would lead to Killua's breakdown and Bodoro's death, ultimately resulting in Killua's disqualification from the Hunter exam.
Mika chose not to intervene in this event. Despite Killua losing his qualification, his strength meant he could pass any future Hunter exam he chose to take.
This setback would lead Gon to seek Killua out at his home, cementing their friendship.
Despite understanding the significance of the brothers' conflict, Mika felt a bit of irritation towards Illumi.
As the referee announced the start of the match, Illumi, disguised with Nen, revealed his true appearance.
Seeing his brother, Killua tensed up. Illumi's provocative words further destabilized Killua.
To provoke Killua further, Illumi claimed that Killua and Gon were not friends. Leorio loudly refuted this, earnestly telling Killua, "Gon already considers you his friend!"
Hearing this, Killua was momentarily touched, but Illumi quickly declared that if that was true, Gon needed to be killed. He turned as if to go after Gon, causing Kurapika, Leorio, Airmid, and Mellie to block his path to the medical room.
Mika, meanwhile, stood still, but his aura filled the hall with a menacing intent. Those without Nen shivered, while those who had awakened their Nen abilities looked at Mika in surprise.
The sheer intensity of his aura suggested he had taken countless lives.
Mika's killing intent was a standard trait for adventurers from Orario, where they lived on the edge of life and death.
In Orario, this aura meant nothing among fellow adventurers, but here in the Hunter world, it was potent. Mika discovered its utility after awakening his Nen, as it intensified his malice during 'Ren.'
Mika's actions spoke louder than any words. After awakening his Nen and mastering its basic techniques, his fear of Hisoka and Illumi diminished significantly.
In the Hunter world, the rule was that only Nen users could effectively combat other Nen users.
Now, Mika saw Nen as just another form of magic, and he no longer feared Hisoka or Illumi.
Feeling Mika's pressure, Illumi glanced at him before chuckling, "Just kidding! I still need a Hunter License, and killing someone would disqualify me."
With that, the sudden tension dissipated. Killua, overwhelmed by his fear of his brother, quickly surrendered, unable to fight back.
"It's over," Mika said softly, watching Killua grapple with his inner turmoil.
The events unfolded as they did in the original story. Bodoro, preparing for his next match, was instantly killed by a rampaging Killua, unable to react in time. As a result, Killua was disqualified for breaking the rules, and Leorio won by default.
Thus, the Hunter exam concluded with only nine people out of millions passing: Mika, Airmid, Mellie, Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, Hanzo, Hisoka, and Illumi. They would now face a final secret assessment to determine their true qualification: their potential as Nen users.
...
You can find up to 10 Advanced Chapters on My Patreon
patreon.com/dragonnx