122 HunterXExam

"We're finally here! Haaaah. Man I need to go to the bathroom." Complained Leorio.

"How quiet... are we the first one here?" Observed Kurapika.

*knock* *knock* Leorio knocked on the door.

"Hey Silver! What are you doing there? Did you find anything?" Gon called out to Silver who was left out somewhat far down in the path who has been staring at the ground for a while now.

"Hmmm... The old lady said that the couple who are staying here will be our guide right?" Silver called out which he got a nod from Gon.

"We're coming in!" Leorio opened the door and was shocked to see a ravaged house. At the center lays a bleeding man crawling ever so slowly to reach out to the monster who looked like a man-fox holding a woman kidnap.

"A monster" shouted Kurapika as the trio tried to rush into action.

However before they could do anything, the monster leaped out of the door and escaped to the forest.

"We must help!" Shouted Gon as he chased after the monster.

"Leorio, take care of the wounded!" Kurapika followed suit after.

Silver looked back at the chaos and run to the door as well. He then saw the chaos inside the house and activated his sixth sense. Silver then furrowed his brows as he saw the same set of footprints outside the house and inside.

He then looked at Leorio treating the wounded man and narrowed his eyes. *sniff* *sniff* 'I see.' Nonchalantly Silver walked to an overthrown chair and set it up. He then sat on the chair and looked at the play go on without care in the world.

"What the hell are you doing? If you can't help treat the wounded, go out there and help them chase the monster, damnit!" Yelled Leorio.

"Hey, oldman. When are you going to stop pretending?" Silver asked looking at the wounded man without taking notice of Leorio's anger.

"I said, go out- huh?" Leorio who was yelling at Silver and taking care of the 'wounded' husband suddenly stopped and look at the wounds properly. He then saw some inconsistency and can't help but ask. "What is goin on?"

"Fufufufu. How did you know?" The wounded husband stood up and looked at Silver.

Leorio was surprised and jumped backward while readying his knife from the pocket.

"It has been bothering me since earlier in the path going to this place. Human footprints suddenly enlarging to a monster like footprints and vice versa. There even times it would fully disappear as if the person walking suddenly flew into the sky. So I have been thinking about it. Then suddenly I saw the other guy flew out from the door carrying a woman. And then when I walk inside, I saw the same set of abnormality in the footprints." Silver pointed all over the place as if all the footprints are visible with regular eyes.

"What topped it off though is the blood you used. It is not fresh coming from an open wound. Maybe two or three hours ago? Probably something you hunted and cooked at your untouched and orderly kitchen over there?" Silver pointed to a closed door. "I can smell a lovely pot, I am hungry after all."

"Fufufufu. Deer, that is what's in there. You are pretty good. On my account the two of you already passed, but I am not the one who decides. Come help me clean this stuff and maybe we can have dinner just in time for the other two too return. That is to say they pass to."

"I'd love to. Oh, I'm sure they'll pass this with flying colors." Silver smiled.

"Huuuhhh?" Leorio stood there without knowing what the two were talking about. "What footprints?" He looked everywhere in the house but could hardly see a thing in this dark place.

~~~~~

"Fufufufu, It's been a long time since anyone was able to tell me and my wife apart." Said the biggest rat-fox.

"Do you see a difference?" Murmured Leorio to Kurapika.

"Not at all?" Answered the latter.

"What are the two of you talking about? They are completely different. Can't you see the more concentrated set of fur on the male rat-fox?" Says Silver while setting up the food in the table. "Oh I took the liberty to add seasonings. The food were a little bland for my taste.

"See! Even Silver can tell!" Excitedly pointed by Gon.

'No no no. Don't compare us to the both of you.' Both Kurapika and Leorio denied.

"Good, very good. You are very nice to us. Me and my wife will be your navigator to the Hunter exam place." Said by the male rat-fox.

"I'm their daughter." Said the kidnapped girl. "And I'm their son." Added the wounded man.

The girl started. "For those in the sumi tribe, this tattoo is a mark for a young girl to promised marriage to a God and to no one else. Without knowledge to ancient history, it is imposible to decipher it. The wise Kuparika was not fooled and was able to understand we are not wife and husband."

"Leorio understand nothing until the end. However, he gave me first aid even better than most first responders." Continued by the son.

"Gon straight ahead rushed forward into action showing extraordinary movement and observation." Said the wife.

"As for Silver. I was told you were very observant before you even entered the place. A few more seconds of observation and he immediately knew that everything was staged. Add to that this lovely dinner we are having, we have decided that each and everyone of you passed." Announce the head of the rat-fox family.

"Yeah!" Celebrated Gon and Silver while Kurapika and Leorio smiled from the table eating their fill.

"Take your rest, we leave 6AM tomorrow morning."

~~~~

"Here we are, just across this street." The now human disguised rat-fox pointed across.

Across them is a large 30 floor building with large pillars to welcome the visitors.

"Wow!" Leorio/Kurapika/Gon/Silver

"We're finally here. Where courageous man around the world gathers." -Leorio

"Dreaming to become hunters starts on this building." -Kurapika

"Or have their dreams crushed." Finishes Silver in a dark tone.

*tsk* Kurapika/Leorio.

'My father also passed this very gates.' -Gon

"No, not that big building. The other one." Mr. rat-fox.

The four of them turned theirs head and find a small restaurant just beside the majestic Monolith.

"What is a boring restaurant doing here!?" Complained Leorio.

"How would they hold hundreds of applicants there?" Kurapika added.

"Precisely! No one would have guesed that the place where thousands of applicants gather will be here." Explained by the rat-fox.

"My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined." Sighed Silver.

~~~~~

"Hello!" Greeted the chef. "What would you like?"

"A steak!" Answered rat-fox.

"How would you like them cooked?"

"Slowly and rare."

"Ok."

"Hi there, the room in the back is ready for you." Says the waitress.

~~~~~

The group entered a table full of foods. "Yeah, breakfast is served." Leorio rejoiced as the four take a seat of each own.

"This is it. Do your best!" The rat-fox encohraged them as he leave the room. "1 out of 10,000. That is the proportion of candidates who got this far. It has been a pleasure meeting you. I'll also be happy to be your navigator next year if you fail." He finished before closing the door. He turned a hidden dial outside that turned on the hidden elevator function of the room outside lowering the four underground.

~~~~

"What's with the numbers? Why are there so many people who wants be Hunters?" Asked Gon.

"To be a Hunter is the thing the brings the most money!" -Leorio

"To be a Hunter is the most noble thing in the world!" -Kurapika

Kurapika and Leorio stared at each other while sparks were created in the middle.

'Suck up!'/'Greedy!'

"When you officially become a Hunter, you recieve a license. A hunter license. With that you can freely travel in all countries! In addition, you will have free access to public services!" Leorio explained. "Out of the top 100 richest man alive, 60 of them are Hunters! This license is a symbol of of glory and wealth! You have only to sell it, and you would have sufficient money to live in luxury for seven lives!"

"The true role of hunters is to to protect people and maintain the balance of nature. To hunt animals or search for treasures are just the roles of amateurs! Professional hunters have the principle occupation to preserve precious objects of cultural history, or saving rare species of animals and plants that they are abke to discover. That's not all!! They must also arrest wanted criminals and other hunters in irregular situations doing wrong to the public. It is hard work but very satisfying!" Argued Kurapika back.

"So Gon! What kind of hunter do you wish to become?"

"Uhmmmm." Gon had a headache and pressed his fingers hard to his hard head.

"We are here." Silver broke the standstill with an excited announcement.