Chapter 244

Hanzo's tone was slightly more relaxed. In terms of character and persistence, Killua was, in fact, the opponent who made Hanzo feel most at ease. 

Recognizing the situation promptly and minimizing losses in time—these could all be seen in Killua's attacking style. Although Killua was strong, there was still a certain gap between them, and in this match, Hanzo was confident he could win. 

Ultimately, the facts were just as Hanzo predicted. Killua, who hadn't learned Nen and hadn't developed as much as Hanzo, wasn't a match for him in terms of strength. 

Additionally, influenced by Illumi's distorted teachings from a young age and the silver needle inserted in his head, after two rounds of realizing he couldn't kill his opponent and had no chance of winning, Killua chose to concede and give up immediately. 

His quick surrender left Hanzo momentarily stunned. After all, the stark contrast between Killua's decisiveness and Gon's stubborn resilience was quite significant to him. Unable to kill the target meant giving up directly. 

This was the Zoldyck family's way of nurturing Killua and also one of his weaknesses. After conceding, Killua stepped outside the ring, hands in his pockets, head down, hiding his expression from everyone. In terms of persistence, he was indeed far behind Gon.

Next, the match on the right side began—Leorio versus Tonpa. One was a doctor aspiring to become a Hunter, the other a seasoned participant with thirty-five years of test experience at the age of fifteen. 

This match was actually quite noteworthy. Without the shared challenges of the Trap Tower or the watchfulness on Zevil Island, Tonpa targeted him right from the start. 

Leorio's interactions with Tonpa, aside from the initial laxative drink at the scene, were minimal. As a result, in this battle, neither knew much about the other. From the start, they were locked in a probing struggle. 

Ultimately, after various confrontations and exchanges, the victor was Leorio. Tonpa, in terms of determination and perseverance, didn't match Leorio. 

Leorio dared to fight, but Tonpa did not. Realizing Leorio was determined to win at all costs, and seeing the price he had to pay, Tonpa chose to concede. 

There was no need for Tonpa to stubbornly fight Leorio in this battle. Even small figures have their own wisdom for passing the test.

Following that was the final match on the left side, the defeated Killua versus Illumi Zoldyck. This match went without saying. 

Just like the original, when Illumi removed the needle from his face, he returned to his true appearance. Then came the typical "brotherly love" scene of the Zoldyck family. The outcome was the same as before. 

Facing his completely defenseless older brother, Killua chose to surrender. Later, under the influence of the needle in his head and Illumi's words, during the match between Botobai and Tonpa, Killua unexpectedly pierced Botobai.

Despite a series of medical interventions, they ultimately couldn't save Botobai from the brink of death. Killua was disqualified for killing during the battle, while everyone else passed and obtained Hunter qualifications. 

The only one disqualified, Killua, returned alone, bloodstained, in the direction of Kukuroo Mountain, where his family resided.

Thus, this round of the Hunter Exam concluded. When Gon woke up from his coma and learned the outcome, he also confronted Illumi. In terms of results, it was no different from before. He, Leorio, and Kurapika planned to head to Kukuroo Mountain together to find Killua. However, before that, Gon found Morin.

"Do you still want to know about your father?" 

"Yes," Gon replied, a bit embarrassed. Although he couldn't agree to Morin's deal, his desire to learn about his father hadn't diminished. After failing to find information on Ging Freecss using his Hunter license, he once again sought out Morin. 

"Actually, before the Hunter Exam, Ging approached me," Morin said with a smile, looking at Gon. "Because you participated in this Hunter Exam, I signed up too. Since the two of us were in the same batch, he came to talk to me about you."

"About me?!" Gon widened his eyes slightly, seemingly surprised that Ging had been secretly keeping an eye on him.

"Yes, Ging, that guy, he asked me to promise not to reveal his location or information to you during the exam. In his words, 'Now is not the time for you two to meet as father and son.'" Morin explained,

"That's why during the exam, I didn't disclose anything about him to you. But in my opinion, the timing is actually quite ripe." 

"Being able to pass the Hunter Exam, you've already achieved something remarkable."

"Not really," Gon replied, a bit embarrassed by Morin's praise.

"But the Hunter Exam is far from the end. I understand Ging's arrangements." Morin patted Gon's shoulder, "Since I promised Ging, I won't say more than necessary. Just a final piece of advice: once you've found Killua and finished everything, go back home and take a look."

With that, Morin didn't offer any more hints. Whether Gon would eventually find the Greed Island memory card and decide to buy a console to participate in the upcoming Yorknew City auction remained unknown.

"Oh, Morin!" Gon suddenly remembered something as he saw Morin's figure receding into the distance. "Can I tell Kurapika about you being in the Phantom Troupe?"

Morin didn't turn back, just waved his hand. "That's up to you."

Whether Kurapika knew about the Phantom Troupe or not was irrelevant. If he could uncover the truth himself or if Gon told him the reason, maintaining a clear boundary between them and the Troupe would be ideal. But if he insisted on going his own way... the Phantom Troupe wouldn't show mercy.

After saying this, Morin parted ways with Gon and his friends, heading to a predetermined location.

"How does it feel to become a Hunter?" Morin casually asked Tonpa, who had been waiting there.

"It's a bit better than I imagined..." Upon seeing Morin, Tonpa's face immediately displayed that "simple and honest" smile. "It's something I've pursued for half my life, so it's quite fulfilling."

"That's good," Morin nodded lightly. "You'll find that what you gain as a Hunter far exceeds your imagination. Come with me."

Without further explanation, Morin began to walk forward, with Tonpa closely following behind. The two of them, one leading and one following, looked like a master and servant, their figures and shadows stretching long under the setting sun.

The Hunter Exam, even after obtaining the Hunter license, was far from over. Next was the learning of Nen. Only by successfully mastering Nen within a year could one truly be called a Hunter. 

The Hunter Association arranged suitable mentors for each examinee to teach them. After Morin took Tonpa away, the Association had one less person to send.

When Morin became a Hunter, no one was surprised; everyone thought it was only natural. The Zodiacs had even prepared a series of plans for Morin's actions after becoming a Hunter. For them, the test was inconsequential since Morin could easily pass it. The real headache was arranging things after Morin became a Hunter. 

Although becoming a Hunter granted a high degree of freedom, being affiliated with the Hunter Association meant one's actions outside represented the Association.

The Zodiacs didn't know much about Morin's personality, but they knew he came from Meteor City, a lawless place. He was undoubtedly the type to act without restraint.

Moreover, Morin was a member of the Phantom Troupe, the top-tier S-class criminal group. A Hunter Association member being linked to a criminal group was undeniably awkward.