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Netero nodded slightly, finding the answer easy to understand, and moved on.

He continued to ask, "Out of the other eight candidates besides yourself, who do you care about the most?"

"Number 100, she's my companion!"

"And if a fight breaks out, who do you least want to face?"

"Also Number 100. I think the reason is obvious!"

"Alright, I've finished asking!"

The interview was straightforward, and since Ethan already knew the process, he left the reception room once it concluded.

At the same time, the next candidate called in after Ethan was Lisa.

When the two of them returned to their room and discussed their interviews, it was no surprise that Lisa's choices mirrored Ethan's.

.....

The airship did not reach the location of the final exam until dusk, which was at a luxury hotel operated by the Hunter Association Examination Committee.

However, the final exam didn't start immediately. Instead, it was scheduled for the next day to allow candidates time to recharge.

A night passed in silence.

The following day, Ethan, Lisa, and the other seven candidates were led by Hunter Association staff into a spacious conference hall within the hotel.

"For the content of the final exam, the nine of you will participate in one-on-one elimination matches..."

As the candidates gathered, Netero, along with Satotz, Menchi, Buhara, and several other Hunter Association staff members, appeared in the conference hall.

Netero greeted everyone with a smile and quickly explained the nature of the final exam.

When the white cloth was lifted, a battle table divided into two groups was revealed to Ethan.

"So, only one person will pass the exam, right?!"

Seeing the battle table's format, everyone except Ethan, who already knew the situation, was shocked. Even Leorio's expression changed as he exclaimed.

Netero was indeed skilled at creating suspense. The announced battle list appeared to be an upward promotion system, but in reality, it was a reverse system aiming for elimination.

In other words, only the losers would win, and the person who reached the top would be the only one eliminated in this exam.

"It's not that only one person can pass; only one person will be eliminated!"

Netero was pleased with the candidates' reactions. When he had introduced this system to Menchi and the others the previous day, they had reacted similarly.

After a pause, Netero continued, "There are several rules for this exam. You cannot kill your opponent during the battle; doing so will result in immediate disqualification, while others will pass unconditionally.

Additionally, victory is determined by one party admitting defeat. If no one admits defeat, the battle continues!"

"Isn't that a bit complicated?"

Next to Ethan, Lisa initially felt relaxed about the system that only eliminated one person, but upon hearing Netero's rules, she frowned.

Not only Lisa, but others also shared similar concerns.

While not killing the opponent was understandable, requiring the opponent to admit defeat to conclude the match added complexity beyond merely defeating them.

"Now, let's see your battle combinations!"

Netero peeled off the sticker from the battle table, revealing the matchups beneath.

Each vertical line featured a candidate's photo, allowing everyone to immediately identify their position and opponents.

"What?!"

The candidates quickly examined the battle groups to find their opponents, and Ethan did the same. When he saw his position and opponent, surprise crossed his face.

"My opponent... is Ethan?"

Gon stared at his position and opponent in disbelief, then turned to look at Ethan, who stood not far away.

Yes, the battle combinations arranged by Netero were significantly different from the original plot.

For instance, Ethan replaced Hanzo as the first player in the left group and was set to face Gon.

"I didn't expect to be placed first... Well played!" Ethan's gaze moved to Netero standing across the room, and he silently praised him.

He understood how this battle combination was arranged.

Simply put, the candidates who had performed most impressively in previous exams were given more opportunities.

Ethan and Gon were undoubtedly the two candidates with the most opportunities on the battle table, representing the two most promising individuals in Netero's eyes.

Though this excellence didn't equate to strength, it was a high acknowledgment.

Thus, while unexpected, Ethan was satisfied with Netero's arrangement.

After examining his arrangement, Ethan looked at Lisa's position and opponent, quickly narrowing his eyes.

Lisa's position was sixth, placing her in the right group.

In the right group's order, it was Lisa, Kurapika, Hisoka, and Leorio.

The first match was Kurapika versus Hisoka, and Lisa was set for the second match, meaning she would face the loser of Kurapika and Hisoka's battle.

"If Hisoka admits defeat as in the original plot, then Lisa will face Hisoka," Ethan thought, frowning slightly as he glanced across the room at Hisoka, standing among the candidates.

"What?!"

Sensing Ethan's gaze, Hisoka, who was initially focused on the battle table, turned to meet Ethan's eyes.

"Is this a warning to me..." Hisoka felt a chill when he met Ethan's cold, subtly menacing gaze.

Hisoka quickly deduced why Ethan was looking at him.

His eyes returned to the battle table, glancing at Kurapika, his upcoming opponent, and Lisa, who was next in line.

Hisoka remained composed.

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