New Enemy

Among the candidates, most were still clueless. They only knew that the third examiner—Lippo—recognized Larry and was visibly shaken. 

But why? Why did every single examiner react this way? Even Kurapika, who was normally composed, was staring at Larry in disbelief. "Wait… Larry," he asked cautiously, swallowing hard. "You killed Wrath and Envy from the Seven Deadly Sins?"

Larry's expression remained calm. "Yeah." His voice was so casual—so matter-of-fact—that it sent chills down Kurapika's spine.

"The Seven Deadly Sins… those are world-class criminals," Kurapika murmured. They were far worse than the Phantom Troupe. Even among elite Hunters, barely anyone would dare face them directly. let alone take down two members. And yet—Larry had done it.

Leorio scratched the back of his head, looking nervous. "Uh… just how strong were these 'Seven Deadly Sins' guys?"

Kurapika took a deep breath and explained. As he detailed the terror and crimes committed by the infamous group, the reality of Larry's strength sank in. By the end of it, Gon's eyes were practically glowing. "Wow! So Mr. Larry is really that strong?!" His face was filled with pure admiration.

Killua, standing quietly with his hands in his pockets, studied Larry carefully. From appearance alone, he couldn't see anything special about him. But if what Kurapika said was true—then Larry was on an entirely different level. However, Larry barely reacted. Instead, he glanced at the group and spoke calmly— "It's time to move." His words snapped them back to reality. They were still in the Hunter Exam. There was no time to waste.

As Larry and his team moved forward, Lippo's narrow, fox-like eyes glowed with excitement.For a moment, Larry's appearance had rattled him— But now, he realized something. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Originally, Lippo had been looking forward to watching Hisoka battle an examiner. A clash of Nen users was always a thrilling spectacle. But now? Now, he had an even better show. Larry wasn't just another Nen user—he was a monster. And Lippo was not about to waste this chance.

The prisoners he had prepared for Larry's path were nowhere near strong enough— So he needed someone stronger. His fingers tapped against the table, deep in thought. 'There's only one person I can use…' Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Lippo's lips curled into a sinister grin. "Take him out of Prison Room Zero," Lippo ordered, his voice low and eager. "Put him in the level where Larry's team is heading."

The guards nearby stiffened.

"Warden… you don't mean—"

"Just do it," Lippo snapped.

His sharp gaze cut through the hesitant jailers like a knife. Reluctantly, they nodded and left to carry out his order.

Meanwhile, Larry and his team reached their next challenge. They stood in a narrow tunnel, looking out toward a floating platform in the center. A massive digital timer loomed overhead. Below them, a bottomless drop. Anyone who fell, died.

Across the platform, five figures stood in identical black robes, their features hidden in the dim light. Warden Lippo's voice crackled through the speakers: "These are the inmates of the Trick Tower, your opponents. Each of you will engage in a one-on-one battle. The rules? There are none. You fight however you want. The team with the most victories wins."

Killua, hands tucked behind his head, let out a bored sigh. "So, we just have to win three out of five?" He glanced at the prisoners, unimpressed. "That sounds way too easy." Coming from a family of assassins, Killua saw no challenge in this.

At least, that's what he thought. Until Lippo added one last modification to the rules. "For every hour a prisoner manages to stall the fight, they'll have one year shaved off their sentence."

Killua's expression shifted instantly. This wasn't just about winning anymore. If an opponent deliberately dragged out the match, there was nothing stopping them from delaying indefinitely. Especially against someone like Leorio, who lacked raw combat ability. Killua's leisurely stance disappeared. His eyes narrowed. "Now that's annoying…"

In the Trick Tower phase of the Hunter Exam, the first opponent to step forward is Bendot, a towering brute with a shaved head covered in scars. A robber and murderer serving 199 years for his crimes, Bendot growls, "I'll go first. Who's your fighter?" 

In the original timeline, Tonpa the exam saboteur stepped up here, only to immediately forfeit, proving himself a coward. But this time Killua stepped forward instead. "Let's get this over with," he muttered, stretching his fingers.

Leorio, watching nervously, whispered his concerns. "Killua, just—admit defeat if things go south. We can still swap you out."

Killua's only response? A glance, followed by a smirk. Then, in less than a second— The match was over. Before Bendot could even react, Killua's hand plunged into his chest, ripping his heart out with surgical precision. The brute barely had time to register his own death before collapsing to the ground. The prisoners and candidates alike were frozen in shock. Leorio's jaw practically hit the floor. Kurapika, silent, simply adjusted his gloves. Gon, eyes wide, looked at Killua like he had just witnessed a magic trick. Even Lippo stopped eating his biscuit mid-bite. Killua, unfazed, tilted his head toward Lippo's monitor. "Next."

The second match played out like in the original timeline. Gon faced Sedokan, the candle-wielding trickster, and managed to outsmart him for the win. Now, with two victories secured, they needed just one more to pass. That's when Lippo got nervous. He had gone through all the trouble of setting up a special fight, And Zero hadn't even been called yet. His fingers tensed around the microphone. 'Should I force him in?' But that would mean openly breaking the rules, And if anyone from the Association found out, he'd be screwed.

Fortunately for him, The prisoners took matters into their own hands. Their gazes shifted to the darkened tunnel, waiting. A deep chuckle echoed through the chamber. "Heh… I suppose it's my turn." A figure emerged from the darkness, Prisoner No. 0. A tall, lanky man, draped in tattered robes, with wild, unkempt hair and piercing, sunken eyes. He grinned, his sharp teeth gleaming under the dim light. As he stepped forward, a wave of heavy aura flooded the room. Thick, oppressive, and twisted with malice.

Even the other prisoners took a step back, their faces pale. The air grew dense, suffocating. Kurapika clenched his fists. Leorio swallowed hard. Gon looked confused, but instinctively stood on guard. But the worst reaction—Came from Killua. His body stiffened immediately, eyes widening as he stumbled backward, As if his instincts were screaming danger. Killua's fingers trembled slightly. "This…" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Well, this just got interesting," Larry mused. For the first time in this exam, he felt curious. This man—Zero—was a Nen user. And judging from the sheer weight of his aura, he wasn't weak. Larry stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "I'll handle this one."