The First Phase 3

"Hey, hey."

"No way..."

Raiyo hears , a bit ahead of him making him notice why they were in such disbelief.

as they made their way through the tunnel, Stairs could be seen.

Not just a couple. 

Atleast more than five hundred steps.

"Now... Let's pick up the pace a little, shall we?" The examiner smiles.

He skips multiple steps, going even faster than the pace they were going before.

Raiyo smiles.

"Wait, is he serious? That guy's insane!!"

"He's prancing up the stairs as if they're not even there!!"

"If he keeps this pace uo, tons of people will fail." A melanin man, who's a bit darker then Raiyo points out.

At the very top right behind the Examiner. Raiyo, Gon and Killua.

"I'm impressed we're able to keep up." Gon says looking behind him.

"It's more tiring if you go slow." Killua notes.

"I could really go for a slice of cake right now." Raiyo says, with no care in the world.

"Man, the Hunter Exam is gonna be a breeze. That's no fun." Killua says dissapointedly.

"Yea." Raiyo agrees.

"Killua, why do you want to become a Hunter?" Gon asks.

"Me? I'm not really interested in becoming a Hunter. I heard the exam was supposed to be really hard, so I thought it'd be fun. But this is disappointing."

"What abou you two?" He asks.

"I want to become the strongest Hunter in the world!" Raiyo exclaims.

"Heh..." Killua smiles.

"But, he's always sleepy and never wants to do stuff." Gon laughs at Raiyo.

"Hey. That doesn't mean I can't do it!"

"What about you Gon?" Killua asks.

"Well, My dad's a hunter... So I want to become a Hunter, just like him." Gon says.

"What kind of Hunter is he?" Raiyo asks.

"I don't know." Gon says.

Killua laughs as he listens. "That;s kind of weird!"

"Really?"

"I was raised by my Aunt Mito, so I've only seen my dad in pictures. But a few years back, I met someone name Kite, and he told me all kinds of stories about him." Gon says as he recalls the memories and tells them all different kind of stories of his dad.

"oh? Is he really that amazing?" Killua asks.

"mhh, I'm not sure. But Kite was full of pride when he talked about him, like he was talking about himself. So after listening to him.. I wanted to become a hunter, just like my dad." Gon smiles

"Hmm... my mentor's definitely better than him." Raiyo smirks with pride.

"Oh? What's he like?" Gon tilts his head.

"Well he's super strong, probably stronger than your dad, and he taught me how to do all kinds of stuff."

"Like what?" Killua asks.

Raiyo smiles for a bit debating on saying.

"Well, you'll see, later!" Raiyo shrugs.

"Oh, come on! Tell us!" Gon exclaims.

Raiyo stays quiet, smilling as he looks up ahead he sees light .

"Oh! The exit!"

The three run right behind the Examiner and they burst out of the tunnel, they come to an abrupt halt.

Before them stretches an endless desert-like landscape, the air thick and humid despite the dry appearance.

Just as the other examinees emerge, murmuring in confusion, Satotz finally stops, turning to face them.

"The Milsy Wetlands, also known as the Swindlers' Swamp," he announces, his voice calm but firm. "To reach the second phase of the exam, we must cross this treacherous land."

"These wetlands are home to creatures that cannot be found anywhere else. They will use every trick in the book to fool their prey. An ecosystem in which creatures obtain food through deceit... Hence his nickname Swindlers.

"So watch out and don't be decieved. but please follow closely to keep up."

The words bizarre animals, crafty predators, deception, death ripple through the group like a chilling breeze.

A scoff breaks the tension. "What a joke," Leorio mutters, arms crossed. "How can they fool us when we're already expecting it?"

Just as he says this—

"IT'S A LIE!! HE'S LYING TO YOU!!"

A bloodied man stumbles out from behind the tunnel's exit, clutching a grotesque, limp creature in his hands. His wide, desperate eyes dart toward Satotz.

"He's an imposter! He isn't the examiner… I AM!"

Leorio stiffens. "An imposter?! What the hell—?"

Raiyo sighs, side-eyeing Leorio.

A low murmur spreads among the examinees.

The man holds up a lifeless body, its features twisted and unnatural. "This is a Man-Faced Ape, a predator of the Swindlers' Swamp!" His breath is ragged as he points a shaking finger at Satotz. "These creatures disguise themselves as humans, tricking people into following them to their deaths! This one's plan was to lure all of you inside the forest and slaughter you!"

For a moment, silence grips the group. Then—

FWIP!

Four razor-sharp playing cards cut through the air, striking the bloodied man square in the face.

"Ghhkk—!" He collapses.

Satotz effortlessly snatches the four cards midair, his expression unfazed.

A chuckle echoes. "I see, I see."

The group turns—Hisoka, a grin widening across his face, steps forward.

The "wounded man" shudders violently, his skin bubbling—before his body twists into the grotesque form of another Man-Faced Ape. At the same time, the supposedly "dead" one leaps up, attempting to flee—

FWIP!

A second flick of cards. The fleeing ape lets out a wet gurgle before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.

Gasps ripple through the examinees.

"It was playing dead?!" someone exclaims in disbelief.

Hisoka lets out a breathy laugh, his gaze flicking back to Satotz. "That settles it. You're the real one."

Satotz merely adjusts his glasses. "Examiners are appointed by the Hunter Committee and perform this duty without pay." His gaze sharpens. "An Examiner to whome we look up to would easily be able block my attack."

Satotz's voice drops almost ominously. "I shall take that as a compliment .However, if you attack me again, I will report you for assaulting an examiner. You will be immediately disqualified. Are we clear?"

Hisoka licks his lips, smirking. "Sure."

Raiyo watches the entire exchange, his golden eyes flicking to the two slain Man-Faced Apes. Almost immediately, a swarm of scavenger birds swoops down, tearing into their flesh.

Some examinees shudder in revulsion.

"A perfect example," Satotz states flatly looking around. "These creatures will use any trick to deceive you. Some of you were already fooled by my identity. Weren't you?" 

"Now, let's continue."

312 applicants remain. Almost a hundred had dropped out during the tunnel sprint.

The moment Satotz moves, he is already too fast. Though it appears he's merely walking, the gap widens alarmingly—forcing the examinees to break into a run just to keep up.

"Tsk! Another running section?!" Leorio groans. His tie has flipped to his back, and his shirt is long discarded.

"The ground is too soft!" someone complains as their feet sink into the mushy terrain.

Then, a thick fog rolls in.

The examinees hesitate as their vision begins to blur.

Kurapika narrows his eyes. "Fog."

Up ahead, Raiyo glances at Gon and Killua. "Let's move to the front."

Gon nods. "Yeah, we can't afford to lose sight of the examiner."

Raiyo, however, has a different concern. His voice is quieter. "I'm more worried about increasing the distance between us and Hisoka."

Killua glances at him, grinning slightly. "Yeah, staying too close to him is dangerous. The fog's perfect cover for him."

Raiyo meets his gaze. Before he can say anything, Killua smirks. "Ah, I bet you're wondering how I know." He tilts his head. "The thing is… he's just like me. I can smell it."

Raiyo simply shrugs. "You don't seem alike at all."

Killua laughs.

From the back, Gon calls out, his voice muffled by the fog. "Kurapika! Leorio! Raiyo and Killua said to move up front!"

Raiyo sighs lightly, his gaze fixed on the swirling mist. "No sense of Danger."