Hunter x Hunter: Unleashed

Mizaistom smiles at the remaining candidates. "More people than expected made it! Congratulations. Before the next examiner arrives and your second task begins, I'd like to talk to you about Hunters. You might ask yourselves—what is a Hunter? Is it merely someone who follows the Hunter Bylaws? If you don't know them yet, you'll become familiar with them soon enough—assuming you pass this exam."

The remaining candidates stare blankly at him, many shrugging.

"You probably want the license for practical things. Free access to most public services, permission to travel freely... maybe you're even aiming for the license to kill, which this license does grant—under certain conditions."

Most people nod at that.

"This license opens a world you couldn't even imagine. That's why these exams are so rigorous and strict. Although… it seems there are already a few of you who understand what I'm talking about. Your motivations interest me. If you pass, I'd like to know you better."

He briefly glances at Auren and Goreinu, their eyes meeting for just a second.

"For me, however, this license represents my personal aspirations. Now this part is very important to me. I strictly agree with our honorable chairman Netero in preserv—"

Suddenly, a loud sound interrupts him, as the Arena ceiling begins to shift. The massive panels above open slowly, revealing the sky.

Auren narrows his eyes. Hmm? What is this...?

From above, an airship with the Hunter Association's logo hovers into view.

Around a hundred pigeons begin flying into the Arena—and to Auren's disbelief, they're carrying a woman.

Held aloft by a thick rope, the woman descends like a bizarre human balloon cluster, calmly floating through the air. The pigeons flap and flutter, guiding her down slowly.

The candidates stand frozen, unable to believe what they're seeing.

The woman lands gracefully next to Mizaistom, smiling brightly as she unhooks herself from the rope.

She wears tall boots, miniature shorts, and a bra adorned with bright feathers. The rest of her attire consists of feathered bracers, a pair of miniature wings on her back, and a tail-feather-like accessory that sways as she moves.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Ox?" she teases him, eyes twinkling. "Could it be I interrupted your tedious, pointless drivel? Talking about preserving the 'noble legacy' of your fellow Hunters? Boring! Predictable! Stupid!"

"Cluck..." Mizaistom mutters, clearly seething.

Well... I guess she ruined his speech. I already forgot what he was saying. I vaguely remember that these two are part of different Zodiac factions; they are probably on bad terms.

"Well, this rude chicken has interrupted my speech. I wish you well, candidates," Mizaistom says dryly, his voice filled with restrained frustration, beginning to walk away.

"Hehe, looks like Mizaistom was going soft on you!" Cluck exclaims, eyes gleaming with mischief. "So many people dropped out, and you look like such a dumb bunch! Wasn't the first task supposed to test intelligence? These Riddles must have been a joke? How pathetic!"

"Shut up!" one tall candidate shouts. "You couldn't even solve a single riddle, I'd bet on it. What's this stupid girl doing here? Is this a joke? Examiner! What's going on?! Don't walk away!"

Mizaistom sighs, clearly done with this. "This is your second examiner. I'll excuse myself now," he says, speeding up and walking out of the Arena.

Cluck's expression turns savage as she steps toward the loud candidate.

"Did you just insult me, you stupid worm? Do you know what happens to worms when they meet a chicken?"

"Shut up! I want to be a Hunter—I don't have time for this clown show!" he yells.

Cluck yells right back, "YOU shut up! STUPID! UGLY! ANNOYING! RUDE candidate! That was your last warning!"

"Or what?! Huh?" he smirks, stepping right up to her, putting his finger on her forehead.

"Or... this!" she says sweetly, before unleashing a kick with freakish speed. The impact sends the man flying in an arc across the Arena. He crashes to the ground seconds later, groaning in pain.

"Disqualified! He attacked an examiner! 57 candidates left! Maybe this exam will end real soon!" she cackles, beaming with pride.

How was this idiot smart enough to pass the first exam? He's too dumb to just shut up. It's always best to ignore loudmouths like that. Just let them talk and ignore them.

Cluck turns to the rest of the group. "Now listen! It's my turn to test you. Don't expect the same treatment from me as you got from that boring old Ox and his clique of rule-hugging conservatives. If people like them get their way, nothing will ever change. Luckily, I got a spot as an examiner this year—so it's time for something different! Not something boring and proper!"

She spins dramatically, pointing to the exit. "Follow me outside. I'll take you to the second task's location. You can relax for a bit on the way there."

I vaguely remember her personality being a little different… maybe because of the age difference?

The examiners in black suits open the Arena gates again. Cluck struts confidently through the crowd.

Then, she suddenly stops.

Right in front of Auren, Goreinu, and Konrad.

Konrad offers her a polite smile.

Her face instantly distorts into visible disgust.

She turns to Goreinu, eyeing him like a suspicious rodent. "You remind me of a certain monkey. What's with those sideburns and eyebrows? Weird! Ugly! Stupid!"

Goreinu slumps, retreating half a step.

And then, she locks eyes with Auren.

"I have never seen such a serene Aura… you're also quite pleasing to the eyes," she whispers. "Let's talk after the exam!" she adds with a sly grin, then turns and walks out of the Arena.

Following her lead, the candidates now spot the Hunter Association airship parked just beyond the Arena. It has landed in the open clearing, its massive silhouette casting a long shadow over the group.

This is indeed impressive. I guess the Association can afford the best ships.

The remaining 57 candidates, accompanied by Cluck and the assistant examiners, board the ship.

Auren, Konrad, and Goreinu find a few empty seats and settle in.

"Tired, Auren? I still can't believe you followed my car for that long. Don't your feet hurt?" Konrad asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not really. I've been trained, Konrad. A little jog like that is nothing to me. Anyway, the next exam will probably suit me better," Auren responds with a smile.

"I think so too," Goreinu adds. "That woman doesn't strike me as someone who'd throw riddles at us. Do you know anything about her?"

Auren shakes his head. "I only know she's a Botanical Hunter… what that means exactly, I'm not sure. She likes plants, hunts them, researches them… maybe?"

"How do you know that, Auren?" Goreinu asks, visibly surprised.

Konrad laughs. "Oh come on, I'm glad someone knows. If you aim to become a Hunter, you should at least know about the Zodiacs. They're twelve Hunters personally recognized by Chairman Netero. He entrusts them with major tasks. Each represents a Zodiac sign. Mizaistom is part of the moderate faction, close to the Chairman, and represents the Ox. Cluck is part of the more aggressive, hawkish faction. She pushes for change—and judging by her outfit, it's clear she represents the Chicken."

"This seems a little silly to me. They even dress like their sign? Anything else I should know?" Goreinu asks, still trying to wrap his head around it.

"Yes, they do, some even alter their bodies," Konrad confirms. "There's also a third faction—the liberal one. They're mostly apolitical and don't care much for internal conflicts. They're mostly focused on their own fields of study. According to my research, two members are also considered independent. If we're lucky, maybe each faction is hosting just one exam. That would explain why so many candidates were cut already, meaning only two phases are left."

"You might be onto something," Auren comments. "My instructors told me that most exams usually have five or six tasks. But based on how many people were eliminated, it would make sense if this one only has a few."

The airship slowly takes off. Auren notes through the windows that the city is gone—they've already left civilization behind.

He grabs something to eat and drink from one of the vending machines onboard, then heads to a quiet corner. Sitting cross-legged, he tries to get some rest.

To his surprise, sleep comes easily.

When he wakes, he feels refreshed—his body relaxed and in surprisingly good condition considering the situation, a minor miracle.

He walks up to a window and gazes down.

An immense forest stretches out beneath the ship. The trees look ancient, untouched, and wild. No sign of civilization in any direction.

He dials Buno. The call connects instantly.

"What's going on, little Auren? What's the status?"

Auren gives him a quick rundown, and Buno can't help but laugh.

"Sounds like Cluck, alright. I've heard that patience and restraint aren't in her vocabulary. Just play along. Kiss her ass. Once the exam's over, you can ignore her."

"Do you know anything about the upcoming tasks?" Auren inquires.

"No, sorry, little one. I had some intel on the first phase because of the number of candidates—it's almost impossible to keep something that big from leaking. But phase two? That's completely up to the examiner. I can only tell you that Cluck is a Botanical Hunter, and you just told me you're flying over a massive forest, right? I mean, you can put two and two together. Either way, this kind of terrain works in your favor, so good luck. And Auren—the most important advice I can give you: you're young. Don't take this too seriously. Have fun. Enjoy the exam!"

"Thanks, Instructor," Auren says, ending the call.

Enjoy it, huh? No. I want to pass it.

Heading back to Konrad and Goreinu, Auren pauses for a moment.

I guess I made at least two 'friends'… that alone might already be worth something, maybe almost as much as the 200 million I 'earned'.

"…"

"What kind of Hunter do you want to be, Konrad?" Goreinu asks.

Konrad rubs his hands and displays a greedy expression, "I need the license for business. With a license, you can get access to almost any kind of information—for a price, of course. That'll be extremely useful. My father's company is based in the Mimbo Republic, but we're expanding into the United States of Saherta. Yorknew is just too big to ignore. And with what Auren told me about Nen... I can't wait to get my hands on it. The possibilities are endless. Business negotiations will never be the same." He then laughs, almost sounding like a cheap movie villain.

"Don't go too far, or I might have to hunt you down myself," Goreinu jokes.

"Hehe, I'll bribe you. Or I'll hire Auren to protect me! Name your price, Auren," he laughs, clearly not serious.

Auren, however, opens his backpack and pulls out two knives—Ben's Knife 223 and 241.

"I collect these… Konrad, you as well Goreinu. Once the exam is over I need your help. Think you can help me? I'll pay you. It feels a little silly to pay you with your own money, Konrad, but I'd be very grateful," Auren says.

"These knives look sinister…" Goreinu mutters, picking one up and inspecting it carefully.

"I see… they have Aura. Definitely masterworks," he adds, his voice more serious now.

"Ben's Knives, right?" Konrad chimes in. "Actually, the son of one of my father's business partners has at least one of them, maybe more. He showed it off at a party once—told us the story of Benny Delon, the serial killer. That was quite a few years ago, but I can ask him. And I've got other channels too. If you offer enough money, this isn't impossible."

"I'm willing to pay above market value. I expect to earn a lot soon, so it shouldn't be a problem," Auren replies.

"Got it, I'll help you," Konrad says, his expression brightening, smelling a business deal.

He wants me to owe him… who cares? All he really wants is my Nen knowledge anyway. I don't lose anything by sharing it.

"If I stumble across one of those, I'll remember you, too, Auren," Goreinu adds with a nod.

"Thanks, I'm grate—"

"Good morning, weaklings?! Slept well? Not like I care!" Cluck's voice suddenly blares through the intercom, playful and mocking. "We're about to reach our target in 10 minutes. You better get ready. Anyone still asleep or who doesn't exit the ship in time automatically fails!"

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