Interview x Result - A Special Interrogation

Alex enters the small room, stepping toward the table. His eyes immediately lock onto the imposing figure sitting before him. The man is enormous—easily taller than Alex even while seated. Alex guesses he must be at least 2.30 meters tall (7.55 feet).

His appearance is something else entirely. His gray hair is styled into two flame-like bundles on the sides of his head. The weird eyebrows and mustache only add to his bizarre look, and his overall face reminds Alex of a Kabuki mask.

Botobai Gigante. Triple-Star Terrorist Hunter. Public Prosecutor. Member of the Zodiacs, Alex thinks, sizing him up. They say he's almost on Netero's level in combat ability and status. But what's with this guy? He's supposed to represent a dragon, but all I see is some Chinese dragon clown freak. Honestly, anyone who tries to make themselves look like this is just an idiot in my book, no matter how strong they are.

"Alex Kerber, Examinee No. 777… you may sit down," Botobai says in a deep, commanding voice. Something about his tone compels Alex to obey without question.

Alex takes the seat, unsure of what to expect. What kind of interview is this going to be? Should I lie? He hesitates. No… that's my usual fallback, but this guy would probably see through me in a second. He's a prosecutor and a hunter. He's probably heard every bullshit excuse in the book. Better not risk it. Alex takes a deep breath. Honesty might be the smarter play here. These people always seem to know when you're lying anyway.

"Why do you want to become a hunter?" Botobai asks, his tone neutral, his expression unreadable.

"My life depends on it," Alex says bluntly. "I need to pass this exam, as a special task… and for my future. I'd rather not lie to you, so I can't get into the details. But I'll admit, I also like the benefits a hunter license brings. And as you've probably seen, I have some unique abilities. I've been told becoming a hunter could help me uncover their secrets." He pauses, then adds, "Also… I think hunters are cool. I like the freedom that comes with the job. It's the kind of life I want for myself."

"What exactly would you use your license for?" Botobai presses, his tone still emotionless.

Alex shrugs slightly. "The license itself? I don't have a specific use for it right now. Let's just say I need to have it because I need to pass this exam. Once I do, I'll use it if I see a good reason to. That's all." He refrains from saying what he really wants to: "The Fantasy Realm forced me into this stupid exam."

"Your abilities… how did you awaken them?" Botobai asks, leaning forward slightly, his gaze unwavering.

Alex exhales, deciding to be direct. "I'd rather not say specifically… but fine, I'll tell you—just keep it between us." He leans back in his chair. "I've defeated some pretty strong enemies, and somehow, I ended up with the ability to conjure their souls in different forms. I don't get to choose what form they take—they just show up like that. For example, my claw? That's from a guy in Tribaio village who tried to kill me. It happened while I was doing a task the navigator assigned me as payment for being led into this year's exam."

Alex decides to be completely truthful, because he simply doesn't care about Botobai and sees no danger in revealing that kind of information to him.

He studies Botobai's reaction, but the man's face remains as unreadable as ever. Figures. Nothing fazes this guy. Well, not like it matters.

"Hmmm. Do you plan to use your abilities to commit crimes?" Botobai continues his questioning without offering any commentary on Alex's previous answers, making Alex uneasy. The man's poker face leaves him guessing at what he's looking for.

"No," Alex says without hesitation, keeping his response short and to the point.

"Is that so? Good," Botobai finally replies after being silent for a few seconds. "What kind of hunter do you want to be? Surely you're familiar with the Hunter Bylaws. You strike me as someone who approaches situations from different angles—someone who goes with the flow but still does their due diligence and prepares as much as possible. So, you know about them, right?"

"I don't know them, actually. They didn't come up during my research," Alex answers, carefully hiding the drop of sweat rolling down his face. DO NOT REVEAL THAT YOU KNOW. These Bylaws are exclusive to hunters and include knowledge about Nen, which I've already claimed I know nothing about to multiple people. Don't screw it up by falling into this silly trap.

"What kind of hunter do you want to be?" Botobai repeats, completely ignoring his previous question and Alex's response.

"I like weapons. I also like armor and equipment," Alex replies honestly. "I want to be a weapons hunter, collecting rare weapons, armor, and other useful items—mostly focused on obtaining combat strength and utility. Besides that, I'm interested in becoming a blacklist hunter to earn money for these weapons… maybe even a beast hunter because of my special ability. Sorry, I don't have a clear path yet. I might dip into several professions, but weapons are my main focus."

In truth, Alex loves collecting powerful equipment and using it to enhance his combat abilities. It's a hobby he genuinely enjoys. The other professions interest him, but they're mainly tools to help him reach his goals, not something he's deeply passionate about. Even inside the Realm Alex loves to collect different pieces of equipment. If he had a large amount of FC he might end up becoming a real weapons collector.

"This is my last question: do you have the will to become a hunter?" Botobai asks, his tone suddenly serious.

Alex prepares to answer, but before he can speak, Botobai continues, "No need to answer that. How about this—just sit there quietly and don't stand up. I think standing up or leaving the room during an interview before it's concluded is grounds to fail someone. Wouldn't you agree? No need to answer that, either. Just sit there for 10 seconds, and you pass."

Without warning, Botobai unleashes his Aura. Alex feels as though he's been transported back to the freezing ice caverns in the world of Final Fantasy 9, except this time he's completely naked, and Sealion is bombarding him with frost spells.

Alex shuts his eyes and focuses. He knows this kind of Nen attack is meant to crush his spirit. He steadies his breathing, trying to clear his thoughts and calm his body, even as it trembles slightly.

Seconds stretch into what feels like minutes. The overwhelming pressure pushes Alex to the edge of breaking, but he refuses to give in. He powers through, doing his best to stay composed.

Suddenly, the cold vanishes. Botobai looks at him, showing the first hint of emotion since the interview began. "Your will is impressive. I guess you pass. Examinee No. 777, congratulations on clearing the fifth task and officially becoming a hunter. You've passed this year's exam!"

"Thank you," Alex says with a shaky smile, his body still trembling slightly from the ordeal.

[Main Quest Updated:

Mission: Pass the hunter exam

First Phase: 1/1 Second Phase: 1/1 Third Phase: 1/1 Fourth Phase: 1/1 Fifth Phase: 1/1

…]

[Main Quest Updated:

Mission: Acquire your license 0/1

…]

So the last part of the exam was basically a freebie. And the system made it seem like there were six phases… good job tricking me, Alex thinks. The last part is just waiting until I get handed my license. Maybe there would have been a sixth phase if more people had passed. But since only five are making it, I guess that's not happening. He grins, feeling satisfied. Looks like I've got the A- rating in the bag.

"You will receive your license in about 10 days, along with the other examinees who pass," Botobai continues.

"Now, this isn't something we usually announce openly, but you've shown natural Nen ability without any formal training. That's rare. People like you are often referred to as geniuses. There have been famous craftsmen, for example, who subconsciously crafted weapons without knowing anything about Nen. Those weapons are now regarded as treasures, often containing unexplained powers—you may have heard of them."

Alex nods and replies, "I'm aiming for a few of Ben's knives to start my collection. Was he one of those geniuses?"

Botobai gives him an approving nod. "In fact, yes. But beyond craftsmen, there are others with strange and unnatural abilities they can't explain—people like you. These individuals are usually highly gifted. Since you're one of them, I, along with the other examiners who praised you highly by the way, have decided that you can start learning Nen now. You can use these 10 days to cover the basics."

"Normally, the Hunter Association would dispatch a random Hunter without any students to approach and teach you. But in your case, we already have a volunteer. You might even recognize them," Botobai says, a slight smile forming on his usually stern face.

"Now… we'll meet again once the fourth task officially concludes and you, along with any others who pass, receive your license. By the way, after eight days, something special had been planned for this phase. Of course, two out of the five groups—including yours—ended things early, so you'd never know about it. Feel free to watch how it unfolds. You have full access to this facility, and you can watch the monitors as much as you want—as long as your 'teacher' allows it." Botobai chuckles. "Your teacher will continue explaining things to you. I hope you enjoy this special treatment. It's been planned just for you. You can leave now. Your teacher should already be waiting outside."

"How… I thought I just passed. How can my teacher already be waiting outside if I could have failed?" Alex asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Your teacher was bored. And in case you'd failed, I think the plan was to humiliate you and laugh in your face. Kids these days… Anyway, I'll see you soon."

Botobai stands up, towering over Alex, forcing him to stand as well since the cramped room leaves no space for maneuvering. Alex quickly steps aside and opens the door to let him leave.

As soon as Alex steps outside, he freezes. Standing there is the literal grinch—but with longer green hair, tied into 5 top knots, a smug, arrogant smile, and an outfit that's barely an outfit at all. She's wearing denim shorts, usually only worn by female characters in "certain" works, a bikini top that barely covers her large chest, and a mesh shirt that's practically see-through, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.

In fact, it's just a slightly different version of the outfit she wore days ago.

"Menchi…" Alex mutters, unsure whether to laugh, cheer, or cry.

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