Wetlands

As the group continued to follow Satotz down the dimly lit corridor, the steady pace of walking soon turned into a brisk jog. It wasn't long before the jog escalated into a full-on marathon, with contestants pushing their limits as they raced through the seemingly endless tunnel. The sound of footsteps filled the air, accompanied by heavy breathing and the occasional grunt of effort.

Kurapika's sharp eyes scanned their surroundings, observing the growing fatigue among some of the contestants. "It seems this is an endurance test," he noted, his tone calm but with a hint of concern. He had realized that the true challenge wasn't just keeping up with the pace—it was about how long they could maintain it.

Leorio groaned, already feeling the strain in his legs. "An endurance test? Seriously? I thought we'd at least get to fight or something," he complained, wiping sweat from his brow. "This is just—ugh!"

As they ran, Kurapika caught sight of a familiar face among the throng of contestants. Anita, the applicant from the ship, was running with a determined look on her face. Without a second thought, Kurapika veered off to follow her, his curiosity piqued.

Leorio watched Kurapika break away from the group, his expression twisting into one of frustration. "Kurapika! Where are you going? Stick together, man!" he shouted, but Kurapika was already lost in the crowd, focused on catching up to Anita.

Meanwhile, Gon, running with steady breath and an eager smile, spotted a boy with striking white hair riding a skateboard, effortlessly gliding along the floor as if the marathon were nothing more than a casual stroll. The boy's eyes were cold, detached from the frantic energy around him.

Leorio, still struggling to keep pace, caught sight of the boy on the skateboard and shouted in annoyance, "Hey, kid! It's an endurance test! You're supposed to be running, not skating!"

The white-haired boy glanced at Leorio with an indifferent expression, his voice dripping with icy calm. "If the examiner doesn't have a problem with it, then why are you shouting?" His words were sharp, cutting through the noise with a chilling directness.

Gon, running beside Leorio, turned to his friend and nodded. "He's right, Leorio. If Satotz doesn't say anything, it must be okay," he said, supporting the boy's point of view with a genuine, if naïve, optimism.

Leorio's annoyance only deepened, his brow furrowing as he ran. "You've got to be kidding me! I'm here busting my chops, and this kid's just skating along? How's that fair?"

Gon simply smiled, unbothered by the disparity. "It's part of the challenge, I guess," he said as if to say that everyone had their way of overcoming the test.

Leorio huffed but kept his pace, glancing at Gon, who seemed unaffected by the increasing speed and distance. "This isn't some walk in the park, you know," Leorio grumbled, though his annoyance was less about Gon and more about his frustration with the unexpected endurance trial.

As the group continued their relentless run through the tunnel, Leorio, panting heavily, leaned closer to Gon and whispered, "Didn't Gojo say something about that white-haired kid earlier? I can't remember what exactly it was…"

Gon, with his steady breath and focused expression, glanced over at the boy on the skateboard. He furrowed his brow in thought but ultimately shrugged. "Yeah, I think he did, but I don't remember what it was either."

The white-haired boy, catching their hushed conversation, turned his cold gaze toward them. "Who's Gojo?" he asked, his voice sharp yet tinged with a faint curiosity.

Gon and Leorio exchanged glances, their confusion deepening. They quickly scanned the crowd around them, realizing with a sudden jolt that Gojo was no longer by their side.

"Wait… where's Gojo?" Leorio muttered, his eyes darting through the mass of contestants. Gon joined him, standing on his toes to get a better view, but Gojo was nowhere near.

Then, amidst the sea of running competitors, they finally spotted him—far ahead, moving with an effortless grace that seemed to defy the intensity of the marathon. But what caught their attention even more was who Gojo was talking to.

Gojo was engaged in a conversation with none other than Hisoka, the dangerous one they had seen earlier, now running at an easy pace beside him. Hisoka's distinctive attire and face paint stood out like a beacon, drawing wary glances from other contestants who wisely kept their distance.

Gon's eyes widened, and Leorio's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Is he crazy? Talking to that guy?" Leorio muttered under his breath. They both watched as Gojo and Hisoka seemed to exchange words, they didn't hear any of it but their conversation strangely seemed casual despite the tension that Hisoka's presence always brought.

For a brief moment, Gojo's gaze wandered and met the cold blue eyes of the white-haired boy. A flicker of recognition passed between them, but it was fleeting. Gojo's expression remained unreadable, and nonchalantly, he turned away, dismissing the boy as if he were just another face in the crowd.

The white-haired boy raised an eyebrow, intrigued yet unfazed by the silent dismissal. He continued on his skateboard, effortlessly keeping up with the pace without breaking a sweat, while Gon and Leorio exchanged uneasy looks.

"That guy's… something else," Leorio muttered.

Gon, ever curious and friendly, quickened his pace until he was running beside the white-haired boy on the skateboard. He flashed a bright smile, not letting the intense jog dampen his spirits. "Hi, I'm Gon! What's your name?"

The white-haired boy glanced at Gon, his expression initially indifferent, but Gon's genuine enthusiasm seemed to chip away at the cold exterior just a bit. After a moment, he replied, "I'm Killua."

Gon's smile widened, undeterred by Killua's initial aloofness. "Nice to meet you, Killua!"

Killua gave a small nod, still observing Gon with a mix of curiosity and wariness. He effortlessly kept pace on his skateboard, but after a brief consideration, he stepped off, tucking the skateboard under his arm. "I guess I'll run with you," Killua said, his tone lighter now as he matched Gon's stride.

Gon's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? That's great!" He noticed how Killua moved with ease, his steps light and full of energy despite the increasing difficulty of the marathon. "You're pretty fast, Killua!"

Killua smirked, a hint of pride slipping through his composed demeanour. "You're not so bad yourself, Gon."

"Geez, they're like a couple of kids playing tag," Leorio muttered to himself, shaking his head.

Leorio's pace began to falter, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to keep up with the relentless pace of the marathon. The other contestants surged ahead, their determination and stamina seemingly endless. His legs felt like lead, and the tunnel seemed to stretch on forever.

Sweat poured down his face, and he wiped it away with his sleeve, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Damn it... how much longer can this go on?" he muttered, glancing ahead to see Kurapika effortlessly keeping pace and Gon and Killua running together like they were out for a casual jog.

His body was screaming at him to slow down, but Leorio's pride wouldn't let him quit. "I didn't come this far just to fall behind!" he growled to himself. He tugged at his collar, feeling the weight of his clothing dragging him down. In a sudden burst of defiance, Leorio tore off his shirt, tying it to his waist without a second thought. His eyes blazed with renewed determination.

"Alright, let's do this!" he yelled, slapping his face to psych himself up. He straightened his posture, rolled his shoulders, and dug deep, pushing through the exhaustion. His feet pounded against the ground as he began to pick up speed, his breaths still heavy but now fueled by sheer willpower.

With his shirt gone, the cool air of the tunnel hit his bare skin, revitalizing him just enough to make a difference. He felt a rush of adrenaline, his heart pounding not just from exertion but from the challenge itself. Leorio's muscles burned, but instead of feeling like a burden, it was a reminder of his drive to keep pushing forward.

"Move it!" Leorio barked as he barreled through the crowd of contestants, his energy suddenly explosive. He manoeuvred around others with surprising agility, his momentum building as he surged forward. Contestants glanced at him in surprise as he tore through their ranks, eyes set on the front of the pack.

Before he knew it, Leorio had caught up to the leaders, running neck and neck with them. He shot a defiant grin at Kurapika as he passed by, earning a raised eyebrow in response.

"You look like a madman," Kurapika commented dryly, but there was a hint of admiration in his voice.

Leorio just laughed, the sound loud and full of vigour. "I've got a lot more in me than you think! For Money!" he declared, pushing himself even harder. For the first time in the test, he felt truly alive, his doubts and fears drowned out by the rhythmic pounding of his feet and the roaring of his heartbeat in his ears.

As the contestants continued their gruelling marathon through the seemingly endless tunnel, Tonpa lagged behind the main group, eyes scanning the runners ahead. His breath was steady, and he maintained a casual pace, conserving his energy with each stride. He knew the rhythm of this test well; after all, this wasn't his first time playing the game.

Ahead, he spotted Nicholas, the chubby teen in suspenders who had earlier mocked him. The boy was sweating profusely, his face red as he struggled to keep up. Nicholas clutched his laptop tightly, glancing nervously over his shoulder every few steps as if expecting someone to overtake him.

Tonpa smirked. "Well, well... look who's already losing steam," he muttered under his breath, closing the distance between them with practised ease. Nicholas hadn't noticed him yet, too focused on his laboured breathing and the increasingly difficult task of just staying on his feet.

Tonpa saw his chance and seized it. With a sly shift in his step, he angled his body and bumped hard into Nicholas, sending the boy stumbling sideways. Nicholas yelped in surprise, his arms flailing as he fought to keep his balance. The laptop slipped from his grasp, clattering noisily to the ground, its screen flickering as it skidded away.

"Watch it!" Nicholas shouted, glaring at Tonpa, who wore an innocent expression.

"Oh, sorry about that," Tonpa said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his voice. Before Nicholas could react further, Tonpa swung his fist in a quick, decisive motion, catching Nicholas right in the gut. The blow wasn't powerful, but it was enough to knock the wind out of him. Nicholas doubled over, gasping, his eyes wide with shock and pain.

Tonpa didn't stop there. He delivered another quick punch to Nicholas's side, then a sharp elbow to his back, sending the boy crumpling to the ground. Nicholas groaned, clutching his stomach, too winded to even cry out for help. Tonpa loomed over him for a moment, his expression dark and unsympathetic.

"Maybe you should worry more about yourself than others," Tonpa sneered, glancing down at the fallen contestant. He nudged the discarded laptop with his foot, sending it sliding further away. Nicholas looked up, eyes brimming with a mixture of pain and fear, but Tonpa had already turned his back on him, resuming his run with an unbothered stride.

Catching up with the other contestants, Tonpa seamlessly blended back into the pack, his breathing calm and steady as if nothing had happened. His eyes darted around, taking stock of the rookie competitors—those who were struggling, those who were merely pacing themselves, and those who seemed too confident for their good.

'They wouldn't even see me coming.'

The dim light of the underground tunnel finally gave way to an opening, those chased after it found themselves in the harsh, misty expanse of the Milsy Wetlands, a sprawling, ominous landscape stretching as far as the eye could see. The air was thick with humidity, and the ground squelched underfoot, releasing the pungent odour of decaying vegetation. As the examinees stepped into this treacherous terrain, Satotz, the exam proctor, stood tall and unflinching before them, his moustache twitching slightly as he assessed the group.

As the last of the examinees filed out of the underground tunnel, a loud mechanical whirring echoed through the damp air. A heavy, grinding noise signalled the tunnel's entrance slowly closing behind them. A few stragglers, desperately sprinting to catch up, barely made it through the narrowing gap. One examinee, too slow to react, was caught behind the closing doors, their screams briefly heard before being silenced by the unforgiving metal.

The tunnel entrance was sealed shut with a deafening clang, cutting off the darkness behind them. A palpable tension settled over the crowd. For a brief moment, the examinees stood in the open air, catching their breath, the cool dampness of the wetlands providing little relief from the gruelling marathon they had just endured. They were in the Milsy Wetlands now, an area notorious not just for its treacherous terrain, but for the cunning predators that called it home.

Satotz, the moustache examiner, surveyed the group with a calm, composed demeanour. He waited for the hubbub of chatter and gasping breaths to die down before speaking, his voice steady yet firm. "You've reached the Milsy Wetlands, also known as the Swindler's Swamp. The real test begins here. As I mentioned earlier, this place is not just dangerous; it's deceptive. Keep your wits about you and follow my lead closely as I take to the location of the second phase. This swamp is known for luring in the unsuspecting with false promises and deadly tricks."

The mist hung low, swirling at their feet as Satotz spoke, his warning about the swamp's deceptive nature sinking into the crowd. Just as the examinees began to refocus and ready themselves to follow Satotz, a sudden commotion broke out at the front. A man, tall and imposing, pushed his way through the crowd, dragging along a seemingly dead creature with a human-like face resembling that of the hunter examiner and an ape's body—a Man-faced Ape.

The man's voice rang out, clear and commanding. "Stop! Do not follow this man any further! He is not the real examiner!" He pointed accusingly at Satotz. "I am the true proctor of this exam. You've been deceived by this imposter! He along with other apes jumped me and stole my licence and everything."

Confusion erupted among the examinees. The crowd buzzed with uncertainty as they looked back and forth between Satotz and the new arrival. Some were convinced by the stranger's confident demeanour, while others remained sceptical, unwilling to trust so easily.

A group of examinees near the front argued amongst themselves, the voices rising above the din. "He does look official," one said, eyeing the man with the ape suspiciously. "I mean, why would an examiner be out here with some weird animal?"

"That doesn't prove anything," another snapped back. "Satotz led us all this way from the tunnel! If he wasn't the real proctor, why would he bother running us through all of that?"

Leorio, having barely caught his breath, leaned over to Kurapika, whispering, "You think this guy's for real?"

Kurapika narrowed his eyes, taking in the scene with a discerning gaze. "Something's off," he muttered. "The man's confident, but… look at the ape. It's alive pretending to be dead. No real examiner would parade something like that around."

Anita, who stood nearby, nodded in agreement. "Kurapika is right. No ape, no matter how well-trained, could mimic the behaviour of a professional Hunter. It's just a performance."

The examinees continued to bicker, some swayed by the man's authority, already being annoyed by the long-running, tiredness, ape's face but others were steadfast in their trust of Satotz. Amidst the growing discord, a sharp laugh cut through the noise—Hisoka's laugh, high-pitched and unnervingly cheerful. The magician, who had been observing with a bemused expression, finally stepped forward.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Hisoka produced a handful of razor-sharp cards, their edges glinting ominously in the dim light. "Enough of this," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Let's see who's really who, shall we?"

Before anyone could react, Hisoka launched his cards with deadly precision. They sliced through the air, aiming straight for both Satotz and the so-called proctor. The cards moved like a fan of blades, hissing as they split the mist.

Satotz, with reflexes honed by countless encounters, caught the cards effortlessly, his expression unchanging. His movements were swift, almost too quick for the eye to follow, and not a single card found its mark on him.

The man with the ape, however, was not so lucky. Hisoka's cards pierced him and the ape in several places, the force of the blows sending them staggering back. The man let out a choked cry as his form shimmered and shifted, revealing a second Man-faced Ape in his place. Both creatures slumped to the ground, blood seeping into the mud as they twitched and fell still.

A stunned silence fell over the examinees. Hisoka's unsettling grin widened as he twirled the remaining cards in his hand, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Always entertaining," he murmured, his voice carrying a chilling undertone.

Satotz turned his sharp gaze on Hisoka. "This will be your only warning, Hisoka," he said, his voice stern but even. "Attacking me or any other proctor will result in immediate disqualification. I suggest you exercise more caution."

Hisoka just smiled before saying, "Of course."

A wave of realization swept through the crowd. Those who had doubted Satotz now looked embarrassed, their faces flushed with shame. Leorio's shoulders sagged, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, while the ninja Hazo simply scowled, displeased at having been duped.

Kurapika, turning to Anita, smirked. "As I thought. No ape could truly impersonate a Hunter."

Anita nodded, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Exactly. A professional's composure is not something that can be mimicked so easily."

Satotz, unfazed by the display, addressed the group once more, his voice steady and authoritative. "Let this be a lesson to you all. In these wetlands, nothing is as it seems. Trust your instincts, but also trust in what you know. From this point on, any attacks on examiners will result in disqualification. Proceed with caution."

The examinees, now more wary than before, nodded solemnly. Hisoka, unfazed by Satotz's warning, tucked his cards away, his grin widening as if the whole ordeal had been nothing more than a delightful game.

With the Man-faced Ape incident settled, Satotz turned and resumed his pace through the swamp. The examinees followed, their steps more cautious and their senses on high alert. As they ventured deeper into the Milsy Wetlands, the true nature of the Hunter Exam began to unfold before them—a gauntlet not just of strength, but of wit and perception, where every step could be their last.

The Milsy Wetlands stretched before the examinees like a rotting, tangled maze, cloaked in a thick veil of mist that clung to the air like the breath of something ancient and malevolent. The scent of decay hung heavy, mingling with the sickly swodourodor of the swamp's overgrown flora. In the distance, the distorted shapes of twisted trees loomed, their gnarled branches resembling skeletal hands reaching out to ensnare the unwary.

Satotz moved ahead with calm, unbroken strides, but the examinees behind him were anything but composed. The ground beneath them squelched with each step, the mud sucking at their feet as if reluctant to let them go. The air buzzed with an unsettling cacophony of distant croaks, the rustle of unseen creatures, and the faint, whispering calls that seemed to echo from nowhere and everywhere all at once.

Barely half an hour into the swamp, the ground suddenly trembled beneath them, a low rumble that grew into a deafening roar. A titanic frog, its body as large as a small building, erupted from the mud with a force that sent muck flying in all directions. Its eyes, bulbous and milky, gleamed with predatory hunger as it opened its cavernous mouth, revealing rows of glistening, jagged teeth.

With terrifying speed, its maw closed over more than fifty examinees with the ground they stood on in a single, horrific gulp. Screams echoed as the trapped contestants were swallowed whole, their cries muffled by the creature's grotesque body. Panic rippled through the crowd, and the remaining examinees scattered in every direction, desperate to escape the frog's insatiable hunger.

"Stay together!" Satotz's voice cut through the chaos, but his calm command was lost in the rising hysteria. The frog, seemingly satisfied with its gruesome feast, sank back into the swamp, its bloated form disappearing beneath the murky waters. The ground closed over it as if nothing had ever been there, leaving only a churn of mud and the fading screams of its victims as a chilling reminder of its presence.

As they fled, the swamp seemed to come alive around them. Strange butterflies with shimmering, iridescent wings fluttered down from the canopy, their delicate appearance belying the danger they posed. Examinees who gazed too long into the butterflies' hypnotic dance began to slow, their movements becoming lethargic and trance-like. They followed the butterflies mindlessly, eyes glazed over, and walked straight into the grasp of waiting predators—massive, camouflaged plants that snapped shut with a sickening crunch, swallowing the hypnotized whole.

The air grew thicker with the smell of damp earth and something metallic, like rusting iron. Through the fog, the soft, sweet scent of strawberries wafted, luring examinees deeper into the swamp's treacherous embrace. A couple of Noggin Lugging Tortoises, massive creatures with stone-like shells and eyes that gleamed with malicious cunning, lay in wait. They cleverly used piles of bright red strawberries as bait, drawing nearly a hundred examinees toward them. When the examinees bent down to pluck the tempting fruit for quick energy fuel, the tortoises sprang their trap, their powerful jaws snapping shut with bone-crushing force. Screams filled the air as examinees were dragged down into the mud, limbs flailing helplessly against the tortoises' crushing grip.

Kurapika and Anita moved cautiously through the chaos, their eyes darting from shadow to shadow, each step measured and deliberate. Leorio, further behind, was pale with fear but kept his pace steady, determined not to be outdone by the horrors surrounding them.

Meanwhile, the ravens, sleek and black as shadows, perched high in the twisted trees, watching with beady eyes. They opened their beaks, and a perfect imitation of Satotz's voice echoed through the fog, calm and reassuring. "This way! Follow me!" The voice was eerily accurate, and many examinees, desperate for guidance in the confusion, turned and followed the sound.

But the ravens led them into deadly traps—deep, hidden pits filled with spikes, and quicksand that pulled them down like grasping hands, or into the paths of lurking beasts that pounced on them with ravenous fury. The ravens cawed mockingly as they watched the examinees fall victim to their deceit, and once the screams subsided, the birds descended to scavenge the remains, their beaks tearing into flesh with a sickening, wet sound.

Another group suddenly stopped moving hypnotized by strange but beautiful butterflies before being eaten. It was a grotesque spectacle of survival, where every wrong step could lead to a gruesome end. The swamp was a living nightmare, an unending series of deceptions and predators, each more horrifying than the last. The path ahead was obscured by the dense fog, and even those who kept close to Satotz felt the creeping dread of being hunted by unseen eyes, knowing that every shadow held the promise of death.