Second phase

The pressure each candidate felt was immense. Gon was releasing some of his power to see if the people before him were worthy of standing here. The time of weak hunters was behind them. He needed to raise the strongest hunters that ever walked this planet.

The threat that race in the dark continent raised was immense. And just as he expected some of the participants passed out while 40 of them stood still or breathed a bit harder. With a calm voice, he ordered the passed out participants to be taken away. Those participants only came to the second stage with sheer luck. Hiding in the first test to survive they weren't worthy of being called true hunters.

When the passed out participants were gone the chair master started to scan over the remaining participants. With a smile, he congratulated them on passing the first phase. "You can come out now" and like that next to Gon appeared several figures.

All looked equally impressive each participant felt it the power those figures radiated. With a smile, Gon continued his speech "as you see there are several people besides me. All of those are what you all aim to be. They are qualified hunters and if I'm honest to you all. They are the top hunters of this time I don't want weak hunters or hunters that barely pass. That's why in the next phase you will be facing off against one of us.

That's if you make to us" gasps were heard all around the room except a few of them who seemed to not care. When Jiyu saw this he gave himself a mental note to watch out for those few that seemed perfectly fine with it. Most likely they had full confidence in themselves and didn't mind fighting a hunter. Some of them may even have mastered Nen and thought they could handle those examinators.

Gon continued his speech once more while a tv screen came out of the roof. It was a massive screen were a tower with 25 levels could be seen. "This is the place where we are arriving in a few hours. In this tower, there are 25 levels each harder than the one before it. It can include anything you can think about, traps, monsters, criminals, mazes. It doesn't matter how but you need to pass 24 levels to reach us. Then you will need to fight one of us and impress us enough to let you pass.

Of course, if you defeat us you automatically pass."

Some people in the room were looking around nervously while others seemed excited. But then there were a few with no change in their expression. To those people, Jiyu paid attention after all those people would most likely end up being the biggest challenge. "Rest for the coming few hours and get ready for the second phase" Gon spoke before walking away being follow by a bunch of top-level hunters.

Slowly the dining hall got emptier and emptier until only Jiyu was standing there wondering. He had heard a lot about previous exams and about his uncle. If he was honest he could sense something was going on here.

He knew that a person would change through various situations in their lives but what could change someone like Gon? To make an exam where 450 participants died? At the moment he didn't know but he knew one thing. Something bigger was going on here it was no ordinary hunter exam.

And he was right since Gon feared what was to come.

When he returned to his room he saw his now wife Yuki who looked rather worried at him, "dear what is wrong?" And for the first time, Gon dropped the tough act and sighed, "I'm tired you know? It feels like a constant weight is on my shoulders. I know what is to come yet I don't want to be so cruel. I don't want 450 people dying. But I know its necessary for our survival."

Gon said while laying down on the bed looking defeated while his wife spread her arms around his big shoulders. She spoke in a calming voice, "I know dear that race that will attack is something we need to be prepared for."

With a sad voice Gon spoke, "they have been planning this for so long. Why does it need to happen in my generation?"

"I don't know dear maybe there is a reason for it maybe there is not. The only thing we can do now is to prepare as best as we can." Yuki said while she felt the warmth of her husband. With a smile that spoke thousands of words Gon said, "that's right."

A somber mood was all around the room until Yuki changed the subject to Jiyu. For some reason, Gon would always cheer up when the conversation was about his in name nephew. Like that the somber mood washed away and Gon returned to his usual happy mood.

….

….

A white cold ceiling greeted the eyes of Jiyu who laid on his bed. His two hands under his head while he laid on his back thinking. He had decided to enter the hunter exam most of all for fun yet it turned out to be so dangerous.

Why was he still here? He could just give up and quit yet he wanted to continue on. Maybe it was the feeling of defeating his father. With many long thoughts, he came to a simple conclusion, he didn't know. For some reason, he just felt that he had to do this. He wanted to do it, it was something of his own free will.

Like this, his eyes closed the darkness comforted him while he slumped into a deep sleep.