License x Opportunity - Plans for the Future

Menchi, Linne, and Alex walk towards the control room and see the usual monitors. They are just in time to see the three remaining winners walk out of their individual rooms. They are, of course, Shalnark, Melody, and Palm.

So it ended up like this after all. Guess it was obvious, Alex thinks, clearly not surprised by the outcome of the task.

He watches as Bushidora approaches the three winners outside of their individual rooms and congratulates each of them.

"Looks like, aside from you, only Nen users made it through the exam. Hmph, this isn't how it should be!" Alex hears someone saying. He turns and nearly screams as he notices the imposing Botobai Gigante standing next to him. Botobai continues, "Tell them they've passed the fifth exam as well. No use in not letting Nen users pass—they indeed possess the necessary qualifications."

So why was I the only one interviewed and tested, huh? Asshole, Alex can't help but complain in his head, though he would never dare say that to Botobai's face.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Botobai asks, looking at Alex.

"No…" Alex responds curtly.

Menchi, standing a bit behind him with Linne, smirks, obviously noticing Alex's true feelings and finding it funny that he gives such a meek response.

A few minutes later, Bushidora arrives and walks towards Alex, saying, "Looks like this year's exam is nearly over. After the final interview, whoever remains will get the license."

Alex replies, "Botobai just told me he's not interested in testing them since they're all Nen users already. They've passed the fifth exam."

Everyone looks at Alex in shock at this surprising message from Botobai, especially Shalnark, who fixes Alex with an intrigued expression. "Congratulations, I guess," Alex finally adds.

Shalnark and Melody shake Alex's hand and congratulate him. Palm, on the other hand, says, "I knew you would pass. Right from the start, I knew."

BULLSHIT, Alex thinks. Didn't she predict my loss at the lottery during the first exam? What a scammer!

"Not only did you pass before all of us, but you also learned Nen in just a few days! I'm impressed, Alex. I knew I wasn't wrong about you," Shalnark says in a happy voice, his true feelings, as always, impossible to identify.

Shalnark's eyes suddenly glint, revealing a hint of craziness as he unleashes his Aura, displaying a powerful and cold Ren.

Alex, Palm, Melody, and even a few of the Hunters nearby instinctively respond by unleashing their own Ren.

To Alex's surprise, his Ren isn't weaker at all than Melody's or even that of the Hunters assisting the main examiners.

Shalnark, of course, instantly suppresses his Aura again and laughs. "Sorry, that was just a small joke," he says with a sweet, way-too-friendly face.

Alex, Palm, Melody, and everyone else just stares at Shalnark. Some of them show a frightened look on their faces.

"Everyone! Congratulations on passing the 285th hunter Exam!"

A tiny man, completely green body, approaches them, his head round and looking like an actual bean. Alex recognizes this weird freak as Beans, the Chairman's personal secretary.

He begins to loudly clap, and the rest of the room reluctantly claps as well.

"Please follow me to the small room right over here. I've got a small presentation prepared for you!" he says, with a big smile on his face.

Alex looks at Menchi, but she just shrugs her shoulders and gestures to follow Beans.

Alex can't help but stare at this freak of a man while he and the others follow him into a small room, thinking, If you boil this guy, would he be edible?

He hears a voice in his mind asking him: "Can we kill this guy? I feel there is something special about him… I want to take a deep look… inside his dead body."

Alex responds in his mind, That guy is rather friendly. Let's spare him, okay, Mustrano? Also, he is the secretary of the current chairman of the Hunter Association—without a doubt the strongest Hunter alive. It would be very unwise to crack open the bean at this moment. Let's save a little bit of fun for later, okay?

Alex sits down next to Shalnark in the empty room, and Beans stands in front of the group of examinees, standing on a small podium.

"My my, I thought this year's examiners would be even harsher, but it looks like we found four real gems. Of course, I already know about you, Palm. I guess your master will be quite impressed, won't he? Chairman Netero will also be happy."

Palm's look suddenly distorts as she shows a disgusting smile, her face beet red.

Is she thinking about her master? What a sick woman. Being stalked by her is a terrible fate for anyone with a sane mind, Alex can't help but think, feeling genuinely disgusted by her.

"Now, you are called Melody, right? I think you will be a very special hunter. I'm glad you passed. People like you are desperately needed inside the organization."

"Thank you, Hunter Beans," Melody replies, without too much of a reaction.

"Shalnark and Alex, you are an odd combination. Shalnark, you used your one-of-a-kind intellect to easily pass the exam. As far as I and the other examiners could tell, you didn't even remotely struggle—not even once. Your talent is truly frightening… Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to sound so ominous."

"Don't worry about it," Shalnark responds with a smile.

"Anyway, opposite of that, you, Alex, are a bit of a wild card. Pistol skills, sword and shield techniques, a claw-style martial art—what a weird combination. Physically, you are fairly above average as well. No complaints here, definitely qualified. I think you earned your license even if you didn't possess your unique abilities! You are indeed one of those hidden geniuses… you couldn't be more different from Shalnark, but you are frightening as well."

"Now that you have discovered how your ability works, your Aura looks like it grew to a level most hunters need decades for. Truly scary. Although, I'm sure the Chairman would be delighted and very curious about you. I'll welcome you two to the organization as well. You surely deserve it." Beans finally ends his personal congratulation speeches.

"Thanks, I guess. Too bad I didn't get to meet the chairman," Alex responds, obviously not serious.

"The chairman is a great person! Don't worry—you'll get to meet him sometime soon. Perhaps in a few years, one of you will act as an examiner as well. Now, let's begin… please pay attention to the things I'm about to tell you right now, as they are very important."

"Let's talk about benefits first. You'll be very interested to know that you can use 95% of all public facilities at no cost. You have access to the most restricted countries and areas. Then there is…." Beans goes on and on, not stopping or asking questions at all.

Alex tries to pay attention to Beans, but it only takes five minutes before he stops listening and thinks back to his spar with Menchi. He remembers her standing in front of him, her foot placed on his stomach just above his private parts. He can still see it in his mind—her beautiful face, slightly flushed, with a big mischievous grin, completely dominating him.

Damn, I can't stop thinking about this. I want to leave already. I don't care about this boring lecture. Not like I'm gonna stay and act like a good hunter obeying all the laws anyway. Just give me the fucking license, Bean face, he thinks, a bit grateful that one look at the silly Beans immediately got rid of any excitement he was feeling just a moment ago. That guy killed my Boner faster than anything else I have ever seen before, what a total weirdo!

Two hours later, Beans complains, "You guys, I get the feeling nobody is really paying attention. Even you, Melody—you look like you're thinking about something else as well… Fine, I think that's enough. I'll give you what you are after now."

He takes out a small box with four cards—four hunter licenses. He takes them out one by one and hands them to Palm, Melody, Shalnark, and finally Alex.

After this boring lecture about rules, laws, and the ethics of being a hunter, Alex is jolted awake by his reward: his very own hunter license!

He finally takes a look at it. It's a card the size of a credit card, with the hunter logo at the very top, and a bit of information on it. It looks a bit more like a trading card than a credit card. To his surprise, the system recognizes the license!

You received Hunter License

[Hunter License]

World: Hunter x Hunter

Quality: Deep Green

Type: Trinket (Card)

Required Stats: NEN - 1

Effect: Increases AURA regeneration by 5%

Note: You are officially a Hunter! Don't be tempted to sell this license, you'll regret it.

Note: Can be upgraded

Alex looks at it with a bright smile, thinking, A second trinket! Nice… looks like if I reach Single, Double, or Triple-Star, this license can be upgraded! Interesting! The bonus is related to Nen as well… damn, this is tempting. Bushidora's offer is sounding better day by day.

[Main Quest completed:

Mission: Acquire your license 1/1]

[Congratulations on clearing the main quest - Player will be teleported back to the Fantasy Realm in 0 days 01 hour and 59 minutes]

Wait, that's it? This can't be, Alex thinks, alarmed.

[Player has earned the right to extend his stay by accepting a side mission.

However, performing badly during this side mission will lead to a reduction in Mission Rating, while traveling outside the mission parameters will immediately lead to mission failure and forced return back to the Fantasy Realm]

[Does Player want to accept the side mission? The side mission will be chosen randomly from suitable missions for Player's current level and abilities]

[Player has 5 minutes to decide]

I… I don't want to leave yet. I think I'll take this side mission. SYSTEM, I accept the side mission, he thinks, addressing the system.

[Player has accepted the side mission]

[Generating suitable side mission]

[Checking location: Mimbo Republic, choosing the nearest suitable location. Kukuroo Mountain selected - Error, Kukuroo Mountain danger level not suitable for player level - choosing next best location: Heaven's Arena]

[Side Quest Accepted:

Mission: Reach the 200th floor of Heaven's Arena in less than 3 months time.

50th Floor: 0/1 100th Floor: 0/1 150th Floor: 0/1 200th Floor: 0/1

Reward: ???, Increased Mission Rating

Time Limit: 3 Months

Failure: Lowered Mission Rating]

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