Chapter 17

"Looks like it's just the three of us for now…" Looking around the empty tunnel, I said.

Leorio responded. "Yes, the guy up there said we'd be a little early… But I didn't expect us to be here this early…"

Kurapika commented on his response. "It's still preferable to arriving late and missing the exam. You certainly wouldn't have wanted to miss it. Though, you shouldn't have much to show for with your skills right now…" When she teased Leorio about his lack of skills, her face remained motionless. She wasn't making fun of his lack of strength, but of his dexterity and agility.

Unlike in her case, Severus had to work extra hard to keep Leorio balanced on his body parts. Severus provided transportation, but he preferred people who had good body balance and reflexes. He didn't have to work too hard to keep them safe. He wasn't a true giant snake, but he wasn't thin.

Furthermore, he could only perform such transportation feats because he had trained with me and possessed the strength and stamina of a herd of bulls.

Like me, he could root out trees and, to a lesser extent, break through stone. His flesh was only slightly less durable and lasting than mine, but he didn't take chances when he didn't have to.

"What you say about me?" Leorio demanded angrily. He was easily annoyed. He reacted more often when he was openly disrespected.

"Are you hard of hearing, old man? Do you really need me to say it again?" Kurapika inquired, a smile on her lips. Thanks to me, she was more relaxed today than she had been the day before. She appeared to be ready for a warm-up before we began running, which she had no idea would happen.

She still had her beautiful and gleaming hair. The same design. But after she was done weeping, I talked to her later about getting a ponytail for it. Following the exam. I told her she should let her hair grow longer. Short hair was less bothersome for women who exercised a lot, but because the race and the various events during the hunter exam wouldn't last long, it wouldn't be a problem. The whole hunter exam could take up to a month. But not with me in the picture... I had a lot of ideas for what I wanted to do with the candidates...

Ponytails appealed to me. On Kurapika, especially since I came from Earth with my own unique perspective on her style and tomboys.

I was surprised by how quickly and blushing she agreed to my suggestion. We were getting closer and closer. Slowly but steadily.

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Thirty minutes later. There were more and more whispers in the dark tunnel.

While we waited, time passed. I did the majority of the waiting in the first few seconds.

After Kurapika beat him up during their warm-up, Leorio's ass met the ground in a hard fall. He only lasted ten seconds against her and her fortified wood swords. Leorio had some strength, but not as much as Kurapika and I, and Kurapika was a little too quick and skilled for him. In front of her, his small metallic knife appeared to be a toy.

Seeing him get so easily beaten, I laughed a little and took over, fighting Kurapika a little. I made no attempt to match her slow movements. I just stood there. She gave up just as quickly as Leorio did when she realized how tough my skin was.

At this point, our battle was essentially pointless. She was far too physically weak… She and Leorio wanted to try it again with me in a two-on-one match, but I told them they needed to conserve their stamina. I didn't say anything else for fear of scaring them… didn't want to give half-truths either. Marathon runs had a lot to do with mental preparation and knowing how far we would run. It didn't matter in my case, but even I couldn't remember how long this tunnel was.

When Tonpa arrived as a rookie crusher, his eyes flashed with an ominous and shrewd light. When he came in, he probably thought of us three as easy targets for his rookie crushing hustle. In addition to the expired drinks, he gave me a speech about the most capable and hazardous candidates. Those who needed to be avoided at all costs hadn't arrived yet when he gave me the speech.

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

"Give those to me. They are toxic." When I snatched the expired drinks from their hands, I told Kurapika and Leorio. We had just eaten breakfast, so they didn't need any more water in their bodies.

They only wanted to enjoy some nice drink. Which they weren't… Except for me and Severus… And…

When I opened the drinks and drank them, Kurapika and Leorio were complaining and worried. The elevator opened again in the tunnel just as I was recalling someone I had yet to meet, as the light from inside and the person inside drew the attention of most candidates. Including myself…

'Killua… You're finally here too…' I thought with a smirk.

I stopped drinking the toxic and expired drink that couldn't possibly harm me. I also reflected on my second life and how stupid and cruel I had been to Killua. In my previous life, without my memories from Earth, I was vulnerable to the shōnen plot. Even more so as the "main-main character" of Hunter X Hunter.

Because Gitttarackur, Hanzo, and Hisoka had yet to arrive, I examined the details of the only person in this tunnel worth looking at right now. The people around me couldn't compete with Kurapika. Some were on par with Leorio, but most were worse than him.

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Name: Killua

Threat levels: scouting (tier 5), regular fighting (tier 3), assassination (tier 5)

Singularities, gifts and buried talents: zoldyck, white-haired zoldyck, child of lightning

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[Zoldyck: An assassin bloodline that boosts talents in a variety of important assassin fields, as well as resistances required by an assassin.]

[White-haired zoldyck: The primary distinguishing feature of each Zoldyck generation's chosen and elite Zoldycks. As potential and most appropriate Zoldyck heirs, the white-haired Zoldycks benefit from an overall improvement in their Zoldyck bloodline.]

[Child of lightning: Killua is more lightning resistant than most people. After years of lightning torture, he developed this one-of-a-kind ability. Unlike his poison resistance, which he honed and inherited from his Zoldyck forefathers and which is stored within his bloodline.]

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Killua was formidable… Even more than I could expect…

But I immediately made a comparison between him and me and Severus.

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Name: Gon

Threat levels: scouting (tier 6), regular fighting (tier 5), assassination (tier 6)

Stats: strength (tier 4), vitality (tier 5), stamina (tier 5), durability (tier 5), dexterity (tier 5), agility (tier 4), perception (tier 6)

Singularities, gifts and buried talents: freecss, fishing, limitless potential, ageless, crowning deal, multiverse traveler, snakey bones, kingsnake genes

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Name: Severus

Threat levels: scouting (tier 5), regular fighting (tier 4), assassination (tier 6)

Singularities, gifts and buried talents: snakey bones, kingsnake genes

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In every way, I was superior to him.

It was impressive given that I didn't have the full support and training of a strong family and had to train on my own.

In terms of scouting, Severus was comparable to Killua. In terms of regular fighting and assassination, he was one tier above the Zoldyck with the white hair, though.

Kurapika could never compete with Killua, although he was only in tier 3 in terms of straight, fair, and head-on fighting skills. Unlike her, he was likely at the top of the tier, and as a tier 5 assassin, he could kill her whenever he wanted.

"Gon, where are you going?" When Leorio noticed me walking toward the elevator, he asked me.

I had left him and Kurapika with the other candidates, who were quiet or whispering.

"I'm going to say hello and try to make another friend. The kid seems to be interesting and worth getting close to." I replied with a smile on my face.

In my previous life, Killua was the one who initiated contact between us. He was seeking for a strong friend his age. This time, I wasn't just a lot stronger; I was going to introduce myself because I was different from my previous self.

'Severus, come with me…' I told my best friend, whom I intended to introduce as well, as I walked.

My snake looked puzzled, but he wriggled behind me and followed.

Severus, who was following me, drew the attention of not only Killua, but also the other candidates, who were already on their guards around him. Their expressions all suggested that he was much taller than they had anticipated. When he was all still and calm and rolled up on himself, it was difficult to tell how tall he could be.