038 The Hunter Exam In 1998

A night of unspoken tenderness passed, and with the dawn of the new day, Ronnel rose to face the ongoing conflicts around him.

The dispute between the northern and southern factions of Subai had not calmed after the death of one faction's leader. Instead, it sparked new power struggles over the faction's ancestral treasures, igniting a chaotic whirlwind of rivalry.

In the bustling streets of Heavens Arena, vendors hawked tassel crab roe buns, their voices rising above the noise of the city. Ronnel, however, focused on his meal, munching calmly as the gossip about the Subai school's affairs swirled around him.

Though the conflict escalated, Ronnel kept his mind clear of distractions, focusing solely on his Nen training under Bisky's guidance.

And so, a month and a half passed by.

During that time, Ronnel not only trained diligently with Bisky but also faced off against Shizuku. After 90 days, they confirmed their progress and the growth of their abilities. This time, Ronnel's strength had soared.

Meanwhile, the Subai school's infighting grew worse. Instead of fading with time, the rivalry intensified, escalating into bloody clashes that left many dead. Ronnel took advantage of the chaos, slipping into the battle zones and gathering the life force of fallen warriors, absorbing a vast amount of quintessential energy. This not only fueled his Nen but also elevated his mastery of the Subai Fist and Subai Kicking techniques to new heights.

With the combined essences, Ronnel now possessed considerable power to defend himself. He had grown confident that, should he face Chrollo again, he could hold his own. His training under Bisky continued, and he took it seriously—there was nothing more exhilarating than feeling his strength increase day by day.

Just when Ronnel thought his rigorous training would continue for much longer, Bisky handed him a peculiar piece of paper—one that resembled a playing card.

It was a registration form from the Hunter Association.

"With your current strength, you're more than ready to earn your Hunter License. Most of the examiners won't stand a chance against you," Bisky said.

"You shouldn't just train aimlessly. Go out and test your skills in the real world."

With that, Bisky handed Ronnel the registration form and took Shizuku out for some shopping.

The annual Hunter exam was set for January 7th, and it was now December of 1997—just the right time to sign up.

But there was something peculiar about this exam…

"A Hunter exam in 98?... Isn't this the one just before Gon and the others take theirs?" Ronnel mused as he looked at the form in his hands.

If he remembered correctly, Hisoka would be participating in this exam, but things wouldn't go as planned. Hisoka, notorious for his unpredictability, was said to beat one of the examiners half to death, preventing anyone from passing. Additionally, Hisoka would take out 20 other participants, making this exam one of the toughest in recent memory.

"A hell-level exam, huh? Sounds like fun," Ronnel grinned, his anticipation growing.

This was the Hunter exam, after all. Each year, only a select few, the cream of the crop, were chosen from millions of applicants. The upcoming session had Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Hanzo—all of them exceptional talents. The elite from this exam couldn't be much worse, right?

And those elite corpses? Ronnel thought, smirking. They'd surely be brimming with valuable Nen energy.

While Ronnel wasn't necessarily aiming to pass the exam this time, he couldn't resist the challenge. After all, as a time traveler, it would be boring not to go through the main plotlines of this world. There was something exhilarating about immersing himself in these pivotal moments.

Plus, with Hisoka around, things were bound to get messy. Ronnel wasn't worried about failing the exam, but he had no doubt, if Hisoka was willing to attack an examiner, there was no telling what he'd do next.

Still, Ronnel had a bold idea—one that could boost his strength even further, if things went according to plan.

After submitting his registration form to Bisky, it took only two days for her to return with instructions.

"On January 6th, head to an abandoned warehouse in this city. Someone will meet you there and provide further instructions."

Due to the immense benefits of a Hunter license, over a million people applied for the exam each year. To weed out weaker candidates, the Hunter Association set up numerous traps and challenges along the way. Candidates had to rely on whatever little information they had to find the true test site.

And that site? It changed every year, hidden away in the most unlikely places, making it an adventure just to get there.

------------------

For each review, upload +1 additional chapter

+128 chapters on patreon.com/FanficsHub

Unlock exclusive access to more fanfic chapters and support my work by joining me on Patreon! Your support helps bring your favorite stories to life!