075 Crazy Hisoka, Eun-Eun!

A piercing scream drew the audience's attention as a man, missing an arm, fell to his knees, wailing.

"AHHH!!! MY HAND! MY HAND!!!"

"It's unbelievable! How did your hand disappear into thin air? There's no trick, no mechanism."

A familiar voice, and an even more familiar style of speaking.

Standing before the man who had just lost his arm, Hisoka, with his signature half-smile, chuckled.

"Be more careful next time, and maybe try talking like me when you bump into someone."

"Whoa~"

Before Hisoka finished speaking, the crowd backed away, keeping a wide berth from him.

Among those watching were Ponzu, the girl who controlled bees, Pokkle, the archer who used poison-tipped arrows, Geretta, dark-skinned and long-nosed, and Bourbon, who commanded poisonous snakes. Even the Amori brothers, who were always inseparable, were present.

These veteran candidates, who had already witnessed Hisoka's terrifying abilities in the previous Hunter exam, now looked even more disturbed upon seeing him in person.

"That maniac... He's back."

Gretta and the eldest Amori brother, having seen Hisoka dispatch the loud-mouthed examiner in the third round, began cautiously moving away, their expressions turning grim.

"Ho ho ho~"

Hisoka paid no mind to the cautious movements of the other participants. He turned, his eyes gleaming, and focused on the person he had been waiting to meet for the past six months.

"Long time no see, little Ronnel!"

Leorio and Kurapika tensed up immediately when they noticed Hisoka's attention, but his words sent a chill down their spines.

"Little Ronnel?"

Both of them stiffened, slowly turning their heads to see Ronnel with a twitching eyebrow.

"I knew it. This guy just had to join this year's exam too."

Veins pulsed on Ronnel's forehead as he tried to ignore Hisoka. But Hisoka didn't just call his name—he started sauntering over with his characteristic playful steps.

"Oh ho ho, what a surprise! I didn't expect to see you here again, little Ronnel!"

"Don't call me that!" Ronnel snapped. Stepping forward, he stared down Hisoka, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Fight! Fight!" cheered Killua from the sidelines, his skateboard under his arm as he watched the unfolding scene with obvious excitement.

Meanwhile, Gittarackur, dressed in his needleman attire, glanced briefly at Killua before turning his attention back to the confrontation on the field.

(T/N: Illumi briefly appears during the first parts of the Hunter Exam, under the name of Gittarackur)

Ronnel met Hisoka's lustful gaze, staring him down without any sign of backing off.

"Do you really want to fight me right now?"

"A fight? Oh, how I've waited for this!" Hisoka's eyes darkened, and the grin on his face widened even more.

Apart from the eerie sound of Hisoka shuffling his cards, the room was completely silent. Everyone watched, holding their breath.

As the tension in the air grew thicker, Kurapika and Leorio found it harder and harder to breathe. Even Gon seemed hesitant to say anything. Meanwhile, a talkative bald ninja, sensing danger, quietly withdrew from the scene.

Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, Hisoka suddenly stopped shuffling his cards.

Riiiing!

The piercing sound of a bell echoed through the tunnel.

Everyone looked up to see a secret door on the wall above the metal pipes. Stepping out from the door was a man in a suit, sporting pink-purple hair and a curled mustache that covered his mouth. In his hand, he held a strange bird-like creature that chirped like an alarm bell.

Satotz, shaking the bird-like alarm, intended to announce the next phase of the Hunter Exam.

But the timing couldn't have been worse—it sounded just as Ronnel and Hisoka were ready to clash.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three cards, charged with Hisoka's deadly nen, shot towards Ronnel from different angles.

"Well, well... it seems you've put some thought into your card-throwing technique," Ronnel muttered, though his hands moved faster than his words.

Clang!

With a quick flick of his fingers, Ronnel deflected the cards, the sound of metal clanging as the cards ricocheted off his nen-enhanced fingers.

And in that instant, Ronnel's right hand, reinforced with "Ten" and "Ken," shot forward, aiming straight at Hisoka.

Clink!

His fist, covered in nen, collided with Hisoka's cards, producing a sharp, rhythmic sound.

"This level of nen isn't enough to break through my defenses," Ronnel whispered to Hisoka, loud enough only for the two of them to hear.

Hisoka's smile didn't fade; it only grew more twisted.

Boom!

Ronnel's powerful strike sent Hisoka flying backward. But Hisoka quickly flipped back to his feet, his body already bending into a combat stance, his fingers playing with a card as he continued to grin maniacally.

"That's enough!"

The remaining exam candidates barely had time to react as Satotz, the examiner, suddenly appeared between them.

"The Hunter Exam is about to officially begin. From this moment on, any candidates who cause trouble will be disqualified!"

Satotz stood firmly between Ronnel and Hisoka, though beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. The nen aura from these two was far beyond what a Ruins Hunter like him could handle.

But as the examiner, it was his duty to ensure the exam proceeded smoothly.

"Oh ho ho ho~"

Hearing Satotz's words, Hisoka slowly relaxed his posture, the madness and desire in his eyes gradually subsiding.

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