This is the cruelty of the Hunter Exam.
From the very beginning, conflict is inevitable. Grouping means fights, and fights mean attrition.
At first glance, it seems like a straightforward test, but beneath the surface, danger lurks.
"A Hunter Exam without bloodshed would be too tame. Without the trial of fire and blood, you can't become a true Hunter."
This is what Ronnel believes.
Many examinees share the same mindset, seeing this as a necessary rite of passage.
Especially the returning participants—those with experience. Right from the start, they formed alliances, using any means necessary to secure their groups.
Within two minutes, nearly five hundred examinees had banded together. When others tried to approach, they were swiftly driven away by Ponzu's swarm of bees.
Meanwhile, the rest of the newcomers were left scrambling, struggling to find a place in the chaos.
Still, these were elite candidates who had made it this far. As the initial confusion settled, another group of five hundred was formed within four minutes.
That left only one minute before the cutoff.
"One minute left~," Ronnel remarked casually.
"Once time's up, anyone not in a group or with mismatched numbers will be eliminated. If this round wipes out everyone, so be it. It's happened before, and it still follows the rules of the Hunter Exam."
At his words, the remaining 400 examinees panicked.
Realizing they were running out of time, they looked at each other before charging toward the two large groups in desperation.
A clash was inevitable.
Or so they thought.
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
A silver blur darted out from the veteran examinees' ranks.
In an instant, dozens of candidates were knocked unconscious, hitting the ground before they could even react.
It only took ten seconds.
"Sorry, but it's forbidden to approach here."
Killua stood with his hands in his pockets, his tone as casual as ever.
"Whoa~! As expected of Killua, he's incredible!"
Among the newcomers, Bourbon's eyes gleamed as he watched Killua's effortless takedown. Perhaps an alliance with him in the next phase would be possible?
As he contemplated this, Killua himself sighed.
'Seriously, Ronnel just had to come up with something annoying. Why not just let us fight outright?'
His gaze swept over the remaining candidates. Taking down over a thousand examinees in five minutes wouldn't be impossible for him.
But that would mean failing to form a group in the end.
Breaking the rules would lead to immediate disqualification, regardless of strength.
What a pain.
His eyes flickered toward Ronnel, who stood by the iron gate, watching with an amused smile.
For a brief moment, Killua stiffened. He seemed to recall something, his expression turning slightly unnatural before he slipped back into the crowd.
"Weird. He's avoiding me on purpose. Did something happen?"
Ronnel raised an eyebrow but let it slide.
"I'll ask him later. No way he's getting out of it~."
With less than a minute left, most of the remaining 400 examinees—shaken by Killua's display—rushed to join the freshmen's group.
A final violent skirmish erupted. Blood was spilled. Weapons clashed.
Every second, more injuries accumulated.
As time ran out, the fighting only intensified. Candidates fought desperately to ensure their group's survival, fending off last-minute attacks.
Then—
"Time's up."
With the snap of a pocket watch closing, Ronnel's voice rang out.
It wasn't particularly loud, but it carried enough weight to make every examinee freeze in place.
"First round results: 1,000 examinees passed. 489 eliminated."
He barely spared a glance at the bloodstained ground or the battered, near-unconscious examinees still barely standing. Some were injured so severely they had to be supported by their teammates just to remain upright.
The moment the results were announced, those teammates let go.
The gravely injured fell to the ground. Some twitched briefly—then stopped moving altogether.
This was the reality of the Hunter Exam.
Everyone here had signed a life-or-death contract. They knew the risks.
Ronnel felt no pity.
"Eliminated examinees, leave immediately. Go out the same way you came in."
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, but it left no room for argument.
Those who had failed were silent, but their expressions betrayed their frustration. Some clenched their fists, unwilling to accept the outcome.
A few looked ready to snap.
"I'll say it again. Eliminated examinees, leave now. If you're still here in one minute, I have the authority to remove you by force."
His voice cracked like thunder, shaking them to their senses.
This was the champion of Battle Olympia speaking.
In terms of strength, none of them could match him.
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