"Kaizen, next question. Among the other ten candidates, who do you least want to fight right now?"
"Gon."
Hisoka's response came much quicker this time.
He had already ranked his preferred opponents.
Number one: Chrollo.
Then came Illumi.
Whether or not to move up or down the list—Kastro.
And then, Kaizen.
At this point, Hisoka figured he'd lost interest in Killua. Facing two Zoldycks in a row dulled the thrill of a third. The novelty wore off fast.
As for Kurapika and Leorio, Hisoka didn't feel the same pull. The desire to fight them just wasn't there.
"But I have to say," he added, "the one I most want to fight… that'd be you."
"Alright, I'm done with my questions. You can go."
Hisoka stood, walked out of the interview room, and quietly shut the door behind him.
Once outside, his eyes narrowed instinctively.
"That old man really is a tough one... My judgment wasn't wrong."
"But that only makes this more exciting."
...
After Hisoka left, the voice over speaker 277 echoed again.
"Next candidate…"
One by one, they entered and left: Gittarackur, Pokkle, Bodoro, Gon—
Until finally, Kaizen.
He already knew what kinds of questions Netero would ask. After all, he remembered this part from the original plot.
What's more, Netero had already approached Kaizen before the exam was over.
He wanted Kaizen to teach the examinees who passed.
Of course, that was only on the premise that Kaizen would become a licensed Hunter himself.
Which meant that, all the way back during the second phase of the exam, Netero had already acknowledged Kaizen as someone who would pass.
...
"Chairman."
"Kaizen, take a seat."
Kaizen sat cross-legged across from Netero.
"Alright, I'll start. Kaizen, why do you want to be a Hunter?"
"Well, for one, I've known about the exam for a long time and was always a little curious—I wanted to see it for myself. Second, having a Hunter license makes it a lot easier to access classified intel."
"Next question. Aside from yourself, which candidate do you care about the most?"
"Killua."
Kaizen hadn't revealed his true identity to Killua yet. Deep down, he was looking forward to Killua's reaction when the truth finally came out.
"So, who do you least want to fight?"
"Hisoka."
Honestly, Kaizen didn't mind fighting anyone. But Hisoka? That was a hassle no one wanted. It wasn't just about danger—it was the unpredictability.
"Alright, that's all for now. You can go."
...
Soon, Netero had all the answers collected before him.
Hisoka cared most about Kaizen and least wanted to fight Gon.
Kaizen cared most about Killua and didn't want to fight Hisoka.
Pokkle cared about Kurapika but also didn't want to face Hisoka.
He was realistic—he knew Hisoka was far beyond him in strength, while he and Kurapika were on more equal footing.
At least, for now.
After learning Nen, everything would change.
Kurapika could go toe-to-toe with a member of the Phantom Troupe—an Enhancer like Uvogin, no less. Constraints and oaths aside, it still spoke volumes about his strength.
Pokkle, by contrast, failed to take down even a soldier captain.
In the canon, Shizuku had no problem doing that.
Which meant Uvogin was clearly above Shizuku—and Pokkle stood no chance against someone like that.
Killua cared most about Gon and didn't want to fight Pokkle.
The reason was simple: he and Gon were the same age, and he didn't dislike Pokkle—so there was no reason to fight him.
Bodoro named Hisoka as the one he most cared about… and the one he least wanted to fight. Same went for Killua.
This showed that Bodoro might lack both talent and insight.
He couldn't see how vast the gap between him and Hisoka was, nor recognize Killua's hidden strength.
Making it this far in the Hunter Exam was more about experience than actual power.
Someone with very little potential.
Illumi's answers matched Kaizen's, but with a twist.
Kaizen cared about Killua because of a deep familial bond—he was curious how his cousin would react to the truth.
Illumi, on the other hand, was all about control. A textbook case of obsessive "brotherly love."
Kaizen's affection was real. Illumi's? Possessive.
Gon said he cared most about Hisoka, and the people he didn't want to fight included Killua, Kurapika, Leorio—and Kaizen.
Hanzo also said Hisoka was the one he cared about most, and the one he feared fighting the most.
Alita, on the other hand, answered "Kaizen" for both.
But unlike Hanzo, who feared Hisoka, Alita's response came from a place of respect and gratitude.
Kurapika named Hisoka, Kaizen, and Gon as the ones he cared about most.
When it came to fighting, it depended on the reason—if one existed, anyone was fair game. If not, he wouldn't fight anyone.
Leorio answered Kurapika for both questions—he cared about him most, and didn't want to fight him either.
Kaizen's presence had changed the usual dynamic.
In this version of the world, Leorio didn't survive the exam thanks to Gon saving him. He got through by pure luck—happened to run into Bourbon, who was distracted and off his game.
One flying kick later, he had the number plate he needed.
These answers revealed a clear truth:
Everyone feared Hisoka most.
Candidates like Kaizen and Illumi—despite being powerful—didn't stir the same fear, likely due to how little people knew about their real abilities.
Even if two candidates were similar in raw strength, their differences in aura control, mental resilience, or tactical thinking set them apart.
Bodoro, in this context, came out dead last.
Weakest in power.
Lowest in potential.
And least perceptive.
...
Netero picked up a pen and started drawing lines on his list.
He was arranging the final match-ups.
Outside, the candidates clustered in small groups.
There were eleven in total.
Hisoka, Illumi, Hanzo, Bodoro, Pokkle, and Alita stood alone.
Kaizen was the first to return.
Then came Gon, who walked over to join him.
Next Killua.
Then Kurapika.
Finally, Leorio leaned against the wall, scanned the room, and said with a hint of awe,
"You know… I didn't think we'd all make it this far. It's kind of incredible."
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