[Scene: Zevil Island – Day 1]
A full day had passed since Max arrived on Zevil Island. On the first day, he spent most of his time searching for a quiet place to train. Eventually, he found a good spot, put down his bag, and activated Nen Weight.
Max (thought):It's been a while since I used this…
As Max trained, his focus was suddenly broken—he sensed something. From the bush, a dart was fired toward him.
It was Geretta, the black hunter with the blowgun. But before the dart could land, Max instantly deactivated his Nen Weight, dodge it then dashed forward, and knocked Geretta out with a swift blow. The ambush failed completely.
Max (thought): Is the black dude Looks like he tried to catch me off guard while I was training. Too bad for him—even if that dart had hit me, it wouldn't have done a thing. I'm immune to poison.
Max stood over the unconscious body.
Max (thought):He's not my target, so I won't take his badge. And… yeah, I guess I owe him a silent apology. Calling him a 'rare species'—that did sound kinda racist. Kurapika was right. It's like I was treating him as something less than human. Still... I'll just take these and leave it at that.
He grabbed Geretta's sunglasses and hat, putting them on casually.
Max (thought):They look pretty damn cool, anyway.
While checking Geretta's ID card, Max noticed his target number 405: Gon.
Max (thought):Oh, so Gon's is his target. Then why'd he come after me? Did he really think he could catch me off guard that easily? Too bad, Geretta. Still, I'll let you off easy this time.
With that, Max left the scene. When Geretta eventually woke up, he was confused—his badge was untouched, but his sunglasses and hat were gone.
Geretta (thought):Did… did he actually feel sorry for me? That's humiliating. I was the one who attacked him first. Tch… I'll just focus on the kid from now on and stay far away from anyone who isn't my target—especially that guy. He's trouble.
[Scene: Zevil Island – Day 2 & 3]
Max stop training after the second day end and wandered through the forest, still searching for his target when he stumbled upon a familiar scene: Killua was facing off against the Amori Brothers.
Before the brothers could even react, Killua had already finished the encounter by threatening to kill one of them, causing them all to surrender and force them to give their badge.
Max walked up casually, still wearing Geretta's hat and sunglasses.
Killua: "Where'd you get the hat and sunglasses? Wait... aren't those from the dart guy? Did you beat him and take his badge?"
Max: "Nah. I felt a little sorry for him, so I just took the hat and glasses. They looked cool."
Killua: "...Okay then."
Killua handed Max a badge with his target number.
The Amori brothers, still watching from the ground with confused look while looking hopeless.
Max turned and casually knocked them out and take their hat and stuff them in the bag.
Killua: "You didn't have to do that just to take their hats..."
Max: "Too much bother dealing with talk."
Killua looked at the other badge he had, wondering what to do with it.
Max: "Just give it to me."
Killua: "What are you gonna do with it?"
Max: "Just give it."
Killua shrugged and handed it over.
Max (aloud): "Hey! Come out from that tree. I know you're there. Let's make a trade."
There was no response. Killua already knew someone was hiding there, but he didn't bother saying anything—he could tell the person was stronger than him. But now that Max was here, well… let's just say it wasn't a problem anymore.
Max: "If you don't come out, I'm destroying this badge in three seconds—One… Two—"
Before he reached three, Hanzo, the bald ninja, jumped down.
Hanzo: "What do you want?"
Hanzo (thought):Damn, he's strong. I can feel it. No way I can win in a straight fight. And with that kid there too… what kind of monsters are those guys?
Max: "I want your scarf. I'll give you this badge in return."
Hanzo and Killua: "…Huh?"
Killua: "Really, Max?"
Max: "Yes."
Hanzo: "That's it?"
Max: "Yep."
Hanzo (thought):...I do have spares so i don't mind.
Hanzo removed his scarf and tossed it to Max, who immediately put it on and threw him the badge. Without wasting a second, Hanzo vanished into the woods.
Killua: "You just gave it to him… all for a scarf? You could've taken it by force."
Max: "Too much trouble. Besides… I like ninjas. He gets a pass."
Killua: "Hah… well, if I face him in the next exam, I'll blame you. Because he look stronger then me."
Max: "Really?"
Killua: "Nah, just kidding. Even without your help, I bet he'd have passed somehow. And facing him looks interesting."
Max: "You're probably right."
Killua: "So what now? I'm going to explore more."
Max: "I'll find another quiet spot and train until the end of the phase."
Max: "Hey, Killua—want one of the hats?"
Killua: "I'm good. Thanks though."
Max: "Suit yourself. Alright, I'm off. Later."
Max waved and walked off. Killua went the other way.
Meanwhile, the Amori brothers finally regained consciousness. They sat up groaning, then touched their heads—only to realize their hats were missing.
Amori: "...The hell?!"
Imori: "Those brat…!"
Umori: "Damn it!!"
They all screamed in unison.
Amori Bros: "WE LOST OUR HATS AND OUR BADGES!!!"
[Scene: Zevil Island – Day 4 & 5]
On the fourth and fifth days, nothing unusual happened. Max spent those days training, undisturbed.
[Scene: Zevil Island – Day 6]
By the time the sixth day arrived, Max had relocated to a new area and stumbled upon a cave. Night had already fallen, and after spending most of his time in the forest, he was eager to find proper shelter. The cave, with a river flowing just outside, seemed like the perfect spot to rest.
Max (thought):All right, this is the perfect spot. There's even a river outside. Nice.
Just as he was about to enter, he saw Gon walking out of the cave—carrying three unconscious people. Max paused, watching as Gon held his breath until he was clear of the cave, then finally exhaled. The people he carried weren't dead, just knocked out, and both Gon and Leorio looked beat up.
Max: "Oh hey, Gon. What happened to you guys? You and Leorio look like hell. And who's the girl?"
Gon: "Let's just say… we got bitten by snakes inside the cave. Luckily, we had the antidote. This girl's name is Ponzu—she's Leorio's target. Me and Kurapika wanted to help him, but things got a bit messy. The others passed out from sleeping gas. There were tons of snakes in there."
Max: "Damn, sounds like you've been through a lot."
Gon (grinning): "You could say that. Oh, and cool shades, hat, and scarf, by the way! Wait… that scarf looks like something a ninja would wear, and the hat and glasses—they're from the dart guy who attacked me, right? So that's why he wasn't wearing anything when he ambushed me—you stole his stuff! Still… you look cool. But stealing is bad, Max."
Max (smirking): "Appreciate the compliment. For the record, I got most of this fair and square—except the Amori brother's hat. I'll admit I took that one. As for the dart guy? He tried to ambush me while I was training, so he got what was coming to him. At least I didn't take his weapon and his badge."
Gon: "You're probably right. Maybe that's why he managed to ambush me and still looking confident…"
Max: "So he got you, huh? But you still have your badge, right? So all's well that ends well?"
Gon: "Not really… doesn't feel like a win."
Max: "Eh, whatever. Want the Amori hat? I've got a spare."
Gon: "No thanks, I'm good."
Max: "Yeah, it probably wouldn't suit you anyway—with that weird pineapple hairstyle."
Gon (sighs): "Is my hair really that weird?"
Max: "To me? Yeah."
Gon: "Well, I like it. Anyway, I'm taking Ponzu's badge for Leorio."
Gon knelt beside Ponzu, gently taking her badge and leaving another one in its place.
Gon: "I'll leave Bourbon's tag here with her so the examiners can find her. And I'll give Leorio her tag—he'll have six points and pass. Consider it payment for carrying her out. Sorry, Ponzu. :P"
Max: "You do realize she's sleeping, right?"
Gon: "Yeah, but it didn't feel right just taking it without saying anything."
Max: "You should've left her a letter then. Why say it out loud?"
Gon: "Huh… you're right. I'll write her a note. But I don't have a pen or paper."
Max pulled a pen and paper from his bag and handed it over.
Max: "Here. Keep it."
Gon: "Thanks!"
Gon placed Ponzu's badge in Leorio's case, then began writing the message. While he scribbled, Max asked:
Max: "So, did you all manage to get your target badges?"
Gon: "Yup, all of us did. What about you?"
Max: "Got mine. And in case you're wondering—Killua got his too."
Gon: "Really? That's great!"
Max: "Wait, you actually got Hisoka's badge?"
Gon (nodding slowly): "Yeah… but I didn't feel good about it."
Max: "Sounds like a story for another time. I'll hear it after the exam ends. For now, I'm heading into the cave."
Gon: "Max, I told you—there are so many snakes in there. Like, hundreds."
Max: "Don't worry. I've got poison resistance. Plus, those snakes will be dinner."
Gon: "There's also a dead body inside. The guy who controlled the snakes."
Max: "…And you're just now telling me?"
Gon: "I forgot. :P"
Max (sighs): "Whatever. I'll bury him. I'm heading in. No need to wake the others.""
Gon nodded silently. Max entered the cave. Inside, dozens of snakes were asleep. He moved carefully until he reached the deepest part, where Bourbon's lifeless body lay.
As Max reached for the body, the snakes stirred and attacked—but their poison had no effect. With sharp, bladed hands, Max tore through them, slicing them apart in a bloody frenzy. Hundreds of snakes lay dead, and Max was drenched in their blood.
He carried Bourbon's body out of the cave. Gon and the others were gone—but Ponzu had just woken up. The moment she saw Max, soaked in blood and holding a corpse, she screamed and ran off in terror.
Max (thought):Guess I look like a monster right now. Covered in blood, holding a dead body… but hey, I was trying to do the right thing. Whatever.
He buried Bourbon's body, washed himself off in the river, then returned to the cave. He set up camp, lit a fire, and cooked the snake meat using some spices from his bag. Poison or not, he didn't care.
After eating, he trained some more, then meditated until the sixth day came to a close.
[Scene: Zevil Island – Day 7 (Last Day)]
On the seventh day or the final day, as Max meditated, a loud voice suddenly blared overhead from a speaker—it was the guide girl, Khara.
Khara (Speaker): "The fourth phase of the exam has now ended. All applicants, please return to the starting point immediately. You have one hour of extra time. Failure to return within this period will result in disqualification. Furthermore, exchanging tags after reaching the starting point is strictly prohibited. Anyone caught doing so will be disqualified."
Hearing that, Max opened his eyes, calmly ended his meditation, and began packing up. He made his way back to the starting point and arrived in third place. Hisoka had gotten there first, with the Needleman arriving second. Max made sure to keep a safe distance from both, choosing to wait quietly for the others.
Hanzo, the ninja, arrived fourth. Killua followed as the fifth, then Pokkle as sixth, and the elderly Asian man, Bodoro, was seventh.
Gon and the others were still missing.
Max (thought):Figures they'll be last. Probably because Leorio and Kurapika were knocked out and hard to wake up... or maybe it's just classic protagonist timing.
Then Khara stepped forward and began her check.
Khara: "We'll now begin checking everyone's tags."
She called each name and verified their tags, counting seven applicants in total. But then she paused, noticing movement from afar.
Khara: "Oh?"
Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika appeared just in time, running toward the group. They weren't late—just cutting it close. Killua, visibly relieved, gave them a thumbs up. Gon returned the gesture, along with Leorio and Kurapika. But then Gon paused, eyes locking with Hisoka, who smiled at him. Gon stared back with a serious expression.
Meanwhile, Leorio and Kurapika glanced at Max, puzzled by his bizarre collection of accessories—a scarf, sunglasses, and an unfamiliar hat.
Leorio (raising an eyebrow): "Uh... Max? What's with the getup?"
Kurapika: "You look like you robbed so many people."
Max (shrugging): "Long story short—most of it I earned fair and square. The hat? One of the Amori brothers. He was one of my targets, so I stole it—makes sense, right? The one I'm wearing now? That's from the dart guy, Geretta. He tried to ambush me, so it's only fair I took it. The scarf? Got it from Hanzo in a trade—totally legit. And the sunglasses? Also from Geretta. Simple as that. They lost—fair and square. Well, except Hanzo. That one was a deal."
Leorio and Kurapika exchanged a glance, then nodded, understanding enough not to question it further.
Max: "You guys want the hat?"
Leorio and Kurapika both shook their heads.
Khara (clearing her throat): "Ahem. I'll continue now. Three more have arrived just in time. And now, for the final check…"
Max (thought):This is just like the first phase—they almost missed the deadline again. Typical protagonist energy.
After confirming all names and badges:
Khara: "All ten applicants have passed the fourth phase of the exam!"
Just then, an airship descended toward them. The final phase awaited.