Even though they were clearly aboard the same airship, Xiang Nan made no move to seek out Netero—and the old man never came to see him either.
From Xiang Nan's perspective, since the Association had shown no interest in the players' secrets, he could not be bothered to volunteer any revelations.
Still, the current situation gave rise to a new conjecture:
Is it possible that the Hunter Association has already learned about the "Myriad Worlds" through other channels—or from other players?
It was not impossible. After all, high‑level players in the Hunter world were hardly limited to Xiang Nan and his friends; he and Beishi were only part of the upper ranks.
Moreover, when the first Hunter Exam began, Satotz had received a remarkably prompt notice from the Association. Under normal circumstances—given that a riot had just broken out in Zaban City—the Association, even if eager to intervene, should have watched for a while and waited for a request from the local government.
"If that's really the case, things actually become simpler," Xiang Nan mused.
Since the Hunter world had reopened, the number of incoming players was beyond estimation—surely enormous. Many had already reached high levels and taken part in the Reincarnation Dimension confrontations. Some of them must have interacted with the Association or other authorities.
If the Association knew this secret, that would imply V5 had at least some idea of the players' origins. Though the system and its rules could not be disclosed, players could disguise the truth with a plausible cover story—there was room to exploit loopholes. Just like the early "censorship" effect, players still had ways to communicate with story characters.
"Yet it still doesn't feel right," he thought.
"Once V5 uncovers a secret, their style is always to seize control of the 'player faction,' to cultivate or even keep them as livestock. Players are the indispensable main force against other worlds; V5 would never ignore that."
"In other dimensions, because of differing settings and survival patterns, players all seem to integrate into the main world in various ways—Fairy Tail players joined Wizard Guilds, while a few Black Clover players now serve their kingdom. That proves one thing: unless a player can rewrite an entire world's macro‑structure, most have to cling to the existing power hierarchy rather than dominate it; they mainly end up serving the world's established powers."
"And those powers—whether countries or organizations—must already have grasped the secret of the Myriad Worlds."
"Players have become cards in the hands of their respective factions. Precisely because these forces organize them, many players can acquire far greater resources in the main world. It's as if each player chooses a group to join. Thus Reincarnation Dimension conflict has shifted from player‑vs‑player to clashes among worlds and factions. Unless the main world is on the brink of destruction, a full world‑vs‑world war is unlikely."
The "intruder" event had further reshaped Xiang Nan's thinking. To start with, it was obvious the Fairy Tail contingent fought on behalf of Phantom Lord, while the Black Clover players entered this ranking match to earn prestige for the Diamond Kingdom. Each had the backing of a larger faction, weakening the notion of a unified player front.
"If V5 really knew, they would already be laying groundwork—gathering intel on other worlds—but they haven't. So even if they possess some data, it's probably scant."
"Of course, that's only speculation; for now, the odds that they truly grasp the secret of the Myriad Worlds seem low—though not zero."
While he pondered, the airship began to descend. After a night's travel, they finally arrived at the site of the third exam: Trick Tower.
The number of Hunter candidates had already fallen to mere dozens. Only the third exam, and four‑fifths were gone. Those hundreds eliminated had once been the elite who, out of millions of applicants, reached the first‑exam venue.
For Xiang Nan and his companions, it all felt easy; yet from an ordinary person's viewpoint, Hunter selection was brutal.
Following the crowd off the airship, Xiang Nan finally spotted Manman—missing all night—chatting happily with Gon and the protagonist group.
They stood atop a huge tower that was, in fact, a prison packed with traps and inmates beneath their feet. Each prisoner's task was to hinder players for seventy‑two hours: every hour's delay earned a year off a sentence.
The bare, platform‑like rooftop hid many trapdoors, each a route into the tower. First come, first served; once a door was taken, it locked, and latecomers lost their chance. Every door could open only once.
Xiang Nan still remembered the plot of this exam. He also spotted Beans—Netero's aide—charged with explaining the rules. Everyone listened intently, and Xiang Nan found Beans' appearance amusing.
Just then, Manman slipped back to his side.
"Do you like Gon?" he asked bluntly.
Manman's cheeks flushed crimson as she shook her head in panic. Xiang Nan understood—she was a girl on the brink of adolescence; being drawn to a protagonist was natural. Her reliance on Xiang Nan stemmed from trusting an older and the bond they'd forged: when she first arrived, only he could restrain her second personality, guide her training, and plan her future. He was her sole family and friend in this world. Any other feelings were still vague and uncertain. Now, having met peers, the contrast made things clearer.
To Xiang Nan, Manman was merely a kid and trusted comrade—nothing more. He was in his thirties; to outsiders, she might as well be his daughter.
"If you like him, just go talk. Knowing each other better can't hurt," he said calmly.
Players and natives could marry and have children; if Manman ended up with Gon, so be it—it was her private choice. At his words, her face turned as red as a boiling kettle. Amused, Xiang Nan changed the subject: "What happened last night?"
"Someone tried to kill Killua," she stammered.
"Oh." Xiang Nan nodded. He recalled a twin‑tailed girl who sought revenge on the Zoldyck family, only to fail—an event that deepened Gon and Killua's bond.
"Did the two kids play the ball‑game challenge with Netero?"
"Mm‑hmm… I played too," she answered softly.
"You joined?" Xiang Nan was surprised; though not on Gon or Killua's level, Manman was still a genius.
"Lost?"
"Mm," she sniffled.
"Did you use Nen?"
"Yes…" she whispered.
Xiang Nan stroked his chin, smiling. Even if her second personality awakened, the three youngsters combined could never beat the old man. Still, Netero had doubtless noticed their talent. By using Nen, Manman had revealed herself to the Association, indirectly exposing Xiang Nan—but he didn't mind.
"I'm skipping this round. You and Gon have fun," he said, but she looked embarrassed.
"Go on—take the chance to relax."
Beans finished his briefing and left with the Association's ship. The third exam officially began. Candidates hunted trapdoors. A famous climber tried scaling the outer wall but was carried off by huge featherless bird‑creatures resembling gigantic infants with wings and claws. After that, no one attempted the shortcut. The tower's height meant certain death if one slipped, and there were surely hidden traps outside as well.
Yet Xiang Nan planned to do exactly that—such beasts and traps were no obstacle. Since Manman had revealed her Nen, the Association probably guessed his own strength. He already knew what would happen in this round; better to skip it and read.
As time passed, the rooftop emptied; Gon and friends found a door.
"Uncle, aren't you coming? I found plenty of doors for us," Gon called, concerned.
"No need—you go ahead," Xiang Nan smiled.
"Gon, don't worry about him," Killua muttered, tugging Gon's sleeve. "I told you—he's every bit as dangerous as Hisoka. Just look at Manman's power."
"Haha, true," Gon laughed, waving. "We'll head off then, Uncle!"
"Little white‑haired brat…" Xiang Nan chuckled as they left.
Soon only those without doors remained, all but destined for elimination. Xiang Nan lit a cigarette and, to everyone's shock, leapt off the platform and vanished.
"That guy… really doesn't know how to keep a low profile," grumbled examiner and prison warden Lippo, munching a croquette as he stared at the monitor. Xiang Nan, after all, was the most closely watched candidate in this year's exam—bar none.
~~~
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