The airship cruised steadily above the clouds, its engines humming with a quiet mechanical rhythm that filled the long corridors. The tension of the earlier phases had softened slightly now that the candidates were confined to the aircraft. Most of them took the opportunity to rest.
Gon, however, had no intention of sitting still.
"This place is huge," he said excitedly, already walking down another hallway.
Killua followed behind him with his hands in his pockets, glancing around with a more careful eye. "It's just an airship."
"That makes it cooler," Gon replied immediately.
They climbed a narrow staircase and eventually emerged onto an open recreational deck near the top of the vessel. The wind pressed gently against the railing and the sky stretched endlessly around them.
Standing alone near the center of the deck was Chairman Isaac Netero.
The old man looked over his shoulder and smiled as if their arrival had been expected.
"Well now," he said pleasantly. "Two young explorers."
Gon walked up without hesitation. "Are we allowed here?"
"Of course."
Netero reached into his sleeve and produced a small rubber ball. He held it loosely in his right hand while his left arm rested comfortably at his side.
"I was hoping to pass the time with a simple game."
Killua raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game?"
"You may try to take this ball from me," Netero said. "I will only use one hand. If either of you can make me use both hands or knock it away, you win."
Gon's eyes immediately lit up.
"That sounds fun!"
Killua studied the chairman carefully. The relaxed posture looked almost careless, but something about it felt deliberate.
"Alright," Killua said. "Let's try it."
They stepped forward together.
Gon attacked first. He dashed straight toward the ball with the kind of fearless momentum that had carried him through the earlier phases of the exam. Netero simply turned his wrist and shifted his shoulder. The ball moved just out of reach.
Gon skidded past him and laughed.
"You're fast!"
Killua moved next, his approach more measured. He feinted low before springing upward toward Netero's arm. The chairman adjusted again, lifting the ball smoothly without taking a single step.
Killua landed lightly and narrowed his eyes.
Gon rushed in again, this time changing direction midway through his movement. Netero leaned slightly to the side, the ball slipping away by a margin that felt almost teasing.
From the doorway leading back inside the aircraft, Kitse had arrived quietly enough that neither of the boys noticed at first.
He leaned against the frame and watched the exchange for several moments.
"You two are making it easy for him," Kitse said calmly.
Killua glanced over. "How?"
"You're both trying to win alone."
Gon paused mid-step and looked at him. "We are?"
Kitse nodded slightly. "You're fast, but you move first and think after. And Killua waits too long for a clean opening. By the time you act, he's already prepared for it."
Killua clicked his tongue softly but did not argue.
Gon rubbed the back of his head. "So we should attack together?"
"That would at least make him move his feet," Kitse replied.
The two boys exchanged a quick look before turning back toward Netero.
This time Killua approached first, forcing the chairman's arm inward with a quick step while Gon darted toward the opposite side. The sudden change forced Netero to rotate his body slightly to maintain distance.
Gon lunged.
His fingers brushed the surface of the ball before it slipped away again.
"I touched it!" Gon shouted excitedly.
Killua smirked faintly.
Netero chuckled. "You're learning quickly."
They continued pressing him, their movements gradually synchronizing. Gon's attacks remained unpredictable and energetic, often changing direction at the last moment based purely on instinct. Killua adjusted to those movements with sharper timing, cutting off escape routes whenever Gon forced Netero to shift.
The chairman continued to evade them with minimal effort, but his stance began to move slightly more than before.
Kitse watched the exchange with quiet interest.
"Gon," he called out after another attempt, "stop chasing the ball."
Gon blinked. "Huh?"
"You react too quickly to what you see. Pay attention to what he's about to do instead."
Gon frowned thoughtfully, then nodded.
On the next exchange he slowed his approach just slightly, watching Netero's balance instead of lunging immediately. When the chairman shifted his weight, Gon moved instinctively toward the space it created.
For a brief moment, Netero had to pivot more sharply than before.
Killua took advantage of the opening, reaching for the ball.
It slipped away again, but the gap had grown smaller.
After several more attempts their breathing grew heavier, and Killua eventually stepped back first.
"Alright," he said, brushing hair away from his eyes. "We're not getting it today."
Gon dropped onto the floor with a wide grin, staring up at the ceiling.
"That was awesome."
Netero lowered his arm and tucked the ball back into his sleeve.
"You both improved faster than I expected," he said kindly.
Gon sat up and pointed at him. "Next time I'll take it."
"I look forward to seeing that," Netero replied.
Killua glanced toward the doorway where Kitse was standing.
Gon stood and stretched his arms.
"Still," he said, looking back at Netero with excitement, "that was really fun."
The two boys headed back toward the interior of the aircraft, already arguing about which of them had come closer.
Kitse remained by the doorway for a moment longer before following them inside.
Behind him, Netero watched the three candidates disappear down the corridor, his smile lingering quietly.