Having barely mastered the basic use of Nen, Aoyama felt that, at its core, Nen wasn't much different from chakra—it was simply another kind of energy hidden within the body.
Of course, martial arts "inner energy" also counted as a form of internal power, but compared to chakra or Nen, it was far too primitive—there was no way it could be put on the same level.
The first thing he did after learning Nen was to try wrapping his body in it. Then he lashed out with a whip kick—his leg sliced the air like a scythe, and the turf was torn up in one sweep.
But training was over, and there was no time left for sparring. Hisoka was about to board a plane and leave to take part in the Hunter Association's annual Hunter Exam.
Truth be told, Aoyama also wanted to join the exam. After all, there weren't many real experts on the upper floors of Heaven's Arena before the two-hundredth floor. Instead of wasting time there, he might as well try the Hunter Exam for fun.
Besides, he still had to return to the shinobi world sooner or later. If he didn't mess around a little here first, wouldn't it be a waste of his trip to the Hunter world?
The Hunter Exam was a bit special. It wasn't something you signed up for in advance. From the moment you begin your journey to the venue, you could already be under evaluation. One careless mistake, and you'd be eliminated before you even realized what was happening.
Too lazy to keep fighting matches at Heaven's Arena, Aoyama used the prize money he'd earned to buy a train ticket straight to the Hunter Exam.
He was looking forward to seeing what would happen.
The world of martial heroes was nothing but blades, vendettas, and emotions. One man could be an entire jianghu, and a crowd of them only made it more chaotic.
In the shinobi world, ninjas were pitiful beings. Betrayal and deception were their true nature. Nobody knew who would die tomorrow, so few even dared dream of the future. Most simply lived for the present.
But the Hunter world… that was a place truly worth longing for. An uncharted world filled with mysteries, where countless legendary secret realms and forbidden zones hid untold treasures waiting to be unearthed.
And so, a special kind of people had emerged there—Hunters.
Four days later.
The descending elevator came to a stop. Holding his candidate badge, Aoyama stepped through the door—and the first thing he saw was Hisoka, idly playing with cards. At the same moment, Hisoka's gaze lifted and met his.
Bored out of his mind, Hisoka's eyes lit up when Aoyama appeared. He narrowed them, drew out an Ace of Spades, and focused Nen into his eyes. With a flick, he shot the card straight at Aoyama.
Whip!
Aoyama caught it easily, then tossed it back with a grin.
"Seeing me, you don't have to get that excited. A card that sharp might just kill me by accident. Can't you be a little nicer? After all, I count as half your student, don't I?"
Several strong candidates nearby were shocked at the sharpness of Hisoka's cards—but even more stunned by the fact that Aoyama caught it without effort.
In particular, Tonpa—the so-called "exam veteran"—who had just been trying to offer Aoyama juice, was so frightened by the sudden killing intent that he fell flat on his butt. The murderous aura was sharper than a winter gale.
That instant exchange left half the candidates frozen in awe. Many quickly resolved: once the exam began, they had to stay as far away from those two as possible.
Hisoka put away his cards and released the Ren in his eyes. "A very nice Zetsu. If I hadn't seen you with my own eyes, I wouldn't even have felt your aura. To have mastered it so well in just a few days… perhaps I should harvest you right now."
Looking around, Aoyama spotted a few familiar figures: the blond Kurapika, the green-clad boy Gon with his fishing rod, and Killua, who was watching curiously.
Though Gon was also a protagonist with remarkable potential, he was still just a kid. Aoyama didn't feel like chatting with children, so he continued talking with Hisoka instead.
"I think you'd better not. This is the Hunter Exam. If you provoke the examiners too much, you'll be disqualified."
As if on cue, a mechanism rumbled to life. A wall lifted, and Examiner Satotz appeared as a bell rang like the start of class.
Seeing the examiner, Hisoka chuckled derisively. "Fine, let's play another game for now. At least I can hold back a little longer—you understand."
Aoyama shrugged. He didn't think that fighting Hisoka would necessarily end in his defeat. Even if he couldn't use his usual ninja techniques here, a true taijutsu fighter didn't rely on substitution jutsu or clones. What mattered was fists of iron and an unbreakable will.
Examiner Satotz addressed them:
"Everyone, the time for survival has ended. Now, the Hunter Exam begins."
"One final reminder: in this exam, if you're unlucky or lack strength, you may be injured—or even die."
"Even so, if you have no fear… then follow me."
"But if you are afraid, if you dare not take the first step, you may turn back now and return through the elevator."
Sidling up next to Hisoka, Aoyama whispered curiously, "Last time you punched an examiner half to death. Won't the Association officials hold a grudge against you?"
Hisoka squinted, amused. "Not at all. The Hunter Exam is fun. As long as I don't break the rules, I can kill anyone I want during the exam and continue."
"Then I suggest you just kill everyone else right now. That way, you'll get your Hunter License."
"A license like that means nothing to me. Some people take the exam for missions or convenience. Me? I'm just bored. If you'd rather have a death match with me right here, I could happily slaughter the entire candidate pool."
"Forget it. I've only been practicing Nen for a few days. If I fought you to the death now, I doubt I'd last even two rounds."
Hisoka sighed with mock regret. "That's why… I'll hold myself back, for a while. But it's so painful to endure~"
Hearing Hisoka's perverse moaning, Aoyama felt goosebumps crawl across his skin. He instinctively put some distance between them, trailing at the very back of the group—close enough not to fall behind, but far enough to breathe.
Soon enough, the chubby boy with the laptop collapsed from exhaustion, becoming the first to be eliminated. Nobody pitied him; after all, no one could guarantee they wouldn't be the next to fall.
Meanwhile, the green-clad Gon quickly became best friends with Killua. Despite their age, the two children had bodies tougher than most adults. In this kind of marathon without obstacles, they could keep running for an entire day.
But since Aoyama found it hard to talk with children, he simply pushed forward, jogging lazily just behind Hisoka.