Chapter 44: The Face Ape (Part 1)
"Uh… hey," Gon's voice wavered slightly — a rare sign of hesitation.
"Hm?" Killua tilted his head, not quite understanding what Gon wanted to say.
"If we get the chance… could I try it sometime?" Gon asked, scratching his cheek a little sheepishly. After all, back on Whale Island he had never even seen a skateboard before. For a kid, new toys were irresistible.
Killua blinked, then nodded seriously. "Sure. But only if you let me borrow your fishing rod too, Gon."
"Eh?" Gon froze — it was the first time Killua had ever called him by name. Did that mean… he'd been acknowledged? A grin spread across his face, and he nodded quickly, afraid Killua might change his mind if he waited too long.
Killua turned toward Osren, saying nothing — just fixing him with a long, steady stare.
"I'll treat you to some candy," Osren replied instantly, sensing the unspoken cue. He must be hinting at a trade, he thought wryly.
Satisfied, Killua turned back around and broke into a sprint. The end of the tunnel was near — the finish line was finally in sight.
The other examinees, seeing this, gritted their teeth and poured every last ounce of strength into their final dash. This was the time to give it everything — if not now, then when? Breath ragged, muscles screaming, they still refused to slow down.
Among them, Osren looked almost relaxed. The same couldn't be said for Tonpa — the "Most Inspirational Hunter" was sweating bullets. Everyone else had lightened their loads for the final stretch, but not him. He had decided to carry someone on his back to maintain his "good guy" image. If manipulation was a sport, Tonpa was running a marathon.
Didn't expect this year's brats to be this good, the examiner Satotz mused as he noticed the group of kids still keeping pace with him. This might actually get interesting.
With a whoosh, the front runners finally burst out of the dark corridor.
Fresh air filled their lungs. Verdant hills stretched before them, sunlight glinting off the river beyond. The sweet chorus of birds echoed across the trees — after seven hours of monotonous running, the sight felt almost divine.
"Thank you, Mr. Tonpa, for all your help," Osren said sincerely.
"It's nothing. Helping newcomers is what I do best," Tonpa replied, his voice gentle — even though, deep down, he was already scheming his next move.
"From here on out, you'll need to rely on yourselves," he added smoothly, trying to score a few last points of goodwill. "Be careful out there."
"Got it. Thank you again, Mr. Tonpa," Osren replied politely on behalf of everyone.
Seeing that his window for gaining more favor had closed — and not wanting to risk Osren asking for another "favor" he couldn't refuse — Tonpa began slipping away into the crowd. Unless you were looking closely, you'd barely notice he was gone.
"Huff… huff… I made it!" Leorio stumbled up last, hands on his knees, gasping for air.
"You alright, Leorio?" Osren asked.
"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," he wheezed, straightening up. In just a few breaths, his color returned — a reminder that even among humans, his endurance bordered on superhuman.
Osren looked out toward the misty wetlands ahead — the infamous Milsy Wetlands. It wasn't a place for the faint of heart.
In the original timeline, Leorio made it through just fine, Osren thought grimly, but with me here, the butterfly effect's already in motion. Who knows what's waiting for us now?
Seeing that the situation had finally settled, Osren let out a quiet breath and decided it was time to focus on his own plans once they set off again.
"The Milsy Wetlands," Examiner Satotz began, glancing at his watch to time his briefing precisely. "Commonly known as the Swindler's Swamp, this is the only route to the Second Exam Site. Within this marsh lie countless rare beasts unseen in the outside world. Most of them are carnivorous — and they don't just eat any meat. They prefer human flesh. Worse yet, they are cunning and greedy by nature."
Osren's eyes lit up at that. "A wetland, huh? That's actually perfect."
He knew from the stories that this place held countless rare ingredients and exotic creatures — a paradise for anyone with an adventurous palate. Just thinking about it made his blood stir with excitement.
If only I were stronger, he thought wistfully. There are so many places I still can't reach right now… but I'll gather what I can. Once I've grown, I'll be able to roam freely anywhere.
He clenched his fists slightly, impatience flickering in his heart — but he quickly calmed himself. Strength wasn't gained overnight. Since he was already in this world, he might as well take one steady step at a time.
Suddenly—
"Boom!"
A heavy metallic sound echoed behind them. The entrance tunnel they'd just exited was now being sealed shut. A massive iron gate slowly descended from above — slow enough to be torturous, but in truth, it took only seconds before half the doorway was gone.
"Wait—wait for me!" A desperate voice shouted.
One of the examinees came stumbling toward the gate, completely spent. He fell to his knees, then to the ground, barely a meter from escape. He reached out, trembling, as the door came down. His fingers brushed the metal — and then the light vanished, sealing him inside.
Even Gon, usually the kind-hearted one, didn't move. This was the Hunter Exam. Mercy had no place here.
"Listen well," Satotz said firmly, raising a finger. "From this point onward, you must follow my footsteps exactly. Step off the path, and you'll be walking straight into a trap — and that means certain death."
Leorio frowned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "That's kind of weird, isn't it? If we knew it was a trap, we wouldn't walk into it in the first place!"
Osren smirked faintly. "Showtime."
He knew exactly what was coming — the legendary confrontation between the real and fake examiner. Perfect timing. He subtly moved toward the edge of the group, planning to observe the upcoming imposter from a closer distance.
And right on cue—
"Liar! That guy's a fraud!"
A blood-covered man in a tattered green outfit stumbled out from the shadows, dragging a sack that reeked of decay. From the open flap, a grotesque head lolled out — its unnaturally long tongue hanging limply.
"He's the imposter!" the man shouted, pointing furiously at Satotz. "He's no real examiner! I am! I'm the official Hunter Exam proctor!"
His voice was hoarse and enraged, his eyes wild with fury.
But Satotz didn't flinch. He merely stood there, calm and silent, his face unreadable — the very image of composure.
"The Hunter world really breeds both Oscar-worthy actors and first-rate lunatics," Osren muttered dryly. "Their performances are almost too convincing."
"Imposter? What's he talking about?"
"Then who's the real one?"
"What's going on here?"
"Are we being tricked?"
The crowd erupted into anxious murmurs, uncertainty rippling through the ranks. Some eyed the bloodied man, others looked to Satotz, trying to gauge the truth from their expressions — but neither side gave anything away.
Panic began to spread.
"Osren, what's happening?" Leorio asked, utterly confused. "Why are there two examiners all of a sudden? Is this part of the test?"
Kurapika's brows knit together as he studied both men, then turned toward Osren as well, clearly valuing his opinion.
Killua, meanwhile, leaned against a rock with his arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with a faint smirk. He wasn't getting involved — but his sharp gaze lingered on Gon and Osren, curious how they would react.
The stage was set. The first real deception of the Hunter Exam had begun.
(End of Part 2)