"Ambush? What ambush?"
The group didn't have time to process Ryker's warning. He was already a blur of motion.
Wham! Pow! Crunch!
A symphony of groans and thuds filled the air.
In less than ten seconds, the dozen masked "examiners" were laid out flat on the dirt, nursing bruised ribs and shattered egos. Even the old woman wasn't spared—Ryker had delivered a gentle but firm chop to her neck, leaving her wheezing on the ground.
A trailing examinee, who had been hoping to sneak past while Ryker's group was distracted, watched from the bushes, his jaw on the floor.
[You have defeated Assistant Examiner #3. Copy Successful: Acquired [Swordsmanship] (Green).]
[You have defeated Assistant Examiner #7. Copy Successful: Acquired [Brawling] (Green).]
...
[You have defeated The Examiner. Copy Successful: Acquired [Divination] (Blue).]
The notifications chimed like slot machine bells.
It was a pity he couldn't kill them for the 100% drop rate, but the harvest was still bountiful. One Blue, several Greens. Not bad for a warm-up. These were elite mobs, after all.
"Cough... cough..." The old woman wheezed, trying to regain her breath. She wasn't injured, just shocked speechless.
The rest of the group stared, dumbfounded.
"That... didn't look like an ambush," Leorio muttered.
"Alright, the path is clear! Let's go!" Ryker announced cheerfully, pushing aside the wooden cart to reveal the trail leading up the mountain.
"Wow! I can't believe that old grandma was trying to ambush us! Good thing Ryker has such fast reflexes!" Gon said, totally buying it.
Kurapika and Leorio exchanged a look that said Are we really going with this? but shrugged and followed.
As the four of them disappeared up the trail, the old woman finally managed to sit up, spitting out a mouthful of dust.
"I... I am the Examiner!!" she screeched, trembling with rage. "Those brats just beat up the proctor! Especially that leader... cough, cough!"
"Ma'am," a groaning assistant asked, "should we disqualify them?"
"Disqualify my ass! We didn't even have time to announce who we were! Technically, they acted in self-defense against unidentified masked weirdos!"
"So... we just got beat up for nothing?"
"Are you idiots blind? That kid took us all out in seconds! He's monster tier! We haven't seen a rookie like this in years."
Just then, the old woman spotted the trailing examinee peeking out from the bushes.
"YOU! What are you staring at?! Come here and take the quiz!! I AM THE EXAMINER!!"
All her pent-up rage was unleashed on the poor bystander.
"Hurry up! Don't just stand there! We are the examiners!"
The masked assistants, terrified of another beating, also screamed at the guy.
The trailing examinee turned green. He had hoped to ride Ryker's coattails. Instead, Ryker had stolen the honey and left him with the angry bees.
Bullshit!
The peak. Under the Great Cedar Tree.
Twilight was falling. The climb had taken longer than expected, and the group was exhausted.
"Beware of Magical Beasts? I don't see any beasts," Leorio grumbled, reading a warning sign.
"Look! The cabin under the tree! We made it!" Gon cheered. "It's so quiet... are we the only ones here?"
They approached the cabin, hoping for food and rest.
"Hello? Anyone home? We're here for the Hunter Exam," Leorio called out, knocking.
Silence.
"I'm coming in," Leorio announced, pushing the door open.
Grrrr...
A low, guttural growl greeted them.
The scene inside was a nightmare. The room was trashed. The smell of copper and musk hung heavy in the air.
On the floor, a man lay in a pool of his own blood. Standing over him was a creature out of a horror movie—a six-limbed, fox-faced humanoid standing three meters tall. In its claws, it held a young woman, drool dripping from its jaws onto her terrified face.
You looked at me. That means you have hostility. That means... Combat Mode.
Ryker's eyes narrowed. He knew the formula.
"It's a Kiriko! A Magical Beast capable of shapeshifting!" Kurapika shouted, drawing his bokken.
The beast snarled, realizing it was outnumbered. It turned and smashed through the window, taking the girl with it.
The injured man on the floor groaned, trying to speak.
But before anyone could trigger the "chase quest," a figure blurred past them.
Ryker didn't just chase. He intercepted.
He caught the Kiriko mid-leap, grabbing its hind leg with an iron grip.
[Monstrous Strength] (Gold)!
Ryker yanked. The three-meter beast was halted in mid-air as if it had hit a wall. With a flick of his wrist, Ryker sent a shockwave of force up the limb, causing the beast to involuntarily release the girl.
Kurapika caught her smoothly.
Then, Ryker slammed the beast.
BOOM!
The floorboards exploded.
Ryker treated the terrifying Magical Beast like a wet towel, smashing it into the ground repeatedly.
Left. Right. Left.
Wham! Wham! Wham!
The creature that had been snarling a moment ago was now a whimpering heap of fur and bruises.
[You have defeated the Kiriko (Male). Copy Failed.]
"Tch. No drop," Ryker clicked his tongue.
"Ah! Honey!"
The "injured" man on the floor suddenly sat up, forgetting his role in his shock.
Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio stared at him. "Honey?"
Crash!
The bedroom window shattered.
A second Kiriko—identical to the first—burst in. Seeing her "husband" beaten to a pulp, she went berserk. Her claws, sharp enough to shear steel, glowed with killing intent.
She lunged at Ryker.
"Perfect! Bring it on!" Ryker grinned.
[Monstrous Strength] (Gold).
He stomped.
CRACK!
The floor collapsed in a two-meter radius, sending debris flying like shrapnel.
[Godspeed] (Gold).
Ryker vanished.
[Brawling] (Green).
He reappeared in the air, leg extended like a steel beam.
Axe Kick.
KA-BOOM!
His heel connected with the female Kiriko's skull, driving her into the basement. The entire cabin shook as if hit by an earthquake.
The female Kiriko lay there, eyes spinning, completely incapacitated.
[You have defeated the Kiriko (Female). Copy Successful!]
[Acquired: [Shapeshifting] (Purple).]
BINGO!
A Purple Trait. Not bad at all.