Chapter 30: Arriving at the Hunter Exam Venue
After confirming his Nen affinity, Ray set aside his basic Nen training and fully devoted himself to developing his own personal Nen ability.
Ray had a very clear idea of the Nen ability he wanted, and by establishing strict Conditions and Vows, he finally succeeded in developing it just one day before the Hunter Exam began.
In high spirits, Ray stepped out of his hotel.
Following the address he had purchased earlier, he navigated a series of winding streets until he arrived at a seemingly ordinary barbecue restaurant.
The rich aroma of roasting meat filled the air inside, where diners were loudly toasting and chatting. No one would ever suspect that this bustling eatery was actually the entrance to the Hunter Exam.
After reciting the predetermined password, the restaurant owner naturally directed Ray to the innermost room.
Of course, while it looked like a private room, it was actually an elevator.
After descending to an unknown depth, the elevator doors opened.
A short figure with a head resembling a bean was already waiting there. It was none other than the dedicated guide of the Hunter Exam, Beans.
"Hello, please take your number badge."
"Please wear it on your chest and be careful not to lose it," Beans said calmly as he handed over a badge.
Ray cast a curious glance at Beans before reaching out to take it. He glanced down at the number—103.
Judging by the number, he had arrived relatively early.
Casually pinning the badge to his shirt, Ray looked around.
The underground hall was already crowded with applicants. His eyes quickly swept over the badges pinned to their chests, silently memorizing the numbers. He remembered that one of the later phases of the Hunter Exam specifically revolved around these number badges.
Soon, Ray spotted badge number 44.
The owner of the badge was leaning lazily against the wall. He had wild, spiky red hair, a teardrop and a star painted on his face, and a playful smirk on his lips, though flashes of madness occasionally flickered in his eyes.
Hisoka!
Ray's pupils shrank slightly as alarm bells rang in his head.
He only spared him a single glance before quickly looking away. He had no desire to be targeted by this twisted 'fruit farmer' and bring a pile of unnecessary trouble upon himself.
Aside from Hisoka, Ray was also secretly keeping an eye out for another figure—Illumi, the eldest son of the Zoldyck Family, currently disguised under the alias Gittarackur.
However, after scanning the room, he couldn't find him anywhere.
He figured the assassin simply hadn't arrived yet.
Ray continued to discreetly observe the crowd while pulling out a bag of jerky, slowly chewing on a piece.
This jerky was made from the meat of a Regal Mammoth; it was packed with energy and incredibly chewy. Ever since awakening his Gourmet Cells, his appetite had become terrifyingly large—even eating eight meals a day didn't feel like enough.
Since he had no idea what kind of situations would arise next, it was essential to maintain plenty of stamina.
Just as Ray was chewing his jerky and observing the room, a man with a friendly smile walked over.
"Hey there, little brother. Is this your first time taking the Hunter Exam?"
The man's voice was gentle and sounded exceptionally welcoming.
"It's really impressive that you managed to find this place so early."
Ray looked up, instantly realizing who this was.
Tonpa, the perpetual repeater of the Hunter Exam. His absolute favorite pastime was using various underhanded tactics to sabotage rookies and watching them break down in despair.
Because of this, he was widely known as the 'Rookie Crusher'.
Sure enough, the guy couldn't hold back and had come knocking.
Ray observed Tonpa without changing his expression. A faint, knowing smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he played along.
"Oh? How could you tell?"
Although he knew exactly who Tonpa was, he was getting a bit bored waiting for the exam to start. He figured he might as well chat with him.
Tonpa's smile widened. With a hint of subtle pride, he patted his chest and said, "Heh, I won't hide it from you. I've already taken the Hunter Exam thirty-five times."
If he had said this to any other rookie, it would likely have drawn disdain and mockery. After all, failing thirty-five times was hardly a glorious achievement.
But Ray reacted as if he had just heard about an incredible feat, praising him with genuine sincerity.
"Thirty-five times? That's actually really impressive."
Ray wasn't entirely just humoring him. To persist for so many years, even if his motives were dishonorable, truly required a lot of perseverance. If Tonpa had channeled that willpower into the right path, he might have actually become an outstanding Nen user.
Tonpa's smile froze. For a moment, he was completely at a loss.
He had anticipated all sorts of reactions from Ray—contempt, disdain, or even curious questions. The one thing he hadn't expected was such a sincere compliment.
A complex glint flashed through Tonpa's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced once again by his amiable smile.
"By the way, my name is Tonpa. If you want to know any of the ins and outs of the Hunter Exam, just ask me."
Tonpa proactively offered his hand to Ray.
"Ray," he replied with a smile, giving his name.
After a few more lines of idle small talk, Tonpa pulled two cans of juice from his backpack.
"I happen to have some drinks on me. Want a can?"
As he spoke, Tonpa offered Ray the juice laced with a powerful laxative.
Ray reached out to take the drink. At that exact moment, his gaze shifted past Tonpa, landing on something behind him, and he raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.
"That guy..."
Noticing Ray's reaction, Tonpa instinctively turned his head to look.
He saw the flamboyant, red-haired Hisoka leaning against a nearby corner, casually playing with a playing card in one hand while observing the crowd with a half-smile.
In the split second Tonpa turned his head, Ray swapped the two cans of juice at a speed completely invisible to the naked eye.
Since Tonpa's attention was entirely focused on Hisoka, he didn't notice a thing.
Tonpa's expression instantly turned grave; he knew exactly who Hisoka was.
Turning back around, Tonpa spoke in a serious tone.
"That's Hisoka. He's a very dangerous guy."
"By the way..."
Just as he was speaking, he saw Ray pull the tab on the juice can and take a massive gulp.
The words Tonpa had been preparing to persuade him caught in his throat. He stood there, completely dumbfounded.
'Is his guard really that low?'
Ray lowered the can and smacked his lips. He frowned slightly before his expression smoothed out, speaking with a hint of regret.
"The taste is passable, but the quality isn't very good. It seems like there are some extra additives in here."
After all, since Tonpa mainly used these to sabotage rookies, he naturally wouldn't splurge on high-quality juice.
Despite saying that, Ray didn't seem to care and took another huge gulp. Eating all that jerky had made him quite thirsty.
Tonpa's face stiffened.
'Wait, that's not right! The laxative I added is completely colorless and odorless. How could he possibly taste it?'
A storm of shock raged in Tonpa's heart, but he forced himself to maintain a calm facade.
'I must be overthinking it,' Tonpa convinced himself. 'If he had actually tasted something wrong, there's no way he would have kept drinking it.'
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