Chapter 32: The First Phase of the Hunter Exam Begins
Not long after Tonpa entered the bathroom, a strange ringing sound suddenly echoed from behind the wall straight ahead.
Immediately after, the wall slowly rose, revealing a deep, dark tunnel.
At the same time, a tall, slender figure stood behind the rising wall.
It was none other than the examiner for the first phase, Satotz.
He was holding a bizarre-looking alarm clock in his hand.
"I apologize for the wait."
Satotz's voice reached every candidate's ears clearly.
"As of this moment, the registration period for this Hunter Exam has officially ended."
"Now, the Hunter Exam will officially begin."
Not far away, Ray observed Satotz with great interest.
He had no mouth on his face, yet his voice projected with absolute clarity.
Of course, what Ray was truly curious about was how Satotz managed to eat without a mouth.
Satotz had no idea that Ray was pondering his eating habits.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and continued.
"A final confirmation. In this exam, if you lack luck or ability, there is a very high chance you will be severely injured or even lose your life."
"Those who are still unafraid despite this, please follow me."
"If you wish to withdraw, please exit the exam venue via the elevators behind you."
Having said that, Satotz stood silently with his alarm clock, patiently waiting for the crowd's decision.
A moment passed, and not a single person in the venue turned toward the elevators.
Of course, before Satotz had even appeared, the candidate whose arms were severed by Hisoka had already fled the venue in a miserable state.
Seeing that no one intended to leave, Satotz's expression remained completely unfazed.
"I understand."
"For the first phase of the exam, all 405 applicants will participate, correct?"
Having confirmed this, Satotz turned and walked into the deep tunnel behind him.
Seeing this, the candidates quickly followed.
Ray knew the process of the first phase like the back of his hand. From the very beginning, he trailed behind Satotz, maintaining a moderate distance.
To Ray's surprise, he actually spotted Tonpa, who should have been suffering from severe diarrhea.
Whether Tonpa was wearing a diaper or had taken some medicine, he at least hadn't been eliminated right at the start.
Still, for Tonpa to persist in participating under such conditions... he certainly had perseverance!
After walking for a few minutes, Satotz suddenly picked up his pace, transitioning from a walk to a brisk jog.
Not daring to slack off, the candidates broke into a light run just to barely keep up with his rhythm.
"I forgot to introduce myself."
Satotz's voice drifted back from the front.
"I am the examiner for the first phase, Satotz."
"From this point on, I will lead you all to the venue for the second phase."
The candidates looked at Satotz in confusion, and Hanzo couldn't help but ask.
"The second phase? Then what about the first phase?"
"It has already begun."
Satotz replied calmly without looking back.
At these words, a wave of restlessness rippled through the candidates.
Satotz had anticipated this. Without slowing his pace, he continued to explain.
"Following me to the venue of the second phase—that is the first phase of the exam."
Hearing this, many candidates quietly breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed expressions appearing on their faces.
So it was just following the examiner on a journey. It didn't sound too difficult.
However, this sense of ease did not last long.
Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes... an hour, two hours...
As time ticked by, Satotz maintained his rapid pace without the slightest sign of slowing down.
Candidates who could easily keep up at first gradually began to lose stamina. Their breathing grew heavy, and their footsteps slowed.
The group stretched longer and longer. The originally compact crowd gradually split into several tiers, and those lagging at the very back completely lost sight of Satotz.
Ray was also trailing far behind at this point, though he could still see Satotz's figure.
It wasn't that Ray couldn't go faster.
It was mainly because Ray noticed that the people closely following Satotz in the first tier included Hisoka, Gittarackur, and Hanzo...
He had no desire to draw Hisoka's attention, so he deliberately chose to slow his pace.
After running in the tunnel for nearly five hours and covering about 80 kilometers, a change finally appeared ahead.
An endless flight of stairs appeared before everyone's eyes.
Climbing stairs was far more exhausting than running on flat ground, yet Satotz's speed didn't decrease; instead, it actually increased a bit.
After nearly two more hours, a hazy light finally seeped through the end of the staircase.
Clearly, they were about to exit this seemingly endless tunnel.
Satotz was the first to step out of the tunnel, closely followed by Gon and Killua.
Next came the first tier, including Hisoka and the others.
After that was the second tier, consisting of Ray and a few other candidates.
Upon exiting the tunnel, they were greeted by a thick fog. The damp air was mixed with the scent of vegetation and soil.
This was none other than the Numere Wetlands.
Ray's eyes lit up slightly, feeling a restless itch for action.
This wetland was one of the uncharted territories strictly forbidden to ordinary people.
Of course, among the many uncharted territories, the Numere Wetlands had a relatively low danger level.
Because of this, it was chosen by the Hunter Association as a venue for the Hunter Exam.
The mere thought of the bizarre creatures inhabiting the wetlands—completely different from those in the outside world—made Ray's heart burn with excitement.
However, now was not the time to hunt for ingredients.
Suppressing his excitement, Ray pulled out some jerky and began eating it methodically.
As he ate, he inspected both sides of the tunnel exit.
To his disappointment, he didn't see any Man-faced Apes. They most likely hadn't arrived yet.
After a moment of thought, Ray retreated back into the tunnel exit. After all, if he stood right there, the Man-faced Apes definitely wouldn't dare approach.
As time passed, numerous candidates arrived one after another.
The fog blanketing the wetlands gradually dissipated, revealing the muddy, slippery ground and lush vegetation below.
Satotz turned around and looked at all the candidates present, speaking in a solemn tone.
"This is the Numere Wetlands, also known as [Swindlers Swamp]."
"To reach the venue for the second phase of the exam, you must cross these wetlands."
"Many peculiar animals inhabit this area. The vast majority of them are cunning, greedy creatures that rely on deception to obtain their food."
"Please be extremely careful and follow closely behind me."
"If you let yourselves be deceived—you will lose your lives."
Many candidates' expressions turned serious, and their gazes toward the wetlands filled with a bit more apprehension.
Even so, quite a few people still failed to truly grasp the peril of these wetlands.
At that moment, the underground tunnel exit behind the candidates abruptly sealed shut.
Satotz looked at the candidates and issued another reminder.
"The creatures in these wetlands will use all sorts of methods to trick their prey in order to feed."
"An ecosystem comprised of creatures that deceive their prey and turn them into food—that is why it is called [Swindlers Swamp]."
"To avoid being deceived, please make absolutely sure to follow me closely!"
With that said, Satotz turned around and prepared to set off.
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