Netero X Interview

The remaining candidates were picked up by boat one by one.

A Hunter x Hunter Airship bearing the XX logo floated silently above the island.

"Call out!"

A figure descended from the sky like a shooting star, and this sudden appearance startled everyone around.

As the dust settled, it billowed up in all directions.

Basho and Goreinu subconsciously looked up at the Airship in the sky, secretly surprised.

That distance must be two or three hundred meters, right? Jumping straight down from a height of two or three hundred meters? Is that really okay?

Not only them, but other test takers also found this hard to understand.

However, many people recognized the person who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the spot— Isaac Netero, the current Chairman of the Hunter Association.

After all, they had done a lot of research on the Hunter Association beforehand in order to participate in the Hunter Exam.

The image of Chairman Netero is not difficult to obtain; as the Chairman of the Hunter Association, his name and appearance are not unfamiliar to the examinees.

Kevin stared at the old man.

He had long, snow-white eyebrows, and a full white beard that curved into a unique Hook shape at his chin, with the end dyed black.

The hair around the top of his head was shaved completely, with only a single braid tied at the top.

The earlobes of both ears were unusually large, giving them a solemn, Buddha-like appearance.

He wore a loose-fitting white outfit with blue stripes, and the deep wrinkles etched on his face by time betrayed his advanced age.

However, his apparent age could not conceal the vitality and energy he exuded.

The aura surrounding the old man's body was exceptionally stable, like an indestructible layer of armor clinging to his body, without the slightest fluctuation.

Although it was difficult to judge the extent of the other party's strength from appearances alone, Kevin's intuition strongly told him that the old man before him was unfathomable and powerful enough to inspire awe.

Kevin was 100% certain that this was the most powerful person he had ever met, and that he would likely never encounter someone stronger than him again for a long time to come.

Just standing there, Kevin's intuition gave him a sense of insurmountable power.

Yet this extraordinary old man was so relaxed and unguarded that even Kevin could easily detect his lack of concealment and his numerous weaknesses.

Could this be the legendary pinnacle of martial arts?

Kevin pondered this in his heart, but could not come to a definite conclusion.

His ideas were merely vague impressions from movies and entertainment shows he had seen.

Is this Biscuit's master? He's really amazing.

"Haha, so these are the candidates for the last exam this year?" Chairman Netero let out a laugh like a quirky old man, his voice relaxed yet slightly shrill, giving off the vibe of a eccentric old man next door.

It softened the seriousness that his identity conveyed.

His gaze slowly swept over the eight candidates in front of him.

The examiner for the third exam, a man who was usually as wild as a beast, unconsciously restrained his unruly aura at this moment.

With a hint of respect, he said to Chairman Netero, "That's right, Chairman, they are the eight candidates who passed the third exam."

"Oh! The quality of this year's candidates seems quite good." Chairman Netero nodded slightly, seemingly quite satisfied with the candidates before him.

After all, there are four wild Nen user here, and the four examinees next to them also look quite good.

"Now, all candidates, please board the Airship."

As the Airship slowly descended, everyone boarded Airship one by one and was quickly assigned to different rest areas.

In a reception room on the Airship, the examiners for the exam and Chairman Netero sat together.

They enjoyed tea and snacks while chatting.

"Little Frog, why do you look so unhappy? Did this old man upset you?" Chairman Netero asked with a smile.

Wapoo glanced at the Captain beside him with a displeased expression.

He then briefly recounted the events of the second exam, as well as some misleading information that the Captain had deliberately inserted during the first exam.

The problem is that even she herself was kept in the dark, which made her very unhappy.

She and her partner were partners, and this guy even planted misleading information in his own exam room.

The Captain simply said, "I'm not lying to you. If I wanted to, I could sink the ship, couldn't I?"

But in the end, I just felt it wasn't necessary.

He always prepared for both possibilities and adjusted his plans as needed based on the situation at the time.

He gripped the helm.

"Really? That's quite interesting, hehehe." Chairman Netero couldn't help but laugh after hearing this.

This was also very interesting to him.

Normally, you don't need to report the details of the exam to the examiner unless special circumstances arise during the exam.

"Of these eight candidates, is there anyone who stands out in your memory?" Chairman Netero then asked.

He asks the examiners for their different opinions every year.

"What left a deep impression?" The examiners fell into deep thought.

Wapoo was the first to raise his hand and said, "Yes, yes, there are candidates number 49, 50, 51, and 8."

"They're clearly among the strongest in this exam, yet they've been sticking together. Ugh, how boring!"

She had originally hoped to see the strongest candidates compete against each other and prove themselves, but to her surprise, the strongest candidates spent most of their time together in this exam.

And because of their abilities, they naturally had a basic level of trust in each other, which allowed them to pass all the previous tests very smoothly, making her feel quite bored.

She came as an examiner, but that's not what she wanted to see!

She wants to see rivers of blood! Turns of enemies! Intrigues and conspiracies!

But since she was in charge of the first round, which was always used to filter out candidates with weak foundations.

"If I had to choose, it would be that boy on board number 351," the Captain said slowly. "Because during the battles on the ship, he learned how to control his qi."

D"

The Captain was able to see every corner of the cruise ship through the monitoring equipment, and thus witnessed the entire battle between Gowen and Donpa.

He clearly saw how Gowen unleashed a powerful will in the face of adversity, successfully controlled his Nen Aura, and ultimately knocked Donpa to the ground.

In the Captain's view, Gowen was a young man with extremely high standards for himself, who must have been constantly training his physique and willpower.

It was precisely because of this that when faced with Donpa's twisted behavior, he was aroused with anger, and through the outburst of this will, he successfully developed his hidden potential.

This is neither an easy thing nor a lucky thing.

This is inevitable, a reward for talent and hard work.

Therefore, the Captain believed that Gowen was a young man with great potential.

What's even more commendable is that, judging from the current situation, he belongs to the rare faction of justice among Nen user. In the Captain's understanding, the stronger Nen user is, the more unwavering their beliefs, the more twisted their will, and the more extreme their personality.

However, such extreme personalities are easy to develop, but people like Gowen who uphold justice are extremely rare.

More often, it's about doing things that are a mixture of good and evil, based on one's own will and preferences.

Thinking of this, the Captain couldn't help but sigh, "If this young man could become Hunter x Hunter, perhaps he could salvage some of the Hunter Association's reputation."

After all, many Hunter x Hunter in the Hunter Association are deeply dissatisfied with those who abuse their Hunter License to commit crimes and do evil.

They felt that these people were treating their Hunter License as a get-out-of-jail-free card; as long as they didn't go too far, they wouldn't be wanted by the Hunter Association.

Chairman Netero nodded slightly, silently noting down the Captain's opinion.

Finally, Zakarl scratched his lion-like, bushy hair, pondered for a long time, and then slowly spoke.

"To be honest, there's no one who left a particularly deep impression. If I had to pick one, it would be number 49."

"That guy is an Enhancement Type- type Devil Fruit user, and it's clear he's meticulously honed his Nen ability."

"I can tell that he has received guidance from renowned experts, has not taken any detours, and has made full use of his strengths."

"And he's a complete power player. I'm really looking forward to his future development, and he seems quite interested in hunting too."

Zakarl felt that he might have something in common with Kevin, since for him, hunting was a serious matter, referring to legitimate hunting of wild animals.

After listening to the three people's speeches, Chairman Netero nodded, then took out a pen and gently tapped it on his chin, the mechanism on the pen tip making a "click-click" sound.

"So, Chairman, have you thought of some interesting exam methods?" Wapoo asked curiously.

According to the tradition of the Hunter Association, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the final exam is usually presided over by the Chairman of the Hunter Association himself.

Chairman Netero always comes up with some bizarre yet interesting exam plans when he presides over the final exam.

Therefore, Wapoo was full of anticipation for this, and even hoped to be an audience member for the last exam of each year.

Hearing Wapoo's question.

Chairman Netero's expression suddenly became somewhat dejected, and his head slumped down.

"There's nothing I can do. I've been just too busy lately. I don't have time to design those time-consuming exam games."

His tone was like that of a child who had lost their beloved toy.

Aside from Wapoo sighing helplessly, the Captain and Zakarl couldn't help but roll their eyes inwardly.

This is the Hunter Exam, not a children's game or playground!

They were truly at a loss for words, finding the unconventional and disrespectful Chairman both amusing and exasperating.

But they've long since gotten used to it.

"Then let's use a duel format. Since time is tight, let's keep the rules simple and straightforward."

"Okay—I'll be the referee myself, that's settled then."

As he spoke, Chairman Netero quickly scribbled in his notebook, then showed the set rules to the group.

After reading it, all three of them had big question marks appearing above their heads.

"We understand the other rules, and they're all fairly normal, but what's the meaning of the last one? Why do you insist on getting involved yourself?"

The Captain finally couldn't help but ask.

"I'm already this old, and I'll soon be back to my busy work schedule."

"If I can't design an exam perfectly, then let me test them myself."

Chairman Netero spoke calmly, completely ignoring the strange looks he received from the others.

"You speak so righteously, but you just want to play by yourself!" the three thought to themselves.

"Okay, it's decided then."

In other areas of the Airship, Kevin, Kite, Basho, and Goreinu gathered in the hall.

"The final exam is coming up soon, and I really don't know if I'll be able to get my Hunter License."

Goreinu sighed with worry.

In the third exam, he barely passed the qualifying round, so he was unsure whether he could pass the final exam and was inevitably somewhat pessimistic.

He had already witnessed the formidable competition he faced from the other candidates.

"What does it matter? Last year I didn't even get close to the last exam. Being able to participate in the last one this year is already a huge improvement."

"If all else fails, we can try again next year. As long as we improve each time, we'll get our license eventually."

Basho, however, remained optimistic, laughing heartily as she spoke.

After saying that, he looked at Kite curiously. "And you, Kite? You must have taken your last exam last year, right? What was that exam like?"

Upon hearing this, Kite for a moment and gave a peculiar assessment. "Pretty---pretty peculiar."

"What kind of evaluation is that?" Kevin asked, looking puzzled.

"Play volleyball."

"What?" Kevin thought he had misheard and his eyes widened.

Goreinu and Basho also stared intently at Kite, trying to make sure he wasn't joking.

The final match of the Hunter Exam was volleyball? That was completely unexpected for them.

Kite sighed helplessly and explained, "You heard me right, it's volleyball."

"There were ten candidates who advanced to the final round. We were divided into two groups and the best-of-five format was adopted. The losing group would be eliminated."

"We have a week to prepare, during which time we can practice together, familiarize ourselves with the competition rules, and even have warm-up matches between team members."

Kite recalled the scene and continued, "During that exam, two Nen user were assigned to two different teams and became the main attackers for their respective teams."

"That scene truly showed us what superpowered volleyball is like; the ball was hit like a bomb."

"However, at that time I had just learned Nen ability and wasn't very proficient yet. In addition, the teamwork between our members wasn't as good as the opponents', so we lost the game in the end."

As everyone listened to Kite's description, they gradually quieted down.

Everyone blinked, still wanting more, after Kite finished speaking.

"Hmm, it's not quite what I imagined; it sounds quite intense." Basho had to admit that.

Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeaker inside the Airship: "All candidates, please prepare for Chairman Netero's personal [interview]."

"Candidates whose numbers and names have been called, please proceed to---"

The broadcast was repeated three times.

The four of them exchanged glances.

This part wasn't included in the last exam.

Kite understood the questions on everyone's minds and answered them directly.

Then, the first candidate to be called was Kite, because his number was the first among the eight.

When Kite approached the Chairman Netero asked with a smile, "Why do you want to become a Hunter x Hunter?"

"I need Hunter License. The privileges it grants will make it easier for me to find the information and clues I need, and it will also make it easier for me to go to places I want to go."

Kite answered very directly.

Chairman Netero nodded, then asked the second question, "Among the candidates in this exam,

Who do you think is the strongest?

"Kevin, number 49."

Why do you think that?

"Because he's my friend."

Yes, I'm simple and straightforward.

"Alright, you can leave now." Chairman Netero nodded, then called the next examinee.

Not long after, Kevin pushed open the door and went inside.

The room was spacious and served as a meditation room. On the back wall hung a large calligraphy piece—[heart].

The calligraphy, after being carefully framed, hung there happily.

Is it the Shingen-ryu?

Kevin pondered to himself.

He looked around the room before sitting down in front of Chairman Netero.

"You know about the Shingen-ryu?" Chairman Netero asked with interest.

Kevin nodded. "Biscuit is kind of my mentor."

"Oh, I see."

Chairman Netero nodded, looking as if he had just realized something.

He vaguely remembered that Biscuit mentioned this during their last phone call.

Chairman Netero knew perfectly well that Biscuit had always enjoyed taking on apprentices and teaching others. The fact that this young man had been noticed and mentioned by Biscuit meant that in Biscuit's eyes, Kevin was like an uncut gem, and that he had already undergone Biscuit's initial shaping. Now it was up to his own destiny.

"Why do you want to become Hunter x Hunter?" Chairman Netero asked again.

"I need Hunter License. Its privileges not only bring practical benefits, but also implicit perks that can make things much easier for me and help me avoid a lot of trouble."

Kevin stated bluntly that he felt that people who came to take the Hunter Exam, hoping to obtain Hunter License,

Most of them were attracted by the various privileges that came with the license.

Chairman Netero nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.

"Among these candidates, who do you think is the strongest?"

Kevin, without the slightest hesitation, pointed to himself and said confidently, "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be me."

Chairman Netero nodded again, his expression remaining unchanged, though still dangerous.

Do you like fighting?

To this question, Kevin answered without hesitation, "It depends on the type of battle. If it's a battle between people, frankly, I'm not interested at all."

"Of course, this doesn't mean I'll resist it; after all, violence is indeed convenient in certain situations."

Especially when I, on behalf of justice, resort to violence.

"After all, I really hate trouble."

This answer seemed to pique Chairman Netero's interest, and he looked up, staring intently at Kevin.

"What if it's not a battle between people?" Chairman Netero asked curiously.

"That's a different story. If it's not a fight between people, then in my view there are two situations on the street."

"Firstly, it was a battle I actively chose to participate in. Since it was something I did willingly, there's no need to say more, because I'm sure I'll gain something from it."

"Secondly, it was a battle I was forced into. In situations where you fight against inhuman opponents, you are often compelled by circumstances and have no choice but to fight. There's no reason to hesitate; for survival, life naturally demands a fight."

Kevin understood that these words also applied to battles between people.

However, whether actively or passively, he could not derive any enjoyment from fighting between people. In his eyes, fighting was merely a means and tool to achieve a goal.

Whether due to the peace of the world in the past or his own nature, Kevin was indeed uninterested in fighting between people.

But he also knew that in this world full of extraordinary power, strength was an essential guarantee for survival.

"Okay, I understand. You can leave now," Chairman Netero said.

Kevin nodded, got up, and left the room.

Subsequently, each candidate underwent an interview in turn. The interview questions were nothing more than "Why do you want to become Hunter x Hunter?" and "Who do you think is the strongest?"

Almost all the candidates were well aware of who was the strongest in this exam, and their opinions were basically in agreement.

Previously, they might have hesitated between Kite and Kevin, but after the third test,

These doubts have largely disappeared.

After all, Kevin is far ahead in points, and his strength is undeniable.

And that concludes the interview process.

The Airship flew continuously in the sky for five days, allowing the candidates ample time to rest and recharge, so they could be in top form for the upcoming exams.

Finally, the Airship landed in the territory of the Kakin Nation on the Aijin Continent.

Kakin Nation is a superpower on another continent. Although it is not a member of V5, its sphere of influence and military strength are almost comparable to those of V5 countries, making it the strongest country below V5.

The candidates set off Yurubian Continent the superpower Saheltar United Nations on the continent of Eurubian and arrived at this fortunate place.