The Final Match X Victory

The Airship landed smoothly in the private airstrip of a super-large hotel.

The Hunter Association booked the entire hotel.

"Chairman, your job isn't actually around here, is it?" the Captain asked, rolling his eyes.

He kept saying he was busy, but he actually took several days by Airship to get here.

If it's just a duel, they can easily find a venue locally; it's not a problem for Hunter x Hunter at all.

"Oh dear, you caught me?" Netero laughed heartily in response.

Afterwards, they led the candidates to a spacious Arena in the hotel.

After all the candidates had gathered, Netero cleared his throat, stepped forward, and said, "This is the examination room for the final exam. Now, I will explain the exam arrangements to everyone."

I will divide you eight candidates into two teams of four.

Each team member must fight against every member of their own team. Weapons can be used freely during the battle, but killing is strictly prohibited. Violation of this rule will result in immediate disqualification from the exam.

Each candidate will have to participate in a total of four matches, and each person will have to fight me once. The matches will be played on a one-win-one-point basis, and the candidate with the highest final score will win.

As for your duels, I will act as the referee. The specific conditions for each battle will be determined by me, with different restrictions and victory criteria depending on the circumstances of both sides.

The candidates understood the rules, but why did they have to fight the Chairman? Everyone was puzzled.

Netero seemed to sense everyone's confusion, and explained with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll set limits for myself to ensure they're within your capabilities. As long as you meet my conditions..."

Even if you only get 1.5 points, this is a real benefit showdown!

The unsuspecting test-takers nodded involuntarily.

"The Hunter x Hunter Chairman is so kind."

"The Chairman probably wants to test our abilities."

The test takers whispered amongst themselves.

Hearing these words, the examiners standing nearby couldn't help but inwardly rant.

"Next is the group assignment," Netero said, as the cloth on the whiteboard next to him was lifted, clearly showing the group assignments for the two groups, each labeled with a number.

Group 1: Kevin (No. 1), Locke (No. 2), Kite (No. 3), Gowen (No. 4).

Group 2: No. 1 Iker, No. 2 Astran, No. 3 Basho, No. 4 Goreinu.

This grouping is very clear.

Within each group, the students are also ranked according to their scores in the previous exam.

The Chairman grouped the four candidates who could use Nen ability into one group, which meant that at least one of these four candidates would be eliminated.

"Now, let's begin the first group's exam. Contestant Number One— Kevin— will face off against His Excellency Netero, Chairman of the Hunter Association."

The referee, wearing sunglasses and a suit, announced the news loudly.

To everyone's surprise, the first match was between Kevin and the Chairman of the Hunter Association.

Kevin instantly realized that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he was the strongest among the candidates.

Placing himself in the Number One position and arranging for the Chairman to fight him first is likely an attempt to let other candidates know his strength and fighting style through this battle, so as to gain an advantage in subsequent duels against him.

After all, for Nen user, combat is all about gathering information. Of course, it depends on the type of ability. For Kevin, however, it doesn't really matter; he can just look around.

Kevin stepped onto the field, his gaze fixed on Netero as he strolled towards him.

Chairman Netero stroked his beard lightly and said, "The rules for your duel are: I will push you three times. If you are not sent flying by even one of these pushes, you will win the duel."

Upon hearing this rule, Kevin frowned slightly and began to think of a solution.

He didn't feel insulted; on the contrary, his intuition told him that the old man in front of him was unfathomably powerful.

At this moment, what he needed to think about was how to avoid being pushed away.

It's important to note that, according to the rules, being "pushed into the air" only counts if the person is actually pushed completely into the air. Simply being pushed backward or falling to the ground does not qualify as being "pushed into the air."

With that thought in mind, Kevin assumed a horse stance, adopting a defensive posture.

As for dodging...

That's underestimating the other person too much; he had absolutely no room or chance to dodge.

"Are you ready?" Netero asked with a smile, not in a hurry.

"Come on," Kevin replied seriously.

As soon as he finished speaking, Netero vanished from his spot almost Teleportation, appearing right in front of Kevin.

He pushed out with a palm strike.

Just as Kevin had thought, he had no chance of dodging.

"Bang!"

A powerful force struck, and even though Kevin was prepared to defend himself, he was still sent flying like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the wall.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Kevin coughed a few times and slid down the wall.

"That power is outrageous."

Kevin was secretly amazed. He clearly sensed that this attack was a display of pure strength, without using any technique, yet it had forcefully sent him flying.

"Oops, did I go too far? Do you want to take a break?" Netero asked with a chuckle.

Kevin dusted himself off, walked back to the center of the field, and shook his head. "No need, let's continue."

3

Are you ready?

Kevin nodded.

This time, Netero didn't launch a sudden attack. Instead, he slowly walked up to Kevin, his palm visibly moving closer and Kevin, before gently pushing it out as if he were just lightly touching him.

"Call out!"

This time, Kevin wasn't thrown back with the same force as before; instead, he glided forward at an even faster speed.

However, instead of crashing into the wall, he braced himself with his hands and stomped his feet, leaving two marks on the ground, and abruptly stopped just before reaching the wall.

Although Kevin didn't hit the wall, he did fly out, so this still doesn't count as him passing.

"Oh! Very good." Netero exclaimed, having just realized that Kevin had used some technique to unleash even more Nen Aura.

Netero was very confident in his control over his strength, exceeding his opponent's limits by only a tiny bit.

So the sudden outburst of energy offset this, allowing Kevin to regain his balance midway.

Kevin took a deep breath and returned to the center of the court.

"This is the last time, so you'd better use all your strength to stop me," Netero said with a smile.

Without further hesitation, Kevin took out a vial of potion from his waist—a [Power Potion].

Upon seeing this, Locke, who was watching from the sidelines, widened his eyes and became completely focused, not wanting to miss a single detail.

With the Power Potion ingested, Kevin's physical abilities improved, but his apparent strength did not increase, because he had already mastered the relevant techniques and was currently in the state of using those techniques.

Kevin repositioned himself.

"Then, for the final blow, here I come."

This time, Netero actually adopted a fighting stance, looking like he was going all out.

However, Kevin remained unmoved. He knew in his heart that if his opponent really used his full strength, he would have no chance to stop him, and the duel would lose its meaning. So worrying would be of no use.

Netero charged forward suddenly, this time not with great speed, but with a clearly visible movement, pushing his palm forward.

The palm landed firmly on Kevin's chest.

"When!"

A crashing sound rang out, like a fleshy hand slamming into steel.

Kevin was propelled forward instantly, but this time he didn't fly. Instead, his legs remained firmly planted on the ground, and he glided backward for a considerable distance until his back gently rested against the wall.

Two clear grooves were left in the ground, and Kevin's shoes were worn through.

Kevin took off his shoes and let out a long sigh of relief, "This shouldn't count as being pushed away, right?"

"Hahaha, congratulations, you've scored 1.5 points in this battle." Netero laughed happily.

"Then, let's begin the next battle."

After speaking, Netero immediately took on the role of referee.

In this exam, candidates with later numbers have a greater advantage.

As the Number One candidate, you need to fight against the Chairman and three other candidates in succession.

During the battle with the Chairman, his combat information is likely to be obtained by other examinees, and what follows is a series of continuous battles that will not give you a chance to catch your breath.

Since Candidate Number Two has already fought Candidate Number One and had a break in between, he only needs to fight three battles in a row when it's his turn, one of which is a duel with the Chairman.

Candidate number three gets a break between the first two battles. When it's his turn, he only needs to fight two battles against the Chairman and another candidate.

Candidate Number Four has the most obvious advantage: he can gather enough information in battles with other candidates, and there is a rest period between each battle. When it is his turn, he only needs to fight the Chairman once.

Kevin looked at Locke opposite him. At this moment, the Chairman announced the rules of their duel, "No surrender is allowed, and I will be the final judge of the outcome."

Upon hearing the rule "no surrender," Locke frowned.

He knew in his heart that he was no match for Kevin, and the chances of winning in such a place were even slimmer.

Moreover, surrender is not permitted, which means he must fight. As a result, his combat information may be exposed, and his chances of winning in subsequent battles with other examinees will be even lower.

He felt that the exam was deliberately targeting him and was full of malice.

However, Locke quickly came up with a solution.

Since surrendering is not allowed, he will not use his Nen ability and will deliberately lose the match, which may prevent his information from being exposed.

"Alright, let's begin!"

As soon as the referee gave the command, the two players instantly went into battle ready.

However, before they could even take a step, Netero suddenly said, "It's over. The outcome is decided."

The sudden announcement left the two of them frozen in place, while the other candidates watching were equally bewildered.

"What do you mean by that?" Locke asked, his face full of confusion.

"You lost this battle," Netero.

"Why?" Locke asked, dissatisfied.

Although the result was the same whether it was a serious battle or a deliberate loss, this inexplicable way of ending the fight left him both confused and indignant.

Netero looked at him and said slowly, "Because from the beginning you never thought about winning, you only thought about how to lose the game."

"You, you despicable old man!" Locke was instantly enraged, his anger burning.

If he were allowed to surrender, he would naturally choose to surrender, since he knew very well that he couldn't beat Kevin.

Moreover, given the current unfavorable conditions, he couldn't think of a better solution at the moment.

Therefore, he chose to deliberately lose the match without using his Nen ability in order to avoid revealing information; this was a choice he had no other option but to make.

But Netero's ambiguous, almost deliberately provocative and insulting behavior was simply unbearable for him.

Even if the result is the same, he finds the method unacceptable.

"Am I wrong?" Netero asked innocently.

"No, you're absolutely right!" Locke retorted through gritted teeth, then turned away angrily and returned to the spectator area.

"That old man is wicked."

Kevin couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Although he didn't know Locke well, based on their previous interactions, Locke seemed to be an arrogant person.

That old man deliberately provoked the other party in this way; it was really wicked.

"Candidate number three." Netero chuckled as he began the third battle.

Kite, holding a newly chosen weapon—a Tachi —stepped onto the field. The two women looked at each other.

"Start the battle when one side falls to the ground!" The rules of this battle are simple and clear.

Kevin charged out like a tiger, heading straight for Kite.

Faced with Kevin's attack, Kite did not dodge. She instantly drew her weapon, imbued her katana with her Tachi, and slashed straight down at Kevin without holding back, because she knew she had no right to do so.

Kevin didn't even dodge the incoming blade; he simply raised his arm to take the hit head-on.

"Clang!" The blade struck the arm, producing a metallic clang.

This caught Kite completely off guard; he had assumed that Kevin would at least have to dodge his attack, which was amplified by his Nen Aura powers.

Taking advantage of the opening, Kevin blocked the Tachi with his arm and then unleashed a powerful right punch like a cannonball.

"Bang!"

The powerful force struck Kite in the abdomen, the immense impact causing Kite face to contort in pain, water to gush from her mouth, and her entire body to fly backward.

Kevin didn't stop there; instead, he followed closely behind Kite, moving even faster than Kite was sent flying backward.

He instantly rushed above Kite, and with Kite having nowhere to grab hold or dodge, he flipped in mid-air and delivered a vicious kick.

Seeing this, Kite mustered almost all her strength to raise the Tachi in her hand, trying to block the fatal blow.

"Crack!" The sound of metal colliding and shattering rang out.

With that crisp sound, everyone clearly saw Kevin kick Kite's katana with his bare Tachi.

He kicked the Tachi into several pieces, and the remaining force still struck Kite's abdomen.

Kite was kicked so hard that she slammed to the ground with a loud thud, sending dust flying.

Kite fell heavily to the ground.

"You really went too far," Kite said through gritted teeth. The two attacks had caused him excruciating abdominal pain, making him feel like he was about to curl up into a ball.

"Sorry, sorry, but you're very strong, so I have to go all out and end the battle as quickly as possible."

Kevin spoke, he reached out and took Kite's hand, pulling her up, then took a vial of medicine from his waist and handed it to Kite.

"Drink it; it will help you recover quickly and prepare for the upcoming duel."

Kite did not refuse and nodded.

He really needs to recover his strength as soon as possible, otherwise he may not be able to exert his full strength when he goes into battle.

Without a doubt, Kevin won again in this match.

He had now scored 3.5 points, virtually securing the victory.

Kevin's final showdown arrived. Gowen stood before him, struck a very solemn pose, and bowed deeply to him.

It's an honor to fight alongside you; please offer your guidance.

"Uh-? I wouldn't dare accept such guidance; let's learn from each other." This was how Gowen always treated her with such respect.

Kevin felt a little embarrassed.

Netero stood between the two and announced, "Gowen, you win if you can last half a minute, or land a single punch on Kevin. Begin!"

Despite the rules clearly favoring Gowen still loudly replied, "Yes!"

He didn't feel insulted at all by his identity as a knight-errant; on the contrary, he saw it as a form of recognition.

This means he might be able to withstand the opponent's attacks for half a minute, or land a punch on the opponent.

That's how he understood it anyway.

However, these rules also clearly tell Kevin that he doesn't have time for leisurely fighting and must finish the battle quickly.

Kevin started with a powerful charge, just like always.

Although Gowen was able to control his Nen Aura, he was clearly not proficient enough.

Although he could keep up with Kevin's movements, he was unable to mount an effective resistance or response.

Kevin rushed to Gowen's side in an instant and slapped Gowen on the neck.

With a "thud," Gowen collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.

Unsurprisingly, the battle ended very quickly.

Kevin's four battles have now all ended, with a perfect score of four wins, and he has now obtained his Hunter License.

Next up was the second candidate Locke.

His first task is to fight the Chairman.

The rules set by the Chairman for this battle are: he will only use hopping on one foot to dodge, while Locke can use any attack method; as long as he touches the Chairman, he will win. The time limit is 30 minutes.

There's nothing to say about the rules; Locke simply materialized two [Stinger Shuttle] and secretly applied the [Invisibility] ability.

This gave Kevin a deeper understanding of the effects and conditions of his Nen ability; it was indeed the type suited for sneak attacks.

However, the result was not unexpected.

Because he had to operate two Drone simultaneously, Locke couldn't make them both maneuver smoothly, and he always missed opportunities at crucial moments.

Finally, 30 minutes passed, and Locke's attacks still hadn't touched Netero.

"His mentality was affected when he fought you before," Kite analyzed.

He had already obtained information about Locke's Nen ability from this battle, and he could tell that Locke's emotions were extremely unstable at the moment.

Netero shook his head and announced that Locke had lost the battle.

With a sour mood, Locke faced off against Kite.

However, Kite already knew about Locke's Nen ability. He brought throwing weapons and, with his calm demeanor, managed to win despite Locke unfavorable situation, knocking Locke to the ground.

This series of defeats almost completely threw Locke off balance.

Next came Locke's final battle. He directly attacked Gowen with his Nen ability, and Gowen, who didn't even know how to use [Nen], was naturally powerless to fight back.

He won the final match.

In the end, Locke Street scored 1 point, plunging him into a deep depression.

He was on his way to the exam when he arrived, and he never imagined the result would be like this.

When Locke returned to the audience, Kevin looked at him.

Locke covered his face with his hands and said, "I know, I know, I need to calm down." He was aware of his emotional problem, but emotions are not something that can be controlled at will.

Kite successfully met the battle conditions in her fight against Netero and easily defeated Gowen, ultimately earning 3.5 points.

In the end, Gowen remains. He needs to pass Netero's test to gain 1.5 points, which is his only hope for a comeback.

In the end, Gowen succeeded.

The challenges that Netero prepared for each candidate were conditions that they had a chance to achieve after giving their all and thinking calmly.

In the end, surprisingly, Locke lost the exam.

"I will definitely come again next year," Locke said through gritted teeth.

He understood his problem and was completely convinced of his mistake.