A Chess Game of Questions

The airship sailed steadily through the clouds, a river of stars hanging low beyond the windows. In the control room, Netero floated cross-legged in midair, meditating with his eyes closed, while Beans swiftly organized the candidates' files and reported in a low voice, "Chairman, among the ten candidates, Hisoka and Gittarackur's backgrounds still can't be traced..." Netero cracked his eyes open, golden light flowing within them. "No matter. Snakes and shadows belong hidden in the mist."

The next morning, Ryan woke naturally and stretched lazily. It had been a long time since he had slept this well. He muttered to himself as he looked around the empty dining hall, where only the coffee machine's steam hissed. As he picked up his food, he caught sight of the view outside—the airship was passing over a jagged coastline, its reefs gilded red-gold by the morning light, sea foam shattering into floating snow a hundred meters below. Could the entrance to the Dark Continent be hidden beneath a sea like this too? He rubbed the rim of his cup, recalling the chairman's interview from the original plot. This was when the matchups for the later fights would be decided. How would that old geezer of a chairman arrange them? There had originally been nine people, but now there were ten—just enough for two-on-two. How would he set it up?

A sudden commotion erupted from the direction of the library. Hanzo burst out of it, only for Leorio to pin him down. Hanzo was still shouting that he was going to the Examination Committee office to steal the test questions.

Hearing the noise, Ryan rubbed his head in exasperation and muttered helplessly, "These people have completely lost it."

Hisoka's soft laughter drifted out from the shadows. He rolled a playing card between his fingers,