After passing through security, Odin entered the departure lounge.
The lounge was large, with travelers waiting to board seated in row after row of chairs.
Some read books, some played on their phones, and others talked quietly.
Odin found a seat by the window and set his backpack at his feet.
He checked the time-9 a.m. There were still several hours before departure.
It was still early.
He leaned back and closed his eyes, but he did not sleep.
Today was January 4. The airship would depart at 1 p.m. and arrive in Kent City at around 3 a.m. tomorrow.
Did that mean he would have nearly two days to wait in Kent City before the exam began?
Odin did not believe it would be that easy. He was not even following the same route as Gon, the story's protagonist. There was no way Gon's route would be so difficult while his turned out simple.
According to the plot, the Hunter Association would conduct a preliminary screening of the applicants during this period-misleading information, staff in disguise, and all sorts of hidden tests.
The aim was to weed out those who were not alert, perceptive, or resolute enough.
Odin knew all this, but even so, he had to stay vigilant. He did not think a university student like himself, who had yet to enter the working world, could match those seasoned veterans when it came to schemes and deception.
Knowing that did not give him any solutions, though. All he could do was remind himself to be more cautious.
He opened his eyes and looked out the window.
An airship was slowly rising into the sky, its engines rumbling low as it flew into the distance.
The sky was blue, with few clouds-a fine day for flying.
Time passed slowly.
The departure lounge gradually filled up.
Several middle-aged people in business attire walked past, pulling suitcases and talking on their phones.
A family of three sat opposite him. The child was fussing, and the mother soothed the child in a low voice.
An elderly man held a newspaper, reading intently through his reading glasses.
Odin glanced at the clock on the wall-12:20 p.m.
There was still a little time left.
He was about to close his eyes and rest again when an announcement suddenly sounded.
"Attention, passengers traveling to Kent City. Early boarding for flight K-287 is now beginning.
Please take all your belongings and proceed to gate 3 to board."
Early boarding?
Odin frowned.
His ticket said 1 p.m., but it was only 12:20.
More than half an hour early?
Was that even possible?!
He remained seated.
But people in the departure lounge were already getting up and carrying their luggage toward gate 3.
They included a young couple and several young people who looked like students.
Odin watched them closely.
The students chatted as they walked. Their voices were low, but he could hear them clearly.
"Why are we boarding early?"
"No idea. Maybe there aren't many passengers."
"Come on. We don't want to miss it."
They headed toward gate 3 and disappeared into the passageway.
Odin still did not move.
He looked at the ticket in his hand, then at the clock on the wall.
12:22 p.m.
The remaining people in the lounge also began getting up one after another.
A man wearing a hat, a woman carrying a hiking backpack, and a group of elderly women who looked like a tour group all moved toward the gate, the women chattering away.
Fewer and fewer people remained.
Odin stayed where he was, tapping his fingers lightly against his knee.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
The Hunter Exam had begun the moment he received that email.
The email had given him only the city's name, not a specific location. That was the first screening-whether he could find the exam entrance himself.
Could this early boarding be the second?
He did not know.
How had Gon and the others reached Kent City in the original story? In the anime, they had gone through several tests.
Given the Hunter Association's methods, there were bound to be all kinds of probes and screenings along his route.
"Should I go or not?" he muttered.
If this was not a test, staying behind might mean missing his actual flight.
But if it was a test, boarding might put him on the wrong airship and take him somewhere else.
It was a dilemma.
Odin glanced out the window at the airship parked on the apron serving gate 3-a large, luxurious-looking vessel. It looked somewhat old, but that did nothing to diminish its luxury.
He looked at the airships serving the other gates. They were all ordinary, midsized vessels.
The difference was too obvious. Besides, he had only bought a standard airship ticket.
Too deliberate. Odin reached his conclusion.
He decided to wait.
The minutes and seconds ticked by.
Only a handful of people remained in the lounge-Odin, a dozing middle-aged man, and a young man playing on his phone.
The clock on the wall reached 12:45 p.m.
The earlier airship had long since taken off.
Another announcement sounded.
"Attention, passengers traveling to Kent City. Flight K-287 will depart shortly. Passengers who have not yet boarded, please proceed to gate 3 as soon as possible."
Gate 3 again?
Odin looked up.
A midsized airship was parked on the apron serving gate 3. Its appearance was much more ordinary than the previous one.
Odin stood and picked up his backpack.
The dozing middle-aged man woke as well, blearily checked his ticket, and slowly got to his feet.
The young man pocketed his phone and headed toward gate 3 too.
Three people, including Odin.
The staff member at the gate was a tall, thin man in uniform, his face expressionless. He took Odin's ticket, glanced at it, tore off the stub, and handed it back.
"Please proceed."
Odin entered the passageway.
It was long, with transparent glass walls on both sides through which he could see the apron outside.
At the end was the airship's entrance-a metal hatch, with faint voices drifting from within.
He stepped inside.
The airship's interior was roomier than he had expected, almost like a small hotel.
Quite a few passengers were already aboard.
Odin found his seat-15A, by the window.
Some passengers had booked suites and would enjoy better accommodations.
He set his backpack aside and sat down.
He kept his bankbook on his person. After all, it held nearly 400 million Jenny.
Outside the window lay the apron, with the city's outline visible in the distance.
More passengers came aboard one after another.
The last to board were the dozing middle-aged man and the young man who had been playing on his phone.
The older man sat farther away on the other side, while the young man took a seat behind Odin.
The hatch closed.
The captain's steady voice came over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard flight K-287 to Kent City.
Our flight time will be approximately fourteen hours, with arrival expected at 3 a.m.
We wish you a pleasant journey."
The airship shuddered slightly and began to rise.
Odin leaned back in his seat and waited quietly.
The city shrank below, becoming a dense cluster of buildings.
The tower of Heavens Arena was still visible, like a slender needle planted in the city's center.
Soon, the airship reached cruising altitude and leveled out.
Odin turned away from the window and surveyed the cabin.
There were around seventy passengers. Including the crew, there were probably over a hundred people aboard.
Business travelers read newspapers, couples talked quietly, and solo travelers rested with their eyes closed.
They all looked perfectly ordinary.
Some people had already returned to their suites, and he had no idea what they were doing.
He did not dare relax.
The Hunter Association's methods could not be judged by ordinary standards.
The cabin crew began moving around. Two women and a man were serving the area near him.
All wore standard uniforms and professional smiles.
They pushed carts laden with drinks and snacks.
"Sir, would you like something to drink?" a flight attendant asked, stopping beside Odin.
"Just water."
"Certainly."
The attendant handed him a bottle of mineral water, then continued down the aisle.
Odin unscrewed the cap and was about to take a sip when he abruptly paused.
He looked at the bottle in his hand, considered it, then simply screwed the cap back on and set it aside.
Better safe than sorry.
What if this was a test?
The attendants continued serving passengers, their voices gentle and their movements practiced.
"Ma'am, we have orange juice, apple juice, cola, and our special lemon tea. I recommend the lemon tea. It's very refreshing."
"Sir, would you like to try our specialty snacks? They're a local specialty and taste quite good."
"Would you like some milk, little one?"
Everything seemed normal.
But Odin noticed that when the attendants recommended drinks and snacks, they placed particular emphasis on certain items.
"Our special lemon tea," "local specialty snacks," and "fresh apple juice."
They were also more enthusiastic with certain passengers, making repeated recommendations.
Odin noticed that the older man received three such offers.
"Sir, are you sure you wouldn't like to try some? It's offered exclusively on this flight. You won't be able to buy it once you get off."
The man waved a hand. "No, thank you."
Only then did the attendant leave.
Odin watched her walk away, then looked at the other attendants.
Their expressions were natural, their smiles professional. But their eyes-their eyes were watching.
It was not the usual attentiveness of service staff. They were scrutinizing people.
Just as I thought. Odin now had a clearer idea.
All the service staff aboard this airship were probably assistant examiners assigned by the Hunter Association. Their task was to screen the applicants-to identify those with sufficient vigilance, judgment, and willpower.
The earlier boarding had been one probe. The food and drink service was the second.
Odin leaned back and closed his eyes.
He pretended to rest.
But he kept listening.
He could hear the attendants' footsteps, the rolling wheels of their carts, and the passengers' conversations.
"This lemon tea really is good."
"The snacks aren't bad either. Want to try some?"
"I'll have an apple juice too."
Some accepted the recommendations, while others declined.
Time passed slowly.
The airship flew smoothly, with occasional slight jolts when it encountered turbulence. Outside, the clouds grew thicker and thinner, alternately letting sunlight through and blocking it out.
Odin checked his watch-they had been flying for an hour and a half.
The attendants began their second round of service.
This time, they pushed a meal cart laden with main courses.
"Sir, would you like lunch? We have beef rice and chicken noodles. I recommend the beef rice-it's our chef's specialty."
"Ma'am, try the chicken noodles. They have a very mild flavor."
"Would you like some steamed egg custard, little one?"
The middle-aged man some distance from Odin ordered beef rice, while the young man behind him ordered chicken noodles.
Odin ordered plain noodles for himself.
The flight attendant glanced at him but said nothing more, handing him a serving of plain noodles with a smile.
The meal cart continued toward the back.
Odin slowly drank his water and ate his noodles, his eyes sweeping across the cabin.
He had just noticed that the crew also drank bottled water and ate plain noodles, but left the boiled water provided aboard the craft untouched.
Some passengers ate with relish, while others only took a few casual bites.
The flight attendants were still watching. Their movements were subtle, but they did not escape his notice.
A few more hours passed.
The outlines of land began to appear outside the window-mountains and rivers.
The sky gradually darkened.
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