First blood

Odin said nothing and kept walking.

The burly man watched him, his gaze growing more wary.

"Am I your target?" he asked, looking seriously at Odin.

Odin said nothing, only nodded.

The burly man took a step back, drew his right foot behind him, and lowered his center of gravity.

It was the opening stance for a grappling move.

Odin stopped five meters away from him rather than attacking immediately.

"Want to have a bout?"

Odin nodded and beckoned.

The burly man wasted no more words and charged straight at him.

He was fast, closing the distance in a few strides and reaching for Odin's shoulder with his right hand.

Odin was no longer the man he had once been. Even without using the Rabbit Talisman, he reacted in time.

Odin twisted aside.

The burly man's hand swept past his shoulder and caught nothing.

The man reacted quickly, following up with his left hand at once, fingers spread as he reached for Odin's neck.

Odin ducked.

The left hand caught nothing either.

The burly man's pupils contracted.

He hadn't expected his two deadly moves to be dodged so easily.

But he didn't panic.

He pushed hard off the ground with his right foot, lunging forward and reaching for both of Odin's shoulders at once.

It was a standard grappling move. Once he seized his opponent's shoulders, he could immediately follow with a knee strike or a throw.

From the burly man's perspective, this attempt was certain to succeed.

But-

Just as his hands were about to touch Odin's shoulders, Odin suddenly crouched.

The burly man's hands caught empty air, and his momentum carried him forward.

Beneath him, Odin clenched his right fist and punched him in the abdomen.

The force of the blow stopped the burly man's body short.

The man doubled over, then flew backward.

Odin rushed after him, pressed down on his head with his left hand to force him to bend over, then drove his right elbow into the man's back.

Thud.

The burly man lay sprawled on the ground.

The entire exchange had taken less than three seconds.

He lay there, his eyes vacant, no longer able to get up.

Odin walked over and began searching for the number badge the man carried.

The burly man struggled a few times but couldn't move.

Odin unzipped his backpack.

Inside were a few changes of clothes, some dry rations, and a water bottle.

There was also a number badge.

Number 38.

Odin took the badge out and slipped it into his pocket.

He looked back at the burly man.

The man was still lying on the ground, motionless.

Odin walked over to him and crouched.

"Who's your target?"

The burly man panted without answering.

Odin nodded noncommittally, then stood up, turned, and left.

The burly man remained on the ground, tilting his head up to look at the sky.

Time passed.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled light and shadow across the ground.

After walking some distance, Odin stopped and looked around.

Odin had noticed movement behind him some time ago. He simply hadn't expected the person to stay so well hidden.

It was faint, but he was certain someone was there.

Someone was following him.

After a moment's thought, Odin continued forward.

He slowed his pace a little.

The person kept following, maintaining a distance of roughly thirty meters.

Odin rounded a bend and entered a relatively open area.

He stopped and turned around.

"Come out."

Two seconds later, someone stepped out from behind a tree.

It was a thin male examinee dressed in dark gray, holding several metal throwing darts.

His expression was confident, as though he was certain he could easily overpower Odin.

Odin looked at him without asking any questions. The man's target could only be him.

He sighed.

"Then come on."

The thin man raised his hand, sending three darts flying at once.

Their angles were tricky: one flew straight at Odin's face, while the other two cut off his escape to either side.

Odin didn't dodge away.

He charged forward.

To his eyes, the darts were as slow as leaves drifting through the air.

He tilted his head, and the first dart skimmed past his ear.

He twisted sideways, and the second dart passed beneath his arm.

He lifted a leg, and the third dart flew between his legs.

All three darts missed.

The thin man's pupils contracted.

Before he could react, Odin was already in front of him.

One punch.

Right in the abdomen.

The thin man's body curled like a shrimp, his eyes bulging as an "Urgh" escaped his mouth.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach with both hands as his darts scattered across the ground.

Odin stood before him, looking down at him.

The thin man took a few ragged breaths and raised his head with difficulty.

Odin crouched and pulled the number badge from his waist.

Number 61.

One point secured.

He glanced at the badge, then at the thin man.

"I'm your target, and there's no way you're getting my badge now. Just give up."

The thin man nodded, unable to speak.

Odin stood and put the badge in his pocket.

"Stay here and recover your strength. Someone will come to take you away."

The thin man froze for a moment, then nodded.

Odin turned and left.

After a few steps, he heard the thin man's voice behind him.

"Th... thank you..."

Odin didn't look back.

He walked deeper into the woods, sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves to cast dappled light and shadow over him.

He thought as he walked.

I have number 38 now. Three points.

Number 61. One point.

Plus the three points from my own badge.

That actually leaves me with one extra badge.

He had effectively completed the test ahead of time and eliminated the examinee whose target was him.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled light and shadow across the ground.

Odin moved swiftly through the forest, keeping to roughly half his speed.

After running for a few minutes, he stopped.

Sounds came from ahead.

Not footsteps, but fighting.

Odin slowed and crept closer.

In a clearing, three people were ganging up on one.

Their victim was a girl in orange clothes and a yellow hat, with a swarm of bees flying around her.

Ponzu.

The three men attacking her looked somewhat alike and wore similar clothes, as though they were brothers.

Odin recognized them. They were the Amori Brothers.

The eldest and the second brother were both fairly strong and bold, while the youngest was a coward.

Ponzu's bees swirled through the air, trying to approach the youngest brother. Although he was cowardly, he had been trained well and easily kept the bees at bay.

Just one of them was already so difficult to deal with, and two even stronger men were standing by. Ponzu felt that this was the end of her Hunter Exam.

She had several scrapes and dirty clothes, and could only dodge desperately.

She had already lost more than a dozen bees, and it broke her heart.

Odin darted in front of Ponzu.

The youngest brother stepped back in surprise. "Who?!"

But the eldest immediately waved his hand. "Don't waste words. Get him together!"

All three attacked at once.

The eldest swept his arm across, the second rushed in from the side, and the youngest began circling behind.

Their coordination was indeed seamless.

But to Odin, they were laughably slow.

The eldest brother's right arm swept in from the left, its path perfectly clear. Odin turned sideways, and the muscular arm brushed past his clothes.

He caught the man's wrist and pulled it back.

The eldest lost his balance and stumbled forward two steps.

The second brother threw a punch. Odin ducked under it and kicked the side of his knee. The second brother screamed and dropped onto one knee.

The youngest brother thrust a fist at him. Odin turned, avoiding the punch while driving his right fist into the man's abdomen. The youngest let out an "Urgh" and doubled over.

The entire exchange took less than three seconds.

All three brothers were down.

The eldest lay on the ground, vomiting.

The second clutched his knee and wailed.

The youngest held his stomach, his face deathly pale.