The passenger ship sailed for two full days and nights before finally reaching the port of Dole Island on the morning of the third day. Dole Island was a tropical island covered in dense, primeval jungle. Hot, humid sea breezes carried the scent of vegetation straight into their faces. Ships of every description crowded the harbor, and Hunter Exam applicants were everywhere, a motley mix of all sorts of people. Even the air felt tense and restless. Lin Ye, Leorio, and Kurapika disembarked together. The moment he stepped off the ship, Leorio stretched luxuriously, gazed at the bustling harbor, and said excitedly, "Finally! So this is Dole Island! The Hunter Exam venue is somewhere on this island, right?" "It should be." Kurapika nodded as he studied the Hunter Exam notice in his hand. "The notice only says the venue is on Dole Island. We have to find the exact location ourselves." "Find it ourselves?" Leorio blinked, then curled his lip. "The Hunter Association really knows how to make life difficult. They won't even tell us where the venue is? Is this part of the exam too?" Lin Ye smiled without speaking. Of course he knew that the first stage of the Hunter Exam was the marathon from the harbor to the venue. Applicants had to find their own way to the exam venue hidden in the primeval jungle-the enormous Cedar Tree. Those who chose to take the bus would all fall into a trap and be eliminated. "Come on, let's ask for directions at that diner up ahead." Leorio pointed at a diner beside the harbor and grinned. "We can grab something to eat while we're there. Who knows what other hassles are waiting for us?" Neither Lin Ye nor Kurapika objected, and they followed Leorio toward the diner. Quite a few applicants were already inside, sitting in small groups and conversing quietly, their eyes watchful and guarded. The three found an empty table, ordered three breakfasts, and began eating at their leisure. Just then, a boy's bright, energetic voice rang out at the entrance. "Excuse me! How do we get to the Hunter Exam venue?" Hearing that voice, Lin Ye looked up toward the door. A boy stood there in green shorts and a red top, with short black hair and big, deerlike eyes shining with an innocent light. A radiant smile lit his face, and he seemed to exude sunshine. It was Gon. Beside him stood a white-haired boy in a blue long-sleeved shirt and black shorts. His skin was fair, his eyes held a hint of languor and aloofness, and a devil-may-care smile played at his lips. He radiated an assassin's aura that warned strangers to keep their distance. Killua. Looking at the two boys, Lin Ye felt a flicker of emotion. These two boys, destined to share a lifelong bond, had finally appeared before him. The diner's owner gave Gon a strange smile and pointed to the bus stop outside. "The Hunter Exam venue? Just take the bus over there. It'll take you straight there. Very convenient." "Really? Thank you!" Gon bowed happily to the owner, then turned to run toward the bus stop. "Wait." A calm voice stopped him. Gon halted and turned toward the voice, meeting Lin Ye's gaze. Lin Ye looked at him and said evenly, "That bus won't take you to the exam venue. Everyone who gets on will be eliminated." Gon paused, blinking his big eyes as he looked curiously at Lin Ye. "Huh? How do you know? Who are you?" "My name is Lin Ye. I'm here to take the Hunter Exam too," Lin Ye said calmly. "The real venue is at the huge Cedar Tree in the center of the island. You have to walk through this jungle to get there. The bus will only take you to an abandoned factory full of traps. Once you go inside, you won't get back out." Beside Gon, Killua raised an eyebrow and looked at Lin Ye, a glint of surprise and curiosity flashing in his eyes. His own senses had already picked up the owner's malice, and he knew something was wrong with the bus. He had been about to warn Gon, but someone else had beaten him to it. This boy looked about his age, yet his perception was so sharp, and his tone so certain. He clearly wasn't lying. "Really?" Gon tilted his head and looked at the diner's owner. The owner's expression instantly soured. He shot Lin Ye a vicious glare but didn't dare say anything. He could tell Lin Ye wasn't an ordinary applicant. His presence frightened him to his very bones. Seeing the owner's reaction, Gon immediately realized Lin Ye had told the truth. He ran over to Lin Ye's table and bowed deeply, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. "Thank you, Lin Ye! If it weren't for you, I would've taken the wrong bus!" "You're welcome." Looking at the innocent boy before him, Lin Ye smiled gently too. In the original story, Gon had seen through the owner's lie with his keen, animal instincts and chosen to walk through the jungle instead of taking the bus. Lin Ye's warning had merely nudged things along. He also wanted to make his first connection with Gon and Killua. "I'm Gon! This is Killua!" Gon enthusiastically introduced himself and the boy beside him. "We're here to take the Hunter Exam too! Can we go with you?" Seeing Gon's enthusiasm, Killua shrugged helplessly, but he didn't object. His gaze lingered on Lin Ye with a little more wariness and curiosity. He could sense something in Lin Ye that resembled himself: a lethal aura etched into his bones by years spent on the edge of life and death. He had only ever felt that aura from members of his own family. This boy named Lin Ye was definitely no ordinary person. "Of course!" Leorio slapped the table heartily. "The more, the merrier! There are four of us already, so with you two, that makes six... no, five. A perfect team!" Kurapika nodded to Gon and Killua as well, offering a gentle smile. Gon jumped with joy and pulled Killua over to sit at the table, then began chattering with the others. He told them he came from Whale Island and had entered the Hunter Exam to find his father, Ging. Killua offered a brief explanation too: he had grown tired of life at home and run away to take the Hunter Exam for some fun. Lin Ye listened quietly, occasionally responding. He could clearly feel how Gon's innocence was like a ray of light, touching everyone around him. Killua, meanwhile, might seem carefree, but beneath that exterior lay loneliness and a longing for freedom. He was like a wary kitten, cautiously testing the world around him. Leorio and Gon quickly hit it off. Both were outgoing, and their conversation soon became lively. Kurapika listened quietly, occasionally exchanging a few words with Killua. Both were perceptive and thoughtful, and they got along surprisingly well. Watching the scene before him, Lin Ye felt a trace of warmth. Five people from completely different places, with completely different pasts and goals, had come together because of the Hunter Exam. This was the most iconic five-man team from the original story. And now he had become one of them. After breakfast, the five gathered their belongings and left the diner. Instead of going to the bus stop, they headed straight toward the primeval jungle. Quite a few applicants at the jungle entrance had already chosen to continue on foot. Of course, even more had chosen the bus and would ultimately fall into the trap that would eliminate them. As they entered the jungle, hot, humid air washed over them. Dense trees blotted out the sky, insects and birds called all around them, and dangers lurked in the shadows. Gon moved nimbly through the jungle as though he had returned home. His keen, animal instincts allowed him to easily avoid traps, venomous snakes, and dangerous beasts along the way, and he occasionally warned the others of nearby hazards. Killua was extraordinarily agile too. His assassin family's training had made him thoroughly familiar with jungle traps. He could spot even deeply concealed ones at a glance, and he worked seamlessly with Gon. Lin Ye, meanwhile, used Observation Haki to take in every movement within several kilometers. He knew exactly where the beasts, traps, and other applicants were. The journey was effortless for him, and he occasionally reminded the others to avoid hidden dangers. Leorio stared at the three in shock. "You three are ridiculous! How can you spot every trap in this jungle? It's like you've got X-ray vision!" Kurapika smiled and shook his head. "All three of them are born hunters." His own skills were nothing to scoff at either. The Kurta Clan's teachings had given him extensive experience in jungle survival, allowing him to handle unexpected situations easily along the way. Laughing and talking, the five made swift progress through the primeval jungle, working together in perfect harmony. They encountered plenty of other applicants along the way. Some traveled in groups, others went alone, and some had already lost their lives to traps and beasts in the jungle. The cruelty of the Hunter Exam had already begun. After walking for about two hours, the five stopped beside a stream to rest briefly, drink some water, and recover their strength. Just then, Gon suddenly looked up toward the depths of the jungle. His nose twitched, and he said curiously, "Huh? There's something strange up ahead. Lots of people, and a really strong smell of blood." Killua frowned too and nodded. "Yeah, I can feel it as well. There are sounds of fighting up ahead, and a lot of people's auras. It's chaotic." Lin Ye's Observation Haki had already picked up what was happening ahead. He frowned slightly and said calmly, "A group of applicants is being attacked up ahead. There's only one attacker, and he's already killed more than a dozen people." "What?!" Leorio sprang to his feet, his face full of shock. "One person? He's killed more than a dozen applicants? Right up ahead?" Kurapika's eyes turned cold as well, and he tightened his grip on his Nunchucks. "Should we take a look?" Gon looked at the others, his eyes holding no fear, only curiosity. Lin Ye nodded and stood. "Let's go take a look. But be careful. The attacker is dangerous, and he's very strong." Of course he knew who the attacker was. Hisoka. The Magician who enjoyed hunting down unworthy applicants during the Hunter Exam was also someone Lin Ye was destined to fight. The five immediately set off, hurrying toward the source of the auras. After passing through a dense thicket, they all stopped at the sight before them. Applicants' bodies littered a clearing in the forest. Blood stained the ground red, and its heavy stench filled the air. A man stood in the center of the clearing. He wore a gold trench coat, with a red star and teardrop painted on his face. He held a deck of playing cards, and a crazed, teasing smile curved his lips. It was Hisoka. More than a dozen trembling applicants still stood before him. They held weapons but didn't dare move an inch, their eyes filled with absolute terror. Hisoka's smile grew crueler as he watched them, toying with the cards in his hands. "Oh dear, how boring," he drawled. "You don't even have the courage to fight back. Do people like you really deserve to take the Hunter Exam?" As he spoke, he flicked a finger. A playing card shot out in an instant, charged with a razor-sharp aura, and pierced straight through an applicant's throat. The applicant fell stiffly to the ground without even managing a scream, his life extinguished. Terrified out of their minds, the remaining applicants screamed, turned, and ran. Watching them scatter in all directions, Hisoka smiled excitedly. Playing cards flew from his hand, one after another. Screams rang out in succession as applicants fell while trying to escape. Just then, an icy voice suddenly rang out. "Stop." Hisoka's card-flicking hand abruptly froze. He slowly turned toward the voice and met Lin Ye's gaze. The instant his eyes settled on Lin Ye, an astonishing light blazed in those flippant eyes, as though he had discovered some priceless treasure. He could clearly sense Lin Ye's aura: hard and domineering, like a sharp blade concealed in its sheath. It appeared calm, yet within it lay an edge capable of cutting through anything. Here was a fruit that was terribly unripe, yet utterly enticing. An intensely excited smile curled Hisoka's lips. He licked them as he looked at Lin Ye and drawled, "Oh my~ I've found an interesting little fellow."
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