As Hisoka wiped the sweat from his brow, he felt something cool trig down his neck. He reached up, fingers brushing against dampness. Drops of water. Hisoka frowned slightly. "...Is it raining?" He stared at his slightly wet fiips, murmuring to himself. Then, realization struck. They were underground. It couldn't be rain. Hisoka chuckled softly. "...Cold sweat, huh?"

  Ding!

  The sharp chime of the elevator echoed through the tuhe doors slid open, revealing three figures. One was tall and dressed in a suit, wearing small gsses that gave him the air of an experienced office worker despite his young age. He carried a briefcase, adding to his mature demeanor. The sed was much younger, wearing a bright green sports jacket, with a fishing rod strapped to his backpack. His messy bck hair spiked up like a sea ur, making him stand out. The third had striking golden-blond hair and a posed expression. His outfit bore a distinct, intricate pattern—a traditional garb of the Kurta . They were Leorio, Gon, and Kurapika.

  Lenced around, frowning slightly. "...The atmosphere feels weird." After stepping out, they each received their es from the short man managing the exam.

  "Hey, new faces! You’re all first-timers, right?" A seemingly friendly voice called out to them.

  Gon blinked in fusion. "You tell?"

  "I’d say it’s a safe guess." The speaker, a slightly chubby man with an 'ho' face, hopped down from where he had been sitting. "Because I’ve taken the Hunter Exam thirty-five times."

  "THIRTY-FIVE?!" The three shouted in unison, staring at him in shock.

  Leorio practically choked. "That many times?! What the hell are you still doing here?"

  The man—Dongba—grinned good-naturedly, holding up a tray of ed drinks. "Anyway, let me wele you guys with a little treat. Want a drink?" His smile was friendly. His tone was kind. But beh that 'harmless' exterior, Dongba was already smirking to himself. His drinks were ced with a strong xative. If any of these rookies took a sip, their exam would be as good as over. This was the method of the infamous "Rookie Killer" Dongba. And he was already preparing to strike.

  Oher side of the room, leaning against a wall, Larry cracked a faint smile. He watched the se unfold, eyes glinting with quiet amusement. He kly what kind of person Dongba was. And this little trick of his? Pathetic. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Larry pushed himself off the wall and casually walked toward them.

  Gon popped open the and took a cautious sniff. Immediately, a faint, rancid odor—not something an ordinary person could detect—hit his nose. "Mr. Dongba… this smells kinda off. Has it expired?"

  Gon's i questio a jolt through Leorio, who had just taken a sip. His face paled as he instinctively spat the juice out. "Holy crap! I almost drank it!" Leorio coughed violently, gring at the .

  Kurapika, ever the most cautious of the three, didn’t eveate. Without saying a word, he popped the tab and poured the liquid straight onto the ground. Dongba blinked, f an awkward chuckle. "Oh wow, that’s strange. Must’ve grabbed the wrong ones by act…" But inwardly, he was in plete disbelief. ‘This xative is colorless and odorless! How the hell did they notice?!’

  Before he could recover, a familiar voice cut through the versation. "I’ll take one of those xative-infused drinks, Dongba—the Rookie Killer." Dongba whipped his head around and locked eyes with Larry, who had casually strolled up to them, hands in his pockets, smirking.

  Cold sweat broke out on Dongba’s forehead. Gon and the others immediately turheir gazes on him with suspi. Feeling the pressure, Dongba scratched the back of his head, let out a nervous ugh And bolted. He slipped into the crowd, weaving through the mass of didates like a fish in water.

  Within seds, he was gone. Larry watched his retreat with mild amusement. Dongba might be infamous as the “Rookie Killer,” but he had another niame amoain circles—“Dong Fulis.” Of course, that was just a joke among fans, a py on words linking his o the infamous pyer Dougs Fourlis, who never actually peted. But still, there was something impressive about Dongba. Even without he man had mao survive the Hunter Exam thirty-five times.

  Thirty-five. The mortality rate for this exam was sky-high, yet this guy had always made it through—unscathed. That alone spoke volumes about his instincts. Rumor had it he actually could’ve passed the exam before. But once you became a Hunter, you couldn’t take the test again. And if he passed, how would he keep pying his favorite game—messing with rookies? So he chose to fail.

  Most of the time, he’d drop out by the third or fourth phase, either by bad luore often, on his own terms. Larry couldn’t help but wonder—if Dongba ever awakened Nen, what kind of ability would he develop? His guess? An ability to sense danger. And in a world like this, that was nothing to scoff at. "Thanks for the heads-up, sir," Gon said, snapping Larry out of his thoughts.

  Larry waved him off. "Don’t worry about it. Just call me Larry." After a bit of versation, Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika quickly warmed up to him. They were surprised to learn that Larry was a first-time examinee like them.

  DING! DING! DING!

  A loud, pierg chime suddenly echoed through the underground hall. All heads turoward the massive stoe at the far end. As the bell rang, the enormous door rumbled to life, slowly lifting upwards. The ground trembled beh their feet as it moved, sending vibrations through the air. A thin figure stood in the doorway. The man wore a bck suit, his short purple hair ly bed. A curly mustache made his fastantly reizable. In his hand, he held a small, ringing toy, the source of the chime. He surveyed the room, his expression calm, collected. Then his eyes nded on one person. And all of that posure snapped. "MR. LARRY?!" The man’s usual professionalism shattered in an instant. His mouth practically fell open in shock, exposing a small part of his face behind his curled mustache.

  Larry grinned. "Hey, Satotz. Long time no see." He casually raised a hand iing. And just like that, the entire room erupted into chaos.

  "WHAT?! HE KNOWS THE EXAMINER?!""Are you kidding me?! How is that fair?!""Oi, oi, oi! This dude better not be getting special treatment!"The whispers grew into ht discussions. Some didates were shocked, others furious. The fact that Larry khe lead examiner was a huge deal.

  "Leorio, Kurapika, did you hear that? Mr. Larry knows the examiner!" Gon beamed, oblivious to the tension in the room.

  Leorio, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes in thought. "...He must be loaded."

  Kurapika gave him a deadpan stare. "That’s your first thought?"

  Leorio crossed his arms. "Think about it! A guy this well-ected? He’s gotta have money!" And holy? He wasn’t wrong.