As the Quick-Answer Granny finished her last count, she exhaled a deep breath amidst Leorio's almost explosive gaze of frustration.
"You've passed!"
Leorio, who was just about to swing his stick in a desperate last stand, was left with a head full of question marks.
"As expected."
Kurapika's face also showed a slight smile. Imdiately, he carefully analyzed the rules and conditions for passing this ga once more.
"I see, so silence was the correct answer to pass?"
Leorio finally realized, feeling a bit of lingering fear and slight embarrassnt. However, when he looked at the Guiding Angel in Gon's hand and Morin, who seed unbothered by everything, he felt an inexplicable sense of awe.
Considering the fierce fox family and this formidable figure... better not ss with them.
The Quick-Answer Granny had already announced that the group had passed this round, but Gon was still deep in thought. Until he was sure he couldn't co up with an answer, he reluctantly gave up.
"I still can't figure it out!"
He scratched his spiky hair in frustration.
"Mr. Guiding Angel, do you know the correct answer?"
"There is no correct answer."
The Guiding Angel replied without hesitation, "The person who ca up with this question is either malicious or ignorant." You could clearly see the Quick-Answer Granny's mouth twitch.
"Really? But if you really had to choose between two people, what would you do?"
His eyes were particularly serious at this mont. "Although it's hard to choose, when that day cos, I must make a decision. Yes, that's the true aning of this test."
It's about making all sorts of cruel assumptions because reality is always unpredictable and rciless. This is the essence of the hunters in Togashi's world, and why so many people are fascinated by it. Moreover, this round of testing also lays a deep foundation and foreshadowing for the future Chira Ant arc.
"Under the cedar tree, there's a small house where a couple lives. They are your guides."
"If they appreciate you, they'll take you to the venue."
After pointing Morin and the others in the right direction, the Quick-Answer Granny opened the door leading to the red cedar tree.
The so-called guides change the venue of the Hunter Exam every year, and their job is to lead hopeful candidates to the venue. Without their guidance, candidates wouldn't even find the edge of the venue. To filter candidates, nurous traps are set along the way, and the venue itself is in a place that's extrely hard to find. So, only by finding the guides and gaining their approval can one reach the venue.
With the Guiding Angel's direction, the group quickly reached their destination. Although the Guiding Angel was quite ticulous and chatty along the way, which was a bit annoying, Gon found it rather enjoyable. Knowing the Guiding Angel ant well, he could tolerate it. anwhile, Leorio and Kurapika quietly distanced themselves. They couldn't help it; it was just too noisy. This also dispelled their thoughts of borrowing it.
Upon reaching the cedar tree, they discovered a large wooden house beneath it, looking quite elegant and simple.
"Is anyone there?"
Leorio, taking advantage of his height and long legs, reached the door first and knocked a few tis, but there was no response.
"I'm coming in."
Feeling a bit impatient, Leorio found the door unlocked and opened it. Inside, he found a tense scene.
A giant fox-like beast, over five ters tall, had grabbed a woman with its huge claws. On the ground lay a man covered in blood, his life or death uncertain.
"A beast!!"
Kurapika and Leorio's expressions turned serious simultaneously. They imdiately drew their wooden swords and daggers. The beast, upon seeing them, shot a fierce glare from its lantern-like yellow eyes, ignored them, and leaped out the window with the screaming woman, disappearing in a flash.
"Save the person first!"
Kurapika planned to chase after it. "Leorio, take care of the injured!"
"Leave it to !"
Leorio was about to step forward with his dical bag to start treatnt when—
"Don't move!"
The Guiding Angel spoke again.
"Stay where you are."
"Why?!"
Although Leorio knew the Guiding Angel wouldn't explain its reasons and that it was usually right, he still asked, driven by his aspiration to beco a doctor.
"Because this is a test in itself."
Morin, for once, made an appearance, asserting his presence. He couldn't help it; the previous tasks hadn't piqued his interest, leaving him feeling lazy.
"Since they were entrusted by the Hunter Association to guide candidates safely to the venue, they must at least have the strength to handle candidates and various ergencies. What do you think of that fierce fox just now?"
Morin asked.
"Although it was agile, I felt it was a bit old."
Gon thought seriously, "If I were to fight it, without actually engaging, I'm not sure who's stronger."
"But I don't think it could kill ."
"If even Gon can't be taken down by the fierce fox, how could it so easily subdue the guiding couple?"
Morin shrugged.
"And that woman, who seed to be the wife, didn't even attempt to resist."
Leorio couldn't help but ask, "But what if the husband is strong, and the wife has no combat ability?"
"Impossible."
Kurapika refuted:
"The granny ntioned earlier that this mountain is full of man-eating beasts. How could soone living here be simple?"
"Moreover, even if the wife is a weak ordinary person, the Hunter Exam only lasts a few days. Why would she choose to stay here instead of a safer city during this ti?"
"And also—"
Kurapika looked at the silent man lying on the ground, "Even if your wife accidentally ca here and encountered a beast, if you're the guide, you seem too weak. The injuries on you look like simple superficial wounds, don't they?"
With the conversation reaching this point, what else was unclear?
"Impressive."
The man lying on the ground took a breath, indeed not seriously injured, and stood up.
"I didn't expect such calm judgnt and analytical skills in such a critical situation. You've saved us from further acting and arrangents."
He called out to the outside of the house:
"Mom, Dad, co in."
Outside the window, two fierce foxes, almost identical, walked in. Behind them was the woman who had been taken away earlier.
"To see through our act so quickly has set a new record for candidates who have co here over the years."
The father fox chuckled hoarsely. As he spoke, he glanced at Morin. His already small eyes squinted even more.
This man not only had exceptional observational skills but was also the strongest candidate he had ever seen. As for how strong, the father fox couldn't tell. But at least, taking down their whole family wouldn't be a problem.
Thinking of this, his back felt a bit chilly with cold sweat. If the opponent had been soone who preferred violence over observation, they might have been in trouble just now.
"No, we absolutely can't use this testing thod again."
The father fox smiled outwardly but decided internally to change the testing thod in the future.
"And your insight is still so sharp, the best we've seen among all candidates."
The mother fox didn't hold back her praise.
"Congratulations, you've passed our examination."
"Huh?!"
Leorio, still in a daze, felt a pancake land on his head.
"Did we pass just like that?"
He asked uncertainly. He couldn't help it; this test seed too easy. He hadn't even exerted himself, just said a few words.
In truth, this round of testing wasn't particularly difficult. By staying calm and observing carefully, many clues could be found. Morin, without using any tools, easily noticed many inconsistencies in the house. For instance, although the room looked chaotic and destroyed, valuable items remained untouched.
After all, this was just a preliminary screening before the official start of the Hunter Exam.
The fierce fox family wouldn't go all out for a small screening, even tearing down their own ho. Similarly, Morin and Kurapika's analysis was so straightforward that they passed Leorio and Gon as well.
This was because the official Hunter Exam awaited them, and there was no need to retest after their identities had been revealed.
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