The Hunter Exam ended. On the airship, Netero appeared to motivate everyone, saying a few words like a school principal before the new term. But he was the kind of principal who didn't give long speeches and didn't announce what the final trial would be. He only left them with: "In three days, we'll arrive at the next exam site."

Three days and more… This airship is so slow, Saiki Kusuo thought. He'd been away from home for too long and wanted to go back. But then he remembered that just selling a Hunter License was worth hundreds of millions. He could bear three more days.

Only Killua, Gon, and Alluka were still full of energy, as if they'd never run out. Yare yare, Saiki Kusuo couldn't understand that kind of excitement—it was just an airship. He could already see through its structure and mechanics at a glance.

Everyone was in one room. Hisoka and Illumi sat in a corner, Chrollo in the opposite corner from Hisoka, and Saiki Kusuo picked a quiet spot away from the door. He even started building a tower of cards.

With three powerful people in the room, others began guessing the content of the final exam, their ideas all over the place.

"But I also have a guess about the final question," said the oldest man there, Bodoro.

Saiki Kusuo calmly stacked cards. He already knew the final exam was going to be a fight. The details were uncertain, but no matter the situation, he wouldn't be afraid—it was just an exam.

"As a Hunter, you must have broad knowledge. So the last stage will be… a written test!"

Saiki Kusuo: Yare yare, that's completely wrong.

Still, Bodoro's words shocked everyone.

"The last stage is actually a tricky written exam…?" Leorio.

Saiki Kusuo: Even if it's not a written exam, you're still the one most likely to fail. By the way, how did Leorio pass again? I can't even remember.

Buhara grabbed his head. "I haven't studied in years—what do I do?"

Saiki Kusuo: How are you going to be a Hunter if you don't study? What if you can't even recognize what you're looking for?

Blond Chrollo: "There's a library on board. Maybe it's for that purpose."

Saiki Kusuo: So after Hisoka found out your identity, you've lost the motivation to act like a gentleman, huh?

Even Hisoka's card tower collapsed. Saiki Kusuo took the chance—maybe Hisoka had been building it too tall, and kept throwing glances his way with that unpleasant psychic pressure. Saiki Kusuo decided to push his advantage and at least stably place the two cards for the third layer…

"Hmph, compared to you all, our family has the very knowledgeable Brother Kusuo!"

Saiki Kusuo: ?

Killua jumped up, ran to Kusuo, stepped, and spun around. "Don't underestimate Brother Kusuo! He could've gotten a PhD three years ago! No exam can stump him!"

The spin made wind, the landing made a thud.

"A doctor? How old is your brother? So young and already a doctor?" Leorio asked.

Killua tilted his head up. "Eighteen, same age as you. He became a doctor when he was fifteen!"

Leorio was instantly crushed.

"What's a doctor? Is it really amazing? Like a Hunter?" Gon asked, clueless.

Meanwhile, Saiki Kusuo only mourned his collapsed card tower and the two cards still in his hand.

Crack. The cards were crushed into a ball in his fist.

Saiki Kusuo: Yare yare, what's so surprising? It's just a doctorate. If I wanted one, I could've had it at three… No, no one would acknowledge a three-year-old. Fifteen is at least somewhat normal.

While the group was still in a panic over the written test idea, Saiki Kusuo put away the cards and noticed Killua still squatting in front of him.

[What is it?]

"Brother Kusuo, if it really is a written test…" Killua leaned close to whisper in his ear.

Saiki Kusuo: I already know from his thoughts that this kid is planning to cheat.

[No. You take the test yourself.]

"Then… help Alluka! I'm pretty confident about my own knowledge!"

All the Zoldyck children were trained from a young age in every way,

except for Alluka, who was spoiled and raised without much discipline.

[That's fine, if it's a written test.]

"Brother Kusuo, you're way too biased toward Alluka!!" Killua was shocked. He was so righteous just a moment ago!

Saiki Kusuo: It won't be a written test anyway.

Leorio and the others went out to cram at the last minute, while Saiki Kusuo sat on the floor, picked up his cards, and planned to get back into the game.

Chrollo happened to walk past him.

Was he going to run away because of Hisoka's attention?

Chrollo: [I'll go check out the library.]

Oh, so he was going to read. That really suited Chrollo's image.

Saiki Kusuo glanced at Hisoka in the corner, then at Illumi on the other side, and suddenly started thinking.

Wait, why was he still building card towers? At first, it was to control his strength, and now he was almost there—he just had to be a bit careful not to damage the cards. The second reason was that during the seven days in the exam hall, there was nothing else to do to pass the time.

Now that there was a library, why was he still here? And being alone with Hisoka and Illumi on top of that.

Saiki Kusuo put the cards behind his back, slipped them into his bag where Hisoka couldn't see, and followed them to the library.

Good grief, only having books to read for so many days… even he was getting tired of it. Once this exam was over, he was definitely going to binge movies for three whole days. That's what Saiki Kusuo decided.

The next day, Chairman Netero called everyone into a private room for questioning, and it was Saiki Kusuo's turn.

There was a row of photos of examinees on the table. Netero said, "Hoho, a lot of Zoldyck kids this year. You're the older brother of those two, right?"

Yes, though he wasn't the oldest—there was an even older brother who dressed like a clown.

[Yeah, that's right.]

"When talking, it's more polite to use your mouth and look at the person. Don't you think?"

…Got told off. A person this strong could tell instantly that he wasn't speaking out loud. Annoying.

[I'm used to it. I'll look at you when I speak, is that okay?] Saiki Kusuo said.

"Sure. Why do you want to become a Hunter?"

[I don't really care about becoming a Hunter. I'm only here to protect my younger brother.] Saiki Kusuo answered honestly.

"Hohoho. Who's the person you pay the most attention to and the one you least want to fight?"

Saiki Kusuo looked around and pointed at Alluka and Killua without hesitation. [I came here to protect my brother. If I had to fight them, I'd surrender right away.]

"Alright, I see. You can leave now."

Saiki Kusuo's turn was number 400, followed by Alluka and Killua in number order.

When Saiki Kusuo came out, Alluka was already at the door.

[He'll ask two questions. Just answer them, no need to be scared.] Saiki Kusuo knew Alluka was shy around strangers.

"Brother Kusuo, what did that old man ask you?" Killua asked, resting his hand behind his head.

[Just some simple questions.] No need to give details.

"Oh." Killua understood, leaning against the wall to wait for Alluka to come out.

And finally, the last exam started to take shape after this round of talks.

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