After confirming that nine other applicants remained, I focused on guessing what the final phase could possibly be.

"Well gentlemen", Chairman Netero said to the nine others, "And lady. Did you get plenty of rest?"

I blinked. Fuck no. Because for some irrational reason, I assuaged Kurapika's anger, hate, and guilt for the death of his clan, made a deal with the Kurta who had acted like a psycho, and then practiced hand-to-hand combat with him. According to one of the many books I have read, Kurapika was suffering from a combination of survivor's guilt and other issues. Not that I cared.

"This hotel is owned by the Hunter Exam Selection Committee. The place is all yours until the battles are concluded". A board covered in cloth was rolled out. "For the Final Phase, we will be holding a one-on-one tournament."

I glanced at Kurapika who glanced at me with a small smile. Ha! We knew the last phase would have something to do with fighting and some solo activity!

Netero pulled the cloth off the board and it revealed…"Only the last person standing passes?" somebody whispered. Well, fuck...I didn't know Netero was such as asshole.

My shoulders tensed. I glanced at Hisoka and Illumi; my shoulders sagged dejectedly because I knew I stood no chance against them, even with additional practice and training from Kurapika.

"No", Netero clarified and my expression brightened. "One win is all you need to pass. The winners are removed from competition, while the losers continue up the bracket. In other words, the person who finishes at the top will not pass. Does everyone understand now?"

I blinked. Yes. I had a small chance of failure, but that wasn't even factored with the differing levels of battle skills, cleverness, physical strength, and agility…well fuck. Maybe I could take on Bodero, he looked old, or Pokkle…

"So you're saying that only one person will fail?" Hanzo asked.

Netero stated, "Exactly". He pulled off tape covering the bottom of the board and I blinked in confusion. How did I miss that?

"And here is the order".

I narrowed my eyes. Gon versus me first. After glaring a Netero I gave Gon a steady glance. I didn't want to fight him…but then I recalled my answer to Netero's question of: who would you not want to fight?

It was oddly similar to Hisoka's question he asked me when we first met: who would you kill first?

Now, I have my answer: Illumi and Hisoka. Also Kurapika. I had underestimated him. Killua next...everyone else was lukewarm compared to those four.

I scratched at the fresh bruises and cuts on my arms, hidden under my long sleeve black shirt, which I had received from Kurapika while we were training.

I don't want to fight Kurapika because Kurapika always changed his offense and defense. Even with my nen surreptitiously altering my switchblade size and quality, I had a difficult time causing Kurapika to say 'I give'.

But Gon…I legitimately like Gon…he was as ingenuous, pure, and bright as I was crafty, aloof, and selfish.

I glanced further down the order. Kurapika versus Hisoka...

Kurapika had his eyes closed; he was probably visualizing fighting Hisoka, if I knew Kurapika.

With a quick smile shot in Kurapika's direction, I let my poker face fall into place. No emotions. I had to beat Gon.

"The battle rules are simple. Weapons are allowed. No cheating. If your opponent admits defeat, you win. However, if you kill your opponent, you will be immediately disqualified. All remaining applicants will pass, and the exam will end. Are we clear?" A pregnant pause followed Netero's rules. "Then we shall began the exam's Final Phase".

"The first match is Gon versus Avi. Began", the referee announced.

I felt like I was going to throw up. I'd rather fight Killua. Or Illumi. Or even Hisoka.

That's when I felt Illumi's eyes boring into me. I turned around and held his cold stare. Illumi would be disappointed if I didn't display some sort of challenge or obscure offensive technique. Even though he had constantly stated how disappointed he was in my slow reactions, weak punches, or whatever. He criticized everything and made sure I fixed it by dislocating my various body parts. Illumi enjoyed causing pain but luckily he knew how to put my joints back into place. My shoulders still didn't feel as strong! Stupid Illumi and his weird sadistic teaching methods!

I looked at Gon who calmly walked into the ring.

"I will serve as the referee. My name is Masta. Best of luck." Masta took a step back, Gon fell back as well, and I moved my body into the basic defensive formation Illumi had taught me.

'As a manipulator you have the ability to alter inanimate and animate objects', Hisoka's words surfaced in my mind. 'Be creative. What can you change in your environment so that your opponent loses his advantage? When you change inanimate objects, no Avi, you may not attempt to manipulate people yet, alter to kill or maim'.

I remembered that lesson. Hisoka had sliced me so many times with his cards that I will forever have scars all over me.

Gon's clear, bright brown eyes met mine. 'He's not going to give up no matter what I do', I said to myself.

I grabbed the switchblade and tossed outside of the ring.

Gon nodded to me with respect. If he could fight without his fishing rod, I could fight without weapons too.

'But you'll be using nen', I viciously thought to myself. It wasn't fair, but I had to pass. Maybe if I hit Gon once he'll just give up? I met Gon's eyes. No.

I shut mine and opened them again. Gon is looking at me the way Brec did whenever he was about to fight.

I glanced at Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua.

They were all clearly rooting for Gon. Emotion clouded my judgement. 'No Avi', I mentally berated myself, 'No emotion. Just hit the kid once, prove you can fight, and give up!'

"Begin!" Masta shouted.

Gon leapt forward at me as I dodged. I guess Illumi throwing sharp rocks at me that I had to randomly dodge did wonders for my agility.

Did I want my other opponents to know what I was capable of? Should I pull some technique on Gon?

I stopped and glanced at the bracket order. I would fight Hanzo if I gave up...

Hanzo's eyes were scrutinizing my every move. I narrowed my own dark blue eyes. I could take him.

"Yahhh!" Gon yelled and he leapt at me, fist in the air.

He was annoying me.

I focused my nen into the sole of my shoe and manipulated the material from the heel into the toe to make it harder. Why could I only manipulate inanimate objects again...right...because Hisoka and Illumi told me that I needed to figure out how to manipulate my opponents myself, using my own techniques.

'Shift majority of your weight onto your front leg', Illumi had taught me, 'Remember, rotate the hips and let your back leg follow. That is how you maximize damage.'

I felt my back leg fly towards Gon and realized something. Maximize damage. I was aiming for Gon's neck. I would kill Gon, it was guaranteed with my nen enhanced shoe.

I panted harshly. I didn't want to-I shifted my foot lower, a weird angle for me, and allowed my foot to hit the teen's chest.

"Ahh!" he shouted in pain as he was thrown backwards by the enhanced force of my kick.

Gon awkwardly landed on the floor and slid a couple of feet.

I winced and shook my head. Illumi's ominous nen clouded around me and I shuddered-no-Illumi is purposely distracting me. Focus.

I brightened my nen in an attempt to buy myself a couple of precious seconds so Illumi wouldn't scare me so much that I couldn't think.

Illumi was furious. I was physically shaking as I felt Illumi's nen whisk angrily around me-'please don't make me do anything again', I begged in my mind,'I want control of myself'.

That's what Illumi did. He was able to, unlike me, take control of others' auras and physically make them move if he stabbed them with one of his needles.

Like any Manipulator, before Illumi could control someone's actions, he had to insert a needle into their body somehow.

Illumi could easily throw a needle at me, which I probably wouldn't be able to dodge, and control my actions. I bet everyone in the room would miss it. He did it a lot during our training on Zevil Island just for kicks. That guy had a sick sense of humor.

I had to figure out a way of how to manipulate my opponents. Illumi's aura suddenly returned to him and I stared at Illumi...what was he playing at? Illumi gave me a disinterested nod. He wanted me to prove my worth but did not care of the outcome. That's what Illumi was taciturnly saying. I nodded, showing I understood.

"Avi!" Leorio angrily shouted, "How could you do that to Gon?" Disbelief and anger filled Leorio's dark brown eyes. Icy rage filled Killua's and of course, nothing showed on Kurapika's face.

Anger flooded through me. Did they really like Gon that much? I glared at said boy in jealousy.

I felt my nen flare with rage and envy. Hisoka and Illumi stared at me with renewed interest.

The groaning teen pushed himself off the floor. "I won't give up Avi", he told me.

I sighed. "So be it".

With that, I leapt forward and punched Gon in the stomach. Envy fueled the strength behind my punch. I always hated it when everybody liked another person without that person even trying.

I was always jealous of social butterflies and people who just seemed...happier than me.

Gon blocked my punch and attempted to kick me but I grabbed Gon's ankle and twisted it. Illumi had taught me that technique.

'Which leg does your opponent favor? How does he shift his weight? When he punches, what does his other arm do?', Illumi said with a straight face as he repeatedly punched and kicked me during training.

As I repeatedly punched and kicked Gon, I stared at his bloody face.

"Stop it Avi!", roared Leorio.

I glared harshly at Leorio. Well, I'm glad I know who the crowd favored. Again. Kurapika was quiet but seemed tense.

Killua glared at me with murderous intent and I glared back.

I watched as the faintest trait of nen warped around Killua's hand and sharpened his nails. I twitched. But Killua wasn't a nen user-bam! Gon had kicked me in the side.

I fell to the ground and rolled to my left as Gon attempted to punch me again.

"I refuse to give up", Gon shouted," I will become a hunter!"

He sounded so much like Brec...

I had to become a hunter too...which meant I had to beat either Gon, Hanzo, Bodero, Leorio, or Pokkle. I highly doubted the others would lose their fights.

Gon stared at me and I understood. Gon would never give up. I glanced at individual faces in the crowd. I wasn't doing myself any favors by beating up Gon, I was simply losing allies. Besides, I was confident enough in my basic nen abilities that I believed I could handle Hanzo.

Gon's back leg tensed and I knew he was going to leap forward and attempt to punch me with his right arm. Again. Did that kid really only know how to attack an opponent with one offensive technique?

Cocking my head to the side I decided that before I gave up, I wanted to try another new offensive technique Illumi had taught me...

Gon was flying toward me, right fist drawn back...and NOW!

I dodged to Gon's left side and grabbed his arm.

"Avi", Gon panted, "How did you move so fast?"

I smirked at Gon. "You're welcome", I simply stated.

I glanced at the hold in which I held Gon. I could easily break his back...but...I felt admiration for Gon's stubbornness.

I dropped Gon's arm and loudly shouted,"I give!"

Silence filled the arena as Netero began clapping,"A wonderful display of tenacity Gon". He turned to me, "And Avi...a wonderful display of physical fitness and...a variety of...unexpected strengths. Such strong emotions. Such cleverness while fighting. However, you gave. Gon is the winner!"

Gon stared at me in irritation, "I didn't win though. You could have won. It's not right!"

I smirked condescendingly, still stung that Leorio, Killua, and Kurapika favored Gon, and patted Gon on the back. "When someone does something irrational that defies logic which is in your favor Gon, you accept it. It's rude to turn down my help otherwise. Consider it a parting gift".

"But", Gon began to protest.

I angrily whirled around, temper and aura flaring, "Shut up Gon and accept it. Congratulations. Now go find your dad".

Why was I angry at myself? Why was I mad that I wasn't as cold-hearted as Illumi or Hisoka? They would have tortured Gon easily while I-I was affected by emotion. I didn't want to hurt Gon that much, just hit him because I was jealous that people liked him more than me.

'Why do you care about what others think? You'll just need to use and abuse these people to fulfill your own goals?', that nasty voice in the back of my head stated.

I walked to the edge of the crowd of applicants and froze. I...I didn't want to use any Leorio, Kurapika, Killua, or Gon...I...I liked them as friends.

It's not like I was ever going to see Gon again after the exam anyway.

'But you enjoyed his company on Zevil Island', a small voice said in the back of my mind. Guilt flooded through me. How could I hit Gon so hard? He had looked at me with nothing except understanding on his face. How could I allow my emotions to fuel my actions? I didn't have to hit Gon as many times as I did...I didn't have to showcase that much of my power. But jealousy had caused me to show Hanzo exactly how good my fighting techniques were...fuck.

I glanced at the ninja who was wearily watching me in return. Against him I would not hold back.

Hanzo gave me a cold smile.

"Next match", Masta said,"Kurapika versus Hisoka". I blinked in interest. Kurapika. He was very adroit, quick, and wily...I wondered how he'd fare against Hisoka, but then I remembered. Hisoka was a nen-user and Kurapika was clearly not and Hisoka was faster, stronger, and smarter. Hisoka would win.

I gave the Kurta a pitying glance. Hisoka was going to torture Kurapika until Kurapika cracked.