Orin blinked. Over? Just like that? It sure seemed to be the case. Menchi, an Examiner of the Hunter Exam, found that no applicant met her requirements. Even though the Exam would've been over for the boy regardless of how many other individuals passed, it still felt surreal.

Even after all he'd been through before running into the man known as Tenulan, by pure chance at that, there had been a small sliver of hope growing within Orin. A hope for something more than just surviving. Something more than always running. A hope to be something. And that little ember of hope had been snuffed out by a cough.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd of applicants around him. It seemed that many of them were taking the news worse than Orin. A good number began to congregate in the center of the courtyard, brandishing various cooking utensils for weaponry.

"Nobody passed?" One applicant's voice carried over the whispers.

"Seriously?" Another asked incredulously.

"Does she really mean that?"

"Wait, so, the Exam's over?" Orin recognized that voice as the man who was genuinely confused when the test of the Second Phase was announced. He was, in fact, still confused. It would've been almost endearing if Orin wasn't 90 percent sure the man looked like an escaped convict.

"You've gotta be kidding!"

Tensions were rising.

A crashing sound caused Orin, as well as many other applicants, to turn their heads back to see Todo next to what used to be a cooking station. Based on the wrestler's expression, he was responsible for the damage done to the counter. "This is bullshit," he growled as water spurted up from a broken pipe. "Do you hear me? I will not accept this!"

Menchi placed her hands against her hips. "Say what you want, but we won't change our minds."

"Shut the hell up! You two wanted pork, so we risked out lives to—"

"Your challenge was to create a dish that both Examiners found delicious," Menchi cut in with a firm voice. "But none of you even came close to succeeding! You all pretty much cooked the exact same thing. It's like none of you even tried to pass!"

Orin put his hands in his pockets as many of the other applicants turned their heads away from Menchi in shame. What she was saying was mostly true, after all.

She continued. "A few of you did try something different, but then the flavor was completely ignored! The only one of you to try even a little made something that bordered on cultural appropriation! It's clear that none of you took this seriously!"

Orin tried to keep a blank expression on his face. I mean, I think I landed in the second group, so I think she's mostly mad at guys like Todo. For a moment, the quiet breaths of the applicants filled the courtyard.

The silence was broken by the bald applicant as he raised his hands in a shrug. "Yeah, but come on. Pork dishes all taste the same, no matter how you cook it—"

Menchi appeared in front of the man in a flash, both hands clenched firmly around the red scarf tied around his neck. She yanked the cloth hard, dragging the man forward and forcing his legs to bend. "Say that one more time if you dare." Her words dripped with anger as she yelled in the bald man's face. "If I hear any more shit from you, I'll shove my arm up your ass and punch your teeth out! Got it?!"

Everyone was watching the turquoise-haired Examiner confront the applicant, and Orin almost missed the somewhat pained look on Buhara's face. By the way he's watching, it seems like he's almost used to this. Does this really happen that often?

After she ranted for a few more seconds, Menchi calmed down enough to sit back down on her couch. "So, as I was saying," She tried to sound calm, but Orin knew she'd snap at the slightest hint of an insult. "None of you had the guts to cook anything remotely new or innovative."

"Shut up!" Todo yelled as he pointed a finger at the Examiner. "I'm not here because I want to be some chef or food critic. I want to be a Hunter!"

He pumped his fist in the air, and some of the applicants standing closest to him backed up his sentiment. Orin took a small step back. There's no way this'll end well.

"My goal is to become a Blacklist Hunter," the man elaborated. "A mere Gourmet Hunter has no right to tell me I can't!"

Menchi turned her head, keeping her eyes shut. "Then it's too bad a mere Gourmet Hunter is your Examiner. Better luck next year, I guess."

Her taunt worked remarkably well, as blood rushed to Todo's face, painting it red. "Why you…"

The sound of the man's feet hitting the stone path as he ran straight for Menchi rang out, only obscured by his cries of anger. "Don't mess with me!"

Before he reached his target, though, a mountain of yellow appeared in front of him in an instant. Buhara's arm blurred as it slammed directly into Todo, sending the wrestler flying back towards the gate of the park. How'd he move that fast? Orin kept his eyes on Buhara partly so that he didn't have to see what Todo was flung into, or how far he flew. The boy still heard two thumps behind him, indicating that Todo had reached his destination, whatever it was. And just how strong is he?

"Buhara," Menchi said in a low voice. "You shouldn't have interfered."

The larger Examiner turned to face her with a look of concern on his face. "I'm sorry, but if I hadn't stepped in, you would've killed him."

"Probably," the woman conceded with a dry laugh as she stood, a pair of knives in each hand. And when did she get those? The blades somewhat resembled those that Tenulan carried, but these were longer: the knives looked to be as long as Menchi's forearm. The tip of each was also less abrupt, sloping more slowly from the sharp edge to reach the other side. Evidently, her anger had shifted from the loud, burning rage from before to something colder, more exact.

Her heeled boots clicked against the brick stairs as she descended them. "Let's get this straight. We Gourmet Hunters frequently venture into the dens of ferocious beasts in search of the finest ingredients." Reaching the bottom, Menchi held up the knives, the steel catching the afternoon sun.

"And as such," She tossed the knives, spinning them rapidly as they seemed to fly in a wide circle in front of her. Her arms moved quickly but fluidly as she juggled the knives. "We, as well as every other Hunter, are proficient in at least some form of martial art. You all lack focus, and the will to experiment with new things."

Menchi caught all four knives in her left hand, using them to point at the applicants. "That alone disqualifies you all from becoming Hunters."

The silence was deafening as most applicants in the crowd now stood still. Orin shuffled in place, trying to ignore the lingering tension. I guess that's fair. I mean, I'd say I lack focus if I were in her place. Though I think that only really applies to me... Everyone else not named Killua is here because they actually want to be a Hunter. I'd think they'd have to be pretty focused to even get to the exam site at all.

"Well, that being said," A voice, likely amplified by a megaphone of some kind, called out from above, snapping Orin from his thoughts. "It seems a little excessive to fail every single applicant."

The boy, along with everyone else who could in the courtyard, scanned the sky to find the source of the voice. Now what's happening? An airship was drawing near, approaching from behind the building. The ship was painted a light blue along its sides, blending in with the sky. The white wings and gondola, though, stood out against the clear sky. The nose was painted differently, primarily black, with a pattern of white triangles arcing across the tip like a mouth.

"That's the mark of the Hunter Association," One of the applicants pointed out as the airship drew closer. Craning his neck, Orin could just make out the two large "X"s, converging to form a diamond shape between them. This space was painted red, standing out from the black lettering and white background. Of course it's a Hunter Association airship. A better question: Who the hell was talking from up there?

As if reading the boy's mind, another applicant added, "It must be someone from the Exam Committee."

Orin could just make out a small dot appear along the side of the gondola. The dot was quickly growing larger. What the—

"Someone jumped out." Killua had stuck his hands in his pockets as a hint of surprise began to show on his face.

"Holy shit, you're right." Orin could see the fluttering of clothes for only a few seconds before whoever it was grew close to the ground while moving at a dangerously high speed. The boy ducked behind the nearest counter just after the new arrival slammed into the ground, kicking up dust and dirt with a loud crash. Who the hell even does that?

/\/\/\

Tenulan shielded his eyes with a hand, coughing as the cloud of dust billowed outwards. As the cloud calmed, he opened a gap between his fingers, just barely making out the silhouette of someone walking through the dust. That person must be the one that jumped from the sky boat. But why?

Wooden sandals clacked against the ground as they walked. After a few more seconds, enough dust settled that Tenulan could begin to make out more details of the strange person.

They were an old man, by the looks of things. His hair, pulled into a topknot, was nearly pure white, while his beard matched the color and almost the length, though the very tip of it was still a dark gray. His eyebrows were bushy and long, seeming to fly off of the man's face towards his ears, which had notably large and elongated earlobes. Each ear had two metal studs in its lobe. He wore a white robe with bright blue edges, its loose fit covering his hands and hiding his true physique. Despite the strange appearance, the man gave of an indisputable air of authority, helped by his earlier demonstration.

This man is surely an elder, both in years and responsibility. It is easy to tell that he is a respected Hunter.

"Wait, who's the old man?" An applicant wondered aloud. Ah, that applicant cannot tell?

Menchi stepped towards the old man, standing at attention. "He is the head of the Exam Committee. Meaning, he's responsible for the Hunter Exam. Chairman Netero."

The Chairman had a soft smile on his face. "Oh, I just work behind the scenes. It's not all that impressive. I only intervene in an Exam when little issues such as this one pop up."

His expression quickly grew stern as he turned his focus towards the woman before him. "Now, Menchi."

"Sir."

"It's come to my attention that you've chosen to fail all of this year's applicants. The reason being, as I understand it, their general reluctance to challenge the unknown. Is that right?"

"No. I'm sorry, sir, but I snapped when an applicant insulted Gourmet Hunters. I'm afraid I became more strict than necessary in the evaluation process."

"I see." The old man's voice dropped any harshness it once held. "But it seems you're aware that this test was completely unacceptable."

Menchi lowered her head, avoiding the Chairman's gaze. "Yes. It's just that I get so emotional when food is involved. I'm not suited for the position of Examiner. I will step down from my position, so please let them retake the Second Phase."

Retake? Will there be a chance yet to pass this Exam?

"I understand, but I can't imagine where we'd even begin to find another Examiner on such short notice."

"My deepest apologies, sir," Menchi said as she bowed forward.

After a moment, Chairman Netero's face took on a playful expression as he raised a finger. "Alright, then. I have an idea." Menchi's eyes were wide as she straightened up again. "We will redo the Second Phase, with you continuing to serve as Examiner. But this time around, I want you to take part in the test by performing a demonstration of whatever new challenge you choose."

Menchi's mouth hung open in surprise. The tension Tenulan felt in many of the applicants was now replaced by a buzzing excitement, one that he shared. This is good. I will still be able to pass the Hunter Exam.

"Well?" The old man asked. "Sound reasonable? Surely the applicants will be more willing to accept the results this way."

"I suppose you're right," Menchi admitted as a smile spread across her face. "And I know just the thing for the new challenge. We'll all be making boiled eggs!"

Confusion rippled through the other applicants. I should have expected that the test would still involve cooking. Very well.

Menchi ignored the applicants around her as she raised an arm straight up, pointing a finger. "Chairman, since I see you've brought your airship, would you mind taking us all to Split-in-Half Mountain?"

"Split-in-Half Mountain? Oh, I see. Yes, of course," The man replied with a knowing chuckle. He pulled out a small device from somewhere within his robe, speaking into it. The airship began to descend slowly, causing the crowd of applicants to disperse as it drew near to the ground.

After it touched down, the applicants were funneled by the Examiners to a ramp leading into the gondola. Tenulan eyed the vessel with a furrowed brow as he stepped aboard alongside the others. The ramp was pulled back in once the Examiners and Chairman Netero had entered. Suddenly, the floor beneath the applicants shuddered as the airship began to rise.

Tenulan's muscles tensed as it climbed higher. The floor would occasionally sway, much like a boat on the water. For some reason, though, his body was less enthusiastic about this trip in particular. Maybe it was because it felt to the young man as if his heart was still on the ground, far beneath his feet.

He glanced out the nearest window. The sky was a pale blue, with its color only being interrupted by a few stray clouds. This vessel brings people closer to the Great Sky itself, so why is it that I—

His breath caught in his throat as his eyes slid down to see the Visca Forest Reserve. It would have been beautiful, were it not so small when viewed from the airship. The trees that blanketed the area looked more like a field of grass, with no gaps in the canopy visible from so high up. Tenulan felt his heart return to him, but now it began to pound harder against his chest.

His breath grew shallow. The crowd of applicants around him melted away from his awareness. He remembered how the Chairman leapt from the airship—perhaps from this very window—and slammed into the earth without a care in the world. It might not have been as far of a drop as it would have been now, but the mere thought of it was enough to cause Tenulan's legs to lock up.

A light kick in the back of his leg brought him back to the present, and he quickly snapped his head away from the window, finding a familiar face as the source of the attack.

Orin stared back, a look of concern apparent in his expression. "You scared of heights?"

"Scared? No. I am not afraid of many things."

"Not what I meant, sorry," the boy sighed. "Do you know what a phobia is?"

Silence was the answer.

"A phobia is an irrational fear of something. It's not about what you consciously think. Your body will still react. Make sense?"

Tenulan nodded as he took a step forward, away from the widow. "I see. In that case, my body and… inner self are afraid."

"Alright, so you probably have a fear of heights. There's a special name for that, same with other phobias, but I don't remember it," Orin shrugged, his head turning to face the window. "I'll be the lookout for the both of us, then."

Tenulan tried to look away from the windows for the rest of the trip. He decided to keep himself occupied by looking over as many of the other applicants as he could while trying not to stare to long at any of them.

In a crowd of 148 people, it was only natural to find plenty of people that stood out. There were of course the likes of Hisoka, Tonpa, Todo, and the bald man. In the case of the first two, Tenulan knew to avoid them. The other two men were less clear. Todo was aggressive and stubborn, but he seemed to direct his frustration at the Examiners and the Exam itself as opposed to other applicants. There were more unknowns with the bald man. The only thing Tenulan knew about him was that the applicant seemed to have a tendency to run his mouth. He is likely unable to keep secrets. He must have the physical ability to make up for that shortfall.

Then there was the dark-skinned man with a bright ruff around his neck, dressed in red. He had a large weapon of some kind strapped to his back and seemed to be keeping to himself. A trio of applicants, by contrast, acted as if they were tied together. Each wore a bright shirt of a primary color and had strange marks—paint, Tenulan guessed—around their eyes.

Continuing to observe, Tenulan noted that there only appeared to be three women present besides the Examiner. One, with sea green hair underneath a bulbous yellow hat, stood next to a younger male applicant, who wore a light purple hat over his light orange hair and had a yellow scarf tied around his neck. It seemed that the two were allies in some way.

The other two women stood near each other, but it was clear they were not allies. One wore dark sunglasses, and had her red hair pulled back in a low ponytail. The other wore a strange, wide-brimmed hat that Tenulan hadn't seen before. The hat covered her hair and face almost completely, keeping Tenulan from getting a clear view. She also wore a vest over a buttoned long sleeve shirt that looked like it once was a jacket, as the arm holes were incredibly frayed.

Both of these women were armed with what Tenulan recognized as guns. The one in sunglasses had a large one slung behind a shoulder, while the one with the brimmed hat had two guns holstered on a belt, one hanging by each hip. These guns looked to be small enough to be used with one hand, as opposed to the larger one carried by the other woman. Despite their proximity, it seemed that they only stood near each other because of their similar weaponry.

Tenulan noticed that he was beginning to stare for too long, and quickly darted his eyes to someone else. He felt the flash of a gaze right after he looked away. Perhaps I should not continue. The strange clothes some of the other applicants wear might distract me. The young man decided his next best option was to stare at the floor, and so his eyes tracked various patterns in the hardwood floor of the room whilst trying to ignore the subtle swaying of the airship as it flew.

/\/\/\

Orin tried to hide the small smile that tried to sneak onto his face as the airship landed at its destination. Am I a bad person for being a bit glad Tenulan's scared of heights? Am I wrong to be happy that there's something I can do that he can't? The boy took a slow breath as the crowd slowly filtered out of the airship and onto solid ground.

Eventually, he stepped off the ramp onto Split-in-Half Mountain. The name was pretty on the nose, but it looked more like a lumpy hill from the airship. The reddish-brown rock jutted out from the surrounding forest, its sole blemish being a gorge running straight down the middle of the mountain, like a giant took a saw at it. He stretched as he followed the crowd, feeling something shuffle in his pocket.

He pulled out a plain wooden box from the pocket. Right. I kinda forgot that the captain gave me this. Orin popped open the compass, its needle swaying back and forth. The needle's pointing along the crack. So, left's north, south is to the right. And that means we're on the west side of the mountain.

Not that it matters.

Orin stashed the compass back in his pocket as he caught up with the crowd, which congregated along the edge of the cliff.

"This is it," Menchi stood in the center of the crowd. "Everyone, take a good look at what's down there."

Orin craned his neck to peek over the edge before deciding that a more stable position would be better. I'm not afraid of heights, but I'm not stupid. He got down on his hands and knees, slowly inching forward until he got a clear view.

Inside the ravine was a rather dense fog, preventing him from seeing all the way to the bottom. He could, however, make out white strands of something that spanned the gap, forming a haphazard grid-like pattern.

"Wha... What is that?" An applicant asked in a shaky voice.

"That is a spider eagle web," Menchi explained.

"Really? They build their webs down in there?" Gon wondered aloud from somewhere else in the crowd.

A gust of wind blew up from below the web, lifting the hair from many applicants' faces. Orin heard the sound of an applicant falling back in surprise, glancing to see Todo had fallen onto his rear. It's just wind. Nothing to be afraid of.

"Take a good look underneath the webs," Menchi instructed.

"Are those…?"

"Yep. Those are spider eagle eggs."

Orin could just barely make out the misshapen white blobs hanging randomly from some of the strands of web. Eugh. I might not be afraid of heights or wind. But bugs? Spiders? That's a different story. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. I can do this. I can do this… As long as whatever laid those eggs doesn't come around any time soon.

"Spider eagles build their webs in deep ravines such as this one to protect their eggs from predators," Netero added. "This makes spider eagle eggs very difficult to obtain. In fact, they are one of the most difficult to obtain in the world. Also, the eggs are commonly known as 'Dream Eggs.'"

Dream Eggs? Is it because you can only dream of getting them, or something? Eh, that was a lame joke.

"Hey, wait a minute," Todo stammered, still sitting on the ground. "Don't tell me…"

"How about I show you instead?" Menchi replied playfully as she stepped closer to the cliff's edge. Once she reached it, she immediately leapt forward, arms spread wide in as she dove into the gorge.

It took only a second or two for her to reach the layers of webs, grabbing onto a strand near the top layer. The web sagged due to the speed she was falling before she had grabbed hold of it. She even had enough momentum to swing around the web, letting go at the apex of the rotation to briefly rise a bit higher before settling back under the strand of web.

Well, that's certainly the quickest way to get down there.

Many of the applicants watching gasped as Menchi hung by her hands, nothing solid below her for hundreds of meters. She looked below her, finding an egg sac in a lower layer.

"Even if she grabs an egg, how's she gonna climb back up?" Leorio asked no one in particular as he leaned over Gon and Killua to get a clear view. Besides his single comment, the crowd of applicants grew completely silent as Menchi still hung from the web.

Yeah, how's she going to get out of there at all? Are we going to have to just climb up a sheer cliff? While holding an egg? I'd rather—

And then, just as suddenly as she leapt down into the ravine, she let go of the web.

The fuck?

The slightest breeze soon blew up from within, only strong enough to ruffle a stray hair or two. A few applicants gasped again, some even going as far as to cover their eyes as their Examiner fell further down. She passed by the egg sac she had her eye on and held out her arms to snatch an egg as she fell. Her momentum was enough to break the egg free, but that momentum also carried her further down.

Soon after, Menchi disappeared into the fog.

"What the hell?" Leorio said in disbelief. "Is she trying to kill herself?"

"No, she's not," Kurapika deadpanned, staring intently into the fog. The seconds dragged on as everyone waited for something to happen, for Menchi to somehow get back up to the top of the mountain.

Wind suddenly billowed up from the ravine, much stronger than before. In fact, it was strong enough to bring a speck of turquoise back into view through the fog. Seconds later, Menchi was carried by the wind up to the top of the cliff. She hovered a few meters above the crowd, egg still firmly in her grasp.

"Woah, that looks like fun!" Killua exclaimed.

"This ravine has strong updrafts that are crucial to the spider eagles. Once they hatch, these wind currents help carry the chicks up to safety," Netero explained as Menchi landed in front of him, now holding the egg in one hand to show it to the applicants. Orin craned his neck over the edge. So we just have to wait for an updraft before letting go? And remember to grab an egg, I guess.

"There. All that's left now is to boil it," Menchi said matter-of-factly.

"You gotta be kidding!" Todo, who had managed to get back to his feet earlier, stammered. "Nobody sane would just jump down like that!"

"I've been waiting for something like this!" Gon shouted gleefully, ignoring Todo's comment. He quickly jumped off the edge, with Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio not far behind.

/\/\/\

Tenulan took deep breaths, trying to calm his heart. The gorge yawned before him, strands of silk delicately strung across its span. Ignoring what was in front of him, his mind focused instead on what lied far below, out of sight. He shivered despite the weather being much warmer than he was used to.

One mistake is all that is needed to die here. There would be no chance of surviving the fall.

Gon's excited shouts drew Tenulan from his thoughts in time to see the boy jump alongside Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio. Gon's followers acted without hesitation, either trusting his judgement, or sharing his enthusiasm for the new challenge. Tenulan definitely lacked the latter. They are not beholden to a 'phobia' as I am. I understand how this task can be completed, and yet I cannot bring myself to follow.

Laughter echoed along the walls of the ravine as the four fell towards the web. Some of the other applicants steeled their nerves, setting their belongings down before leaping themselves.

"Wait!" Menchi called to the small horde of applicants as they sailed over the edge. "I haven't finished my explanation yet!"

Tenulan turned to face the Examiner as Orin stepped up to her. "Okay, so what's the rest of it?"

Menchi sighed. "The updraft doesn't blow at a consistent interval. You'll have to feel the wind to know when it's coming, for one."

Ah. The small wind that blew before Menchi was carried out of the ravine, then.

She peeked over the edge, facepalming as she leaned back. "And the strands can only hold so much weight! If everyone holds onto one section of the web, it might break off of the cliffside."

Tenulan tried not to think of what would happen to him if he was hanging onto one of the strands if that happened. He pivoted on his heel to face the ravine.

Orin stepped past Tenulan to see all of the applicants that jumped landed on the same section of the web. Their combined weights were already bending the strands, and it seemed with every passing moment that the ends would give out sooner rather than later.

"Let's go from over there," Orin said as he pointed to his right. "The web looks like it's cut off from everyone else in that section, so we shouldn't break it with just two of us."

Orin's hands were in his pockets as he walked over far enough away from the other applicants, and Tenulan followed him stiffly. The two soon stood above the new section of the web. Egg sacs still hung below the web, more clearly visible without the bodies of applicants crowding the strands of the web.

This is it, then. Tenulan dropped his bag to the ground and clenched his fists. I cannot simply give up. I must pass this Hunter Exam. And if I cannot, then that means I am not worthy of returning to my people. It would be the same as dying here. He took a step forward, toes just inches from the edge. I will either be victorious or die trying. That is the only way he will allow me to return.

Tenulan could just barely make out Orin's voice calling out to him, but the blood pounding in his ears made it so he couldn't understand what the boy was saying. The young man instead stood still, eyes fixed on a nearby egg sac. I must do this. So why are my legs refusing to listen? Why must I—

Something slammed into the small of Tenulan's back. His eyes grew wide as he felt the world drop away from under him as he stumbled over the edge, arms held wide as he tried to keep himself from rotating in the air. He managed to focus onto a strand of web that would be in his reach and adjusted his arms as he approached.

His hands clamped tightly onto the slightly sticky thread as he fell past it. The strand bent down as he swung forward, his momentum trying desperately to keep him moving. He finally felt his body slow to a stop as the strand sagged further down as a new weight was added to it.

"Holy shit," Orin exclaimed, out of breath. "That was something. Sorry I tackled you, by the way. You weren't listening to me."

Tenulan tilted his head forward, watching the other applicants. "It is alright. My body did not want to willingly leap from the edge."

The two dangled in silence for a second, waiting for something to happen. The other applicants were similarly quiet. The silence was broken when an applicant let go of the web, calling out a quick "Catch you later!" as he fell into the fog.

Tenulan closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was to come. There were murmurs from within the crowd that he couldn't quite make out, but he definitely knew what the applicant who had just let go was thinking as a scream echoed off of the cliffsides.

He kept his eyes closed until the screams no longer reached his ears. That will happen to us as well if we are too eager. Tenulan focused on the feeling of the air against his skin, waiting for the updraft to arrive.

A snapping sound pierced through the gorge as he heard Leorio cry out in surprise. The strand the lanky applicant was holding onto was beginning to break free of the rock, dropping him lower. Orin sucked a sharp breath in through his teeth. "Shit, the updraft better get here soon. For their sakes."

The seconds dragged on without so much as a tickle against Tenulan's brow. Perhaps the time between the updrafts is much longer than we thought. A few other applicants couldn't wait any longer and dropped down into the abyss. Their screams lingered after they had disappeared in the mist.

Another second. The strands of web the other applicants still held onto were beginning to fray from the stress. And the air finally shifted.

It was a small breeze, barely more than a whisper, but Tenulan stiffened in anticipation.

"Now!" Gon's call quickly reached him a moment later. Evidently, the boy in green was also keenly aware of what preceded the updraft. The signal was all the confirmation Tenulan needed to release his grip of the web. He tilted forward, stretching a bit to grab hold of an egg as gravity pulled him faster and faster. Orin quickly followed suit as another egg was snapped free.

The applicants slipped into the fog, obscuring the view of everything around them. Tenulan closed his eyes and tried to ignore the feeling of his stomach dropping considerably faster than the rest of him. The seconds before the updraft picked up in intensity were agonizing for him, as he began to worry that the wind would not arrive at all.

Thankfully for him, that was not the case. He felt his fall slow before quickly reversing course. The wind pushed hard against his chest as he felt himself pass back through the fog. He forced his eyes open, trying to keep from watching the cliffsides as they blurred together. Soon enough, the top of the mountain was visible, with a larger crowd of applicants watching with gaping mouths and wide eyes.

Tenulan's heart refused to calm down until he felt solid ground under him as he finally landed, bending his knees as he did so. He quickly straightened out, though, when he felt his legs threatened to fold completely.

He took deep breaths, trying to regain composure as he and Orin walked back to the other applicants. Menchi turned to the larger crowd that had backed away from the cliff's edge. "What about you guys? I'm guessing you've had enough of the Hunter Exam?"

"It takes courage to concede, too," Chairman Netero replied on their behalf.

/\/\/\

Orin hesitantly tossed a now-boiled egg between his hands. He had always been a picky eater, though he had tried to expand his palette in the past few years. Despite his efforts, though, he was still unsure about eggs. Part of it was that he never had a chance to have one by itself, boiled or otherwise. The other thing holding him back was how he didn't particularly want to have one.

Do I really have to eat it? Menchi only said we had to boil it… The boy watched as applicants around him peeled the shell from their own eggs to start eating. One by one, each was completely blown away by the taste. Some said as much, like the bald man, who exclaimed, "Unbelievable! This is way better than the eggs they sell at the store!"

Most of the others showed their enjoyment on their faces instead. Orin tentatively peeled some of the eggshell from the top of his egg, staring at it in his hand. He frowned. Of all the times to have to try a new food, why now? I have more important things to deal with.

"I can see why they're called 'Dream Eggs,'" Kurapika said between bites from somewhere in the crowd.

Fine! Fuck! Orin raised the egg to his mouth slowly. One bite, that's it. The egg whites, solidified from the boiling, gave way easily under his teeth, revealing the still runny yolk inside. He chewed for a second before freezing in place.

Damnit. The egg was easily the best thing the boy had tasted in days, maybe even months. Adding to that the fact that he hadn't eaten since before the Hunter Exam even began, and the egg quickly disappeared from Orin's hands. The boy weaved through the crowd to find his new acquaintances as he heard Gon call out, "Hey, Mr. Todo. Do you wanna try some of this egg? It's really good."

You're telling me that of everyone here, Todo didn't jump? He just gave up?

Orin leaned around another applicant just in time to see the wrestler's expression shift from thought to pure amazement as he gasped. "Delicious."

"The joy of discovering something delicious," Menchi said fondly as she approached the pair. "Do you get it now? That feeling is what we risk our lives for."

Todo turned to face the Examiner, humming in agreement. "I lost fair and square,"—he bowed forward slightly—"and I apologize for what I said earlier. I see now how I was wrong. Next year, I'll be back."

Gon smiled at the man's words. Orin smirked, still out of sight. Well, at least he learned something. Don't be a dick. The brown-haired boy turned back into the crowd, finding the trio of Leorio, Kurapika, and Killua as they finished their eggs. He flashed a quick thumbs up at them as he approached, signaling that he and Tenulan had also passed the phase.

All the while, a small spark flashed in the boy's mind. Hope.

The Second Phase of the Hunter Exam was completed for the second time that year. 95 applicants failed, and 53 now remain.


Hi, it's Glaive, the author! Thanks for reading!

Got a bit of a long one today—just over 6,300 words—because some, uh, things needed to be established at the earliest point that they would arise (get it?) given the events of the Exam. I also didn't cut it off at an earlier point because I didn't want to leave just a small portion of the phase left for the next chapter. It wouldn't have worked well, I think.

Anyways, I think it'd be best to keep it at that since the chapter was longer. Wait, it was only a week and a half this time? I can't emphasize enough how weird this is for me. Well, I guess we'll see how much longer I'll keep this pace.

"See you next time!" – Dolce Kamiya, Yakuza 0