Dozens of people began to drop dead on the stairs, giving up on the very first phase of the exam.

"Ha… ha….. I-I can't. Take another step…" a man said dropping dead onto the floor. 

The man next to him continued to walk a little further before his legs gave up on him, panting heavily.

"Th-this… it is…." he said, falling face forward.  

Gon and Killua sprinted passed the fallen men, bodies still untouched by their mental fatigue.

"I'm still astonished that you're able to keep up with me, Killua said, still sounding normal from all the running they did.

"Ah. Really?" Gon asked, a wide smile appearing his on his face as he chuckled and scratched the back of his head, pleased with the compliment.

Killua looked at the boy a little irritated and looked back ahead, unamused with the entire event.

'Or maybe it's just that everyone here is too slow…' the boy muttered, disappointedly.

Killua sighed and lowered his head to the floor, his hands still in his pockets, the skateboard still firm underneath his arm.

"Man… This Hunter Exam is going to be a breeze…. That's no fun!" the boy complained.

Gon looked over to his new friend curiously, Leorio's briefcase hitting against his backpack in rhythm.

"Hey, Killua? Why do you want to become a hunter?" the boy asked.

Killua lifted his head up and looked at the boy with a blank face.

"Oh, me? I'm really not that interested in becoming one," Killua answered.

"Huh?" Gon said.

"It was said that this exam was suppose to be really hard, well that's what I heard… So I thought it'd be amusingly fun! But no, this is just disappointing," Killua explained, smiling and closing his eyes as he did so.

Gon stared at the boy with his mouth slightly opened, taking in the reason Killua gave him.

"How about you?" Killua questioned. "Why is it that you want to become a hunter?"

"Well.. My dad is a hunter and so I wanted to become one also, just like he did," Gon told the boy.

The two boys slightly moved to the right to avoid the heavily breathing body in front of them.

"Hmmm?" the boy hummed. "What kind of hunter is he?"

"I don't know," Gon answered immediately.

Killua looked at the boy with shock, ducked his head low, and looked away from Gon, letting out a quick loud laugh.

"That's sort of weird!" he said.

"Really?" Gon asked curiously, looking at Killua.

Killua looked back over to Gon and smiled brightly at him.

"You want to be just like your dad and yet, you don't know anything about him?" the boy asked, amused.

Gon faced back forward, a smile still present on his face.

"I was raised by Mito-san at her house, so I've only seen my dad in old pictures," Gon said as they passed by a tired man.

"Who's Mito-san?"

Gon quickly glanced over to Killua.

"My aunt. Aunt Mito."

Killua furrowed his brows a little, his lips twitching downwards as well.

"Oh."

"My father took the Hunter Exam when he was twelve too! He passed the exam and became a hunter. After that, he left the island," Gon explained. "His decision is fine with me though! I want to know why he chose to become a hunter over being with me!"

Killua stared at the boy blankly again, pouting a bit with little interest.

"Hm?"

The boys looked over towards the light that began to shine inside the tunnel.

"The exit!" someone exclaimed.

"Whew! I can finally get out of this crappy dark tunnel!" another person said.

"You seem happy," Killua pointed out to Gon, glancing at the boy a bit.

"What about you? Aren't you happy too?" Gon asked the boy brightly.

Killua looked away and tried to hide his smile.

"Not really…. It's just an exit. What a boring test, it's not even worthy to be called a game!" Killua said, hiding his little excitement.

The boys went quiet for a little and stared at the exit curiously, allowing a challenging smile appear on their faces, sprinting off full speed ahead.

"You know, if you pass, you're able to become a hunter!" Gon reasoned.

"Still so eager to become one like your father…." Killua sighed.

Hope began to appear on everyone's faces as they all got closer and closer to the exit of the tunnel, wanting to get out of the area.

'Now let's see how many has made it this far…' Satotz thought, stopping at the very top of the stairs.

The man slowly turned around to see Gon and Killua pass by on either sides of him at the same time.

"GOALLL!" the both exclaimed in sync, the two fist pumping the air.

"YAY! I WIN!" Gon exclaimed brightly.

"What are you talking about? I was the faster one…" Killua corected.

"I was!" Gon fought back.

"No, I was!" Killua complained.

"I was faster, so YOU have to buy dinner!" Gon whined.

"NOPE! I WAS FASTER!" Killua refused. "That means YOU buy me dinner!"

The two continued to bicker with each other as Satotz stared at the boys with a straight face and nothing more.

'These kids are amazingly tough. It seems like they'll be likely to amuse me some more throughout this exam,' the man thought.

"But I was fasterrr!" Gon continued. "Hey, mister? Who was faster?"

"I dare say that you both traverse the exit's finish line simultaneously," the man stated casually.

"… Oh.. Then I'll buy you dinner!" Gon offered with a smile.

"Huh?" Killua said.

"Then you buy me dinner!" Gon reversed again, frowning at the boy.

"I don't get it….." Killua sighed, looking confused.

"Hey, Satotz-san? Is this where the second phase of the exam will take place?" Gon asked, ignoring his friend.

"No, we still have quite a way to go," the man told the boy.

"Oh…."

The two looked out into the distance again, only see fog around them.

"Wow… It's foggy…"

A few more that still had the stamina to move finally made it out of the tunnel, feeling very tired and dizzy from running for so long. A thick fog covered the area where every participants entered one by one, only able to see the silhouettes of others Leorio finally made it outside to where every other attendees were standing feeling very off balanced, falling and making contact with the ground at the very top of the stairs, Kurapika and Kiyoko making it out right after. The man panted heavily and allowed his head to drop limp right after.

"Hey, Kurapika," Gon greeted, Killua and Gon sitting near the exit.

Kurapika gave a quick wave to the boy and studied the foggy area.

"Is this our next destination?" the boy asked curiously, looking around.

"Nope. It isn't," Gon answered brightly.

"I see…"

Kiyoko whimpered a bit in disappointment.

"Don't tell me we have to travel further…." she whimpered.

"Are you okay?" Kurapika asked the girl next to him, panting a little.

"Y-yes, I'm fine…" she replied, trying hard not to collapse.

"You.. look like you're.. going to pass out.." Kurapika pointed out, letting go of her wrist and setting his hands on his hips.

"Maybe I will…" the girl chuckled tiredly, standing back up.

"Ah, the fog is fading," Kurapika pointed out.

"Really?" Gon asked, standing up from his spot.

A wide smile spread across his face as the fog slowly disappeared, revealing a clearer view of the outside.

"The Numere Wetlands, also known as Swindlers Swamp," Satotz told everyone. "We must cross these wetlands to reach the next phase of the exam."

Birds were heard in a distance from above them, their flapping wings barely audible to them.

'I'm somehow guessing that this requires more running….' Kiyoko thought to herself.

'I feel you..' Kuromi said.

'You barely had to run!' Kiyoko said.

"This area is the home to many bizarre and unique animals, many of them being sly, ravenous creatures that fool humans and prey upon them, turning them into fodder. Be very careful," Satotz instructed. "If you let them trick you… your dead."

Everyone groaned, shaken by the explanation the man told them, and stared at the man with wide eyes. A metal door from the tunnel began to close the exit as a man appeared out of nowhere from inside the tunnel, everyone turning back to look.

"H-HEY! W-WAIT FOR ME!" the man begged, falling onto the floor and reaching out to everyone.

Everyone watched in shock as Satotz continued to explain about the land with a straight face.

"These creatures of this wetland will use every trick in their book to fool their prey," Satotz continued, gaining everyone's attention. "An ecosystem where the creatures obtain their food through lies…. Hence the name…. Swindlers Swamp. You all must follow and stay really close to me so that none of you will be deceived."

Everyone stared at the man intently, concentrating on making out of the first phase alive.

"Like I said earlier, if you get tricked, you die."

"Ha, what a joke. That's something quite funny to say," Leorio said, Kurapika looking over at the half naked man.

"How will they trick us when we're expecting it? For sure we won't fall for it if we know they're out there."

"DON'T LET HIM FOOL YOU! IT'S A LIE!" a voice boomed, catching everyone's attention.

"I just said that they can't…." Leorio said, irritated.

"D-don't fall for it…." the voice said, a beat up looking man coming out from behind the tunnel.

"HE'S LYING TO YOU!" the man exclaimed, pointing at Satotz. "HE'S AN IMPOSTER! A FRAUD!"

Kiyoko gave a small interested smile at the man, Kurapika catching a glimpse of it.

'Is she smiling at this situation?' the boy thought. 'Strange girl…..'

"He isn't the proctor… I'm the real examiner!" the injured man said, pointing at himself.

"What's going on?" Leorio exclaimed.

'Oh? I thought he said they won't be able to deceive us?' Kuromi asked, smirking at Leorio.

'Interesting… I wonder if there is anyone who can tell this is a lie..' Kiyoko said, smiling an even bigger smile.

"A fake…? What does that mean?!" people began to say.

"Then who the hell is he…?" Hanzo asked, looking over to Satotz suspiciously.

"A fraud….?!"

Everyone continued to shoot dirty looks at the unshaken man as their suspicions began to rise.

"Which one is the real proctor then?" another person asked.

'This isn't good… Everyone here is feeling unsettled…. Did all that raucous running underground make them all edgy?' Kurapika thought nervously.

"Hey, mister!" Leorio suddenly exclaimed.

Kiyoko and Kurapika looked over to the bare man once he called out to the stranger, his tie still tied loosely around his neck.

"Do you have any proof? Proof that the guy over there is a poser?"

"Take a look at this..!" the man exclaimed, dragging out a wounded monkey.

"Wh-what is that?! Is that a magical beast…?" the group began to ask.

The monkey's eyes were rolled to the back of it's head, tongue hanging out of it's mouth. The creature's face looked exactly like Satotz, tricking everyone to believe the stranger's accuse. The group gasped at the sight in front of their eyes, getting even more suspicious with Satotz's identity.

"… Hey look.. it's face..!" a burly man pointed out.

"Ah! He looks just like Satotz-san!" Gon exclaimed, Killua not taking the man's accusation.

"It's a Man-Faced Ape, one of the creatures that reside in the Numere Wetlands!" the man exclaimed.

"A Man-Faced Ape?" Leorio asked, everyone frowning at the man.

Kiyoko continued to have a smile plastered on her face, amused with everyone's reactions.

'Those idiots sure have small brains…' Kuromi said, pulling up her hair and widening up her eyes with interest.

'Kuromi, behave.. They'll know sooner or later,' Kiyoko said.

"Man-Faced Apes love the flavor of fresh human flesh. However, their limbs are quite long and thin, making them quite weak," the strange man explained, Satotz unfazed by all the statements.

Everyone began to panic and sweat at the tension being sent at them.

"That's why they impersonate themselves as human beings. They fool humans into following them to the wetlands, where they end up teaming up with the other creatures to kill and consume them…. HE TOO IS THAT CREATURE! HE INTENDS TO TRAP EVERY APPLICANTS HERE AND KILL YOU ALL TO DEVOUR!" the man exclaimed with a smirk on his face, pointing at Satotz again.

'What..? Bastard….!' Leorio muttered angrily, Kurapika glancing over at the man with little suspicion.

"Now that it's been mentioned he sure looks like it and he certainly doesn't seem human nor walk like one…." Hanzo said, smirking at the man.

'Leorio, you disappoint me…' Kiyoko sighed mentally. 'Even that ninja guy doesn't know..'

Kuromi shook her head and raised up her arms, leveled with her shoulders like a scale.

'Idiots, I tell you,' Kuromi said.

"No wonder his running ability underground wasn't normal..!" Leorio stated.

Every applicant but Kurapika, Gon, Killua, Kiyoko, and Hisoka began to mob Satotz, a murderous intent leaking out of them all.

'A mob mentality… After going through the first destitution in as a group they've all formed a pledge… If I lose myself into that band, I won't be able to make an equitable perception,' Kurapika thought, his mind beginning to scramble.

'Oh, Bookworm is starting to lose his mind! Hehehe!" Kuromi giggled.

'And then there's Gon. Let's just watch,' Kiyoko told herself.

"Is this also a part of the exam too?" Gon asked, a little clueless with the event.

"Huh?" Kurapika said, looking at the boy.

"A test?" Leorio asked, turning over to Gon.

'Good going, Gon. Your comment changed the vibe around us,' the Kurta thought, glancing at the boy.

'Can't you tell, Gon? With that wild hunch of yours…' Leorio whispered loudly at the boy, glancing at the man behind him.

"Nope! Not at all!" the boy announced proudly.

The man's face crumbled as his head and body slightly descended with disappointment.

'Not at all, eh? You..' the man muttered.

"There's not a hint of unusual smell. If he's doing an impersonation, he's doing it quite well."

'Is that so…'

"Hey, what do you think, Kiyoko?" Kurapika asked.

"Me? I've been paying attention to that man over there," the girl said, pointing at the stranger, "and he's filled with holes. However, I haven't studied Satotz-san, so I can't be too sure yet. There CAN be two liars in the world after all, wouldn't you agree?"

Leorio gave a confused stare at the girl and sighed in defeat.

"Well then, there is another way to find out," Kurapika said, walking to the middle of the group. "If he is a veritable examiner, he should own a Hunter License."

"A license?" Gon asked.

"You see, only a hunter is competent with judging the aptitude of a hunter," Kurapika explained.

"Then does it mean… he's a hunter? Wow!" the young boy exclaimed, returning his attention to Satotz.

"He stole my Hunter License!" the stranger exclaimed.

"And so, another lie has been told," Kiyoko said, smiling brightly. "I'm sure a real examiner would be able to fend off a thief."

"Hey, is this really that entertaining to you?"Leorio asked, tugging at the girl's cheek.

"A-ahh! M-mayve?" Kiyoko answered nervously, grabbing the man's arm with bother her hands.

"HEY, HEY, HEY! OLD MAN, LET GO OR I'LL MURDER YOU!" Kuromi exclaimed, Kiyoko holding back her urge to attack.

The unanticipated threat surprised everyone around her, making them jump and look over to the two confusedly.

"Now, now! No violence, please!" the girl said with exertion.

Kurapika sighed and grabbed Leorio's arm, pulling his arm away from her face. Kiyoko took full control and chuckled nervously as she rubbed her face from the tug.

'Thanks…'

"He took me by surprise and stole everything!"

Everyone turned their heads back to the real examiner, their suspicions finally spilling out of their heads.

"I see," Kurapika said.

"Then that means possessing a license won't prove a single thing?" Leorio asked.

Cards suddenly flew at the stranger, directly hitting him and stabbing him like a knife, and at the real examiner, each card being caught swiftly and cleanly.

"HA?" Leorio exclaimed in shock.

The fake examiner slowly tipped backwards, falling backwards onto his back dead, the monkey falling down with him. Everyone stared at the dead man and back at the real examiner in shock, Hisoka shuffling the remaining cards in his card quickly. The entire group turned their heads and faced Hisoka with fright, his cards continued to be shuffled.

'Fwwwwp… Fwwwwp…'

"I see, I see…" the magician suddenly said, raising up an ace of spades in between his fingers.

"What are you doing?!" Leorio exclaimed, frightened by the man.

"That settles it then…. You're the real one. That was a lot quicker than just sitting here and asking questions, correct?"

The participants returned their attention to Satotz with confusion, the man still holding the cards in his hands. Satotz stared at everyone with his usual straight face and tossed the cards in his hands away from him.

'WHATTTTTTTTTTTTT? HE'S THE REAL EXAMINER?!' Hanzo exclaimed mentally, his jaw dropped and face covered in sweat.

The acting monkey blinked and took a glance at the group, still acting as if it was dead.

"Huh?" it hummed.

The monkey fully woke up and looked around a little, leaping away from everyone, thinking it could get away. Hisoka took the card from his hand and threw it at the creature, killing it in an instant.

"Examiners are hunters picked by the committee to perform this duty without pay," Hisoka explained. "Any hunter, bearing the title we seek, would be able to defend themselves from a mild attack like that."

"I shall take that as a compliment," Satotz said, his eyes closed. "However, if you attack me once more, for any certain circumstances, your attack will be reckoned ad rebellion. I WILL report you for turning against an examiner and you'll immediately be relieved from this exam. Are we clear?"

Hisoka closed his eyes and smirked at the man before him.

"Sure. I got it," the man said, walking away.

"It stinks…" Killua said.

"Huh?" Gon said.

"A hunter would never be deceived by the likes of a Man-Faced Ape," Kurapika said. "I found out he was an impostor when he said his license was stolen… Just like what Kiyoko said."

Kiyoko gave s mall shrug to the group that eyed her curiously and looked around to see other's reactions.

"Natural for me to know. Don't mind me," the girl chuckled.

"Still, that man over there, Hisoka, even attacked the examiner…"

"How long are you going to stare at that thing..?" Killua asked.

Gon didn't catch the question and muttered a 'yeah..'

"No need to feel bad about it. Hazardous entrapments like this are an ordinary part of life for them," Satotz reassured everyone. "Survival of the fittest is the rule of this marsh."

Vultures began to land on the dead man behind everyone and pecked at his flesh, eating it deliberately.

'Oh.. I think I'll be sick..' Kiyoko whimpered, her body slowly shrinking as she covered of her mouth and her face looking sick.

Kurapika took notice and pulled the girl behind him, covering up the sight as Leorio softly pat her back.

"It's alright, Kiyoko. Don't pay any attention to it," the man said.

Everyone continued to watch in horror as the creatures ate the freshly killed man.

'Nature sure can be an abominable thing to watch…..' Leorio mumbled disgustedly.

"So he was also a Man-Faced Ape.." Kurapika said.

"He strived to confuse the applicants, to lure some of you away," Satotz told everyone, walking off to the front of everyone.

"We can't lower our guard down," Killua said.

"Yeah," Gon said again.

"You will be meeting with such treachery on a regular basis," Satotz said, stopping in his track. "I believe that a large number of you were tricked into having doubts with my identity?"

Leorio and Hanzo laughed at themselves nervously and rubbed the back of their heads awkwardly.

'I totally didn't noticed,' the two men thought.

"Do you understand? If you lose sight of me in the fog of Numere Wetlands, you will fail and never reach the exam's second phase. Do keep that in mind," Satotz told everyone. "Then let's be on our way. Please, follow me."

Everyone began to run after the abnormally fast man, following him through the wetlands desperately.

The fog began to grow a little more visible than earlier as they all progress through the area tiredly.

"Tch. Here we go with another marathon.." Leorio complained.

"We're also running through the marsh this time. Running on wet grass and swamp mud requires a lot more energy than running on dry ground," Kurapika said.

Squishing noises from underneath the group's feet could be heard loud and clear every time their feet landed with their weight, mud being flung around them as they lifted up their feet and made contact with the ground once again.

"Kurapika-kun…. May I switch with Kuromi?" Kiyoko asked, aware of her own stamina.

"You may certainly not!" the boy replied sharply, tugging the girl forward and picking her up.

"You're just going to waste your energy this way!" Kiyoko exclaimed, quickly wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Okay, question time. Would you want to pass this phase while inflicting damages to your body and mind?" Kurapika asked, sounding a little harsh, but keeping calm. 

".. No…?" Kiyoko whimpered, feeling a little threatened.

"Would you like to keep your promise and take on this test with Gon until the very end?"

"… Yes…"

"Would you want to fail this test even if you are exerting all your energy and effort on the very first phase just by switching back and forth with yourself?"

"… Do you have to ask me all this?" Kiyoko asked nervously.

"Answer my question, Kiyoko," the boy said.

"No. No I don't…"

"Alright, then allow us to be of assistance," Kurapika concluded.

"Kurapika, you were sounding a bit to harsh on her," Leorio pointed out, lowering his eye lids at the boy.

"I don't know how I can help you, but I'll deal with your injuries and health," Leorio told the girl, giving her a bright smile and a thumbs up.

Kiyoko smiled back and nodded.

'THAT JERKKKKK! WHY CAN'T I BE IN CONTROL? IT'S ONLY A SWIFT CHANGE. NO DAMAGE WILL BE INFLICTED AFTER THE SWITCH!' Kuromi screamed. 'QUICK, JUST SWITCH WITH ME!'

Kiyoko gave a mental chuckle and buried her face into the crook of Kurapika's neck. 

'I'm afraid not. He's going to give me another lecture or something..' Kiyoko told Kuromi.

"Hm? Did I say or do something wrong?" Kurapika asked, earning Leorio's attention.

"Seriously....?" the man asked, earning a glare from Kurapika.

'No. It's nothing. You've done nothing wrong,' the girl muttered awkwardly, the man next to them stifling a laugh out of nowhere.

"Pay attention now! Be sure to stay close behind me!" Satotz instructed the group after a few minutes later.

'It's getting foggy again,' Killua told Gon from a distance.

"The fog is growing thicker… " Kurapika said.

"Kurapika-kun, you can let me down now," Kiyoko told the boy.

"Well, how are you going to do that? We're running for god's sake," Leorio told the girl.

Kiyoko took out her staff and extended it to it's fullest, seeing a silhouette of a rock.

"Loosen your grip on me, really quick," she instructed.

Kurapika hesitantly loosened his grip on the girl, being careful not to drop her.

"Eh? What are you planning to do?" Leorio asked, looking over at Kurapika and earning a shrug.

"This."

Kiyoko suddenly stuck out her staff and made contact with the base of the rock ahead of them, lifting herself up quickly before Kurapika got caught up in it.

"AH! CAREFUL!" Leorio said, speeding up to reach the girl.

'Seriously...! I can't read this girl's thoughts… One moment she's scared, the next she's smiling with enthusiasm and interest, and the next she's reckless! And then there's her counterpart, Kuromi… At least, Kiyoko isn't violent and rarely shows her reckless side…' Kurapika thought, slightly bothered by it.

The girl landed safely onto the ground and slipped, Leorio pulling her up before she fell. 

"Carefullll! You don't want to get hurt now!" the man said, knocking the girl's head lightly. 

"Sorry, sorry!"

Leorio slowed down his pace to match Kurapika's again and began exchanging sentences with each other.

'This girl is weird...' Leorio muttered.

'Really? I find her quite interesting though,' Kurapika whispered back, smiling a little.

'Whaaa???? Really? How?' Leorio exclaimed quietly.

'Her split personality and ability to change to a beast. Her ability to seek truths and lies in a person's voice. The way she acts and covers up her actual personality,' Kurapika listed.

'Actual personality?' the man questioned.

'She's not the only one hiding something important...'

Kiyoko looked behind her to see the two smile and wave at her nervously.

'Strange, guys..' Kuromi muttered. 'It's a miracle that you lasted this long with them.'

'How about you?' Kiyoko muttered.

Kuromi clicked her tongue and ignored the question, going quiet right after.

'Uryuu-nii... Am I.. making the right decision?' Kiyoko thought worriedly. 'The decision to take this test and become a hunter? The decision to trust the boys I just met? The decision to let them to know more about me? And the decision to... dream..?'