I stared at the bald guy with muscles and a weird looking scar on his forehead. Damn, I trained for 9 years straight, but I just can't have muscles like others do! Like why?!

I pounded as Killua raised a brow at me weirdly.

"Lady and gentlemen, let me explain," I heard the third examiners Lippo's voice. We all looked around to see where the voice was coming from. "You probably already noticed that some of the prisoners of trick tower are standing before you."

I froze in my spot. These people are prisoners?

"Their prisoners?" Kurapika said out my mind.

"Not just prisoners," Lippo claimed. "The Hunter Exam committee has officially hired them as examiners!" I startled at his words. Prisoners? As examiners? "In this phase, you'll be fighting against all 6 of them! The fights will be one on one, with one person fighting only once," Lippo explained. "Use any style you like, there will be no draws. To be declared the victory your opponent must admit defeat."

I frowned. All of us will need to take on one of the prisoners? Hm...

"You can decide which of you will be the first contender," the same guy said. "And this is majority rule, that means you have to secure at least 4 wins to order to pass!" He exclaimed. Everyone was quite.

"Tsk! I'm getting real tired of this!" Leorio whispered-shouted as I glared at him, giving him the look 'stop-complaining-already'.

"Meh, seems pretty straight forward to me," Killua argued.

"Well they did explain everything in place..." I murmured.

"I understand," Kurapika said as I glanced at him. "We're on the clock, and if we don't reach the goal of getting out of here in 72 hours, we fail. So as your fighting, remember. Time is up to essence."

...

Basically it somehow turned out for Tompa to go first, fight the scarred guy. Leorio was now all soft about it. I just expressionlessly watched as they both stood in the ring.

"Now then, let's determine the method of combat!" The wounded man grinned. I've eventually found out his name was Bendot. "My choice, would be a battle to the death."

I flinched. What...

"A death match?" Gon surprised said.

"Their gonna fight till one of them dies?" Leorio gasped.

"Not quite. One of them can surrender," I whispered under my breath. "But that would probably ruin their pride."

Leorio's eyes widened in shock.

"This is bad..." Kurapika mumbled. "Don't let him provoke you, Tompa!" He shouted out for the old man.

"What do you say?" Bendot asked as I narrowed my eyes. This is getting tense.

Tompa raised his head, mad expression on his face. "I accept!" He said bringing his hands close and standing up in a combat position. "To the death then! Let's go!"

Kurapika, Leorio and Gon gasped while me and Killua just stared non caring. Tompa... This guy tried to poison me. He tried to fail me. He tried to fail all of us. So I don't really care if he stays alive or dead. I don't have any respect for him whatsoever.

"Your a brave man," Bendot said giving Tompa a mischievous grin. I frowned. If Tompa won't surrender then...

From then it was full of tension between the two characters, as everything seem to quite down.

Tompa seemed to make some weird body gestures. I could see some stupid, red aura surrounding the two.

"Tompa!" Leorio whispered-shouted.

"Now then..." the muscular guy started. I gulped. He did look strong... "Begin!" He shouted jumping up in the air. My eyes twitched of the sudden movement.

And when Bendot was about to hit our teammate Tompa flinched. "I!.." he started. "Give up!" He yelled bowing to the ground as Bendot stopped in his spot.

"E-eh?!" I pointed my finger at the scene.

"Huh?" Killua blinked.

"What." Leorio looked as surprised as all of us.

"Did he just... say that... he... gives up?" Gon said smiling awkwardly, his voice twitching.

"Ehh... maybe he meant... give me a sec?" Leorio tried to find a solution.

Bendot was startled as well. "What did you just say?" He asked, whit a mischievous grin on his face.

"I said I admit defeat!" Tompa happily exclaimed. Maybe I'm missing something here, but how can you be proud of something you failed? "That means you win right? So I give up! I loose!" He added, bowing his head to the ground, laughing maniacally.

Leorio looked as if he gotten punched. I sight.

"I didn't trust him one minute," I said pulling my hands by my back, as Leorio glanced between me and Tompa.

"Wha...wha...wha...WHAT?!" Leorio twitched.

Bendot started laughing, which made me raise a brow. "Alright, then!" He said. "I guess round 1 goes to me then!"

I glared at Tompa. Great. Because of this guy we lost a round.

The small space above our enemy area, a screen light up an 1. I closed my eyes, not wanting to look.

"If we win 2 more rounds, that's it! You all fail the exam!" Bendot shouted, bringing the obvious news to us. "You can't advance and you can't turn back! You'll be stuck here for the next 72 hours, until the Exam is over," he explained. "And if that happens, our sentences would be reduced by a grant totally 72 years!" He said as he again laughed hard and walked out of the arena.

Tompa meanwhile walked back to us. "Oh my, am I embarrassed! He looked a hella of a lot tougher when I got up close!" He nervously smiled.

Leorio grabbed him by the collar. "Bastard-!" Leorio shouted as I stood back. "I knew shouldn't have trusted you! All your good is at sabotaging the other applicants!" Leorio yelled. "Your just a worthless piece of garbage!"

"It took you long enough. That's what I do every year!" Tompa mischievously smiled tilting his head. I shot my head from the ground. "And I'll keep doing it for as long as I can!" He grumbled.

"Wait, say what?!" Leorio shuttered.

"I don't care about passing the Hunter Exam," Tompa said as I walked away from him standing behind Killua and Gon, trying not to look at the man. "I'm in it for the thrills! Sorry to disappoint."

"The thrills?!"

"That's right. The Exam is a proving ground, design to crush the dreams of young and overconfident. And that moment when hope and ambition lead to an absolute despair? Eheh, I get a kick out of that! The joy I feel is just joyful! Especially when I'm the one actively shattering the nobbies dreams! There's nothing like that rush!" Tompa said maniacally. "I've never desired to be a Hunter, doesn't really interest me. And I've already had enough fun for this year. Besides! I usually stop at this point anyway."

Leorio growled, madness placed on his face. " BASTARD!-"

"Leorio stop!" Kurapika exclaimed grabbing his hand, stopping Leorio from hitting Tompa.

"Why?!"

Kurapika shook his head. "We're wasting time fighting each other. That's exactly what they want," he pointed out, looking at the trick tower prisoners.

"Yeah, but," Killua said as they looked over at us. Me standing next to him. "If their goal was to kill as much time as possible-"

"-then the move mister old man did was the right one," I finished his sentence. While these three argued, we actually talked about the situation. That's the actual reason I stood next to him.

Killua grinned at their surprised faces. "That bald guy looks like from military. Possibly. If you fought whit him, he would have started by crushing your face. Pretty hard to give up, if you can't talk," he smiled.

"Then he would have probably tortured you," I said pointing my finger forward the ring. "And possibly without killing his appointment, this situation talking about you."

"For as long as he liked~" Killua said as we both smirked at now terrified and shaking Tompa.

"Yep! I consider that a possibility!" Tompa laughed awkwardly and scared.

"You look sick old man..." Leorio glared.

I heard chains drop as we all looked back to see a red haired, medium tall, dark eyed guy with a huge nose. It seems like his our new opponent.

Makoru — children and women killer — 172-year sentence. マコル — 子供と女性のキラー — 年の172刑.

"I'm your next opponent!" He yelled at us, angry expression placed on his face. "So quickly choose me an opponent, you brats!"

Before anyone could volunteer I stepped up not impressed by his whole stance.

"That'll be me," I said as he grinned.

"A female child... what confidence! Alright I'll take you on, little one!" He laughed as I inhaled trying to keep my cool.

...

Hello my dear readers! I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! This one for real took me quite some time ngl-

Anyways, the next chapter will be about strategy and fighting, which author (or me) is not very good at 😅 So please don't judge, I know I make mistakes alright-

Also thank you for 200+ reads! This means a lot to me!

Have good time yall! Don't forget to brush your teeth, eat well and have great time!

Bye-bye!