Chapter 6: Spotting Trouble

On the bustling streets near the port of Doril Island,

With his eyes closed, relying on the six eyes to keenly perceive the subtle aura around him, he briskly traversed through the dense crowd.

He didn't forget the "advice" given by the captain earlier.

In such a crowded place, closing his eyes wouldn't attract the attention of certain deviants lurking in the crowd.

...

Due to the nature of the "six eyes," he could sensitively discern the different auras within people and objects, thus distinguishing the shapes and properties of things.

The effect presented in his eyes, except for slight differences in color, was almost identical to what he saw when his eyes were open.

Even if his vision was obscured by smoke from a fire extinguisher, it wouldn't affect his sight.

...

At this moment, he looked up at the cedar tree on the distant hilltop, lost in thought...

Although the information provided by the captain was consistent with what Saruto and others received when participating in the exam, he didn't doubt the captain's goodwill.

"Perhaps it's because the two monsters living on the mountaintop are fixed examiners for the Hunter Exam."

He speculated to himself.

Of course, it could also be because this wasn't the formal Hunter Exam, so the difficulty wasn't high.

Every year, only the information provided and the exam location changed, but the individuals responsible for assessment remained the same.

Just like the captain responsible for transporting examinees.

"However, the benefits of 'Ten' are even greater than I imagined..."

He distinctly felt that since practicing "Ten" on the ship for nearly an hour, his muscles and bones had become stronger, and his physical strength, endurance, and mental energy had all made significant progress.

Coupled with his ability to strengthen muscles and internal organs with "Cursed energy," it was like a secondary enhancement of strength and endurance.

Walking, every step was like flying.

In the blink of an eye, he had traversed the long road, covering several kilometers, without even panting.

Soon after...

He arrived at a fork in the road at the end of the road, where a signpost stood, indicating only two routes.

Among them, only one led to the examination venue.

The left path led to the cedar tree, passing through dangerous jungles infested with wild beasts;

While the right path led to the city, where there were buses directly to the examination venue.

"This pattern of 'mixing true information with false information' probably catches many people off guard..."

With prior knowledge of the exam process, even without the captain's hint, he would have easily dismissed the seemingly correct choice of "taking the bus."

However, due to the difference in the exam year from the original work, he couldn't be certain that the direction of the cedar tree was the answer for "this year." At most, he would treat it as one of the options and avoid wasting time and energy on excessive speculation.

With the information from the captain, his train of thought suddenly became clear, saving him a lot of time.

Next, there was no need to rush.

"Gurgle~ Gurgle~"

An embarrassing sound suddenly emanated from his stomach.

Clutching his stomach, he silently complained about its unreliability, maintaining a calm expression as he walked out of the crowd.

"It's been a day since I've eaten... and my head is a bit dizzy."

"In this state, participating in the exam, I might not even hold out halfway."

Thinking this, he reached into his pocket, only to find a few large bills imprinted with "Hisoka" and several coins.

These coins might still be exchanged for some loose change as metallic materials.

But the remaining bills...

No matter how you looked at it, they were worthless in this world.

There was even a high probability of being accused of using "counterfeit money" and getting beaten up.

Thinking of this, he sighed and pocketed the bills and coins.

...

An amiable old man standing next to him heard his sigh.

Approaching, he asked the troubled-looking youth:

"Hey, kid, are you in trouble?"

He turned to see an elderly man with a thin face and a slightly hunched back, holding a handful of flyers.

Judging by his appearance, he didn't seem like a bad person.

"Nothing much..." He smiled and waved his hand, but before he could finish speaking, his stomach growled again.

"Gurgle~ Gurgle~"

For a moment, both of them fell silent.

But after this sound, the old man probably understood what the youth was troubled about.

And, seeing that the youth kept his eyes closed, he guessed that he might have a congenital eye disability and couldn't help but feel pity.

"Poor child..."

He pulled out a flyer and handed it to the youth, saying:

"I'm Mardo. My wife and I run a noodle shop."

"If you don't mind, you can take this flyer and come to work at the noodle shop... We're currently short-handed."

"Thank you."

He accepted the flyer and said:

"However, I'm actually here to participate in the Hunter Exam... not to find work."

"Hunter?"

Mardo was somewhat surprised:

"But... you're so young..."

"Don't be fooled by my appearance," he rolled up his sleeves, clenched his fist, and invited:

"Look!"

Mardo carefully looked...

Indeed, as the youth said, the clear muscle lines were visible under his white skin.

Although far from as strong as an adult man, he looked exceptionally powerful.

Seeing this, Mardo also calmed down.

After all, as a resident of Doril Island, he saw all kinds of examinees almost every year.

Compared to someone who looked barely in their teens like this, even some notorious serial killers had dined at his shop.

In comparison, this white-haired youth wasn't so surprising.

"It's a pity. Since you're an examinee, there's nothing I can do..." Mardo looked regretful.

After a moment of silence, he thought for a moment and opened his mouth:

"But, you must be very hungry now. If you don't mind, would you like to come to the shop for a bowl of noodles?

The shop is not far ahead, and eating a bowl of noodles shouldn't delay your exam progress."

Faced with Mardo's invitation, he hesitated due to his lack of money and shook his head, politely declining:

"Sorry, I don't have any money..."

"Washing dishes will do. Besides... it's just the cost of a bowl of noodles. You can pay us back when you become a Hunter."

After much thought, he accepted Mardo's invitation:

"Then... thank you."

...

Ten minutes later,

Accompanied by Mardo, he walked through several alleys and entered a narrow noodle shop located in a remote area.

Inside the shop, whether it was the countertop or the floor, everything was clean and tidy, meticulously maintained by the owner.

And the wooden signboard hanging on the side with the menu names showed signs of aging from the passage of time.

However, there was no one inside the shop.

He didn't see the "wife" mentioned by the old man earlier.

He didn't move, just quietly observed the old man busy in the kitchen...

Without saying much.

...

After a while, Mardo personally cooked a steaming bowl of noodles and brought it out.

"This is our

specialty! Enjoy your meal!"

He praised the aroma and couldn't help but exclaim:

"It smells delicious!"

Then, he eagerly grabbed the chopsticks and slurped the noodles.

Seeing this, Mardo smiled sincerely.

...

But just a few minutes after eating,

He suddenly stopped, his expression serious as he stood up straight and turned to look towards the door.

"What's wrong?"

Mardo was puzzled and asked.

"Someone's coming..." His tone became somewhat grim,

"And they're a group of unfriendly guys..."

Next moment,

Four or five tall, fierce-looking men in black suits barged in, each carrying a metal crowbar, their aura menacing.

The leader, a bald man, stepped forward, arrogantly surveying the environment:

"Oh! Old man, you finally came back! I thought you were scared off by us!"

"Why are you here again? Didn't you come in the morning?" Mardo stepped out from the kitchen, shielding the youth in front of him.

"They are...?" He whispered to Mardo.

"Don't worry about it, it's between me and them."

At that moment, the bald man noticed the white-haired youth behind the old man, and he leaned in, raising his sunglasses slightly to get a better look at the youth's fair face.

"Tsk tsk, not bad." The bald man made a simple evaluation, then straightened up and turned to Mardo:

"You're not planning to sell this kid to me to pay off some of your debts, are you? Not a bad idea, but in this day and age, a disabled child won't fetch a high price."

"He's just my guest, what are you talking about!" Mardo was annoyed.

"Guest?"

The bald man chuckled, mocking: "Just a guest, not even your own grandson!

Let me tell you, it's because you've been unable to see the reality that you've been dragged down by that old hag..."

"What exactly do you want to say?" Mardo clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

"Consider it, old man." The bald man sneered, speaking in a low voice:

"Sell this rundown shop, give us the money and the land, and I won't come bother you again in the future.

How about it?"

"You..."

Hearing this, Mardo's already aged face became even more tense, unable to speak.

...

Seeing this, he also roughly understood the situation.

Although he didn't know the full story.

But just based on the bowl of noodles he hadn't finished yet, he had already decided his stance.

"Leave it to me from here."

He took the initiative to speak and then lowered his arm, stepping forward.

"This is none of your business..."

Mardo looked nervous and was about to reach out and grab the youth's clothes, but found that his hand froze in mid-air when it approached a certain distance.

As if there was an invisible force.

Protecting the youth, it isolated his hand from reaching him.

"You're quite sensible..." The bald man smirked.

He didn't pay attention to the man, just turned his head and said a few ambiguous words to the old man behind him:

"Step back a bit, Mr. Mardo."

"The next move may be a bit loud..."

After saying that, he turned back with a cold expression.

The black aura gathered in his body, flowing like a stream, and converged at his feet and fists.

Just as several men in black were preparing to watch the show with interest.

The youth's figure moved so fast that it seemed like teleportation, passing by in an instant, only half a meter away.

And at the moment when his fist was about to strike their chest, even if the bald man realized something was wrong, it was already too late to defend himself.

"Bang!"

With a loud bang, the burly man's body, like a cannonball, flew out and crashed heavily on the ground, shattering the glass door at the entrance into pieces.

The other men in black, who had been watching their leader fly over four or five meters, and then fell heavily to the ground, let out a series of sharp howls.

For a long time, no one dared to move or make a sound.

As if each of them had been infected with a computer virus.

Frozen in place.

He brushed off the dust on his body, glanced at the men in front of him, and calmly said:

"Next, it's your turn!"

After all, he hadn't finished his noodles yet...