Chapter 21 : The First Exam is Over!!

Germain stood in front of Izunavi, pulling out a card from his black robe and presenting it to the examiner.

Izunavi glanced at it to confirm its authenticity, then nodded. "Place it here and wait nearby."

"Understood," Germain replied.

He set the card on the ground and then looked around for a place to rest. Choosing the big tree behind Izunavi, he sat down, leaned against the trunk, and closed his eyes, as if taking a nap.

Izunavi shot a sideward glance at him, his expression neutral, but his mind was alert.

From his perspective, both Hisoka and Germain stood out among the candidates—they seemed to be experienced "Nen" users, possibly from the darker corners of society.

Izunavi knew he had to be careful. Even though the chances of Germain attacking him from behind were low, he couldn't ignore the possibility.

A few moments later, a tall figure emerged from the mist—it was Hisoka. He strolled up to Izunavi, giving a quick glance at Germain, who seemed completely at ease, before turning his attention to the examiner.

Izunavi could feel the pressure from Hisoka but maintained his ground, meeting Hisoka's gaze without flinching.

Hisoka smiled, letting his aura drop as he opened his hands. "Here are my cards."

With a flick of his wrist, five cards materialized, each stained with dried blood and marked with fingerprints.

Izunavi took a moment to compose himself. "A candidate only needs one card," he replied coolly.

"Oh..." Hisoka feigned surprise. "I guess I went a little overboard. My bad."

He released his grip, and the five cards fell to the ground with a series of dull thuds, each representing a life lost.

"Alright, just wait to the side," Izunavi instructed, not questioning Hisoka's violent methods. 

The rules stated that harming other candidates wasn't explicitly prohibited—only attacking the examiner was off-limits. Thus, Hisoka's conduct, while brutal, didn't technically violate any rules.

By 5 p.m., the mist in the graveyard had thickened significantly, making visibility almost impossible. Concerned about unexpected developments, the candidates began to cluster closer to Izunavi, seeking safety in numbers.

Germain had been sitting under the big tree since the beginning and hadn't moved at all.

"The time limit has expired," Izunavi announced as he picked up his bag, standing slowly and surveying the crowd. "Out of the original 352 candidates, 143 have passed the first exam." 

He hoisted the cloth bag onto his broad shoulders and headed into the dense fog. "Follow me, and don't get lost. If you do, it'll count as quitting the exam. And if something happens in the fog, I won't help you," he said, making it clear that the candidates were on their own if they strayed.

The candidates perked up and focused, watching Izunavi's every move as they followed him closely into the misty unknown.

Once the group was more than ten meters into the fog, their shapes becoming blurry and indistinct, Germain finally stood up and began trailing behind at a slow pace. 

He preferred walking at the back, not because he enjoyed solitude, but because he cherished silence. If those around him were quiet, he didn't mind their company, but he generally liked his own space.

After about an hour of walking, at around 6 PM, Izunavi led the group out of the fog, leaving the cemetery behind. Ahead was a wooded, mountainous terrain. 

The path was littered with wet leaves, and the sounds of crickets and other insects filled the air from the thick branches above.

Izunavi's wooden clogs walked easily on the muddy trail, but the other candidates had to stop frequently to shake off the sticky yellow mud from their shoes or trousers.

As night began to settle and the crescent moon rose in the distance, they saw a brightly lit mansion on the mountainside.

Izunavi stopped at the gate of the mansion and turned to the candidates. "This is where my task ends. You will stay here tonight, and the next exam will start tomorrow morning."

With that, he left without further explanation, leaving the candidates to process what lay ahead.

The mansion remained eerily silent, with no signs of life, only the chilling whisper of the evening wind. This strange quietness made the candidates uneasy, suspicious that the second exam might involve traps or other surprises hidden within the mansion.

Germain wasn't too concerned. If there were traps, he'd deal with them, whether by dodging them or using them to his advantage. For now, he was mostly hungry and a bit sleepy.

While others hesitated, Germain was the first to step out of the crowd and through the open door.

Hisoka's lips curved into a sly smile. He sauntered after Germain, his steps slow and deliberate.

Did they just go in? Well, let them check if there's any danger in the mansion, right? The other candidates were half confused and half curious, standing by and watching for what would happen next.

Minutes passed after the two went inside, but there were no screams. The candidates relaxed and began to trickle in, feeling more confident.

Over a hundred candidates entered the mansion and saw Hisoka examining the oil paintings on the walls.

Meanwhile, Germain headed into a grand hall with several rectangular tables laden with all sorts of food: chicken, fish, beef, bread, apples, oranges, cakes...

He took a seat at one of the tables, grabbed a plate with a succulent piece of steak, and brought it to his place.

But as soon as he picked up the plate, a faint sound echoed from behind him.

A knife flew out of a hidden opening and darted toward the back of his head.

It turned out the mansion did have traps, and this was the start of the second exam.

Izunavi had only said, "The next exam begins early tomorrow morning," but he never specified when it actually started. It was a trick to catch the candidates off guard.

The candidates who had followed into the hall couldn't help but gasp and smirk when they saw Germain's rash move trigger a trap.

However, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Germain turned just in time to dodge the flying knife. It embedded itself into a nearby pillar, vibrating with a buzzing sound.

Germain had spent over a month evading assassinations, honing his reflexes to a near-muscle-memory state. He couldn't afford to be complacent.

He grabbed a knife and fork from the table, just as another flying knife shot from above, barely missing him and sticking into the table with a loud thud.

It was a precise measure of distance, showing absolute control and confidence. The other candidates could see the beads of sweat glistening on their forehead.

Germain calmly ate half his steak, then reached for a sandwich cookie. As expected, another trap was triggered, and another knife flew toward him.

But he remained unfazed. While the other candidates watched in shock, Germain calmly continued his meal. After finishing his dinner, he stood up and headed upstairs as if nothing had happened.

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