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Fandom The Hunter Exam

Would you be willing to be an examiner?

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Ink Bottle Faerie

Gumball Guardian

The 280th Hunter Exam will begin on January 27th.


The deadline for applications is January 26th.





Good Luck.

 
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Character Applications are now open.


Please read the rules before applying.


At least 3 Proctors are required before the Exam can begin.
 
The Exam has officially begun.


Characters may now start their entrance into the waiting room.


Reminder: The waiting room is just a big, white room lit with fluorescent lights. There are wooden benches lining the walls.


Reminder: Be detailed and write in many paragraphs.


 
Rip walked into the waiting room with his hands deep in his pockets. His thumb ran over a small bladed object in his pocket that gave him a sense of confidence. A large white badge with the number 21 was pinned on his torn shirt and weighed the fabric down slightly. A lazy half-smile formed on his lips as he took his first step and his shoes echoed on the polished cement floor. His eyes darted around the room quickly before he took another step so as to briefly examine his surroundings and get a glimpse at the competition that had arrived before him.


The room was pretty empty, and he imagined that the others who had arrived had only gotten there a few minutes or moments before him. He had yet to notice anyone familiar, or even anyone who felt particularly strong, so he proceeded further into the room. He kept a casual posture, and held his head high. His eyes held a look of cockiness which was reaffirmed by his lazy smirk . He remained hyper-aware of his surroundings and subtly channeled aura to his eye in order to stimulate Gyo. His dirty and tattered tennis shoes echoed on the floor making his presence known by the few others who populated the room. Once he was able to see aura he subtly glanced at the others. He made his way to a seat on the wall benches perpendicular to the middle of the room.


His backpack bumped his lower back slightly with each step he took. He felt a few eyes on him and smiled slyly as he quickly shifted his gaze to meet them. A quiet chuckle escaped from his mouth as he locked eyes with the others only to have them avert their stare a moment later. Upon deciding that none of them were nen-users, at least not interesting ones, he lowered his gyo and took a seat.


He slid his backpack off and set it down near his feet. Then he leaned back against the wall and locked his hands behind his head, elbows out at right angles. He settled in to his spot, knowing he would have to wait for the real competition to arrive. He thought of the others as competition because that's exactly what they were. Rip was very familiar with the mentality of skilled nen-users and non-users alike. They lived life to have fun, and competition just that. Who didn't enjoy a little game now and again?


Rip didn't let his guard down, but he pulled off looking lazy and relaxed incredibly well. He trained his eyes on the entrance to the room and settled in to wait.
 
The journey to the exams had certainly been an interesting one for Illyana. Though the helpful blog she had managed to uncover really helped her get through the trip. From the beginning she knew the exam had begun once she had entered the blimp. Many of the fellow 'hunter-wannabes' were terrified of the heights, while the others got extremely home or air sick. It was awfully funny to watch grown men grow in tears as their stomachs turned upside down. She hadn't exactly come prepared for tummy aches but they always said a sweet-heart is the nurse's finest medicine


Oddly enough she was one of the few to be directed towards the exams while the others were either misdirected or took the obvious trap bus. It seems no one had come even the slightest bit mentally prepared. They were all swords, knives and condescending words, but they didn't realize the importance of being prepared and knowing what the future had in store.


Finally her on-foot journey had come to an end and she arrived in the designated place. She was not the first one to arrive, to her surprise, but she was without a doubt one of the earlier individuals. Using the absence of the majority of people she claimed a bench for her own and opened a book she had purchased with the money she had saved up. It was a book that talked about physics and the applications of it in the real world. It was a certainly interesting book, perhaps she could use the knowledge to her advantage. Maybe she could impress Zusa with it...


The thought of her hero arose in her mind and a warm, dream-like smile arose on her face. To finally be able to meet her idol in person was as if she dreaming in the clouds. Maybe if Illyana asked politely enough she'd offer to teach her all she knew!
 
The sound of soft humming and the faint sound of cards clicking and sliding together could be heard from the long hallway that led to the brightly lit waiting room. If one listened close enough they would recognize the hummed tune as one reminiscent of the music that one would hear at a carnival. It was a light tune, gentle and lilting, but there was something undeniably eerie about it as well. Soon enough the source of this sound was revealed as a female form appeared in the entrance of the room.


A female clad in apparel of bright yellow and black accents with a black and white harlequin pattern stood in the entrance of the room, shuffling a deck of what appeared to be tarot cards in her hands. Her overall appearance was that of a jester, made all the more apparent by the hat that adorned her head; made of golden cloth and hanging to her legs with two large bells at the end and a black demon horned plate at the front. Pinned just above the plate was a circular badge with the number 31 emblazoned on it in black.


Sharp scarlet eyes scanned the room, eyebrows rising slightly as she noticed how few people were in attendance. She was mildly amused. It seemed not many had made it this far or at least not many had arrived. As shame really, she had wished there would be more entertainment at this test. But there was still more to come so her hopes had not yet been completely dashed.


A crooked grin curved the females lips as she made her way to one side of the room, the heels of the black and gold boots she wore clicking softly against the polished stone. Sighing softly Saigo dropped to the floor, folding her legs to sit cross legged with her back against the wall. Swiftly shuffling the black and white cards in her hand she soon plucked one from the deck. The smile increased as she locked at the card. The Devil. Perhaps things would not be so dull after all.
 
Leola sat in a right aisle side seat near the front of the bus she was riding. She was on her way to take the Hunter Exam and had left YorkNew a couple days ago. She sighed after getting a glimpse of the watch belonging to the man beside her. At the moment she was on schedule, but even good plans can be flawed. She hoped her choice would pay off.


She was about to dose off from boredom when she felt the bus slow down. She looked out the window and noticed a couple of construction workers working in the road and an orange detour sign. A couple of the workers were flagging the bus down. In the distance she could see the city the Hunter Exam would start in. She was so close. "I don't have time for this," she thought. "Stop the bus!" she shouted.


Once the bus came to a complete stop, Leola stood up and gathered up her things before walking off the bus. She stepped up onto the small wall on the side of the road and ran on it like it was a sidewalk.


....


A couple hours later, Leola found the white room where the hunter examinees were. She picked up a tag from a frog-like creature and took a moment to note the number, 77, before pinning it to her top. She glanced around the room and noticed all kinds of people. Young and old, big and small, there was a pretty large group of people. More were probably on there way.


She approached the bench Illyana sat on, but instead of asking to sit beside the girl (who Leola noted as one of the youngest of the "hunter-wannabes"), she sat down beside the bench. She kept her rifle case on her back and sat with an elbow resting on her knee as she waited for the exam to start.
 
Devin tapped his foot impatiently as the elevator began his decent down a hundred stories to where all the other contestants were waiting. It had taken him even longer than usual to get back to the elevator than last time, but he just chalked it up to bad luck this time, hopefully not an omen for how the rest of the exam will turn out. His blue eyes peered at the yellow numbers, his mouth moving as they changed "82... 83... 84..." the fisherman mumbled, able to get in 3 foot taps for every number change. "97...98...99.. and 100! Finally!" After the quick exclamation of his joy of finally being out of the hell box, Devin resumed a calm composure as the doors opened to reveal himself to all the other contestants.


Walking into the room, he found the creature that was handing out the numbers. He greeted the provider with a slight nod and took his number pin. Taking a quick glance before he pinned it on, Devin saw that his number was 95. A grunt of dissatisfaction as he was able to get 77, his birthday last time. Devin tried to dismiss the last time he took the exam, but the more he tried to ignore it the more he kept thinking about it. His third time taking it, assigned his birthday as a number, and was so close to passing the exam he could practically taste it. But fate seem to have a sick mind with all those good omens, cause here he was again for the fourth time, still not a hunter.


Devin looked around the room for faces that he might recognize. Almost immediately, he found Tonpa the "Rookie Crusher". The jerk almost caused Devin to fail multiple times on his first attempt until Devin failed ON HIS OWN, NOT DUE TO THAT GUY, at the second stage. After his first attempt, Tonpa stayed true to his name and seemed to leave him alone as he started to focus only rookies. Still though, after taking the exams 3 times and seeing all the death that can come with them, he still kinda had to respect the guy for staying alive during the exam almost 30 times. Not immediately seeing anyone else that he knew or really wanted to talk to yet, Devin just started to stand around with his hands in his pocket, waiting for the first exam to start.
 
Noticing everyone was equipping their pins, Illyana took the initiative and put hers on as well. She had yet to look at the number, but it would seem she was 9. That wasn't really her lucky number, she was hoping for something like a 7 or what the lady had next to her, 77. Though she wouldn't let such dogmatic thoughts get to her. The number she bestowed had no relevance.


Though the lady who had just sat next to her did in fact, pique her interest. She observed her face and features closely and the words of her notes flashed back to her. 'Leola, a gun-slinging, level headed women who has high morale standards'. Illyana's face slightly lit up, knowing she could probably trust this woman. If it came down to an unexpected fight, she could probably hide behind her. They had trained in opposite fields, while Illyana trained to acquire more knowledge, Leola was more focused on the physical side. They had something to offer each other.


Slowly she withdrew her book and put it in her bag and looked to Leola with her most childish face. "You're Leola right? Age 22, 5'11" and 155 lbs.. Born in Yorknew to a police officer and the oldest of two girls." She guessed, though she knew she was most likely right, she always was after all.
 
A questionably-well-dressed man with white hair stood in the dead center of the waiting area. His eyes were closed, his hands holding the end of a black umbrella like a cane. The pin on his chest identified the man as applicant number 84.


Mars opened his eyes, a wide grin spread across his face. He could feel powerful individuals were gathering in this room, some likely already skilled in nen use, others not yet awoken to their potential. Debating over whether or not it would be wise to throw his nen out and see who reacted, Mars chose to remain in Zetsu for the time being. As he took a step into the growing crowd of people, the smile on Mars' face narrowed. After all, who knew what sort of monsters a gathering like this might attract.


As he wove through the crowd, Mars became aware of another participant watching him. The other participant waved Mars down as soon as Mars took notice of him.


"Hello friend," the speaker was a man, around Mars' age but shorter and on the chubby side.


Mars' smiled politely and bowed his head at the man. "Yes, hello."


"The name's Tonpa. I don't recognize you, so I'm guessing this must be your first time?"


Mars nodded to confirm that it was indeed his first time taking the exam.


"Great! It's a hobby of mine to help out the rookies, so I'll give you some tips to help you not fail the test in the first round." Tonpa offered Mars a can of soda, which Mars took, before opening a second can for himself and taking a sip.


Mars brought the can to his lips and then pulled it away. "Silly me, it wouldn't do to drink this with candy in my mouth." A pink gum ball appeared from between Mars' teeth. "Oh well, nothing to do about it," Mars sighed and blindly tossed the still-full and open can of soda over his shoulder behind him.


The look of shock that took over Tonpa's face was quite amusing, Mars almost laughed. Instead, Mars put a palm on the man's shoulder.


"I think I'll try passing the exam on my own, but thank you for the offer." Mars pushed past Tonpa and slipped into the crowd of gathering applicants. The sound of a can smacking into a certain unfriendly-looking applicant was closely followed by angry yelling. Mars just laughed to himself and took a seat near the edge of the room to watch the entertainment.
 
Efah slowly walked into the white waiting room, He smelt the sterilized air mixed with sweat of 99 other competitors and there body oders. On the upper part of his left arm Efah had a white plastic badge pinned on with a black 100 printed on it. On Efah's face there was a light cut under his right brown eye. There was blood on his scarf, He had used it to clean his face as his cut bled. He had suffered a confrontation with another person on his way here but he came out on top of course leaving his opponent with a broken arm. He looked around examining all the people in the room with him, He was suspicious of them all, Off there motives for being here. The young man with scarlet hair seemed to be relaxing, nonchalantly as he kept his ruby colored eye on the door. Efah next laid his eyes on a ecstatic blue haired girl, She was reading a book with intense glee. She was excited but Efah wonder why? Getting this far or maybe about what she was reading? Once Efah thought about it, He was more fascinated about the fact a child got here beforehim! He was 18 but she was a just some little girl '...Amazing' he thought." A whole list of different characters had came it seems."


Efah made his way to a corner and sat on the ground and remind quiet. He was still analyzing the other competitors all the way from the woman that was near his age in yellow and black humming a tune to the white haired man dress immaculately. He removed his bag from his shoulder and sat in on the ground in front of him. He rummaged through a bag pass his sharp dagger and his brass knuckles to grab his tin canister of water. He smiled and uncapped it as he brought it to his lips and took a swig. The water was warm but better then no water he thought. Efah planned to take this time to rest and ready himself for the real exam. He heard how dangerous it was, How you are most likely to fail and could die at any moment.


Efah was ready to die, He had come to terms with it before he left home. He didn't even tell his parents he left directly. He just wrote a long earnest note to them and vanished. He told them he would go to college after school but once he graduated he planned his trip in secret. He was undaunted by what he would face today, He will become a hunter, he promised himself this and that he would kill off the stigma given to his people by hunt down every terrorist out there. He was setting his goals very high but he always believe to succeed, you must aim too high or you are just aiming too low.
 
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It had only been a few moments since Rip sat down when a whole crowd of people began flowing in. It seems he had just beaten the storm. Rip felt a broad smile creep onto his face as he felt a trace of dark aura brush up against him. His eyes locked on the entrance as he felt the twisted energy grow closer, and when he saw the source he was not disappointed. A young woman in an extravagant jester getup stood in the doorway for a moment, cards shuffling in her hands. Judging by her badge she had arrived exactly 10 people after him. The first obvious nen-user that Rip had encountered, and she was strong. She was... most likely very insane. Rip's grin faded back into it's default sly smirk and he looked up at the ceiling. He decided that this exam would be fun after all.


He tracked the jester woman by the sound of her cards and the bell at the end of her massive black and yellow hat. He closed his eyes until the noise stopped and she sat down. He chuckled to himself and began to whistle idly, staying in his relaxed position. Now that he was assured that he would be having fun, he already felt amused. He no longer payed attention to the activity near the door. Rather, he allowed tie to slip by as he sat back an waited for the exam to start. Anything that happened in this room was mere child's play at this point. Rip felt the room filling, and was subtly aware anytime someone more powerful entered, but never allowed himself to grow so concerned that he would change from his comfortable position.


Until, however, he felt a splash of liquid on his cheek and an outcry of angry exclamations just in front of him. Rip paused for a moment, and then sighed. He was curious about what had just happened, but was momentarily caught between opening his eyes and continuing to allow time to fly past.


His eyes flashed open and his eyes quickly darted around the room to obtain as much information as possible. First were the things directly related to the liquid on his cheek. He saw a can of soda on the ground near his feet and just past that was an angry looking and quite soggy man who was searching for the source of his attacker. Rip quickly judged where the can had come from by where the sopping man had been hit and almost instantly locked onto a short fat man who was holding a similar can to the one on the floor. He was skulking away from another man who was impeccably dressed and had an air of power and confidence around him. Rip stopped. He stared for a moment. And then he gave a wide smile which quickly turned into a laugh.


Of all people to be taking the exam with, Rip would never have expected this. Mars Mondelez, in the flesh. And... oh, this is just too good. He's learned nen. Rip thought excitedly. Some time ago, it must have been a few years by now, Rip worked a few jobs for Mars. He had always respected the man as a leader, and was amused by his childish antics, but Rip knew better than to underestimate Mars. He was psychotic. And powerful. A dangerous and... lethal combination. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Mars had anished off of the underground scene a few years back, and here he was now. Up on the surface with a new and refined power. He had discovered nen and it changed the game for Mister Mondelez, just as it had for Rip.


Rip finally leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees. He was too excited to remain idle now. He figured it would be wise not to approach Mars yet. He would save that game for another day. He smiled and then grabbed his backpack, pulling it onto the bench next to him. He slid his hand inside while continuing to survey the room, studying the new competition. He pulled out a clear glass bottle that seemed to be filled with water as he scanned. He noticed a young girl who had arrived here before him, which intrigued him. She wasn't particularly strong and she clearly couldn't use nen, which meant that she made up for that weakness in another way. She had to be incredibly intelligent and resourceful. Near her was another young woman who was closer to Rip's age. She also wasn't particularly strong but she had a look of determination and clear willpower written all over her face. Perhaps Rip had misjudged to competition. He was almost positive that they wouldn't be allowed to use nen during the exam. That would widen the number of people who could stand a chance at passing. That would widen the number of people worth toying with.


Rip took a swig from his bottle, which was definitely not full of water, and stood up. He threw his free hand in his pocket and stretched his neck. The room was filling up. The real fun was only just beginning though.
 
"Bored... bored... bored" Devin kept muttering to himself as he waiting for everyone to finish gathering and the first proctor to show up. He wondered if it would be any of the other hunters from the last few times he took it, but he seriously doubted that if the others exams where anything to base it off of. The fisherman stretched his arms and let out a silent yawn, closing his eyes to the world around him.


*thunk*


Something struck the back of Devin's head in his moments of weakness and the familiar sensation of wetness washed over his body. Though instead of the nice feeling of water washing over him, it was sticky like it was mixed with sugar or something. The smell that eventually wafted into his noes confirmed what he already thought covered his body. Soda. As the sound of can settling on the ground stopped, Devin's use of his colorful inherited sailor language took over. This exam was turning out just PERFECT for him. Showing up late, being reminded of his failure, and now being soaked in soda. As logic started to take control of his enraged mind, he looked down and found the guilty can. He slowly bent down to pick up the dented object as recognition of the object rang clear. This is one of Tonpa's cans.


Only grunts of anger escaped Devin's mouth as he marched towards the rookie crusher. Tonpa turned to face his unkown victum just as he reached to pick him up. Grabbing the front of his shirt, Devin pulled the man so their faces were close.


"Why did you hit me with a can full of your drugged soda," Devin hissed in quite anger so that the conversation could remain as private as possible in a room full of people.


Tonpa tried to push himself off, but found himself unable to in Devin's grasp. "It wasn't me, you idiot," he whispered back, "it was one of these new guys. Fancy clothes with a hat, got an umbrella, chewing candy. He threw the can, now let me go!" He pushed back to end his sentence as Devin let Tonpa go. Giving the crusher one final disgusted look, as started scanning for the rookie that was just described.
 
Leola minded her own business as other Hunter contenders walked in. She stayed focused on creating a game plan, until she heard the young girl's voice directed at her. "You're Leola right? Age 22, 5'11" and 155 lbs.. Born in Yorknew to a police officer and the oldest of two girls." It sounded more like a statement than a question. She looked at Illyana and managed to keep a calm, outward composer; however, on the inside she held the mental image of her jaw dropped.


After quickly gaining control of her thoughts, Leola stood up and sat down on the bench beside the girl. She didn't feel threatened the girl and sat with her hands clasped in her lap. If a Nen user was watching, he or she would have noticed Leola's calm, sisterly aura emanating from her personality toward the teen. "How do you know all that?" she asked softly. "We haven't met before, I would've remembered you," she added with a smile.


The commotion from the soda can incident caught Leola's attention. She looked over and saw a man, most likely a sailor due to his swearing, lift up a short, chubby man. She turned her attention back toward Illyana after assessing that the situation wasn't her problem. At the moment she was more interested in how the teen beside her would reply.
 
Illyana let out a silent giggle and determined whether she should tell this woman her little ploy. She had certainly not much to lose telling her, but it might worry her slightly... What she did could be dubbed quite 'stalkerish'. Illyana pondered a moment, but decided to spill her little secret, it was possible she could gain a little trust from telling her the truth. Plus she didn't look like the one to hold a grudge on a little girl.


"Heehee, I get that a lot." She begun by responding to her reply. "The internet is quite a lovely place, you can find a whole bunch of stuff on there if you know where to look. As a matter of fact I know every single name of this year's hunter applicants, then from there I know about 95% of people's simple biography and from that 95% I know 35%'s fighting patterns and dark secrets." She giggled and pointed to a man with a hat and umbrella, who for a moment she struggled to recall, but quickly remembered.


"For instance, that right there is a man by the name of Mars Mondelez. He is a candy addict." She said and then pointed over to Tonpa and Devin. "Those two right there are Tonpa and Devin. Be careful Tonpa is known as the rookie crusher because on his first attempt at the exam someone spilled water and he tripped over it and broke his legs. From there he got really angry and gained a bunch of weight. Then his dreams of being a bounty hunter were ruined and out of vanquish he vowed to ruin other's dreams, just like what had happened to him. Though if you mention that to him he'll back off, I'm sure of it!" Illyana added with a little giggle.


Once her little speech was done she turned and faced Leola with a big smile and offered her hand for a pleasant shake. "My name is Illyana Yurisoff from a village called Listan. I am an aspiring Knowledge Hunter, knowing everything is my game!" She greeted with a dramatic gesture.
 
"Hehe... You know telling people's secrets isn't polite..."


The female jester seemed to have come out of nowhere, appearing beside the two girls chatting on the bench. Of course her unnoticed approach had not been the result of something so fanciful as teleporting. She had actually been walking about the room for a short while, when she had vaguely overheard the conversation. Of course it had been a simple matter to use her Zetsu to mask her approach, though she doubted either of the women were powerful enough Nen-users to sense her, that is if they uses Nen at all.


Unlike many she didn't care to pry into her opponents Nen abilities, after all they could not use them during the test anyway, so it mattered little. But she did love a good surprise and if her sudden interjection didn't accomplish that she would admittedly be a little disappointed. Bit disappointment could always be rectified. If she didn't get any amusement from them now she would during the test.



Grinning slightly Saigo winked at the younger her hands working swiftly as always. She was not one to be still or leave her hands idle so at the moment she as juggling her cards, absently circulating the smooth items between her hands. Catching them slowly she shuffle the deck once more and drew a card. The Hanged Man. Chuckling she bowed politely before wandering of elsewhere.



"All this waiting is so boring..."
 
Raine walked into the waiting room. The whiteness of the room made her squint her eyes. This place was so dull. Still, it made the colorful crowd stand out even more. She was about to walk into the crowd when someone stopped her. "You're going to need this. Don't lose it." the person said as Raine was handed a badge that had the number 108 on it. Well, that was a bad sign. It might as well have the number 666 on it. Then again, she wasn't that superstitious to begin with.


She made her way through the crowd and sat down at one of the benches at the edge of the room. She overheard two nearby women (@shadowdude505 and @Black Masquerade's characters) talking about... something. She dozed off a little bit when one of them talked about percentages, but she regained focus quickly enough to hear about Tonpa's nasty hobby. It would've been funny if the man wasn't so pathetic. Raine closed her eyes and waited for the event to start.
 
In a way, the room seemed to fit him. The cold, rough surface of concrete hardly made much of an impact, its dark coloring leaving it a rather subtle environment compared to those that tended to be more colorful and extravagant. It was a bland area and he was a bland individual, their presence not worth the effort to take notice of. However, underneath the initial dull and dreary exterior, there was a prominent ominous vibe, the unpleasant sense accompanying mere face value.


Nova had been here for quite awhile, left to lean against the walls that had been decorated with slight cracks. Each time a new arrival made their way through the entrance, his eyes would remain affixed to their position, gazing at nothing in particular. Nothing had filled him with urgency or intrigue, his current state being one of boredom.


His journey had been a short one, being led to his current whereabouts before he could even see the sun set behind him. Initially, making it to his destination hadn't been much of a priority, preferring to spend his time investigating this world he was now part of. However, disappointment would be the closest emotion to describe what he felt after the results of his search. No amount of plants, cities, or strange creatures had managed to grasp his attention, leaving him disinterested and left only with the option to resume his venture.


Despite the amount of time he had spent exploring, he had arrived ahead of this large pack, only left behind those that beat him in his momentary absence from the correct path. Those that preceded him were few enough to be counted on a single hand, his own arrival taking the role of the thumb. This role would be signified by the black markings left on the face of white plastic, being the fifth to receive a badge.


In the time spent waiting, nobody had caught his interest and no event was worth changing his direction. His piqued mind being the sole purpose for undertaking the Hunter Exam, everything so far had been underwhelming. It began to seem as though his interest in this test had been misplaced and his time had been merely wasted. However, the atmosphere would begin to change when a few select participants would make themselves known in his mind, all hope seemingly not lost.


The first to catch his eye was a man with hair of two deep tones, crimson atop his head and orange left to make up the ends. By the body language he gave off, he seemed to be quite confident, remaining lax with each step. His appearance alone was nothing special, but the steam-like glow around the young man's eyes was the focus of his inspection.


It was unmistakable. The stranger had used the technique known as Gyo, being one of the four principles of Nen. His eyes followed the ruby gems as they casually inspected the competition, squeaks resulting from the steps on concrete. For a moment, he held an interest in this apparent Nen-user, but it quickly waned. He had anticipated others being able to use the ability, as this was a meeting place for aspiring Hunters. It only served as a signal that pointed to those of a higher skill level amongst the weak. It was nothing more and it was nothing less.


The next was a young girl, hair a darker blue than the sea. Judging by her appearance, she was somewhere in her teenage years, not quite a child and most definitely not an adult. However, it was a child he would see her as, a decision made within his mind.


He was not surprised that a child was one of the many that had set their sights on becoming an elite member of humanity. Nova had only just entered the world of those in adolescence, reaching the age of thirteen on the first day of the new year. He was unaware of when he had been born, so the day he managed to escape from his confines would suffice. In a way, it was a rebirth.


As he kept his one eye of azure on the young one, she would soon be accompanied by an older woman who shared the hue of sparkling sapphire. She carried a firearm with her, a weapon that served well for battles that centered around long distances. Guns were never his preference, having no real desire to use weaponry at all, but he had been trained to use them if the situation ever called for it.


While unarmed combat was what he found himself suited to, he still carried a blade crafted by the notorious serial killer Benny Delon. It was a rather tame piece of the collection, having a strong similarity to an ordinary tanto blade, albeit with a round grip and noticeable point. The only standout feature was that of the wire which connected the blade to the hilt, allowing the option of distance. Aside from that, it was quite standard. However, it still possessed the deadly sharp edge and trace of aura like all Ben's Knives.


His ears picked up the conversation between the females like they did everything else, hearing being able to pick up the faintest beats of hearts. The smaller one had apparently managed to obtain information on the brunette using a database of sorts. It wasn't surprising, as all people had records that could be accessed with enough digging. However, that only pertained to those that were ordinary. Nova was not.


Living in a land of seclusion and raised as little more than a breed of livestock, he was almost nonexistent to the public world. If any information about him could be reached, it would be restricted to the birth of a child whose name was not his and whose parents did not exist. As far as any database was concerned, neither did he.


The sound of a conversation that did not concern him would soon change to the humming that rang in his ears. Following the tune that he could not identify, he was left to stare at what appeared to be a jester, fumbling with a stack of tarot. With the movement of black and gold, accompanied by the jingling of bells, he was left to observe another pair of red orbs in the form of the older woman's eyes. That made two pairs of crimson he had spotted in this room, but neither of them held a candle to the scarlet that could be born from his left eye's current brown. Beneath the healed scar that held many painful memories, there was a gem waiting to be unveiled, a treasure many had killed for.


He found the woman's state of dress somewhat peculiar, but it didn't stay in his mind for long. It differed a bit from what he was accustomed to seeing, but the fashion was still existent in some areas. In his case, the clothes he wore were rather simple.


A simple black top with matching bottoms, his attire was suited for stealth, only the white of the bandages that wrapped around his right leg differing from the dark color. His shoes were rather simple as well, nothing particularly fancy or stylish about their make. They were light, ensuring that his footsteps were not too loud in areas that allowed sound to bounce easily off of walls and into the ears of others. However, such a quality was unneeded. His steps held no volume, having learned to even keep his breathing silent after one too many beatings.


All accessories had a function, no useless items to be found. The fingerless gloves were meant to protect his palms from damage, still allowing for his movement to remain free. Metal plates had been attached for defensive purposes, but were quite useless aside from said function. A bandana was used to keep his face safe from the elements, but with no harsh conditions warranting its use, the fabric hung around his neck. Finally, there were the thin straps that kept the sheathed blade on his back, handle positioned for the quickest possible draw.


While the material allowed him to blend into the darkness, his hair created quite the contrast. If what he wore was the night sky, the silver strands served as the luminous moon. While not quite as eye-catching as pure white, the coloring was still something to behold. Thankfully, it remained dark enough to where it would not alert others of his presence.


Moving along to the next character, he found the use of Nen once more. While Zetsu was used by others to remain hidden, there were still individuals that could tell when the ability was being used. With the amount of experience he had accumulated over his thirteen years of life, Nova happened to be one of those people.


Nova hadn't really felt the need to conceal his aura, only reserving the skill for when he needed to use stealth. In cases such as these where hiding could be considered beneficial, he was already practicing the strategy. While others needed to exert themselves to remain inconspicuous, Nova did so at all times without any effort.


The silver-haired youth did not have much of a presence in most situations. With his calm, bland exterior, he naturally kept a low profile. This did not reach a level where a person could not tell he occupied the same space, but Nova did not stand out from the crowd unless he found it necessary to draw attention to himself.


The formally dressed man's interaction with the rotund stranger went ignored, not particularly caring about the interaction. He had longed since detected that the beverages being offered had been contaminated, his nose picking up the smell despite being sealed by the container. It was a cheap trick that would only work on those that were foolish enough to fall for it. In a way, those that accepted the drinks deserved to fail. Hunters were supposedly strong individuals and weak people needed to be removed.


Even when the large one would be confronted by the man who held the salty aroma of the sea, now mixed in with that that of sugar, he did not return his attention to the scene. All of the characters that possessed qualities that stood out from the rest had been identified. Despite those qualities, an interest in any of them had not formed.


Nova's gaze returned to the blank area before him, heterochromatic eyes left blank. Until further notice, he would remain attached to the wall that had supported him since his early arrival, waiting for when the exam would officially commence. As of right now, the curiosity in this exam appeared to have been misplaced.
 
A door at the end of the exam room-which was situated in the very center of the wall across from the entrance- opened quietly. Despite the lack of noise a hush seemed to settle over the room almost instantly and all heads turned towards the newly opened doorway. A hush washed over the room for a moment as eyes settled on the figure standing on the other side of the plain white door. The first examiner had arrived.


A woman of average height stood in the door frame, her most immediate feature being colorful green-blue hair that billowed around her pale face and neck and contrasted with her dark clothes. The woman exuded calm and strength as she took a step into the room full of diverse and eager faces. Two sheathed swords hung at the side of each of her hips, one with a handle colored brown and white, the other with a handle shining blue and red. Her face reflected confidence, balance, and a subtle kindness that made her somewhat approachable and attentive. Her bright green eyes scanned the room for a moment, taking the moment of silence as an opportunity to assess the new applicants. She could already feel the nen energy flowing from isolated locations around the room. Some years almost little to no one knew of nen before attempting the exam. Other times there would be a handful of individuals who had already accessed and started to refine their nen abilities. This year seemed like an even mix.


The woman blinked slowly and a small smile appeared on her unassuming lips. She extended her arms out evenly to the left and right of her torso, palms facing up, and broke the silence.


"Hello, and welcome to the two-hundred-and-eightieth Hunter Exam." She began with a soft and gentle voice that somehow managed to reach all corners of the room clearly. "My name is Zustatek, and I will be your first proctor for this exam. Once I finish speaking I will call you all up in groups of two. You will then approach me and follow me through the door I just came from. Once the door closes behind you, your attempt at the first phase will have officially begun. You will have a choice of five doors once you enter the room. There will be no consequence for which door you pick, so please pick one and proceed through it as quickly as possible. You do not need to enter the same door as the person called in with you. You will not be given further instruction once inside, and therefore must use logic and reasoning, alongside others skills, to figure out how to pass this phase of the exam,"


She paused and let her eyes sweep around to a few people, making sure they understood. Amongst those whom she made eye contact with was a young blue-haired girl with an intelligent look who seemed innocent and quick-witted, A scrawny and short blonde boy with eyes like the sea, and a woman in jester-like apparel whose presence sent a chill of warning though Zusa's nerves. A very strange mix this year.


Before Zustatek spoke again she took a short breath, and as she did she gathered her aura above her so that it would spell out a strong and clear message to everyone in the room able to see the aura. The message spelled; "NO NEN. NEN = DISQUALIFICATION". It was one of her jobs to inform the applicants of this rule as discretely as possible, and this is how she had devised to inform the nen-users. She thought it would be effective enough, as well as get the message across in a short and to-the-point manner.


"At this time I ask you to recall the rules set forth by the board of examiners that you agreed to upon applying. You will not be reminded of them, but you are expected to follow them. If you fail any portion of the exam, or are disqualified, then you are not permitted to participate in the rest of the exam. However, you may try again next year," She paused once more to let the message sink in. "I will now give you all one minute to prepare before calling out the first pair." She concluded. She brought her open arms to a close, joining her open palms together in front of the direct center of her chest. Then she bowed her head and took a silent step backwards through the still open door, which closed once she was inside.


-One minute went by.


The door opened once more and Zustatek could be seen again. The room was still fairly silent from when she had last entered. This time, however, she did not step out into the room. Instead, she called out into the dull,pale space.


"Numbers one and two, please enter." There was a moment of hesitation, palpable and the source easily located. A strong shirtless bald man with an impressive black handlebar mustache stood up towards the back of the room. Closer towards the front, against the left wall, another man clad in a brown monks robe stood as well. The two approached silently and walked into the room one at a time. The door closed behind them.


The exam had begun.


(Every minute on the minute Zustatek will reappear and call out the next two mumbers. The numbers go in chronological order. In your next reply you are expected to include your reaction to Zusa's appearance, as well as how you pass the time until your number is called. Please post in order of which number you received upon entering the waiting room. These numbers can be seen on the Overview page. Once entering the room where the first phase begins please wait. Phase one is the only private portion of the exam and will be administered via a PM and will be viewed by all existing proctors. The rest of the exam phases will occur in in-character chat. If you have any questions please ask promptly. Here we go!)
 
As silence replaced the formerly boisterous environment, Nova's head drifted towards the opened door. There was no creak or clatter that came from the frame, but he had managed to pick up on the subtle sounds of breathing and the comforting thumps of the heart. The presence hasn't been very overwhelming upon arrival, but he had noticed it just the same.


A woman would make her appearance, the color of her hair standing out from that of the plain, white walls. She wasn't particularly tall, but he couldn't describe her as short either. Unlike the mixture of both blue and green atop her head, the pale complexion of the skin was suited to the room's coloring. The atmosphere around her was nothing like that of the room prior to her arrival, seeming rather composed with blades at her side.


At the sudden gesture that would be followed by the introduction, he would pay close attention to the rules given. The woman who had referred to herself as Zustatek gave passing glances at certain participants, his own gaze following her line of sight. Out of the participants that attracted her wandering eye, he found them to be the same examinees he too had inspected. It seemed as though there may have been something unique about them after all, if the attention was anything to go by.


As he observed, he would notice a slight change in the pattern of her breathing. The reason for the sudden shift would be revealed in the form of the transparent mist that traveled above her body. A message delivered through the manipulation of aura, the method was the most suitable to ensure that only those referred to would be able to make out the lettering.


While he was aware of the existence of Nen and was quite skilled in its use, the restriction would not have much of an effect on him. While he had a grasp of the four main principles and branching techniques like that of En, his Hatsu held no value. Regardless of whether or not the use of these abilities had been allowed, his actual usage would have already been limited.


When explanations had come to an end, intervals of a single minute would pass. Calls would begin with those that had arrived first, leaving him with a very small window of time to prepare. In just another period of sixty seconds, he would be summoned to the examiner and brought beyond the single door across from the entrance. Despite every one of those seconds holding great opportunity to prepare one's mind and body, he did nothing with the allotted time.


Nova kept himself to the white wall that had been supporting his currently poor posture, yet to straighten from his current relaxed state of leaning. Even if he had been the tenth person to arrive or the fiftieth, his actions would not have been different. There was nothing to do after coming so far and wasting his energy doing any other sort of activity would have been meaningless.


When the minute had expired, the Hunter Exam has officially started for him and the sixth participant that would be accompanying the boy to the first phase. Peeling himself from the tough surface of the ivory-colored space, he would march through the meeting room for the first time since he had set foot into the area. He had no reason to wander prior to the announcement, but his time had now come.


As he began to approach the proctor, Nova chose to ignore the sudden display of the girl with the erratic heartbeat. It was the one with the hair of the sea he had spotted earlier, having heard of her wealth of information on those gathered here today for the examination. In those moments of inspection, he never questioned what her personality may have been like, but now the unasked had been answered. It was annoying.


Nova did not mix well with those that were overly enthusiastic and cheery, his own pessimistic and apathetic attitude contrasting quite a bit. Judging by the girl's reaction and multiple items being pushed towards the elder woman, it appeared that she was famous in some way. How said woman gained a notable reputation or in what field did not concern him. As of right now, his only focus was making it to the other side of the door in front of him.


Hands kept at his side and maintaining a rather lethargic expression, the scarred child made his way through the nearby scene. Footsteps not producing the slightest click of sound, he would leave the room that had been left to remain in silence. Phase one would now commence.
 
Illyana's heart skipped a beat... no, several beats at the sight of her hero. Her cardiac system could not contain the happiness she felt as her conscious was almost being lost to the abyss' cruel grasp. Though her undying will pulled her forward and she flew into the heaven of happiness as she bravely got up, disregarding the attention and thoughts she would bring herself by doing such a hasty act.


Abruptly she jolted out of her seat, no longer interested in Leola's reply. Like a bee to a flower, Illyana dragged her dazed body over towards the direction of Zustatek so she could get a good grasp on her voice.


Her voice could've been the sound of a toilet, it didn't matter to Illyana. Each word she spoke sounded like an angel's cry and each verse like a perfect soliloquy. The smile that had once been mesmerized rose furthermore and her eyes were filled with the utmost glee. Once Zusa's little speech ended Illyana almost melted and could almost no long restrain herself.


Eventually she was called up and for a moment she felt her shoes stick to the ground.


Quickly and forcefully she walked up to Zusa and abruptly tried to embrace her body. She was a lot more huggable than she had first thought, or maybe it was the feeling her heart dispersed amongst her body. "Zusa! I am your super biggest fan!" Illyana squealed and released her grip. Then in a couple of moments she began taking out a bunch of stuff out of her backpack and shoved them in Zusa's direction. "Would you sign all of this? If you don't have a pen you can use mine... Actually! Please use mine!" Illyana giggled and handed her the pen with the most innocent smile in the radius.


"You are the coolest! I want to be a Knowledge Hunter just like you!"


(@Ink Bottle Faerie Please delete my last post if you can. :3)
 
Zustatek


"Numbers nine and ten," Zustatek called into the room. She pinpointed the two examinees within moments. Their entire beings shifted towards her, their heart rates sped up, and their energy spiked though neither of them seemed to use nen. However, Zusa noticed something particularly odd about the now-approaching number 9. It was the young girl she had made eye contact with earlier, and she seemed much more excited then expected. The girl was practically running towards her, and that's when Zusa realized what was happening. The girl, who must have been Illyana if she remembered correctly, was excited about her. A grin appeared on Zusa's face as the girl reached her. The girl immediately slipped her hands around Zustatek in an embrace, and Zusa chuckled as she accepted the hug with one arm, patting the young girls head with her free hand. This was something Zustatek was used to, and didn't mind, but this was a distraction that couldn't last long. Zustatek needed to keep on schedule.


"Zusa! I am your super biggest fan!" Illyana squealed and released her grip. Then in a couple of moments she began taking out a bunch of stuff out of her backpack and shoved them in Zusa's direction. "Would you sign all of this? If you don't have a pen you can use mine... Actually! Please use mine!" The young girl began to hand Zustatek a pen as she smiled and giggled childishly, beaming. "You are the coolest! I want to be a Knowledge Hunter just like you!" the girl exclaimed. Zusa couldn't help but laugh warmly at the girls enthusiasm. Alas, she had a duty as a proctor, and put up a hand, flat palmed, to signal Illyana to stop. Zustatek sighed with a smile on her face and knelt down to see Illyana eye-to-eye.


"Illyana, sweet child, I am flattered by your admiration. I am sure that you will make an excellent Knowledge Hunter someday, but in order to do so you must learn restraint. I know it is hard to be patient and contain yourself, but now is not the time. You're acting quite sporadically and letting your emotions get the best of you, which a Knowledge hunter musn't do," Zusa put a hand on the girls shoulder comfortingly and returned her belongings back to her. She looked the girl in the eyes softly and gave her a small and encouraging smile. "I'll tell you what.If you pass this exam, then I will sign all of your things and I will let you be my assistant for a little while. How does that sound?" Zustatek removed her hand from the girl and stood up without waiting for a reply. She smiled down at the girl and then glanced up at the impatient number 10, a ridiculously tall and skinny man in a vest and long red silk pants. She motioned him through the door and then ushered Illyana in ahead of her. The door closed behind them and the scene was over.


 
Rip


Upon hearing that he would have to wait a little while Rip rolled his eyes and groaned. Waiting was no good. No fun at all. The red haired he-devil wasn't impatient, but he was eager to have some fun. Feeling the anticipation and anxiety fill the room had jump-started him. He could sense the insecurities and concerns practically manifesting in the air and was almost instantly excited. It would be so easy to pull at people's threads, unwind them before they even got a chance to fail. But Rip was not impulsive, so he simply stepped up onto the bench he had been sitting on and leaned against the wall. Now he would be able who was called each time with no view obstruction. He put one arm casually across his chest, holding his glass water-bottle with the other. He relaxed back into the wall, every so often taking a sip from his glass. The liquid inside was cold and calming, stinging the back of his throat slightly as it went down. It helped to pass the time. He kept his eyes on the entrance to the first phase.


At first he just stared idly, allowing his red eyes to zone out, but it wasn't long before his focus was called back. Number 5 was called and Rip saw a boy stand up in response. A boy dressed all in black who seemed completely unaffected and unconcerned with the world around him. Rips interest spiked immediately. Usually he could sense anxiety or nerves on a target the moment he focused in on them, but with Number 5 he didn't pick up on an inkling of negative or anxious energy. Just... blaring neutrality.


How delightful. Oh, this will be fun.
Rip thought to himself as a lazy grin crept onto his face. This made things more interesting indeed. Rip capitalized on of getting people to react to him, on pulling at insecurities and causing people to fall apart at the seams. This stranger wouldn't be easy to provoke. Rip decided he would have to keep tabs on number 5. Once the boy vanished into the mysterious door Rip's eyes lost focus again. He brought his bottle back to his lips and allowed his thoughts to run off to whichever odd place they desired. He had been mentally arranging all of the examinees he had seen into categories of color scheme when his focus was yet again called back to the waiting room. It seemed that a slight disturbance had erupted at the entrance to the test. A young blue-haired girl seemed to be absolutely frantic about the phase one examiner. The little thing was squeaking excitedly, like a cute little mouse, and shoving random items towards Zustatek fanatically. Rip was too far away to hear, but he deduced what was happening. Zustatek was a well-known knowledge hunter and powerful nen-user. She was kind and caring and stylish, the ideal idol for intelligent and ambitious little girls. It was almost embarrassing really. Rip watched as Zustatek calmly handled the situation and ushered the girl through the door. Rip could sense Zusa's power clearly from where he stood. She was very calm and collected, but not a reasonable target for his shenanigans. Not yet. He needed her to pass him. After that, he might try to get to her. As the commotion died down Rip slipped back into his own mind.


It wasn't until his number was called that he zoned in again, which was almost disappointing. He very nearly wished he had arrived later simply so he could see more competition before starting. Alas, it wasn't so. He clearly heard the calm and chipper voice of Zustatek call out for numbers 21 and 22. It was time for the show to begin.


Rip blinked a few times as his eyes refocused, and then he hopped down silently onto the hard floor. He leaned over quickly and snatched up his backpack, slinging it over one shoulder and holding the straps in his free hand. He tossed his water bottle inside and then swept a mischevious glance at the people around him. A few people were already staring at him, identifying him as one of the two about to go. Upon meeting his eyes almost all of them looked away, or else shifted their gaze to a different part of him. They were no fun.


Rip straightened up, lifting his head high in confidence, and casually strode towards the door with an effortless smirk. By the time he got there his momentary partner was right alongside him. It was a short, fat, ugly woman with piss-yellow hair and warts on her nose. She was appalling so Rip didn't care to look at her. She glanced at him, but he just smirked as she sensed her anxiety peak just by looking at him, and stepped through the door in front of her. It was time for the games to begin.
 
Saigo sighed boredly as she sat through the woman's speech. There was so much talking and waiting and so little fun. A wicked grin curved her lips as she shuffled the thick cards from one gloved armor clad hand to another. All it would take now was waiting for her number to be called. And to entertain herself she found people watching would be an acceptable pastime.


Standing up against the wall on one leg, twin daggers balanced precariously on the tip of one boot clad foot, she surveyed the path to the door, studying the duos that entered then room as their numbers were called. She chuckled with amusement as the tiny blabber mouthed child ran up to the female examiner and embraced her, still chatting a mile a minute. When her number was called she approached the door, her eyes sparkled as a wicked smile crept across her face. She could feel her partner shiver causing her grin to only grow wider.


"This should prove to be quite the good time..."
 
"It's nice to meet you," Leola said to Illyana before shaking her hand. That's when Saigo seemed to come out of nowhere. "Hehe... You know telling people's secrets isn't polite...," the woman said. Leola was too stunned to reply. She watched Saigo shuffle her cards and pull out the hang man. There was something sinister about this woman. Leola watched with constricted pupils as Saigo walked off. As she wiped the sweat off her brow, the first proctor appeared.


Leola listened to what Zustatek had to say. As she waited for her number to be called she watched the other examinees walk into the exam area. She noted Illyana go in 9th, but she seemed more excited about meeting the proctor. She even watched as the woman-that-gave-her-the-creeps walked by the examiner. Leola had to wait over an hour before her number was called. During that time she checked and cleaned her weapons, crunches, and anything else she could think of to keep her mind sharp. "Finally I'm up," she thought as she walked by Zustatek and into the room with all of the doors.
 
When the door set into the waiting room's wall opened, Mars pulled his eyes away from people-watching and gave the woman who emerged his full attention. He didn't know who this woman was, what her story was, what things she had done, but because she was superior to him he at the moment he would give her the respect she deserved.


The woman, Zustatek was her name, offered no clues as to what the first phase of the exam would entail beyond that participants would enter a room containing five doors in pairs of two. The squeaky gears inside Mars' head clicked into motion as his mind raced forward through time. One possible scenario after another flashed through his mind, so fast that Mars almost missed the most important part of the proctor's speech: Zustatek had gathered aura above her to form a message that only other nen-users would be able to see.


A thin smile cut across Mars' face. How clever of her. A handful of silver coins inside one of Mars' pockets faded away. He hadn't planned on using nen much during the exam anyways on account of it making the exam too easy, but now every other applicant would be more or less on even ground. Well, some moreso than others. Mars' smile widened as his eyes swept across the room of gathered applicants.


As applicant pairs were called through the door, Mars took note of each and altered the scenarios in his head to contain their faces. Certain individuals warranted the creation of new scenarios; these were the people Mars took the most interest in.


Number 9 was the first such individual. She was nothing more than a child, a little girl, but from halfway across the room Mars was nearly blinded by the energy and ambition pouring out of her. A child's blind ambition, the most raw force of change, capable of inhuman acts of light or dark. Mars pulled out a silver coin, a real one this time, and watched as it flipped over and over through the air. He caught it and revealed fate's ruling. Heads.


The other individual who caught his eye, number 21, was someone Mars hadn't expected to see ever again, let alone taking the hunter exam at the same time he was. Oh, now this was just too good. Rip passed through the doors without a look back. Mars wished his scarlet-haired acquaintance luck in passing phase one of the exam. Mars flipped the coin a second time. Tails.


Exactly forty-two minutes passed from Zustatek had finished her speech to when Mars' number was called. He stood up and grabbed his umbrella from where he'd set in leaning against the bench before walking through the slightly-thinner crowd towards the door. Number 83 approached the door from the opposite side of the room. Mars couldn't tell anything about the other applicant beyond that they had a thin frame, everything else was concealed by a ragged sand-colored cloak. Even their face was completely covered by a large pair of goggles and a scarf. Someone certainly didn't want to socialize it seemed.


Mars stopped to allow the other applicant go through the door first, and after a few seconds of just staring unreadably at him, the stranger turned and walked through the door. What an odd person. Mar flipped his coin for himself. Tails. Oh well, he certainly wasn't in any position to deem others strange. He stepped through the door.
 

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