Chapter 121: Speakerphone, Voicemail, and Seeking Help

Page (1/3)

"Testing, testing! Mic check, mic check."

A lewd, synthesized electronic voice abruptly echoed across the island. Every surviving examinee—those resting, hunting, fleeing, or playing cards—looked up in unison.

"Ahem! Attention, everyone! Live footage from the Hunter exam grounds, strictly authentic, no CGI, a magical girl’s favorite: Baldy versus a pile of tentacle flesh, broadcasting now!"

The voice was deafening; even Illumi Zoldyck crawled out from the dirt.

Most did not understand what the electronic voice was saying, but what followed left them stunned. A rectangular screen suddenly appeared in the sky, playing footage of Kazemaru and Hanzo’s battle against the flesh-creature.

"Is this for real? How did Kazemaru and Hanzo end up in such a state!?"

"Isn't this the place we passed by earlier today?"

"That’s right. My Kamuli even dug up a matsutake mushroom there. There’s no mistake."

"That dog looks so familiar... wait, isn’t that the Nen beast belonging to that little girl from Trick Tower?"

"Is my 35th Hunter exam going to end right here?"

"Interesting! Heh, truly interesting! A Nen user capable of summoning such a beast must be powerful... delicious~~"

"Troublesome stuff. If this affects Killua’s survival rate, I’ll have a hard time explaining it when I get home. I hate missions without a paycheck..."

"Urameshi, where are you going? I have a bad feeling about that direction. The flesh-thing might be over there."

"Obviously, I’m going to find that bastard Hisoka! If the video in the sky is real, that guy Hisoka will definitely go there. I have to settle the score from our last fight!"

"Is the scent of blood coming from the north, far stronger than Hisoka’s, caused by this thing? Kurapika, Leorio, where are you?"

"This thing clearly doesn't belong to this world; it must be a player's skill. But isn't this skill too terrifying? Why hasn't the Main Brain banned it? Can they at least unseal my ability to summon the Blade-Hand Girl!!?"

"I’ve seen this ability before. It’s the skill of an otherworldly creature named Saya. My zombie immortality is most afraid of this kind of consumption-based ability."

"Adan and Xiao Ming have been out of contact for over 24 hours. Could it be..."

"If there’s no other choice, we’ll have to sacrifice our abilities to forcibly summon the Dragon Emperor. Although we’ll lose a massive amount of stats, it’s better than being eliminated at this stage. Shall we gamble?"

Page (2/3)

Hidden corners of Zevil Island grew noisy. The pitch-black night and dense clouds provided a perfect projection canvas for Sharp’s video. No one doubted the authenticity of the footage; the mangled flesh of Kazemaru and the unrecognizable state of Hanzo could not be faked.

What did this mean? A powerful opponent had appeared on Zevil Island. Two strong examinees had already been harmed, and there were likely more victims. Someone was secretly filming the combat and broadcasting it across the island. This voyeur would likely remain in hiding, playing both sides; perhaps this person was even more dangerous than the master of the flesh-creature.

The video ended where Kazemaru turned to flee. Sharp turned and flew off; he still had a mission to complete.

At the starting point of Zevil Island, inside the airship docked atop the battleship, Chairman Netero watched the screen on the wall with a grave expression. The examiners from previous stages stood behind him, their faces shifting with various emotions.

"Chairman Netero, please forgive me for communicating with you in this manner." The figure on the screen was Hao Ren, who had commandeered Pokkle's clothes and completely changed his appearance.

"To keep it short, the footage in the sky was captured by me. Do not doubt its authenticity."

"That dog and the flesh-creature likely belong to an examinee named Saya."

"That creature named Saya—looking at the world as a whole, her danger level is easily in the top three. It would not be an exaggeration to say she could easily destroy the world."

"As far as I know, she possesses highly dangerous abilities such as regeneration, corrosion, consumption, and sensory manipulation."

"And the fact that she can release so many Nen beasts now suggests she has likely already infested a portion of the island."

Page (3/3)

"In short, I suggest that Chairman find some experts to help deal with her. Preferably long-range attackers of the Emitter type. Close-quarters combat is likely to result in becoming a living corpse like Hanzo."

"Also, it would be best to temporarily suspend this exam. There are many promising Hunter seeds here; if they were to be sacrificed, it would be a major loss for the Hunter Association."

"Chairman, that is all I have to say. Do not ask me where I obtained this information. You only need to know that I hold no malice toward the Hunter Association."

Netero stroked his beard, remaining silent.

"That’s how it is, Chairman Netero. Do you have any words you’d like me to take back to my master?" Sharp hopped back and forth on the railing, unable to stay still.

Normally, such a hyperactive mechanical bird might earn a hug from Menchi—even if it meant spending a few seconds in her cleavage—but at this moment, her brain was so filled with the information Hao Ren provided that she didn't even notice Sharp’s presence. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming.

"Chairman, do you think the words of this examinee named Black Flame Dragon are credible?" Sedgwick, the silent man from the first stage, asked the question with his characteristic calm.

"Little Black Flame Dragon is a good kid, just a bit eccentric and prone to risking his life, and he has a few little secrets. Well, everyone has privacy. From my perspective, he wouldn't lie about something like this." The Chairman seemed to have a good impression of Hao Ren.

"Then, Chairman, should we terminate this Hunter exam?" Bean, the small assistant, asked with concern.

"No! You all need to contact suitable experts immediately, as Hunter Association missions. Let the examinees on the island hold out for a while longer; if they can't survive, it only proves they lack the qualifications to become strong," the Chairman stated decisively.

Netero was not just a kindly old man; he was the strongest human in the world, and he understood the necessity of trade-offs. The law of the jungle was the most natural thing in the world to him.

"Hmm, experts capable of long-range Nen attacks... those types aren't common. Let me think," Leorio—no, Leorio was not there—Leorio's counterpart, Lippo, pushed up his glasses. "Old man Zeno Zoldyck, his 'Dragon Head Painting' would be one option. It would be best to find Franklin of the Phantom Troupe; his Emitter-type Nen cannons, the 'Double Machine Gun,' would be perfect. Knov is unavailable, otherwise his 'Scream' would be a good containment method. However, I think Master Genkai of the Spirit Wave Style would be the most suitable. Her 'Spirit Gun' and ability to purify evil..."

Lippo instinctively glanced at Chairman Netero while speaking, only to be caught and glared at fiercely. The rest of his sentence was swallowed back down his throat.

"Ahem, contact the people Lippo mentioned. As for that old woman Genkai, I will contact her myself." The old man, usually seen with a smile, suddenly began to gnash his teeth.

The examiners exchanged bewildered looks, unable to understand the Chairman’s sudden change in expression. Only Bean, the Chairman’s personal secretary, wore a look of realization.

What exactly had happened between the old man and the old woman?