It was morning of the final day of the Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exam, Sinbad awoke next to the snoring Pokkle. Last night, He ended their alliance since both of them had passed the Phase and Sinbad had checked off his objectives for the Fourth Phase.
Thanks to Pokkle, Sinbad had clean bandages to wrap the card size wound on his right palm. He didn't mind Pokkle's presence because he proved himself to be useful.
Sinbad rose to his feet, stretched his arms and hands above his head, and yawned. He walked out of the cave and greeted the rising sun. Sitting down and enjoying the sun's warmth, Sinbad recounted his fight with Hisoka, more importantly, dealing with Bungee Gum.
'He probably has a second Nen Ability,' Sinbad came to this obvious conclusion due to Hisoka's nasty personality of fighting, if he expected a second fight, he wouldn't demonstrate his only ability.
Then, he gave his own Nen Ability some thought. With the information given to him by Hisoka about categories and Chairman Netero purposefully not telling him about them, Sinbad placed high importance on learning his own category before even thinking about developing his own ability.
Of course, Sinbad didn't think of developing his own Nen Ability to combat Hisoka's Bungee Gum but an opportunity to counter all Nen Abilities.
'I can't wait to have my own ability.' Sinbad thought with a mischievous smile as a few possible ideas came to mind.
"You look like a pervert," Pokkle said at Sinbad's side.
Sinbad snapped out of his fantasies. "I got infected by that creepy clown."
"How scary is he?" Pokkle sat next to Sinbad and then shuddered. "He gives me the creeps, I hope I can avoid him in the next Phase."
Sinbad waved his injured hand. "It wasn't too bad but I'm not looking forward to seeing him again."
Pokkle stole a glance at Sinbad. "What are you going to do once you become a Hunter? Look for some grand treasure? Or travel to a new land?"
"I'm going to get stronger." Sinbad stood up and offered a helping hand to Pokkle. "Do you want to join me?"
Pokkle's eyes widened as he accepted Sinbad's hand and offer. "Yes!"
…
Kurapika and Leorio ditched their hiding spots after achieving the required six points to pass the Fourth Phase. They spent the past two days together after Kurapika defeated Tonpa with relative ease and then helped Leorio find and defeat the beekeeper Ponzu.
They cautiously walked together through the thick woods as they kept their eyes scanning their surroundings. Every few seconds, Leorio turned all the way around in search of any other applicants.
"Worried?" Kurapika asked, shooting a glance at the taller Leorio.
Leorio nodded while scratching at a few itchy bee stings underneath his arms.
"I'm sure he is fine," sighed Kurapika.
Leorio readjusted the way he carried his briefcase to forget about his itchy arms. "I know, Gon is a tough kid. It's just, I don't know. I just expected him to come and find us."
"Do you know who his target was?" Kurapika asked.
Leorio stomped his feet. "Don't even start thinking negatively!"
"I'm not!" Kurapika pouted. "I can't ask questions?!"
Leorio kicked a bush but then got his foot stuck. "I know, you're right but no, I don't know."
"I'm sure he is hiding somewhere with or without his badge," Kurapika assured. "Who knows, he may be waiting for us at the boat."
"Yeah," replied Leorio, returning to scratch at the bee stings.
Kurapika and Leorio continued down the grassy path till they reached the shore's clearing, the boat was waiting at the starting dock. On the wooden dock was a worried looking Sinbad and Killua. With a quick glance, they both realized Gon was missing.
Kurapika and Leorio's hearts dropped.
Sinbad rushed toward them. "Have you seen Gon?"
Kurapika shook his head holding back his tears and Leorio fell to his knees in defeat.
Sinbad gripped the collar of Leorio's suit. "Have you seen Gon at all during the Fourth Phase?"
Leorio couldn't muster the strength to reveal the truth because a part of him was still in denial.
Kurapika remained rooted as he watched the distraught Sinbad press Leorio for information. He watched Killua kick the dirt into the air and then returned to the boat.
Behind them, Hisoka approached the grieving teens. Sinbad released Leorio's suit and stomped toward the approaching clown. "Have you seen, number 405?"
"Hmm, I wonder." Hisoka answered, uninterested as he walked past him. Sinbad grabbed the man's shoulder, causing him to stop. Sinbad gave him an intense glare.
"You were his target," revealed Sinbad, gripping the handle of his sword with his free hand.
Hisoka threw up his hands. "Oh really? Bummer, I haven't seen him at all."
Sinbad released his grip and allowed the clown to walk and then board the boat.
Kurapika consoled Leorio and helped the depressed man onto his feet.
"The Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exams will soon end. Please board the boat with your six points required to pass the Fourth Phase," announced the beautiful lady overseeing the process of the Fourth Phase. At this final warning, Sinbad ended his charade, dutifully playing the part and then boarded the boat with Killua, who remained quiet and staring downward.
"Come on, Leorio," said Kurapika, pushing Leorio's arm around his shoulder. The man dragged his legs as they walked together to the boat.
Leorio cried. "We can't leave him, Kurapika. Gon is our friend."
"I know," replied Kurapika, holding back the tears and frustration.
"He is the only reason I made it this far," Leorio cried, failing to put his weight underneath his feet. "I can't do this without him. I caused him so much trouble and he never complained or blamed me. He gave me the courage to keep going."
The two climbed onto the wooden dock as the last two applicants. As they approached the boat, Leorio collapsed onto the hardwood.
"Get up, Leorio!" Kurapika begged. "We must continue for him, Leorio. We will move onto the Final Phase, pass the Hunter Exams, and become Hunters together. For Gon."
Helplessly, Leorio nodded and pulled himself up onto his feet. Together, they boarded the boat. After five minutes on the boat, the Fourth Phase came to an end.
The beautiful lady gained everyone's attention and then announced with her microphone. "Out of 24 applicants, 9 have passed the Fourth Phase and will participate in the Final Phase!
"Gittarackur, passed! 301 3 points, 371 3 points.
"Killua, passed! 99 3 points, 199 3 points.
"Yama, passed! 105 3 points, 191 3 points.
"Hanzo, passed! 294 3 points, 197 3 points.
"Hisoka, passed! 44 3 points, 80, 118, 281 3 total points.
"Pokkle, passed! 53 3 points, 89, 103, 384 3 total points.
"Sinbad, passed! 11 3 points, 34, 198, 362 3 total points.
"Kurapika, passed! 404 3 points, 16 3 points.
"Leorio, passed! 403 3 points, 246 3 points. Congratulations!"
…
A few hours later, the Chairman Netero, the Examiners, and the final nine applicants rode the airship to the Final Phase of the Hunter Exam. Chairman Netero and his fellow Examiners were currently enjoying a meal as they discussed the talent of the remaining nine applicants.
Chairman Netero, who already finished his meal, sipped on crimson wine. "In all my years as Chairman of these Hunter Exams, it's only been four times since we have seen such exceptional rookies."
"I know, right!" Menchi, using a fork and knife, cut into her medium rare steak and ate the piece of meat. "But can we talk about the huge elephant in the room?"
"Sinbad, correct?" Lippo asked, pushing his finished plate further from him and leaned back into his sofa. "He is an exceptional talent, far beyond anything I have ever seen."
Satotz wiped his face with a handkerchief. "I wonder what his plans are after becoming a Hunter, I'm sure the news of his skill would be heard across the Hunter Association."
Chairman Netero and the rest of the Examiners shot a glance at the skinny demure looking man. All of them remained silent, waiting for the other to speak up. What were the boy's plans? Whose faction will he be a part of? These questions hung in the Examiner's minds.
"I doubt anyone has the ability to tame that wild animal," Chairman Netero laughed, taking another sip from his wine glass. "He is ten billion times more exceptional than you already believe. I am confident nobody could dictate what that man could or couldn't do."
The room went absolutely silent at the confidence behind the Chairman's words as they held the weight of the sun rising every morning. Deep down, they reimagined the belief of the boy known as Sinbad but they couldn't fathom placing more weight and importance on the boy.
Buhara burped. "Once he learns Nen, he is going to be an unstoppable force."
"He already knows too much about Nen," Chairman Netero said as he stroked his beard. Flashbacks of those terrifying five years of David and his brother's Succession Contest nearly made him lose control of the wine glass in his hand. Those Kings had the power to destroy the world. Chairman Netero forced a smile on his face. "Once his knowledge of Nen deepens, he will be an unstoppable force I'm sure of it."
Menchi rose to her feet. "What!"
Lippo's concealed excitement shattered as his mouth opened wide without uttering a sound. 'I have to let him know.'
Buhara coughed on a piece of meat in shock.
Satotz knocked over his wine glass due to Chairman Netero's revelation.
"Anyways, let's discuss the Final Phase," Chairman Netero said, kicking up his feet and relaxing his head on his arms. "I have a peculiar idea in mind."
Satotz cleaned up his station with a thick cloth. "That's right, you never told us your plans for the Final Exam."
Chairman Netero gave a goofy grin. "I want to speak to each applicant, one on one."
In the next hour, Chairman Netero spoke with eight of the nine applicants. He asked them two specific questions. Who among your fellow remaining applicants interests you the most. Who among your fellow remaining applicants would you most like to avoid fighting?
Now, he was going to interview the most respected, loved, and feared applicant.
Chairman Netero sat with his right arm resting on his raised right leg on the sofa as the charismatic, jovial, and powerful Sinbad entered the room.
"Sinbad, please have a seat," Chairman Netero ushered with a hand to recommend the seat directly in front of him. In between him and the chair was a glass table with a clipboard on top. He waited for the Sinbad to get comfortable before speaking again. "I asked your fellow applicants all the same two questions."
"Okay, hopefully it has nothing to do with geography," joked Sinbad, scratching the back of his head.
'If I knew nothing of his true nature, I'd be fooled,' Chairman Netero thought. 'No, this is his true nature. That is why I despise him so much, he reminds me of that rat.'
"Who among your fellow remaining applicants interests you the most?" Chairman Netero asked, casually.
Sinbad took a second to think before responding. "Killua, Yama, and Kurapika."
"Okay," Chairman Netero jotted down his response on a clipboard. "Who among your fellow remaining applicants would you most like to avoid fighting?"
Sinbad paused.
Chairman Netero studied the boy as he took a longer time to curate a response.
'It's too soon to fight Killua, he would throw a tantrum if he discovered the vast differences in our power even without me using Nen. I could lose him as a Vessel, I need to be more careful with that one. Yama and Kurapika, I don't want to damage my image with those two. It's too soon to fight Hisoka again but I doubt I would suffer much if we were to fight again. I don't want to lose my useful tool in Pokkle and the rest... I could care less about. However, I will answer truthfully,' Sinbad thought with great intensity before giving his answer.
Sinbad wore a cocky smile as he leaned back into his chair. "I don't fear anyone."
'You arrogant brat,' Chairman Netero thought as he jotted down the boy's response.
"Great. Good luck on the Final Phase," Chairman Netero said monotonously. Understanding that the interview had concluded, Sinbad got out of his seat and headed toward the door. As soon as Sinbad's hand gripped the door's handle, Chairman Netero asked. "How are you holding up?"
Sinbad turned to face him. "Excuse me?"
"Your dear friend Gon failed to make it to the Final Phase," Chairman Netero replied while crossing his legs on his sofa. "Some of your friends are devastated."
"I know," Sinbad's expression soured. "I hope he is okay."
"You never got the chance to see him on Zevil Island?" Chairman Netero asked.
"No, I didn't," Sinbad answered. "Do you know if he is dead or not?"
Chairman Netero shook his head. "Not yet. Members of the Association are confirming right now and then everyone will know about what happened."
"Please do," said Sinbad, without a single deviation in tone. Calmly, he exited the room.
…
In three hours, the airship landed at the site of the Final Phase of the Hunter Exam. A hotel owned by the Hunter Association. The remaining nine applicants, the four Examiners, eight members of the Hunter Association, and Chairman Netero stood in a vast tile floor room with elegant columns erected from the perimeter serving as the foundation.
"The Final Phase of the Hunter Exam will soon begin," Chairman Netero said as one of the Hunter Association members dressed in an all black suit and black out glasses, pushed over a rolling board. A carpet hung over the board which concealed the contents. "You'll be competing in a one on one tournament."
Chairman Netero yanked the carpet off the board, revealing an awkward bracket structured tournament. However, the squared applicants and match ups were still concealed but at the top of the bracket was a singular winner.
Leorio sighed. "There can only be one winner then? We did all of this for one person to pass the Hunter Exams!"
"Wrong!" Chairman Netero exclaimed and then chuckled, rubbing his belly. "There will be one loser. The single person who fails to win a single match will fail the Hunter Exams."
Sinbad remained stoic. Killua whistled at the revelation and the others tensed up, while sizing up the competition.
"Here is the bracket we have put together," Chairman Netero said before ripping off the strip of tape that hid the match ups. The order of which the applicants appear go left to right. Sinbad, Hanzo, Pokkle, Yama, Hisoka, Killua, Gittarackur, Kurapika, and then Leorio. "With this format, everyone has at least two chances at a singular victory, except for Leorio."
"How come some people have more chances at winning such as number 11 and 294?" Kurapika asked as Killua nodded in agreement.
"Why do I only get one shot?" Leorio spat without his usual vigor.
"Fair question," Chairman Netero responded. His palm hovered underneath Sinbad and Hanzo's portraits. "This bracket has been carefully assembled based on each of your performances throughout the Hunter Exams. Those who were highly rated, will have more opportunities to pass. These evaluations were made by members of the Hunter Association, Examiners, myself, and even your fellow applicants."
Killua pointed at Pokkle. "No way this guy outperformed me."
Chairman Netero shot a subtle glance at Sinbad and then returned his attention to Killua. "He played a crucial role on Zevil Island, displaying attributes as a true Hunter. All of you were scored based on individual skillsets, mental strengths, and other skills required to be Hunters."
"Tsk." Killua smacked his teeth and folded his arms. Memories of the Exam flashed through his mind, self reflecting on his own performance. 'Do I have less potential than Sinbad?'
Chairman Netero continued. "The rules of combat are simple. Weapons are allowed and if your opponent admits defeat, then you win. However! If you kill your opponent, you will automatically be disqualified and fail the Hunter Exam. The Final Phase will conclude and the rest will become Hunters. Got it?"
Sinbad and the remaining eight applicants agreed in silence.
"Let the Final Phase of the Hunter Exam begin!" One of the members of the Hunter Association, Masta announced. The other members ushered the crowd to stand by the decorated walls to leave the middle area. "The first match: Sinbad versus Hanzo. Enter!"
Sinbad and Hanzo walked to the center of the open square, they stood on either side of the official, Masta.
Sinbad gave Masta a double look, then pointed at Masta and Hanzo. "Look, you two are reunited."
"What do you mean?" Masta asked in shock.
Hanzo sighed. "He knows that you were the one tailgating me during Zevil Island."
The rest of the crowd murmured in shock.
Leorio leaned into Kurapika's ear. "They were watching us?"
"How do you think they were able to accurately evaluate us?" Kurapika whispered.
"Accurately?!" Leorio grabbed Kurapika's shoulder.
Kurapika nodded, solemnly. "Just watch."
The rest of the applicants and Hunters in the room eavesdrop on Kurapika and Leorio's conversation. Masta was still in shock at being discovered by not only Hanzo but more surprisingly the purple haired boy.
'Hanzo and Sinbad only interacted for four and a half minutes, how was he able to discover me in time?' Masta thought as he raised his hand in the air. He swiped his hand down, signaling the start of their match. "Begin!"
Immediately as the match began, Hanzo raised his hands in defeat. "I forfeit."
The entire room except for Hisoka, Chairman Netero, and Sinbad expressed some sort of exasperated reaction to Hanzo's unexpected forfeit.
"Why are all of you so surprised?" Sinbad asked in a joking manner, gaining everyone's attention, especially Hanzo's irate glare. He shoved his hands into his pocket and began walking to join the spectators. "All he has to do is win one single match. Why waste stamina and health on a toss up? This is a silly tournament in the first place because I would have the least qualified applicants fight one on one and the loser fails to become a Hunter but instead it's a tournament of confidence."
"The winner of the first match and first applicant to pass the 287th Hunter Exam is Sinbad!" Masta announced.