The past I had built up has crumbled away. Six, the iTuber, is no more. I have no desire to continue those activities. I need to start building something else from scratch.
I felt like this wasn't a result of overcoming the past or taking a positive step forward, but rather a consequence of becoming unable to even perceive the sense of loss. It was like an ant whose nest had been destroyed, diligently setting about its repair. There was no grieving.
Whether that was good or bad is a different matter. Deciding how to live from now on is an unavoidable challenge. About a week has passed since that incident, and I've had time to organize my thoughts in my own way.
Currently, I have arrived in a large city called Zaban City. I am here to take the Hunter Exam. I've made becoming a Professional Hunter my immediate goal.
The work of a Professional Hunter is diverse. The only thing set in stone is that you 'hunt' something. That target isn't limited to flora and fauna; it could be arresting criminals, academic research, searching for delicious food, or even running errands for children—essentially, you can do anything.
By passing the Hunter Exam and obtaining a license, you are recognized as a professional, and this license provides various forms of support for a Hunter's activities.
Specifically, you can use a dedicated Hunter information site, gain permission to enter over eighty percent of areas normally off-limits to the public, and use transportation and public facilities in many countries almost entirely for free. Just possessing the license grants a social status that could be called privileged, and it is said that in many cases, one can even be granted immunity for committing murder.
That alone is absurd, but on top of that, anyone can take this exam. Age and work history are entirely irrelevant. Eligibility requirements are not explicitly stated; one simply needs to apply. I applied easily online the same day. All I did was enter my name and transfer the ten thousand Jenny exam fee.
While I feel some anxiety about whether this is really okay, I am also grateful. Right now, I am an unidentified person without a family register. Generally, the International People's Data Organization assigns a national ID number even to foundlings, so theoretically, stateless or unregistered humans are not supposed to exist.
If one intends to live a normal life in society, some form of identification is necessary, and for someone like me who lacks a national ID number, a Hunter License is more than sufficient as an identification card.
The fact that one can earn money as a Professional Hunter is another reason. There are rumors that simply using the license as collateral for investment trusts causes money to flow in like water. I don't necessarily need that much money, but it wouldn't hurt to have it. The electronic money I earned as an iTuber is managed in an account under Pomerni's name, so I never knew when it might be frozen.
And there was one more major reason for wanting to be a Hunter: the ease of gathering information. With a license, one can use the Hunter-only information site. There are clear limits to the information ordinary people can research on the web. Without qualifications like a license, there are many sites that will explicitly deny access.
If I become a Professional Hunter, the information I can access will increase drastically. It's even said that 'the world will expand.' Beyond just the information sites, the information gained through human connections would likely be significant. Through that, I intended to investigate 'myself.'
What kind of species is the 'Ant' that is my main body? Among ants of the same species, are there others who can think like I do? What is their ecology like?
I also want to know about 'Six.' This body is deeply connected to Nen. Professional Hunters are a group of specialists in Nen. While gathering information, I might find out something about Six's true identity.
The problem is the Hunter Exam itself, which is the key to obtaining that license. They say millions of candidates gather every year, but at best, only a few pass, and there are even years where no one passes at all. Furthermore, the exam content is said to be extremely harsh, and there is almost no year where casualties do not occur.
However, I had a plan regarding this point. According to what I heard from Blade, the Hunter Exam is a metric for judging whether a person possesses the humanity suitable for a Professional Hunter, but even more so, many of the tests question whether one has the qualities worthy of becoming a Nen user.
Almost all active Professional Hunters are Nen users. It is a domain that should not lightly be exposed to the eyes of ordinary people, and if one lacks the qualities to handle power correctly, they are unfit to be a professional. It seems the exam is meant to identify that minimum threshold.
In other words, since I can use Nen from the start, I have a massive advantage. Since there are many tests that measure physical ability and combat power, Blade said a Nen user would likely pass without any particular trouble.
However, I can't say for sure that there won't be tests that question knowledge or intelligence. The exam content is decided by the examiner in charge that year, so you don't know what will happen until you take it. Thus, you can't prepare. It seems being a Nen user doesn't mean you pass unconditionally. I can't afford to be careless.
I walk through the city while looking at my smartphone. It's my first time visiting this city, but if I walk while checking my current location on the phone, I won't get lost.
Lately, I've found I can't let go of this thing. Smartphones are convenient. My phone, which underwent a mysterious update, now has an infinite battery that never needs charging, and it can send and receive data in peak condition anywhere. The available memory seems bottomless.
Thinking about what would happen if I couldn't use this makes me a little anxious. To buy a replacement, I would need an ID to sign a new contract. As I thought, there's no harm in getting a license.
As I continued moving, I felt the surrounding crowds gradually increasing. It wasn't my imagination; it became a clear conviction as I approached my destination. The people here are likely candidates just like me. It's exactly as expected for an event that attracts millions.
Actually, I checked the Hunter Association's website from top to bottom, but the location of the exam venue wasn't listed. The only things clearly stated were the meeting place and time on the day of the exam. From there, the plan was to be transported to the venue by a shuttle service of many buses.
It's currently an hour before the first shuttle bus, but a large crowd had already gathered at the pickup point. Most of them were adult men, and many looked like they had confidence in their physical strength based on their appearance. Since there were no other children like Six, and I wasn't using Zetsu, I felt like I was standing out.
Until now, I often moved while using Zetsu twenty-four hours a day, but Blade had pointed out that I shouldn't abuse it unnecessarily. There are several reasons for this.
First, in a state of Zetsu, your defense from aura becomes zero, leaving you defenseless against Nen. Also, being in Zetsu means you are in a state where you can't use Gyo, so the ability to make split-second situational judgments is actually more demanding than in a normal state. While being able to hide your presence is convenient, it carries a corresponding risk.
Ordinary people will rarely notice you, but a Nen user can see through Zetsu. They won't fail to be on guard against an opponent trying to approach while hiding their presence. Furthermore, since there are counter-type Nen users who intentionally enter a state of Zetsu to strengthen their abilities through Vows, I was told it would only heighten the opponent's vigilance. In some cases, that alone can be considered a hostile action.
"Hey, little lady. This is the special pickup point for the Hunter Exam. If you're taking the general line, the bus terminal is over there."
When I lined up at the end of the long queue of candidates in front of the bus stop, the man standing in front noticed me and spoke up. It was likely advice out of kindness, but I'm in the right place. I told him I was also one of the candidates.
"Hah? Give it up, kid. The Hunter world isn't as soft as you think. You can tell just by looking at the guys here. They're all like hungry beasts. Rumor has it there are some dangerous guys who've actually killed people... there's no room for a brat to squeeze in. Go home quickly before you get hurt."
I couldn't deny that I stood out in this place. I re-examined my appearance.
I replaced the clothes I wore before. Over the last week or so, I went a bit overboard with Nen training and tore them in several places, so they were no longer in a state to be worn in public. Now I am wearing a black tracksuit I bought online. The set cost two thousand Jenny. Since the Hunter Exam is primarily practical, this easy-to-move-in outfit should be fine.
As for my silver long hair, which is likely my most prominent feature, I've dyed it black using hair dye. I wanted to cut it short and change my hairstyle entirely, but since that counts as an injury, it would automatically repair itself, so dyeing it was the limit.
Furthermore, regarding that dye, the chemicals didn't seem to penetrate the hair well, so it didn't dye perfectly. I even considered painting it with lacquer spray, but that would probably make my hair rock hard. In the end, I bought several commercial dyes and used the one that took to the hair the best.
After that, I put on a cap to hide my face as much as possible. It's a long-brimmed type, so if I look down, my face is hidden. So far, this isn't an outfit that deviates too far from common sense.
However, looking back now, the penguin plushie sticking out of the mouth of my backpack feels like it's drawing negative attention. I bought a new plushie to hide the grown main body inside.
I chose a penguin because the overall plump design seemed like it would be easy to put the main body inside. However, it turned out to be larger than I expected, and the penguin's head, which looks like it's being strangled since it won't fit entirely in the backpack, is poking out.
It's not exactly unnatural, but it might have increased my childishness. All in all, my appearance at least didn't suit this place. But of course, I have no intention of withdrawing from the exam.
"Well, dreams are free to have, I guess. By the way, I've been smelling something really delicious for a while now... you got a lunchbox or something? I missed breakfast 'cause I overslept, and I'm starving. I'll buy it off you for a high price, yeah?"
With that, the man brandished a thousand Jenny bill. But I didn't bring any food. This is likely due to the special scent emitted from Six's body.
I can't perceive it myself, but based on the reactions of those around me, Six emits some kind of body odor. How people feel about it varies; some receive it favorably, while others express clear revulsion.
I suspect it might be some kind of Nen-like effect, but the details are currently unknown. However, it's certain that this makes me stand out even more. Since I can't perceive it, I can't control it with my will, and unless I use Zetsu, the scent won't vanish.
When I told the man I didn't have a lunchbox, he muttered, "And after I was being so nice, too," and turned back to face the front of the line. While that was happening, more candidates lined up behind me one after another. It didn't look like I could leave the line midway.
"For real... I've gotta go to the bathroom..."
"With these numbers, we probably won't get on the first bus."
"I heard the group at the very front has been lining up since last night."
"I heard that even if you get on this bus, you won't reach the exam venue..."
"No way, that can't be true. This info is on the Hunter Association's official site."
This crowd before the first shuttle. As expected, many people likely want to enter the venue as early as possible. They are approaching the exam with that much enthusiasm. I can't afford to be idle either. I don't know what kind of exam awaits me. I'll use the waiting time to train my control of Ten.
Amidst this, a car drove up near the crowded bus stop. A glossy black luxury car lunged into the street—which didn't even have room for a car to pass through the crowd—without slowing down much. The people nearby scrambled to get out of the way.
"Phew, we're here."