The path the old woman had pointed out was, as she'd promised, safe. The trio had been trekking through it for over four hours without encountering a single wild beast, despite being deep in the forest. The route was undeniably peaceful, but it came at a cost. To avoid the forest's savage creatures and monsters, the path wound through detours, making the journey to the great cedar far longer than expected.
Leorio had lost count of how many times he'd been tempted to stray from the trail. But each time the thought crossed his mind, Kurapika's accusatory glare stopped him cold. It happened so often that Leorio started wondering if Kurapika could read minds.
After four grueling hours, the trio finally reached the great cedar. The sky, still bright when they'd left the quiz, was now dark and starry. Near the cedar stood a wooden cabin, perched at the edge of a swamp that encircled the tree's sturdy roots.
As the old woman had instructed, the trio approached the cabin and knocked. "No answer," said Gon, who'd taken the lead in knocking.
"Don't tell me they're not here!" Leorio groaned, exasperated after the long trek.
"It's open," Kurapika said, stepping forward and turning the handle.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Leorio shouted. "Didn't anyone teach you not to barge into people's homes without permission?"
"Leorio's right, Kurapika," Gon chimed in. "It's not polite."
Kurapika ignored them and inspected the cabin's interior. 'They say things will play out differently this time,' he thought.
As he mulled this over, he heard voices outside. Stepping out, he saw his companions had been joined by a couple. "There you are, Kurapika!" Leorio said. "Meet the cabin's owners. As I figured, they were out. Since you waltzed into their place without permission, you owe them an apology."
The couple consisted of a man who looked to be in his thirties, with pale skin and slicked-back black hair, and a graceful young woman with pale skin, a slender frame, and black hair tied in a ponytail braid. Both wore tribal outfits—tunics made of animal hide, with headbands adorned with an eagle feather on one side.
Kurapika studied them briefly before bowing. "Please accept my sincerest apologies."
The couple smiled warmly. "No harm done, young man. We don't hold it against you," the man said.
"You're here to reach the Hunter Exam site, I presume," the woman added.
"Yes, that's right," Gon replied. "Will you take us there?"
"Indeed, but first, we need to see if you're worthy," the woman said, her gaze turning slightly sly.
"I'm your guy," Leorio declared confidently. "Go ahead, tell me how I can prove my worth."
The couple eyed the trio for a moment. "Alright, come inside," the man said, inviting them into the cabin.
They entered a room that served as a living area. The couple offered the trio poufs to sit on while they knelt on a woven mat. The woman brought tea, pouring cups for everyone before sitting down herself.
Once settled, the man spoke again. "The process is simple. To prove you're worthy of the Hunter Exam, each of you must pass a challenge we'll assign. Only those who complete our tasks will be escorted to the next stage."
The trio listened closely, occasionally sipping their tea. "You'll each choose between two challenges: a test of strength or a psychological one," the man continued. "You can pick the same challenge, but you'll still be judged individually. So, what'll it be?"
Gon was the first to decide. "Strength for me," he said. He knew he'd flop at anything psychological but trusted his physical prowess. The choice was a no-brainer.
"Strength for me too," Leorio said. He was confident in his psychological smarts, but the concept felt too vague. With no room for error, strength was the safer bet.
"Well, I'll go with the psychological test," Kurapika said. The scenario was different yet familiar, and he wanted to explore its nuances. Since his companions had chosen strength, he felt compelled to pick psychology. Objectively, strength suited him better, but that was exactly why he was curious about the psychological route. Its complexity made success less certain than strength would have been. 'If I fail, there's always next year,' he reassured himself.
With their choices made, the man approached a small table in the room's center and rested his right elbow on it. "For the strength test, you'll face me in arm-wrestling," he announced. "Hold out for over a minute, and you pass."
"Huh?" Leorio said, feeling insulted. "Aren't you a bit too cocky, buddy?"
"Really? Should I shorten the time?" the man shot back, his tone smug.
That lit a fire under Leorio. "What if we win?" Gon piped up.
The man's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Win? Well, you'd pass, same as lasting a minute. Honestly, I hadn't considered that possibility." He paused, pretending to think. "Alright, here's the deal: if you beat me, I'll share a secret about the exam. Sound good?"
"Deal," Gon said.
"Who's first?" the man asked.
Leorio growled and stepped forward. "I'm gonna make you eat your pride," he said, seething.
He sat at the table, planted his elbow, and clasped the man's hand. The man pulled out a small hourglass. "Ready, kid?" he asked.
Leorio cracked his neck. "Get ready to lose, pal," he said, brimming with confidence.
The man smiled and set the hourglass upright. "Go!" he said, flipping it to start the timer.
At the signal, Leorio poured all his strength into his grip. 'What the—?!' His hand didn't budge. It was like pushing against a wall.
"Damn it!" he muttered, straining to move the man's arm. But nothing changed—no progress. Veins bulged on Leorio's arm and temples, his face contorting with effort.
"Still waiting for my defeat," the man teased, grinning. "Don't tell me this is all you've got. Maybe you should've picked the psychological test—you might've had a shot."
Furious at the taunt, Leorio could only gasp as the man's arm remained rock-solid. "Let's wrap this up, shall we?" the man said, finally going on the offensive.
In a flash, the even match tipped heavily in the man's favor. Leorio's hand was inches from the table. He barely registered what had happened, throwing every ounce of will and strength into resisting. Though the man had taken control, he looked slightly surprised by Leorio's last-second defiance. 'Interesting. My move was quick, and my strength rivals a wild bear's—enough to topple any ordinary man's arm.'
Leorio's pale face turned crimson. His eyes locked on the hourglass. He'd started out aiming to win, but now he just wanted the minute to pass. His hand inched closer to the table. 'Crap, crap,' he cursed inwardly.
His body held on through sheer grit, eyes glued to the hourglass. He was doomed to lose, but he had to last another ten seconds. He couldn't fail before then. His teeth clenched, his arm muscles straining to their limit. All stray thoughts vanished—only the need to endure remained.
But willpower alone wasn't enough. His arm gave way bit by bit. The end was near. In a final surge, Leorio let out a guttural yell, channeling every shred of energy. But after a brief war cry, his arm collapsed, and he slumped to the side, utterly spent.
His right arm was numb, but his immediate concern was the hourglass. It had stopped. "Yes!" Leorio roared, voice raw.
Despite his obvious defeat, his joy suggested otherwise. "Congratulations, kid. You passed," the man said.
Leorio stared at him, then dragged himself back to his pouf, cradling his lifeless right hand. "Nice job, Leorio!" Gon cheered.
"You didn't win, but you met the minimum. Not bad," Kurapika added.
Gon's words lifted Leorio's spirits, but Kurapika's jab stung. He shot Kurapika a glare but could only grumble inwardly. 'I passed. That's what matters,' he told himself.
"My turn," Gon said, springing up.
"Hey, Gon, sure you don't wanna switch to the psychological test with Kurapika? This guy's stronger than he looks," Leorio warned, rubbing his sore hand.
Gon scratched the back of his head and quietly approached the table. "Gon's got this. This test suits him," Kurapika said to Leorio. "You've seen enough of him to know what he's capable of."
Leorio sighed. Gon had proven that, despite his age, he had skills that rivaled an adult's. Leorio just couldn't wrap his head around it.
Gon settled at the table, resting his right elbow. The man studied the boy. "How old are you, kid?" he asked, curious.
"Twelve. Why?" Gon replied innocently.
"Really? This is rare," the man said. "Hope you know I won't go easy on you."
"I know, and that's fine," Gon said.
The man eyed Gon, then sighed. "Your call. You're young—failing now will only fuel you for next time."
"I'm not planning to try again. I'll prove my worth right here, right now," Gon declared, eyes blazing with resolve.
The man placed his right elbow on the table, clasped Gon's hand, and held the hourglass. "Let's see how far that stubbornness takes you, kid," he smirked, flipping the hourglass. "Go!"
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