It was now the afternoon of the second day of the exam on Ancient Beast Island.
Kevin sat alone on a giant rock atop a mountain in the forest, using the terrain advantage to overlook the situation in the island's dense woods.
The many scorecards on his body were quite eye-catching, like glittering light bulbs in the sunlight.
At this moment, he had already collected 7 scorecards, totaling a high score of 515 points.
This score was enough to ensure his promotion to the final round, so he was quite leisurely at this moment.
The desire to hunt had sharply decreased in his heart; now he was more inclined to simply choose a direction and wander, or find a place to sit and rest, just as he was doing now.
Using his location and keen eyesight, he saw two people in a small patch of dense forest in the distance, crisscrossing each other, clearly engaged in a battle.
Entering the second day, the battles on the island began to become increasingly frequent. On the first day, everyone was still familiarizing themselves with the environment, setting traps, and looking for prey.
Kevin had no intention of participating or getting close; he was just quietly watching here. When others were starting to act, he had already finished. It was too fast, which wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Subsequently, a hint of annoyance appeared on Kevin's face.
"You beast, can't you even distinguish between prey anymore?" He turned his head.
Unbeknownst to him, a beast resembling a tiger had quietly ambushed him from behind.
Seeing Kevin suddenly turn to face it, the beast didn't hesitate for a moment, let out a roar, and pounced towards Kevin.
Although this beast resembled a tiger in appearance, its body was one or two sizes larger than a normal tiger, and the distribution of its stripes was quite peculiar.
Even though the color of the stripes was different from the surrounding environment, the visual effect produced by their special distribution made it difficult for people to discern its tracks in this quiet environment.
Furthermore, a strange matte stone was embedded in the forehead of this tiger.
"Forest-Hidden Tiger, I didn't expect to encounter you here." Kevin recognized the species and name of this tiger at a glance, as he had been studying this kind of knowledge.
He was already planning his career path.
Plants, animals, and minerals were all his study targets.
This type of Forest-Hidden Tiger is extremely aggressive and quite intelligent; its fur can produce a certain visual illusion effect.
As its name suggests, it can easily hide in the dense forest with the help of its fur, making it one of the most dangerous predators.
They are distributed in subtropical forests and wilderness areas; their numbers are small, their distribution is extremely scattered, their tracks are difficult to find, and their danger level is very high.
Facing the pouncing tiger, Kevin dodged to the side and conveniently rode onto the tiger's back.
"Today I'll do a 'Kevin Fights the Tiger'."
Saying this, he slammed his fist heavily onto the tiger's forehead.
Although this punch wasn't at full strength, the power was still heavy, instantly knocking the tiger to the ground, causing it to roar and wail in pain.
"Tsk, it's still an 85-point guy. I originally didn't want to hunt you."
Kevin saw the nameplate around the tiger's neck, reached out to take it off, and affixed it to himself.
The tiger struggled, trying to bite Kevin, but Kevin grabbed its mouth, leaving it only able to whimper and whine, completely helpless.
This tiger could only be classified as a powerful beast; it didn't meet the standard for a magical beast.
Even without using Nen Ability, Kevin's current physical fitness could overwhelm the opponent.
"Since you've come to my doorstep, let me see if there are any suitable materials on you."
Saying this, Kevin began to grope around on the tiger's body.
Based on experience, he directly touched the tiger's forehead, where there was a part that seemed to have a stone embedded in it.
Scientific research indicates that the visual effect produced by the Forest-Hidden Tiger's magical fur is not solely due to the distribution of patterns; the stone on its forehead must also play a crucial role.
Indeed, when Kevin's hand touched the stone on the forehead, a hint of surprise welled up in his heart.
This could at least be considered a decent C-grade material.
"Then I won't be polite. Consider this the fee for attacking me," Kevin said, forcefully removing the stone from the tiger's forehead. When the stone was removed, the tiger bled a little, but it wasn't seriously injured.
According to research, in the time that follows, it will re-embed a similar stone in its forehead by preying and gathering nutrients, as well as finding some useful minerals and medicinal herbs to extract the necessary substances.
Kevin's other hand was still searching the tiger's body, thinking that if there were other usable materials, he would have to harden his heart and kill the tiger.
However, it was just a powerful beast after all, meant for the haven't-yet-mastered-Nen Ability candidates on the island to train with.
"It seems only the stone on the forehead has some value. Consider yourself lucky, you stupid tiger."
Saying this, Kevin punched the tiger's head again, making it dizzy.
Kevin got up and released his grip. The tiger immediately staggered away, and after creating some distance, it slowly retreated from Kevin until it disappeared.
Kevin continued walking, maintaining his casual pace, but his attention was fully focused on the clumsy tracker behind him. The footsteps were too loud, the breathing uneven, the occasional crack of a twig underfoot practically announcing "someone is following you" to anyone with working ears.
Is this a trap? Kevin wondered. Pretending to be bad at tracking to lure me into something?
But no—the Nen signature behind him was familiar. The Radio Boy. The one who'd awakened during the ship phase. His aura was still unstable, flickering like a candle in wind, and his tracking technique was genuinely atrocious.
Kevin suppressed a smile. The kid meant well, probably. But he was going to get himself killed if he kept following people like this.
He altered his course slightly, heading toward a small clearing where they could talk without risking ambush from others. When he reached it, he stopped and turned.
"You can come out now," he called. "You've been following me for almost ten minutes."
A pause. Then, from behind a tree, Gawain emerged, his expression a mixture of embarrassment and determination. His 90-point tag glowed on his chest, now joined by three others—105 additional points, by Kevin's quick count. Not bad for a first-timer.
"I... I'm sorry," Gawain said. "I didn't mean to spy. I just wanted to—I mean, I was hoping to—"
"You wanted to talk." Kevin leaned against a tree, arms crossed. "About the power, right? The Nen you awakened on the ship."
Gawain's eyes widened. "You know about it? You can sense it?"
"Anyone who's trained in Nen can sense it. You're broadcasting like a lighthouse." Kevin's tone wasn't harsh—just factual. "Your control needs work. A lot of work."
"I know." Gawain stepped closer, his hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. "That's why I wanted to find you. You and the others who have this power—you're stronger than me. I was hoping... maybe you could teach me? Or at least explain what this is?"
Kevin studied him for a long moment. The kid was earnest, that much was clear. His desire to learn seemed genuine, not opportunistic. And he'd survived this far with only instinct and newly awakened power—that counted for something.
"The exam isn't really the place for lessons," Kevin said slowly. "But I can give you some basics. Enough to keep you from accidentally hurting yourself or others."
Gawain's face lit up. "Thank you! I promise I'll listen carefully and do exactly as you say!"
"I haven't agreed to anything yet." Kevin pushed off the tree and walked closer. "First, show me what you can do. Attack me."
"What? No, I couldn't—"
"Attack me. Use that power you awakened. If you can't even bring yourself to try, then you're not ready to learn."
Gawain hesitated, then nodded, his expression hardening with determination. He settled into a fighting stance—crude, but with basic form. Then he lunged.
Kevin sidestepped easily, but he noted the speed—enhanced by Nen, even if unconsciously. Gawain recovered and struck again, this time with a wild haymaker that would have connected with a less experienced opponent.
Kevin blocked, absorbing the impact. The force was respectable—enough to stagger a normal person. But against Kevin's Nen-enhanced physique, it was nothing.
"Good," Kevin said, deflecting another punch. "You're using your aura to enhance your physical attacks. That's the most basic application. Now try to feel it—the energy flowing through you. Don't just use it; feel it."
Gawain paused, frowning in concentration. His next attack was slower but more controlled, the Nen more focused. Kevin blocked again, nodding approval.
"Better. You're starting to direct it instead of just releasing it." He stepped back, ending the impromptu sparring session. "That's enough for now. You have the basics—enhancement, instinctive use. What you need now is control."
Gawain was breathing hard, but his eyes were bright with excitement. "Control. How do I learn that?"
"Practice. Every day. Focus on feeling your aura—not using it, just feeling it. Learn to recognize when it's flowing and when it's still. Learn to direct it to specific parts of your body." Kevin reached into his pack and withdrew a small vial—a basic nutrient potion, nothing fancy. "Here. This will help you recover faster. Consider it a gift."
Gawain took the vial reverently. "Thank you. I don't know how to repay you."
"Pass the exam. Get your license. Then, if you're still interested, look me up." Kevin smiled. "I'm building something. Might need people like you."
They parted company in the clearing, Gawain heading deeper into the forest with renewed purpose, Kevin continuing his aimless wander.
Another piece for the forge, perhaps. Time would tell.
Kevin chuckled at his own oversight. Of course—the exam wasn't over until the final moment. Anyone arriving too early became a target for those still hunting. The smart players would be lurking in the treeline, waiting for the last possible second to sprint to safety.
"You didn't think of that?" Kate asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I was too busy not being hunted to think about being the hunter." Kevin stretched lazily on his rock. "Besides, with this many points, anyone who takes me on is either desperate or stupid."
"Desperation makes people do stupid things."
"True." Kevin sat up, scanning the treeline. Now that Kate had pointed it out, he could sense them—faint presences, carefully hidden, watching and waiting. "How many do you count?"
"At least eight. Maybe more." Kate hadn't moved from his position, but his eyes were tracking constantly. "They're waiting for the final rush. Last minute, everyone breaks from cover, and chaos decides who makes it."
"Sounds like a good time to be sitting this one out."
Kate smiled faintly. "Sounds like a good time to watch."
They waited.
The sun climbed higher. Thirty minutes left. Twenty. Ten.
The tension in the air was palpable. Kevin could feel the hunters in the trees shifting, preparing. Muscles tensed. Breath quickened.
Five minutes.
A figure burst from the treeline—Goreinu, moving fast despite his exhaustion, his eyes fixed on the dock. Behind him, two others emerged, chasing.
Kevin tensed, ready to intervene—
But Goreinu was faster. He hit the dock at a dead sprint, collapsing at the edge, safe. The two pursuers skidded to a halt, glaring, then turned and fled back into the trees to find other targets.
Three minutes.
Two more figures emerged—Bajiao, his pompadour somehow still intact despite everything, dragging a wounded but conscious examinee behind him. They crossed together, both safe.
One minute.
The treeline exploded. A dozen figures burst from cover, sprinting for the dock, some fighting as they ran, others simply running. Tags flashed. Someone fell. Another kept going.
Thirty seconds.
The Radio Boy—Gawain—appeared, moving with surprising speed, his Nen flaring as he pushed himself. Behind him, three others chased, gaining.
Fifteen seconds.
Gawain stumbled. The chasers closed.
Ten seconds.
Kevin moved.
He wasn't trying to be subtle. He simply appeared at the edge of the dock, between Gawain and his pursuers, his 685-point tag blazing like a beacon. The chasers skidded to a halt, eyes wide.
Five seconds.
"Exam's almost over," Kevin said mildly. "You really want to waste your last moments fighting me?"
The chasers exchanged glances. Then, as one, they bolted—not toward Gawain, but toward the dock, desperate to cross before time ran out.
Gawain scrambled to his feet and crossed, collapsing beside Goreinu.
Three seconds. Two. One.
A horn blared across the island.
The third phase was over.
Kevin looked at the survivors—eight of them, by quick count, scattered across the dock in various states of exhaustion and relief. Kate, calm as always. Rock, hovering at the edge, his drones retracted. Bajiao, grinning despite everything. Goreinu, breathing hard but alive. Gawain, staring at Kevin with something like hero worship.
And two others Kevin didn't know—a wiry woman with close-cropped hair and a scar across her cheek, and a massive man whose sheer size had probably intimidated half the island into leaving him alone.
Eight survivors. Eight who would advance to the final phase.
Kevin walked to the dock's edge and looked back at the forest. Somewhere in there, the others were licking their wounds, already planning for next year. Somewhere, Tonpa was probably already scheming his thirty-sixth attempt.
But for now, for this moment, they had won.
The exam continued. But they were still in it.
Together.
The numbers hung in the air like a final judgment. Bajiao and Goreinu exchanged glances—relief mixed with the uncomfortable realization that they'd scraped through by the narrowest margin.
Goreinu let out a long breath. "Two hundred fifty. I couldn't have cut it closer if I tried."
Bajiao clapped him on the shoulder. "But you cut it. That's what matters."
Kevin watched the other candidates' reactions. The ones who didn't make it—seventeen of them, by his count—wore expressions ranging from bitter disappointment to quiet acceptance. Some would try again next year. Others might never return.
The massive man named Astrand stood apart, his 300 points a solid if unspectacular total. He caught Kevin's eye and nodded once—a neutral acknowledgment, neither friendly nor hostile. The wiry woman, Iquel, was already speaking with Gawain, her 335 points putting her comfortably in the middle of the pack.
Rock drifted closer to Kevin, his expression carefully neutral but his eyes betraying satisfaction. Five hundred ten points, second overall—a remarkable recovery from losing his original 95.
"Not bad for someone who got ambushed on day one," Kevin murmured.
Rock's lips twitched. "Not bad for someone who decided to help his ambusher hunt."
"Partners, remember?"
"Partners." Rock tested the word. "I could get used to that."
The examiner—Zakaru, Kevin recalled—scanned the eight survivors with eyes that seemed to weigh and measure them. When his gaze reached Kevin, it lingered, a flicker of something like approval crossing his scarred features.
"Eight," he growled. "Eight from over a hundred. The island chose well." He gestured to the ship. "Get on. Next phase starts when we reach the mainland. You have until then to rest, eat, and stop looking at each other like you're still hunting."
The eight climbed aboard—Kevin, Kate, Rock, Gawain, Iquel, Astrand, Bajiao, and Goreinu. The ship's deck was spacious, with benches along the rails and a covered area with basic provisions: water, dried food, medical supplies.
Bajiao made a beeline for the food. Goreinu followed more slowly, still processing his narrow escape. Gawain approached Kevin again, his expression earnest.
"Kevin-san," he began, "I wanted to thank you properly. At the end there, when those three were chasing me—"
"Forget it." Kevin cut him off, not unkindly. "You'd have made it anyway. I just saved you a few seconds of panic."
"Still, I owe you a debt." Gawain bowed formally. "When this exam is over, I hope to learn more from you. About Nen. About being a Hunter."
Kevin studied him for a moment. The kid was genuine—almost painfully so. His chivalric code, his earnestness, his awkward formality—it should have been irritating. Instead, it was oddly refreshing.
"We'll see," Kevin said. "Pass the final phase first. Then we'll talk."
Gawain's face lit up. "I will! I promise!"
As he hurried away to find a spot on deck, Kate appeared at Kevin's elbow.
"You're collecting quite the group," Kate observed mildly.
"Am I?"
"The drone operator who now follows you like a second shadow. The chivalry-obsessed boy who wants to be your student. The poet and the quiet one who clearly trust your judgment. And me." Kate's smile was faint. "Though I suspect I'm more observer than follower."
Kevin laughed softly. "You're whatever you want to be, Kate. That's always been the deal."
They stood together at the rail, watching the island shrink behind them. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Somewhere on that island, seventeen disappointed candidates were waiting for rescue. Somewhere, beasts that would never be hunted were returning to their normal routines.
"Four phases down," Kate said. "One to go."
"Any idea what the final phase is?"
"Never the same twice. Could be combat. Could be survival. Could be something completely unexpected." Kate glanced at him. "But with your points, you'll have an advantage. Top scorers usually get some benefit—choice of opponent, better starting position, something."
Kevin nodded slowly. Five hundred eighty-five points. First place. Whatever advantage that brought, he'd use it.
Behind them, the others settled in for the journey—eating, resting, tending wounds. The tension of the island was slowly fading, replaced by the anticipation of whatever came next.
The ship sailed on through the gathering darkness, carrying eight survivors toward their final trial.