HxH : Pokemon Master-Chapter 66: Let’s Make a Deal! A Song of Ice and Fire!

Lippo felt as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, his eyes fixed on the monitor showing Tyranitar frenzied actions. Yet, he couldn't utter a single word...

After what felt like an eternity, Tyranitar movements finally ceased, and the continuous rumbling that had echoed in their ears came to an abrupt halt. The entire arena fell into a deathly silence! Everyone knew what this meant.

It had almost completely demolished the "Trick Tower" from top to bottom!

"ROAAAAR!!!"

This was Tyranitar roar!

If the previous destruction had made the other examinees think it was just an earthquake, this roar was something they heard loud and clear! Countless examinees were terrified by this ferocious roar.

Standing at the edge of what could no longer be called a challenge platform, Akira slightly lowered his head and looked straight down. There, the domineering Tyranitar stood proudly at the very bottom, amidst a pile of debris and ruins!

For Lippo, who loved setting up tricks and traps, the most brutal thing was having his mechanisms ignored.

To put it bluntly, Tyranitar attacks had destroyed countless of his meticulously prepared obstacles! Now, Lippo was filled with regret... Why had he provoked Akira in the first place?

Thankfully, he had only replaced an ordinary prisoner with a mediocre Nen user. If he had done something worse, Tyranitar fists wouldn't have been aimed at the ground, but at his head!

In a way, Tyranitar actions were more painful for Lippo than death itself

.....

When Kurapika and the others reached the bottom, the broadcast announced their rankings after Akira. They arrived about twenty minutes after Akira.

In the original story, they had waited for Tonpa to form a group of five, wasting a lot of time, and then due to penalties, they barely made it at the last moment.

With Akira involvement, there was no such wasted time. Moreover, Tyranitar violent demolition had destroyed a large number of traps and mechanisms, making their journey much easier.

By now, Tyranitar had already been recalled by Akira, leaving him standing there alone.

Looking at Akira, who sat calmly against the wall, Leorio felt his legs trembling uncontrollably, sweat pouring down like rain. He had only heard that Akira was powerful, but he never imagined it would be to this extent!

Leorio, who hadn't yet grasped the concept of "Nen," felt that Akira was a monster. The idea of summoning a giant beast out of thin air and then demolishing an entire tower—if someone had told him this before today, he would never have believed it.

But now... After witnessing it firsthand, even if he didn't want to believe it, he had no choice!

As the fearless and curious little guy, Gon wanted to go over and ask Akira a few questions. He really wanted to know how all these things were accomplished.

Before Gon could take action, he was stopped by Killua, who was standing nearby. In Killua view, Akira hidden strength was far too astonishing, and it was better not to approach him casually.

Among the four, only Kurapika stepped forward to face Akira, his eyes fixed firmly on him.

He had so many questions he wanted to ask!

What were the giant dog and beast that appeared out of thin air?

Where did the intimidating aura of the Zero prisoner and the beast come from?

How did Akira suddenly disappear just now?

Kurapika intuition told him that the solution to his revenge was right here!

Seeing Kurapika approach him, Akira narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. The young man couldn't hold back after all... Now, the ruins of the Kurta Clan were secured!

"I know what you want to ask. The answers to those questions will become clear to you shortly after you pass the Hunter Exam." Akira looked at the puzzled Kurapika but didn't provide direct answers. What mattered more was the conversation that would follow!

"I also understand what you want to do..."

"Let's make a deal! A deal about the Spiders!"

Hearing that familiar word, Kurapika eyes instantly turned blood red. Those eyes, known as one of the "Seven Great Beauties of the World," revealed the turmoil in his heart. Akira words were like the whispers of a demon, lingering in Kurapika ears, impossible to shake off.

When Kurapika returned to the group, Gon and the others suddenly noticed that his expression seemed strange. It was a mix of surprise and relief, as if he had resolved something and let go of certain burdens...

Even when Leorio and the others asked about Kurapika conversation with Akira, Kurapika simply shook his head and remained silent.

Akira, meanwhile, was deep in thought. He had now personally witnessed two of the Seven Great Beauties of the World. If he included Pyon photo, that made three.

It had to be said that each of the great beauties had their own unique charm. However, unlike the Aqua Glass and White Flame, the Scarlet Eyes were part of the Kurta Clan body, an actual organ.

Though they were indeed beautiful, Akira still felt a slight discomfort when looking at them, especially when he thought about how collectors in the original story kept them in jars for admiration...

He still couldn't appreciate them.

.....

Arrival of New Examinees

Some time later, the stone door leading to the lowest level slowly opened again, and the light illuminated a face painted with clown makeup. The first thing that caught the eye was the pile of rubble in the center of the room.

When Hisoka saw the hole in the ceiling with its overwhelming penetration, his breath hitched. He lightly pressed a playing card to his lips, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

Hisoka swayed forward with cat-like steps, his alluring gaze flickering toward Akira, who was resting with his eyes closed. After a few glances, Hisoka pretended to be nonchalant and moved to a corner far from Akira to rest.

His first glance was at the massive hole made by Tyranitar. His second glance was at Akira. His third glance was at Gon and the others, whom he considered his "ripe fruits"!

As he watched, Hisoka occasionally let out a few sickly smiles. Feeling Hisoka gaze, which was no different from that of a pervert, Gon and the other three quickly moved to another corner. It was a little farther away from Hisoka.

Whether it was their imagination or not, the atmosphere in the room seemed to have grown strange ever since Hisoka arrived. To be honest, it was quite chilling.

In this vast secret chamber, the two individuals besides the four of them were anything but ordinary. One was a master capable of summoning powerful beasts. The other was a highly skilled yet unpredictable psychopath.

The four of them were like lambs that had accidentally wandered into a den of wolves. Only by "huddling together for warmth" could they feel somewhat secure.

Shortly after Hisoka arrived, the next to appear was Illumi, whose face was disguised. The commotion caused by Tyranitar hadn't lasted long, so after careful consideration, Illumi decided not to withdraw from the exam.

In the original story, Illumi was ranked second, just behind Hisoka. But now, with Akira, Kurapika, and four others ahead of him, Illumi didn't care much about the ranking. What he cared about were two people!

Hisoka... and Killua!

"Huh?"

Killua inexplicably shivered, as if he had been targeted by something sinister. His sharp, lively eyes scanned the surroundings warily.

Perhaps influenced by what could be called "sixth sense," after glancing over several targets, Killua gaze eventually landed on Illumi!

At this moment, Hisoka, who had been engrossed in his "house of cards" game, shifted his attention to Killua with an amused look. In Hisoka eyes, this was far more interesting.

Unconsciously, Hisoka picked up a playing card and held it in front of his face, revealing only his cunning eyes. Behind the card was a chilling smile, his mouth twisted into an eerie curve. The star and teardrop-shaped makeup on his cheeks added an extra touch of eeriness.

But this smile didn't last long... Because his eyes met Illumi.

Illumi gaze could be described as calm as water. Or, to put it less kindly, it was filled with killing intent! Knowing Hisoka well, Illumi could easily discern the thoughts hidden behind the playing card. Illumi was warning him!

"Sigh..."

Hisoka let out a soft sigh, spreading his hands to indicate he had no ill intentions. Having failed to stir up trouble, Hisoka turned his attention back to his card game. His card pyramid was only halfway built.

Seeing that Hisoka had abandoned his "audacious" idea, Illumi gave an almost imperceptible nod. Then, with a slight shake of his head that produced a faint "click," he found a corner where he could keep an eye on Killua and sat down.

Seeing this, Killua no longer looked at Illumi with a puzzled gaze. He gave him a cold glance before shifting his attention elsewhere.

'Perhaps I'm just being too sensitive...'

Not long after Illumi arrived, the stone door opened again, revealing a shiny bald head underneath.

"Haha, I'm the first!" A certain bald ninja shouted without even taking a proper look at the situation in the room.

"Actually, no. The first one was Akira." Gon quickly stood up from the corner to explain, which immediately snapped the bald ninja back to reality.

With sharp eyes, he carefully surveyed his surroundings, and his expression slightly changed, revealing an awkward smile.

He fell silent.

In his line of sight, there were already seven people who had arrived before him! So he was only the eighth...

After some time, more and more examinees began to arrive at the finish line. Even Tonpa managed to make it, though his journey was quite different from the others.

While the others had to endure countless traps and hardships to pass through the infamous Trick Tower, Tonpa simply benefited from Akira actions.

As soon as he entered the underground chamber, Tonpa gaze was immediately drawn to the large hole in the ceiling.

He thought to himself.

'Just as I expected!'.

Tyranitar attack had created a straight path downward. Although it was highly penetrating, it didn't cause excessive damage to the surrounding areas. Thus, the main destruction was concentrated on the obstacles faced by Akira and his group.

But there was an exception!

Although Tonpa wasn't with Gon and the others, fate seemed to have placed his path nearby. Naturally, he witnessed Tyranitar astonishing display! At that moment, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. His innate sense of danger was screaming warnings at him!

Just a faint aura leaking from Tyranitar as it passed by was enough to render him immobile. All he could do was watch in terror as Tyranitar appeared before him and then quickly descended below.

It took him a while to gather himself before he dragged his trembling body to the edge of the hole and peered down. There, he saw a pit that went straight to the lowest level! Because Tyranitar had destroyed some of the traps Tonpa was supposed to encounter, it inadvertently made his path much easier.

....

At the bottom level of the Trick Tower, the third exam had a total duration of 72 hours. Once the time was up, an airship would transport the examinees to the next location.

During meal times, dedicated staff would provide food for those who had successfully passed. To be honest, the food was quite decent.

The Hunter Association didn't skimp on such expenses. The meals provided were of good quality.

But everything is relative.

While everyone else had to settle for the pre-prepared meal sets, Akira took a different approach. With a casual grab at his shadow, a large, exquisitely crafted lunchbox appeared in his hand.

Hisoka, who had been seemingly focused on building a "card pyramid," raised an eyebrow as he secretly observed Akira. He slowly put down the cards in his hand and openly stared at Akira without hiding his gaze. His golden eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

A spatial ability, perhaps...

The lunchbox had three layers, deep-sea cuisine, volcanic cuisine, and finally, a layer of steamed rice. This was the food he had prepared in advance in Moros City, said to be their most expensive signature dish.

It even had a rather artistic name—"The Song of Ice and Fire."

One could say it was quite fitting for the situation in the Kila Volcano region. While it was undeniably delicious, few could afford it—except for someone like Akira, who had no shortage of money.

With abilities like Gengar, which were comparable to a spatial ring, how could he not stash some delicious food inside? Especially in such an environment, the advantages of spatial abilities became even more apparent.

Gently opening the first layer of the meal box, Akira was greeted by slices of fish, already cut and arranged, looking crystal clear with a fresh aroma that hit his nose immediately. Some condiments were placed in small compartments beside the fish, meant for dipping.

Akira had eaten similar dishes before, and if he had to describe these condiments, they were like a toned-down version of "The Pinnacle of Freshness."

Even so, it was still a rare delicacy!

If the aroma of the deep-sea dish in the first layer wasn't overwhelming, the volcanic dish in the second layer would take the phrase "mouth-watering fragrance" to a whole new level!

Casually opening the second layer, the first thing that caught his eye was the fiery red sauce, resembling molten lava, drizzled over a large piece of brocade bird steak.

Akira took out some Kila Red Volcanic Salt and lightly sprinkled it over the dish. The already delicious aroma exploded like a flame meeting gasoline, intensifying countless times!

In an instant, an incredibly rich sauce fragrance, mixed with the scent of meat, filled the entire chamber!

All the examinees couldn't help but turn their gaze toward Akira, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor—holding the exquisite meal box.

"Gulp..."

In the silent chamber, the sound of someone swallowing their saliva was deafening. But no one laughed at that examinee because everyone else was in the same boat!

Their mouths seemed to have a mind of their own, saliva continuously pooling inside. Some even slightly opened their mouths, as if imagining the food in Akira hands flying into their mouths the next second.

Frowning tightly, even Hisoka found it hard to endure. He looked at the boxed meal he had just picked up.

In just a few moments, the once decent meal seemed almost unpalatable compared to "The Song of Ice and Fire!"

Of course, if it were just the "The Song of Ice and Fire" sold in Moros City, it wouldn't have caused such a reaction. The main reason was the Kila Red Volcanic Salt that Akira had added.

Tempted by the food, some examinees even entertained the thought of snatching it. But in the end, reason prevailed, saving their lives.

If the examinee had actually tried it, whether he could have tasted the dish was uncertain, but they would definitely have gotten a taste of death!

Before long, an incredibly bizarre scene unfolded in the chamber.

Akira was openly enjoying his meal, while a large group of people stayed huddled in a corner far away from him. Despite the enchanting aromas filling the room, they deliberately stuffed their nostrils with paper or other materials.

Then, as if in defiance, they started eating their boxed meals in large mouthfuls, comforting themselves that the food was still quite good.

But it was nothing more than self-deception...

Making the situation even more pitiful.

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