Ten participants left... an even number. I wonder how this will effect the outcome, I thought to myself as Netero spoke to the final participants. A cart was rolled over, covered by a large white sheet. "For the final phase of the Hunter Exam, you will be competing in a one-on-one tournament," he announced. The sheet was pulled off, revealing some sort of chart.
"So only the last person standing passes?" Hanzo asked. No, that can't be... I remember at least Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio passing, with the exception of Killua. I can't remember why or how though- he should be the strongest out of all five of us. And I'm pretty sure Hisoka and Illumi passed as well...
"Nope- you only need one win to pass this phase." Gon blinked. "Just one?"
"Wait, so in this tournament..." Leorio trailed off. "It's the winners who will drop away and the losers who will advance to the next round," Netero explained. "So only one person will lose- the last one standing. This is the bracket we've put together." He peeled off some sort of sticker, revealing our pictures lined up at the bottom. When did they even get those? I wondered, sweatdropping.
Let's see... Gon vs Hanzo and Kurapika vs Hisoka are the first two fights. R.I.P. Kurapika... And my picture is between Killua and Pokkle. I grimaced, glancing at the four. If only I could remember the outcome or how it went at all.
"You see, every competitor has at least two chances to win a round."
"But some people have five chances to win, like numbers 294 and 405," Pokkle spoke up. "Couldn't you have used a more balanced bracket?" Bodoro asked. Netero nodded. "Now, that's a fair question. This bracket was assembled based on each of your performances throughout the exam. To put it simply, the people with the highest performances have the most chances to win," he explained. I have... three chances. Is that good?
I saw Killua frown next to me. "I'm not convinced with that. Can you explain exactly how you rated our performances?" Netero placed his arms behind his back. "Nope!" he shouted suddenly, almost making me jump. "And why not?" he asked angrily. Netero laughed. "That's because your scores are classified. However, I can explain the criteria we used."
All ten applicants listened carefully. "We start with the basics- there are three categories. Physical strength, mental acuity, and lastly, overall impression. With physical strength, we rely on agility, flexibility, endurance, and perception. For mental acuity, we focus on resilience, adaptability, judgement, and of course, creativity. Well, all of you were strong enough in those two to reach the final phase. But what we're most concerned about is your overall impression. Think of it as our way of assessing your potential as a hunter. We decide this by rounding out the opinions of your peers. That's all."
So that's what that interview was for... "As for the battle, the rules are simple. No weapons, no cheating, and if your opponent admits defeat, you win. However! If you kill your opponent, you will immediately be disqualified. If that happens, the exam will end, and the remaining applicants will pass." My eyes widened. That must've been how Killua dropped out in the show. But why? Why would he lose control like that?
Netero lifted his hand. "And with that, let the final phase of the Hunter Exam begin!"