"What about that older guy? Do you have any advice or experience about the final exam?" Kurapika felt that Bodoro seemed mature and steady, so he ought to have some experience.
"Yeah, Mr. Bodoro," Leorio chimed in.
"You should know something, at least. There's an old saying: the older the ginger, the spicier it gets." Hanzo also looked at Bodoro expectantly.
"But I got eliminated in the first exam last year," Bodoro said very calmly.
"..."
"So you're no help either," they all said in unison.
"But I can more or less guess what the final exam will be," Bodoro said with considerable confidence.
Then he began his explanation and analysis.
"First, the first exam was a test of physical stamina. It was meant to test whether a Hunter candidate had the strength and endurance required of a Hunter. The second exam tested observation. The first half, where the task was roasted whole pig, required us to notice the Great Stamp's unique physique and thereby find its weakness. The second half, the sushi portion, made the examiners' intent even clearer. We had to infer what kind of dish sushi was under the circumstances we were given."
Bodoro spoke in a clear, orderly way, and his analysis sounded convincing enough that Hanzo found himself wanting to hear more.
"What about the third exam?"
"As for the first half of the third exam in Trick Tower, although the routes differed depending on each person's choice, it basically tested the examinees' willpower and mental fortitude. After that, going to Battleship Island tested our coordination. So if we're talking about what aspect the fourth exam tested, I believe it was everyone's ability to unite and work together." Bodoro spoke slowly and deliberately, sounding extremely reasonable.
"Stop keeping us in suspense and just say what you think. What is the final exam going to be?" Hanzo asked.
"Heh heh heh, don't you get it yet? There should still be one category left—something that has never been tested in any of the exams so far." Bodoro's tone was serious.
"What is it?" Leorio asked, a little nervous.
"What is it, old man? What category hasn't been tested yet?" Hanzo straightened up, looking somewhat impatient.
"It's the broad body of knowledge that a Hunter must possess. In other words, the final round is a written test." As Bodoro spoke, his voice grew louder and louder, and at the end he suddenly stood up.
In an instant, the atmosphere changed from a casual discussion into a full-blown speech rally. It was truly impassioned.
"Ah!"
Clatter.
The house of cards Hisoka had built immediately collapsed as well. Clearly, he had been listening to Roy and the others discussing the subject just now too.
Apparently, the words "written test" were just as shocking to Hisoka. Illumi, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm and continued spacing out.
Though his head did tilt ever so slightly.
"We finally made it this far, and now they're going to add a written test?" Leorio found it a little hard to believe.
"That actually does make sense. Anyone who wants to become a Hunter must be well-versed in subjects like history and biology. Without a wealth of knowledge, it would probably be impossible to complete certain tasks." Kurapika also felt that Bodoro's reasoning was sound.
"That's right, I think so too. In a normal exam, aren't there usually at least two sections—a practical test and an academic one?" Even Hanzo's expression turned a little grim.
"So there really is something like this. The final round is actually the most troublesome kind of contest." Leorio felt his head starting to ache.
"I haven't studied for years." Pokkle was clutching his head too, looking terrified. This was just too horrifying.
For a moment, everyone fell silent. Every one of them looked deeply troubled. It seemed none of them were particularly good at studying.
When Roy saw everyone's pained expressions—especially when Hisoka's house of cards fell apart—he really felt that deciding not to speak up from the very beginning had been an absolutely brilliant choice.
A tiny little malicious streak.
"Oh right, I think there's a library on this airship. Let's all go take a look." After racking his brains for a long while, Hanzo finally came up with what he thought was a good solution.
"Okay, let's hurry." Pokkle was also the impatient type.
"Ahem, ahem. What the old man said does sound reasonable, but there's still one problem with it," Roy said at last when he saw that even the usually steady Kurapika seemed tempted.
"What do you mean?"
Hanzo looked a little dazed.
So it wasn't a written test after all?
Leorio and the others also instantly turned their eyes toward Roy. Out of their trust in him, they decided that no matter what Roy said, they would believe him unconditionally.
They had been traumatized too badly by the news of a written test.
Even over on Hisoka's side, there were signs of growing attention. Clearly, the terror of written exams ran deep no matter what world one was in.
"It's true that Hunters need knowledge, but that comes after becoming a Hunter, when it concerns the direction of one's chosen Hunter profession. Presumably, when all of you signed up for the Hunter Exam, you had already decided what kind of Hunter you wanted to become in the future, right?"
"Yeah, I want to become a Beast Hunter and search for rare magical beasts that haven't been discovered by anyone yet." Pokkle raised his hand, looking very excited.
"Then if someone were to ask you, as a future Beast Hunter, about excavating archaeological ruins, would you be able to answer?"
"Huh?! How would I know that?" Pokkle looked completely dumbfounded.
Beside him, Hanzo and Kurapika seemed lost in thought.
Roy's Little Master Class in Bluffing had officially begun.
(End of Chapter)
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