Capítulo 24: Chapter 21: The Third Phase!
As Netero made his way through the corridor, his jovial demeanor faded, replaced by a furrowed brow as he mulled over his encounter with Raymond.
"...He's far too cunning for someone his age," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
With a heavy sigh, Netero pondered the situation.
Many individuals within the Hunter Association had been closely monitoring Raymond and his activities.
Their persistent surveillance had led them to him, seeking resolution and even requesting his personal intervention.
However, Netero found himself in a difficult position.
While the activities of the Celestia Consortium may have caused inconvenience to some, they hadn't crossed any lines that warranted direct action from him.
In fact, their presence had brought prosperity to many.
It was simply a matter of conflicting interests, something Netero himself wasn't overly concerned about, given his preoccupation.
Yet, despite the societal benefits, Netero couldn't shake the unease of one individual holding such immense power, particularly someone of Raymond's caliber.
"He's a terrifying young man," he muttered.
With a solemn resolve, Netero made a decision.
He would closely watch Raymond, ensuring that his actions didn't tip the delicate balance of power.
Continuing down the corridor, Netero's interest was piqued as he encountered two youngsters seemingly bonding.
"Oh? Ging's kid and Zeno's grandkid, huh?"
Netero remarked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.
"What a scary duo," he chuckled to himself.
"Perhaps I should have a bit of fun with them?"
His expression returned to its usual joyous demeanor as he considered the idea.
While everyone else took the opportunity to rest and prepare for the next stage, the aircraft cruised through the skies toward their destination:
The Trick Tower!
After spending the night on board, they all caught sight of a towering cylindrical structure ahead as they landed atop it.
Raymond joined the others as they disembarked, and Beans stepped forward to explain the third phase of the Hunter Exam.
In essence, the objective of this phase was simple:
Reach the ground level of the tower!
After Beans had briefed the participants, he and the other Hunter Association members left them to tackle the third phase on their own.
Raymond ventured forth alone, navigating the structure in search of the trapdoor entrance.
Most other participants had already caught on to the method of entry.
"This one should still be open, right?"
Approaching a trapdoor cautiously, Raymond tested it with a tap of his foot.
To his surprise, it swung open beneath him, causing him to plummet into the building below.
"Oh?"
Upon landing, Raymond found himself in a room below the trapdoor.
He raised his eyebrows as he discovered several familiar faces awaiting him—the last member of their group to begin the exam.
Raymond's gaze fell upon a green-haired girl wearing a large hat, who glanced at him briefly before turning away.
"...#246, Ponzu..."
Raymond murmured, recognizing her. Next, he spotted Bodoro, who nodded at him in acknowledgment.
"#191, Bodoro..."
Raymond returned the gesture with a nod of his own.
Then there was #103, Bourbon, a bulky man with a prominent nose.
He wore a light blue and purple robe paired with a tan turban.
"And the final member, #362, Kenmi," Raymond noted, observing a young man with a shaven head, protruding ears, and narrow eyes.
Kenmi bowed slightly in Raymond's direction, placing his hand over his chest.
"A respectful young man, indeed," he silently thought.
Raymond chuckled as he addressed the group, "Looks like I've kept you all waiting..."
"Don't sweat it. We weren't waiting long anyway," Bodoro replied with a laugh.
Ponzu and Kenmi nodded in agreement while Bourbon remained silent.
Bodoro motioned for Raymond to set the timer on his wrist, which Raymond promptly did.
As the wall slid upward, revealing a question about whether to open the door, they all decided without hesitation, pressing the button on their wrist.
In response, the door on the opposite side slid open.
As they entered the room, they encountered another decision to choose which direction to take.
After a brief exchange of nods, most of them opted to go left, and the bars to the left slowly slid up, allowing them to proceed.
Before long, they found themselves in a large room with a small stone platform at its center.
"Hmm?"
Bodoro and the others sensed a presence on the opposite side of the room. They observed a group of individuals wearing robes, their hands locked together.
"Who are they?"
Everyone looked puzzled.
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the room via a speaker. The examiner began to explain what they needed to do next.
"I suppose it's time to decide who goes first," Bodoro remarked, feeling the responsibility to take charge due to his seniority.
However, a silence fell over the group, prompting Bodoro to let out a resigned sigh.
Meanwhile, Raymond found the situation rather amusing.
He proposed, "Let's settle it with a game of rock, paper, scissors..."
Raymond confidently stepped forward without waiting for their response, and the others begrudgingly followed suit.
"Alright, seems like I'd have to go first..."
As luck would have it, Raymond emerged as the chosen one to go first.
As they decided, a small platform gradually extended towards the central platform.
Raymond stepped onto it, only to find another individual approaching from the opposite side.
The person shed their robe, revealing a burly man dressed in a biker jacket and torn jeans standing on 7 ft.
"Hmm?"
Ponzu exclaimed, clearly taken aback by the sight of the prisoner.
Kenmi noticed her reaction and inquired, "Do you know him, #246?"
Bodoro turned to Ponzu as well, curious about the prisoner.
Ponzu hesitated for a moment before responding, her expression turning pale.
"...Yes, that guy was known as the Grizzly. His name was Griswald. He used to be a gang leader, infamous for his brutality. He was responsible for the deaths of numerous young men during his gang's reign..."
She trailed off, unable to bring herself to divulge the rest of the information.
The memories associated with Griswald were too disturbing for her to recount in full.
She couldn't bring herself to reveal the full extent of Grizzly's atrocities.
The reason behind his brutal killings was a harrowing tale—
—a group of young men had once raped her daughter before subjecting her to mutilation.
Upon learning of this horrific crime, Grizzly swiftly sought out the perpetrators and exacted his revenge, killing them slowly and savagely.
His preferred method of killing, she recalled, was to consume his victims alive, prolonging their suffering in the most gruesome manner imaginable.
The act of vengeance seemed to trigger something within Grizzly, transforming him into a remorseless predator.
Even his own gang members eventually turned against him, unable to stomach his barbaric actions any longer.
Bodoro observed Ponzu's pale expression and realized that she was withholding certain details.
"...So, he's not just your average criminal, huh?"
He concluded grimly.
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