The helicopter roared through the sky, carrying the successful applicants toward their next destination.
Gon leaned against the window, wide-eyed at the endless clouds.
Killua napped lazily.
Kurapika stared quietly, deep in thought.
Leorio grumbled about food.
Noah sat calmly, eyes half-lidded, silently gathering chakra.
Every phase of the exam got deadlier — he knew it instinctively.
And now... Trick Tower awaited.
---
Landing at Trick Tower
The aircraft descended onto a tiny rocky plateau.
Before them loomed a colossal vertical structure, reaching deep into the clouds —
the Trick Tower.
Satotz stood at the entrance, arms behind his back.
> "Your task:
Reach the bottom within 72 hours."
Simple words.
A deadly challenge.
The applicants spread out, searching for an entrance.
Most groups chose climbing the outside walls —
dangerous, slow, but possible.
But Noah stuck with Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio.
They found a small hidden trapdoor — exactly like the anime —
and without hesitation, they jumped in.
---
Team Decision
Inside, they fell into a dark chamber lit by eerie blue lights.
A giant board flashed in front of them:
> "Majority Rules: Decisions must be made by vote."
> "Five participants will proceed together."
Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, Noah — and a random fifth applicant, an older man with a sly look — gathered in confusion.
> Great, Noah thought. A hidden traitor already.
---
Prisoners' Game
Ahead waited five doors — and behind them, dangerous opponents.
Satotz's voice echoed from speakers:
> "You must battle prisoners serving life sentences.
Defeat them to proceed.
Victory is mandatory."
The first door slid open with a heavy groan.
Out stepped a massive figure with shark-like teeth:
Sedokan, the serial killer.
Gon immediately stepped forward.
> "I'll fight first!"
Noah nodded slightly.
He could feel Gon's fighting spirit burning strong.
---
Gon's Battle: The Candle Game
Sedokan grinned, offering two candles — a long and a short one.
> "Choose one.
Keep it lit longer than mine, and you win."
Gon, trusting his instincts, picked the shorter candle.
The battle began.
As the two lit their candles and ran through the wind tunnels, Gon realized —
Sedokan's long candle was tricked to burn slower!
But Gon's sharp thinking saved him —
he blocked his flame with his jacket and blew Sedokan into a pit with a clever move.
Victory: Gon!
Cheers broke out among the group.
---
Noah's Keen Observation
Noah stayed silent — but sharp.
He sensed tiny chakra disturbances ahead.
Nen energy... barely awakened.
> The real dangers are still coming, he thought.
Noah prepared himself quietly.
Not yet.
But soon, he'd reveal a glimpse of what true power could do —
especially if it meant protecting Gon and Killua.
---
Prisoner 2: Match of Strength
The next door opened —
revealing Majitani, a false Phantom Troupe member (the one who pretends to be a badass but isn't).
Kurapika faced him.
A silent rage burned inside Kurapika's heart.
Majitani tried to intimidate them with fake brutality.
But Kurapika, calm and focused, saw through the bluff immediately —
striking him down in one precise blow.
Majitani collapsed, terrified.
Kurapika didn't even need to kill —
his aura alone broke the enemy's will.
Victory: Kurapika!
---
Noah's Quiet Teachings
Later, as they rested briefly between matches,
Noah leaned in and whispered to Gon and Killua:
> "Your bodies are strong.
But energy flows inside you too — chakra, aura... it's the source of true strength."
Killua's sharp blue eyes flickered with interest.
Gon looked amazed.
> "Can you teach us later?" Gon whispered eagerly.
Noah smirked.
> "After we survive this tower, sure."
Unknowingly, a new future was already beginning —
the birth of their own chakra paths.
---
The Next Fights Await
Ahead, deadlier prisoners waited.
Traps, mind games, betrayals.
And hidden in the dark corners of Trick Tower...
Hisoka moved like a shadow, waiting for his next game.
Noah tightened his fists.
The Hunter Exam wasn't just about passing anymore.
It was about surviving.