Gon and the others watched in disbelief as the figure of the examiner "Satotz" gradually shrank before their eyes.
The figure transformed into a small yellow fox with eyes so squinted you couldn't see its pupils.
"Is this a magical beast, or... one of Morin's tools?" Despite having seen various items from Morin's collection, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio found it hard to believe.
This was the first time Morin had produced a tool with a living creature's appearance.
Tool: [Transformation Robot].
Effect: This is a fox-shaped robot. Feed it fried tofu, and it will transform into your likeness, carrying out tasks you assign to it. The [Transformation Robot] has the ability to change its appearance.
After feeding it a piece of fried tofu, Morin instructed it to transform into Satotz, setting the stage for a real-life drama of true and false examiners.
The [Transformation Robot] that became Satotz replicated him perfectly in every aspect. If Gon hadn't detected the scent of fried tofu from the robot, the charade might have continued even longer.
"It can even change into someone else's appearance at will..." Satotz's sense of caution heightened as he watched Morin play with the fox before putting it away.
This was a formidable individual with a variety of unpredictable tools at his disposal, and his strength was not to be underestimated.
If such a person went berserk, Satotz knew he wouldn't be able to control the situation.
However, despite his caution, Satotz didn't feel overly pressured.
'So, Chairman Netero and the Zodiacs were aware of this candidate's arrival, which is why they gave me such specific instructions?' he mused.
'They must know that I'm not equipped to handle major incidents, so they must have contingency plans in place. I just need to focus on my duties.'
With this realization, Satotz cast a final, silent glance at Morin, opting not to question why he had brought out a robot to mimic him.
Satotz, aiming to avoid unnecessary complications, decided to ask as few questions as possible and focus on his role as an examiner.
After all, the fate of the previous year's examiner, who was nearly beaten to death by Hisoka and lost face within the Hunter Association, was still fresh in his mind.
Morin's strength surpassed Hisoka's, and his arsenal of tools was even more enigmatic. Offending him could lead to dire consequences... Satotz quickly stopped his imagination from running wild.
"Alright, next we will traverse the Swindler's Swamp. Please follow me closely!" Satotz reminded everyone once more before turning to lead the way.
The group of candidates exchanged glances but followed him in silence.
They all sensed that this year's Hunter Exam would be anything but ordinary, especially those who had participated in the previous year.
They had experienced the terror of being dominated by Hisoka, but Morin's unpredictable nature was even more chilling. The unknown was always the most frightening.
"Hohoho?" With a casual flick of a playing card, Hisoka took down a monkey-faced ape attempting to flee, then swayed his hips as he followed the group. Morin, too, leisurely followed with a small horn in hand.
As the group entered the Swindler's Swamp, a thin mist descended, enveloping everyone.
The obscured vision and unclear surroundings were perfect for certain unspeakable actions.
Hisoka, stirred by Morin's provocation, hadn't fully released his murderous intent on the two monkeys. Although he casually dispatched one, it only provided slight relief.
Moreover, he had already made up his mind earlier. "There are too many candidates. Let me eliminate a few." His hand rose, and a playing card slipped down.
"Ah!!!" A scream marked the beginning of the slaughter. In the thick fog, a scene of the examiner eliminating candidates unfolded.
"Leorio!!" Ahead in the mist, Gon heard Leorio's cry of pain from behind and turned sharply.
"Don't go!!" At that moment, the [Guiding Angel] on Gon's left hand urgently stopped him. "You can't go there; it's dangerous! You mustn't go!!" It repeatedly tapped Gon's shoulder and head, trying to deter his reckless thoughts and actions.
"I have to go!!"
Gon's eyes were filled with unwavering determination. "Leorio and Kurapika are in danger!!"
"I'm doing this for your own good!!" the Guiding Angel shrieked.
"I don't need it!!" Gon swung his arm. "Killua, help me take down Mr. Guiding Angel!!"
"Oh... okay." Killua reached out and removed the Guiding Angel, casting a puzzled glance at Gon, who was running off in the direction behind them.
He couldn't quite understand why Gon would risk his own safety for someone else's problem. In fact, he somewhat agreed with the Guiding Angel.
"Everyone has their own choices, determined by their personality," Morin said as he drove up beside Killua. "And personality is shaped by their innate background and the environment they grow up in."
"So, destiny has already set its price the moment you were born into this world," Morin smiled, looking at Killua, whose expression shifted slightly.
"Want to hitch a ride and chat?" Morin offered. "I sense some unknown confusion in your heart too."
Killua: "..."
Logically, with his level of alertness, he shouldn't casually get into someone else's car, especially someone as mysterious and unpredictable as Morin.
But for some reason, recalling Morin's earlier words, he instinctively asked, "Isn't your car something normal people can't get into?"
He'd seen Morin drive straight through people before.
"Wear this, and it'll be fine." Morin tossed down a four-dimensional space leaf emblem.
"Come on."
Killua glanced at the leaf Morin had thrown. After hesitating for two seconds, he finally put it on.
"This thing is yours too, right?" Killua handed back the Guiding Angel after getting into the car. "But you really do have a lot of strange things."
"These aren't things; they're tools. I'm a very famous tool master."
Tool master? That sounds somewhat familiar.
"How famous?" Killua asked, casually inspecting the car's interior.
"Famous enough to be on record in your family's archives," Morin chuckled.
"On record..." Killua was taken aback by this. Then, as if recalling something, his eyes widened, pupils narrowing into slits.
"You're the tool master my dad and grandpa defined as the highest commission standard?!" Killua exclaimed in shock. He finally understood why Morin seemed so familiar. It was extremely familiar!
The family had a very clear standard for commissions that shouldn't be accepted lightly. Morin, the tool master, was prominently listed under the highest commission standard.
"No wonder you seemed familiar, like I'd seen or heard about you somewhere before..." Killua's eyes were filled with fear and a hint of caution. His body tensed, ready to escape at the first sign of trouble.
"I mean you no harm. If I wanted to do something to you, you'd have been dead without knowing why," Morin said calmly and nonchalantly. Though the words weren't pleasant, they eased Killua's heightened sense of danger.
"Then what do you mean?!" he asked, still on guard. At the same time, he seemed to realize something:
"You came with Gon and the others, right? You're on the same team as them. So why aren't you going to help when Gon is?"