Hunter x Hunter: War of the Anime Worlds

The next morning, Xiang Nan and Manman arrived at the venue.

By then, the restaurant's underground hall was already crowded with examinees.

There is a hard deadline before the exam actually begins; as long as you show up before that cutoff, you're fine.

Judging by Gon and the others' pace, they would have arrived right at the last minute.

According to what Manman had said yesterday, examinees had been trickling in ever since, and some had not left the hall at all… Today is the final registration day, so almost everyone is here.

Xiang Nan hadn't come immediately for a simple reason: first, there were too many candidates—story characters and players mingled together—making the place noisy.

Second, since they were all examinees, everyone was surely sizing each other up, gathering information… and scuffles and clashes were inevitable.

Not exactly peaceful.

Most important of all… Hisoka and Illumi were present.

Without the system's masking, Hisoka and Illumi would notice him at once.

Xiang Nan had no doubt that the moment he showed his face, those two would recognize him.

Dialogue between story characters and players is never hidden; even a glance—or simply being seen—will give you away.

As for Hisoka, he had spent time in Heavens Arena, so others could easily learn Xiang Nan's appearance and details.

Still, with his current strength Xiang Nan no longer feared the pair.

He remained composed.

He just preferred not to get mixed up with them.

That, however, was only his own wish.

When the elevator doors slid open, he stepped into the hall in a black trench coat with Manman beside him—and was instantly met by a forest of staring eyes.

"There are a lot more examinees than in the original story," Xiang Nan noted calmly.

Manman found the scene a bit intimidating, stepped back, and tugged his sleeve.

In the canon, Gon and the others drew numbers in the 400s and waited a while before the first phase began, so the total headcount was well under 500… Judging from the crowd, there were clearly many more this time.

"Hmm?"

Xiang Nan sharply felt two unusual gazes.

In the crowd, Hisoka was idly flicking a playing card, his body angled, lips curled.

Surprise—and delight—glinted in his eyes.

The other look came from Illumi, whose appearance was strange and unsettling.

For now he was using the alias "Gittarackur," his face altered by the pins of Nen.

Obviously, neither had expected Xiang Nan to appear.

"As I thought… unwelcome," Xiang Nan mused, expressionless.

Both men stood in conspicuous pockets of empty space that no one dared approach.

Everyone else merely spared Xiang Nan and Manman a glance before looking away.

Xiang Nan led Manman to an open spot and closed his eyes to rest.

Though the hall teemed with people, it was very quiet; even those speaking did so in whispers—the atmosphere tight and oppressive.

Before long, a man with an honest, almost goofy look threaded through the crowd and stopped by Xiang Nan and Manman.

"New faces, huh? First time taking the Hunter Exam?" he asked warmly.

Xiang Nan opened his eyes a slit.

At a glance he recognized the big‑nosed, wrinkled‑brow man famed as the "rookie crusher," Tonpa.

Quite a few onlookers smirked, realizing Tonpa was up to his usual tricks—among them exam veterans and several players.

The players also wanted to use Tonpa's schemes to confirm Xiang Nan's identity, since they already knew Tonpa's background.

"This guy…" Xiang Nan looked straight into Tonpa's "sincere" eyes and couldn't help laughing.

"Sorry—coming over like this without introducing myself. Call me Tonpa. It's embarrassing, but I've taken the Hunter Exam many times and always failed in the end.

"I thought you two seemed like first‑timers, so… if you don't mind, maybe we can be friends. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. Even though my record is lousy, I do have a little experience with what's coming."

He was clearly dangling knowledge of the later phases as bait for newcomers.

Unfortunately, he spoke on and on, and neither Xiang Nan nor Manman gave any response.

Xiang Nan simply watched him coolly, saying nothing.

The uncanny silence made a bead of sweat trickle down Tonpa's forehead; he began to panic.

Could these two rookies know who I am?

Impossible… Called the rookie crusher, he had been taking the exam since age ten; his number of attempts ranked among the leaders. If these two had sat for it before, he'd remember.

Yet today wasn't the first time he'd been rebuffed—this was turning into the most humiliating exam of his life.

Under Xiang Nan's steady gaze, Tonpa's heart fluttered… his mouth suddenly dry.

He still didn't want to give up, but just as he tried once more to win them over, a commotion rippled through the crowd behind him.

Xiang Nan shifted his gaze past Tonpa.

Tonpa felt a sudden chill and turned his head.

It was the magician Hisoka!

Tonpa's eyelids twitched; without another word he slunk away.

Hisoka sauntered up to Xiang Nan. Wherever he passed, examinees instinctively stepped aside.

"Yo… long time no see," Hisoka greeted, all friendly smile yet eyes brimming with danger.

"Do I know you?" Xiang Nan asked flatly.

"Don't be so cold…" Hisoka stepped closer.

Beyond Heavens Arena and Illumi, he was a member of the Phantom Troupe and had heard about Xiang Nan's clash with the Spiders.

"You'd better put away your Nen. Otherwise… I might mistake it for a provocation, and I wouldn't mind killing you right here," Xiang Nan said softly.

Hisoka's grin widened; excitement shone openly in his eyes.

"I'm really… looking forward to it," he breathed, his body trembling with anticipation—but he restrained himself. This wasn't the place to fight Xiang Nan to his heart's content.

"Oh, right—just a reminder: that fellow Omokage isn't someone you should trust," Hisoka added helpfully before he left, cheeks faintly flushed as if he'd profited from the encounter.

"…"

Xiang Nan exhaled. Speak of trouble and it appears.

"Entertained?" he asked coolly.

Sometime during the exchange, Illumi—still in disguise—had slipped up silently, evidently enjoying the "show." He seemed eager for Hisoka and Xiang Nan to start a fight on the spot.

Click‑click‑click.

At Xiang Nan's words, Gittarackur's mouth opened and closed mechanically, emitting odd clicks.

He knew Xiang Nan had recognized him.

Then, moving strangely, he turned and walked away.

After this little episode, onlooking examinees realized Xiang Nan's identity was anything but "simple."

At the very least, the magician Hisoka clearly knew him.

Some players in the hall began guessing who Xiang Nan might be.

They assumed he wasn't a player but someone native to the Hunter × Hunter world. Without the masking effect, players have little protection if a story character turns hostile; against people like Hisoka or Illumi, all they can do is run. Who would dare face them head‑on?

Even high‑level players aren't strong enough.

Yet in canon there is no such character, nor has this scene ever happened.

So who exactly were this man and woman?

The players wondered.

~~~

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