NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 49: Buhara
A monstrous turtle lunged from the mud, its long, snakelike neck snapping forward in an instant. Before the candidate could react, its massive jaws clamped down on his body—and with a sickening crunch, the man disappeared into its mouth. "AHH—!!!" His terrified scream was cut off as the creature swallowed him whole.
Silence followed. The surrounding candidates could only watch in horror. It had happened so fast. One second, he was standing there. The next, he was gone. Deceit Misty Turtle. Another one of Numere Wetland's infamous predators. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary red-shelled turtle. But its massive neck resembled that of a brachiosaurus, and its most terrifying feature—a cluster of giant strawberries growing on its back. It buried itself underground, leaving only the "strawberries" exposed, swaying in the fog like bait. To anyone passing by, it looked just like a person running in the distance. And the moment someone got too close… SNAP.
As the group pushed forward, more and more candidates fell victim to the treacherous environment. Some stepped on sleeping mushrooms, triggering an explosion of drowsy spores that sent them into a deep slumber—only to be devoured seconds later. Others were fooled by rock-skinned frogs, mistaking them for ordinary boulders. The moment someone got too close, the creatures' massive mouths would open without warning, swallowing their prey whole. Then there were the Deceptive Crows—birds with a speech organ capable of imitating human voices perfectly.
Like parrots, they could mimic speech. Unlike parrots, they only lied. Their voices echoed through the mist, perfectly replicating Satotz's tone.
"This way! Follow me!"
"Over here, hurry!"
"Don't go that way—it's dangerous!"
Candidates with slower minds fell for the deception, unknowingly walking straight into death traps. One by one, they were eliminated. By the time they finally reached the end of the wetlands, the number of survivors had dwindled dramatically.
At the end of the treacherous journey, a Western-style iron gate came into view. Behind it lay Visca Forest Preserve, the official site for the second phase of the exam. Beyond the gate, a stone wall surrounded the lush greenery, giving the area an almost peaceful appearance. But for the candidates who had just survived the nightmare of the wetlands, the sight felt almost unreal.
One by one, they arrived, many of them barely standing. First was the endless tunnel marathon, followed immediately by the death-filled wetlands. The sheer mental and physical exhaustion had reached its peak. Several candidates collapsed the moment they made it past the gate, gasping for air, their bodies trembling from exhaustion.
Only the truly resilient ones—people like Gon, Killua, and Hisoka—stood tall, as if unfazed by everything they had just endured. Larry took a quick look around. The number of candidates had dropped drastically. Out of the 367 people who had entered the underground tunnel… Only 149 remained. The wetlands alone had eliminated over 200 candidates. And many of them hadn't just failed. They had died. The Numere Wetland might not have had the highest elimination rate, but it definitely had the highest mortality rate.
Satotz, standing before the large iron gate, stroked his curly beard and spoke in his usual calm tone. "You've all done well. The second exam is about to begin. From here on, I will not be accompanying you."
With that, he gave a small nod to Larry before striding into the forest beyond the gate. His distinct "swaggering" walk made it clear he had no worries about the next exam. The candidates watched as he disappeared into the trees. Larry, still standing by the gate, glanced in his direction, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
Unlike the others, he knew the truth. Satotz hadn't really left. If things followed the original timeline, he was already hiding in the trees, watching over the next phase of the exam. It was likely that Chairman Netero had specifically assigned Satotz to observe Menchi—the next examiner.
After all, Menchi's personality was notoriously erratic. If she got too carried away, she might fail every single candidate just out of sheer stubbornness. Then again, Larry had a sneaking suspicion that Satotz was just here for entertainment. Maybe he wasn't supervising. Maybe he just wanted a front-row seat to the chaos.
Satotz didn't go far. After walking a short distance into the forest, he jumped onto a sturdy tree branch, making himself comfortable. Reaching into his waist pouch, he pulled out a compact telescope and began surveying the candidates below. Muttering to himself, he observed, "Next up is that legendary figure—Menchi. At this rate... maybe ten people will pass. No, five would be lucky."
Meanwhile, back at the entrance, the massive iron gate in front of the candidates began to creak open. The moment the gate started moving, tension rippled through the group. They had finally reached the next phase. This was no time to relax. The first thing that caught their eyes beyond the gate was a series of tables, neatly arranged with various kitchen tools and utensils. It didn't take a genius to guess that these were essential for the next exam.
At the front of the venue, seated confidently on a raised stage, was a young, petite woman with a sharp presence. Menchi. Unlike her previous, more revealing attire, she now dressed with a more practical and modest approach. She wore a plain white blouse, concealing her well-endowed figure, yet still showing enough curve to make it obvious. Paired with deep blue jeans, her long, slender legs looked even more defined. But what truly stood out wasn't her appearance—it was the mountainous man standing behind her. His massive, round frame towered over her, wrapped in yellow clothing that did little to hide his enormous belly. Even his oversized outfit couldn't fully contain him, with his stomach peeking out from beneath the hem. His round, cheerful face made him seem almost harmless, if not outright goofy. This was Buhara.
As the candidates funneled into the area, Menchi's sharp green eyes scanned the crowd, her gaze flicking through the faces again and again. She seemed impatient—as if she were waiting for someone. Then, on her second sweep of the crowd, she finally spotted him. A familiar figure. A person waving at her with a knowing smile— Larry. Her face lit up instantly. "Larry! You're really here!" Grinning in satisfaction, Menchi jumped up from her seat, her excitement impossible to hide.
Larry gave a relaxed nod. "Menchi, long time no see." There was an unmistakable familiarity in their exchange, like old friends catching up. Menchi had only heard from Larry once that he planned to take the Hunter Exam—she hadn't been sure she'd see him here. Larry, on the other hand, knew she'd be here as an examiner. Because, well—he already knew how the story went.