37 Testing X Clash X The Exam Begins

For a brief moment, the air around them seemed to freeze.

In the midst of an odd silence, Illumi’s face remained impassive, Hisoka wore his usual sweet smile, Shalnark appeared calm though his gaze flitted with interest between his own leader and Kurama, while Chrollo…

The elegant and handsome leader of thieves was only momentarily taken aback, then once again revealed a gentle, captivating smile—

“My apologies, I was abrupt. I neglected to introduce myself earlier.”

As if he was completely unfazed by Kurama’s clear reluctance to cooperate, the black-haired youth stepped back, the gesture conveying apology and sincerity:

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Chrollo, a companion of Shalnark. I’ve heard about you, Kurama, from Shalnark.”

With Chrollo’s introduction, Shalnark, standing a few steps behind, quickly advanced to stand beside his leader:

“It’s great to see you again, Kurama. Do you remember me? I’m Shalnark.”

At this moment, his standard cherubic face worked greatly in his favor; when he put on a friendly, approachable look, it was almost impossible to tell whether the smile was genuine or merely a mask.

Kurama thought that, had he not already been aware of Shalnark’s identity, he might have been fooled as well.

With a barely perceptible curl of his lips, Kurama feigned an effort to recall, frowning in thought for a moment before suddenly breaking into a smile tinged with surprise:

“Ah… so it’s you? We met once in Setoranto, didn’t we?”

Since Shalnark and Chrollo wanted to keep up appearances, Kurama saw no reason not to play along.

He was wary of the Phantom Troupe, but not to the extent of holding back. Since they weren’t looking to sour relations or openly reveal their schemes, Kurama was more than willing to maintain a surface-level peace—at least until things escalated.

His attitude made this clear enough.

Shalnark and Chrollo exchanged no glances; instead, they both offered their best social smiles.

“I’m glad you remember me. I was worried my presence was so insignificant that you’d forgotten—I’d be mortified! Especially since Chrollo didn’t even consult me before coming to greet you.”

With a playful flick of his tongue, Shalnark seemed intent on playing the lively, cheerful role this time.

Before Kurama could respond, Chrollo had already smiled warmly again:

“All right, my mistake. Still, if Shalnark hadn’t been so fixated on you, Kurama, always muttering your name, I doubt I would have found you so… memorable.”

Though the smile on the black-haired youth’s face didn’t change, his final words were brimming with hidden meaning.

Kurama met his gaze with a knowing smile but didn’t reply.

He was well aware that this was just another subtle test from Chrollo and Shalnark.

There was no reason for their relationship to be so harmonious or even “pleasant”—after all, Kurama had never introduced himself to Shalnark. So, how did Shalnark know his name?

And how could Shalnark, who had stalked Kurama and helped Chrollo devise the “perfect plan” against him, be so obliviously left stranded on a tiny island in the vast sea?

There were plenty of questions to be raised between the two sides. Yet Kurama’s inscrutable attitude and his almost supernatural ability to outmaneuver Shalnark made the Troupe’s two core members cautious, opting for this method to probe and approach him.

There was no need to make this explicit—both sides understood.

So Kurama merely smiled ambiguously and had no intention of picking up Chrollo’s thread.

But just because he remained silent didn’t mean everyone else would.

Surprisingly, the one who spoke first wasn’t Hisoka (Hisoka: …), but Illumi.

“Kurama?”

Though his face was expressionless, constrained by his “pinned” features, the look Illumi directed at Kurama was clearly laced with puzzlement and… was that mockery?

For a split second, Kurama thought he must be mistaken—how could the eldest son of the Zoldycks so easily let slip a true emotion?

Sure enough, a moment later, those slitted eyes—so unlike Illumi’s real features—had gone utterly blank once more.

Kurama blinked, bemused.

“Jitara Gu?”

He offered no explanation, simply responding as if answering Illumi’s call, casually repeating his “name.”

This seemingly irrelevant response made Illumi emit two faint, mechanical clicks—just as he had before when he’d tried to express that he was “laughing out loud.”

Kurama suddenly felt an urge to laugh.

So he did.

“That’s why I said, we’re ‘the same kind,’” he said, meeting Illumi’s eyes directly.

Those narrow, almost eerie eyes flashed for a split second with a barely perceptible understanding and… amusement?

Kurama raised an eyebrow, realizing he might—like many others—have misunderstood something essential about this assassin.

He cast Illumi a thoughtful glance, quietly planting a faint seed of doubt in his heart.

The time that followed was neither difficult nor pleasant; Illumi stayed silent, Hisoka stood beside him wearing that sweet and eerie smile, while the newly gathered Shalnark and Chrollo proved to be excellent conversationalists—especially Chrollo, whose conversation was a pleasure. Whatever the topic, he could discuss it knowledgeably, always offering unique insights—it was true, he was an extraordinarily charming man.

Of course, that was if you ignored the subtle, ever-present attempts at fishing for information and the occasional, almost imperceptible probing questions lurking beneath seemingly aimless chat.

Kurama, however, had little to worry about in this regard.

Among the four protagonists of “Yu Yu Hakusho,” the fox was always the strategist. Fans had long lauded his cleverness and wisdom, whether in battle or daily life.

Thus, as long as Kurama stayed attentive, Chrollo’s attempts at fishing were nothing to fret over.

Besides, idle chatter made for a pleasant diversion. With this in mind, Kurama found his conversation with the Troupe’s duo surprisingly enjoyable. As for his companions, though…

Shalnark, for all his smiling, now appeared occasionally stiff and forced, clearly fatigued by the increasingly complex exchange.

As for Chrollo…

The leader remained lively and engaged throughout; Kurama guessed that perhaps he hadn’t encountered such a worthy opponent in some time, and the challenge had roused his competitive spirit.

Embracing the mindset of “since I’ve drawn their attention, I might as well face it head-on,” the fox grew ever more open and relaxed in his exchange with Chrollo.

Eventually, Shalnark could no longer keep pace with their wild, unpredictable conversation. With a fixed smile, he withdrew to join Hisoka—incidentally, the look the magician gave him when he approached was enough to make the Troupe’s “brain” shudder inwardly.

…Had this guy gotten excited before the exam even started? What sort of stimulus had he received?

Shalnark, who had a fair understanding of this rarely encountered member, wondered silently, then pulled out his phone and began fiddling with it.

For a while, the group of five stuck out like a sore thumb, drawing every eye—yet not a single person dared to openly observe them, and so, oddly, a strange harmony prevailed.

This equilibrium lasted until the examination hall’s doors opened for the final time, and a burst of exuberant voices heralded the arrival of three newcomers, subtly shifting the balance.

Though Kurama continued his lively conversation with Chrollo, his thoughts had already drifted to the three who had just entered—

The main protagonists had arrived.

This signaled not only the imminent start of the exam but also that, after nearly two years in this world, Kurama was finally stepping into the main storyline—however unintentionally.

The Hunter License was crucial to his next steps, and since he knew this year’s exam process inside out, it would have been uncharacteristic of him not to take advantage of that.

So Kurama had come—even knowing he’d encounter many key characters along the way.

In hindsight, his decision hadn’t been a bad one, aside from… the two unexpected Spiders.

Thinking of the blond, blue-eyed Kurta avenger among the main group, Kurama looked at Chrollo with a trace of amusement.

This made the black-haired man falter for just a moment.

In reality, Kurama had always kept himself well-guarded. Even when Gon and the others entered, he hadn’t betrayed the slightest reaction.

So now, when his expression shifted so noticeably, it would have been odd for Chrollo not to notice.

Chrollo’s words paused, but then he offered another polished, courteous smile:

“What is it? Did something interesting occur to you?”

Kurama regarded him for a moment, his expression hard to read.

Chrollo found himself frowning inwardly.

After their brief exchange, he felt more and more unable to read this gentle-looking red-haired boy.

According to Shalnark’s earlier report, Kurama hadn’t even activated his nen when they first met.

Yet this same Kurama had detected Shalnark in Zetsu, and even managed to strand him on an island without his knowledge.

This was far beyond “interesting”—if Kurama had intended harm, the Troupe would have lost their strategist, disrupting many plans and arrangements. Moreover…

The morale of the members would have been deeply shaken.

Chrollo often claimed that the Troupe’s legs or its head were all replaceable; the group’s constant turnover seemed to prove it. Yet, from the very start, none of the original members who’d followed him had ever fallen behind—a fact that spoke volumes. Their leader, at least, was not so indifferent to his members’ “departures” as he claimed.

He subconsciously touched his lips, his gaze toward Kurama growing ever more placid—though beneath the calm, a profound curiosity and wariness smoldered—

What secrets did this boy conceal? Why did the deeper their conversation went, the more unfathomable he became?

Now, Chrollo felt not just intrigued, but truly challenged.

But after so long without such a rival, the leader of thieves felt no impatience—only a mounting anticipation. He had a feeling things would become ever more “interesting.”

And that mysterious white creature that had plagued him for so long… perhaps, from this boy, he might finally obtain an answer.

Watching the red-haired youth before him, seemingly oblivious to his every calculation, Chrollo’s lips curled in a hidden smile, a flash of ambition flickering in his eyes.