Leorio nearly gives up and stops, but as he sees Gon waiting for him, he gains the motivation to catch up with the rest of the candidates. Satotz, the first examiner introduces himself and tells the participants to follow him through the tunnel as part of the first exam phase.Īs applicants drop from fatigue, Gon befriends Killua. Other applicants are introduced the most notable are Hisoka, who nearly killed an examiner from last year's examination, and Killua, who shows to be tolerant of Tonpa's drink. They did not fall for his trick, though, for they are able to detect the laxatives in the drinks. They befriend Tonpa, an applicant known to be the "Rookie Crusher", who offers them drinks containing laxatives. The navigator leads them to a small restaurant's back room, which is actually an elevator that goes a hundred floors underground to the tunnel where applicants wait. Gon, Kurapika and Leorio arrive at Zaban City, the venue of the exam. Impressed, the creatures reveal themselves to be the navigators and fly them to the exam venue. They proceed to help a couple and chase the beast, discovering that both couple and beast are actually a family. Upon reaching the cedar tree, they find the navigators being attacked by a shape-shifting creature, the Kiriko. It dawns to Kurapika that it is a trick question and manages to stop Leorio from spoiling the correct response, which led to them being sent to the correct path. She poses a similar riddle which angers Leorio who proceeds to attack the old woman. Upon reaching a small town, an old lady posts a riddle, and a scheming participant who followed the three goes ahead to answer, who later got the permission to pass. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio reach Dolle Harbor and are given a tip by the Captain to head for the cedar tree on the hilltop behind the city. The captain is impressed and brings them to the port closest to the exam site. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio help to save Katzo. They then step out on the deck to fight, but are interrupted when Katzo, a crew member, is about to fall out of the ship. Kurapika and Leorio have a dispute among themselves because Kurapika rudely addresses Leorio and Leorio insults Kurapika's clan. He shortlists Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio and asks for their reasons for wanting to become Hunters. The Captain is actually hired by the Hunter Association to shortlist applicants for the exam. Aboard the ship going to the location of the examination, Gon impresses the Captain when he predicts a violent storm approaching. Twelve-year-old Gon Freecss catches Whale Island's monster fish, the " Master of the Swamp" and gains permission from his reluctant aunt Mito to take the Hunter Exam.