Survival in the Ruins: I can make everything evolve infinitely

Chapter 12: A Chat x Netero’s Game

“Hey, you two brats! If you’re hungry, go to the cafeteria! Stop messing around in the kitchen!”

A sudden shout sent two small boys tumbling out of the kitchen, courtesy of an irate chef.

“Stingy!” Killua huffed, munching on a large bone-in piece of meat he had swiped from the kitchen.

“Hehe…” Gon scratched his head with an embarrassed smile. He felt bad about causing trouble in the kitchen but didn’t say much—having a friend his age to play with was a rare treat.

“Ah, it’s Brother Lorraine!”

Gon’s face lit up as he spotted Lorraine down the corridor. His shout was both genuine and strategic, aiming to divert Killua’s attention.

“That guy?” Killua paused, following Gon’s gaze. He remembered Lorraine clearly from the second test, where the man had left quite an impression.

Killua’s interest was piqued, and as Gon had hoped, his attention shifted. “Let’s go say hi.”

“Brother Lorraine, what are you doing here?” Gon and Killua rounded the corner, approaching with curiosity.

Lorraine had already heard their voices and replied without turning around, “Enjoying the view.”

“The view?”

The two boys looked at each other in confusion before stepping closer.

“Wow, it’s beautiful!” Gon exclaimed, his face lighting up.

The airship was flying over a city below. Unlike the dazzling brightness of a bustling metropolis, this city had sparse, scattered lights, outlining only fragments of its streets.

The contrast of light against darkness made for an unexpectedly breathtaking scene.

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While Gon marveled at the view, Killua had other thoughts. Ignoring the scenery, he edged closer to Lorraine.

“Hey, during the second test, you were serious, weren’t you?” Killua asked.

“Serious about what?” Lorraine turned slightly, puzzled.

“About refusing the retest and planning to eliminate everyone else to get your Hunter License,” Killua clarified.

“Yeah, I was serious,” Lorraine admitted without hesitation.

“Ah! That’s so mean!” Gon exclaimed.

“Haha, that’s hilarious!” Killua laughed.

Their simultaneous reactions made them glance at each other, and soon they were laughing together.

Lorraine watched the two boys’ antics with a deadpan expression.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“You’re Lorraine, right? I like your style,” Killua said with a grin. “What do you think would happen if I tried to eliminate all the other candidates in the next test? Think that old man would cry?”

“Better not,” Lorraine replied casually. “There are some real freaks among the candidates. Trying to beat them all might not end well for you.”

For Killua, “not end well” merely meant some misfortune.

After all, the two most dangerous contestants—Hisoka and Gittarackur—were anomalies. Hisoka wouldn’t harm a promising young “apple,” and Gittarackur happened to be Killua’s brother.

The worst-case scenario would simply mean leaving the test early.

“What? Me, unlucky?” Killua frowned, now intrigued by the challenge Lorraine had indirectly proposed.

“Why don’t you try sneaking up on Hisoka?” Lorraine suggested with a smirk.

“Uh…”

Killua froze, then laughed sheepishly.

Though confident in his abilities, his instincts, honed by his brother’s training, told him that Hisoka was an opponent he couldn’t defeat.

“Forget it. Copying you would be boring,” Killua huffed, turning away.

“Brother Lorraine, what did Chairman Netero mean when he said you were specially granted Hunter Exam eligibility?” Gon asked, his curiosity shifting the topic.

“Oh, that. It’s like your retest—just a way to let me sign up late,” Lorraine replied nonchalantly.

“Sign up late…”

“Wait, wait, don’t tell me you didn’t register for the Hunter Exam!” Killua exclaimed, incredulous.

“That’s right,” Lorraine admitted with a sigh. “I ended up in the exam by accident. I was planning to leave, but the tests seemed interesting, so I stayed.”

He wasn’t lying.

Having stumbled into the elevator leading to the first test, Lorraine had initially intended to observe and leave. But when his system upgraded his physical abilities, the Hunter Exam suddenly became a lot more entertaining.

Gon and Killua, however, were dumbfounded.

“Accidentally joined the exam? Stayed because it seemed fun?”

Gon thought about the effort he’d put in just to reach the exam site. Killua considered how Lorraine had almost eliminated everyone for the fun of it.

As absurd as it sounded, Lorraine’s laid-back demeanor—complete with pajamas and flip-flops—made them reluctantly believe him.

“If the disqualified candidates knew about you, they’d lose their minds,” Killua quipped.

Gon nodded in agreement.

Reaching the test site alone had a success rate of one in ten thousand. Accidentally wandering into the exam was a level of luck that defied reason.

Suddenly, a powerful aura surged from one side of the corridor, snapping all three into alertness.

They turned toward the source, only to find nothing but empty space.

From the opposite direction, Netero appeared, his expression calm and cheerful as he approached.

“What are you all doing here?” Netero asked, feigning curiosity.

Lorraine froze for a moment, recognizing the scene. With a resigned sigh, he returned his gaze to the scenery outside.

“Mr. Netero, did you see someone over there just now?” Gon asked, pointing toward the direction of the aura.

“Someone? Nope, didn’t see a thing,” Netero replied.

Killua, however, narrowed his eyes at Netero. “For your age, you’re pretty spry.”

“Oh ho ho! I was just taking a walk!” Netero chuckled, his gaze filled with amusement.

To him, Killua was an intriguing toy—a young talent with keen instincts and exceptional skill.

As for the other two…

Lorraine was already a target Netero had his eye on. Even Gon, with his sharp reactions, showed potential.

Tonight won’t be boring, Netero thought mischievously.

Outwardly, he maintained his friendly demeanor. “Do you three have some free time?”

“Free time? It’s supposed to be free activity time right now, isn’t it?” Killua responded.

“Relax, this isn’t part of the exam. I’m just an old man looking for some fun,” Netero said, smiling.

“This is your first Hunter Exam, right? How do you feel about it so far?”

“It’s great!” Gon replied enthusiastically. “It’s not what I expected—no written tests or anything tricky. I was worried it’d be harder!”

“I think it’s boring. I was expecting some real challenges,” Killua said, his eyes locked on Netero.

“Is that so?” Netero stroked his beard thoughtfully before turning to Lorraine. “What about you?”

“It’s fine, I guess. Just disappointed I didn’t get to see the chaos I was hoping for,” Lorraine replied flatly.

“Interesting.” Netero seemed to mull over their answers. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he said, “How about a game? It’s fun, challenging, and a little chaotic.”

Gon and Killua exchanged excited glances.

Lorraine thought for a moment before nodding.

He had been planning to find a room to train and gain some experience points, but if Netero was offering an activity, it seemed worth trying.