3rd Person's P.O.V

All remaining participants of the Hunter Exam gathered in one room inside the airship.
"Allow me to introduce myself to the remaining applicants." Netero began. "I am Netero, Chairman of this yer's Hunter Exam Selection Commitee."
"I am his secretary, Beans." Beans followed right after.

"Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as I'm already here..." the chairman paused for moment before continuing, "I'm loving this twnsion in the air! So I think I'll stick around for the rest of the trip." Netero chuckled. "We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrows morning, at 8 AM. You'll find dinner waiting in the dining hall. You are also welcome to get some rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted." Beans finished explaining.

A certain silverette turned to his friend. "Okay, Gon! Let's explore the ship!" "Yeah!" Gon nodded then they ran off. "How can they have so much energy? I'm hitting the sack." Leorio said, his hnds in his pockets. "You can say that again." Kurapika said as they turn to walk to the door. "However, I do have one concern..." the blonde trailed off. "Hmm? What's up?" "How many more phases are there?" the Kurta asked. "Oh. They've never mentioned that, have they?" the two friends stopped right in front of the door.

"On average, there are five to six phases." Tonpa said as he walk to the pair. "Which means we still three or four to go..." the future doctor trailed off. "All the more reason to rest now." Kurapika said as they start to walk to the door again. "But you should be careful." this caused them to stip on their tracks. "Huh?" "The secretary only told us when we'll arrive at our destination. It's possible that the third exam would take place on this airship itself. And it doesn't necessarily mean that—" "That's obviously a lie."

They turn to the source of the voice to see the trio walking to them. "If the third phase would take place here in the airship, they could've told us to stay put instead of telling us to do as we please." "Only an idiot would make up that lie." Y/n said monotonously. "Nishishi, ne Tonpa-san~ Don't tell me you forgot that we've got a human lie detector here." Kokichi said with and evil grin on his face. "You better not be lying if you don't want you pants on fire." "O-of course I haven't forgot about that." Tonpa laughed nervously. "You're shaking." Rantaro pointed out. "I bet you even pissed your pants right now." Kokichi laughed and
Y/n chuckeld. "What's wrong Tonpa-san? Are you scared?" the girl taunted with a smirk on her face. Tonpa turned around and walk away, still shaking while mumbling "Damn brats!"

Kokichi laughed, putting his hands behind his head. "Niheehee. We got him again. Two points for us." "I feel bad for the guy. You literally scared him to death." Rantaro said as he lean on the doorframe. "I'm impressed ya kiddos. You easily scared him off." Leorio said as he try to pat Y/n's head. "Please don't..." the (h/c) head pushed his hand and went to the door, her friends following after her. "Don't worry old timer. She may seem cold but she's just shy." Kokichi whispered to the soon-to-be doctor as he follow his friends. "That girl is such a mystery it's almost scary." Kurapika said as they walk to the door. "She's kinda strange." Leorio agreed to his friends statement. "But I kinda saw a faint pink color on her face when she pushed your hand." "I guess her purple-haired brother was right."

Y/n's P.O.V

I sat down on the floor and lean on the wall behing me, closing my eyes. "Eh?! Why is nii-chan sitting beside nee-chan?!" I hear Kokichi ask and I open my eyes. "Because I wanna lean my head on Y/n's shoulder." "But I wanna lean my head on nii-chan's shoulder!" "Me too!" I said as I stand up. "So that means..." We pushed Rantaro a little so that there is a little space between him and the wall. "You'll sit between us!" Kokichi and I said at the same time as we lean our heads on his shoulders and cover ourselves with a blanket. I hear Rantaro sighed and say, "Goodnight otouto and imouto." "Goodnight Taro-niichan!" we closed our eyes and went to sleep.

The next day>>8 AM

"I apologize for the long wait."
I woke up and rub my eyes. "The airship will soon arrive at its destination." I gently shook Rantaro and Kokichi and said, "Hey, wake up the both of you. It's 8 AM. Monokuma already played the morning anouncement." "Nee-chan...we're not in Danganronpa and Monokuma doesn't exist in this world so stop joking..." Kokichi said, half awake and I giggled. "C'mon you sleepyheads, let's go." I stood up nd took my bag as I walk to the door.

We got off the airship with the other applicants and look around. There's nothing here. "Where are we?" I hear Rantaro said beside me. "I don't know." I said as I cross my arms. "Ahem..." We all turn to Beans. "Everyone, the exam's Third Phase will begim here, at the top of Trick Tower." he began. "To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. The time limit is 72 hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I will pray for your success."
he finished.

"Let's start looking for an entrance."
I turn to my friends. "But there's nothing here." Kokichi said as he spread his arms. "There might be hidden doors here. Let's go." Rantaro said and we split up to find an entrance. Suddenly, we heard a scream. 'I guess he tried climbing on the tower's side.'

After some time, I counted how many of us here. There are only twenty-three of us left. I went back to meet up with my friends. "Have you found any?" I asked them. "Yeah." "But one door can only be used once. I tried opening a door that a person used and it won't budge." said Rantaro. "Well then, let's go." I said and went in front of a door. "We'll meet up later, at the tower's base." "Yeah. This is a goodbye for now." "Okay on 3...." "2...." "1...."
We all jump on a door and I arrive in a room with four other people.

"Wait! You guys are Leorio-san, Kurapika-san and Gon-san. I sincerely apologize for my rude behavior back then." I said and knelt down.
"It's okay and no honorifics please. You can stand up now." Kurapika said and I stood up. "Ah! It's Y/n!" I turn to that familiar voice and was immediately wrapped in someone's arms. "K-killua-kun...." he pulled away and wrapped his arm on my shoulder. "How many years has it been? 20? 50? And drop the kun it's lame." "6 years Killua." I comically sweat-dropped. "Wait a sec! You know each other?" Gon asked. "Yep! We're the best of friends!" "No we're not. We're just playmates." "Eh?! But our parents are best friends so that makes us best friends too!" I sighed and walk to a sign and read the texts. "The six of you must follow the will of the majority to reach the goal."

"Six of us?" I took a stopwatch. "Look. There are six stopwatches. So that means that we have to wait for one more person." I said as they all take a stopwatch. "There's an O and X button." Killua said as he look at his stopwatch. "Could it be that we won't be able to leave this room until another person drops in?" Kurapika said as we put our stopwatches on our wrists. "That is correct!" We turn to the speaker at the other side of the room. "Who's that?!" "My name is Lippo. I am the prison warden here as well the the Third Phase examiner." the person introduced himself.

"Prison warden?" I said as I raise an eyebrow. "Multiple routes through this tower have been prepared. You have chosen the path of majority rule. Cooperation will be key if you wish to clear this phase of the exam. One person's selfish behavior can derail an entire group. And you can't start until you have six members. Best of luck, gentlemen!" then the voice is gone. "We can't move u til someone arrives. What do we do?" Leorio ask as we turn to the last stopwatch. "We have no choice but to wait." I said as I walk to the corner of the room and sat down.

two hours later>>

"Oh come on!" Leorio stood up. "It's been two hours... What if the others all took different routes? Only a fool woyld still be at the top of the tower!" "Calm down Leorio. Complaining won't help." Kurapika said, trying to calm him down. "But... What if no one shows up before we reach our time limit? Hey!" I hear a tap and look up at the ceiling. "I can't just sit here and..." "Shh...quiet." I pointed at the ceiling. I stood up and a person dropped in. "Good grief." 'That voice.'
"Tonpa-san..." "Oh." "It's the old man."

I handed the stopwatch to Tonpa and he put it on. "Okay!" Then a door appeared in front of us. "I see. So the door appears once six people arrive and put on the stopwatches." Kurapika said as we walk to the door. "At this door, select O to open X not to open." Gon read the text. "Forcing us to use majority rule already? The answer should be obvious..." We all pressed O, except for one. I sighed. "Tonpa-san, don't even try and plot your schemes while I'm around." "Sorry. I pressed X by accident." I scoffed and exit the door.

I wait for them as they calm Leorio down. "Seriously. Another question so soon?" I read the text, "Which way do you want to go? O for right X for left." I pressed O and it showed that four of us pressed O and two pressed X. "Hoh?! Wh-why would you choose to go right? Normally you should go left..." Leorio said as he look at us. Kurapika turn to him. "That is true." "Studies have indicated that people who are lost or stuck are forks unconciously tend to go left." I said, crossing my arms. "I've heard of that before, too." Killua said as he held his index finger up. "Wait! The numbers don't add up! Which button did you press?" Leorio asked, pointing at us. "Right." "Right." "I chose right."
"Y-you guys..." Leorio trailed off.

We all turn around a corner.
"Wh-what is this place?" I hear Leorio ask behind me. "Look over there." Killua said and we look at the other side to see six other people, their faces covered by a cloth and they are handcuffed. "The applicants have arrived. Remove the shackles." we hear a click after that. The man removed the cloth covering his face and stepped forward. "I'm finally free." I could now see his face clearly. He is bald and had scars on his head.

"Allow me to explain gentlemen." we hear Lippo's voice again. "Before you are some of Trick Tower's prisoners."
'Well, it's clearly obvious.' I thought to myself. "The Hunter Exam Committee has also officially hired them as examiners. You will be fighting against the six of them. The fights will be one-on-one. Each person may only fight once. You are free to use any method you like. There will be no draws. A win is declared when the opponent admits defeat." He explained. "You may pick your order. It's majority rule, so secure four wins, and you may pass. The rules are simple." the man in front of us explained. "Tsk... Majority rule again?" "Well, I prefer straight-forward rules." Killua said beside me. "However, the actual fights will noy be quite simple. The prisoners' sentences will be reduced by one year, for evey hour they delay applicants here. In other words, their goal is to buy time." "I see..." I trailed off. "And we must reach the goal within seventy-two hours. So time will be critical during these fights." Kurapika said as he look as his stopwatch.

"Okay, I'm up first. Choose you combatant." the bald guy said with a smirk on his face. "Well then! Tonpa-san, it's your time to shine!" I said as I push him forward. "Sure, I'll act as a guinea pig so we can discover what they're up to. Consider this as an apology for earlier." He said and went to the center. "I'm sure he'll surrender." I muttered to myself.

"Now, let us determine the method of combat. I propose a death match." The man said and I gasped. "A death match?" "They fight until one dies?" "No... don't let him provoke you!" "He'll definitely surrender." I mumbled. "Well?" "Very well... I accept!" Tonpa sid and I smirked. "I commend you for your courage." The man prepared to attack. I crossed my arms and went to lean on the wall behind me. "Let the fight begin!" The man leaped in tge air and Tonpa raised his arms. "I...I give!" "Pfft!" I try to stiffle my laugh. "A-as expected." "Did he just give up?" I hear Gon ask. 'Yes Gon. He surrendered.' "M-maybe he meant give me a sec?"

Tonpa came back and I couldn't hold it any longer. I bursted out laughing. "I... knew I saw t-that....c-coming!" I said between laughs. "Please calm down Leorio-san. We'll just have to win four times." I said as soon I calmed down. "However, if their goal is to buy time, then the old man made the right choice." We turn to Killua. "That bald guy is probably a former soldier or mercenary. Had you fought him, he would have started by crushing your throat, so you couldn't have given up." "Then he would have tortured you without killing you, for the rest of the remaining time...." I finished Killua's statement. "Th-that was one of the possibilities I took into consideration..." "That's obviously a lie. You look sick." I said monotonously. "Who' going next?" I asked. "Me! I'll go!" Go raised his hand and I look at the other side. He's going to fight a skinny man. "He doesn't look that strong but don't let your guard down. He's still a criminal." I said to Gon and he nodded. "I won't."

To be continued...