Zephina stood between Leorio and Gon as Netero addressed the remaining applicants. His commanding presence filled the room, though his eyes held a hint of mischief that didn't escape her notice.

"I will now take the opportunity to introduce myself properly to the remaining forty-two applicants. I am Netero, the chairman of the selection committee for this year's Hunter Exam. It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Netero announced, his voice carrying easily through the chamber.

"And I'm his secretary, Beans," added the small green man whom Zephina recognized from the exam entrance.

"I had originally planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but seeing as I'm already here..." Netero paused, his eyes scanning the crowd with obvious delight. "I have to admit, there's nothing I love more than this feeling of tension in the air. So, I think I'll stick around for the remainder of the trip."

"We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrow morning at eight AM exactly," Beans explained from his position beside Netero. "You'll find dinner waiting for you in the dining hall. You're also welcome to get some rest, of course. You're free to do as you please until we contact you. The evening is yours."

Killua turned to Gon and Zephina with an infectious smile. "Hey, come on, Gon! Let's go explore the airship! You too, Zephi!"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Zephina agreed, her fatigue momentarily forgotten as she dashed off with her new friends.

"They have so much energy," Leorio mumbled as he watched them leave. "Not me, though. All I want to do is crash."

"As do I," Kurapika agreed with a weary nod, absently fiddling with a delicate bracelet on his right wrist. "However, there is one thing that still concerns me."

"Oh? What's up?" Leorio asked as they walked out of the room together.

"How many phases are there in the exam?" Kurapika wondered aloud, his brow furrowed.

"Huh. Yeah, they haven't said, have they?" Leorio realized.

"As long as I've been doing this, it's averaged five or six," Tonpa interjected as he approached them, his ever-present smirk in place.

"Which means we've got another three or four left to go," Leorio groaned, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Well, in that case, we should get some rest now, while we can," Kurapika suggested, turning to leave.

"Okay, but I'd be careful if I were you," Tonpa warned, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "You heard the secretary, right? He only told us when we're arriving. He didn't say that the third phase of the exam wasn't going to happen right here on the airship itself. And we'll be notified, but who knows if that'll be at eight AM or not?"

"Hold on, are you serious?" Leorio whipped his head around to stare at Tonpa.

"I suppose that makes sense." Kurapika raised a knuckle to his chin, considering the possibility.

"You might wake up and find out that the exam already took place and you slept right through it," Tonpa continued. "If you want to get to the next phase, then you better not let your guard down, even up here. Understand?"

"C'mon, gimme a break," Leorio grumbled. "Well, thanks for the advice. See ya later."

"We'll be sure to keep it in mind," Kurapika added as he departed with Leorio.

"Good luck to all of us!" Tonpa called with a calculating grin.

Kurapika dismissed Tonpa's warning as they walked toward one of the designated resting rooms. The corridor lights had dimmed slightly, creating a more restful atmosphere despite the gentle hum of the airship's engines.

As they walked, Leorio glanced at Kurapika's wrist, noticing how he continued to play with his bracelet absent-mindedly.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, where'd you get that bracelet?" Leorio inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Kurapika looked up from the floor and offered a small, genuine smile. "A friend of mine gave it to me. I had hoped that I would find her here at the exam, but I haven't seen her."

"Oh? It's a girl?" Leorio's lips curved into a knowing grin as he nudged Kurapika, who grimaced in response. "Is she that kind of friend? Ya know what I mean?"

Kurapika's gaze dropped, his expression softening. "I don't really know. We never got the chance to talk about it. But I know when I see her again that I would like to be more than friends."

Leorio let out a warm laugh. "I'm rooting for you, buddy."

The comment brought a pink hue to Kurapika's cheeks as he offered a tiny smile. "Thanks."

Meanwhile, Zephina walked down the corridors between Gon and Killua as they continued exploring the airship. The vessel was enormous, with countless passages and chambers to discover.

"Hey, awesome!" Killua exclaimed as he dashed over to the windows, pressing his face against the glass. "Guys, look!"

"What is it?" Gon asked as he and Zephina hurried over to see what had captured Killua's attention. "Woah! It's like it's covered in jewels!"

Zephina gazed at the sparkling city below them, her eyes widening in wonder. "It's beautiful!"

"Yeah!" Killua nodded enthusiastically before plopping down on the bench by the window.

"Hey, so I was wondering," Gon began, his eyes still fixed on the glittering landscape. "Are they...? I mean, where are your parents?"

"Hmm, they're alive. Probably," Killua replied with unsettling casualness.

"What do they do?" Gon asked, and Zephina looked at the white-haired boy curiously.

"They're assassins."

Both Gon and Zephina turned to him with expressions of surprise.

"They both are?" Gon questioned, causing Killua to burst into laughter.

"That's your response? You really are a riot, aren't ya!" Killua cackled, genuine amusement dancing in his eyes.

"You guys aren't the first people I've told about my parents, but you're the first ones to take it seriously," he continued, resting his elbow on the window ledge with his cheek in his palm.

"But it's true, isn't it?" Zephina spoke up, her voice soft but certain.

"Why d'ya think that?" Killua raised an eyebrow.

"Just a hunch," Gon replied simply.

"I could tell that you had a deadly presence when we met," Zephina admitted. "So it makes sense."

"Weird. Most of the time people only like me because they can't tell if I'm serious or not," Killua mused as he stared out the window at the receding lights below. "I'm from a family of assassins, so yeah, they're all in the business of murder. And my entire family, they've got real high hopes for me. But, ya know, I can't stand it. Who wants their whole life mapped out for 'em?"

Zephina hummed thoughtfully as she nodded, understanding his perspective.

"When I told them I wanted to decide my own future, they all flipped out! It was crazy!" Killua continued, his voice rising as he turned to face Gon and Zephina. "My mom had tears just streaming down her face and she kept screaming at me how I had the potential to be a top assassin. Horrible parents, right? No wonder I'm rotten! Then we started fighting, so I slashed my mom in the face and stabbed my brother in the side, and ran away from home. I'm sure they're out for blood now."

"Oh my gosh," Zephina breathed, her eyes widening in shock.

"If they come after me, I'll kill 'em! When I get my license, I'll hunt 'em down to the last one. I'm willing to bet they've got pretty hefty bounties on their heads."

Gon gave a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head, clearly unsure how to respond to such a declaration.

They sat in silence for only a moment before all three of them felt a powerful presence from behind them to their left—a weight in the air that made the hairs on Zephina's neck stand on end.

She whipped around, but there was no one there.

"Something wrong?"

The three turned in the opposite direction to see Chairman Netero approaching them, his gait relaxed and unhurried.

"Mr. Netero? You didn't see anyone coming from that side, did you?" Gon questioned, pointing toward the empty hallway.

The old man hummed thoughtfully. "No, I didn't."

"You're fast. For an old timer," Killua remarked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Oh? That trick? I just barely moved, that's all," Netero replied with a light chuckle that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What do you want? You don't have anything to do 'til the last phase, isn't that right?" Killua snapped, only for Zephina to nudge him gently in warning.

"Now, now. No need to be so unkind," Netero responded before Zephina could scold Killua for his rudeness. "I just got a little bored, so I decided to look for some company."

"Killua," Zephina chided softly, and Killua huffed, backing down slightly with a grimace.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you, any thoughts on your first attempt at the Hunter Exam?" Netero inquired with a mischievous smile.

Gon perked up immediately. "Yeah! It's a lot of fun! There haven't been any written tests yet, and I was kinda worried about that."

"I hadn't thought about written tests," Zephina admitted. "I've had fun! Even with the cooking. I may not have done great, but I enjoyed doing it!"

"I heard from Menchi that your soup was actually pretty tasty. Hard to get a compliment out of that one," Netero revealed.

"Really?!" The young girl's face lit up with excitement.

"I'm disappointed, honestly," Killua interjected. "I expected it to be a lot more challenging. But I assume the next phase will be more interesting?"

"Oh, well. We'll see," the chairman replied with a noncommittal shrug.

Killua huffed and turned around. "Let's go, guys."

"Wait, just a moment," Netero called after them. "Would you like to play a little game with me?"

"Game?" Gon questioned, raising a curious eyebrow.

The old man nodded, a sly smile playing on his lips. "And to make it interesting, if you three can beat me, I'll make you Hunters on the spot."

"Really?! I'll play!" Gon exclaimed, his enthusiasm immediate and unrestrained.

Netero chuckled before looking toward Killua and Zephina. "What about you two? What do you say?"

"Yeah, I guess I'll play," Killua replied with a shrug that failed to hide his interest.

"Hmm, I don't know. I wouldn't feel like a real Hunter if I didn't pass the exam like everyone else," Zephina said thoughtfully, bringing a knuckle to her chin.

"Well, you can still play with us though! Right, Mr. Netero?" Gon replied, ever the optimist.

Chairman Netero chuckled warmly. "Well, sure!"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just watch," Zephina decided. "I want to conserve my energy for what's ahead."

"Smart girl," Netero praised with an approving nod.

"Then come on!" Gon urged, practically bouncing with excitement as they followed Netero to a spacious training room.

The chairman stood in the center of the polished wooden floor, holding a small ball in his palm. "Now, let's go over the rules of the game. All you have to do is simply take this ball away from me. If you can do that before the ship arrives, you win."

The three listened attentively as he continued.

"So, let's see... we're scheduled for an eight AM arrival, yes? Well, that's not too bad. You still have nine hours left. And feel free to use any tactics you want. I will only defend. I promise."

"Huh? That's too easy! It's barely even a game," Gon complained, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Then why not give it a try and see if you're right?" Netero challenged, his eyes twinkling.

Zephina crossed her arms as she watched Netero teasingly hold up the ball.

"All we have to do is take the ball?" Killua repeated skeptically.

"Yes," the chairman confirmed with a serene smile.

"Killua, wait," Zephina cautioned, sensing something amiss in Netero's confidence.

The white-haired boy brushed off her concern. "Don't worry, Zephi. Seems easy enough. I'll give it a shot."

"Go right ahead," Netero encouraged, his stance relaxed yet somehow unbreakable.

Killua stepped forward before beginning to circle the old man with increasing speed, after-images appearing with each step until there seemed to be dozens of him surrounding Netero.

Zephina's eyes widened in recognition. "The Rhythm Echo? How does he...?"

"Rhythm Echo?" Gon questioned, not taking his eyes off the spectacle.

"It's a rare technique," Zephina explained as Killua finally broke the illusion, darting toward the old man with frightening speed. "I've only read about it. I've never seen it performed in person."

Netero braced himself as Killua aimed a sweeping kick at the old man's leg, clearly intending to knock him off balance.

There was a sickening thud as Killua's shin connected, not with yielding flesh, but with something as unyielding as steel. The white-haired assassin tumbled backward, clutching his leg with a pained grimace.

"Ow, his pivot leg," Gon winced sympathetically before raising his arm. "Killua! Tag me! Tag me!"

Killua pushed himself up and limped over to Gon and Zephina, tagging Gon into the game.

"Is your leg okay?" Zephina asked with genuine concern, gently examining Killua's shin.

He started to snap at her but stopped when their eyes met. Instead, he grimaced and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. I'm fine. That old man is made of steel."

The two watched as Gon sprinted toward Netero. At the last second, the agile boy launched himself upward with explosive force, taking everyone by surprise—even Netero.

He jumped so high that his head collided with the ceiling with a resounding crack.

"Idiot!" Killua called out. "We already know how high you can jump, so you don't have to go all out! Focus!"

Zephina joined Killua, sliding down the wall until she was seated beside him. "You had a chance there. He dropped his guard for a second!"

Gon just rubbed his head sheepishly. "Well, that didn't work."

The challenge continued, with both boys taking turns trying to snatch the ball from Netero. Each attempt ended in failure, though they came tantalizingly close several times.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Killua cried after his face smacked right into Netero's impossibly solid form.

The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "You two aren't getting anywhere. Why don't you both try attacking me at once?"

"Why you—" Killua began through gritted teeth.

"Okay! Gotcha now!" Gon announced as he charged forward.

Gon approached from the front while Killua attacked from behind. Netero quickly subdued Gon, using the boy's momentum against him while simultaneously evading Killua's rear assault with a fluid grace that belied his age.

"Not bad! But still not good enough," Netero taunted.

Zephina watched in fascination as the old man effortlessly kept the ball from her fellow teenagers. His movements were precise, economical, and devastatingly effective.

She flinched sympathetically as the two boys collided with each other.

"Ouch," she murmured.

Gon gritted his teeth and launched into his next attempt with renewed determination. He charged at Netero head-on.

"Gotta say, your attacks don't amount to much," Netero taunted before Gon unexpectedly kicked off his boot, which flew directly at the chairman's face, forcing his chin upward.

Killua seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to Netero's back, knocking him forward while he was off-balance. "Now's our chance!"

"I think not!" Netero managed to kick the ball out of Killua's reach—a weak blow, but sufficient to keep it away from the boys. He regained his footing and lunged toward the ball, only for Gon to kick off his other boot, sending the ball careening away from the old man. "Oh! Sneaky kids!"

Both boys pursued the ball, each convinced they would finally claim victory. But Netero appeared between them with blinding speed, knocking them both down before reclaiming the ball.

Killua clenched his teeth in frustration while Gon regarded the chairman with undisguised admiration.

"Well now..." Netero balanced easily on his left leg. "Excellent teamwork! You get an A for effort!"

"You're amazing, Mr. Netero! Really amazing!" Gon exclaimed, genuine appreciation in his voice.

"Ah, forget it. I quit," Killua grumbled as he stood up. "Ya beat me, alright?"

Gon frowned, jumping to his feet. "Don't quit! We still got lots of time. And besides, we came so close just now."

"Come on. You're really clueless, aren't ya? It's hopeless. Think about it," Killua explained with mounting irritation. "The old guy has barely used his right hand or left leg. He's way too powerful for us, Gon. We could keep at this for an entire year and never get that ball."

"Figured it out, did you?" Netero's grin widened.

"Was it supposed to be a secret?" Zephina asked, tilting her head. "I thought it was obvious."

"And here I was thinking I'd been pretty slick about it," Netero replied with a chuckle that suggested he wasn't entirely displeased to be discovered.

"Oh, I get it now," Gon murmured, his eyes widening in realization.

"Ha! You sure know how to piss me off, old man. Let's go, guys," Killua growled as he turned to leave the training room.

Zephina immediately moved to follow him, concerned by the darkness that had briefly flickered across his face.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna play a little longer," Gon announced.

Both Killua and Zephina stared at him in disbelief.

"Huh? Are you deaf? Didn't you hear what I just said? Look! It's pointless! You'll never get the ball from him!" Killua snapped, his patience clearly at its end.

"S'okay, 'cause I don't really care about winning anymore," Gon replied with a determined grin. "We've only used up half of the time limit. I'm gonna see if I can get him to use his right hand before the rest of it runs out!"

Killua studied his friend for a moment, then sighed. "I see. Fine. I get it. Well, good luck. I'm going to bed. You coming, Zephi?"

"Yeah, some rest will be good for tomorrow," she agreed softly.

"Let's go," Killua muttered through clenched teeth.

The two walked out of the gym and into the dimly lit corridor. Killua peeled off his sweat-soaked shirt with an exhausted huff.

"If I had known it would be impossible, I wouldn't have even played his stupid game," he groaned, frustration evident in every line of his body.

Zephina hummed thoughtfully, gently pulling Killua aside as a group of other examinees passed by. "It was good training for you both, though. Besides, you can't win every fight."

"I know, but still. Winning does feel nice. It's less frustrating."

"I agree," Zephina replied with a light chuckle that softened the tension between them.

They continued in comfortable silence until they found a resting room designated for applicants. Various others were already sprawled across the floor, some snoring softly.

Killua slumped against one of the walls and slid to the ground with a thud. "I'm pooped."

Zephina nodded in agreement, settling down beside him. "Me too."

They sat in companionable silence, the gentle hum of the airship's engines creating a soothing backdrop. Gradually, Zephina's exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted sideways until her head rested on Killua's shoulder.

He stiffened at the unexpected contact and turned to protest, but the sight of her peaceful face against his shoulder made the words die in his throat. A flush crept across his cheeks, and he awkwardly averted his gaze. After a moment's hesitation, he relaxed, allowing her to remain there.

His own eyelids grew heavy, the day's exertions finally catching up to him. With a soft sigh, he surrendered to sleep, his head gently coming to rest against Zephina's as the airship carried them toward the next challenge of the Hunter Exam.