"Welcome to HxH Dark. I oversee the first exam, known as the Snake Father," he announced, a moniker that drew a scoff from me as I stood with Zoro and Daru against the back wall.

“What, he’s not an NPC?” Daru questioned.

“387 players,” the Snake Father remarked, stroking his chin. "It's a disordered number, unsettling. It needs order for my peace of mind."

Here we go.

“I decree the number to be 300,” he proclaimed.

“This is utter nonsense,” I muttered.

Zoro and Daru eyed the Snake Father intently. I wasn't scared of a fight to the death; I'd entered the game prepared for anything. But I didn't want to start calculating odds from scratch. I wanted to have a bit of fun.

"Trim your ranks to three hundred. The first test concludes upon reaching this count. Fail to comply, and I'll do it for you, arbitrarily."

With a collective understanding, chaos ensued. Gunfire and clashing metal echoed throughout.

I gestured for Zoro and Daru to follow as we hugged the wall. No weapons, not even a dagger.

“You guys packing?” I inquired.

"Nope," Zoro replied.

"Seriously, how did we overlook this?" Daru exclaimed.

While we had dined earlier, I had been perusing the system screen and stumbled upon a revelation...

“We can exchange a life for points to purchase weapons from the system store,” I whispered as if anyone could hear us.

With only three life points to spare, and one already depleted, I cursed.

Zoro and Daru swiftly accessed their system screens, engrossed in their own plans. Given our team status, I could easily monitor their progress.

Without hesitation, I converted a life heart into currency through my system window. Before us, the chaos unfolded with people falling, bullets piercing flesh, and the snake's mouth sealing off the sole exit as the elevator remained stubbornly shut.

Silently, the three of us purchased swords, a decision reached without verbal exchange, though pistols were also an option.

A collective surprise rippled through us as we assessed our newfound armaments.

"Let's focus on defense and leave the offense to the gun wielders," Zoro suggested.

Without protest, we acknowledged him as the de facto leader, given his mastery compared to our novice skills.

Facing the wall, swords drawn, a sudden hail of bullets forced me into action. Instinctively, I deflected two bullets with my katana, marveling at Zoro's technique as my jaw dropped for the umpteenth time that day.

"Are you alright?" Zoro inquired.

“With you here, how could we not be?” Daru replied.

Suddenly, a wave of uncertainty washed over me, my resolve crumbling as I dropped to my knees, sword slipping from my grasp. It felt as though I'd been hit by a paralyzing technique from a previous gaming world. Raising my head, I saw everyone, including Zoro, on their knees beside me.

As the snake's mouth reopened, a potent aura emanated from the Snake Father, distorting the scene before us like a mirage in the desert.

“Excellent,” proclaimed the Snake Father. “The first test concludes. It was quite the spectacle. Proceed through the tunnel to the second exam. Farewell.”

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With the closing of the snake's mouth came a rush of dusty wind tinged with the scent of blood. The ground trembled, and in an instant, the snake vanished.

Swiftly, I rose and approached a nearby corpse, spotting a firearm beside it. Securing the weapon, I stashed it in my system items box before scavenging for bullets among the deceased. Moving from body to body, I gathered loot—a gun, several bullets, two daggers—discarding superfluous items before rejoining Zoro and Daru.

“I managed to get a gun,” I announced.

“I wouldn't have even thought to check if I hadn't seen you pick it up, but alas, I was too slow,” Daru lamented.

“My sword suffices, though I do yearn for two more,” Zoro asserted.

"I can lend you mine. I've got two daggers," I offered, retrieving my sword from the box.

"Really?" Zoro's eyes gleamed as he accepted my sword.

"I'll contribute mine as well. Could I borrow a dagger, Cal?" Daru chimed in.

“Of course,” I agreed.

With evident delight, Zoro claimed both swords, balancing one in his teeth as he toyed with the other.

Watching him effortlessly deflect bullets earlier made me realize it made more sense for him to wield my sword, given his familiarity with handling three blades in the world of One Piece. As for me, a dagger sufficed for defense, especially since I had a gun for offense.

Handing the spare dagger to Daru, I asked, "Will one dagger suffice for your needs? We might part ways with Zoro, unable to return your sword."

Grinning, Daru accepted the dagger. "I bought the sword for Zoro. The dagger's perfect for me, don't worry."

"Thanks," Zoro acknowledged. "I'll repay the favor."

***

As other teams ventured into the tunnel, we hastened to join them.

Glancing at my system screen, I remarked, “It's fortunate the duels remain closed. We'd face challenges with pistols and swords otherwise.”

“If someone dares to challenge me, they'll regret it,” Daru declared confidently.

“Challenges are unarmed for now, offering only a 50-50 chance without nen. Not worth risking your life,” Zoro cautioned.

“I wonder what the second test entails,” I mused aloud.

“We dodged a bullet there. If we'd been targeted first, it could've been curtains,” Daru reflected.

“If Cal hadn't spotted the opportunity to sell world hearts for swords, we'd be goners. Should've bought weapons before dining like fools,” Zoro chided himself.

“You saved us, mate. I'll scour the system for more intel,” Daru acknowledged, joining Zoro in accessing his system screen.

I couldn't shake the guilt of withholding crucial information from them initially, nearly leading to our downfall. Perhaps if I had shared sooner, they would've considered purchasing weapons beforehand. But even armed, none of us desired to take a life for the sake of satisfying the Snake Father's whims.

"Wait, did 80 people really die in this first exam? They're actually dead! Damn!" I muttered, my mindset still attuned to legal worlds, where death held little consequence. Despite this, I found myself scavenging their bodies without a second thought.

“I forgot something. I'll catch up with you,” I announced, darting back to the bodies with the intention of offering a prayer, not out of altruism, but to ease my own guilt.

Upon my return, most of the bodies had vanished.

"Where did they disappear to?" I questioned, only to find Zoro and Daru behind me.

***

Pressing forward, we were determined not to be tardy for the second exam.

"It's just a game. Maybe that's why they vanished," Daru speculated.

“But why did some remain? It wouldn't be realistic in a game that prioritizes realism. Something's fishy,” Zoro mused.

"Perhaps they're not dead yet?" I suggested.

“Hard to say, but I wouldn't discount any possibility. Answers might lie in the upcoming tests,” Zoro reasoned.

“I've been uneasy since the start, knowing our luck could get us killed. It's unfair to some of them,” Daru voiced his concern.

Eventually, we reached the tunnel's end, where a massive door loomed shut.

Taking a moment to rest on the floor alongside others, we were roused by the door's movement.

As it parted like stage curtains, a bald, shirtless, muscular man clad in white shorts stood before us. Emblazoned across his chest was a tattoo of wings. Behind him sprawled a vast arena, encircled by stands. Among the spectators, I recognized a few faces, exchanging knowing glances with Zoro and Daru.

“Welcome to HxH Dark,” the bald man announced. "I am Blackwings, supervisor for the second test."

"What's going on?"

"Are we being pranked?"

“I thought this was Dark VR.”

Confusion and protest erupted as the crowd spotted familiar faces in the stands.

“Don't you think some of them were just unlucky? Those who died from sheer folly are truly gone, but these folks were merely unlucky. So, we've granted them a second chance. Each will select a partner for a deadly duel.”