Hunter x Hunter Episode 3: Rivals x for x Survival

Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio arrive in Zaban City and head to the Hunter Exam site, which turns out to be a small, unassuming restaurant next to a tall building. The navigator orders a specific item as a passcode, granting them access to a back room that descends via elevator into an underground tunnel filled with over 400 applicants.

In the elevator, Leorio argues that Hunters pursue wealth, while Kurapika insists they seek honor; they ask Gon his view, but the doors open before he answers. Inside the large exam hall, the group encounters Tonpa, a veteran applicant on his 35th attempt who offers them laxative-laced juice disguised as a welcoming drink; Gon drinks multiple glasses and reveals he is immune to poison.

Tonpa explains exam dynamics to the rookies, noting the high applicant count and survival focus, while other candidates like a silver-haired boy on rollerblades, a clownish man with cards, and a mustached man observe the scene. The examiner, Satotz—a tall man with a mustache—arrives, asks if anyone wants to withdraw (none do), and announces Phase One: an endurance run of unknown length through the tunnel.

The applicants begin running as the phase starts, with the trio keeping pace amid the crowd.