The moment Menchi finished speaking, the cooking venue descended into chaos. Most of the applicants looked at one another in bewilderment. Forget making sushi that would satisfy a professional Gourmet Hunter-they did not even know what sushi was. Leorio scratched his head in frustration, leaned close to Lin Ye, and asked urgently in a low voice, "Lin Ye, what exactly is sushi? Raw meat mixed with rice? Grilled rice balls? I've never even seen it before. What are we supposed to do?" "Relax." Lin Ye smiled and waved a hand, leading them to an empty cooking station. He picked up the short-grain rice and rice vinegar on the table and explained patiently, "The heart of sushi is vinegared rice. Mix rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to make sushi vinegar, fold it into steamed short-grain rice, then let it cool to room temperature. That's the foundation. After that, you combine the rice with sliced raw fish, seafood, or other ingredients and shape it into nigiri or roll it into maki." As he spoke, he picked up the ingredients beside him and demonstrated. "Basic nigiri is simple to make. Shape the vinegared rice into a suitable size, lay a prepared slice of raw fish over it, and gently press it into shape. The key is getting the acidity and firmness of the rice just right. The ingredients must be fresh and properly prepared, without any fishy odor, and the textures should have distinct layers." Gon and Killua watched his hands with wide, curious eyes. Seeing the precision with which Lin Ye shaped the sushi, Killua could not help raising an eyebrow. "Lin Ye, how do you even know how to do this? Is there anything you can't do?" "I spent four years in Yorknew City. I couldn't eat takeout every day." Lin Ye smiled, placed a finished piece of salmon nigiri on a plate, and offered it to them. "Try it. Get a feel for the texture and flavor so you know what to aim for." They each took a bite in turn, and their eyes immediately lit up. The rice had just the right acidity and a delicate rice fragrance. It was soft without sticking to their teeth, and paired with the fresh salmon, it tasted sweet and savory without a trace of fishiness. Its rich layers of texture were so delicious that their eyes narrowed in pleasure. "My god! This is incredible!" Leorio looked stunned. "Lin Ye, you're better than a professional chef!" Kurapika nodded as well, his eyes full of admiration. "Indeed. Both the texture and flavor are flawless. Thank you, Lin Ye. Without you, we really would have failed here." "No need to thank me." Lin Ye smiled and assigned their tasks. "Killua, you're good with a knife, so prepare the raw fish and seafood. Make sure you clean everything thoroughly and remove any membranes and fishy odors. Kurapika, you're meticulous, so mix the sushi vinegar, steam the rice, and make sure the vinegared rice has the right texture. Leorio, prepare the accompaniments and wash the ingredients. Keep a close eye on their freshness. Gon, help everyone out and pay attention to which ingredients go well together. Your instincts are the best, so you can pick out the finest ingredients." "Right!" they answered in unison, immediately getting to work with clear roles and an orderly approach. The other applicants around them were not nearly as fortunate. Most had no idea that vinegared rice was the heart of sushi. They simply shaped plain rice into balls and laid raw meat over them. Some even cooked the rice and meat together into a meat porridge, while others merely grilled a piece of meat, placed it on rice, and called it sushi. Menchi sat on the cooking counter with her arms folded, watching the applicants present their bizarre varieties of "sushi." Her expression grew darker and her brows drew tighter with every dish. "What is this? Meat and rice in broth? You dare call this sushi? Failed!" "The rice is burnt, and the raw fish still has blood on it. Are you trying to make me eat raw meat? Failed!" "You added far too much vinegar. It's so sour it could strip your teeth! It's inedible! Failed!" "You don't even know about vinegared rice, the most basic foundation of sushi. You have no business taking this test. Failed!" Menchi's voice grew colder, her criticism and displeasure almost overflowing. She took no more than a single bite of each dish before declaring its maker disqualified. Not a single applicant passed her test. In just half an hour, she whittled the thirty-odd applicants who had passed Buhara's test down to fewer than ten. Even the sushi Hisoka brought her earned only one bite before she frowned and tossed it aside. "All show and no substance. The ingredients are a complete mess, and you haven't understood the true essence of sushi at all. Failed." Hisoka's smile stiffened. An icy flicker of murderous intent flashed through his eyes, but he ultimately reined it in. He merely licked his lips and looked toward Lin Ye again, his gaze heavy with amusement and anticipation. He wanted to see whether this boy who fascinated him so much could shut that fussy woman up. At last, it was Lin Ye and his four companions' turn. Carrying an elegant white porcelain plate, Lin Ye approached Menchi. Eight pieces of nigiri and four rolls rested on the plate, neatly shaped and vividly colored. The grains of rice were plump and even, and the fish laid over them had clearly defined grain and a fresh, translucent sheen. Their presentation alone was several levels above anything the other applicants had served. The delicate fragrance of rice mingled with the sweet, fresh scent of seafood, without the slightest fishy odor. The smell alone was enough to whet anyone's appetite. Surprise flickered in Menchi's eyes as she looked at the sushi. A hint of seriousness entered her previously cold, critical gaze. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of basic tuna nigiri, and placed it in her mouth. The instant she tasted it, her eyes widened slightly. The vinegared rice was exactly at body temperature, its acidity, sweetness, and saltiness perfectly balanced. It was soft yet had just the right amount of chew, without sticking to her teeth at all. The medium-fatty tuna on top had evenly distributed fat and melted in her mouth. Its sweet, savory oils blended perfectly with the tangy fragrance of the rice, bursting across her tongue in rich layers and leaving a lingering finish. Without speaking, she picked up her chopsticks again and sampled every variety on the plate. The fresh sweetness of the salmon nigiri, the crisp bite of the surf clam nigiri, the tender sweetness of the eel rolls, and the refreshing lightness of the avocado rolls-each had its own distinctive flavor, yet each perfectly captured the essence of sushi without a single flaw. After eating the final piece, Menchi set down her chopsticks and looked at Lin Ye. At last, a faint smile of approval appeared on her formerly cold face. "Pass." Her voice was quiet, but the entire venue instantly fell silent. Every applicant was stunned. This was the first time today that Menchi had said that word. "Not just a pass. Perfect." Menchi looked at Lin Ye and spoke earnestly. "Your understanding of sushi surpasses even that of many professional sushi chefs. Your control of the rice, your preparation of the ingredients, and your balance of textures are all exceptional. I can't find a single fault." Below the counter, Leorio and the others pumped their fists, their faces lighting up with excitement. Lin Ye smiled and gave Menchi a slight bow. "Thank you for your approval, Examiner Menchi." "Don't thank me. Your cooking earned it." Menchi waved a hand, then looked at the four behind him. "Those four are with you? Where are their dishes?" Gon immediately ran forward with his plate, smiling brightly. "Examiner Menchi, this is the sushi I made!" Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio followed, each presenting his own sushi. While theirs was not as flawless as Lin Ye's, they had followed his instructions carefully, preparing the vinegared rice and ingredients properly. Their sushi was neatly shaped, its flavor met the required standard, and there were no fundamental faults. Menchi sampled all four plates. Though she was not as impressed as she had been by Lin Ye's cooking, she still nodded and passed them. "You four pass too. There are still plenty of flaws, but your understanding of sushi is correct, and your fundamentals are solid enough to meet the passing standard." All five had passed! The applicants in the venue erupted into an uproar. The rejected applicants looked indignant, and at last, one could no longer hold back. He stepped forward and shouted, "This is unfair! Why do they get to pass? We made sushi too, so why did you fail all of us? You're just making things difficult on purpose!" "Exactly! We didn't even know what sushi was. You only told us to make it without explaining the standards. This whole thing is rigged!" "We won't accept this! We demand another test!" More and more applicants joined the shouting, and the venue plunged into chaos. Menchi's expression immediately turned cold. She slammed a hand against the table, and her nen surged outward, sending a fierce wave of pressure sweeping over the protesting applicants. "You won't accept it?" Menchi stared at them coldly and snapped, "The Hunter Exam tests your ability to learn, adapt, and gather information! If you didn't know what sushi was, couldn't you ask? Couldn't you watch? Couldn't you figure it out? If you don't even understand the most basic properties of ingredients and can't grasp the essence of a dish, what right do you have to become Gourmet Hunters? What right do you have to earn a Hunter License?" "When I say you've failed, you've failed! This is my test, and I make the decisions! Anyone who doesn't like it can leave this venue right now and give up on this Hunter Exam!" Menchi's presence was overwhelming. After those few sentences, the protesting applicants were left speechless, though their faces remained full of resentment. The situation settled into a standoff. Watching the deadlock worsen, Buhara approached Menchi with a troubled expression and quietly urged her, "Menchi, that's enough. If you fail everyone like this, it'll be hard to explain it to the chairman when we get back." "Explain it? What do I have to explain?" Menchi snorted. "They can't even make the most basic dishes properly. They don't deserve to become Hunters. Even if they all fail, they have only themselves to blame." Just as the situation reached a complete impasse, an elderly yet hearty laugh suddenly came from the entrance. "Well, well, how lively. This is the first time I've seen almost every applicant eliminated in only the second phase." Everyone turned toward the entrance. A short old man with a white beard and long hair, dressed in a yellow suit, slowly walked inside with a cane. He wore a kindly smile, but unfathomable authority lay hidden in his eyes. It was Isaac Netero, chairman of the Hunter Association. At the sight of Chairman Netero, Menchi's expression changed. She immediately reined in her hostility and bowed slightly, her tone respectful. "Chairman, what brings you here?" "If I hadn't come, you would have sent every applicant home." Netero smiled and stroked his beard. Walking over to the cooking counter, he glanced at the applicants below, then at Menchi, and spoke unhurriedly. "Menchi, I know you have high standards for food, but the Hunter Exam is ultimately a test for Hunters, not chefs. Judging these newcomers by the standards of professional craftsmen is a little too harsh." Menchi flushed slightly and lowered her head, though she still sounded reluctant. "But Chairman, they don't even know the most basic essence of sushi. They have no respect for cooking at all..." "That's enough." Netero waved a hand and smiled. "Here, let me suggest something. Void this sushi test and set a new task. Give these youngsters another chance. Of course, the five who have already passed will keep their results. How does that sound?" Menchi fell silent for a few seconds before finally nodding and bowing to Netero. "Yes, Chairman. Understood." She raised her head and looked coldly at the applicants below. "Since the chairman has spoken, this sushi test is void. I'll give you a new task and one final chance." Cheers instantly erupted from the applicants, their faces filled with the relief of having narrowly escaped disaster. Looking at them, Menchi curled her lips into a cold smile and announced loudly, "The final task of the second phase is to go to Grape Spider Valley, collect Grape Spider eggs, boil them, and bring them back for me to taste. As long as your boiled Grape Spider eggs satisfy me, you'll pass the second phase." "You have one hour. Move out!" The moment she finished, the applicants sprang into action, charging like mad toward Grape Spider Valley behind the venue. They all knew this was their last chance, and they could not afford to waste it. Watching them rush out, Leorio breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "My god, it's finally over. Thank goodness we had Lin Ye. Otherwise, we'd be risking our lives collecting spider eggs right alongside them." Kurapika nodded and looked earnestly at Lin Ye. "Thank you, truly. Without you, we definitely wouldn't have passed this test." "Like I said, we're a team. There's no need to be so formal." Lin Ye smiled and looked toward Grape Spider Valley. Of course, he knew how dangerous the test there was. Grape Spiders were highly venomous, and their nests were on sheer cliffs. One careless step could send an applicant plummeting to his death, or a spider could attack and kill him with its venom. Watching the applicants rush off, Gon looked curious. "Grape Spider eggs? That sounds interesting! Should we go have a look too?" "Sure!" Killua immediately nodded, excitement flashing in his eyes. "We've already passed anyway. We might as well watch the fun." Seeing their eager expressions, Lin Ye smiled. "All right, let's take a look. We can also keep an eye out in case anything goes wrong." The five exchanged smiles and followed the applicants toward Grape Spider Valley. Beneath the setting sun, the valley breeze carried the faint scent of grass and trees-and concealed deadly danger. The trials of this Hunter Exam were still far from over.
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