Goodwill X Disguise
The flavor was rich!
It melted in the mouth!
As he savored it, the rich sweetness of milk and egg filled his mouth. Baishi closed his eyes in satisfaction, slowly chewing and savoring the grape spider egg's distinctive, mellow aroma.
It was like a work of art crafted by nature: the slight chewiness of the outer membrane, the burst of liquid egg within, and, after the milky sweetness, a deep, fresh savoriness!
Unlike the seafood flavor of sushi and sashimi, it was a blend of natural flavors closer to rock... moss and morning dew, a unique savoriness found only in cliffside canyons!
Gulp, gulp, gulp!
At that moment, everyone around him wore remarkably similar expressions, looking thoroughly satisfied as they chewed away. Some went further, freely voicing their praise.
"It's delicious... I've never eaten anything with such an intense flavor!"
"Grape spider eggs are rich and springy. They're worlds apart from any eggs sold on the market!"
"Damn it, I'm so jealous! If I pass the exam, I'm definitely going to become..."
"Eliminated! Why didn't I keep going..."
"..."
Hearing everyone's praise, Menchi couldn't help showing a hint of delight.
To her, the special quality of food was beyond compare. Whatever the species, the desire for good food was an instinct ingrained in every creature!
"Menchi..."
Buhara called out a reminder from nearby.
Coming back to her senses, Menchi nodded, then beckoned the successful applicants aboard the airship.
The eliminated applicants remained where they were. Later, Hunter Association staff responsible for logistics would take them all to the nearest city.
Before long.
As the eliminated applicants watched in regret, the airship slowly took off and flew swiftly toward the next exam site.
As day gave way to night.
Night fell, and the moon rose.
Inside the airship.
Forty-four applicants gathered in a hall.
Hmm...
"Let me introduce myself again..."
Stroking his snow-white beard, Netero looked at them and said calmly, "I am Netero, the head of this Hunter Exam's Examining Committee..."
"Originally, I was supposed to appear only after you had passed all the tests and reached the final stage..."
"But instead, we've met under these unexpected circumstances... Still, since I'm already here, I'll travel with you to the next exam site."
As the applicants' expressions grew increasingly grave, the intensely tense atmosphere instead brought a cheerful, kindly smile to the normally placid Netero's face.
"A fine sense of tension. I look forward to seeing you at the final exam..."
With that.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!
Netero turned and left first.
He left behind only Beans, a short figure dressed in a black suit, with a blue-green body, no ears or nose, and a flat, bean-shaped face bearing only eyes, eyebrows, and a mouth.
"I'm Chairman Netero's administrative assistant and secretary. You can call me Beans!"
Looking at the group, Beans flipped through his notebook, completely ignoring the peculiar looks they gave him, and explained with a serious expression, "Here is tomorrow's exam schedule. Please pay attention!"
"Given the distance, the airship will arrive at the next exam site at eight tomorrow morning!"
"Until then, you have time to rest! You may move freely around the airship until I contact you over the intercom..."
"The airship's restaurant is in Area D, and it's well stocked with food! Anyone who wants to eat may go there..."
"Dismissed!"
As soon as he said that.
Beans hurriedly turned and ran in the direction Chairman Netero had disappeared.
Because of the chairman's whims, he still had a mountain of Hunter Association business to take care of.
Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!
Seeing this, the group's tension eased slightly, and they scattered, some alone and others in groups of three or five.
"Want to get something to eat?"
Kurapika looked at Baishi and asked, appearing a little tired.
"All I want right now is a good sleep!" Shoulders slumped, Leorio waved a hand weakly. "I don't have any appetite. I'll eat tomorrow morning."
"..."
Beside them, seeing that Killua and Gon were still full of energy and excitedly heading off to explore the airship, Baishi's eyes flickered with something unusual. He then shook his head at Kurapika.
"I have something to take care of. Go ahead without me."
"Okay!"
Kurapika nodded and calmly prepared to leave, but after hesitating for a moment, he asked a question.
"How many more tests do you think are left?"
"Not many, right?" Leorio's ears perked up, and he curled his lip. "Even that legendary figure is coming along with us. Just think about it and you can guess..."
"Guess? Then you're seriously underestimating how tough the exam is!"
Tonpa, who had been watching and eavesdropping nearby all along, hurried over and offered a reminder with a kind, honest expression. "It's not as if that chairman has never appeared in previous years..."
"In my experience, the Hunter Exam averages around five or six rounds each year. As an experienced veteran applicant, I suggest you don't let your guard down!"
"That unusual-looking secretary said he'd notify us over the intercom when we reach the next exam site, but..."
"It seems no one said whether there might be a surprise third test on this airship!"
"In my experience, there's a similar surprise test every year. It tests the applicants' reactions and their ability to deal with unexpected situations..."
Tsk!
He can tell blatant lies without his expression changing. If this guy awakened, judging by his habit of lying through his teeth, he'd definitely be a Transmuter... No, wait! Tonpa seems to really enjoy seeing applicants in despair, doesn't he?
Conjuration seems to suit him too...
The corners of Baishi's mouth lifted slightly as he watched Tonpa with an enigmatic smile. He didn't respond, simply keeping his eyes on him.
Come to think of it, he had been here so long and had never really paid this guy any attention!
As a character who frequently appeared in Hunter fanfiction, Tonpa often got quite a lot of screen time.
Having taken the Hunter Exam dozens of times and always come away unharmed and with all his limbs intact, Tonpa presumably had pretty good talent, didn't he?!
Gulp~
"...So, make sure you stay alert!"
For some reason, Tonpa felt that Baishi's gaze was far too dangerous. He swallowed and instinctively took a step back, but his expression remained "kind" as he quickly offered another warning.
"Um... um, my advice is that you'd better not sleep too soundly. Otherwise, when the third surprise test happens, you could very well risk being eliminated!"
At this point, Tonpa, who was feeling somewhat creeped out by Baishi's stare, quickly turned to leave, a sinister smile curling his lips out of habit.
Heh! Stupid rookies, no matter how strong you are, this information, with no way to tell if it's true or false, will definitely put you on guard. By tomorrow, you'll be exhausted in body and mind...
Even if you take turns resting, you'll still use up a lot of energy!
Smack!
"What's the hurry..."
Smiling, Baishi reached out and pressed a hand on Tonpa's shoulder. "Since you're so experienced, why don't you stay and keep watch with us? That way, you won't accidentally fall asleep and get eliminated unexpectedly..."
He still hadn't found a suitable reason to touch Hisoka, but with this unawakened guy, he had no need to hold himself back.
Analyze!