nchi narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingers tightening around the handle of her knife.
She was the explosive type—like a stick of dynamite ready to ignite at the slightest spark. Stubborn and temperantal, she could be unpredictable. This much was evident in her approach to the Hunter Exam.
Despite it being a rigorous test ant for candidates from all walks of life, nchi had chosen to evaluate them through cooking.
Gourt Hunters were a legitimate branch of the profession, but they were hardly the core of what being a Hunter was about. Most Hunters pursued strength, wealth, or adventure. If nchi had wanted a fair test, she could have required candidates to gather rare ingredients. If she thought the Pig was too simple, she could have substituted it with a more elusive or dangerous delicacy.
Instead, her assessnt was akin to making all applicants for a prestigious university take an entrance exam focused solely on painting. While a few candidates might excel, the majority would struggle, making the test seem fair in structure but ultimately biased.
Naturally, the candidates were frustrated.
But nchi didn’t care.
She had been wary earlier—Hisoka and Kaizen were strong, their presence enough to make her reconsider. But now? The examinee who had spoken up was nothing in her eyes. The way he confronted her so boldly... there was no way nchi would tolerate it.
However, before she could act—
Boom!
Buhara moved first.
His palm struck the defiant examinee square in the chest, unleashing a force so powerful that the candidate was sent hurtling backward. He crashed into a distant wall, the impact shaking the entire room. A deep dent ford where he struck, and his body slid down slowly before collapsing in a heap on the floor.
Motionless.
No one could tell if he was unconscious or just too ashad to move.
Buhara calmly returned to his spot, folding his arms across his chest.
The rest of the examinees exchanged glances before looking back at nchi and Buhara. The ssage was clear: step out of line, and you’d be dealt with just as swiftly.
"The exam continues!" nchi declared.
So candidates hesitated.
Others resud their cooking, focusing with renewed determination.
A few, after a long mont of silence, accepted their failure, packed their things, and left. These were the ones who saw no chance of passing. Staying any longer wouldn’t change the outco.
They had two choices: prepare for next year’s Hunter Exam or give up entirely.
Outside the exam hall, murmurs of discontent spread.
"We got unlucky this year."
"These examiners are ridiculous!"
"This isn’t a test of Hunter skills—this is just cooking!"
"It’s completely unreasonable!"
"To hell with them!"
Frustrated candidates muttered curses under their breath. If words alone could kill, nchi and Buhara would have been dead a hundred tis over.
...
"Pass!"
"Unqualified!"
The verdicts continued, one after another.
Still, no one had earned a passing score. The tension in the room grew thick.
Strangely enough, nchi and Buhara were feeling the pressure just as much as the examinees.
Hisoka’s turn was approaching.
They knew little about Illumi, and he had kept a low profile. Kaizen, despite his strength, didn’t seem like the type to cause a scene over a failing grade. But Hisoka?
He was unpredictable.
Hisoka had attacked Satotz during the first phase of the exam. Last year, he had put an examiner in critical condition. If they failed him, would he lash out?
For the first ti, nchi regretted the exam she had designed.
Why hasn’t anyone from the association arrived yet?
She glanced up at the sky, as if willing reinforcents to appear.
Ti crawled forward.
The air was thick with unease.
And then, the mont arrived.
Hisoka had finished cooking.
With a smirk, he placed his dish on the judging table.
Buhara swallowed hard.
nchi stared at the plate before her, picking up a fork with a asured slowness. She speared a piece of food and brought it to her mouth.
The presentation was decent, but the taste...
nchi’s expression twisted in conflict.
If she passed Hisoka, she’d compromise her integrity as a Gourt Hunter.
If she failed him, she risked provoking his wrath.
Can I stop him if he attacks?
Her grip on the fork tightened.
Hisoka’s smile widened, his fingers flicking a playing card between them, shifting its position almost playfully. But nchi knew better—Hisoka’s gas were never without purpose. The card could be launched at any mont, and she had no doubt he could kill her before she had the chance to react.
Tension mounted.
And then—
A sudden gust of wind swept through the area, followed by the unmistakable hum of machinery.
nchi’s head snapped upward.
An airship lood above, its hull bearing the emblem of the Hunter Association.
A loudspeaker crackled to life.
"nchi, Buhara. We acknowledge your passion for food, cooking, and the role of Gourt Hunters. However, this exam’s standards have been set unfairly for the other candidates."
All heads turned to the sky.
"That’s the Hunter Association?"
"A review committee?"
"Are they saying this test was too strict?"
"Finally! Soone’s stepping in!"
"Good, these examiners were out of control."
"They’ve been abusing their authority."
Excitent rippled through the remaining candidates.
nchi clenched her jaw. She already knew what was coming next.
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