chsdbacks Chapter 9 - Passing x The Exam Ends
Chapter 9 - Passing x The Exam Ends
Chapter 9: Passing x The Exam Ends
The second venue of the Hunter Exam.
“The rice is too hard! Fail.”
“No, the fish wasn’t sliced along the grain. Fail!”
“The shape of the rice ball isn’t right. Fail.”
“Too slow! The warmth from your palm didn’t transfer to the fish. Fail!”
Menchi’s critiques were relentless, rejecting sushi after sushi with no hesitation.
“Menchi, you’re being too strict!” Buhara attempted to intervene.
“Be quiet!” Menchi shouted, her anger bubbling over as she continued to criticize the candidates’ dishes.
“I knew this would happen!”
Buhara sighed heavily, exasperation etched on his face.
“Once Menchi’s temper flares, there’s no stopping her. Hopefully, the chairman sends someone soon.”
“Examiner Menchi, this is my dish,” Lorraine said, placing his plate before Menchi. As an afterthought, he slid another portion toward Buhara.
“It’s you, huh?”
Menchi glanced up at Lorraine. She remembered him from the first half of the cooking test and had a fairly strong impression of him.
Naturally, she’d already guessed most of his intentions.
But she didn’t mind. In fact, compared to brainless fools, Menchi preferred clever individuals—especially those who could grasp the purpose of her tests.
“Let me be clear: just because your dish was decent last time doesn’t mean I’ll pass you now!” Menchi sniffed indignantly.
“Of course,” Lorraine replied, nodding.
He wasn’t surprised that she saw through him. He hadn’t tried to hide anything, after all.
The purpose of the test was to be understood. His approach was polite, respectful, and devoid of the condescension others had shown Gourmet Hunters.
There was nothing wrong with that.
His prior knowledge of sushi had misled him, causing him to focus on replicating the dish rather than grasping the test’s underlying purpose.
The same realization dawned on other intelligent candidates, thanks to Menchi’s hints. Energized, they began preparing their dishes anew, finally understanding the test’s true aim.
Onstage, Menchi sighed in relief as she observed the shift in the candidates’ attitudes.
She couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and irritation.
Her test wasn’t difficult. With a bit of thought, anyone could have deduced her intent.
But first, they mocked Gourmet Hunters. Then, a few troublemakers disrupted everything, throwing her carefully planned test into chaos.
At least now, things were back on track.
Of course, among the candidates, not everyone was sharp enough to catch on.
“I don’t accept this!”
One of the candidates who had ridiculed Lorraine earlier slammed his fist into a cooking station, shattering it.
“Why did he pass? You said his dish had so many flaws!” Candidate #255, Taku, shouted in anger.
“Because I’m the examiner! If I say he passes, he passes. If I say you fail, you fail,” Menchi retorted coldly. As far as she was concerned, fools like him weren’t worth her time.
“You’ve got to be kidding! I didn’t join the Hunter Exam to be judged by some Gourmet Hunter. I want to be a Bounty Hunter!” Taku roared.
“Too bad for you. This year’s examiner happens to be a Gourmet Hunter. Maybe next year you can find one you respect,” Menchi said dismissively.
“Don’t joke with me!”
Taku charged at Menchi, his intent clear to attack.
But before he could reach her, Buhara moved.
Despite his large frame, Buhara was shockingly quick. In one swift motion, he slapped Taku with enough force to send him flying across the park, where he landed unconscious at the entrance.
“Mind your own business!” Menchi snapped at Buhara, though she sheathed her knife.
“If you killed someone, things would get messy,” Buhara said with a sheepish smile.
“Ugh, thanks to that idiot, I’ve completely lost my appetite.” Menchi huffed, then raised her voice.
“I’m full. The test is over. The second phase of the Hunter Exam is complete. One person passes!”