Boom~~~~
Just as Satotz departed, the massive gate behind the candidates creaked open slowly, revealing a colossal tower-like structure nestled within the Biscayne Highlands.
Standing at the building's entrance were two distinct figures—one was a rotund man with a broad grin, and the other, a petite yet imposing woman perched on a modest-sized couch.
The woman, sitting confidently with crossed legs and arms resting on the sofa, gazed down from the elevated steps with a commanding aura. The man sat cross-legged behind her, cheerfully relaxed.
"All candidates who passed the first phase, please enter," she announced firmly.
"Welcome. I am the examiner for the second phase—Menchi."
The woman stood up, revealing her sleek figure in stylish yet practical hunter attire, her tone proud and unwavering.
"I'm Buhara, the co-examiner," said the large man, patting his belly with a booming laugh.
"There are actually two examiners this time?" Gon blinked in surprise as he entered the gate.
"I hope this phase offers real challenge," Killua whispered behind him, hands in his pockets.
"One fat, one thin…" Lan Fei quirked a brow, lips curling into a grin. "That woman has a figure that most guys would go crazy for. Slender build, bold outfit… definitely not dull."
Before long, all the candidates had gathered at the open-air courtyard before the examiners.
"A female examiner?" Leorio adjusted his glasses, visibly intrigued.
Gollum~~~
Just then, a strange rumble echoed across the quiet grounds.
"Huh? What was that sound?" Killua's instincts kicked in instantly, more alert than the others.
"That fat guy's stomach, obviously," Lan Fei said dryly.
"Lan Fei, show some respect—they're the examiners," Kurapika chided with a frown.
"Feeling that hungry already?" Menchi turned her head slightly to glance at Buhara.
"Starving to the point of collapse…" Buhara moaned, leaning back.
"Then let's get started." Menchi stepped forward with a sly smile. "The second phase of the Hunter Exam… is cooking!"
"What? Cooking?"
"No way!"
"Are you kidding? Isn't this the Hunter Exam?"
"What kind of test is this supposed to be?"
"Do we need to pass a chef's exam next?"
The crowd erupted into confused protests. After surviving treacherous terrain and the swamp of Numere, now being asked to cook seemed almost insulting.
"Cooking?" Gon scratched his cheek. "That's not really my thing…"
"I might be able to manage something," Lan Fei murmured with a wry grin.
"Why cooking?" Leorio, his enthusiasm about Menchi rapidly cooling, now pointed an accusatory finger.
"Because we're both Gourmet Hunters," Menchi said with pride.
"Menchi and Buhara, huh?"
On a distant branch atop a towering tree, Satotz stood with a telescope. From his vantage point, he observed the examinees below.
"I didn't think the Exam Commission would assign two notoriously strict Gourmet Hunters."
He lowered the telescope. "After this round, we might have less than fifty left… or even fewer if the difficulty's high enough."
"Menchi-san, what exactly do you want us to cook?" asked candidate No. 255 with a confident smirk.
"Buhara, your cue," Menchi said.
"The required ingredient is pig!" Buhara roared, rising slowly. His tremendous girth shook the wooden planks beneath him.
"Pig?" murmured the examinees in confusion.
Only Lan Fei remained calm, already aware of the trial's structure.
"Any swine species native to the Biscayne Highlands is fair game. Capture one and cook a meal using the utensils and spices provided in the yard."
"If the food is tasty enough to satisfy both of us, you'll pass," Buhara explained cheerfully.
"Taste is key—but don't forget appearance and aroma," Menchi added, folding her arms. "Once either of us can't stomach another bite, the test ends."
"Huh?"
"You mean even if someone finishes later with a better dish, it won't count?"
Kurapika immediately understood the implications.
"That's right. You've got to cook fast, and it better taste amazing," he concluded.
Lan Fei nodded thoughtfully. "So quality and speed both matter."
Ding!!!
At that moment, a mechanical voice echoed inside Lan Fei's mind.
[Congratulations, host, on passing the first phase of the Hunter Exam.]
[As promised, each cleared round grants a reward.]
[This reward is random—it could be Nen suitable for your traits or something trivial…]
[Alternatively, you may choose a reward yourself, but the system will no longer issue rewards after that.]
"Oh? I almost forgot…" Lan Fei raised an eyebrow.
Choose a custom reward and forfeit the system's future help, or keep it going for unknown gains?
Even with Bamen Dunjia at full level and the Glittering Fruit's speed, the world beyond—including the Dark Continent and Meruem—was terrifying.
Was it wise to give up the system so soon?
"No rush to master Nen right away," Lan Fei decided. "With my current skills, I can hold my own for now."
"I'll take the random reward!" he responded silently.