Ding!!!
"Random reward is being drawn…"
"Ten, nine, eight… three, two, one—zero."
"Congratulations, host! You have obtained the culinary inheritance of the Little Master Chef."
At this moment, the mechanical voice of the system echoed again inside Lan Fei's mind.
"The culinary inheritance of the Little Master Chef?"
Lan Fei was stunned.
Wait, culinary inheritance?
It just so happened that the second phase of the Hunter Exam, led by the Gourmet Hunters Menchi and Buhara, was themed around cooking. Though the reward didn't directly enhance combat ability, it was perfectly timed for the current challenge—and possibly more useful than brute strength in this situation.
More importantly, with the culinary knowledge of the Little Master Chef, Lan Fei might actually qualify as a gourmet hunter himself if he chose to specialize later on.
"Host, do you accept the inheritance?" the system prompted.
"Accept."
Lan Fei nodded without hesitation.
Boom!!!
In an instant, Lan Fei clutched his head as a stinging pain surged through his brain. Countless fragments of culinary knowledge and practical skills flooded his consciousness like a raging tide. Techniques ranging from butchering and seasoning to heat control and gourmet theory were transmitted into his mind in rapid succession.
"Lan Fei, are you alright?"
Gon, standing nearby, noticed his expression change and quickly voiced his concern.
"I'm fine!"
Lan Fei gritted his teeth and forced a composed smile.
Ding!
"The culinary legacy of the Little Master Chef has been successfully integrated."
"Congratulations, host. You are now recognized as a Super Chef."
The system's notification brought clarity to his thoughts.
"Tsk tsk… a Super Chef, huh?"
Lan Fei smacked his lips and relaxed. His body adjusted to the new memories as if he'd always possessed this talent.
"With these skills, passing this round should be a walk in the park."
In the original timeline of the Hunter Exam, no one passed this phase on the first attempt. Menchi rejected every dish for failing to meet her strict gourmet standards. Eventually, Chairman Netero himself had to intervene, pointing out that Menchi's judgment was biased by her own culinary elitism and emotional investment. As a result, the candidates were granted a second chance.
The reason so many were eliminated stemmed not just from poor cooking but from Menchi's unrealistic expectations. Most examinees didn't understand the culinary artistry required by a Gourmet Hunter and treated it like a survival task instead of an art form.
But now, Lan Fei had inherited the complete culinary expertise of a master chef—he knew precisely what to do.
"If I end up being the only one to pass, what will the others think?"
Lan Fei mused inwardly. Though he had the ability, he couldn't help Gon or the others with this exam—everyone had to rely on their own effort.
"Everyone!!!"
Suddenly, Buhara's booming voice rang across the courtyard. "The second phase of the Hunter Exam… begins now!!!"
Whoosh whoosh!!!
As soon as Buhara finished speaking, a flood of examinees charged into the dense Biscayne Forest.
Everyone raced against time—each second counted. No one knew how much food the two Gourmet Hunters could eat, and if they were too late to serve a dish, they'd be automatically disqualified.
"Cooking with pigs as ingredients is way easier than running through swamps or chasing monsters," Leorio muttered, casually swinging his briefcase.
"That's fine. I don't know the first thing about cooking anyway," Killua sighed, slightly relieved that at least it wasn't a written test.
"Even if I find the pig, I probably won't be able to make something Menchi approves of," Gon added with a frustrated scratch of his head.
"You guys, come with me."
Lan Fei calmly turned and walked toward a steep, rocky slope, then jumped down without hesitation.
"Killua, Kurapika, Leorio—let's go!"
Gon nodded and leapt after him, followed by the others.
"It's here."
At the bottom of the slope, Lan Fei pointed ahead with a faint grin.
"This is…"
Gon's eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell is that?"
"What a massive pig!!"
"Is it… chewing bones?"
Leorio's jaw dropped. The creature before them was like no pig they'd ever seen—closer to a rhinoceros in build, with a huge snout and tusks that curled like sabers.
"Are they… carnivorous?" Kurapika asked in disbelief.
"Yup. This is the Great Stamp, also called the Horned Mad Pig. It's the most violent swine species in the Biscayne region."
Lan Fei narrowed his eyes. "They're hyper-aggressive omnivores. You hesitate, you're bacon."
"Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio—don't let them notice us first."
With that, Lan Fei darted forward, taking the lead.
"Isn't that a bit reckless?"
"They're huge!" Gon exclaimed, gripping his fishing rod tightly before springing into action and swinging down at one of the pigs.
"No time to overthink. At least it's a chance to get ahead," Killua followed, activating his speed as he zeroed in on a target.
"Leorio, let's move!"
Kurapika leapt forward, his chains coiled at the ready.
Roar!!!
With a thunderous bellow, several horned pigs charged in all directions, shaking the trees as they bulldozed through undergrowth.
Fortunately, Lan Fei and his group had the upper hand. In a quick and clean operation, they downed five of the massive pigs. Lan Fei's intimate knowledge of the beast's weak points let him target them with precision. A single high-speed kick to the jaw sent each one crashing.
From behind the treeline, other candidates were struggling to evade the enraged herd. Many were being chased or scattered.
"Lan Fei, you really knew their weakness?"
Gon, panting slightly, hoisted one of the pigs over his shoulder and broke into a sprint toward the exam center.
"Gon, wait up!"
Killua wasn't far behind, carrying his own pig with practiced ease.
"I'm going on ahead."
Lan Fei blurred into golden light and vanished toward the exam's starting point.
"Leorio, this is a time attack!"
Kurapika called back while following after Killua.
"Wait for me, Kurapika!!"
Leorio groaned as he hoisted the heavy beast onto his back. "This thing weighs a ton!"
"They're too fast!"
Other candidates began to panic.
"We've got to learn their weak spots, quick!"
"Don't fall behind—we can't afford to be late!"
"Hahaha! I figured it out!"
Seeing Lan Fei's group already secured their ingredients, the rest of the examinees rushed forward with a mix of desperation and determination. Even those scared of death were now stampeding toward the horned pigs.