Chapter 39
Haruto became so absorbed in the delicious roast that even his Gourmet Cells stirred with excitement.
A pleasant warmth spread from his stomach throughout his entire body, leaving him so comfortable that he nearly sighed aloud.
Unfortunately, he became a little too lost in the flavor.
His still-inexperienced Zetsu quietly slipped away without him noticing, allowing the aura he had kept tightly concealed to spread around him.
The moment Hisoka saw Haruto’s aura, his pupils contracted, and an intense gleam erupted in his eyes.
His tongue slid slowly across his lips as an almost ravenous smile curved across his face.
His entire body trembled with excitement!
"Wonderful..."
A breathless moan escaped him.
"Who would have thought... such a delicious little fruit was hiding here?"
Hisoka had already considered it a pleasant surprise to discover several unripe fruits with the potential to become delicious during this Hunter Exam.
He had never imagined that another fruit was hidden among the applicants—one already close to ripening, tempting him to reach out and pluck it immediately.
Haruto had concealed his presence flawlessly with Zetsu and maintained a safe distance from Hisoka from the very beginning.
Had he not accidentally revealed his aura while enjoying the food, Hisoka might not have noticed him for quite some time.
Hisoka’s breathing grew heated.
The desire in his gaze made it clear that he had already claimed Haruto as future prey!
"You’re making me... want a taste right now..."
He murmured under his breath as the playing card between his fingers spun faster and faster.
Still, Hisoka forcibly suppressed his urge to attack.
If he harvested the fruit now, he would never experience it at its most delicious.
The amount of aura Haruto had revealed was already approaching Hisoka’s own, but the layer surrounding his body remained somewhat unstable.
He had probably learned Nen only recently.
"You’re not completely ripe yet. I’ll have to be patient..."
...
Haruto, still immersed in the flavor of the roast, suddenly felt an icy chill race from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He shuddered violently and snapped back to his senses.
’Something’s wrong.’
Frowning, Haruto looked around warily.
His gaze moved across the crowd before finally landing on Hisoka.
The maniac wore an unsettling smile.
The heat and greed in his eyes were almost overflowing, as though he had discovered an impossibly rare treasure—or rather, a delicacy he could hardly wait to devour.
Haruto’s body stiffened, and goosebumps instantly rose across his skin.
’Oh, hell nah.’
His expression twisted as he realized that his Zetsu had fallen away at some point.
Everything immediately made sense.
He had been noticed by Hisoka, the deranged fruit farmer.
From now on, Hisoka might attack him at any moment.
And this was no longer a simple question of whether Haruto could win.
His dignity was at stake!
The mere thought of Hisoka becoming so "excited" by him that the scene would require censorship made Haruto shudder again as revulsion spread through him.
He instinctively took half a step back.
A thought immediately flashed through his mind.
’Should I just leave the Hunter × Hunter world?’
Compared with a Hunter License, protecting his virtue seemed far more important!
Unfortunately, there was still one particular ingredient he wanted to obtain during the exam.
...
While Haruto was hesitating, he suddenly turned his head.
Menchi was standing beside his Fruit-Scented Roast Great Stamp with a sharp table knife in her hand.
She had already cut off a large slice of glossy, golden-brown meat and brought it to her mouth.
The instant her teeth tore through the fibers, rich juices burst across her tongue alongside the fresh fragrance of fruit.
Menchi narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and could not resist voicing her approval.
"This is really good!"
She looked Haruto over before continuing.
"You pass."
"Then I need to try some too!"
Buhara hurried over and patted his round stomach.
He might already be full, but he was fairly certain he could force down another half a pig.
"Hey, aren’t you two going a little too far?"
Haruto’s face darkened as he glared at them.
"The exam was already declared over. This roast belongs to me now!"
It was not that Haruto was unwilling to share his food. He was not that stingy.
But helping themselves without even asking was incredibly rude!
Before he could continue complaining, Haruto caught sight of Hisoka approaching from the corner of his eye.
His entire body tensed.
He immediately took two steps back, putting a safe distance between himself and the "pervert."
Menchi and Buhara also turned toward Hisoka with guarded expressions.
Hisoka paid no attention to their reactions.
A playing card rested between his fingers.
With a casual flick of his wrist, it swept across the roast like a blade and sliced off a perfectly balanced piece of meat and fat.
Hisoka took a bite and smiled in satisfaction.
His crimson tongue slowly passed over the corner of his lips before he looked up at the wary Haruto.
"Delicious... just like you."
Every hair on Haruto’s body stood on end, and he immediately backed away again.
Hisoka did not intend to attack him yet, however. Holding the remaining meat, he casually withdrew to one side.
...
At that moment, Gon squeezed his way to the front and looked eagerly at Haruto.
"Um... can I try some too?"
Haruto looked at Gon, then followed the boy’s line back toward the crowd.
The other applicants had all gathered nearby, stretching their necks and staring longingly at the Fruit-Scented Roast Great Stamp.
Haruto sighed helplessly.
He cut off one roasted leg for himself, carried it to an open space nearby, then waved dismissively toward the rest of the pig.
"Anyone who wants some can help themselves!"
The moment he gave permission, the applicants surged forward.
Within minutes, nothing remained of the enormous Great Stamp but bones.
Once they had finished eating, the applicants turned their attention back to Menchi and Buhara.
The earlier dispute had yet to be resolved.
Haruto paid no attention to them. Instead, he raised his head toward the sky.
An airship bearing the Hunter Association’s emblem was slowly approaching the courtyard against the clear blue sky.
At the same time, an elderly yet powerful voice carried through the walls of the aircraft and reached everyone below.
"Failing every single applicant seems rather harsh, don’t you think?"
Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn toward the approaching airship.
Under their watchful gazes, a figure suddenly leaped from the aircraft without warning.
He fell like a meteor, plummeting straight toward the ground.
A deafening crash shook the courtyard as he struck the earth and blasted out a deep crater.
Broken stones flew in every direction while clouds of dust surged upward.
Several nearby applicants staggered backward from the impact, their faces filled with shock.