Chapter 43
Haruto was about to check whether the Spider Eagle eggs in the pot were fully cooked when a familiar chill suddenly crawled up his spine, making every hair on his body stand on end.
He slowly turned his head.
Hisoka stood nearby, idly playing with a card as he stared at Haruto with a heated smile.
In truth, Hisoka had never stopped paying attention to this ’little fruit’ that was nearing ripeness.
Naturally, he had noticed Haruto collecting cluster after cluster of Spider Eagle eggs.
Yet Haruto was carrying nothing.
There was no reason for him to go through all that effort only to throw the eggs away, which left a single explanation—Nen.
Hisoka licked the corner of his lips, excitement flashing through his eyes.
An ability capable of storing so many Spider Eagle eggs with ease was certainly intriguing.
What category did Haruto’s ability belong to?
Conjuration?
Emission?
Or perhaps Specialization?
Still, Hisoka had to remain patient. He needed to wait until the fruit had fully ripened!
Haruto’s mouth twitched helplessly beneath Hisoka’s invasive stare.
He could already guess what had excited the man this time.
It had to be his use of Gourmet Restaurant.
Most applicants would not think much of Haruto returning without any visible eggs, but Hisoka had almost certainly realized that he possessed some kind of spatial Nen ability.
Hisoka was probably not the only one.
Menchi and the others had likely worked it out as well.
Haruto did not particularly care if some information about his ability became known.
For now, Gourmet Restaurant was purely supportive and had no direct effect on his fighting ability.
If anything, the mystery surrounding a spatial ability might make potential enemies more cautious around him.
Still...
He would be much happier with Hisoka farther away.
Without drawing attention to himself, Haruto shifted several steps to the side and widened the distance between them.
...
By then, the Spider Eagle eggs in the pot were ready.
Haruto ignored Hisoka and walked over to retrieve one of the boiled eggs.
A light squeeze between his fingers cracked the shell, revealing smooth, snowy-white egg beneath.
It gleamed faintly like a piece of polished white jade.
Haruto raised it to his mouth and took a bite.
The egg white was wonderfully springy and tender, offering just the right amount of resistance.
As he chewed, a mild sweetness spread across his tongue without the slightest trace of an unpleasant eggy smell.
The next bite reached the yolk.
It was soft, creamy, and delicately grainy, carrying a rich aroma that lingered on his lips even after he swallowed, followed by a faint sweetness in the finish.
Despite being nothing more than a simple boiled egg, it was far richer and more delicious than any egg Haruto had ever tasted.
He savored it carefully while considering all the dishes he could make with Spider Eagle eggs.
They would be excellent in custard tarts, with their smooth filling set inside crisp pastry...
Steamed egg custard would also work beautifully.
With a little stock added, it would be silky, fragrant, and soft enough to melt in the mouth.
Or perhaps he could try making the famous "Three Non-Stick" dessert.
Made with Spider Eagle eggs, its texture would surely become even smoother and more delicate, while the flavor rose to an entirely new level.
The more Haruto thought about it, the more excited he became.
The other applicants were equally absorbed in the taste of their Spider Eagle eggs.
The fading light of sunset washed over the mountaintop as the delicate aroma of eggs mingled with their amazed praise.
And so, the Second Phase of the Hunter Exam came to an end in an unexpectedly warm atmosphere.
...
After finishing the Spider Eagle eggs, the applicants returned to the airship.
The heavy metal doors slowly closed behind them, shutting out the roaring mountain winds.
The engines began to rumble, and the enormous aircraft rose steadily into the sky before setting course for the location of the Third Phase.
All forty-three remaining applicants were summoned to the large hall near the front of the airship.
The chamber was spacious, and a rolling sea of clouds could be seen through the windows, yet the view did little to dispel the faint tension hanging in the air.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly to the forty-three applicants who remain."
Isaac Netero stood before the crowd and spoke at a measured pace.
"I am Netero, the Hunter Association official responsible for overseeing this year’s Hunter Exam."
Beans, standing beside him, followed with his own introduction.
"And I am Beans, the Chairman’s secretary."
Netero studied the varied expressions below him.
A faint smile appeared on his face, and his tone grew noticeably more interested.
"Under the original schedule, I was not supposed to appear until the Final Phase."
"However, now that I have come here in person, I can feel a rather delightful tension in the air."
"Since I have already joined you, I think I’ll remain aboard and accompany everyone for a while! Hohoho!"
His laughter echoed through the hall, prompting several applicants to give him strange looks.
Netero was genuinely looking forward to seeing how they performed in the coming stages.
He had already spotted several promising young talents among them.
Nothing would please him more than for one of them to eventually grow powerful enough to pose a mortal threat to him.
The only question was whether any of them truly had that potential.
Beans gave the laughing Chairman a helpless look, though he had long since grown accustomed to his superior’s whims.
He cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention back to him, then formally announced, "We are scheduled to arrive at our next destination tomorrow morning at eight o’clock."
"Food has been prepared in the dining hall."
"Until I contact you again, you are free to spend your time however you wish."
With that, Beans turned and accompanied the still-cheerful Netero out of the hall.
The moment they disappeared down the corridor, the atmosphere among the applicants became noticeably livelier.
"Come on, Gon! Let’s explore the airship!"
Killua turned eagerly toward Gon.
To him, the Hunter Exam was little more than an entertaining game, and exploring an unfamiliar airship sounded far too interesting to pass up.
"Yeah!"
Gon nodded enthusiastically.
The two of them raced out of the hall together.
The remaining applicants lingered briefly before beginning to disperse as well.
Some intended to return to their rooms and rest for the next phase.
Others went to admire the view from the windows, while several small groups gathered to quietly discuss what the next test might involve.
Haruto strolled toward the exit among them, though his thoughts were focused on something entirely different.
"Since I have some free time, maybe they’ll let me borrow the kitchen. I could cook something with the ingredients I collected."
The first two phases had not been particularly difficult for him, but the activity had still consumed a considerable amount of energy because of his Gourmet Cells.
He had eaten very little, and by now his hunger was becoming difficult to ignore.
With so many fresh ingredients stored inside Gourmet Restaurant, Haruto decided it was time to reward himself with a proper feast.