Chapter 47
Once Menchi recovered from the flavor, she almost instinctively raised her chopsticks for another bite.
Then came a third, a fourth... Her hands moved with astonishing speed!
Buhara, who reacted a moment too late, hurriedly grabbed some of the twice-cooked pork and stuffed it into his mouth.
The rich yet non-greasy meat melted between his teeth, and its distinctive savoriness instantly filled his entire mouth.
His eyes lit up as he mumbled around the food.
"Delicious! This is amazing!"
Before he had even finished speaking, Buhara joined the battle for the food.
His thick arm swung his chopsticks back and forth as he and Menchi snatched pieces of pork from the plate one after another.
Kurapika, Leorio, and Satotz quickly joined them.
Naturally, the pan-fried pork cutlets were not spared either.
For a time, the only sounds at the table were chopsticks tapping against plates and the satisfied sighs rising from the diners.
Many nearby applicants could only watch and silently swallow their saliva.
Haruto smiled at the sight of everyone devouring his food.
He picked up several slices of twice-cooked pork and placed them into his mouth, chewing carefully.
The heat of the chili carried a mild sweetness that cut through the richness.
The meat was glossy and tender, and the exceptional quality of the Great Stamp pork gave the dish an excellent depth of flavor.
The cabbage’s refreshing crunch added another dimension as well.
However, its own flavor was faintly overwhelmed by the pork and sauce. The dish was clearly not perfect yet.
The cabbage simply was not of the same quality as the Great Stamp meat.
He also should have added the pork to the wok first...
By the time the twice-cooked pork and cutlets had disappeared, Haruto served everyone a large bowl of steaming rib-and-mushroom soup.
The broth was rich and deeply savory.
The Great Stamp ribs had been simmered until the meat slipped effortlessly from the bone and melted in the mouth with the lightest pressure.
The Landmine Mushrooms had absorbed the broth until they were smooth, tender, and bursting with flavor.
The instant someone bit into one, delicious juices flooded their tongue and mingled with the aroma of the pork ribs.
It was so savory that they nearly swallowed their own tongues.
Before long, every dish on the table had been completely demolished.
Still unsatisfied, Buhara lifted the clay pot and tipped it back, drinking the very last drop of soup.
...
After setting down their chopsticks, everyone leaned back in their chairs with blissful smiles.
While the pleasant mood still lingered, Haruto looked toward Menchi and the others.
"What do you think could be improved in these three dishes?"
Menchi’s relaxed expression immediately became serious.
She carefully recalled each dish before answering.
"The twice-cooked pork was prepared at just the right heat. The fat rendered from the pork belly blended nicely with the chili bean paste, making it fragrant without being greasy."
"But the cabbage wasn’t cooked quite enough to bring out its best texture, and its quality was a little lacking."
"As for the rib-and-mushroom soup, it was certainly savory, but you didn’t fully draw out the Landmine Mushrooms’ flavor."
"You could use the water they were soaked in as part of the soup base..."
Buhara nodded and added in his deep voice, "The Great Stamp tenderloin is already very tender, so you could shorten the marinating time."
"And if you smoked it over fruitwood for about an hour beforehand, the flavor would gain another layer..."
Satotz, Kurapika, and Leorio also offered a few suggestions.
Haruto repeatedly nodded, committing every comment to memory.
Once they had finished discussing the dishes, he asked another question.
"Do any of you know where I might find rare ingredients?"
"If I ever get the opportunity, I’d like to try capturing them."
That question landed directly within Menchi and Buhara’s area of expertise.
The two Gourmet Hunters immediately began speaking with enthusiasm, starting with Rainbow Parasol Mushrooms from the Misty Forest and moving on to Crystal Shellfish found in the deep sea.
They explained the creatures’ habits, the methods needed to capture them, and even several ways to prepare them.
Satotz soon joined the conversation.
As a Ruins Hunter, he had visited countless remote places untouched by civilization and had naturally encountered his share of rare ingredients.
Kurapika and Leorio had little interest in the subject, so they soon excused themselves and left.
...
The conversation continued for more than an hour.
When Haruto noticed that all three examiners were beginning to look tired, he rose and thanked them politely.
"I really appreciate all of this. I’d love to ask you more another time."
He had gained far more from their conversation than he had expected.
After Haruto thanked them, the three examiners left the dining hall.
With nothing else to do, he decided to explore the airship.
He wandered slowly through the corridors, passing lounges, storage rooms, and even taking a brief look at the cockpit, but none of them held his interest for long.
It was not until he reached the training room and heard repeated impacts from inside that he stopped.
Haruto opened the door slightly and looked in.
Gon and Killua were attacking Netero from opposite directions as the Chairman stood in the middle of the room.
Netero merely swayed his body and effortlessly avoided them, never moving his right foot even half a step.
While dodging, he smiled and waved toward Haruto.
"Boy, would you like to come in and play?"
"If you manage to take the ball from me, you can earn your Hunter License immediately."
Haruto quickly waved both hands.
"No, thank you, Chairman Netero. I’ll just watch."
There was no chance he was foolish enough to let Netero toy with him!
Wouldn’t it be far better to spend that time getting some proper rest?
Haruto turned away from the training room, found an empty guest cabin, and soon fell asleep.
...
Haruto woke early the following morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.
He rubbed his stomach.
Most of the previous night’s meal had already been digested, and remembering that he still had plenty of Great Stamp pork left, he headed straight for the dining hall.
He cut the pork into chunks and blanched it, then heated oil in a pot and slowly braised the meat with ginger, scallions, and various sauces.
Before long, a rich aroma of meat filled the entire dining hall.
Haruto ate the braised pork with steaming white rice, thoroughly enjoying every bite.
Eating such a heavy meal first thing in the morning meant nothing to him. With his daily energy expenditure, something light would never be enough.
Once he was full, Haruto walked to the observation deck near the front of the airship.
A rolling sea of clouds stretched beyond the enormous windows.
Many other applicants had already gathered there.
Haruto found a seat beside the window and quietly waited for their destination to appear.
At eight o’clock, an enormous stone pillar rising straight into the sky came into view ahead of the airship.
A cylindrical structure stood on its summit.
As Haruto studied their next destination, Beans’s voice suddenly sounded over the intercom.
"Applicants, thank you for your patience."
"This airship is now approaching the site of the Third Phase. Please prepare yourselves."
The instant the announcement ended, the atmosphere aboard the airship changed.
The applicants who had been chatting immediately rose to their feet, their faces filled with renewed excitement.
The airship gradually slowed before landing smoothly on the platform at the top of the cylindrical building.