"So, Menchi-san, all you have to do is say the word, and we can redo the test, right?"
Gon wasn't discouraged by Menchi's attitude at all. Instead, his eyes sparkled as he enthusiastically offered what he believed to be a perfect solution.
"I said no, and that means no. This year's Hunter Exam is already over."
Menchi shouted at Gon, completely ignoring the hopeful look on his face.
"You can all go home now. Get out of here. Immediately."
She planted one foot on the table in front of her, arrogantly ordering the examinees to leave.
Todo had originally thought that that guy might be able to change Menchi's mind. But now that her decision was clearly final and she was determined to drive away all the failed applicants, it was obvious that relying on others wouldn't work.
If no one else could do it, then he'd step in himself.
Bang!
Todo smashed his fist into a cooking counter, shattering half of it. The deafening crash instantly drew everyone's attention.
"I refuse to accept this! There's no way I'm just going to say 'Yes, ma'am,' tuck my tail between my legs, and walk away!"
Todo clenched his fists and roared, utterly unwilling to accept Menchi's decision.
"So it's not just the kid who likes throwing tantrums."
Menchi pointed at Gon. Considering Leorio's presence and Gon's young age, she hadn't planned on making a big deal out of it. But now that even an adult was making trouble, she had no intention of holding back.
A feral glint flashed in her eyes—like a wild beast on the verge of exploding.
"What did you say?" Tony shot back.
"I've already passed you. If you want to be Hunters, come back next year and try harder."
Menchi forced herself to suppress the violent urge surging inside her. I'm an examiner, she reminded herself. I can't just turn people into food whenever I want.
She leaned back against the sofa and stretched, trying to calm herself down.
"Stop messing with me. The Hunter I want to become isn't some gourmet Hunter. I want to be a real Hunter—a bounty hunter. And being judged by a mere gourmet Hunter? I don't accept this result."
Todo completely failed to notice Menchi's restraint. All he knew was that he had failed—and that was something he absolutely could not accept.
"A mere gourmet Hunter?"
Menchi opened her eyes and stared straight at him.
"That's right. Just because you can eat good food, you think you can call yourself a Hunter? Don't make me laugh."
Todo showed no awareness of the killing intent radiating from her. He simply continued venting his opinions.
"Who is that idiot?" Leorio muttered. Even he could sense something was seriously wrong with Menchi's mood, yet Todo kept talking without restraint. This guy's got guts, Leorio thought.
"Number 55. A professional wrestler—Todo.."
Kurapika still remembered the people Tonpa had introduced earlier. But right now, Tony looked nothing like the cunning survivor Tonpa had described.
"When someone's already sticking their neck out, don't jump in too."
Leorio tried to calm the others. Gon had rushed forward, and given his age—and Leorio's own presence—he probably wouldn't be punished too severely. But if everyone rushed in, it would turn into a full-blown riot.
"And we can't beat Hunters anyway," Leorio added bluntly.
More importantly, he knew very well that he definitely couldn't.
Kurapika and Killua both nodded. They were much more rational and could sense that things were about to take a turn. For now, watching was the safest choice.
"I refuse to acknowledge someone like you as worthy of being a Hunter—let alone a Hunter Exam examiner! I believe the other examinees won't just obediently go home either!"
Todo was practically begging for death now, piling on hatred and even trying to drag the rest of the examinees down with him.
Unfortunately for him, the other candidates weren't idiots. Publicly insulting an examiner was a suicidal skill none of them wanted to learn.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Rage.
Buhara took a single step and appeared right in front of Tony. Clearly, he was furious about the insult directed at gourmet Hunters.
"Wait, Buhara. Don't interfere in this, alright?"
Menchi still had both hands clasped behind her back, but Leorio distinctly sensed a flash of light earlier.
"That won't do. If I handle this, he'll only lose an arm or a leg. But if you do it…"
Buhara glanced at Tony.
"He'll become a dish."
Though Buhara disliked Tony's disrespect toward gourmet Hunters, he didn't want the man to be literally turned into food.
"A dish?" Leorio asked, bewildered. "How does a person become a dish?"
See? Adults really are too innocent, someone thought.
"You're better off not knowing," Leorio replied.
"I kinda want to see how a person gets turned into food," Killua said with interest. After all, he knew how to kill people—but hadn't learned to get creative with it yet.
"Examiner Menchi," Leorio said calmly, "since someone doubts the strength of a gourmet Hunter, why not let him witness it firsthand? If he becomes a dish, no one will be able to see anything."
Leorio didn't want to see an examinee actually turned into food, but Todo's words had gone far too far. A lesson was deserved.
Menchi's murderous aura faded as she stood up, as if Leorio's words had given her an idea.
"I hate explaining things to amateurs the most. Fine, Number 55."
She stared coldly at Todo.
"I'll show you what a gourmet Hunter really is. Open your dog eyes wide and watch carefully. The rest of you can consider this a farewell gift."
She slid her twin blades back into their sheaths, clearly accepting Leorio's suggestion.
"Give me one hour," she said.
"One hour?" Todo muttered, completely lost. Food, time—he had no idea that he'd just walked past the gates of death.
Menchi ignored him and walked straight out the door. Outside, she stretched lazily, arching her body and letting out a long yawn, her slender waist even more pronounced.
After exhaling deeply, as if expelling all the stagnant air from her body, she placed one foot on the ground.
In an instant, her body shot upward.
Her graceful figure vanished without a trace—leaving behind only a deep footprint in the ground.
"So fast—she disappeared instantly!"
"Where is she going?"
The examinees who followed outside stared in shock.
"This is getting more and more unpredictable," someone murmured. "I'm definitely watching this till the end."
As a professional spectator, Satotz had no intention of letting anyone know he was secretly enjoying the show. The moment Menchi stepped outside, he had already moved into a nearby tree.
To see farther, you need to climb higher.
Hidden among the branches, Satotz watched Menchi vanish and smiled.
This drama was only getting better.
And he was certain—if he kept watching, something even more spectacular was yet to come.
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