Chapter 95: River Delicacies, Gathering Around, and the Large Earthenware Pot

If these five individuals were to form a party for a team fight, they would undoubtedly be wiped out in an instant. However, each of them possesses abilities akin to immortality or damage reflection, which has led to countless opponents being slowly ground down and defeated by them. Trying to fight against five people with Blademail and the ultimate ability of a Wraith King is a hopeless endeavor. This reputation has earned them a clear warning: "Do not provoke."

But enough gossip; let us return to the matter at hand. With Akihisa Yoshii and Makoto Ito’s attempts, the shape of the sushi was completely exposed. Yet, all anyone could do was imitate; the flavor fell far short of Menchi’s requirements. They were not sushi chefs, so how could they possibly create food that she would accept?

Suddenly, a peculiar fragrance drifted in from outside the warehouse doors. Menchi, who was busy tossing plates, and Buhara, who wore a look of concern, froze instantly. The scent was incredibly faint, yet it held an indescribable allure that most of the examinees could not even perceive. Menchi and Buhara exchanged a glance, nodded, and then decisively abandoned the examinees and dashed out of the warehouse.

Question marks appeared over the heads of the examinees. What was going on?

Beside the river, a large earthen pot with a diameter of over a meter sat atop a unique heating device, its lid rattling occasionally under the pressure of the steam. The aroma that had captivated Menchi and Buhara was seeping directly from that pot.

"Kuwabara! Urameshi! Don't be shy, eat your fill!" Hao Ren said, pointing a pair of chopsticks at them quite impolitely. The two men looked indignant, though their target was not the rude Hao Ren, but the smiling Hisoka standing nearby.

"Oh my, what a fragrant scent. I wonder if you might let me join you?" Hisoka flicked his finger, and his own plate of cocktail shrimp vinegar rice flew directly into the river. Hisoka, whose mind was usually occupied only by combat and apples, experienced a rare moment of "shame." Judging solely by the aroma, what he had made was nothing but trash.

"Don't start a fight! We are all examinees; meeting here is fate, and it is best to eat in peace," Hao Ren noted the subtle pressure emanating from the hands of Kuwabara and Urameshi. He quickly stepped forward to pull them aside and turned back to speak loudly.

"There will be plenty of opportunities for revenge, but we are still too weak to fight back right now. Don't act on impulse, at least not on the surface," Hao Ren whispered, cupping their heads.

"Training! As soon as the exam is over, I'm going to find Granny for the most brutal training," Urameshi said, suppressing his anger; the spots where Hisoka had struck him seemed to ache still.

"Urameshi, count me in for that training. If you dare to get stronger behind my back, I won't forgive you," Kuwabara said. Although he wore a rare serious expression, his comedic nature remained intact, rivaling Leorio.

With the secret conference concluded, Hao Ren turned around, assuming the air of a restaurant owner. "If you don't mind, Examiner Satotz and that gentleman over there..."

"Gittarackur."

"Oh, Mr. Gittarackur, please come and have a taste as well."

Satotz, the first-phase examiner hiding in the trees, instinctively wanted to decline, but the words died in his throat. The man hiding behind a tree labeled "Illumi Only"—a bizarre figure covered in pins, an extreme brother-complex (or rather, Killua-complex)—also drifted over involuntarily. Hao Ren was very curious to see how an examiner without a mouth would manage to eat.

The six of them gathered around the pot. Hao Ren took charge, turning the flame of the fire-attribute crystal heater—built by Tearju—down to a low simmer before lifting the lid.

Instantly, the aroma overflowed, and a brilliant light burst forth. It was like a scene straight out of a cooking anime!

Using scorching fire-wine, royal bay leaves, fresh herbs, and honey syrup as the secret base, combined with five types of magical beast fish caught from the river and acknowledged by the "Rail-Shackle," this was the "Magical Beast Fish Pot," a delicacy exclusive to the Hunter world.

Watching from afar, Menchi and Buhara were drooling uncontrollably. Their seasoned noses told them that the various fish in the white broth were infused with astounding life essence—meaning this food offered immense benefits to Nen users.

This time, Hao Ren had not made the "Dark Fish Pot: Madness," but another branch of the recipe, "Sage’s Pot: Radiant."

Item: "Sage’s Pot: Radiant." A highly successful variant of the Rail-Shackle’s "Magical Beast Fish Pot." Made from scorching fire-wine, royal bay leaves, fresh herbs, honey syrup, magical beast fish, and magical beast shells, crafted with specialized techniques. Consuming it restores sixty percent of one's injuries and invigorates the spirit. Because this dish used local ingredients—Rock-Helmet Eel, Six-Horned Angler, White-Paste River Urchin, Nen-Scale Daggerfish, and Thousand-Eyed River Star—it has a special effect on local NPCs: significantly increasing their favor toward the chef, with a slim chance of increasing a Nen user's aura capacity.

The Rock-Helmet Eel has gray, rock-hard armor; its blue meat is non-toxic and delicate, capable of strengthening human skin. The Six-Horned Angler, a large orange-fleshed fish, contains a special neurotoxin that destroys a creature’s sense of direction, but it can strengthen human nerve reflexes if properly processed. The White-Paste River Urchin, a river-dwelling version of the sea urchin, has black meat and a thick, white, viscous fluid inside that has a miraculous effect on healing lacerations, though Hao Ren used it as a base. The Nen-Scale Daggerfish, a rare, manipulation-type fish with white meat, is as sharp as an unsheathed blade; its fins and scales are reinforced with subtle Nen while alive. The Thousand-Eyed River Star is a rare invertebrate with exceptional vision; its white meat protects the human retina, but it must be cooked within an hour of being caught.

While the difficulty of obtaining these five ingredients is a simple G-rank, the difficulty of preparing and cooking them is A or even S-rank. Very few Nen users can process them, and Nen-user chefs capable of bringing out their full potential are even rarer.

The fact that five of the ingredients appearing in the top ten of a Gourmet Hunter’s dream cookbook are located in Zevil Island is likely one of the reasons Menchi and Buhara are examiners here—perhaps they were hoping for something just like this.