"Whaaaat!?" Everyone shouted in unison. Silver is still mopping in a corner.
"It can't be that the trials end this way... they must be joking." Complained some of the applicants.
...
"Hello hello? Those aren't good manners. Mr president, she removed her cellphone's battery. I don't think she will agree to change her verdict." Says a green man who look uncannily like a green bean.
"Uhoh, that girl is stubborn. We won't be able to change her mind through phone. I may have to go down there." Answers an elderly man who is currently balancing a glass of juice by his feet while trying to drink it from a meter long straw seemingly effortlessly.
"You're not thinking of going down there are you?" Asked the bean man.
"But of course I am, it is my responsibility as a president. It's not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. There are many stubborn people among the hunters. They are not ordinary people, and it is those same hunters that became the jury for the members afterwards. It has already happened that the commision misalligned with the jury's decisions, and no candidates were admitted, but this time it might have gone a bit too far." Explained the president.
...
"I do not accept this!" Complained #255. "I didn't come here to be a gourmet. I came here to be a blacklist hunter!"
"To bad, tell yourself you're just unlucky to be tested by us. You may try your luck again next year." Menchi rebutted without care.
"You are mocking us! I'll ki-" *baaaam*
#295 was sent flying out of the building by a single slap from Buhara.
"You know you didn't have to do that right?" Said Menchi.
"I know, but if I haven't you would have killed him" Replied Buhara while eyeing the two knives in her hands.
"Gourmet Hunter, Treasure Hunter, Game Hunter. No matter what kind of hunter you wannabe, you need to have perfect knowledge on the art of fighting." Explained Menchi while juggling her knives. "In our quest for new food, it isn't rare that we need to get into the nests of violent monsters and other kind of beasts. What I want to know, is if you are able to take on a challenge in a domain you do not know?"
"THAT'S ONE EXPLAINATION. BUT DOES IT JUSTIFY SUCH SEVERITY?" Came a loud voice followed by the flopping sounds of an airship.
"Who's that?" Came the unanimous voice of everyone. "It has the sigil of the Hunter confederations. Is it the examination committee?" Voiced another.
A shadow started coming off the side of the airship. The shadow suddenly grew as it dropped fast from the airship and hit the ground.
*boooom*
"President Netero!" Called Menchi.
President Netero had a ponytail, a thick beard, and stretched earlobes with two piercings in both ears. He is wearing a traditional man's kimono and pair of wooden slippers with one tooth.
"The old Man in seat D6! What are you doing here?" Excalaimed Silver.
"Oh hoh hoh. So it's finally your turn." Old man Netero acknowledge him, after all he was the one who sent the exam card to Silver.
"Anyway, We have a predicament here. I'm here to solve the problem. Concerning their ability to take on a challenge in a domain they do not know, do you believe the attitude they had in front of this trial justified such severity?" Asked the old president.
Menchi bowed and shook ger head. "No, many points troubled me, mainly the lack of respect most of our participants have and... that child there teaching everyone how to make a sushi."
'Me? What do you want me to do? Create sushi in a secret manner in this open building?' Silver complained in his mind.
"Hoh hoh... you don't have to go that far, you could easily continue with the exam, but as a compensation, you'll have to take the test also. How about it?" Suggested the president. "This way, it'll be easier for the contestants to accept your decision."
"Yes! Certainly! Then president, can you bring us to the split mountain over there?"
"I see. There is no problem then."
...
The group then transferred to the split mountain where they were told to pick an egg from tarantula eagles. Menchi showed them how to pick it up and return safely so they could boiled it. Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika and Silver were part of the 42 participants to successfully get their hands on the eggs and boiled them. They were then amazed of the difference in taste between regular egg and the eggs from the wild giving them a new insight and appreciation to the gourmet hunters.
The group is then requested to rode the airship so they could be dropped off on third exam site while those who failed to were sent to the city first.
...
Everyone gathered in the main cabin including the examiners. "It might be time for the remaining 42 participants to know who I am. My name is Netero and I'm responsible for the trials and is currently the president of the Hunter Organization. I wasn't supposed to show my face until the final phase of the exam, but I came sooner than expected." Introduced the old president.
"Hello everyone, my name is Beans and I'm the personal secretary of the president. We are expected to arrive at the next trial location by 8am. You are free to do whatever you like until then." The green bean-like man wearing a black business attire said as he introduced himself.
"Hey Gon and Silver! Bow about we go on a tour on the vessel?" Invited Killua.
"Let's go!!!" Affirmed the two other kids.
"I can't believe they still have so much energy after that." Leorio commended tiredly.
"Yeah... I'm going to take a nap. Today has been rather long." Kurapika agreed and commented.
"Me too. I don't think I'll make it another hour. How many exams do you think there are left?" Asked Leorio.
Tompa came in out of nowhere and answered. "It varries from year to year depending on the jury. But it typically last from 5 or 6 exams. So I suggest you stay vigilant all night." Tompa warned them while secretly thinking he succeeded in stressing them out further.
...
In a dining area exclusively for the examiners, luxurious food are served in the table. Satotz from the first exam, Menchi and Buhara from the second exam are all seen sitting around the table eating the fancy dinner.
"How many do you think will make it this year?" Asked Satotz
"It depends on the next trial though." Commented Buhara.
"It may sound weird from me who disqualified them all at one point, but they are a very good batch." Answered Menchi. "What do you think, Satotz?"
"Me, I agree. They are a good batch." Satotz nodded.
"Isn't it? I noticed #294, the baldy. He is strong and one of the only two who originally knows sushi."
"What about #247? He did make good sushi too." Curiously asked Satotz.
"I don't dislike him." Menchi comically showed an angry face. "But to be honest, apart from demonstrating how to make sushi to everyone, he made a sushi I don't dislike."
"You can be honest, Menchi. He would have passed your test if you weren't being petty." Buhara teased.
"I am not being petty!"
"Sure sure." Both the other examiner sarcastically agreed.
"How about the others?" Menchi trying to change the topic. "You Satotz?"
"When we were running under the tunnel. I felt being observed intently but I could not determine the source because of hundreds of participants following behind me. I guess it came from #44. Satotz voiced his thoughts. "Be that as it may, I have high expectations for both #44 and #99. From my observation, they are among the strongest in this group."
"How about you Buhara?" Asked Menchi.
"He is not really a new one, I would go with #44 the magician as well. I believe you sensed it too, menchi. When #255 lost her temper, there was extreme tension, but the largest mass of energy came from #44."
"I knew it, of course. It was so strong that I had to be on guard always. But you know, it seemed to be like that the moment we showed ourselves." Agreed menchi as she take in a sushi roll. "I felt like he is provoking me."
"I sensed the same thing, it's hard to admit but he's the same as us. I believe he is a Nen user. One who has traversed in darkness."