"Drip... drip... drip..."
Buhara grinned awkwardly, but this smile caused saliva to pool in his mouth, dripping down in a way that made Menchi, who stood below, visibly cringe. Yet despite her disgust, Menchi couldn't deny the burning curiosity she felt towards Gon and the others' cooking.
The aroma was something entirely new, a scent she had never encountered before.
Could this be a new dish?
For someone like Menchi, a gourmet enthusiast with an insatiable passion for food, it was as if her curiosity was clawing at her heart. She wanted to shamelessly taste it, but her pride as an examiner and her slight unease around Ronnel held her back, forcing her to observe in silence.
"This is braised pork—rich, savory, with just a hint of sweetness. And that dish in the middle? That's called Dongpo pork, named after a legendary man from my hometown, Dongpo. It's even better than it looks."
Ronnel pointed to the bright red dish in the center, made of perfectly cut pieces of pork belly, which drew the wide-eyed stares of Gon and his friends.
"Don't just sit there staring—taste it!" Ronnel chuckled inwardly as he handed each of them a pair of wooden chopsticks.
As if a signal had been given, Gon and the others lunged for the pork in the middle at once.
Crunch!
The first bite filled their mouths with rich, succulent flavors. The pork was crispy yet tender, full of fragrance, and melted in their mouths.
"Delicious!!" Leorio exclaimed, barely able to contain himself.
"I've never had anything like this before!" Killua chimed in, immediately taking another bite without stopping.
Gon and Kurapika said little, but they wolfed down the pork quickly, already diving in for more with their chopsticks.
"Hey, leave some for me!" Leorio shouted, jumping into the fray for the last pieces of meat.
Buhara and Menchi, still on the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as they watched.
Is it really that good? Menchi wondered, her stomach growling against her will.
Of course, it was delicious—thousands of years of culinary tradition weren't just for show!
"Examiner! My dish is ready!"
The bald ninja, Hanzo, entered the scene, proudly carrying a large roasted pig. When neither Buhara nor Menchi responded, he cleared his throat, raising his voice. "
Ahem! Examiner! Over here!"
"Huh? Oh, right!" Buhara snapped out of his daze and took the roast pig from Hanzo, his expression suddenly complicated as he gave the dish a sniff.
"Well, what do you think? This roasted pig was prepared with my family's secret ninja technique!" Hanzo boasted confidently.
Buhara took a big bite, chewed twice, then fell silent. After swallowing, he sighed inwardly, then turned to Hanzo and nodded.
"You pass."
"Ha! I knew it!" Hanzo cheered, pumping his fist in victory as he walked off to the side.
But Buhara's expression remained complicated. Sure, Hanzo's dish passed—but it wasn't nearly as delicious as what he'd smelled earlier.
The aroma's nowhere near the same. Plus, the color's off, and it's a little burnt from overcooking, Buhara thought, feeling his appetite dwindle for the first time in his life.
Hanzo, having passed, pulled out a few apples from his pocket and began munching away. But his nose twitched as he caught the scent of something far more appetizing than the roasted pig he'd made.
"Ronnel, what's this dish?" Gon asked, pointing to another plate.
"That? It's braised lion's head. It's made from a mix of 30% fat and 70% lean meat, making it tender and flavorful."
"Oh wow! Chomp!" Gon bit into the dish at the same time Hanzo took a bite of his apple. The moment Gon's face lit up in delight, Hanzo's expression soured.
Looking between his apple and Gon's beaming smile, Hanzo couldn't help but feel like he was chewing on wax. Still, he forced himself to keep eating to regain his strength for the next part.
I want to eat that so badly, Hanzo thought bitterly.
The mood in the factory was tense—Buhara chewing on the remainder of the roast pig, Hanzo gnawing at his apples, both of them staring at Ronnel's feast in helpless envy. It wasn't until the next batch of examinees arrived that the strange atmosphere was finally broken.
As the others served their roasted pigs and received passing marks, they too gathered around to eat and noticed the peculiar scene.
"Ronnel, why are there two plates of long strips of meat?" Gon asked, puzzled.
"One's braised pork, and the other's twice-cooked pork. I used some wild herbs from the forest to enhance the flavor."
"Whoa... they're both so good, and they really do taste different! What's this golden fried dish?"
"That's sweet and sour pork. I'm sure someone your age would love it."
"Sweet and sour? I love it! It's even better than the chocolate I had last week!" Killua exclaimed.
Leorio, meanwhile, had his eyes on something else. "I like this one—it's simple but delicious!"
"That's boiled pork with garlic sauce," Ronnel explained. "It's light but packs a lot of flavor."
Leorio nodded enthusiastically, already diving into another dish. "And this one?"
"That's twice-cooked pork. You fry the meat first, then sauté it with spices. Strictly speaking, it's cooked twice for maximum flavor!"
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