Although he was attracted by the fragrance, Dafifi also wanted to contact Law. In fact, he had already decided to report Law's presence to Netero, but he wanted to know a little more before reporting.
It is not uncommon for someone at Law's age to be able to master Nen. After all, as long as someone teaches them since childhood and they have good aptitude, it is not surprising that a child at the age of ten can learn Nen.
However, being able to manipulate one's Aura with such precision at this age was extremely rare. Even for Dafifi, who has been exposed to Nen for ten years, it is difficult to do it.
"I'm not hungry."
Faced with Law's ruthless rejection, Dafifi responded rather awkwardly, then sat down directly. He intended to start a casual conversation, but his gaze was quickly drawn to the roasted whole boar before him.
The aroma was even richer up close, and after inhaling it for a while, Dafifi found himself salivating and feeling an undeniable hunger.
'This smells way too good.' Dafifi thought silently.
Law, however, didn't have time to pay attention to him. His attention was entirely on the wild boar now, which Buhara was holding over the fire.
Roasting a whole boar, especially one as large as this, is very difficult, as the process demanded precise control of heat.
However, there is no need to worry about this for a captured wild boar, as its skin is impervious to knives and guns.
Even if it is roasted over a high fire, it will not be burnt too much, but the heat will penetrate the hard skin into the meat.
This tough hide acted like the clay around a traditional beggar's chicken, sealing all the flavors inside. However, it also posed a disadvantage, as the hide prevented seasoning from penetrating the meat.
Moreover, the excess fat within the meat could ruin the flavor if not removed. Direct exposure to intense flames might burn off some fat, but the tough hide also trapped the fat inside, complicating the process.
However, these cooking problems can be easily solved by Law using his abilities.
He ground two types of spices into fine powder and infused them directly into the boar's meat, bypassing the tough hide to ensure even distribution. Simultaneously, he extracted some of the excess fat and created small pinholes in the hide with his powers, resembling tiny toothpick-sized vents.
These vents allowed the fat to seep out during roasting and acted as escape points for the aroma, releasing just enough fragrance to tantalize the senses.
The true essence of the aroma, however, remained locked within the hide, waiting to explode like a flavor bomb.
"Turn it."
Law suddenly said.
Without hesitation, Buhara flipped the boar over. A sizzling sound accompanied the movement as fat dripped from the meat, sliding along the surface of the glowing red hide.
In an instant, the oil perfectly blended with the spices and turned into a burst of fragrant white smoke that rushed into the sky.
The once red-hot hide transformed into a golden, glistening surface, exuding an irresistible allure. However, this layer of skin is as hard as a rock and difficult for ordinary people to eat. However, Nen Users can use Aura to strengthen their teeth so that they can chew it.
"Gulp..."
Two distinct sounds of swallowing broke the silence near Law, one from Buhara and the other from Dafifi.
"It smells so good!" Buhara stared at the wild boar with his eyes wide open, not even bothering to wipe the saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth.
Dafifi's performance was better than Buhara's. He didn't drool to the point of dropping to the ground, but his clenched fists betrayed his internal struggle as he repeatedly thought, 'I want to eat it!'
The tantalizing aroma spread further, drawing the attention of every candidate in the area, stimulating their appetites and making them even hungrier, so they forced their attention back on the game they were roasting.
Time passed by little by little. From here, the moon could not be seen, and only the sky was filled with stars.
"Law, can we eat it yet?" Buhara asked anxiously.
"Almost." Law checked the amount of fat that had spilled and made a rough judgment.
After a while, Law nodded decisively and said, "It's ready. Lift it off."
Hearing Law's words, Buhara eagerly lifted the perfectly roasted boar off the flames.
The wild boar was skewered on a long wooden stick, which was also done by Law using his Nen Ability.
When Buhara lifted up the roasted wild boar, the examinees around him once again cast their gazes over to him without reservation.
Not only Law, but even Dafifi, who was watching with his eyes wide open at the side, could feel the weight of their collective stares.
At this time, Dafifi debated whether he should shamelessly ask Law for a piece, even if it was just a small piece.
Before he could act on the thought, he saw Law raise one hand, shaping it like a blade, and slice down the center of the roasted boar.
"Hmm?" Dafifi's gaze quietly sharpened.
Suddenly, the roasted whole boar split in half, releasing a surge of steam and aroma trapped within. It was as if a flavor bomb had detonated, instantly overwhelming everyone's sense of smell.
If the aroma earlier had been a mere 10 on a scale, now it was a full-blown 100!
"How about sharing a piece with me?" Being so close, Dafifi succumbed to the enticing fragrance and shamelessly asked.
"You can have the skin. But fair warning, it's as hard as stone." Law replied with a glance at Dafifi. He wasn't interested in the skin, and since Buhara can't use Nen, he wouldn't be able to chew through it.
"Sure, sure!" Dafifi agreed hastily, not daring to negotiate further.
Hearing this, Law stretched out his fingers and deftly and effortlessly peeling off the golden, crispy skin of the boar.
Dafifi saw it clearly and secretly admired Law's control over his Aura.
After removing all the skins, Law handed them to Dafifi, who carefully wrapped his hands in aura to hold the still-hot piece of roasted hide.
At this time, the explosion of aroma had gradually subsided, and the other examinees began to snap out of their trance. However, when they returned to their own roasted meals or rodent-like bats, the taste seemed bland and unappealing by comparison.
'I really wanted to eat that roasted boar.'
Everyone collectively lamented in their hearts.
From the whole roasted pig, the hard skin was given to Dafifi and Law only kept one massive boar leg, with the rest of the roasted pork given to Buhara. Undeterred by the heat, Buhara began tearing into the meat, letting out satisfied groans as he exhaled bursts of steam with each bite.
Law took a bite as well. As his teeth sank into the meat, the tender texture yielded under pressure. The juices, infused with the spices, burst in his mouth, coating his tongue with an intense flavor. It felt so rich that he briefly thought the meat had already been chewed for him before he swallowed it whole.
"So tender and flavorful..." Law muttered, savoring the taste. Yet, even as he lamented the fleeting experience, he eagerly took another bite.
Seeing Law and Buhara devour the boar so enthusiastically, Dafifi couldn't resist any longer. He bit into the skin and almost broke a tooth in the process.
"It really is as hard as stone!"
When Dafifi took the second bite, he used Aura to strengthen his teeth.
Crunch!
A crisp sound echoed through the area as he chewed.
Dafifi suddenly increased the frequency of his chewing. Fortunately, he was an Enhancer, otherwise, it would be difficult to chew this layer of skin.
The sharp crunching sounds are like the sound of eating potato chips, but it sounded like a harsh noise to the other examinees, which made them want to throw away the dinner in their hands.
While Dafifi managed to snag a piece of roasted boar skin, that was the extent of his gain. Meanwhile, the other candidates were left feeling that their meals tasted like dirt.
The night passed uneventfully, with no beasts attacking the examinees for some inexplicable reason.
At noon the next day, many more examinees arrived, bringing the number of people present to more than 1,200.
Seeing that the allotted test time had ended, Dafifi distributed the number plates he had retrieved from the top of the mountain in the early morning directly to everyone, without caring about the order at all.
Law received plate number 888, while Buhara got 889.
After handing out the number plates, Dafifi looked at the examinees present, raised his hand and pointed at the red rock wall behind him, and said, "The first test is rock climbing. You will pass if you can climb to the top of the mountain before sunset. I will wait for you at the top of the mountain."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dafifi turned around and started climbing without further explanation.
The cliff was smooth, with few footholds, but Dafifi simply plunged his fingers into the rock, creating handholds as he climbed swiftly upward.
Most of the examinees below were staring blankly at the series of holes left by Dafifi as he ascended.
Before long, Dafifi reached the summit and stood at the edge, gazing down at the candidates below, who had begun climbing one after another.
After observing for a while, Dafifi's expression grew increasingly intrigued.
After a moment's hesitation, he took out his phone and called Netero.
After a few seconds, the call connected, and a playful yet aged voice came through: "Gorilla?"
Hearing Netero's word, Dafifi's face darkened and he said helplessly: "Chairman, my name is Dafifi."
"Hmm, I'll try to remember that next time. So, did something go wrong with the Hunter Exam for you to call at this time?" Netero asked lazily.
"Uh... there was no problem with the Hunter Exam, but I encountered a very special and powerful examinee, so I felt it necessary to inform you." Dafifi explained.
"Oh? Tell me more." Netero suddenly became interested.
"This examinee knows Nen, and his level is not low. Moreover, he used his Aura to knock out dozens of examinees..."
In a quiet room, Netero sat on a tatami mat, holding a teacup with both hands. He pressed the phone against his ear with his toes, a look of keen interest spreading across his face as he listened to Dafifi's account.
"You mean, instead of climbing, he stayed below to rescue people?" Netero asked with great interest.
"Yeah, and... the wild boar skin he roasted is unbelievably delicious!" At the end of the report, Dafifi couldn't help but blurt out such words.
For a moment, silence reigned.
After a while, Netero's faint whisper came from the phone: "Hearing you say that, I almost want to give it a try myself."