Hunter X Hunter Esther

22) What Is She Waiting For?

“You’ve passed.”

Everyone becomes silent. I’m stuck in place, shocked. Looking back towards Gon and the others, I walk nervously towards them. Buhara speaks. “That was so much food, I’m stuffed!” He pats his stomach, satisfied. Menchi looks up.

“Yeah, I’m stuffed too. Therefore, except one, no-one else passes. We’re finished here!” She shouts. The applicants sound mad, they don’t believe what she’s saying. Suddenly, a workstation is smashed. Everyone looks at it. It’s the same applicant who was making fun of gourmet hunters.

“I won’t accept it…I refuse to accept it!” He shouts. Menchi stares at him. She gets up from her seat. “In the end, you’ve still failed,” she says, crossing her arms. The applicant turns red from rage. “Stop screwing around! You asked for pork, so we risked our lives to-”

“I said to prepare the pork in a manner we both found delicious. None of you made anything remotely delicious, expect number 406. You all did almost the same thing. There was no effort made. And when I thought someone actually tried, they only changed the appearance! No attempt to emphasize the flavor. I'm positive that none of you took cooking seriously!” Menchi cuts him off.

“Pork dishes are all the same,” the applicant insists. Menchi becomes pissed. “JUST SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME! ANYMORE CRAP FROM YOU, AND I'LL SHOVE MY ARM UP YOUR ASS AND KNOCK YOUR TEETH OUT! I DON'T WANT ANY LIP FROM A BUNCH OF AMATEURS WHO CAN'T EVEN ROAST A PIG! HEY, WHAT DID YOU SAY? WHY DON'T YOU REPEAT IT TO MY FACE?!”

She sits back down and puts her hands behind the chair. Wait, did she take something out? Are those knives? “In other words, you people don't have the guts to try anything new,” she concludes. “Shut up! I'm not trying to become a cook or gourmet… I'm trying to be a hunter!” The applicant shouts. The rest support him.

“My goal is to become a blacklist hunter; I refuse to let some gourmet hunter decide my fate!” He says, pointing at her. Menchi taunts him. “To bad you got stuck with a mere gourmet hunter as an examiner. Better luck next year.” “Why you, don’t mock me!”

The applicant charges at Menchi. But before he could lay a hand on her, Buhara slams him away with his hand. For a short instance there, I could have sworn I felt bloodlust coming from an applicant somewhere. Not to mention Menchi also felt dangerous to approach for a split second.

“Buhara, don’t interfere,” Menchi says calmly. “Well… if I hadn't intervened, you'd have killed him, right?” Buhara scratches his head, smiling. “Probably,” Menchi gets up, showing her knives to everyone. She walks down the stairs.

“Let me clarify this… We frequently adventure into the dens of ferocious beasts, looking for ingredients. Every hunter knows some form of martial art. You lack focused and the willingness to experiment. That alone disqualifies you from becoming hunters!” Menchi shouts.

I can feel the applicants contemplating if they should attack her. While Hisoka is just itching to attack. Suddenly, the wind shifts above me. Looking up, I see some sort of flying blimp with the hunter association logo. “That said, it would be excessive to fail all but one applicant,” a voice echoed from there.

Someone falls out from the blimp. My first response is to catch the man, but something’s telling me I should back up. Taking a step back, the man crashed onto the ground. Dirt and dust sprays everywhere. Emerging from the dust, an old man with a beard that is black on the tips walks out.

“The chairman of the selection committee… He's in charge of the hunter exam, chairman Netero,” Menchi says. Netero smiles. “Well, I work behind the scenes. I only take action when there is an issue, like now. So, Menchi…” “Yes sir?” “You failed all but one applicant because you disapproved of their reluctance to try new things?” Netero asks.

“No sir…I lost my cool when one of the candidates insulted gourmet hunters. And I made the exam harder than necessary…” Menchi says. “In other words, you're aware that this exam was unacceptable,” Netero rubs his beard. “Yes sir. When cooking is involved, I lose control. I'm unqualified to be an examiner. I will resign as examiner, so please redo the 2nd phase!” Menchi bows.

“It will be quite difficult to find another examiner on such short notice,” Netero says. “…Very well, how about this? I'd like you to continue serving as examiner, but you must also participate in the new test you propose. Is that acceptable? I'm sure that will help the applicants to accept the results,” he asks.

“That's true… then the new challenge will be boiled eggs! Chairman, can you take us to Mt. Split-in-half in your airship?” Menchi asks. “Mt. Split-in-half? I see what you're doing. Certainly, I can,” Netero agrees.

_

Arriving at Mt. Split-in-Half, applicants wait near a deep ledge. I get off the airship and fall on my knees, throwing up. I decide to lay there as if I’m a dead fish while Gon drags me by the feet towards the others. Everyone looks down at the ledge, you can’t see the bottom. It’s foggy down there. Menchi speaks.

“Now everyone, look down there,” as if on cue, the fog clears. Rows of webs holding onto eggs appear. “A Spider Eagle’s Web,” Menchi says. Gon leans in forward to see the web better. “They build webs down there?” He asks, mostly to himself.

An updraft blows onto our faces. It’s somewhat cold. The applicant who made fun of gourmet hunters falls backwards. He seems fearful. “Look below the web,” Menchi commands. Looking closer, we see eggs bundled up together in the web. “Those are?” Gon asks.

“Spider Eagle eggs,” Netero answers. “Spider Eagles build their webs in deep ravines, to protect their eggs from predators. This makes their eggs one of the most difficult ingredients to obtain. The eggs are also known as Dream Eggs.” “W-wait…You don’t mean we-” The applicant stutters.

“Sure do,” Menchi cuts him off, grinning. “EH?!” Everyone shouts. Taking a step back, Menchi jumps into the ravine. She grabs onto the web; it seems very thick. Everyone looks on, shocked as she dangles there…What is she waiting for?