Lu ou, Caught in the Crossfire, Can Only Shoulder the Blame in Silence
Lu ou, who had been innocently dragged into the situation, could only accept that this "blame" had to fall on him. After all, he couldn't exactly say, "It's because the examiner is too strict and your creations are too bizarre that you failed." Saying that would probably just get him surrounded and beaten up.
"Seriously—up until now, I haven't even gotten to taste a single one! Are you trying to starve me to death?"
Unable to endure it any longer, Menchi raised her voice and once again shouted a reminder to the examinees. The chopsticks in her hand waved left and right as she spoke, clearly trying to draw attention to certain details.
Unfortunately, no one noticed.
"This is unbearable. You people have absolutely no observational skills. I even deliberately gave you so many hints."
Menchi kept miming the action of picking food up with her chopsticks, over and over again—but still no one paid attention. All they noticed was how darker and darker her expression became.
There was really nothing she could do.
"Heh heh heh. Just wait—I'm about to blow your minds."
Hanzo's voice, brimming with confidence and excitement, came from behind. Only then did Luou realize Hanzo was standing right behind him.
Earlier, seeing that not a single examinee's dish had been eaten, Hanzo couldn't help muttering smugly under his breath. Normally no one would've heard it—but unfortunately for him, Lu ou was standing directly in front of him, and with senses as sharp as his, it was impossible not to hear.
"What a tragic guy."
Thinking about what Hanzo was about to experience, Lu ou couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him.
Menchi scanned the remaining line of examinees once more. Her eyes finally landed on Lu ou, a few people away, and for the first time she felt a glimmer of anticipation. Her movements quickened as she flipped away yet another oddly shaped fish-wrapped rice monstrosity.
"Wrong. Next."
Another dish was rejected. Finally, it was Lu ou's turn.
He immediately felt even more eyes gathering on him. Though he was used to being stared at, this kind of heated scrutiny was still rare.
"Examiner, this is my nigiri sushi."
Lu ou steadied his breathing and slowly lifted the lid from his dish. He was confident in his work—but Menchi was a top-tier gourmet chef. Having a demanding palate was only natural.
"Let me see."
The impatience on Menchi's face finally eased as she prepared to sample Lu ou's dish.
The lid came off.
A piece of sushi about two fingers wide lay quietly on the plate. The red-and-white fish rested snugly atop the rice, glossy and fresh, its color vibrant. A faint brown sheen of sauce stained the rice at the edges, making it instantly appetizing at a glance.
Menchi let out a soft breath. At last—a properly made nigiri sushi.
The tension in her expression melted away as she picked it up with her chopsticks and placed it into her mouth.
The sweetness of the fish, the fragrance of the rice, the light saltiness of the sauce—textures soft yet springy—burst together across her palate, delivering a small feast of flavor. Even her long-empty stomach seemed to let out a satisfied sigh.
Though the taste wasn't the pinnacle of perfection, every ingredient was balanced exactly right. That alone was rare. Even the notoriously picky Menchi felt this was the best Lu ou could currently produce—and that was more than enough.
"Huh? There's only one?"
After finishing it, Menchi instinctively reached out for another.
Clink.
Her chopsticks struck the plate.
Empty.
Though she did feel a tinge of regret, Menchi knew this was an exam. She still needed to save room to taste other examinees' dishes, so she said nothing further and announced the result directly.
"Examinee Number 406—Pass."
"What? He passed? So it really is fish?"
—said those who had earlier suspected Luou of deliberately misleading everyone.
"What's going on? How did he pass just like that?"
—said those who had been too busy glaring daggers at Luou to actually look at his sushi.
"Then I'll definitely pass too."
—said Hanzo. Standing directly behind Lu ou, he had seen the dish clearly. It didn't seem all that different from his own—just a bit more refined. If Luou passed, there was no way he wouldn't.
"Lu ou is amazing… He really knows how to do everything."
Gon had already finished his sushi and was lining up to present it. The other companions stood behind him, all smiling brightly. Seeing a teammate pass made them genuinely happy.
"Thank you, Examiner Menchi."
Lu ou smiled politely as he expressed his thanks. The tension he'd been holding in his chest finally settled completely.
Even with confidence, there was always a bit of anxiety before hearing the final result.
Turning around, Lu ou saw Gon and the others already in line. He smiled at them and silently mouthed, "Good luck," before stepping aside so as not to block the path for other examinees.
Gon pumped his fist at him in response, signaling that he understood. The others nodded as well, indicating everything was fine.
Seeing this, Lu ou finally relaxed.
Sometimes, people arrive full of enthusiasm—only to leave utterly crushed.
Hanzo was about to become one such case.
"It should be my turn now."
Hanzo stepped forward confidently. Though he wouldn't be the first to pass, being the second would still be pretty good.
"Well then—this is nigiri sushi."
With one hand he lifted the lid, and with the other he presented the plate to Menchi, his face glowing with pride.
"Another one that looks fairly decent," Menchi said as she accepted the plate, still holding some expectation thanks to Lu ou's example.
Noticing that there was no sauce on the sushi, she dipped it into her own saucer with condiments before placing it into her mouth.
But the flavor was not what she expected.
Her hopeful expression instantly collapsed.
"No. This is not good at all. Take it back and redo it."
She handed the plate straight back to Hanzo.
Hanzo's smug expression froze in place.
"What? What did you say?!"
"So-called nigiri sushi is just rice shaped into a rectangular form, with a bit of wasabi on top, then topped with raw fish—something you can eat in one bite. It's such a simple dish. Who can't make it? How much difference could the taste possibly have? And why is my dish worse than that guy's?! Aren't they both just nigiri sushi?!"
The emotional gap was too great. Hanzo completely lost control of his volume, shouting while wildly gesturing, clearly agitated.
As for the completely innocent Lu ou, who had been caught in the crossfire, he remained standing silently to the side.
Now was definitely not the time for him to say anything.
In an exam, the examiner's word was law. Overstepping that boundary would only cause trouble.
"So that's what it is…"
"So that's how you make it."
"Finally—I get it now."
These were the reactions of examinees who had been eliminated without understanding why, or who were still at a loss. Hearing Hanzo's outburst, they finally realized what nigiri sushi actually was.
The quick-witted ones rushed back to their stations to remake their sushi. Those who enjoyed the spectacle stayed where they were, watching.
"This is bad…"
Watching so many examinees suddenly spring into action, Hanzo grew increasingly annoyed. His advantage was gone.
He completely failed to notice Menchi's face, now dark as the bottom of a pot.