Chapter 69 – Passed
Osren, silently taking the blame, could only sigh in resignation.
He couldn't exactly shout, "It's because the examiner is too strict and you people cooked monstrosities unfit for human consumption!"
That would just get him mobbed.
"Honestly! I haven't even tasted one sushi yet!
Are you all planning to starve me to death?!"
Menchi's patience exploded as she waved her chopsticks around dramatically—
but none of the examinees seemed to pick up on her obvious hints.
"Unbelievable! Do none of you have even a shred of observation?!
I even gave you so many other clues!"
She kept miming picking up food with her chopsticks, but all the examinees focused on was her increasingly dark expression.
A hopeless situation.
---
"Heheheh… just wait, I'm going to blow everyone away."
A smug voice came from right behind Osren—Hanzō, brimming with confidence.
He had muttered it quietly, proud that no dish had been accepted so far.
Unfortunately for him, Osren's sharp senses caught every word.
"Poor guy…"
Osren couldn't help pitying the fate awaiting him.
---
Menchi scanned the remaining line of examinees.
Then she spotted Osren—two or three people away.
At last, someone worth looking forward to.
Her hands sped up.
Strange sushi shapes were flipped, bento disasters tossed aside.
"Wrong. Next."
Then finally—it was his turn.
The weight of everyone's stares landed on him.
Even for someone used to attention, this level of heat was unusual.
"Examiner, this is my nigiri sushi."
He gently lifted the lid.
Despite his confidence, he remained tense—Menchi was a top-tier gourmet with notoriously demanding tastes.
"Let me see."
Menchi's impatience melted almost instantly when the lid opened.
A neatly shaped piece of nigiri sat on the plate:
red-white fish gleaming with moisture, resting perfectly on a compact block of rice, a touch of brown sauce glistening along the side.
The sight itself stimulated the appetite.
Menchi exhaled softly—finally, something that looked like sushi.
She picked it up and placed it into her mouth.
Sweetness of the fish.
Gentle fragrance of the rice.
A soft hint of salt from the sauce.
Textures melting together just right.
A modest flavor, not world-class—
but harmonious, balanced, and undeniably correct.
Even the picky Menchi had to admit:
given his age and situation, this was the best Osren could have produced.
And that was more than enough.
"…Huh? Only one?"
By reflex, she reached for another, but—
Clack!
Her chopsticks hit the plate.
Empty.
She almost regretted it, but this was an exam—she needed room for the others.
Menchi straightened herself and announced clearly:
"Examinee 406 — PASS."
"What? He passed? So it was fish?!"
—Those who suspected Osren of tricking them.
"…What happened? How'd he pass so suddenly?"
—Those too busy staring at Osren to look at the food itself.
"Then I'll definitely pass too."
—Hanzō, confident to the point of delusion.
After all, from where he stood, Osren's sushi didn't look that different from his own…
It was just a little more delicate. What could go wrong?
"Osren is amazing—he can do anything!"
Gon beamed as he lined up with his own dish.
Behind him were Kurapika, Killua, and Leorio, all smiling proudly that their companion had passed.
"Thank you, Examiner Menchi."
Osren bowed politely, a smile blooming across his face.
The last bit of tension he'd been holding finally loosened.
Even with confidence on his side, Osren still felt a sliver of nervousness until the final verdict was announced.
Turning around, he saw Gon and the others already lining up.
Osren smiled and mouthed a silent "Good luck!" before stepping aside so he wouldn't block the other examinees.
Gon clenched his fist and pumped it toward Osren, full of spirit.
The others nodded as well, signaling they understood.
Only then did Osren truly relax.
Sometimes people come in full of enthusiasm only to leave in despair.
Hanzō was about to demonstrate this principle perfectly.
"My turn's coming up. Time to shine."
He strode forward confidently.
He might not be the first to pass, but being the second was still impressive.
"Behold—this is proper nigiri sushi."
With a flourish he lifted the lid and presented the plate to Menchi, radiating pride.
"Oh? Another one that at least looks like sushi."
Menchi accepted the plate, hopeful because Osren had set a good example.
She saw no sauce on top, so she dipped the sushi lightly in her own dish before taking a bite—
—only for her expression to collapse instantly.
"No. This is not good at all. Take it back and redo it."
She returned the plate without hesitation.
Hanzō's triumphant smile froze on his face.
"…What? What did you say?"
Then, he exploded.
"Nigiri sushi is just rice squeezed into a rectangle, then topped with wasabi and a slice of raw fish!
It's simple! Anyone can do that!
So how could my sushi taste worse than that brat's?!
They're both nigiri! This makes no sense!"
His voice boomed across the hall as he gestured wildly, utterly shaken.
Osren, the innocent bystander, quietly kept his distance.
This was not the moment for commentary.
During an exam, the examiner's judgment was absolute—interfering would only make things worse.
"Oh… so that's what nigiri is."
"So that's how you do it!"
"No wonder mine failed…"
The previously eliminated examinees, who were still wallowing in confusion, suddenly understood everything after hearing Hanzō's outburst.
The quick-witted ones sprinted back to their stations to start over.
Others stuck around to watch the unfolding drama.
"…Crap."
Hanzō finally realized the consequence of his shouting.
Most of the examinees had already started re-making their sushi.
His earlier advantage—gone.
He was too distressed to notice Menchi's face turning pitch black.
She looked like a storm ready to erupt.