Soma Yukihira's words abruptly broke the silence between Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato, who were momentarily lost in their own intimate world. Erina turned to look at Soma, but she also noticed Ryusei standing not far from him, his expression calm and unreadable, his eyes possessing a depth she hadn't noticed when they first arrived.
Remembering that Ryusei and Soma had witnessed her intimate moment with Hisako—the way she had hooked Hisako's chin and teased her—Erina felt a sudden, sharp surge of embarrassment. However, as a member of the Elite Ten and the possessor of the "God's Tongue," she quickly masked her vulnerability with a mask of regal annoyance.
"As long as you use eggs, you can make whatever you want," Erina stated, regaining her icy composure. "But are you really going to take the test?! If you want to give up, it's not too late. I don't want to be the one to end your career before it starts. A single word from me can blacklist a chef from every reputable kitchen in the world."
Soma let out a relieved laugh, completely unfazed by the threat. "That really scared me! What if I failed without even cooking! I've come all this way, and my old man would never let me hear the end of it."
He reached out to pat Erina on the shoulder in a friendly, casual manner, but Ryusei stepped in with a speed that blurred the air. He caught Soma's wrist mid-air with effortless precision.
"Alright, let's hurry up and cook," Ryusei said firmly, his voice low but carrying a strange weight. He steered Soma toward a station, effectively neutralizing the social disaster. "The food will speak for itself. We didn't come here to talk; we came to provide a meal."
He didn't want Soma's casual attitude to sour Erina's mood before she even tasted their work. While Soma began his preparation, muttering about "Peanut Butter Squid" under his breath, Ryusei moved to his own station with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly.
For the next few minutes, the exam hall was filled with the rhythmic sounds of a kitchen. But while Soma was noisy and chaotic, Ryusei was a study in absolute control. Having mastered the fundamentals of Nen under Menchi's tutelage, he had integrated the technique into his very movements.
He maintained a constant state of 'Ten', which kept his focus razor-sharp and prevented any external distractions from entering his workspace. As he cracked the eggs, a subtle application of his specialist Aura seemed to harmonize the ingredients at a molecular level.
He wasn't just cooking; he was infusing the dish with his life energy, ensuring every flavor reached its maximum potential.
Finally, Ryusei stepped forward. He placed a vibrant, steaming plate in front of Erina.
"Huevos Pericos, accompanied by a warm Arepa, a freshly baked Pandebono, and a glass of hot Aguapanela," he announced. "A traditional breakfast, reimagined. Please enjoy."
Erina looked at the plate with a skeptical arch of her brow. The dish consisted of eggs scrambled with finely chopped scallions and tomatoes—vibrant red and green flecks dancing in a golden sea of eggs. To her, it looked like a humble, rustic breakfast one might find in a village, not at the pinnacle of culinary arts.
"Don't joke around," Erina said, her voice dripping with dissatisfaction as she inspected the plate. "This is a complete waste of my time. You think a simple rustic scramble can satisfy my palate? It's impossible. And what are these side items? This corn cake and this bread look... pedestrian."
Hisako stepped in, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the cheesy, golden Pandebono and the dark, translucent Aguapanela. "Before Lady Erina, only exquisite, perfect dishes with the finest French or Italian techniques are served. This is hardly worthy of her tasting. You are insulting the God's Tongue with this commoner's fare."
Soma paused his own cooking, leaning over to sniff the air. "Whoa, Ryusei, that smells incredible! It's got this deep, earthy sweetness. What's the secret?"
"This isn't just a scramble," Ryusei said earnestly, ignoring the insults. "It's a master study of texture and thermal balance. The Huevos Pericos are made using a secret blend: high-quality chicken eggs mixed with the rich, gamey yolk of a Spider Eagle egg I acquired in a very dangerous, far-off place. The tomatoes were sautéed until their umami was concentrated, and the scallions were added at the exact millisecond to preserve their crunch."
He pointed to the sides. "The Pandebono uses a specific cassava starch and a fermented salty cheese to create a bread that is both airy and chewy. And the Aguapanela? It's the purest essence of raw sugarcane, infused with a hint of lime and served hot to cleanse the palate between bites."
Erina's interest was piqued despite herself. "Spider Eagle? There is no such poultry in the national registry. A secret recipe, you say?" She looked at the golden Huevos Pericos again. The aroma was indeed complex—sweet from the tomatoes, sharp from the scallions, and an underlying richness that she couldn't identify. It felt... powerful.
"In that case, I'll reluctantly give it a try," she said, her curiosity finally outweighing her pride. Hisako quickly provided a pair of chopsticks and a small ceramic spoon.
Erina first took a piece of the Pandebono. As her teeth sank into the warm, cheesy dough, her eyes widened. The texture was incredible—crisp on the outside, but with a chewy, almost mochi-like interior that tasted of aged cheese and sun-drenched fields.
Then, she took a generous spoonful of the Huevos Pericos.
The moment the eggs hit her tongue, the world exploded into a kaleidoscope of flavor. The richness of the Spider Eagle egg acted like a velvet glove, carrying the acidity of the tomatoes and the freshness of the scallions directly to her "God's Tongue." But it wasn't just the taste; it was the Aura Ryusei had infused into the cooking process.
"Ah~"
Erina couldn't help but let out a soft, melodic moan that echoed through the empty exam hall. Her cheeks flushed a deep, intoxicating crimson, and her eyes lost focus, fluttering shut. Her whole body went limp, and she half-slumped onto the table, her breath coming in short gasps.
At that moment, she felt as if she were suspended in mid-air by gossamer threads of golden spider silk, strong yet invisible. A sudden, warm gust of wind—the heat and sweetness from the Aguapanela—blew from below, sending her soaring into a sky of pure, sugary bliss.
She felt the "clothing burst" sensation internally; the rustic power of the Colombian-inspired breakfast stripped away her aristocratic pretenses. The Arepa provided a sturdy, corn-flavored foundation to her flight, a grounding element that allowed her to experience the heights of the egg's richness without feeling overwhelmed. The Pandebono felt like soft, cheesy clouds pressing against her skin, comforting and familiar yet entirely new.
It was a total sensory assault. The Aguapanela washed over her palate, its lime-tinged sweetness cutting through the richness of the Spider Eagle yolk and preparing her for the next incredible bite. She felt like a traveler who had found a hidden oasis in the middle of a desert.
After admiring the beautiful scene of the "God's Tongue" completely defeated by his cooking, Ryusei withdrew his gaze, feeling a smug sense of satisfaction. With his Nen and his Hunter world ingredients, he had successfully "drugged" the most discerning critic in Japan. He had proven that even the simplest dish, when prepared with the power of a Gourmet Hunter, could transcend the boundaries of high art.
Erina slowly sat up, her hair slightly disheveled and her face still glowing with a post-culinary heat. She looked at Ryusei, her usual arrogance replaced by a look of genuine shock and confusion.
"What... what did you do to this?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "This shouldn't be possible. It's just eggs... but it's like I was swallowed by a sun."
"So," Ryusei asked quietly, crossing his arms. "Did I pass, or was that 'too strong' for the God's Tongue?"