Chapter 45: This Backfired

~Third POV~

Meanwhile, as the rest of the participants are still searching for the ingredients that Jason baited them to get for their hunt of catching their fish meanwhile Jason was busy teaching Kurapika, and Hisoka how to properly cook sushi as he was able to make it unique thanks for the information from the examiners.

While Jason was busy teaching them to cook Hisoka then asked one of the last smart people in the area as he looked at the man with needles in his head, "Hey there friend if you want to pass the exam come over to get it done easily~"

Jason continued to show the two to cook Sushi as he could only curse in his head as he spoke to himself in his head, 'Fuck you Hisoka! No, fuck you bringing a fucking Zoldyk assassin Manipulator here! I hate my luck!'

The disguised assassin applicant number 301 Illumi Zoldyck came over as he clattered his teeth leaning over as well as Jason 'happily' handing him some fish for him to use. Jason did it as to not get gain to some enemies this early in the world.

Menchi saw this but did nothing since she was entertained on applicant situation 403 was helping the other applicants 44, 301, and 405 but at least she doesn't have to taste any bad food from looking at Jason giving them different ways how to cook.

Buhara asks Menchi about what Jason was doing as he chuckles at the scene of his face being crying with tears, "Hehehe… that applicant 403 certainly knows how to bring in the wrong kind of people don't you think Menchi? What is your opinion on applicant 403 helping them give them different ways to prepare their dishes?"

Menchi shakes her head no she replies to Buhara with a smile as well as eyeing Jason as she licks her lips a bit while nodding her head approving manner, "I don't care how the job is done Buhara as long as they finish my objective and applicant 403 is good looking for his young age. Teaching them how to prepare different ways of Sushi and giving them tips on how to succeed or else applicants 44, 301, or 405 spills the truth then 403 will face the other applicant's wrath."

A small laugh escaped her mouth as she proceeds to speak further of Jason's forethought and steps needed to plan, "Haha… The way he orchestrated and trip the others are what's needed to be hunters but that all depends if they know how to cook. I wonder how he knew or it's blind luck? Well, it doesn't matter if even the others couldn't cook then they aren't going to be good hunters right Buhara?"

Buhara nodded at this as he kept silent viewing everything that applicant 403 is doing. After all, he also did the Hunter Exam as well so what happens just happens nothing in life is ever fair it all depends on your skills, and luck, whatever happens at the end of the day happens.

Jason was helping them be creative in their dishes since doing the same dish as the rest of them won't increase their chances to succeed in the exam as well as using the same ingredients since he knows they have to be creative with their examiner to pass.

Minutes turned into hours as the applicants are having a hard time looking for the ingredients as Jason was teaching Hisoka, Kurapika, and applicant 301 as they continue to cook as well as sampling their food to determine was good enough for them the examiner.

When the four were finally done with preparing their Sushi Jason was the first to come to the examiner giving them his dish of Sushi that was composed of Philadelphia with some soy sauce created from the plants and spices on the side Menchi looks a bit interested in the dish she tries the Philadelphia and gives her time to enjoy it with each bite.

*Munch**Munch**Munch*

After chewing her food as she savors the mood Menchi says her opinion after eating Alex dish as she smiles at the prepared food, "Well then from eating your dish of Sushi as well try to be different from the original I say you pass since you didn't have any sea fish to make it and used fresh river fish instead. The spices as well as getting our wisdom as well as play smart getting rid of the competition got you few brownie points cutie~"

Jason for his part blushed at that while Menchi laughed at that as the next applicant began to give his food to her.

Hisoka brings out his dish of Sushi that is composed of Nigiri Sake with the sushi taking in the form of fish curved on top of the rice with a side of some different sauce she tasted the dish.

After eating his dish, she looks at him and thinks for a bit then gives her result with a serious expression on her face, "Your dish of sushi was certainly different I would have said it wasn't good enough but the sauce you used was good enough with your dish to pass applicant 44."

Hisoka merely smiled to pass as well the same happens for the rest of the other applicants 301, and Kurapika got to pass the exam as their dishes are eaten by Menchi to be tested. Their different uses of creating the dish since Menchi expected them to be creative since she doesn't expect them to be masters but use the surroundings and knowledge in their cooking.

Although Jason has taught them how to prepare sushi it was them that made the food with their own choice as well as food test each other to ensure safety for consumption that brought some bonus points to the hunters.

Timepass more as the other applicants finally came over to the second phase site with fishes with fewer numbers of people this time around as other people were killed off by the animals in the forest.

After a while, everyone was exhausted from getting their ingredients while Kurapika left to try and help his friends. Hisoka, Illumi, and Jason didn't stop him as they stand away from the others while they were separated from each other.

When Hanzo the first of the other applicants presented his dish to Menchi and she tried it she responds to Hanzo it wasn't good enough and that was when Hanzo finally loses it in frustration.

Hanzo says in frustration as he expressed an angry face as he yells at her in a tired tone from collecting the fishes, "WHAT?!!! Rolled rice shaped to be eaten in one bite with a layer of Raeford… All of this is covered by a fine slice of raw fish meat! It isn't more complicated than that! And you're telling me that there are great differences in taste depending on the person who makes it?!"

Like the idiot Hanzo was he let the information slip but Menchi expressed an uncaring tone as she says to him, "You're saying it isn't more complicated than that? 'Great difference in taste'? You bunch of ignorant fools, even if you reproduce the sushi's form, you'll never be able to make good sushi."

She took a glance at the other people as they began to follow Hanzo's example like sheep as she says to herself under her breath, "Seems like the rest are like sheep not knowing what to do. At least I had a good meal before this mess of cooking sigh…"

Just like that, she sat down as it was normal as other people began to do the same as they completely messed up the form. Jason saw that Gon, Killua, and Leorio messed up with the food as they presented it to Menchi as Kurapika warned them to test each other food.

But thanks to the earlier exhaustion into the night they were too tired to do anything but think it's good enough. Jason smiled at this because this was also part of his plan to make sure they were exhausted to do anything.

Hisoka on his part laughed as he commented on Jason's plan only loud enough for him Illumi to hear, "Hahaha… that was a pretty mean trick you did to the others. You made them get to be disqualified in this exam? You are a pretty cold-hearted bastard right."

Jason on his part merely smirked at that as he responded to Hisoka with mild amusement shown on his face, "I don't have no idea what you mean Hisoka? I mean if they had this much trouble finding fish and don't know how to learn something basic as cooking could they become hunters? I just want to feel like examining them is all."

Hisoka for his part merely laughed at that as Illumi ignored the situation of the two although slightly interested in Jason's plan and wished he thought of it sooner to ruin his little brother's chances of becoming a hunter.

After that everyone was doing their best to cook their kind of sushi with lots of failed attempts including Gon, Leorio, and Killua were busy making their foods of sushi wanting to rush it ignoring Kurapika's words of how to properly do it.

As soon as everyone was given a chance to test their sushi's done Menchi concluded her phase as she spoke to everyone in a determined tone, "Now that I have given each of you a chance for the second phase of the exam over and only four applicants pass this year. Applicant 44, 301, 403, and 405 as the rest of you are disqualified. I hope you try again in the next exam."

However, the other applicants argued being this exam is unfair.

That was when Buhara told everyone with his voice clear and loud enough for them to hear what he has to say, "You can argue all you want applicants, but this exam has been judged fairly. You all signed up for this as anything can go in the Hunter Exam sadly it looks like you failed because of lack of knowledge so you can only blame yourselves for failing."

Satotz was observing the area from afar as he saw everything being fairly examined as he spoke to himself as he puts his phone near him, "Oh? I guess everything has been going according to the exam. All have been done fairly and thus four passes while the other is disqualified. Guess I should call the chairmen to get him to collect everyone."

Unlike the original where Satotz calls the chairmen if Menchi disqualified everyone for not cooking properly as she lost her temper, he would've called the chairmen if everything went as planned but here is different.

Since Jason messed with the original plot by ensuring that the fishes flee from the entrance of the forest as well as impress the two hunters in the process Buhara was ok to end it all here as Menchi didn't lose her cool as she ate some good food before dealing with the others as she judged them fairly.

Satotz made a call to the chairmen of the Hunter Association to talk about the exam being over at the second phase with only 4 people passing as the rest failed. The chairman wanting to get some time off himself decided to come himself to give the other applicants a ride home while taking the 4 to explain the rules of being a hunter.

Meanwhile, the other participants were angry and participant 255 was angry saying to Buhara and Menchi, "I came here not to become a gourmet, but a hunter!! A hunter from the Black, I may add!! I want a redo of this!"

Jason narrows his eyes at the idiot thinking to himself in a scolding tone while shaking his head in disappointment, 'Idiot… you were given a chance to take the exam. The only one to blame is yourself if you didn't come prepared since the hunter exam changes every time. You can only blame yourself for not preparing for what you need to be done.'

After that, participant 255 was simply smacked by Buhara hand sending flying while Menchi starts to explain the basics of what a person needs to be a Hunter by learning and training on the subject they needed.

Everyone heard a voice from the sky Jason smiles finally knowing the old monster finally come here, "That's one explanation! But it does justify such severity in this case?"

After that the old man fell to the ground from the airship, he was on landing on his feet Jason was happy to see one of the powerhouses in Hunter x Hunter Isaac Netero.

Netero starts to explain the reason why he appeared as the two gourmet hunters stood up readily at command as he spoke, "Concerning their ability to take on challenges in a domain they do not know you applicants can only blame yourself. In the Hunter Exam, anything can happen it all depends if you can handle it or not. Now then Menchi do you believe that you have done as examiner fairly?"

Menchi just stands there before she finally responds resolutely to her answer as she gazes the other applicants unwavering as she spoke, "No. I have done my job as an examiner fairly and justly. The majority of the applicants here have demonstrated to cook even knowing the ingredients beforehand from outside sources."

As she says that she glances over to Hanzo with disdain as she spoke making the Saitama wanna be flinching at her sight, "However, they failed to truly cook the food with creativity or ask for assistance in cooking since the applicant 294 said the steps. But failed already as another applicant has already done the dish of the same type as applicant 403 with some creative use for his spices as well as using everything on hand inside the forest to make the food with flavor."

Netero observes her expression as he nods at this as he glances at the rest that failed with horror-filled expressions as he spoke his words, "I see… in that case this Hunter Exam is hereby over for this year. Although we have 4 people with us it takes more than the power to be a hunter, they need to be skillful as well as be lucky to get the job done. Now then…"

With that, he points his thumb up at the two airships as he said to the other applicants with a bright smile on his face, "Now then everyone that failed please leave at this time to the airship that I'm pointing towards. And for the four that pass you get to ride with me to the last exam site to properly explain your roles as hunters."

Jason was looking at everything with a calm face but inside he was surprised about one thing as he thought to himself as he sweats a bit, 'So there is no plot armor in this world or others if that is the case. Just strange sets of luck and odd courses… I need to experiment more on it to be certain, but for now, though this confirms that the term plot armor doesn't exist, or at least to a degree. But I didn't think it would backfire… well there goes my knowledge of the plot down the drain.'