Midnight x Meal - New Horizons!

The judging wraps up, and Alex can't help but smirk as the other teams' scores are announced one by one. He hears some of the totals: 4, 2, 3, 5. None of them come close to his team's score. His smirk grows as he thinks, Yeah, that's what happens when you don't know the basics of cooking and don't even try, you clowns.

When the scores are tallied, Alex's team comes in first place. Emma's team, surprisingly, takes second place. Alex notices her smirking alongside Palm and a handful of strong candidates she roped into her group. She played it smart, Alex thinks, leveraging Palm's raw strength and abilities. Looks like she's learned to take some calculated risks. Not bad for a player who usually just buys her way through.

The third-place team turns out to be led by none other than Melody, who somehow pulled off an impressive effort with her calm and focused demeanor. Alex is mildly impressed but keeps his thoughts to himself.

Menchi finally announces the top 10 teams one by one, each group sighing in relief as their names are called. When the announcements are over, she addresses the remaining examinees.

"Congratulations to all the teams that made it through! It looks like we now have exactly 50 examinees left," she says with her usual flair. "But don't get too comfortable. I have some bad news. Your next examiner is straight-up nasty. I wouldn't be surprised if nearly all of you fail, and honestly, I'll be shocked if more than five of you pass."

Groans echo through the candidates. Alex feels his stomach drop at the ominous warning and silently curses her. Way to drag the mood down, you smug, skimpy b... whatever! I'll get through this part too, just watch!

A notification from the system pops up:

[Main Quest Updated:

Mission: Pass the hunter exam

First Phase: 1/1 Second Phase: 1/1 Third Phase: 1/1 Fourth Phase: 0/1 Fifth Phase: 0/1

…]

Menchi continues, "As promised, I'll prepare a late-night dinner for the top three teams. The rest of you are free to return to the airship and do whatever you want—relax, shower, cook your own meals with leftover ingredients, or go to sleep. The airship will leave at 6 AM sharp for your next destination, where you'll meet your fourth examiner."

She looks at Linne, who is seated quietly in her wheelchair again, and then smiles back at the candidates. "Oh, and one more thing! If you fail at this stage, you'll be allowed to take the exam next year without needing a navigator. So don't be too discouraged when you fail this year. Better luck next time!"

The announcement sparks a mix of irritation and relief. Most candidates shuffle off toward the airship, eager to rest or forget their stresses. Meanwhile, Alex, his team, Emma's team, and Melody's team stay behind, curious to watch Menchi's much-touted cooking skills in action.

A group of assistants hauls in a staggering variety of ingredients: animal carcasses, vegetables, exotic spices, and more. It's a feast in the making.

Alex watches with mild interest, though his exhaustion is catching up with him. Menchi sets to work with her signature knives, slicing and dicing the ingredients with astonishing speed and precision. Within minutes, what should have taken hours for a normal chef is neatly prepped.

Alex squints at her hands and knives, his curiosity piqued. She's definitely using Nen. There's no way she can cut this smoothly through these thick animal bones without it. But despite focusing his senses, he can't detect anything. Annoyed, he silently curses, What good is having SNS and SPR if I still can't sense a thing? Without Nen you'd be nearly hopeless to defend against invisible attacks!

Determined to figure it out, Alex closes his eyes and focuses. Using his Basic Meditation lvl 3, breathing deeply and steadying his mind. For 10 minutes, he maintains the state, his body completely still. Gradually, he feels something foreign—a faint, subtle energy radiating from Menchi.

When he opens his eyes, he sees her in a slightly different light. There's a faint aura around her hands and blades, he can't outright see but feel it, confirming his suspicion. So SNS, SPR, and meditation do work, he thinks. If I had double my current stats, I might even be able to sense this in combat. Something to work on and try out later I guess…

Satisfied, he leans back and relaxes, deciding to savor this moment of reprieve before the madness of the next phase begins thinking, anyway I'll relax a bit for now… this wasn't an easy day.

Alex, exhausted but still enjoying himself, watches Menchi as she prepares the food. Her skimpy outfit and confident movements catch his eye, and the delicious smell filling the air makes it even better. For Alex, this is solid entertainment, a skilled chef putting on a show under the night sky.

The cool breeze and the quiet around him make the moment even better. The stars above are bright and clear, with no city lights to drown them out. Time moves quickly as Menchi lays out dish after dish, and the other examinees dig in without hesitation.

Alex can't deny it—this food is on another level. It's way better than anything his group managed to throw together. Menchi kept the dishes simple and straightforward, but everything was cooked to perfection. The flavors are spot-on, and even someone with no cooking knowledge would be impressed.

Despite the sheer amount of food, it vanishes fast, leaving Alex scratching his head. "How did all that disappear so quickly?" he wonders, especially with so many of the women looking like they'd barely eat.

Menchi suddenly walks up to him, her smug grin plastered across her face. She stops in front of him and asks, "So, how was it? You got lucky and didn't end up eating out of a dog bowl. Did I open your eyes?"

Alex genuinely enjoyed the food, but her attitude rubs him the wrong way. With the exam over, he lets his pettiness shine through. "It's good, honestly. Probably the best you can expect... from a regular chef. Thanks for giving it your all," he says, his tone just vague enough to be irritating.

Menchi freezes for a moment, her grin fading as her brow furrows. Linne, sitting nearby, raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. Menchi, however, bristles. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'REGULAR CHEF'?! Do you even know who I am?" she snaps.

Alex doesn't hesitate. "You're a Single-Star gourmet hunter and a prodigy—I know exactly who you are. But do you really think that means you've reached the top? There are chefs out there whose skills you can't even imagine, people who would make this food of yours look like a mediocre attempt. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great, but that's all it was. I've had food so good that it made meals like yours seem like nothing more than dog food. That food saved my life! Yours? Just tasty, that's all."

"There are chefs who could use techniques so advanced, they'd make yours look like you were playing with toy utensils instead of real tools. You're like a frog at the bottom of a well, proud of what you can see, but completely blind to the vast world outside. Maybe you're satisfied with this level of cooking, but I'm not. And while cooking isn't something I'll ever try to master, I've seen enough to say with confidence—this is good, but it's nowhere near what you should feel so smug about." Alex goes on, stating his honest opinion, thinking back to all the food and healing items he used before. He is happy that he achieved yet another goal and smiles, thinking, I finally used the 'frog at the bottom of a well' idiom. Good job, me!

Menchi's face shifts from fury to something more complicated—frustration mixed with curiosity. Linne, meanwhile, says nothing, watching Alex closely.

The other examinees, sensing the tension, make a quiet exit. Shalnark walks over to Alex. "You coming?" he asks, a slight smirk on his face.

Alex shakes his head. "I'll catch up in a bit," he replies.

Left alone with Menchi and Linne, the air feels heavier. Menchi crosses her arms, her glare fixed on Alex. "You're full of it. I don't believe a word you said! You can't prove any of that, and I only trust what I've seen and tasted myself." Her words are sharp, but there's a hint of doubt creeping into her voice.

To Alex's absolute surprise, Linne speaks for the first time: "This girl may be a bit arrogant, but I can vouch for her skills. The ingredients were simple, but every dish was crafted to perfection. I'm surprised this couldn't satisfy you."

Partly to prove himself, but also driven by a faint hope of a miracle in the back of his mind, Alex decides to do something bold. He acts as though he's rummaging through his backpack but opens his inventory and pulls out: [Miso Ramen with Extra Pork].

[Miso Ramen with Extra Pork]

World: Naruto

Quality: Green

Effect: Heals 50 HP & 50 MP over 10 minutes. Must be eaten outside of combat. The effect vanishes if the player engages in battle during the healing duration.

Note: Fresh from Ichiraku – Naruto's Favorite dish!

"How about you try this?" Alex says, holding the bowl out toward them. "Don't ask me how it's hot, why it's fresh, or how I even carried it with me. Weird things happen around me, and I can't explain them to you. Just taste it and judge for yourself."

Menchi eyes him suspiciously but mutters, "Nen." Her casual mention of the secret power makes Alex flinch, though Linne's silence seems to confirm her agreement.

"I can't use that," Alex admits plainly. "I've tried to see it, to feel it. I know some of the other candidates have it too, but it's not something I can understand yet…. Still, I have this… ability. Call it luck, call it miracles, whatever you want. This ramen is proof of what I'm talking about. You wanted evidence? Here it is. It's your choice now—open your eyes… or in this case, your mouth."

Menchi and Linne exchange glances before cautiously taking a taste. Their initial skepticism fades as their eyes widen in surprise. Slowly, they eat, their expressions shifting to quiet astonishment. As Menchi is about to take another bite, Alex abruptly grabs the bowl and finishes it himself.

"You!! I wasn't done!" Menchi snaps, glaring at him.

"Hey, this was really hard to get. I'm not about to let anyone else finish it without tasting it myself," Alex replies unapologetically.

As the flavors hit his tongue, Alex can't help but admit it's excellent. But as good as it is, Menchi's food wasn't worse—maybe even better in terms of pure taste. Yet, the ramen's effect elevates it beyond anything Menchi's dishes could achieve. It's not just food—it's magical, and that's what makes the difference.

"Your dishes might have been tastier," Alex says, setting the empty bowl aside. "But even you can feel the effects of this ramen, right? Can your food do that? If not, then to me, your dishes are nothing more than great meals—nothing more."

Menchi and even Linne lower their gazes slightly, though Linne soon bursts into laughter. "See, Menchi? There's always a goal beyond the horizon. As a gourmet hunter, your ambition should be limitless. You're still so young, and your potential is boundless. Don't let this make you feel defeated."

Alex checks his [Destiny Watch] and sees it's already past midnight. The airship leaves at 6 AM, and while he doesn't know how long the next journey will take, he knows he needs at least a few hours of sleep. Despite his curiosity, he feels there's nothing more to say tonight.

"Anyway," Alex says, standing up. "Thanks for the food and for this exam. Honestly, I think this was the most interesting one yet. Good night."

He turns and walks away. Menchi opens her mouth as if to say something but then hesitates, closing it again without a word.

Alex boards the airship, noticing the dimmed lights and the quiet atmosphere with only 50 examinees remaining. He finds an open spot, settles in, and drifts off, exhausted from the long, grueling day.

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