HxH: Ryomen... Satoru?

This world is controlled by the strong.

The resistance of the weak only results in a brutal reality check, whether it be human or non-human.

The line between life and death is often drawn in an instant.

Take, for example, the scene in one corner of the forest:

A human was currently surrounded by a large group of wild boars.

These wild boars, entirely pink with fiery, magma-like markings on their backs, had cornered the exam candidate and were closing in.

The candidate held a treasure chest tightly in one hand while brandishing a knife in the other.

After slashing a few times at the enraged boars and realizing his attacks had no effect, he chose to flee.

To an onlooker, the scene seemed somewhat comical.

"Why do those boars smell a bit too delicious...?" Cyr stood mid-air, his sharp eyes observing everything below while his heightened sense of smell detected the aroma coming from the boars.

*Could my sense of smell have been enhanced by Sukuna? The sense of smell of a big eater?*

Otherwise, how could he have smelled the scent of roasted meat wafting from the boars, even from dozens of meters away?

And as the boars ran, the smell only grew stronger.

Meanwhile, the candidate below was slowing down, his expression turning dazed and almost intoxicated. Drool began to drip from his mouth, and he looked somewhat foolish.

As his pace decreased, the boars collided directly with him.

They sent him flying into the air, and before he could even land, the massive boars leaped with their powerful short legs, crushing the candidate as they fell back to the ground.

He didn't even have time to scream before he died, still in his dazed state, his blood staining the treasure chest that had fallen beside him.

A pale hand, adorned with two black rings around the wrist, reached down and picked up the chest.

"I see, the scent on them confuses the mind…" Cyr mused, holding the chest in one hand while surveying the boar herd around him.

Another group of boars, standing on their hind legs, appeared agitated. Their hooves scraped against the grass as they prepared to charge.

Their eyes were bloodshot, brimming with rage.

The smell became even more tempting.

Cyr understood—'they're trying to lure me in. Such considerate pigs.'

"Let me kill one and taste it. If it's good, I might keep one around to eat whenever I feel like it." Cyr's finger casually moved, and the nearest boar was instantly cut into dozens of pieces resembling pork chops.

The other boars, whose eyes had previously been bloodshot, became far clearer after witnessing the brutal death of their companion. Their hooves stopped scraping the ground, and they froze.

Cyr and the herd of boars locked eyes for a moment before the pigs turned and ran away.

"I guess I can just eat it directly," Cyr said, not pursuing the fleeing boars but instead focusing on the neatly sliced pork on the ground.

These pigs were really well-behaved.

The meat was tender, with a perfect balance of fat and lean, and it had already been cooked to the perfect doneness—medium-rare.

A bite revealed nothing extraneous, just the taste of the meat itself, with a hint of sweet fruit.

These pigs were herbivores, so they likely fed on the forest's grass and fruit.

"This is the perfect ingredient!"

Juicy, tender, and not stringy

"Let's call them Roast Fragrance Pigs," Cyr decided cheerfully after finishing an entire pig.

The name fit—the pigs were roasted and emitted a delightful aroma.

"Hm, about seventy percent full," he estimated, patting his stomach.

He decided to add this delicacy to his repertoire and even considered raising them for future meals.

Tomorrow morning, he would present Roast Fragrance Pig to the examiners. No extra preparation was needed—just slice it up and serve. Perfect.

---

The next morning, Cyr arrived at the examiners' resting area, carrying a large lotus leaf filled with neatly sliced pork. (The leaf had been plucked from the head of a giant frog by the forest lake.)

Along the way, he encountered several other candidates carrying dishes, all of them acting secretive.

Despite half a night having passed, the number of candidates hadn't decreased significantly.

The three examiners sat behind an extra-long table, waiting for the dishes to be presented.

One by one, the candidates laid their creations on the table, only to be met with resounding judgments of:

"Not qualified."

"What is this? Poison?"

"You didn't even clean the fish scales or remove the guts. Who would want to eat this?"

"Vegetarian? Seriously? I see no sincerity in this dish."

"Are you stupid? This mushroom is obviously poisonous!"

When Cyr confidently presented his sliced roast pork, the response was no better:

"Completely unqualified."

"Do you think we're wild animals? You didn't do anything—just sliced up the pig."

"No sincerity whatsoever. Absolutely unqualified."

"This is the kind of thing only wild animals would eat."

The three examiners each took a bite and then spoke harshly, their critique cutting deep.

The white-haired youth stood still, head lowered, his expression inscrutable. His fingers twitched by his side, clenching and releasing.

Hold it in.

Don't kill the examiners.

With a dark expression, he turned away, observing from a distance to see if anyone else would pass.

---

A red-haired man presented grilled fish, only to be met with an equally scathing critique.

"This tastes terrible. Even a dog wouldn't eat it," Bindo said with a smile, though his words were particularly harsh.

It seemed like Bindo knew the man, and his evaluation was even crueler than for the others.

Cyr noticed the red-haired man's face twist into a strange, chilling smile. The cards in his hand twitched, but like Cyr, he restrained himself from making a move.

Then, a pair of siblings, with goat-like horns and eccentric outfits, placed a dish of various grasses on the examiners' table.

"These grasses are inedible!"

"Unqualified!"

The examiner Hoshou slammed the table in anger, clearly exasperated.

But to the horned siblings, perhaps grass was their normal diet... After all, they did have horns.

Cyr made a mental note, observing objectively.

---

Next came a golden-haired boy who presented grilled fish to the examiners.

"This smells pretty good…"

"Tastes good, too."

"There's a hint of apple, herbs, and mushrooms…"

"I stuffed slices of apple, mushrooms, and herbs into the fish's belly and grilled it over an applewood fire," the golden-haired boy shyly explained.

"You pass," the three examiners announced in unison.

So that's how it's done, Cyr thought, intrigued.

Other candidates' faces lit up with newfound confidence, feeling they now understood the way to success.

"Don't think about copying his recipe," Hoshou coldly warned. "If you bring us the same grilled fish, we'll fail you too."

This blunt statement dashed the hopes of many who had considered replicating the dish.

---

By the end of the morning, 80% of the candidates were seething with murderous intent, while the rest were utterly disheartened.

The lone candidate who received a passing evaluation—the golden-haired boy—had now become a target in many people's eyes.

If I can't cook, surely someone else can? they thought.

All they needed to do was capture him and make him cook for them.

Coincidentally, Cyr had the same idea.

Sukuna had his chef Uraume, and even young Satoru Gojo had servants to hold his umbrella.

It only made sense that he, Ryomen Satoru, deserved a personal chef too.

°°°

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