The day of the regional Pre-Exam Trial dawned clear and bright, with dozens of candidates gathering at the Central Trial Grounds—a sprawling open field ringed by judges' stands and supply stations. Bren stood at Gustav's side, adjusting the strap on his pack as he scanned the crowd. "Remember," Bren said quietly, "the trial isn't just about skill—it's about showing you can uphold the Hunter's code: protect life, respect nature, and act with integrity. Kaine will try to twist the rules, but stay focused on your goal."
The trial's head judge, a stern woman named Marta with silver hair tied back in a braid, stepped forward to address the candidates. "Today's trial has three stages," she announced, her voice carrying across the field. "You must harvest one rare ingredient from each of three terrains—the Whisperwood Forest, the Scorched Desert, and the Cliffside Coast—and prepare a single dish that showcases balance, adaptability, and respect for the land. You have until sunset to complete all stages. Begin!"
Stage One: Whisperwood Forest and Sunwood Fruit
Gustav set off with Sora and Taro—two candidates he'd trained with at Whitewood Camp—their footsteps quiet on the forest path. The Whisperwood was dense with tall trees whose leaves rustled with a soft, almost musical sound, and the air carried the scent of damp earth and sweet blossoms. Their target: Sunwood Fruit—a golden orb that grew only on the highest branches of ancient sunwood trees, its energy infused with solar aura to boost physical strength and stamina.
Torvin's notes described the fruit as sensitive to false aura signatures—something Kaine was likely to exploit. Sure enough, as they neared the sunwood grove, Gustav noticed the air felt "off"—faint purple ripples distorted the natural aura of the trees, making it hard to tell which ones bore the fruit. "Kaine's been here," Sora said, her brow furrowed as she tried to focus her own nascent Nen perception. "His aura's messing with the forest's energy."
Gustav closed his eyes, letting his Gastronomic Aura flow outward like warm water. Instead of relying on sight or standard aura reading, he focused on taste—imagining the sweet, sun-warmed flavor of the fruit, letting his energy seek out the source of that signature. After a moment, he pointed to a massive sunwood tree at the grove's center. "There," he said firmly. "The other signatures are fake—Kaine used Transmutation Nen to mimic the fruit's aura, but he can't replicate its flavor energy."
They climbed carefully, with Taro using his Enhancement Nen to strengthen his grip on the branches. As Gustav reached for the fruit, a group of Black Spoon members emerged from the undergrowth, led by Rook. "You won't get far," Rook growled, drawing a blade. "Kaine said to stop anyone who might expose his plan." But Sora was ready—she'd trained in Emission Nen, and she released a burst of bright light that temporarily blinded the attackers. Taro pushed them back with a well-placed kick, while Gustav plucked the Sunwood Fruit and tucked it into his aura cooler.
"Thanks," Gustav said as they fled the grove. "We make a good team." Sora nodded, grinning. "We'll stick together for the next stages—Kaine won't expect us to work as a group."
Stage Two: Scorched Desert and Sandbloom Cactus
The journey to the Scorched Desert took two hours, with the temperature rising sharply as the terrain shifted from forest to dry, rocky sand. The sun beat down mercilessly, but Gustav's cold-aura training suit and a dose of blizzard leaf tea helped him stay cool. Their target: Sandbloom Cactus—a thick, green plant with bright orange flowers that grew in hidden oases, its energy balancing heat and thirst while boosting focus.
As they reached the oasis marked on the map, they found other candidates stumbling around, looking disoriented. "Kaine spread aura-negating dust here," Finn said, emerging from behind a dune with Zara at his side. "It's weakening their ability to sense the cactus—and making them dehydrate faster." Zara held up a pouch of magma root paste. "We can use this to neutralize the dust—its fire aura burns through the negating energy without harming the plants."
Gustav helped distribute the paste, mixing small amounts with water to create a drink that restored the candidates' aura perception. Together, they searched the oasis until Taro spotted the Sandbloom Cactus growing in a shaded corner, its flowers glowing with faint orange light. Harvesting it required cutting through its thick skin without damaging the inner flesh—Gustav used his aura-harvesting tongs, channeling a thin stream of cold aura to keep the cactus cool as he worked.
Just as he finished, Kaine appeared on the dune above them, his purple aura flaring with anger. "You keep ruining my plans," he snarled, raising his hand to release a wave of aura-suppressing energy. But Zara was ready—she slammed her lava staff into the sand, releasing a wall of warm mist that countered Kaine's ability. "You're violating every rule of the trial," she shouted. "The judges will hear about this." Kaine hissed in frustration, but with more candidates gathering, he had no choice but to retreat.
Stage Three: Cliffside Coast and Tidecaller Kelp
The final stage took them to the coast, where waves crashed against jagged cliffs and sea spray filled the air. Their target: Tidecaller Kelp—a long, silver-brown plant that grew only in deep tidal pools exposed during low tide, its energy infused with ocean and sound aura to boost communication and teamwork.
Lena and Kael were waiting at the cliff edge, pointing to a set of narrow paths leading down to the pools. "Black Spoon's blocking the main access," Kael said, his voice low. "They've set up nets to keep candidates away." Lena added, "But there's a hidden cave that leads to the pools—we can get you down there, but you'll have to move fast before the tide comes in."
Gustav, Sora, and Taro followed Lena through the cave, emerging onto a rocky ledge overlooking the pools. The Tidecaller Kelp swayed gently in the water, its silver strands catching the light. As Gustav waded into the pools, Rook and two Black Spoon members appeared on the ledge above, throwing rocks to disrupt the water. But Kael had circled around—he tossed a rope that tangled around Rook's ankles, sending him tumbling down the rocks. "Looks like you're outnumbered," Kael said, grinning as he helped the others push the attackers back.
Gustav harvested the kelp carefully, placing it into his waterproof pouch just as the tide began to rise. "That's all three," he said, relief washing over him as they made their way back to the trial grounds.
The Final Dish and Exposing the Truth
As sunset approached, the candidates gathered at the cooking stations set up in the central field. Gustav laid out his ingredients—Sunwood Fruit, Sandbloom Cactus, and Tidecaller Kelp—along with complementary items he'd harvested along the way: glacial pearlweed, lava berries, and blizzard leaf.
He began by preparing a Sunwood Fruit and Sandbloom Cactus stew with Tidecaller Kelp garnish, channeling his Nen into the pot as it simmered. He wove solar energy from the fruit, balancing heat from the cactus with cool ocean energy from the kelp, and added glacial pearlweed to stabilize the blend. The finished dish glowed with warm gold and cool blue light, its aroma a mix of sun-warmed sweetness, earthy cactus, and briny sea.
As the judges sampled the dishes, Marta's eyes widened as she tasted Gustav's stew. "This isn't just balanced—it's harmonious," she said, looking up at him. "You've integrated three distinct aura types into a single dish that enhances both body and mind." But Gustav shook his head. "I didn't do it alone," he said, gesturing to Sora, Taro, and the alliance members standing nearby. "And there's something you need to know about Kaine and the Black Spoon Syndicate."
He detailed Kaine's tactics—altering aura signatures, spreading toxin and negating dust, and sabotaging other candidates—with Sora, Taro, and the alliance providing testimony. Marta's face grew dark with anger. "We've been investigating Kaine for months," she said. "Your evidence will help us ban him from the trial and report him to the Hunter Association. Integrity is non-negotiable for Hunters."
Kaine tried to protest, but with multiple witnesses and even some of his own men coming forward to admit they'd been forced to help, he had no choice but to submit. The judges disqualified him and the Black Spoon members who'd participated, and announced that Gustav and his team had placed first in the trial.
Training Log and Next Steps
That evening, back at his shelter, Gustav updated his training log: "Today completed the regional Pre-Exam Trial, harvesting Sunwood Fruit (Whisperwood Forest), Sandbloom Cactus (Scorched Desert), and Tidecaller Kelp (Cliffside Coast). Worked with Sora, Taro, and the alliance to counter Kaine and Black Spoon's sabotage, exposing their tactics to the judges—Kaine has been banned from the trial and reported to the Hunter Association. Prepared a harmonious dish that integrated solar, fire, and ocean aura, placing first in the event. My Nen has advanced further: confirmed as Enhancer-Manipulator type, with my Gastronomic Aura now capable of weaving multiple energy types into ingredients. One year and ten months until the Hunter Exam—planning to focus on advanced Nen training with Bren, master ingredient pairing across all aura types, and help train other candidates to ensure a fair and strong Exam class."
He laid out the trial's medal—a small silver disc shaped like a fork and knife—next to his Hunter Exam preparation manual. Bren had stopped by earlier, bringing a new book: Advanced Gourmet Nen Techniques. "The real work starts now," Bren had said. "You've proven you can lead—now you need to refine your ability to the point where it can help you survive the Hunter Exam's toughest challenges."
Gustav picked up the book, flipping through pages filled with notes on how to infuse Nen into dishes to create temporary abilities, track rare ingredients across continents, and even communicate with creatures through food. He thought about the road ahead—the Hunter Exam's dangerous stages, the Dark Continent he'd read about in Torvin's books, and the dream of becoming a Gourmet Hunter who could protect both ingredients and people. The path was long, but he was ready to take every step.