Inside the manor restaurant, everyone sat quietly, their eyes on the dining table before them, a hint of anticipation in their gaze. On the long solid wood dining table, only one dish was placed, covered by a large lid, adding a touch of mystery.
"Are you very confident about this work of yours?" Kevin stared at the dish in the center and asked without turning his head.
"Hmph hmph, who do you think I am? Of course I'm confident!" Menchi crossed her arms, a smug look on her face. She didn't know what humility was. Her cooking was just amazing, just delicious.
Buhara sat to the side, his mouth wide open, drooling. As soon as he encountered a delicious dish he wanted to eat, he completely lost control of his expression. From his appearance, it was clear that this work would certainly not be bad.
"Open your eyes wide and take a good look!" Menchi said loudly, and suddenly lifted the lid.
In an instant, a bright light flashed! Dazzling golden light burst forth.
"Ah!" Everyone was caught off guard, their eyes flashed by the golden light, and they quickly raised their hands to shield them.
"It's glowing!" Kevin couldn't help exclaiming. No, was this reasonable?
"Why is it glowing?" Pairo asked, full of confusion, truly unable to understand.
"Just like in the manga!" Neon cheered excitedly. She was also considered a gourmet manga enthusiast.
Everyone muttered to themselves: Does it really glow? And according to the manga, shouldn't this golden light dissipate immediately? Why is it still flashing non-stop? This golden light showed no sign of dissipating, continuously flashing out from the dish in the center. These circumstances were different from what was in the manga.
Menchi seemed to have anticipated this, putting on sunglasses the moment the lid was opened. After everyone's eyes were flashed, she finally smiled, then reached out and picked up a spoon to stir. As she stirred, the golden light gradually dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if the light had merged into the dish. Only then did everyone rub their swollen eyes and look at the dish.
"Soup?" Kurapika exclaimed in surprise. This indeed exceeded everyone's expectations.
That's right, what was on the dining table was a bowl of chicken soup—a bowl of real Golden Chicken soup. Menchi specifically chose a large crystal glass bowl to hold this soup, which was clearly intentional, making the golden light emanating from the soup particularly dazzling. The soup was thick in color, appearing golden yellow, with red berries faintly visible. On the golden yellow surface, pink, cherry blossom-like petals were also floating. But the appearance was truly a bit peculiar. Even after being stirred, the soup still faintly emitted golden light, looking like liquid gold, and in no way resembled edible food. Rather than food, it looked more like a decorative item for display.
"Can it really be drunk?" Kurapika couldn't help asking. This soup inexplicably gave off the feeling of drinking liquid metal.
Menchi sighed helplessly and explained, "Just as the information you gave said, the Golden Chicken's meat quality is indeed not very good. You can tell at a glance that it's not suitable for any meat dishes that use chicken meat. Though the meat quality isn't great, the energy contained within its body is obvious to everyone, so I chose to make soup. But this golden liquid form cannot be removed no matter what; the gold seems to be its essential characteristic and must be retained. And it's this golden color that looks like liquid metal."
For a chef, color, aroma, and taste were basic requirements. If a dish's appearance affected a person's appetite, then for a chef, it was a mistake. This bowl of chicken soup more or less had this problem, which was also a slight regret for Menchi—not being able to make this bowl of soup perfect. It made people feel like they were eating a golden sculpture.
"Can we try it?" Kevin asked. He could already vaguely sense the thickness of this bowl of soup and the abundant nutrition it contained.
"I want a bowl too!" Neon said, raising her hand. The others also nodded in agreement. Buhara even leaned closer, his impatience clearly evident.
Menchi nodded, picked up a soup ladle, served a bowl for everyone, and placed them in front of them. Kevin picked up the crystal bowl and felt increasingly like he was drinking liquid gold, which felt strange. He scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth.
The liquid slid into his mouth, and a wonderful taste instantly exploded.
"Cluck cluck cluck!" A harsh yet vibrant rooster crow exploded in his ears.
Kevin felt as if he was in a golden world, everything shining with the luster of gold. This gold seemed like pure vitality, emitting a noble, profound, and vigorous aura. A giant bird like a phoenix, shining with golden light all over its body, flew across the sky. What was this? Kevin felt strange in his heart.
Unknowingly, he actually appeared on the back of the giant bird, seeing the conspicuous comb on the bird's head—the only splash of bright red in this golden world. He felt the vitality of the Golden Chicken, as if freely roaming in a spiritual world. His whole body was filled with vitality, every cell seemed to be expanding, and a continuous stream of power emerged. It was an illusion again. Is this really not a Nen ability?
"Hoo!" Kevin opened his eyes.
"Ah! There's a chicken pecking my head!" Neon, who had drunk the chicken soup, held her head, looking very strange. Everyone else also had a strange expression. Even Menchi and Buhara were immersed in this unique gourmet experience.
Not long after, everyone gradually came back to their senses.
"Ridiculous—you didn't add some kind of medicine in there, did you?" This peculiar experience was like something out of a strange gourmet manga; a gourmet illusion actually appeared.
"Nonsense! Are you questioning my profession!" Menchi said dissatisfiedly.
Kevin didn't respond and quietly scooped another spoonful into his mouth. This time, it felt much more normal, only sensing the delicious taste and rich vitality. It seemed that only the first taste would have such an impact; then the taste buds would quickly adapt, still able to taste its ultimate deliciousness, but without causing illusions.
After finishing a bowl of soup, the vigorous energy integrated into his body, and Kevin actually felt full. This was no joke. Kevin's current appetite was quite astonishing. Except for special cases like Buhara, it was almost impossible to find someone whose appetite could compare to his. This feeling of fullness was not because his stomach was filled with too much food, but because the nutrition and energy contained in the food were too abundant, as if his body had "eaten its fill," creating this illusion. Even Buhara, after finishing a bowl of chicken soup, had a look of satisfaction and fullness.
"The Golden Chicken's body actually contains such powerful nutrition?" Kevin murmured to himself.
Menchi, who had clearly already researched it, nodded beside him. "Of course. These Golden Chickens eat precious medicinal herbs, so the nutrition of these herbs goes without saying. And didn't you notice? The food the Golden Chicken eats is excreted almost entirely as pure residue. This shows that the Golden Chicken species can perfectly absorb nutrition from food. And the golden eggs they lay are formed when their bodies cannot withstand excessive energy and expel it. If it were a fertilized egg, I think the energy inside might even double."
So that was it, Kevin thought. As for Menchi's hint, he pretended not to hear it.
Speaking of which, Gourmet Hunters' knowledge of ingredients really wasn't inferior to that of biological researchers. Thus, everyone's interest in chatting was piqued. Menchi began to explain the process of making this chicken soup. Though everyone might not fully understand, they at least knew the idea behind it.
"It's not easy to draw out the energy from the Golden Chicken's body. Fortunately, you gave me two eggs. Using the eggs as a catalyst, I finally managed to extract the nutrition from the Golden Chicken meat. What do you think of this [Golden Radiance · Supreme Golden Chicken Soup]?" Menchi crossed her arms, slightly raising her head as she asked.
Before Kevin could speak, Neon raised her hand. At some point, a sign with "Ten" written on it had appeared in her hand. "Perfect score!" Everyone nodded in agreement.
Finally, everyone drank another bowl of chicken soup, and the tasting of this dish concluded.
Kevin looked at his slightly oily skin, then looked at the others; everyone's face was shiny with oil. "Your physiques aren't strong enough. The abundant nutrition and energy in the chicken soup have started to overflow. This is similar to the effect produced after a Digestive Potion completely digests food. You probably won't be able to sleep tonight. Go and train obediently."
Saying this, Kevin looked at the distressed Neon. "Neon, if you don't want to become a little fatty tomorrow, you'd better work hard tonight. Converting this energy into nutrients for your physique is better than struggling to lose weight later."
Neon's face became even more drawn. But compared to becoming fat, working hard for a night was clearly acceptable. Otherwise, losing weight would be much more troublesome than training hard for one night. "It's all because this chicken soup was too delicious. I knew I shouldn't have had a second bowl." Of course, this was just a complaint after the fact. It was simply impossible for her not to drink a second bowl at that time.
"Ah~ It's so leisurely. Is this the life of the wealthy?" Menchi lay comfortably in the garden. As the weather entered the hot summer, the air became warm. However, at this time, summer was just beginning. The hot temperature was very limited.
However, the manor was built in the mountains and forests, and a breeze occasionally blew through, bringing a touch of coolness to the hot summer day.
"When I retire in the future, buying a manor and becoming wealthy would be quite nice." Menchi suddenly began to fantasize about the future.
"Retirement? Is there such a thing as a Hunter retiring?" Kevin, who had walked over at some point, rolled his eyes and asked.
"What! Hunters are people too. Of course, they want to rest when their bodies can't take it anymore." Menchi pouted discontentedly. Even a hobby couldn't be pursued for a lifetime; the body wouldn't allow it.
"For a Gourmet Hunter like you, isn't work your hobby? Isn't it your dream and goal?" Kevin asked.
"That's true, but just thinking about preparing for the next goal, planning routes, booking qualifications, gathering information, and preparing supplies—it all feels very troublesome." These things had nothing to do with her hobby; they were just to achieve the goal and ensure her own safety. Though necessary, they were ultimately tedious. Speaking of this, Menchi sighed and changed her position, lying on her side. Her whole body was sprawled there like a salted fish basking in the sun.
"Ah, the laziness has set in."
"Yes, a leisurely life does make it easy for people to lose their fighting spirit." Buhara also agreed, rolling twice on the grass. Next to him, there was even a pile of manga books, and a large pile of snacks and potato chips were placed on his stomach. The perfect image of a couch potato.
Kevin casually lay on the nearby lounge chair, opened the book in his hand, and began to read carefully. "Didn't you just get back? It's normal to be lazy and rest occasionally. People aren't machines. If you keep working tirelessly for your dreams and goals, won't you become a perpetual motion machine chasing dreams? That's too rigid. Balancing work and rest is the correct way of life." Kevin said while reading. "Don't feel guilty about resting. It's a basic human need."
"Speaking of which, remember that incident we had in the Kakin Empire? I heard the subsequent issues have also appeared and been resolved." Menchi brought it up as if chatting.
Hearing this, Kevin glanced at her. "What?" Menchi asked strangely, not understanding what Kevin's look meant.
"Staying in the wilderness for a long time indeed makes it easy to become disconnected from the outside world."
"What do you mean?"
"Have you never wondered where the Golden Chicken came from?" Menchi nodded, then shook her head. Buhara, who was nearby, also sat up and came closer curiously.
"I was involved in the aftermath of this matter. Here's what happened—" Kevin briefly recounted the events he had experienced recently.
After listening, Menchi and Buhara suddenly understood. "So you were involved in the aftermath. I didn't expect Begetto to be one of the participants as well. Biological engineering and such are too unconventional. Living beings should evolve through struggle with nature and life. Artificial intervention is truly hard to accept." Just thinking that the food she ate might have been genetically modified made Menchi feel uncomfortable all over. She was a relatively traditional chef. Using artificial organisms as ingredients and such was still too advanced.
"Speaking of which, are you actually that strong?" Hearing about Kevin's experience fighting monsters, Menchi was a little surprised.
Kevin rolled his eyes. "I was stronger than you to begin with, okay?"
"Hmph." Menchi clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. Though her combat ability wasn't weak, she wasn't purely a combat type, so she was just a little unhappy about this.
Suddenly, Menchi's eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something. "Then, do you want to act together with us next time?"
"Act together?" Kevin was a little confused, not quite understanding what she meant.
Menchi turned to look at Buhara, and Buhara also nodded along. He didn't mind. Acting together with Kevin would be good too; at least safety could be better guaranteed. One more companion, one more bit of liveliness. He wasn't some reclusive guy.
"Do you know about the [Mystic Realm]?"
"Nonsense, of course I know." The so-called [Mystic Realm], [Magic Realm], and [Forbidden Zone] were all terms used by the Association for some special areas. Essentially, these areas contained various dangers.
You should know that this world had creatures like magical beasts. Some magical beasts were as intelligent as humans, and even possessed abilities that humans didn't have. Some were also born with Nen ability. Some magical beasts coexisted peacefully with humans but were unwilling to interact much; being hostile toward them was not necessarily beneficial for humans. Ignorant ordinary people might even anger them, causing conflicts that were not worth the trouble. And some magical beasts also knew that truly fighting humans to the death was not beneficial for them at all.
In some areas, there were creatures that were difficult to deal with. For various reasons, these creatures would not leave this area. In some other areas, due to reasons like battles, wars, or Nen ability experiments, regional changes caused by Nen ability had occurred, leading to them being sealed off. These areas posed a deadly danger to ordinary people and even weak Nen users. Rashly entering might even trigger a greater crisis. Therefore, they were divided into different areas and labeled with different terms based on the level of danger.
The [Mystic Realm] was one of the areas with relatively lower danger levels. Most were sealed off for some special reasons, not allowing outsiders to enter or exit freely. Some were not even sealed off at all, but ordinary people simply found it difficult to reach them, making them unknown.
Hunters were one of the few groups allowed to enter and exit. Of course, even if entry and exit were allowed, it had to be reported in advance—unauthorized entry was not permitted.
"You mean, your next goal is to go to a certain Mystic Realm?" Kevin looked at Menchi and asked.
Menchi nodded. "Inside, there are things we want, and also legendary and very special ingredients. As Gourmet Hunters, how can we not go on a trip?"
Special ingredients? Kevin's heart stirred, and he asked, "That means there will be some powerful creatures inside, right?"
Menchi smiled and nodded. She knew that upon hearing about powerful creatures, Kevin would be interested. "That's right. Most phantom beasts actually live in such areas. Otherwise, how would they always only exist in legends and not be discovered for so long?"
Kevin knew this point and wasn't surprised. "Tell me the specifics. I'll learn about it before making a decision."
"You can directly go to the Hunter's internal website and search for [Village of Food]." Just hearing this name, it felt especially fitting for Gourmet Hunters.
"This name is really strange. Could it be that there are still people living inside the Mystic Realm?"
"You're quite sharp, Kevin. Yes, there are indeed people living inside." There really were—Kevin was a little surprised.
"Okay, I'll go learn about it. But even if we go, you'll have to wait here for a few more months. After all, I can't just leave. I need to handle some things properly first."
Menchi nodded. "No problem, no problem. You can arrange it slowly. We're not in a hurry. After all, this trip won't be short."
"Can't it be done in a month?"
"A month? We might have just entered the Mystic Realm then."