His stomach growled almost imperceptibly.
"The last time you came looking for me, I think you said the exact same thing..."
Uvogin wolfed down the food in his mouth, swallowing it all.
Then he raised his fists at Phinks. "But last time, I beat you so badly you ran away..."
"Huh?"
Phinks's browless eyebrows twitched rapidly. "My motorcycle just got caught up in it, that's all!!"
He laughed in fury. "If I hadn't been focused on my motorcycle back then, how could I have let you get away!!"
"You're only this tough with your mouth. It's harder than your dick~"
"Your fists are limp. Softer than a woman's tits!!"
The two of them started shouting back and forth.
They even began hurling vulgar insults, using increasingly crude language.
"Hey, you two..."
Just as they were at each other's throats and about to have a proper brawl.
Mog rolled his eyes. "Can't you see people are eating here?!"
"Who are you trying to disgust by saying things like that?!!"
"Tch~!"
Only then did Uvogin turn his head away.
He did not even look at Phinks again, plainly sneering at him.
After all, he had just eaten the meat Mog had given him. He had to give Mog that much respect.
Uvogin was not the kind of person who ate from someone's bowl and then cursed them afterward.
"Hm?!!"
On the other hand, Phinks was also shifting his gaze away from Uvogin for the first time, looking at Mog instead.
"You gave all this food to Uvogin and the others?!"
Enhancement Type users really did have sharp instincts.
He had immediately figured out who had brought the food.
Well, mainly because Uvogin and Machi were usually broke as hell.
Being able to barely fill their stomachs was already a blessing, never mind eating this well.
Even now, it still made him swallow his saliva.
"I did. What about it?"
"It was you? Then this'll be easy~~~"
Phinks curled his lips, and then...
"In that case~~~"
That expression appeared on his face again—the one he had worn when facing Chrollo, trying as hard as possible to look kind and friendly while somehow looking even more terrifying.
"Do you have any more food?!"
"I do. What, do you want some?"
Seeing Phinks's amusing expression, Mog's lips slowly curved upward.
Duh, you've already asked that. Who wouldn't want some?!
Phinks cursed inwardly. His throat bobbed as he tried his best to make his expression look even more "kind and friendly."
But before he could speak, Mog said:
"If you want some~~~"
He finished the braised pork and potato rice in his bowl, wiped his mouth, and smiled. "You can beg me, or ask me nicely."
Phinks: "???"
Feitan also turned his head, narrowing his eyes at Mog.
Meanwhile, Uvogin immediately grinned.
"Phinks, you actually have a day like this!!"
Watching Phinks stand there dumbfounded, he could not help feeling delighted by his misfortune.
How Did Things Get Like This Over a Bite to Eat?!!
From Uvogin's perspective, Mog's demand was pretty excessive.
Just like how he had gotten angry before when he had been curious about Mog's power, only for Mog to tell him to beg.
Making them bow their heads to someone openly was harder than killing them.
Though Uvogin believed it was simply Mog's way of thinking and that he meant nothing else by it.
To Phinks, it might well have been naked mockery and humiliation.
"So in the end, we still have to settle this with our fists~!!"
Uvogin had already clenched his fists, ready to fight.
At the same time, though, he came to understand something.
Perhaps Mog telling him to beg before had been Mog's particular way of doing things.
Or maybe... some strange condition?
Uvogin's not-so-dull mind began to turn.
But in the next moment, he was the one left frozen in place.
"You only want us to ask?"
Phinks snapped back to his senses and asked again.
After receiving Mog's affirmative answer~~~
"I see. Got it..."
He nodded seriously, then said:
"Please, give us food like Uvogin's—the kind that fills your stomach, tastes delicious, and smells amazing!"
Phinks made his request without the slightest hesitation.
Uvogin: "??????"
No, bro~
You were told to ask, and you actually asked?!
Where's your pride?!
What happened to that unruly attitude you had when you were shouting about fighting me?!!
How did you become like this over a bite to eat?!!
Uvogin could not understand it, but Phinks had a cold smile in his heart.
"You're fucking full, so you don't know what hunger feels like. You're just talking big because it doesn't hurt you..."
Phinks only glanced at the stunned Uvogin before more or less guessing what that bastard was thinking.
Your belly's stuffed full and round, while we're still starving.
You're just a full man who doesn't understand a hungry man's misery.
You just ate, and now you're already putting on airs.
"Besides, he only asked us to ask nicely. It's not like it's some outrageous demand. What's the big deal?!"
Phinks did not feel ashamed in the slightest. Instead, he found it perfectly natural.
He even felt that Mog's request barely counted as anything.
When he was younger, Phinks had encountered and endured far worse things for a single bite of food.
This was Meteor City, after all. It was not some childish game where people like them could fight and fool around.
People really died here.
And everyone fought over survival resources, especially necessities like food.
If simply asking could fill their stomachs, then at least eighty or ninety percent of Meteor City would gladly do it~!!
"Besides, didn't you get food by following this guy around too?"
As Phinks looked at Uvogin, his gaze gradually became disdainful again.
"You're freeloading meals off him yourselves, and you still want to laugh at me?"
"Don't make me laugh~!!"
Stop making a fool of yourself!!
"Hey, what kind of look is that?!!"
This time, it was Uvogin who got angry, roaring furiously.
But Phinks ignored him completely. Right now, nothing mattered more than food!!
Feitan also remained silent. Although this sort of asking rubbed him the wrong way a little.
He had always stood on the same side as Phinks, so he chose to respect his companion's decision.
Of course, the main reason was that the food smelled far too good.
Especially when he saw Machi carefully scraping every last grain of rice from inside the black coconut shell and putting it into her mouth.
His throat bobbed even more fiercely.
"No problem. Since you asked, I'll grant it."
Before you continue