Master Inventor Starting from Hunter x Hunter

Mog gently snapped his fingers and also broke into a smile.

Just as he was thinking that his stock of these [Plant Mutagens] was running low, and there was no guarantee of food for the days ahead, these two had delivered themselves right to his doorstep, bringing a new [commission].

So his stock was about to get a lot thicker.

"But there's one problem right now~~~"

Mog lifted his head, sensing the movements around him:

"The two of you were talking a bit too loudly just now. Sounds like quite a few people overheard."

Huh?!

Phinks and Uvogin both pricked up their ears at the same time, and then faintly caught the sound of footsteps hurrying this way.

There were even some scattered voices, like "What's that smell?!"

"It smells amazing?! Is the church cooking something new?!"

"No, it's coming from around the church!!"

"Hurry and check it out! Maybe there's some leftovers!!"

Quite a few such remarks were already drifting over, faint and indistinct.

"Looks like we've attracted some attention over here too."

Mog spread his hands slightly. "We'll have to pull out for now."

"But don't those foods need trees or plants like that to appear?"

Machi, who had also just finished her Seafood Fried Rice, reminded them: "Other than here, unless we go out to the perimeter, there don't seem to be any trees around..."

"There's a rotten tree over at Feitan's place."

Phinks cut in immediately. "Feitan uses it as a stepping stool. Perfect for him to stand on the tree and see a bit higher—"

Pfft!!

A fist suddenly slammed into Phinks's side.

"Big mouth."

Feitan, whose height only reached Phinks's waist, spoke his first words since arriving, his voice low.

Chapter 022 - These Are Ours, Don't Even Think About Taking Them~!

As for Feitan's height, better left unsaid.

Even more than a decade later, he'd only grown to a maximum of 155 centimeters.

It was a perpetual sore spot for him.

Only Phinks, a companion who'd shared life and death with him, could blurt out something so thoughtless about Feitan's height.

If it were anyone else, Feitan would have already been throwing down with them.

But with a suitable destination in mind, it gave the group a place to go.

And from now on, they wouldn't have to sneak around the outskirts of the church anymore.

No need to stir up such a commotion again—inconvenient and unsafe both.

So once the decision was made, the group moved immediately.

Before officially withdrawing, Mog lifted his head and smiled toward a window in one of the church's rooms.

Then he followed Phinks and Feitan, heading toward their home.

"Just now... did that person notice us?"

Little Pakunoda in the projection room had also caught Mog's smile before he left, and couldn't help but ask in surprise.

She hadn't misread it—the direction Mog's gaze had swept over was exactly where they were.

"I've read in books before that humans are very sensitive to gazes directed at them from outside themselves."

Little Chrollo didn't find it unusual. "We've been watching him from here for quite a while now. He must have noticed us by now."

As he spoke, a curved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"He seems like a fascinating person too. I'd really like to find a chance to get to know him."

After Mog and the others left, quite a few people gathered around the big tree where Mog and his group had been standing.

Those who arrived all caught the rich fragrance lingering in the air.

One by one, their faces showed deep intoxication and greed.

"Hss~!!"

Someone even took a deep, greedy breath, trying to suck all that aroma into their nostrils.

Such behavior drew angry glares from the others.

Some even felt that there had definitely been fragrant food here, and that someone who arrived first must have secretly hidden it away.

There were all sorts of reasons, and a group of people gathered around, soon arguing and even coming to blows.

Well, in Meteor City, conflict is never in short supply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaving aside Little Chrollo's curiosity about Mog and those pointless fights, Mog, Uvogin, and Machi smoothly followed Phinks and Feitan to Feitan's place.

Though Uvogin was still pretty annoyed with Phinks, if he could snatch some food from them, he'd be more than happy to go along~~~

Feitan's place wasn't big, and its exterior was just as shabby as Mog's little house.

But inside, it had a bit more stuff than Mog's.

At least besides the bed, there were simple tables, chairs, and a small cabinet for storing things.

Even if they were equally worn out.

But since they were all salvaged from the trash heap, no point complaining—having anything at all was already good enough.

Mog's main focus, however, was on a withered little tree inside Feitan's home.

Fortunately, the [Plant Mutagen] only required the target to be a plant—it didn't specify whether it had to be alive or dead.

So Mog pulled out two more doses of [Mutagen] and loaded them into syringes.

Thanks to Phinks' commission, his stock had been replenished quite a bit.

Pfft.

He stuck the needle into the tree again, and under Phinks and Feitan's widening eyes—shifting from curiosity to shock—

it sprouted, swelled, bloomed, and bore fruit.

A single large black coconut took shape.

"So this is how you guys get your food..."

Phinks muttered, dazed and stunned.

Feitan didn't say a word, but his usual squinting eyes were now nearly wide open.

Watching the second black coconut fruit appear, he seemed to be trying to fully grasp how it was done.

But all their shock and confusion vanished the moment the black coconut's lid was opened.

Crack.

The rich aroma hit their nostrils, stimulating the central nerves in their brains.

Instantly, both of them jolted awake.

Shock, curiosity, confusion—all of it disappeared in that moment.

Replaced by a deep craving for the food before them.

One serving was a generously piled pork cutlet bowl with thick, juicy cutlets; the other was a steaming plate of fried noodles loaded with bean sprouts, shredded meat, and greens.

Two dishes they'd never seen before sat right in front of them, making their throats bob uncontrollably.

Even Uvogin and Machi, who had already eaten, couldn't help their mouths starting to water.

And as Uvogin looked at the food, his expression gradually turned sly.

"Aha! These are ours—don't even think about stealing them~!!"

Before Uvogin could make a move, Phinks, as if sensing it in advance, immediately grabbed both dishes and held them far away.

"Don't think I don't know what kind of scheme you're cooking up, you bastard!!"

Phinks glared fiercely at Uvogin: "Your eyes and your drool already gave you away!!"

"Huh? Was it that obvious?"

Uvogin, failing to get what he wanted, wiped the corner of his mouth regretfully.

And sure enough, there was quite a bit of drool.

Chapter 023: What Kind of Life Were We Living Before?

"These two guys, they're the ones crashing the meal, and they still act so cocky..."

Uvogin muttered, smacking his lips on the sidelines, unable to get a bite.

His words were dripping with envy and jealousy as he watched Phinks and Feitan wolfing down their food.

But those two were completely deaf to Uvogin's grumbling—they were already too blissed out by the aroma to care.

The thick, crispy, golden fried pork cutlet—one bite and they couldn't stop.

And the fragrant bean sprouts mixed with the fried noodles, picked up with chopsticks and slurped down in one go.

Right now, Phinks and Feitan only had one thing on their minds: devouring their meal. They finally understood the joy Uvogin and Machi had felt earlier.

"Ahh, that hit the spot~"

After swallowing the last bite, Phinks let out a long, satisfied breath.