From Hunter x Hunter to Master Inventor Section 6

The good stuff is still to come.

Finally, after all two hundred-plus mochi had been made and then wolfed down by Uvogin in a whirlwind—

"Burp~"

Even though his stomach wasn't really full, Uvogin still let out a polite belch.

"Now that hit the spot, really hit the spot~!!"

Uvogin lounged back contentedly, wanting to snap off a twig to pick his teeth.

But a sweep of the empty, bare room made him give up the idea.

Nearby, Machi wiped the sticky mochi remnants off her face, her small eyes fixing on Mog.

Only after filling their bellies did deeper thoughts start to stir.

Like, who was this person in front of them, and why had he gone out of his way to host them?

And that so-called invention, the [Mochi Maker], that had suddenly appeared out of thin air, along with all the accompanying gear~~~

Every last bit of it made you want to think, to let your mind wander.

On that front, Machi could figure it out. And Uvogin, for all his boisterousness, was actually pretty sharp too.

He didn't have Machi's habit of staying silent. Instead, he came right out and said—

Chapter 008: No Comment

"I'm Uvogin, and she's Machi..."

"Machi Komachine."

Machi emphasized her full name.

"Fine, so I'm the one without a surname."

Uvogin spread his hands.

"Mog."

Mog gave his name simply.

Hearing that, Uvogin brightened even more: "So you don't have a surname either, just like me!!"

"~~~~~~"

Mog didn't bother explaining that his surname was "Mo."

In this world, they followed the Western naming system—given name first, surname last.

Like Gon Freecss's full name: Gon was the given name, Freecss the surname.

Generally, people here addressed each other by their given names.

Unless someone had unparalleled influence and immense prestige, earning respect, then they'd be called by their surname as a title.

The most obvious example was the strongest man in the world right now, Chairman Netero.

Full name: Isaac Netero. Isaac was the given name, Netero the surname. But everyone in the world called him Chairman Netero as a mark of respect.

That had nearly cost his disappointing son, Beyond Netero, his own surname.

"This is the first time I've ever eaten mochi so freely..."

Uvogin still had a lingering craving. "Anyway, Mog, right? Thanks for the hospitality."

He clenched his fist and jabbed a thumb at himself: "From now on, in this area, just say you're with me, Big Brother Uvogin."

"In these parts, I've got your back!!"

Uvogin said it with soaring bravado, putting on the airs of a big-shot leader.

But Mog knew exactly what he was made of.

Aside from his sheer size and brute strength, he was basically brainless.

Let Chrollo bring Shalnark and Franklin, and they could lead him around by the nose.

And it wasn't just Uvogin and Machi's duo—even Feitan and Phinks, that pair of delinquent biker punks, were also toyed with in Chrollo's palm.

So Uvogin's promise of protection? Take it with a grain of salt.

"If you two ever get hungry and need to fill your stomachs, just come straight to me."

Morlek clapped his hands, making a promise to them.

"For real?!!"

Uvogin's eyes gleamed, his big orbs going wide.

"You think the mochi you ate today was fake?"

Morlek shrugged. "Next time you're hungry, just come over. But think ahead about what you want to eat."

"Of course, if you still don't trust me and never come again, that's fine too..."

"Come? How could we not come?!"

Uvogin's mouth split wide, and then he leaned toward Mog:

"Mog, you bastard, you're really something~!!"

"I really like you a lot!!"

"Come on, let me properly thank you~!!"

Uvogin had no other assets, nothing he could offer to thank anyone else.

Even later, after the Phantom Troupe was formed, he still didn't have a single cent on him.

So much so that in Yorknew City, after Shalnark helped him track down the hotel where the chain-wielding Kurapika was staying.

No matter how much Shalnark insisted he only wanted money and nothing else, Uvogin still shamelessly pressed his thick lips to Shalnark's face.

And now, clearly, Uvogin was harboring the same intention.

"I don't need your thanks at all."

Mog said expressionlessly, reaching out a hand to cover Uvogin's head, holding him back in place.

For now, he only needed Uvogin's [food] request—that was enough.

"Don't be shy, I don't have anything else either... Woah?! Your strength isn't ordinary at all~~~"

Uvogin had initially thought he was just joking around after a full meal, venting his excitement.

But then he suddenly realized that the force Mog could exert with his hand... wasn't inferior to his own~!!

This stirred up his competitive spirit, and he started silently testing his strength against Mog's Nen-wrapped hand in a contest of force.

Machi glanced at Mog, who was easily restraining Uvogin, then looked at the [Mochi Maker] beside them.

The curiosity in her gaze was all too clear.

"No more, no more~!!"

Uvogin, also realizing something was off, reacted and shouted as he backed away, breaking free from Mog's grip.

He then voiced the question on Machi's mind:

"How did you do that?!"

Uvogin smacked his lips and asked bluntly: "This thing... how did you invent it?"

He felt that Mog's so-called "invention" was different from what he had imagined.

"You want to know?"

Mog looked at Uvogin's curious expression, a slow smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Mhm~~~"

Uvogin nodded immediately, and Machi also turned her gaze toward him.

"This so-called [invention] comes from a certain mysterious power within the human body."

Mog said leisurely, "Depending on each person's constitution, this power manifests in different ways."

"And how do you awaken this power..."

Seeing the two of them looking so focused and earnest, Mog's lips curled slightly:

"That is..."

That is~~~

Uvogin and Machi instinctively leaned forward.

"None of your business."

Mog suddenly spread his hands, his tone taking a sharp turn.

Chapter 009 You Just Have to Beg Me

"???"

Uvogin, who had leaned in even further, nearly pitched face-first onto the ground at those words.

But the question marks all over his forehead and his slightly dazed wide eyes clearly showed his state of mind.

However, as he watched Mog standing there calmly with his hands tucked, he gradually bared his teeth again.

"You bastard, you definitely know, don't you?!!"

Uvogin's face twisted with emotion: "You just don't want to tell us?!"

"Mhm~~~ I suppose you could put it that way."

Mog said calmly, "And besides, I don't seem to have any obligation to tell you, do I?"

Uvogin: "..."

The logic did seem sound enough, but in Meteor City, logic didn't apply!!