Dinner, Leaving in Ten Days

On the plains west of the forest, the setting sun painted the grassland golden.

Seven or eight Red-Haired Armored Boars were leisurely grazing. They were the size of calves, covered from head to toe in dark-red, tough fur, with bony, plate-like protrusions along their backs that could effectively fend off ordinary attacks.

These creatures were fairly vigilant. While feeding, they took turns raising their heads to watch their surroundings.

Leo hid behind bushes downwind, waiting patiently.

About twenty minutes later, a younger armored boar broke away from the herd and headed toward a berry thicket at the edge of the plains.

The opportunity had come.

Leo approached soundlessly like a shadow. His physical attributes, enhanced to Level 23, allowed him to move in near-perfect stealth—his footsteps were as light as fallen leaves, his breathing reduced to a minimum.

Five meters, two meters...

The armored boar seemed to sense something. It stopped eating and raised its head.

At that instant, Leo moved.

He used no weapon, nor did he make any unnecessary movement.

He sprang forward like a cheetah, his left fist striking precisely at the vulnerable spot behind the boar's ear. His strength was controlled perfectly—enough to stun its brain, but not enough to crush its skull and affect the meat.

The armored boar let out a muffled grunt and collapsed.

Leo immediately followed up with a hand chop, shattering its cervical vertebrae. The entire process took less than three seconds, clean and efficient.

[Life Energy +13]

[Level: 23 (18.4%)]

Not a bad haul. Leo hoisted the roughly two-hundred-jin boar carcass onto his shoulder as easily as if he were carrying a sack of cotton.

He turned and headed back toward the palace, his steps steady.

Along the way, he considered the future.

According to Selena, it was now January 1996.

The Hunter Exam storyline would begin in 1999, leaving him three years. He had to make full use of that time.

First, lifting his Zetsu state was the most urgent matter.

He was still two levels away from Level 25. At his current leveling rate, it would probably take a little over a month.

And after that? What should he do once he left the secret realm?

Leo thought of the Chimera Ant incident in NGL. That disaster would occur around May 2000.

The Ant King and the Royal Guards possessed terrifying strength, but ordinary soldier ants and Squadron Leader-level ants would make excellent hunting targets.

Hunting them could grant enormous amounts of life energy. It was an opportunity for him to grow stronger quickly.

But with his current strength, even facing a Squadron Leader would be difficult, let alone the Guards or the Ant King. He had to improve as soon as possible.

Learning Nen was the key.

Although he knew the basic theories of Nen from the manga—the Four Major Principles, the Six Types, Vows and Limitations—figuring it out alone could never compare to having a master guide him.

And his lack of real combat experience was a fatal weakness.

Heaven's Arena was a good choice.

He could earn Jenny to solve his financial problems while also gaining experience fighting Nen users.

Once he reached the hundredth floor and above, he could even obtain a private room and time to train.

But those were matters for later. Right now, he needed to build a good relationship with Satotz and the others.

The connections and resources of ruin hunters would help his future development.

As his thoughts turned, the palace had already come into view.

Leo stopped in the open space below the palace and began processing the prey.

Half a year of wilderness living had made his movements practiced: draining the blood, skinning it, removing the organs, and cutting up the meat. The entire process flowed smoothly.

He deliberately kept the hide intact—the hide of a Red-Haired Armored Boar could be made into high-quality leather armor after treatment.

Then he started a bonfire, set up a roasting rack, and placed large chunks of pork over it.

He took several small leather pouches from his pack. Inside were several natural seasonings he had found in the secret realm: powder ground from sun-dried berries similar to pepper, salty mineral crystals, and several herbs.

The flames licked at the meat. Fat dripped down with sizzling sounds, and the tempting fragrance of meat mixed with spices gradually spread through the air.

As the sky darkened, Selena and Kaspar emerged from the palace.

"It smells so good!" Kaspar's eyes lit up as he strode over. "That pig is huge. You really worked hard!"

Selena sniffed, a hint of appreciation flashing through her eyes. "Oh? I didn't expect you to be such a good cook."

Leo turned the meat over and smiled. "It's nothing. There are some special plants in this secret realm that can be used as seasoning. I just happened to find them. It's just finished roasting, so come eat."

"Then we won't hold back!" Kaspar quickly sat down, looking impatient to dig in.

Selena helplessly shook her head at her companion's embarrassing behavior, then sat down as well.

She appeared casual, but in truth, she chose a position from which she could observe both Leo and the surrounding area.

"By the way, where is Mr. Satotz?" Leo asked as he cut off a large piece of golden-brown roasted meat and handed it to Kaspar.

"Oh, him? He's still busy." Selena accepted another piece of meat from Leo.

"He'll come down later. Once he gets into work mode, he becomes extremely serious. He won't rest until he finishes what he's working on."

Kaspar nodded as he ate. "Mm-hm, don't worry, he'll be down soon. This meat is so good! The skin is crispy, and the inside is so tender it's dripping with juice..."

As he spoke, Satotz appeared on the palace steps.

He was still wearing that suit, though he had removed his white gloves. His purple hair looked somewhat softer in the firelight.

Leo rose to his feet. "Mr. Satotz, you've worked hard. I saved the best cut especially for you."

He pointed at a large piece of tenderloin near the center of the flames, roasted to perfection.

Satotz looked at the welcoming Leo, and the corners of his eyes lifted slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible smile. "Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Leo."

He walked down the steps and accepted the wooden plate and roasted meat Leo handed him. The three sat around the bonfire, and Satotz joined them.

"Regarding this expedition into the secret realm," Satotz said as he elegantly cut off a small piece of meat.

"We will probably remain here for around ten days to conduct a preliminary survey. Do you have any objections?"

Leo replied gently, "No problem. I've already been here for more than half a year, so I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait for you to finish your survey."

Satotz nodded and began eating.

His dining manners were refined, standing in sharp contrast to Leo, who wore animal hides and ate meat directly with his hands. Yet he did not seem aloof; instead, there was a strange harmony between them.

The bonfire crackled, and the scent of meat filled the air. The four chatted as they ate, and the atmosphere gradually relaxed.

Kaspar took the initiative to share some amusing stories from archaeological work—being chased by an ancient mechanism in one ruin, discovering stone tablets recording ridiculous legends at another site.

He spoke vividly and gestured wildly, making Leo smile despite himself.

Leo also shared some details of daily life in the secret realm: how he had discovered those seasoning plants, how he had avoided being tracked by certain dangerous creatures, and how he had found temporary shelter during torrential rain.

He deliberately omitted the specific details of his hunts and the growth of his own strength, describing only survival skills.

Selena, meanwhile, introduced Leo to some basic information about the outside world—since she had heard him say that he had lost his memory.

She mentioned the names of several major continents, an overview of the current international situation, and the existence of the Hunter Association. Naturally, she did not explain in detail what Hunters specifically did.

Her introduction was concise and practical. Clearly, she had considered what Leo would need to know after leaving the secret realm.

Satotz listened quietly most of the time. Occasionally, when Kaspar exaggerated too much, he calmly corrected one or two details, or added key information when Selena's explanation left something out.

He did not speak much, but every sentence was precise.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Leo casually asked about the outside world's timeline, technological level, currency system, and other matters.

This information was crucial to planning his future.

During the conversation, Leo also expressed his hope that he could systematically learn combat techniques after leaving the secret realm.

This laid the groundwork for his eventual trip to Heaven's Arena without revealing that his knowledge of Nen exceeded what it should have been.

Dinner lasted for more than an hour.

By the time the last piece of meat had been eaten, the bonfire had also begun to die down.

"I'll take the first watch tonight." Selena stood and brushed food crumbs from her hands.

"Kaspar, you'll relieve me in two hours. Mr. Satotz needs uninterrupted rest."

"Understood." Kaspar nodded.

Satotz looked at Leo. "Mr. Leo, follow your usual routine. However, I suggest that you rest inside the palace. The forest is unsafe at night."

"Alright, thank you for the warning," Leo replied.

He did intend to return to the palace—it was, after all, the "home" he had maintained for half a year.

The four briefly cleaned up the utensils and food scraps.

Satotz and Kaspar returned to the palace to continue organizing the day's data, while Selena leaped onto a taller nearby boulder and began keeping watch.

Leo lay on the "bed" he had made from dry grass and animal hides. Listening to Selena's faint breathing outside, his thoughts rose and fell.

Ten days. Satotz's team would remain here for ten days.

During those ten days, he had to seize the opportunity.

He needed to assist with their survey to build trust while continuing to hunt and raise his level.

Then he would leave the secret realm with them and enter that vast, dangerous world.

The world of Hunters.

Leo closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.