Big Eater Contest, Encountering Goreinu

When Leo walked out of the clothing store, he had changed into a white casual outfit.

The simple style and fitted cut made him look completely different from his previous beast-hide attire.

When he paid, he used some emergency funds Satotz's team had shoved into his hands before leaving—not much, but enough to buy basic travel gear.

After spending half a year in the forest, all he wanted now was to experience the warmth of ordinary life.

Lambo City's streets were clean and orderly, the sea breeze carrying a salty dampness.

He wandered aimlessly, watching people chat leisurely in roadside cafés, children chase each other through parks, and street performers put on their acts.

These everyday scenes carried an indescribable warmth for someone who had spent half a year surviving alone in a secret realm.

By evening, he found an inn that looked clean and affordable and checked in.

A hot shower washed away the dust and grime, and lying on a soft bed felt both unfamiliar and comfortable. He slept exceptionally deeply that night.

The next day, Leo headed to the airport. He used the rest of his money to buy a ticket to Kent City.

The airship journey took a day.

When his feet touched the ground in Kent City, Leo realized a practical problem: after buying the ticket, he was basically out of money.

He walked down Kent City's streets, considering his next move.

His most urgent priority was making money—he needed funds for food and lodging, as well as capital for whatever came next.

As he walked and thought, a burst of commotion ahead caught his attention.

A crowd had gathered outside a restaurant, with cheers and whistles rising one after another.

Leo approached and saw a large sign standing at the entrance:

[Celebrating Our 30th Anniversary · Big Eater Challenge]

The rules were as follows:

Finish an entire Big-Nosed Raging Boar within one hour, and your meal is free.

If the challenge failed, the contestant had to pay double the meal cost (200,000 Jenny).

The contestant with the shortest time would be this year's champion and receive 500,000 Jenny.

The runner-up would receive 250,000 Jenny.

Big-Nosed Raging Boar. Leo remembered that creature—it was about the size of a small elephant, and its meat was delicious, but there was an enormous amount of it.

An ordinary adult probably could not finish one in a day, let alone an hour. This challenge was clearly a restaurant marketing gimmick.

But for him, it might not be impossible.

Level 24 physical attributes brought more than just strength and speed. His metabolism and digestive capacity far surpassed those of ordinary people as well.

When food had been plentiful during the latter half of his time in the secret realm, he had tested his appetite—it was roughly equivalent to that of five adults combined.

Five hundred thousand Jenny would be enough to last him for a while.

Leo entered the restaurant.

The interior was more spacious than it looked from outside. A large area had been cleared in the center, while tables and chairs filled the surrounding space, packed with diners eager to watch the spectacle.

"I want to enter the challenge," Leo told the waitress at the entrance.

The waitress was a young woman. She looked him over—his build beneath the white casual clothes was well-proportioned but not especially burly, and he did not look like the big eater type.

"Are you sure?" she kindly warned him. "The Big-Nosed Raging Boar is really huge, and if you fail, you'll have to pay double..."

"I'm sure." Leo smiled.

The diners nearby who had heard the exchange began whispering among themselves:

"Another one?"

"He doesn't look like he can eat much."

"The last challenger, that fat guy, threw up after eating only a quarter of it."

"Let's wait and watch the show."

Leo was led to the waiting area beside the stage. Two challengers were ahead of him, both rubbing their hands together in anticipation.

Half an hour later, it was Leo's turn.

Four burly men worked together to carry out a golden-roasted Big-Nosed Raging Boar. The entire pig rested on a specially made cart, over two meters long and waist-high, its fat glistening beneath the firelight.

The aroma instantly filled the entire restaurant, drawing waves of amazement from the diners.

The waitress walked to the edge of the stage with a timer. "Ready? Three, two, one—start!"

Leo began eating.

Rather than wolfing it down like an ordinary big eater, he maintained a steady rhythm. Using both hands, he tore off large chunks of roasted meat, chewed them thoroughly, then swallowed.

His speed was not astonishing, but it was remarkably consistent, with nearly identical intervals between every bite.

At first, there were still shouts and jeers around him, but as time passed, the noise gradually faded.

Because everyone could see it—this young man was not forcing himself. He was genuinely "having a meal," as calm and composed as if he were eating normally.

At the fifteen-minute mark, Leo had already eaten a third of the entire pig.

His breathing was steady, and there was not even a drop of sweat on his forehead.

"Is this guy's stomach in another dimension?" someone muttered.

"He still looks pretty relaxed..."

Just as Leo focused on the food in front of him, someone else entered the restaurant.

The man wore a black vest and carried a shoulder bag. He had short black hair, and his two thick eyebrows were especially striking.

He swept his gaze over the bustling restaurant, his eyes settling on Leo and the massive roast pig on the stage. His eyebrows rose slightly.

The man walked over to the waitress and spoke to her in a low voice. She looked at him in surprise, then nodded.

Soon, another roast pig was carried out and placed on the stage beside Leo.

The man in the black vest sat down. Rather than beginning right away, he watched Leo with interest for a while.

Leo noticed the gaze and turned to look. Their eyes met.

Short black hair, thick eyebrows, a vest... Leo found the man somewhat familiar, but he could not immediately remember where he had seen him before.

There were countless characters in the Hunter world. It was only natural that he did not remember some minor figures clearly.

He looked away and continued eating. Whoever the other man was, winning the competition and getting the prize money came first.

Leo sped up, and the roasted meat visibly dwindled.

But even so, when he finished the last piece of meat, the timer read: 49 minutes and 16 seconds.

The restaurant owner—a plump middle-aged man—walked onto the stage and clapped in amazement.

"Amazing! You're currently the fastest customer our restaurant has ever had! If no one beats your time in the next two hours, you'll be the champion!"

Leo wiped his hands and nodded.

He sat down in a chair nearby to rest, turning his attention to the man in the black vest beside him.

The man had started eating as well.

His method was completely different from Leo's—he grabbed roasted meat with both hands and frantically stuffed it into his mouth, swallowing it almost without chewing.

He was so fast that the watching crowd erupted in shocked cries.

But Leo saw that something was wrong.

There was... something beside the man.

Although he was in a state of Zetsu and unable to sense Nen, Leo's enhanced vision allowed him to vaguely see a faint distortion in the air on either side of the man, as though invisible things were helping him tear apart and swallow the food.

And the man's swallowing speed had already exceeded the limits of human physiology.

The meat vanished after entering his mouth.

Nen!

Leo's mind raced through his memories. A black vest, thick eyebrows, and this kind of cheating method...

The Greed Island arc. The Emitter who could materialize two gorilla Nen beasts—

Goreinu.

He remembered. Leo understood at once.

Goreinu's abilities, "Black Sage" and "White Sage," could materialize two gorilla Nen beasts that could swap the positions of the Nen beasts with himself or others.

Razor had said Goreinu's ability was very good and that he should cherish it, which showed that even he held Goreinu in high regard.

Now, Goreinu was clearly using his Nen beasts to help eat the food. Since ordinary people could not see Nen, it looked as if he were eating alone.

What a... clever shortcut.

Leo smiled helplessly. He had not lost in terms of appetite; he had lost because he could not use Nen. If he could use Nen, he might not have lost.

45 minutes and 35 seconds.

Goreinu finished the entire pig, nearly four minutes faster than Leo.

The restaurant owner took the stage again, his expression even more exaggerated this time. "A new record! Forty-five minutes and thirty-five seconds! Unbelievable!"

He announced the results: Goreinu was the champion, and Leo was the runner-up.

The prize money was handed out on the spot—Goreinu received 500,000 Jenny, while Leo received 250,000.

The spectators gradually dispersed, and the restaurant returned to normal business.

Goreinu put away his Jenny, picked up his shoulder bag, and prepared to leave.

Leo followed him.

After leaving the restaurant and turning into a relatively quiet side street, Goreinu suddenly turned around, his eyes wary.

"Do you need something?"

Leo raised both hands to show he meant no harm, wearing a friendly smile.

"Hello. I saw you at the restaurant just now, and I could tell you were strong. I wanted to make a friend. I mean no harm."

Goreinu did not relax his guard. His eyes beneath those thick eyebrows scrutinized Leo.

Seeing that the other man was unmoved, Leo continued.

"I know you used Nen to win the big eater contest."

The air froze for an instant.

Goreinu's gaze suddenly sharpened. "You actually know about Nen?"

"That's right."

Leo answered frankly.

"For certain special reasons, my Nen has temporarily been sealed. It's normal that you can't tell I can use Nen too."

"There's a saying in my hometown: 'At home, rely on your parents; away from home, rely on friends.' The more friends you have, the more paths you have. Making friends from different walks of life is part of life's journey as well."

His expression was sincere as he spoke, his tone natural.

Goreinu stared at him for several seconds, then his thick eyebrows slowly relaxed.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense."

He extended his hand. "My name is Goreinu."

Leo shook his hand with a smile. "I'm Leo. Nice to meet you."

The moment their hands met, Leo could feel the solidity and strength of Goreinu's palm—this was a hand hardened by long-term training.

Goreinu let go and nodded. "Judging by the way you ate just now, you're no ordinary person either. A normal person couldn't possibly have that kind of appetite."

"Likewise." Leo smiled.

The two walked side by side down the street. Night was beginning to fall, and the streetlights lit up one by one.

"What are you planning to do next?" Goreinu asked casually.

"Find a place to stay first, then... maybe take a look at Heaven's Arena." Leo did not hide it.

Goreinu paused slightly and glanced at him. "Heaven's Arena? You want to fight in the ring?"

"I want to make some money, and I want to gain practical combat experience." Leo told the truth.

"Then you picked the right place," Goreinu said.

"But be careful. There are all kinds of people in the arena. Don't reveal all your strength too early."

It was a well-meaning warning. Leo nodded.

"Understood. Thanks."

They stopped outside a café. Goreinu took out a pen and paper from his shoulder bag and wrote down a string of numbers.

"This is my contact information. If you run into trouble in Kent City, you can find me—assuming I'm still here, of course."

Leo accepted the slip of paper. "You're planning to leave?"

"More or less."

Goreinu looked into the distance.

"I was traveling to begin with. Passing through here and entering that competition was just a whim. I might stay a few more days, or I might leave tomorrow."

"Alright. I forgot to buy a phone, but I'll contact you by telephone. See you again if we get the chance." Leo put away the note.

"See you if we get the chance." Goreinu waved, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Only after watching his back vanish did Leo lower his gaze to the 250,000 Jenny in his hand and the slip of paper bearing Goreinu's contact information.

His first Nen user friend since officially stepping into the Hunter world... They had only just met, but it was a good start.

He looked up at the night sky. Kent City's neon lights dyed the sky a deep crimson.

Next, it was time to go to Heaven's Arena. But before that, there was still one thing he had to do—

Reach level 25 and lift Zetsu.

Leo touched the dark red tattoo on the back of his hand. He was only one level away and needed to hunt a few more creatures.

Biscuit Forest Park. He would go scout it out tomorrow.

He headed toward the inn at the street corner, a clear plan already formed in his mind.