Everyone followed the masked leader along the stone path deeper into the village.
The farther they went, the wider the view became.
At the very center of the tree canopy, the space suddenly opened up before them.
A vast circular platform stood beneath the open sky, paved with smooth, pale stone slabs.
Glowing flowers and grasses lined its edge, blue, purple, and white. Their scattered lights looked like stars plucked from the sky and strewn across the ground.
Beyond the platform stretched the boundless Cloud Sea.
Sunset washed the rolling clouds in soft orange-gold. As the wind blew, they rose and fell like a golden sea.
The feast was laid out in the center of the platform.
Long wooden tables stood in rows, already crowded with plates, bowls, and clay jars of every size. Steam rose from the food, carrying its fragrance far and wide.
The smell alone was enough to make their mouths water.
"Wow! That smells amazing!"
Gon's eyes lit up. His nose twitched, and he nearly started drooling.
Saitama picked up his pace, staring so intently at the dishes that he looked ready to dive straight in.
"Please, sit."
The masked leader gestured, and everyone took their seats.
Kurapika sat beside the seat of honor. He looked completely at home here.
As soon as everyone was seated, the clanspeople began bringing out the dishes.
The first course was the staple.
Plates of golden, grain-filled stalks arrived. Each kernel gave off a faint wisp of cloud, as though it had been shaped from the clouds themselves.
"This is Cloudsea Ear-Grain, Capture Level 29," Kurapika explained softly.
"It grows only in the clouds at the very top of the Sky-Piercing Sacred Tree, drawing nourishment from the Cloud Sea. One kernel has as many calories as three bowls of white