Gourmet Tablecloth

Suneo wore a miserable expression as he patted his empty backpack.

"My premium canned food, my barbecue sauce, and the snacks I specially brought—they're all gone!"

"This camping trip is cursed!"

Shizuka sat to one side, her hair still slightly wet. Her tone was calmer than the others'.

"Everyone, stop arguing. Doraemon will definitely find a way."

Doraemon sat on the beach, looking down at the soaked camping map with helplessness on his face.

"Honestly, who could've expected to suddenly run into waves?"

"The food and tools were swept away, and the tent is gone too."

Nobita immediately raised his head.

"There's a way!"

"Doraemon, take out the Gourmet Tablecloth!"

"As long as we have that, we can make whatever we want to eat!"

Gian clapped his hands.

"Right!"

"I want hamburgers, fried pork cutlets, curry rice, and an extra-large steak!"

Suneo immediately perked up as well.

"I want a French feast!"

"And fancy desserts too!"

Shizuka said somewhat shyly, "If possible, I'd like hot soup and sandwiches."

Doraemon sighed.

"You guys always think of this whenever you run into trouble."

Though he said that, he still reached into his 4D Pocket and started rummaging around.

"Let's see, Gourmet Tablecloth, Gourmet Tablecloth..."

A moment later, he pulled out a neatly folded tablecloth.

Nobita's eyes immediately lit up.

"That's it!"

Gian and Suneo rushed over too.

"Hurry up and spread it out!"

"I'm starving!"

Doraemon placed the tablecloth on the beach. Just as he unfolded one corner, his expression suddenly changed.

The tablecloth vanished.

There was no sound and no light.

It simply disappeared right before everyone's eyes.

All that remained was an unfamiliar scroll and a tiny pale-blue ball of light.

Nobita froze. Gian froze. Suneo froze too.

Shizuka covered her mouth.

A few seconds later, Nobita let out a scream.

"Doraemon!"

"Where's the Gourmet Tablecloth?"

Gian sprang to his feet.

"Hey! How did the tablecloth disappear?"

"Where's my steak? Where's my fried pork cutlet?"

Suneo clutched his head, on the verge of a complete breakdown.

"No way! Without the Gourmet Tablecloth, what are we supposed to eat on an island like this?"

Doraemon stared blankly at the scroll and Chakra Seed on the beach, his round hands trembling.

"That's strange..."

"I clearly took it out."

He bent down to pick up the scroll, then looked at the pale-blue ball of light.

The moment his hand touched the scroll, a flood of information suddenly poured into his mind.

Chakra Refinement Technique.

By extracting physical energy and spiritual energy, one could condense a power known as chakra.

The Chakra Seed could help one get started.

After mastering it, one could train in ninjutsu and even become a ninja.

The more Doraemon read, the more confused he became.

"Chakra?"

"Ninjas?"

"Is this a training method that lets people refine some kind of special energy?"

Hearing that, Nobita hurriedly leaned over.

"Doraemon, what is that?"

Doraemon scratched his head, his expression complicated.

"It seems to be something that can train you into a ninja."

Gian was immediately displeased.

"What use are ninjas?"

"I need food right now!"

Suneo shouted along with him, "Exactly! Even if it can make us ninjas, it can't instantly produce French cuisine, can it?"

Nobita cried even louder.

"My dorayaki set is gone!"

Doraemon put away the scroll and Chakra Seed, stomping his foot in anger.

"I don't know what happened either!"

"It seems the Gourmet Tablecloth was secretly swapped out by someone."

"But they didn't take it for nothing. They left behind this Chakra Refinement Technique and Chakra Seed."

Shizuka asked, "Can we get the Gourmet Tablecloth back?"

Doraemon lowered his head and thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure."

"This is too strange. We need to take it back to the future for inspection."

Gian plopped down on the beach, clutching his stomach and howling miserably.

"But what do we do now?"

"I'm starving to death!"

Suneo collapsed onto the ground beside him.

"This camping trip is ruined."

Nobita simply lay on the sand and rolled around.

"Doraemon, think of something!"

"Without the Gourmet Tablecloth, how are we supposed to camp?"

A row of black lines appeared across Doraemon's forehead.

"I really don't know what to do with you guys."

He reached into his 4D Pocket again and pulled out a pink door.

"The Anywhere Door."

"Let's go back first."

"The food and tools are gone, and there's a problem with the Gourmet Tablecloth too. This camping trip can only be put on hold."

Nobita immediately scrambled to his feet.

"Home!"

Gian and Suneo had no objections either.

"Let's eat first!"

"I'm going to prepare even more food!"

Shizuka looked at the messy beach with some regret.

"I thought this would be a really fun camping trip."

Doraemon opened the Anywhere Door, revealing a familiar room on the other side.

The group walked through with their heads hanging low.

This island camping trip had been thoroughly spoiled by the sudden maritime disaster and the vanished Gourmet Tablecloth.

The scene slowly faded away.

Fang Xu's consciousness returned to the room.

The next instant, a tablecloth appeared out of thin air in Fang Xu's hands. It was the Doraemon gadget he had been hoping for, one that could solve his food consumption problem—the Gourmet Tablecloth.

Fang Xu looked down at the tablecloth in his hands, and even his breathing grew heavier.

The tablecloth was not large and was folded neatly. Its surface bore simple patterns, making it look utterly unremarkable.

But the notification in his mind nearly made him laugh out loud on the spot.

[Exchange complete.]

[Obtained: Blue Fatty's Gourmet Tablecloth.]

[Notice: After spreading out the tablecloth, state the name of a food or beverage to generate the corresponding finished product.]

[Notice: No limit on quantity. No ingredients required.]

[Notice: All hidden dangers associated with this item have been removed. It can be used normally.]

Fang Xu stared at the words "no limit on quantity," with only one thought in his mind.

What a steal.

This was no ordinary food-producing item. It was an ATM for cultivation resources.

What had given him the biggest headache lately was food.

Whenever he practiced the Thunder Body Tempering Technique, his body became like a bottomless pit.

He had to eat meat, eggs, fish, and medicinal meals.

His wallet grew flatter by the day.

But now, things were different.

Blue Fatty had directly sent him an unlimited meal ticket.

Without another word, Fang Xu spread the tablecloth over the table.

Suppressing his excitement, he said, "Roasted whole lamb."

The moment his words fell, white light flashed across the tablecloth.

The next instant, an entire roasted whole lamb, golden brown and glistening with fat, appeared directly on the table.

Its skin was crisp and charred, fat dripped from its legs, and the aromas of cumin and meat blended together, instantly filling the entire room.

Fang Xu swallowed.

"Orange juice."

A large pitcher of chilled orange juice appeared beside it, with ice cubes floating in the glasses.

Fang Xu picked up a glass and took a huge gulp.

The icy, sweet-tart orange juice flowed down his throat, washing away a portion of his post-training exhaustion.

"Awesome."

He picked up a small knife, cut off a huge piece of lamb, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The skin was crisp while the meat inside was tender, and the juices burst forth all at once.

Fang Xu's eyes shone as he ate.

This tasted far better than the barbecue he usually paid for.

More importantly, it was free.

He ate more than half the roasted lamb and drank half the pitcher of orange juice.

The deficit caused by the Thunder Body Tempering Technique seemed to be gradually replenished.

By the time he finished eating, Fang Xu leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

"I'll never have to worry about food expenses again."

After resting for a while, his interest rose again.

Ordinary food could be made, but what about medicinal meals?