In the digital world
A flash of white light appeared and a petite figure materialized before Akira.
"Meow~"
Meowth landed on all fours, wiped its face with one paw, then licked it clean.
Its curved eyes revealed its relaxed state.
It looked just like an ordinary kitten grooming itself.
This Meowth had just been born and hadn't yet had the chance to learn, so it couldn't speak human language or walk on two legs yet.
It was in a completely normal cat.
"Meowth, come here."
Akira crouched slightly and beckoned to Meowth.
Hearing this, Meowth's pointed ears twitched before it pushed off with its hind legs, leaping swiftly into Akira's arms.
"Meow~"
Meowth's body was about the size of a small child—perhaps a bit heavy for an ordinary person.
But to Akira, this weight meant nothing.
Feeling the warm body in his arms, Akira instinctively reached out to stroke Meowth's fur.
The sensation was incredibly smooth, like touching silk, giving Akira a pleasant experience.
Under Akira's gentle strokes, Meowth couldn't help but narrow its eyes and purr.
Its curled tail unfurled, lightly brushing against Akira's arm—soft and fluffy.
Indeed, cats truly enjoyed being petted.
He remembered that in Pokemon, the Meowth from Team Rocket had a dream—to receive affection from Giovanni, just like his Persian.
His Meowth was the same.
Or rather, all Meowth were similar—they all longed for someone's affectionate touch.
At the same time, Akira noticed the golden coin on Meowth's forehead.
Even seeing it in person, it still felt strange.
A kitten with an actual coin embedded in its forehead.
"Meowth, it's time for you to start learning now."
After holding it for a while, Akira gently set Meowth down and spoke softly.
At that moment, Porygon-Z materialized beside Akira—it would be assisting Meowth from now on.
"Meow?"
Meowth's bright, curious eyes fixed on the floating Porygon-Z, brimming with fascination.
Suddenly, Porygon-Z unleashed a surge of aura, causing streams of green data to manifest out of thin air in the digital world.
Under Porygon-Z's precise control, these flowing data gradually coalesced into something resembling a book.
It could be called the "Data Book."
The contents of this "Data book" were the common language of the six continents.
Simply placing a hand on it would allow one to absorb the knowledge within.
Not even page-turning was necessary.
Once Meowth memorized most of this "book's" contents, it should be able to speak.
"Meow~"
Meowth gazed at the sudden appearance of green data, its feline pupils filled with intense curiosity as it padded forward on light steps.
It was common knowledge that cats were extremely curious creatures.
Hence the saying, "Curiosity killed the cat."
The moment Meowth touched the green data, countless linguistic concepts flooded into its mind like a rushing river.
It had already begun learning.
Seeing that Meowth had started absorbing the common language, Porygon-Z didn't stop—it continued replicating the process.
In a short amount of time, one after another "data books" of a similar nature appeared within this space.
They contained knowledge of various types.
Witnessing this scene, Akira inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt—was this perhaps a bit too much?
The little one had just been born and here he was, making it study.
It was still just a kitten, after all.
Wasn't this a bit too cruel?
After some contemplation, Akira had Porygon-Z put away a portion of the data, keeping only the basic knowledge for now.
Once Meowth mastered the common language of the six continents, he could provide relevant knowledge based on its preferences.
Akira guessed that Meowth would likely be interested in topics like making money, inventions and technology.
Seeing Meowth still diligently absorbing knowledge, Akira decided to leave for the time being.
It had been a while since he last saw Menchi, so this was a good opportunity to visit her.
****
During the time Akira spent with Menchi, the 13th Chairman Election of the Hunter Association was in full swing.
After the election rules were finalized, Cluck of The Twelve Zodiac was tasked with spreading the news to all hunters.
With over 600 members in the Hunter Association, Cluck responsibility was to ensure every single hunter received the election notice.
This was because one of the election rules stipulated that the voter turnout must reach 95%.
Thanks to her Nen ability to control birds, Cluck was the most suitable among The Twelve Zodiac for this duty.
In a dance-like performance, pristine white doves took flight from the rooftop of the Hunter Association building.
Flapping their wings incessantly, the doves swiftly vanished from Cluck's sight, leaving only scattered feathers drifting down.
****
As time passed, the day of the 13th Chairman Election drew near.
August 8th!
The rules specified that voting would begin at 00:00 on August 8th and end at 23:59 the same day.
In other words, all votes had to be cast within this 24-hour period.
If the voter turnout failed to reach 95%, another round of voting would be required until the threshold was met.
Both Akira and Menchi were hunters, so they would naturally be present to cast their votes.
However, before midnight, Akira had another appointment to keep.
****
In the city where the Hunter Association was located,
Night had fallen and the streets were shining with dazzling neon lights, painting a breathtakingly beautiful nightscape.
This bustling metropolis seemed to grow even livelier after dark, with pedestrians crowding every corner.
Yet, in the midst of such prosperity, there stood an exceptionally high-end restaurant that was nearly empty.
"Ding."
Akira gently pushed open the glass door and stepped inside.
Without even needing to glance around, he spotted Beyond seated at the central table.
Was Beyond alone...?
A flicker of understanding passed through Akira's eyes.
This was a renowned restaurant called "Julia's."
Its fame stemmed not only from its exquisite cuisine.
It was also a well-known venue for important discussions.
No one knew exactly how this reputation began—perhaps it was sheer luck, or maybe the restaurant's own marketing strategy.
Gradually, "Julia's Restaurant" came to be regarded as a professional setting for negotiations, favored by high-ranking members of various organizations.
It was almost as if any matter discussed here was destined for success.
As a result, Julia's Restaurant mostly had private rooms, with only a few tables in the main hall, allowing Akira to spot Beyond at a glance.
Akira had previously visited the Hunter Association for the "New five strongest" meeting and later came here with Menchi to enjoy the cuisine.
The two had only gone to Carter Port afterward.
For him, the restaurant's reputation as a place for "discussions" was secondary—what truly drew him in was the food.
Compared to the delicacies at Gourmet Paradise, this restaurant ranked solidly in the mid-tier.
Normally, securing a table here was nearly impossible, but today, only he and Beyond were present.
Clearly, the place had been reserved.
Hearing the sound from the entrance, Beyond quickly stood up, waving at Akira with a warm smile.
"Hohohoho, Mr. Akira, over here!"
Beyond's laughter resembled Netero's, but it was deeper and more robust, exuding a bold charm.
Such hearty laughter gave off an easygoing impression, making one instinctively feel he was a reliable man.
Seeing this, Akira walked straight over and greeted him in return.
"Pleasure to meet you. No need for such formalities."
After their initial exchange, both men took their seats, preparing for further conversation.
Seeing Beyond in person, Akira couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
No wonder he's the old man's son—they look so alike.
The difference was that Beyond appeared younger, with jet-black hair and beard.
Another distinction was the massive "X"-shaped scar on his face, adding a touch of ferocity to his otherwise amiable demeanor.
Then there was his attire—Beyond wore a green robe that, paired with his burly frame and long beard, kinda make him look like Guan Yu.
If his face were a bit redder, the resemblance would be uncanny.
"Mr. Akira, as a token of gratitude for your kindness towards my father, I've reserved this place. I've also heard of your fondness for fine cuisine, so I've prepared some special dishes for you to enjoy."
Beyond spoke with utmost sincerity, placing himself in a position of deference.
His attitude here was different from when he faced Hui Guo Rou—compared to the king, he was far more reserved around Akira.
Akira noticed all of this.
From standing up to greet him to the earnest tone, everything spoke volumes.
After all, even if he offended Hui Guo Rou, he'd likely survive.
But if he crossed Akira, no one across the six continents could save him.
And this time, he was here to express gratitude.
"Oh? Then I'll look forward to it."
Akira responded while also catching a particular movement from Beyond.
Beyond touched the silver bracelet on his wrist and in an instant, a white light appeared over the large table.
As the glow faded, several dishes materialized on the previously empty surface.
In that moment, the rich, tantalizing aromas of gourmet food filled the air, swirling around Akira senses like alluring little sprites.
'A spatial Aura Tool!'
Compared to the exquisite dishes on the table, Akira was far more intrigued by the silver bracelet on Beyond's wrist.
From that single gesture, Akira easily deduced that this was a spatial-type Aura Tool!
The fact that the food remained hot, as if it was freshly prepared, was all thanks to this bracelet.
In truth, this was the third spatial Aura Tool Akira had ever encountered.
The first was Ging's small cloth pouch, which allowed him to produce fresh fruits to eat anytime, anywhere.
The second was one he had recently seen in the Hunter Association's collection room—a space filled with all kinds of Aura Tools.
It took the form of a gray ring, looking at first glance like a polished pebble from the roadside.
Akira remembered it quite clearly because it was one of the rare spatial-type Aura Tools in the collection.
It sounded a bit like the spatial rings from cultivation novels—practically identical.
And among all the Aura Tools collected by the Hunter Association, this was the only spatial-type one.
A glimpse of the whole picture from a single detail.
The rarity of spatial-type Aura Tools exceeded even his expectations.
The reason he hadn't chosen this ring was simple.
Because the space in this ring was too small, he would rather carry something else than this tiny ring.
With Gengar and Porygon-Z by his side, he had no shortage of storage space anyway.
Yet, something he considered trivial might be something others could spend their entire lives striving for and still never obtain.
The third spatial Aura Tool he had seen was the silver bracelet on Beyond's wrist.
From what he could tell, spatial-type Aura Tools were incredibly rare across the Six Continents—setting aside the major nations for now.
Basically, only the truly powerful had the privilege of owning one.
Beyond's gesture wasn't just about serving food—it was also a display of "strength."
Strength wasn't limited to combat prowess; it encompassed wealth, background, and more.
Owning a spatial-type Aura Tool was the best testament to these qualities.
As for why he wanted to flaunt his "strength"?
Most likely, he still harbored the intention of recruiting Akira into his team.
"How… creative," Akira remarked nonchalantly, his words carrying a double meaning.
He wasn't just referring to the spread of dishes but also to Beyond's meticulous approach.
Beyond truly lived up to his reputation as someone who could form alliances with the king of the Kakin Empire—his attention to detail was astounding.
In many ways, he and Ging were cut from the same cloth.
Both were highly observant of their surroundings, quick to pick up on details and respond appropriately.
The difference was that Ging's strength lay more in intellect, with little regard for social niceties.
Beyond, on the other hand, excelled in emotional intelligence, possessing the qualities of a leader and a master of interpersonal relations.
He knew how to leave people satisfied in every aspect.
Even someone as picky as Hui Gou Rou had to admit that Beyond was an excellent partner to work with.
It was quite the contrast compared to his rough, rugged appearance.
"Hohoho, preparing these dishes is nothing compared to showing my gratitude to Mr. Akira," Beyond said, scratching the back of his head and pretending not to catch the deeper implication.
Playing dumb was the best way to handle this situation.
Seeing that Beyond wasn't planning to get straight to the point, Akira didn't press further.
Instead, he turned his attention to the mouthwatering feast before him.
"'Nothing' is an understatement. Being able to prepare all this—your sincerity speaks volumes."
When Akira took a closer look at the dishes, his tone carried a knowing weight.
Then, like a connoisseur, he listed them one by one.
"White Pearl Caviar, Snow Cabbage, Dreamland Tuna…"
"Seeing these dishes again bring back some memories."
Akira sighed nostalgically—though his nostalgia wasn't just for the food itself, but also for Beyond's thoughtfulness.
Had it been any other dish, he might not have recognized them.
But these? He knew them all too well.
They were the exact dishes served during the final round of the Gourmet Hunt he participated in with Menchi.
Even the cooking techniques closely resembled Menchi's, which was how he could identify them.
This meant Beyond had likely gone out of his way to investigate the food Akira had enjoyed and even obtained footage from the Gourmet Hunt.
Then, he had someone recreate these dishes.
Not only did the food meet Akira's standards, but it also showcased Beyond's dedication.
Obtaining all these ingredients in their entirety was still far too difficult, as many could only be found in the ingredient zones of Gourmet Hunter Paradise.
This clearly indicated that Beyond must have connections within Gourmet Hunter Paradise, which was how he managed to assemble this table of top-tier delicacies.
Even so, it wasn't a perfect recreation of the original feast.
For instance, mammoth meat was absent, replaced with another type of meat as a substitute.
Yet, being able to gather such a spread in this short time was already proof enough of Beyond's vast resources and influence.
"These dishes may not compare to the flavors you once enjoyed, but I hope you'll still give them a try."
Beyond clasped his hands and gestured for Akira to indulge freely, a confident smile curling at the corners of his lips.
It was clear he had considerable faith in these dishes.
After all, not only were the ingredients incredibly hard to come by, but the chefs he'd hired to prepare them had been brought in from Gourmet Hunter Paradise at great expense.
Among them was the bald chef who had been deeply moved after tasting Menchi's cooking during the Gourmet Contest.
As a high-ranking member of Gourmet Hunter Paradise, he was also one of the top chefs across the six continents.
The price Beyond paid for his services? A share of the final dishes for the chef himself.
"Alright, then I won't hold back."
Akira raised an eyebrow and picked up his knife and fork, ready to savor the feast before him.
Had the restaurant not been reserved for them, this table would likely have been swarmed by onlookers.
These top-tier delicacies had the power to awaken the most primal cravings in people—few could remain composed in their presence.
Much like the Ant King facing a supreme warrior, there was only one thought in mind:
Eat.
Akira casually sliced off a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth without hesitation.
This also demonstrated his trust in Beyond.
After all, they had never met before—they were practically strangers.
For Akira to dig into the food Beyond provided at their first meeting spoke volumes about his boldness.
Though, it was mostly a case of confidence in his own abilities.
Akira simply wasn't afraid of tricks like poison.
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