Chapter 010: Chrollo
Uvogin was inherently a person with strong self-esteem.
Even though he was just a teenager, in a place like Meteor City, such temperament and character had long been formed.
Moreover, being at this age, this kind of personality and concern for face were even stronger.
Therefore, when Uvogin heard Kaizen wanted him to beg, he immediately refused.
"What kind of joke is this?!!"
Uvogin sprang up from the ground in one swift motion.
"If you told me to kill someone for you, or take something from me, or make me do some other task."
"Then for the sake of delicious food, I'd accept it!!"
"But!!"
Uvogin's face twisted fiercely, "You want me to lower my dignity and beg you meekly?!!"
"Stop dreaming!!"
Uvogin clenched his fists, making crisp cracking sounds:
"I'm telling you, even if I never get to eat such delicious mochi or similar food again."
"Even if I starve to death, die outside, I will absolutely never come back to beg you!!!"
Uvogin's voice was filled with unwavering determination and resolve.
But to Kaizen's ears, these words...
Why did they sound so familiar?
And the guys who said things like this, in the end...
"Let's go, Machi!!"
Fuming, Uvogin grabbed Machi and pulled her up, heading straight for Kaizen's door.
But just as he was about to push the door open, Uvogin paused:
"These mochi you gave us count as your hospitality."
"In Meteor City, having such precious food and specifically sharing it with us."
"No matter what your intentions really are, at least we did get to eat it."
"If you ever run into trouble you can't handle in the future, feel free to come beg me for help!"
"Uvogin would never say 'no'!"
Bang!!
With that, he pushed the door open and dragged the still-silent Machi away with him.
Hmm, no sooner had Kaizen told Uvogin to come beg him for help than Uvogin immediately threw those exact same words back at Kaizen, telling him to come beg instead...
One could only say, youth will be youth—this competitive spirit...
"Quite fitting for an Enhancer's personality after all."
Kaizen shook his head with a laugh.
But there was no particular urgency about such matters.
Living here in Meteor City, Kaizen had plenty of opportunities, and... time.
"After all, it's only 1983 right now—the Phantom Troupe members are still just kids. No rush, we can take it slow..."
Haste makes waste, as they say.
Come to think of it, Kaizen was suddenly feeling inexplicably nostalgic for some mapo tofu with a bowl of rice...
"Once I raise my abilities to the next level, there'll be bread, and there'll be mapo tofu too..."
Thinking this, Kaizen slowly closed his eyes again.
A glow of aura and Nen began slowly swirling around his body.
He had already experienced the benefits and uses of the Invention Master Nen ability.
But by the same token, he had also truly felt its tremendous consumption of Nen and aura.
While this golden finger was undoubtedly powerful and impressive, its massive MP consumption was equally terrifying—that much was absolutely true.
What Kaizen was contemplating now was how to minimize the cost of his Invention ability as much as possible.
And the best way to reduce that cost was none other than using Conditions and Vows to add more restrictions to the ability's foundation...
Kaizen had many ideas in mind, wondering if he could realize them one by one.
Just as Kaizen began his research, on the other side...
...
"What an utterly annoying and arrogant guy, actually making us go beg him..."
Walking ahead on the garbage mountain outside, Uvogin grumbled incessantly:
"It's just a meal or two, as if nobody's ever eaten before."
"I originally thought he was a decent guy, but now it seems..."
"He's just like those bastards who always sneak into my territory to steal stuff!!"
Meanwhile, Machi following behind had been pondering that peculiar Mochi Maker and those planting and harvesting items.
All of it seemed incredibly miraculous to her.
She was very curious about how those things had appeared.
Or rather, how that man had [invented] them...
Thump!
Lost in thought, Machi unexpectedly bumped right into Uvogin's back.
"What's wrong?"
She staggered back two steps, looking up at Uvogin who had stopped in his tracks.
She saw Uvogin currently gritting his teeth, his gaze fixed intently on three figures active in their territory ahead.
Machi peeked her small head out and also spotted the three figures. And what do you know—they were all familiar faces...
Uvogin took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, then let out a sky-shaking roar in their direction:
"Chrollo!!!"
"You bastards, daring to come steal from my territory again, you've got some nerve!!"
"Today, no matter what, you're all staying right here!!!"
With that, Uvogin charged down without another thought.
"Whoa! It's Uvogin!!"
"Weren't we just saying how great it would be if this wasn't Uvogin's territory, and then he shows up?"
"That shouldn't be—this isn't Uvogin's usual activity time, and didn't he just finish chasing the last group? How did he appear so quickly?!"