Gustav's eyes fluttered open to the sound of rain pattering against the woven mat of his shelter, turning the muddy ground outside into a slick, glistening expanse. He rolled to his feet, his muscles already humming with readiness—his routine was now second nature: run, practice knife skills, sense aura, hunt, and cook. Grabbing his new black iron wood knife, he pulled on a tattered rain cloak and stepped out into the drizzle, the cold air biting at his cheeks as he set off for the forest.
His run took him deeper than ever before, past the familiar oak groves and into a region marked on Bren's field guide as the Whispering Caves—a network of underground tunnels where aura pooled, nurturing rare, cave-dwelling ingredients. The guide had a note about void leaf: a delicate, black-fringed plant that grew only in the darkest corners of the caves, its leaves infused with a cool, smoky flavor that could balance the spiciest dishes. Harvesting it required careful aura control—too much pressure would shatter the leaves, too little would leave them devoid of their unique essence.
As he reached the cave mouth, the rain eased, and the air grew still, heavy with the scent of damp stone and mineral-rich soil. He lit a small torch made from black iron wood and starfall grass (which burned with a faint, blue glow) and stepped inside, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The tunnel narrowed, twisting downward into darkness, and Gustav focused on his aura, letting it flow outward like a gentle tide to sense his surroundings. He could feel the energy of the cave—thick, pulsating, alive with the presence of hidden life.
After walking for nearly an hour, he spotted a cluster of void leaves clinging to a rock face, their black edges catching the light of his torch. He crept forward, his breath steady, and extended his hand, channeling a thin stream of aura to wrap around each leaf. Slowly, carefully, he plucked them one by one, placing them in a padded pouch to protect their fragile structure. Just as he finished, a low rumble shook the cave—small rocks began to fall from the ceiling, a minor cave-in triggered by shifting aura currents.
Gustav reacted fast, using his aura to form a protective barrier over his head and the void leaves, ducking behind a large boulder as debris crashed around him. When the rumbling subsided, he emerged to find the tunnel blocked partially, but a narrow crevice remained, leading deeper into the cave. Curiosity got the better of him—Bren's guide had hinted at a hidden chamber where aura-infused moss grew, a rare ingredient that could enhance the potency of any dish.
He squeezed through the crevice, his torch illuminating a small, circular chamber bathed in faint, green light. The walls were covered in glow moss, its aura humming softly against his skin. As he reached for a clump, he heard a scuffling sound in the shadows—a cave lizard, its scales hard as stone, its eyes glowing red with hunger. It lunged at him, but Gustav sidestepped, using his knife to tap its snout gently while channeling aura to calm its instincts. "Easy there," he murmured. "I'm not here to hurt you—I'm just here for the moss." The lizard hesitated, then retreated into the shadows, seemingly appeased by his calm aura.
Gustav harvested the glow moss, tucking it into his pouch alongside the void leaves, and made his way back through the crevice, climbing over the debris to reach the cave mouth. The rain had stopped, and the sun was breaking through the clouds, casting golden light over the forest. He built a small fire near the cave entrance, roasting a piece of shadow fox meat he'd brought along and seasoning it with crushed glow moss and crystal garlic. The aroma was intoxicating—smoky from the void leaf (which he added as a garnish), sweet from the garlic, and earthy from the moss. As he ate, he felt his aura strengthen, the energy from the ingredients merging with his own, making him more attuned to the world around him.
When he returned to Yorknew's outer districts, he headed straight for the market, where he found Mara tending her stall. He pulled out the void leaves and glow moss, laying them on the counter. "Found these in the Whispering Caves," he said. "Void leaf for balancing flavors, glow moss for aura enhancement."
Mara's eyes widened in wonder. "Void leaf! I haven't seen one in years. And glow moss—this will sell for a fortune to healers and chefs alike. What do you want in return?"
"An aura-sensing compass," Gustav replied. "Something to help me track rare ingredients more easily."
Mara nodded, disappearing into a back room and returning with a small, brass compass that glowed faintly when held. "This was my husband's—he used it as a Gourmet Hunter. It points to areas with high aura concentration, where rare ingredients grow. Take it."
As Gustav thanked her, he spotted the thief from Chapter 3 leaning against a nearby stall, watching him. The man approached, his posture relaxed. "Heard you took down a cave-in and calmed a cave lizard," he said, grinning. "Name's Kael. I used to be a forager, too—until I got mixed up with the wrong crowd. You've got a gift for this. Want to team up sometime? I know the city's black market, and you know the forest."
Gustav hesitated, then shook his head. "I work alone. But I'll keep your offer in mind—if you stay on the right path."
Kael nodded, respecting his decision. "Fair enough. If you ever need info on gourmet syndicates, find me at the Rusty Spoon tavern." He vanished into the crowd, and Gustav tucked the aura compass into his pouch, feeling a sense of cautious optimism.
Back at his shelter, he sat down with Bren's field guide and the new compass, testing it by pointing it toward the forest—it glowed brightly, confirming the high aura concentration there. He wrote in his training log: "Today: ventured into the Whispering Caves, harvested void leaf and glow moss, survived a cave-in, calmed a cave lizard, and acquired an aura-sensing compass. Aura control is improving steadily. Two and a half years until the Hunter Exam—every step brings me closer."
As the sun set, he prepared a soup with void leaf, glow moss, moonpetal mushrooms, and rainbow wheat, channeling his aura into the pot to create a flavor resonance that made the dish hum with energy. He took a sip, and the taste transported him—cool, smoky, sweet, and earthy, all at once. He thought about Gon and Killua, still living their quiet lives on Whale Island and in the Zoldyck Estate, unaware of the adventures that awaited them. Their paths would cross his someday, but for now, he was focused on his own journey—one that led toward the Hunter Exam, toward peak culinary mastery, and eventually, toward the mysteries of the Dark Continent.
He curled up on his mat, the aura compass beside him and the field guide under his pillow, feeling the energy of the day course through his body. The forest outside was quiet now, and the city's lights glowed in the distance. He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep, dreaming of caves filled with glowing moss and leaves that tasted of the void.