What appeared in Moge's hand was a syringe fitted with a slender needle.
And also
"These are the Big Meat and Fried Rice~"
Moge lightly tossed the small vial between his fingers and smiled.
"???"
Uvogin's forehead practically filled with question marks.
These things that look like medicine… and you're telling me they're food?!
He opened his mouth, ready to argue.
But when he noticed Machi standing silently beside him without raising any objections, he hesitated for a moment then shut his mouth as well.
Under their equally scrutinizing gazes, Moge calmly opened one of the vials and drew the liquid into the syringe.
"This tree will do."
He stepped forward and plunged the needle directly into the trunk of the large tree before him.
The next instant
Under everyone's watchful eyes, one of the tree's side branches began to emit a faint glow.
Then it swelled.
Sprouted.
Expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Tender buds burst forth, rapidly blooming into a pale flower.
"Once it blossoms and bears fruit…"
As Moge spoke softly, the flower quickly withered.
In its place, a large, dark, coconut-like fruit formed.
It dropped neatly into Moge's waiting hand.
"And just like that, the food you requested is ready."
He handed it directly to Uvogin.
"This is meat?"
Even though he had just witnessed a branch sprout, bloom, and bear fruit in seconds, the idea of meat growing from a tree still felt absurd.
Half doubtful, half hopeful, Uvogin pried open the lid.
Click.
The moment the black shell split open
A dense, rich aroma of cooked meat burst out like a shockwave.
It flooded the air and violently invaded everyone's senses.
"Hmm?!!!"
Not far away, Phinks and Feitan who had been preparing to sneak into the church froze almost simultaneously.
"Sniff… sniff… what is that…"
Phinks' nose twitched sharply as he whipped his head toward the source.
"What the hell is that smell?!"
"It smells… too good."
Even Feitan had already turned.
His narrow eyes locked in the same direction, unwilling to move.
If even those some distance away could smell it so clearly
Then there was no need to mention Uvogin and Machi, who stood right in front of it.
The instant the aroma erupted, it hit them head-on.
Their throats rolled almost at the same time.
Uvogin's saliva began to drip outright.
"This is meat!!!"
Inside the plump black fruit lay massive chunks of glistening meat.
The fattest, most tender cuts carved from a well-fed pig cooked to perfection, releasing an irresistible fragrance. Each piece was thick, juicy, and steaming hot, nestled inside the fruit like a treasure chest of protein and oil.
Uvogin's mouth flooded instantly. His tongue, nose, and stomach all screamed the same command
Eat.
Under that overwhelming impulse
Crunch!
He thrust his hand into the fruit without hesitation.
Ignoring the steam and scalding heat, he grabbed a huge piece and stuffed it straight into his mouth.
Chomp. Chomp.
The aroma exploded across his palate.
Fat melted.
Juices burst.
The tender meat was mercilessly crushed between his teeth, rich juices splattering inside his mouth and even trailing from the corners of his lips.
"Delicious so damn delicious!!!"
In the past, Uvogin would never have wasted even a drop of precious grease.
But now?
There was too much.
So much that he didn't care.
He wished his mouth were bigger.
Wished he could shove everything inside at once.
Was it fear of poverty? Fear of hunger?
Or simply the terror of having once lacked so much that abundance now felt unreal?
For a child of Meteor City who had never tasted anything this luxurious
This was overwhelming.
Almost addictive.
Subconsciously, as he devoured the meat, Uvogin turned his back to Machi.
Yes.
Even Uvogin had learned to guard his food.
Machi: Is it really that serious?
I'm not some glutton.
She cast a sideways glance at his broad back, her expression calm and composed.
But her throat rolled again.
There was no helping it.
The aroma was too intense.
For a fleeting second, she even regretted her choice.
Why had she chosen fried rice instead of meat?
Still If Moge could create something like this, then the fried rice would surely not disappoint.
Watching Uvogin eat with such unrestrained satisfaction sparked a faint anticipation inside her.
Let's see what kind of fried rice he can produce.
Meanwhile, inside the church's screening room
"Gulp."
Chrollo and Pakunoda swallowed almost in sync.
They couldn't smell the aroma through the glass.
But they could see the steam rising.
See the glistening surface of the meat.
See Uvogin stuffing massive chunks into his mouth, juices spilling as he chewed like a wild beast.
In a place like Meteor City where oil and fat were nearly nonexistent
This sight alone was torture.
Even Chrollo, a child prodigy with extraordinary composure, felt his thoughts falter watching Uvogin devour meat in such mouthfuls.
Why had a syringe and vial appeared out of nowhere?
Why did injecting a tree branch cause it to bloom and bear fruit?
Why did that fruit contain cooked meat?
These phenomena, completely beyond logic and his accumulated knowledge, should have shattered his worldview.
Yet all those questions were momentarily drowned beneath the raw spectacle of food.
In this regard
Uvogin was undeniably a qualified food broadcaster.
And Chrollo, after all, was still just a child of Meteor City.
He had scavenged through ruins and garbage heaps his entire life.
He had never truly eaten something like this.
Fortunately chrollo was still Chrollo.
With tremendous effort, he forcibly tore his gaze away from Uvogin or more precisely, from the meat.
Instead, he focused once more on Moge.
Moge had already opened another vial.
Drawn the liquid into the syringe.
And was preparing to inject the tree again.
Chrollo's curiosity burned brighter than hunger.
What exactly was this ability?
Something that could alter the nature of a tree and cause it to produce food as fruit.