Moge lightly snapped his fingers and smiled faintly.
He had just been thinking that his stock of Plant Modifiers was running low, and without a stable source of food in Meteor City, the coming days would not be easy.
As it turned out, these two delivered themselves right to his door and brought him a new commission.
That meant his stock would increase again.
"But there's a problem right now."
Moge lifted his head slightly, his Nen subtly spreading outward as he sensed the movements around them.
"The two of you were a bit loud just now. It seems quite a few people heard you."
Hmm?!
Phinks and Uvogin sharpened their senses at the same time, focusing their hearing.
Soon, faint footsteps could be heard rushing in their direction.
There was also noisy chatter drifting through the air.
"What is that smell?!"
"It smells so good! Is the church cooking something new?!"
"No, it's not from inside the church it's from around it!"
"Hurry and check! Maybe there's still some left!"
Voices overlapped one after another.
"It seems we've attracted attention."
Moge shrugged calmly. "We'll have to retreat for now."
"But don't those foods require plants like trees to appear?"
Machi, who had already finished her seafood fried rice and was wiping her hands clean, reminded him, "Other than here, unless we go to the outskirts, there doesn't seem to be anywhere with trees."
"Feitan has a rotten tree at his place."
Phinks immediately spoke up. "It's the one he stands on to see a bit higher. Perfect height for him"
Before he could finish, a fist slammed into his waist.
Thud.
"Big mouth."
Feitan finally spoke, his voice low and cold.
His height barely reached Phinks's waist, and even more than a decade later he would only grow to around 155 centimeters. It was a sore point.
Only Phinks, who had grown up with him in Meteor City, could joke so carelessly about it. If it were anyone else, Feitan would have already drawn blood.
Still, that rotten tree was indeed a suitable location.
If they moved there, they wouldn't have to linger near the church anymore and risk attracting unnecessary attention.
In Meteor City, drawing a crowd over food was never a wise move.
After a brief exchange of glances, they quickly made their decision.
Before leaving, however, Moge raised his head and smiled faintly toward the window of a certain room inside the church.
Then he followed Phinks and Feitan toward their residence.
"Just now… did that person notice us?"
In the projection room, young Pakunoda couldn't help asking in surprise. She had clearly felt it Moge's gaze had been directed exactly toward them.
"I once read that people can be very sensitive to gazes cast upon them."
Young Chrollo's expression remained calm. "We've been observing them for quite a while. It wouldn't be strange if he noticed."
A slight smile curved his lips.
"He's interesting. I'd like to find an opportunity to get to know him."
Meanwhile, after Moge and the others left, a number of people gathered beneath the large tree where they had been moments ago.
The rich aroma still lingered in the air.
One after another, faces filled with intoxication and greed emerged from the crowd.
"Hiss"
Some took exaggerated deep breaths, trying to inhale every last trace of fragrance.
Such behavior immediately drew hostile glares.
A few even assumed there had been real food there and that someone must have hidden it away before they arrived.
Arguments broke out.
Shouting followed.
Then pushing.
Then fists.
In Meteor City, conflict was as common as breathing.
Ignoring Chrollo's curiosity and the meaningless scuffles beneath the tree, Moge, Uvogin, and Machi followed Phinks and Feitan back to Feitan's house.
Although Uvogin was still irritated with Phinks, he wouldn't refuse the chance to snatch a bite if the opportunity arose.
Feitan's house was small and just as dilapidated on the outside as Moge's own shack.
Inside, however, it was slightly better furnished.
There was a bed, a simple table and chairs, and a small cabinet for storage.
All of it was old and salvaged from the garbage heaps, but in Meteor City, having something was better than nothing.
Moge's attention, however, was fixed on the rotten little tree inside the house.
Fortunately, the Plant Modifier only required plant matter. It didn't matter whether it was alive or dead.
Without hesitation, Moge took out two more Modifiers and loaded them into a syringe.
Thanks to Phinks's commission, his stock had increased again.
Pfft.
He inserted the syringe into the decayed trunk.
Under the watchful gazes of Phinks and Feitan, curiosity quickly transformed into shock.
The tree trembled.
It sprouted.
It swelled.
It blossomed.
And then it bore fruit.
A large black coconut-like fruit rapidly formed before their eyes.
"So that's how you get your food…"
Phinks muttered, clearly stunned.
Feitan said nothing, but his normally narrowed eyes were now almost fully open as he tried to observe every detail.
He wanted to understand it.
To dissect it.
To see the mechanism behind it.
But the moment the black coconut fruit was opened
Click.
A rich aroma burst into the air and flooded their senses.
It struck their brains like a shockwave.
All confusion and doubt vanished instantly.
What remained was pure hunger.
Inside was a bowl of pork chop rice topped with a thick, golden, crispy cutlet glistening with sauce, and a steaming plate of fried noodles mixed with bean sprouts, shredded meat, and green vegetables.
These were dishes they had never seen before in Meteor City.
Their throats rolled uncontrollably.
Even Uvogin and Machi, who had already eaten, felt saliva gathering in their mouths again.
Uvogin's gaze turned subtle.
"Aha! Those are ours you can't touch them!"
Before Uvogin could move, Phinks reacted instantly, dragging the two plates far away.
"Don't think I don't know what you're planning, you bastard!"
Phinks glared fiercely. "Your eyes and drool already betrayed you!"
"Hmm? Was it that obvious?"
Uvogin wiped the corner of his mouth.
When he looked at his hand, there was indeed a noticeable amount of saliva.
"These two freeloaders… still acting so arrogant…"
He grumbled bitterly, lips smacking in frustration.
His voice carried obvious envy toward Phinks and Feitan, who had already begun eating.
The two of them paid him no attention.
The thick pork chop, fried to a crisp golden brown, yielded tender meat with each bite.
The fried noodles, slick with oil and fragrant steam, mixed perfectly with crunchy bean sprouts.
They devoured everything without restraint.
For the first time, they understood exactly what Uvogin and Machi had experienced earlier.
"What a relief…"
After swallowing the final bite, Phinks leaned back and let out a long, satisfied sigh.