A short while ter, Larry, Menchi, Gardevoir, and Gengar sat around a round table, ready to dig in. Initially, the pn had been to capture a regur Pale Fang Scorpion, which would have beey for just the two of them. However, the ued catch of the Pale Fang Scorpion King, nearly twice the size, meant there was more than enough to share.

  Menchi didn't eveion why Larry’s Pokémon could eat. By this point, she had seen so many strahings from him that she had stopped being surprised altogether. Gardevoir and Gengar, having eagerly awaited their share, wasted no time digging in.

  Larry lifted his spoon, scooped up a piece of the scorpion's belly meat from the soup, and took a bite. The moment it touched his tohe meat melted instantly—its texture as smooth as egg tofu with a natural sweethat burst forth in his mouth. A deep, rich aroma followed, enhanced by the yers of fvor from Menchi’s signature sauce. The "Ultimate Freshness" sauce elevated the dish to a whole new level, making every bite more delicious tha.

  As the soup flowed down his throat, a f warmth spread through his entire body, like drinking a hot broth on a freezing winter night. Larry leaned back, sav the sensation. It wasn't just delicious—he could feel something happening inside him. His aura stirred, fluctuating ever so slightly, and upon closer iion, he realized... His aura capacity was increasing! Larry’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait… does this food actually boost my aura?”

  Menchi, who was enjoying her own meal, looked up and grinned. “That’s right! This is exactly what us Gourmet Hunters are after.” She gestured proudly at the dishes before them. “Rare, high-quality ingredients, cooked to perfe with the right teiques. Some dishes, like this one, have the power to enhance aura and strehe body.”

  Larry nodded slowly, taking it all in. The way Menchi spoke about food—it was more than just nourishment to her. It was art. For Menchi, this meal ersonal milestone. She had tasted many delicacies in her life, including some of the fi dishes from Gourmet Paradise, but tonight's meal ranked among the best.

  The quality of the Pale Fang Scorpion King pyed a huge role, but Menchi could also feel it—her cooking skills had improved. The challenging process of preparing such a rare ingredient had pushed her boundaries, refining her abilities and giving her fiden her growth as a chef. In her heart, she silently thanked Larry. Without his help, she wouldn’t have had the ce to work with su ingredient. As she ate, her mind drifted to the words of Master Buhara, the legendary figure all Gourmet Hunters admired.

  Buhara had oold her that true Gourmet Hunters rarely worked alone. Hunting and cooking required different skills, and human energy was limited. That’s why many Gourmet Hunters formed partnerships—one would specialize in capturing ingredients, while the other focused on preparing them. But both had to share the same passion for food.

  Menchi had always been indepe, fident irength, and focused entirely on food. But after fag the reality of this journey, she realized that her skills as a hunter weren’t enough to match her ary ambitions. She could cook high-level ingredients, but she cked the strength to capture them on her own. Looking at Larry enjoying his meal, she felt a new sense of uanding. ‘Maybe... Larry is the partner I need.’ Her heart pounded, and a faint blush crept onto her face.

  "Ge-ngar, Gengar!""Shauna!"While Menchi was lost in thought, Gardevoir and Gengar chirped excitedly, their eyes gleaming. Even they could feel the effects of the meal—an improvement in their strength.

  Larry g his internal status and noticed that their experience levels had increased slightly. To him, these dishes weren’t just food—they were literal experience boosters. Menchi snapped out of her thoughts and smiled warmly, watg as Larry, Gardevoir, and Gengar eagerly devoured their portions. Seeing everyone enjoy the meal brought her a deep sense of satisfa. “Delicious food makes people happy,” she said softly to herself.

  Larry looked up from his pte and grinned. “You said it. This might be the best meal I’ve ever had.”

  Menchi chuckled, twirling her spoon. “Well, if you stick around, I’ll make sure you have plenty more.”

  Larry smirked. “Careful, I might take you up on that offer.”

  For Menchi, the greatest pliment was seeing the satisfied expressions of those enjoying her cooking. Gardevoir and Gengar, after a flurry of excitement, had devoured the entire feast alongside Larry and Menchi. The only dowhey had all put on a little belly fat.

  Thankfully, as Nen users—and with Gardevoir and Gengar being Nes—their bodies could hahe immeake. Had they been ordinary people, they would have succumbed to the overwhelmiation and possibly eaten themselves to exhaustion, uo resist the sheer deliciousness of the meal.

  For Nen users, this dish was an incredible supplement, enhang their aura capacity and strengthening their bodies. But to an average person, it could be a dangerous indulgene that could lead them to overe beyond their physical limits. The riergy tained within the Pale Fang Scorpion King could prove too much for an ordinary body to handle.

  On the market, most ingredients avaible were below B-rank, with B-rank ingredients sidered rare and difficult to obtain. Their scarcity was due not only to their rarity in the wild but also because very few people could actually e them. Only those with Nen abilities or individuals with extremely high status and access to top-tier security could indulge in such luxury.

  As Larry and Menchi fiheir meal, a soft rustling sound caught their attention. A small group of Duapirs had gathered around them, drawn by the irresistible aroma. The creatures had bck skin with a distinctive yellow stripe running across their bellies, their rge ears twitg curiously. Their faces resembled rabbits, but their plump bodies and round bellies gave them the appearaniniature boars. Due to their cute looks and easygoing nature, duapirs were only kept as pets i regions.

  Larry and Menchi exged amused gnces before deg to toss the scraps to the eager creatures. “Here you go,” Larry said, chug as he watched the tapirs devour the leftovers with loud, pig-like snorts. “Alright, that’s enough of that,” he muttered, and with a nod, Gardevoir used her teleportation ability to move the duapirs—and their meal—far from their camp.

  With a gentle pink glow, the duapirs vanished, reappearing in a distant area, still oblivious to their sudden ge in location as they tinued happily mung away. As the st traces of their meal faded, Menchi dissolved the materialized kit tools with a snap of her fingers.