As soon as the food entered his stomach, it turned into a warm current that gently spread through his body.
"...It's like it's digesting instantly," Kaizen murmured.
"I can feel a slight improvement in my base stats. Not a lot, but enough."
"After all, eating is a long-term investment—three meals a day, sometimes more."
"A little adds up."
He leaned back slightly, deep in thought.
"If what I eat is both delicious and nutritious... what kind of changes will it bring me over time?"
The effects of the gourmet cells still surprised him.
Kaizen was genuinely excited about the possibilities.
Most Nen users have a limit to how much their bodies can handle physically.
The threshold for aura is much higher.
That's why high-level Nen users tend to emphasize the spiritual side of training more—people like Chairman Netero, Maha Zoldyck, and even the owner of Heavens Arena.
Still, over time, the body inevitably declines.
"But with gourmet cells... I might be able to break that ceiling."
"If both aura and physical strength reach their max limits—what then?"
...
"Though Nen can theoretically reach that point, there have probably been people who tried similar things before."
"Maybe not exactly the same ability as gourmet cells, but something close."
Kaizen recalled a memory.
"For example... that Gluttony guy from the Seven Deadly Sins. The one I ran into back then. His power was kind of similar."
"But his effect wasn't nearly as potent."
"If it were, he wouldn't have been stuck at that level."
"The conditions to unlock gourmet cells were actually pretty harsh."
"First, I had to fully absorb the traits of the Hunter Exam—get the progress to 100%."
"Then, I had to combine it with data from the Gourmet Hunters' world."
"Toriko was the only one who could make that possible."
"After that, I had to use the ability of Second Shadow."
"In other words, I had to sacrifice Toriko's existence."
"The harsher the conditions, the greater the potential."
"At the very least, the upper limit of my gourmet cell ability far exceeds that of Gluttony."
...
Kaizen glanced at the time, then waved over a waiter.
"Three more. To-go."
"Sure thing! Just a sec."
Ponzu, who was standing beside him, blinked.
"Captain, is someone joining us?"
"No," Kaizen replied calmly.
Ponzu tilted her head, clearly puzzled.
Kaizen didn't explain.
A few minutes later, the meals were packed. Kaizen paid the bill, and the two left the breakfast shop and got into the car.
They headed toward the city that Tucker had mentioned.
...
The portions from that place were actually generous.
As a Nen user, Kaizen's food intake far exceeded that of an average person. After all, food was a key source of energy for the body.
Even though they'd split the meal between them, Kaizen still felt full.
Yet, because of the gourmet cells, he knew he could keep eating—and more importantly, he wouldn't feel any discomfort afterward.
Ponzu stared at him, stunned.
"Captain… has your appetite gotten bigger?"
She'd been observing Kaizen for a while now, but this was something else. Today, her understanding of him shifted again.
"It's not a problem for Nen users to eat more than usual, especially when prepping for long trips."
"Driving all day drains energy. Replenishment's necessary."
That was one big difference between Nen users and normal people.
Ordinary folks tend to get sleepy or lose focus when full.
That's why most people don't overeat before long drives, tests, or competitions. Concentration is key.
But Nen users? Not a problem.
"You should eat more too, Ponzu. If nothing goes wrong, we might run into a fight tonight."
She nodded.
"Captain… I can drive too, you know."
Among Hunter applicants, aside from rare exceptions like Gon or Killua, most knew how to drive—they had to. Traveling and learning were part of the journey before becoming Hunters.
"You'll take over in the middle."
"Got it."
...
The car fell into silence, broken only by the hum of the engine, the soft roll of tires against pavement, and the wind whispering past the windows.
Together, the sounds were almost like a lullaby.
Before she realized it, Ponzu had dozed off.
When she opened her eyes again, the city had disappeared behind them. All that remained outside the windows was open road and quiet land.
She turned toward Kaizen in the driver's seat.
He was focused, both hands steady on the wheel. He eased off the gas and reapplied it in rhythm, keeping the car moving at an even pace with barely any bumps.
"You awake?"
"Mm-hm." Ponzu rubbed her eyes.
"Want to switch?" Kaizen asked.
"Let me wake up a little more first," she said with a small yawn.
"Alright."
Ponzu stopped staring at him and glanced off to the side, toward the rearview mirror.
She could see Kaizen's reflection in it.
Her mind wandered.
...
The 287th Hunter Exam.
She'd noticed Kaizen back then because of Tonpa, but she hadn't been able to gauge his strength at the time. Just another handsome face among the crowd.
She had been too distracted by concerns about her village.
Later came the island of Zevil.
She'd been hiding in the shadows, ready to ambush him—but he noticed her immediately.
She still didn't know when he'd spotted her.
But he didn't attack.
Didn't even try to steal her number badge.
She'd followed him quietly through the rest of the exam on Zevil Island.
Eventually, she'd gotten in touch with Siper. The two had waited for Kaizen together.
They'd learned Nen.
They'd come to Saherta.
Investigated her village.
And now, here they were.
...
Ponzu felt her thoughts drifting again.
"If... if Captain actually has feelings for me... what am I supposed to do?"
She lifted one hand and pressed it lightly to her chest.
Her heartbeat was fast.
"Ponzu."
"Ah?!"
She startled, flinching like a frightened rabbit.
"Switch. Your turn to drive."
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