Chapter 28: Rainbow Seasoning
Arthur realized something after the first bite.
The table was filled with dishes Menchi had personally prepared, a variety of Hunter World delicacies Arthur couldn't even name, vibrant and aromatic. Menchi truly lived up to Ginta's belief that no one could be her teacher in the culinary world. Even a simple cabbage, after Menchi's touch, melted in the mouth, and an ordinary fish was so delicious it made one want to swallow their tongue.
But that wasn't the point.
After a bite of fish, Arthur felt a surge of warmth within.
This warmth quickly spread through his body, as if opening up his meridians, his pores fully relaxed... Most importantly, Arthur noticed his aura, depleted from training, was recovering at an astonishing rate! It was as if his aura tasted the exquisite food, suddenly energized, and his physical strength rapidly restored. One bite of fish seemed to erase his fatigue.
Arthur didn't say a word, grabbing his chopsticks and devouring the food.
Though he didn't speak, Menchi was already satisfied seeing his expression and reaction after the first bite.
She proudly puffed out her chest, conjuring a seasoning jar from a mass of aura.
"'Rainbow Seasoning,' this is the ability I developed!" Menchi spun the jar in her hand. Even as Arthur listened to her explanation, he didn't stop eating, which was the highest compliment to a chef's skills. Menchi appreciated this, enthusiastically introducing, "Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet! The aura I infuse into this 'Rainbow Seasoning' transforms into special seasonings with different uses! The meal you're eating now uses..."
She shook her hand, sprinkling green seasoning from the jar, shimmering with vitality.
"Green recovery seasoning!"
Arthur was speechless. Did this girl develop this ability because she was stimulated by his recovery ability during training?
Arthur glanced at Ginta, calmly eating. This so-called green seasoning had a recovery effect far superior to his Star Mark's healing ability. Menchi developed it in just a few days, so there must be some restrictions, right?
Menchi didn't need Arthur to ask; she explained herself, "I'm a chef, so I can't deceive my own heart, bad food doesn't deserve such an ability! Only when I'm satisfied with my cooking does 'Rainbow Seasoning' take effect."
Though it seemed like a self-imposed limitation, Menchi saw it as a challenge and a test of her culinary pride!
She gripped the seasoning jar, her eyes shining with the unique light of hunters, "Nen... is so fascinating! Hehe."
Arthur asked curiously, "Rainbow has seven colors, so there are six other uses for the seasoning?"
"Red seasoning is for combat~" Menchi raised an eyebrow, dispersing the seasoning jar into a mass of aura, smiling, "As for the others, I won't tell you!"
Arthur laughed, "If you really told me everything, I'd be troubled."
"Why?" Menchi was curious.
"Because then I'd feel like I have to tell you my abilities too, otherwise..."
"Orange seasoning is, "
"Otherwise, I'd feel like I'm deceiving a silly girl, why are you taking out the knife?!"
Ignoring their usual bickering, Ginta calmly continued his clean plate action. Such good food shouldn't be wasted.
The new year began just like that.
...
Unknowingly, another ten days passed, and it was now January 10, 1995.
Arthur calculated in his mind, it had been nearly 20 days since he arrived in this Hunter World.
And he had been training his Nen for over half a month.
Every day, he gave it his all.
...Fully automated idle-style training, that was also giving it his all.
Moreover, he hadn't always relied on Star Mark for training. As his training progressed, Arthur's will was tempered, becoming more resilient, allowing him to endure a full day of exhausting training on his own.
And the results of this half-month of hard work were quite gratifying.
The four basics of Nen, Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu, he had laid a solid foundation. Derivative applications like Gyo, Ken, Shu, and Ko... not to say he mastered them, but he had earned the recognition of Ginta, the "Sheep" of the Hunter Association's Zodiacs.
His Emission Type training was going smoothly. He could use Nen bullets of considerable strength at will; the 'Finger Flick Technique' could unleash significant power with minimal charge time.
As for Manipulation Type...
Maintaining maximum Ken for over an hour, Arthur, though not feeling much fatigue, still had the energy to think about his newly developed ability.
A new Manipulation Type ability.
...Well, actually, Arthur categorized this new ability under his Manipulation Type 'Earth Song.'
It's a "Moon Mark"!
Arthur glanced at his palm, where a deep gray crescent mark was imprinted.
The development of this ability was inspired by the evolution of Star Mark, which gained the ability to communicate with controlled targets in the mind... Arthur extracted and extended the "communication" ability from Star Mark, eventually forming this deep, boundless gray crescent mark.
In Arthur's vision, he planned to develop a "Sun, Moon, and Star" mark system. If he ever developed a "Sun Mark," the name might not be elegant, so he renamed "Moon Mark" to 'Bright Moon Mark,' allowing for a future third mark named 'Blazing Sun Mark.'
If 'Star Mark' focused on control, then 'Bright Moon Mark' had one core: communication.
In other words, telepathy.
As for the "signal" range of telepathy, Arthur had some guesses but hadn't had the chance to test it, so that would be for later.
And the most significant achievement of this half-month of training was undoubtedly the increase in total aura!
Initially, with only 100 aura, he couldn't even place a second Star Mark without resting.
But now...
Arthur maintained Ken for over an hour without breaking a sweat.
He had tested with a timer; if he pushed himself, he could maintain Ken for 100 minutes.
Total aura, 6000!
In terms of Star Mark, he could place nearly a hundred in one go...
In terms of total aura, he was now twice the average level of Gon and Killua Zoldyck at the end of the Greed Island arc in the manga.
"Arthur, you're still training? Really Meteor..."
Not far away, Menchi approached with a plate of stir-fried meat, casually conjuring 'Rainbow Seasoning,' sprinkling green seasoning, "Recently, there have been strange people asking around in town. Today I heard that Blanchet Company received an official statement from Kakin Empire, so they finally allowed Ochima's people to investigate the reserve. They're recruiting locals, both civilians and professionals..."
"Are you interested?" Menchi handed the stir-fried meat to Arthur to restore his energy, smiling, "I want to give it a try. Or are you planning to set up a stall at the amusement park again?"
Arthur took the plate, picking up a piece of meat to savor, his depleted aura rapidly recovering under Menchi's Nen ability.
He laughed, "Alright! With my skills improving, it's time to venture out and recruit a teammate."
(End of Chapter)
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