---
Resting briefly, Kai allowed his aura to fully regenerate.
His heart stirred slightly, and he activated Nen: Virtual Reality.
The materialized objects were merely cells—microscopic and invisible to the naked eye—but Kai could feel the intense turbulence of his aura, rapidly surging and then depleting.
Just as he felt he could no longer endure the strain—
Virtual Reality came to an abrupt stop.
Closing his eyes, Kai sensed something within his body: a singular glowing point.
It was only a cell, yet it exuded an aura as if it were an ancient, prehistoric entity.
> "So this is the Gourmet Cell... Truly remarkable."
Gourmet Cells: Cells originating from the world of Toriko, discovered by the legendary Gourmet God, Acacia, within the depths of the ocean inside a phantom jellyfish.
When implanted into the human body, these cells awaken latent potential. Through the consumption of gourmet-level food, they catalyze biological evolution, enhancing the host's physical and metaphysical attributes to surpass human limitations.
As Kai continued to explore the miraculous properties of the Gourmet Cell,
An uncontrollable hunger suddenly overwhelmed him.
> "Hungry… so hungry…"
Every cell in his body screamed the same primal urge—a desperate craving for sustenance.
Fortunately, Kai had prepared in advance: several boxes of beef jerky and multiple buckets of water.
After voraciously devouring the food—
> "Belch—"
Though the meal was simple, Kai could sense a roaring heat in his abdomen.
A flood of warmth surged through his bloodstream, reaching every cell in his body.
> "A 100% food absorption rate… It's even concentrating nutritional essence to stimulate the evolution of standard human cells."
Perhaps it was due to biological adjustments made by the cells upon arrival in this new world, but the Gourmet Cells seemed to differ slightly from their original design. Even mundane food, here, provided effects comparable to rare delicacies in the Gourmet World.
Of course, that effect was partly due to the initial fragility of Kai's cells.
---
Half a month later.
Kai stood in an open training field.
> "Boom!!"
He activated his Aura Nodes—his Nen flared with unrestrained force.
His aura, vast as the ocean, burst forth.
The sheer pressure lifted nearby debris high into the air.
> "His aura…"
From a distance, Nobunaga observed, his expression complicated.
Born and raised in the unforgiving environment of Meteor City, they were a people who never gave up easily.
But in the face of Kai's overwhelming strength, silence was the only response.
Even Uvogin had to accept it.
If Uvogin's aura could be quantified as 10, then Kai's was at least 1000.
During this time of intensive training, it became abundantly clear:
While the outcome of a Nen battle isn't determined by aura quantity alone—
Fighting style, specialization, Nen type compatibility, vows, and timing all factor in—
There comes a point when the sheer scale of power becomes decisive.
And now, Kai, utilizing only the fundamentals of Nen manipulation,
Could hold his ground against the combined assault of three elite fighters.
Under Kai's tutelage, even veterans like Nobunaga and Uvogin had evolved their combat techniques.
> "Kai can block my Big Bang Impact with raw physical strength alone—how frustrating!"
Uvogin still grumbled about their last sparring session.
While he may have lacked in finesse, in terms of raw destructive force, his punch was unrivaled.
That attack, equal in impact to a small-scale explosive device, was absorbed directly by Kai—
No guard, no evasion.
He simply stood tall, allowing the blow to land directly on his abdomen.
Machi, overhearing the exchange, felt a peculiar emotion rise within her.
> "Why… am I feeling proud?"
It was a sensation unfamiliar to her.
Unaware of their emotional reactions, Kai remained completely focused.
> "According to theory, the six Nen categories are determined by innate aptitude, personality, and environmental development."
> "But with the enhancements provided by Gourmet Cells, perhaps I can compensate for the limitations of my upbringing and experiences."
With the assistance of Virtual Reality,
A torrent of analytical data flooded his brain.
He meticulously reviewed every frame of his previous battle with Uvogin.
From posture to movement, from aura patterns to micro-reactions—
Nothing escaped his analysis.
After a long period of deep concentration,
Kai opened his eyes, now brimming with insight.
> "Big Bang Impact."
He launched a punch toward a towering pile of scrap debris.
> "Boom—!"
The sound roared through the air.
For a moment, the garbage mountain stood still.
Then—it vanished.
Vaporized.
Reduced to microscopic particles, obliterated under the sheer pressure of condensed aura.
The others stared at the empty space in stunned silence.
Machi whispered,
> "I think… we no longer need to keep hiding."