Larry and the others took their seats, their curiosity growing. It wasn’t long before eight bowls were set before them, two per person. The mont the bowls were placed down, Gel’s sharp golden eyes narrowed in confusion. “…It’s empty?”
At first glance, there appeared to be nothing inside—the bowls were perfectly clear, with no sign of broth, vegetables, or at. Yet, as she tilted the bowl slightly, a gentle ripple passed through it, proving that sothing was indeed there. Larry also inspected the contents, imdiately noticing sothing interesting. “…The soup is completely transparent?” Even from this close, it was almost impossible to see—if not for the steam rising from the bowl, one might genuinely mistake it for an empty dish.
nchi smirked at their reactions, clearly enjoying their bewildernt. “This is my master’s specialty—the Hundred-Flavor Soup.”
Larry picked up his spoon and scooped up so of the near-invisible liquid. The surface of the soup shimred faintly, as if it were coated in sothing. His eyes sharpened. “Aura…?” he muttered under his breath. It was subtle, but the soup had a faint layer of Aura covering it, almost like a protective barrier.
Hearing his murmuring, Linda’s hands paused for a fraction of a second, and she turned her gaze toward him. Her mild surprise didn’t go unnoticed. It was clear she hadn’t expected anyone to notice that detail so quickly. “…Yes.” She nodded slowly. “This layer of Aura is ant to preserve the freshness and essence of the soup.”
She leaned against the counter, taking a mont to observe Larry properly this ti. ‘His presence…’ She had only given him a passing glance earlier, but now that she was truly looking at him—She recognized him. “So you’re the one,” Linda murmured, a flicker of recognition in her eyes.
Larry t her gaze calmly, setting down his spoon without breaking eye contact. “I take it you’ve seen the news?” he said casually.
Linda chuckled. “It’s hard not to when your face is everywhere.”
While the conversation continued, Lika finally took her first sip of the soup. And the mont it touched her tongue— Her eyes widened in shock. “…This is…? She quickly took another sip, her expression shifting from surprise to pure bliss.
nchi grinned, already knowing what was coming. “So? What do you think?”
Lika placed a hand over her mouth, struggling to put it into words. “It’s… it’s like… I can taste everything at once! But it’s not overwhelming… it’s—it's perfectly balanced?”
Gel, seeing Lika’s reaction, took a sip as well. The mont the soup hit her taste buds, her normally calm expression twitched slightly, and she let out a small exhale through her nose. Even she couldn’t deny it— This was beyond anything she had tasted before.
Larry, now even more curious, took a sip. And instantly, he understood. The flavors—they were countless, yet not chaotic. It was as if every single ingredient he had ever tasted in his life had been distilled into a single, harmonious sip. Spices, sweetness, umami, tanginess—it was all there, yet perfectly blended into a single, seamless experience. “…This is incredible.”
nchi nodded proudly. “Of course. This isn’t just any soup. It’s my master soup.”
Linda, who had been watching their reactions, gave a small smile. “The Hundred-Flavor Soup is made using an extrely delicate process. Every ingredient is blended into a state where its physical form is removed, leaving behind only its essence. That’s why it’s completely transparent.” She took a seat across from them, resting her chin on her hands. “The aura also ensures that none of the flavors dissipate.”
Larry was genuinely impressed. aura was often used for combat, but to see it applied so masterfully in the art of cooking was sothing else entirely.
Gel exhaled, setting down her spoon. “I have to admit, this is better than I expected.”
Lika was still happily drinking, savoring every drop.
nchi, seeing their reactions, smirked and leaned back. “Told you.”
Larry, after finishing his first bowl, glanced at Linda. “So, does this an we passed the test?”
Linda chuckled, her gaze flickering toward nchi for a mont before resting on him again. “Maybe.” She let out a slow breath, as if coming to a decision. “But… if you’re really planning on working with nchi…” Her eyes sharpened slightly, the kindness still there, but with an unmistakable weight behind them. “…Then you should be prepared for what cos next.”
As Linda silently observed, Larry had already taken his first sip of soup. In an instant, a symphony of flavors burst in his mouth, layered and complex. It was as if he had tasted hundreds of different gourt dishes at once, each distinct yet seamlessly blended.
Only now did he fully understand why it was called Hundred-Flavor Soup—it wasn’t just a na, it was a literal experience.
With every spoonful, he could sense his Aura subtly surging, a telltale sign of strengthening. The sensation was even stronger than when he had devoured the Scorpion King in the Gordeau Desert.
But what caught him off guard was sothing else entirely—The gestation bar in his mind moved. For the first ti, his Nen ability responded not to battle, but to food.
This was similar to how he had obtained Gengar—when he needed to venture deep into the Karym Ruins to complete the process. This ti, it seed, he needed to eat more.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Larry’s lips. ‘The Pokémon being bred… isn’t it obvious?’
With newfound enthusiasm, he resud eating, scooping spoonful after spoonful without hesitation. And it wasn’t just him. nchi, Lika, and even Gel—all of them were caught in the sa spell.
Their movents were identical, as if they were being controlled by instinct. They kept eating, savoring every bite, each one trying to outpace the other without realizing it.By the ti they finally paused, the bowls were completely empty—not a single drop remained.
Larry stared at the now-spotless bowl, mildly suspicious. “…Was there so kind of addictive ingredient in this?”
nchi, seeing his reaction, let out a satisfied laugh. "This is the magic of true gourt food!"
Seeing the curiosity in Larry and Gel's eyes, nchi took it upon herself to explain. The Hundred-Flavor Soup was a masterpiece of culinary technique, made by collecting hundreds of rare ingredients, with only the most essential parts being selected for use.
The ingredients ranged from C-rank to A-rank, aning each bowl was worth a fortune.
After selection, the ingredients were simred for an incredibly long period, constantly monitored and skimd to remove impurities.
Only when the soup beca fully transparent, looking as though nothing was inside, was it considered complete. "That’s why it tastes like it has hundreds of flavors—because it actually does," nchi explained.
Gel, usually indifferent about most things, nodded slightly in approval. "I see… It’s more than just cooking—it’s a form of refinent," she said, acknowledging the skill required.
Larry, on the other hand, had a completely different thought running through his mind. ‘Isn’t this just… the "Century Soup" from Toriko?!’
The description, the process, the appearance—everything matched almost perfectly. ‘Should I start calling Linda ‘Jiro’ now?’ Despite his inner musings, he couldn’t deny the soup’s power.
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