Chapter 5

“Did it just appear out of thin air?”

Machi’s instincts kicked in. Anything unknown or beyond her understanding demanded caution. In Meteor City, survival depended on this vigilance. Without it, a person wouldn’t last long in a place wholly unsuited for the naive or unwary.

“Don’t worry about where it came from.”

Morin smiled. “So, what do you think of this tablecloth? Nice, isn’t it?”

“It’s quite nice,” Machi admitted after a closer look.

As far as fabric went, it was the finest she’d ever seen, leagues ahead of anything in Meteor City.

“If you trade it, you could get a decent amount of black rice for it.”

“Black rice? Like the stuff you’re eating?”

Morin glanced at the black sludge in Machi’s bowl, chuckling as he shook his head.

“This tablecloth isn’t for something as crude as bartering for food. That would be such a waste. It’s called the Gourmet Tablecloth for a reason!”

Machi’s expression didn’t change much, but her gaze clearly said, “It’s just a name—why does that matter?”

“Watch closely.”

Morin spread the Gourmet Tablecloth over the worn table in front of Machi.

“Now, it’s time to witness a miracle!”

Feeling his aura and nen flowing through him, Morin smirked.

Item: Gourmet Tablecloth

(Also known as Banquet Napkin, Culinary Spread, or Dining Drapery)

Effect: Conjures real, edible food out of thin air. Simply name the dish, and the tablecloth will produce it. The food is unlimited, authentic, and free.

Note: A coveted item for anyone who’s ever dreamed of eating gourmet meals without cooking or struggling to find rare delicacies. Its functionality makes it one of the most iconic and desirable tools in any reality.

If this item existed in his previous life, Morin imagined global happiness skyrocketing as people skipped cooking and enjoyed endless feasts.

“Let’s see how it works here in this world,” Morin thought.

“Give me sweet-and-sour ribs, braised duck, mapo tofu, steamed fish, ham and winter melon soup, and a bucket of white rice!

With a snap of his fingers, Morin felt his aura slightly diminish.

At the same time, dishes began appearing on the tablecloth. Plates materialized one by one in front of Machi’s widening eyes.

“What is this…?”

Machi couldn’t maintain her calm anymore. The scene unfolding before her defied all logic.

“Do you see now why it’s called the Gourmet Tablecloth?”

Morin grinned as he saw Machi staring, entranced, at the steaming plates of food.

“It’s because it can conjure any dish!”

Pulling over a rickety stool, Morin grabbed the accompanying bowl, spoon, and chopsticks and scooped a generous portion of white rice into his bowl.

“Ahhh…”

He took in the aroma of the food—so rich and vibrant it almost made him emotional.

“This smells amazing!”

These dishes, famously dubbed "Four Dishes and One Soup," had evolved over centuries, remaining a staple of hospitality across regions.

Morin didn’t waste another second. Picking up a piece of the sweet-and-sour ribs with his chopsticks, he took a bite.

“This is incredible!”

He gave a big thumbs-up.

“These are the best ribs I’ve ever tasted!”

The balance of sweet and sour was perfect, with tender meat and a flavor so rich it melted in his mouth.

Machi looked down at her bowl of black sludge, then back at Morin, who was savoring a bite of mapo tofu.

Suddenly, her “food” seemed even less appetizing.

No, scratch that—it had never been appetizing!

“Is it really that good?”

Trying to sound indifferent, Machi sat down across from Morin.

“Here.”

Morin, without pausing, handed her a bowl and a set of chopsticks.

“Why don’t you try for yourself?”

“I even prepared a portion for you.”

He barely looked up as he devoured another mouthful of rice.

Machi hesitated but finally accepted the bowl and chopsticks.

“Fine, I’ll try it.”

She tried to keep her tone neutral, though her actions betrayed her curiosity.

The moment she took her first bite, her expression softened. It was clear—this wasn’t just good food; it was extraordinary.

Machi didn’t rush for the main dishes or rice. Instead, she ladled herself a bowl of ham and winter melon soup.

Sip.

The moment the soup touched her tongue, her eyes quivered.

The savory richness of the ham perfectly complemented the subtle sweetness of the winter melon, creating a harmony that made the soup extraordinarily delicious.

For the first time in her life, Machi felt like her entire being—down to the very cells in her body—was celebrating.

Without realizing it, her hand moved on its own, continuously bringing spoonfuls of the heavenly soup to her mouth.

“I’m not about to let you win.”

Noticing Machi eating with increasing speed, Morin smirked and sped up his own pace.

In no time, the table was wiped clean.

The Gourmet Tablecloth’s four dishes, one soup, and even the bucket of white rice were completely demolished by the two of them.

Not a single drop of sauce or crumb of rice was left. The plates sparkled as if freshly washed, glistening even more than Morin’s face.

Burp.

Letting out a small, satisfied belch, Morin leaned back with a contented sigh.

“That was the best meal I’ve ever had,” he admitted. “But it feels like something’s missing. Dessert, maybe?”

He turned to Machi, who had returned to her usual calm, composed demeanor—though moments ago, she’d been fiercely competing for food like a seasoned fighter.

“What about you? Want dessert?”

“Anything is fine,” she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her voice steady again.

“Alright, leave it to me.”

Morin snapped his fingers once more.

“Two apple custard tarts and a glass of fresh spring water with a sprig of mint.”

As his nen and aura decreased slightly, the Gourmet Tablecloth conjured three more items.

No girl could resist the allure of desserts, especially when it involved the perfect combination of fruit and custard.

“What’s the spring water for?”

Machi asked curiously while taking small spoonfuls of custard, savoring the explosion of flavors on her tongue.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Morin chuckled, enjoying his dessert with an air of mystery.
Machi nodded silently and continued eating her dessert.

After a few moments of quiet, she spoke.

“What do you think? If we were to sell these kinds of food, how much could we make?”

“I’d say not a penny.”

Morin scooped another bite for himself. “As soon as we bring food like this outside, a mob of hungry people would pounce on us and tear us to shreds.”

Machi was silent.

She had mentioned before how precious food was in Meteor City. But understanding how precious and actually considering the risk of selling such food were two very different things.

She didn’t want to face the dangerous reality that selling such food would bring.

Even so, her eyes lingered on the dessert in her hands, a faint glimmer in them that gave Morin an odd feeling.

“She’s not... actually calculating how much money she could make, is she?”

Then again, it made sense. Machi seemed to have a thing for money. Otherwise, why would she stick around the Heavens Arena and run a stitching business on the side?

Even her “comrade” Hisoka wasn’t spared—a right hand cost fifty million, and a left twenty million to stitch up.

“Seventy million, just like that. It’s way faster than robbing a bank.”

“Now that I think about it, female characters in manga seem to love money—Machi, Nami from One Piece, Android 18 from Dragon Ball...”

While Machi quietly considered the value of her dessert, Morin’s mind wandered off.

Soon enough, they finished their after-meal treats, and Morin placed a glass of water with a floating leaf in front of himself.

“Alright, time to see what my Nen category is.”

Machi watched from the side as Morin reached for the glass.

This was the Water Divination Test, a method created by the Shingen-ryu School of Kung Fu to determine one’s Nen affinity.

The process involved filling a glass with water, placing a leaf on top, and channeling one’s Nen around the glass.

The reaction would indicate one’s Nen category, which could be one of six:

Enhancement: The water’s volume increases, causing it to overflow.

Transmutation: The water’s taste changes.

Emission: The water changes color.

Manipulation: The leaf on the water moves.

Conjuration: Crystalline structures or other materials appear in the water.

Specialization: Any reaction that doesn’t fit the first five categories falls here.

For example, Neferpitou’s Water Divination caused the leaf to wither, marking her as a Specialist.

Morin was eager to see which category he belonged to.

“It’s probably Conjuration, right?”

With his pocket dimension and the ability to pull items out of thin air, it seemed to align with Conjuration.

Thinking this, Morin activated his Nen around the glass.

Machi observed quietly, asking no questions.

This was only the second day since Morin had appeared in her life, and he had already given her so many surprises.

Who exactly was this boy?

As she pondered this, her gaze remained fixed on his hands.

Soon, under their joint scrutiny, crystalline structures began forming in the water.

“Conjuration, huh?”

Morin wasn’t surprised. It made sense with his abilities.

But just as he was about to withdraw his aura—

“Hm?”

To his surprise, the crystalline formations didn’t stop appearing.

Under the continued influence of his Nen, more and more crystals materialized, their size and volume increasing rapidly.

Finally—

CRACK!

With a loud noise, the glass shattered under the overwhelming growth of crystals, scattering shards everywhere.

“What... just happened?”

Morin was stunned.

From what he knew, Conjurers didn’t manifest crystals in such large amounts or sizes.

When Kurapika did the Water Divination, his crystals were small and manageable—nothing like this.

“So, at first, it behaved like Conjuration... But the overwhelming growth and eventual shattering seem... unique.

“That leans toward Specialization. But...”

Morin scratched his head. “I’m showing traits of both Conjuration and Specialization. What’s going on?”

“Am I a Conjurer? Or a Specialist?”

While Morin was preoccupied with his identity crisis, Machi sat quietly, processing what had just happened.

Who was this boy? Why did such a simple action—just placing his hands near a glass—cause such an extraordinary reaction?

Of course, her worldview had already been shaken when Morin first pulled out the Gourmet Tablecloth. This was just another layer of disbelief.

She looked at Morin, her expression complex.

At first, he had seemed like just another boy she had picked out of the trash on a whim.

But now, it felt like they were from completely different worlds.

“What’s wrong?”

Noticing her expression, Morin laughed as he cleaned up the mess.

“Were you scared by what happened?”

As he worked, he suddenly smiled mischievously.

“Want to know why that happened?”

He tossed the Gourmet Tablecloth into the air, catching it deftly with one hand as he teased her.

Machi didn’t respond, but the faint glimmer in her eyes betrayed her curiosity.

“This? It’s actually pretty simple.”

Morin performed another sleight of hand, making the tablecloth disappear and reappear effortlessly.

Machi—well, she was almost immune to his antics by now.

“This is because of Nen,” Morin said with a grin.

“Nen?”

Machi repeated the unfamiliar term, turning it over in her mind.

“Exactly.”

Morin nodded.

Technically, teaching Nen to outsiders was forbidden, as it could disrupt the world’s balance. But Machi was destined to learn it eventually and even develop her own Nen ability, Nen Stitches.

Besides, Morin had no plans to leave Machi’s home anytime soon. Staying in Meteor City without a proper grasp of its rules or a safe place to live was too risky.

And... well, leaving Machi wasn’t exactly an option.

If he was going to be here, it was better to be honest and build trust.

“Alright, listen closely. Nen is—”

Just as he began explaining, a loud BANG echoed through the room.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The old door rattled under heavy pounding.

Machi’s expression turned cold instantly.

Her hands moved with practiced precision, pulling out a fine thread laced with a subtle gleam—a weapon that radiated quiet menace even in daylight.

Morin tensed, ready to act if things went south